How I Lost my Wine Tasting Virginity

Turning 21 is a rite of passage that many celebrate by going out and drinking excessively.  I wasn’t one of those people.  I used turning 21 as a gateway to try more beverages and find ones I really enjoy.

To be honest, wine wasn’t even on my list.  Sure, I drank Arbor Mist. {Go on, laugh and say I don’t know what I’m talking about.  Just promise you’ll keep reading because it gets better.}  Yes, I drank that particular brand.  I drank it because it didn’t taste like wine.  Then a friend introduced me to Yellow Tail Shiraz.  I learned that wine can taste like wine and still taste decent.  I still wouldn’t order wine at the restaurants or bars.  I liked Jack Daniels Tennessee whiskey and that is what I was sticking with.

In 2009 I joined the Army reserves as a musician.  The following summer we spent two weeks in New York.  There, near a small town called Watertown, I lost my wine tasting virginity.  About fifteen of us went to Thousand Islands Winery in Alexandria Bay, New York.  What an experience!  Needless to say, I became hooked.

I never knew how many details go into making a batch of wine.  I didn’t know why some wines were “oaked” and others weren’t.  I didn’t know that the same grape variety can be grown within several miles of each other, and produced into an identical wine by the same wine maker, yet the two products will taste totally different.  I didn’t know that the United States has AVAs (American Viticultural Areas).  Some states are part of more than one AVA!  I didn’t know that the type of oak matters when it comes to barrel aging.  Different species of oak impart different qualities to the wine.  How about different sub-species of American Oak?  They all taste different.  The discussion about oak could easily take a series of posts…file that idea for later.  

There are many other things to look at when visiting a winery.  How is the ambiance?  How busy is the tasting room?  Are the samples being poured appropriately?  One factor to consider is the amount.  You really do need enough for three to four sips, not drops, but actually sips.  Are the employees friendly?  Do they know their information?  If not, are they willing to either look up the answer or ask the wine maker? {At this point, I sincerely hope you’re not dealing with the wine maker personally.}  How do the employees speak of other wines and wineries? 

I’ve been to more wineries in the last five years than I could count.  My goal is to visit every winery within a hundred-mile-radius of home and at least three wineries in every state.  After that, I guess I’ll have to widen the radius.  I learned that wine making is not just an art or a craft.  It’s a science.  It’s about trying new things.  If they work, awesome, if not, noted and move on.  I’ve also met some pretty incredible people.  Most of the employees are kind, knowledgeable, and humble.  They truly enjoy educating their guests about the different wines their company provides. 

So, go ahead.  Lose your wine tasting virginity.  Who knows what you may learn or discover.

Green Pepper Casserole

Have you ever had stuffed green peppers?  And thought that it might be better with more filling and less pepper?  Here's a recipe I got from Mom and only tweaked a tiny bit.  Her recipe called for just salt and ground pepper.  I've added garlic and substituted Italian seasoning for the salt & pepper.

Ingredients
2lbs ground beef (the leaner the better)
1 clove garlic, minced or crushed
1 medium onion, chopped
1 to 2 medium green bell peppers, chopped
1 can (8oz) tomato sauce
2 cans water (use the tomato sauce can)
2 cans instant rice (use the tomato sauce can)
Italian seasoning to taste (about 1 to 2 tablespoons)

[picture coming soon]

Directions
Brown the ground beef in a large skillet or Dutch oven with the garlic, onion, green peppers.  Drain off any fat.  Add tomato sauce, seasoning, and 1 can of water; simmer until pepper is tender.  Add remaining can of water and bring to a boil.  Add rice, stir, cover, and remove from heat.  It will be ready in about 5 minutes.

Some of the best things about this recipe are that it doubles easily, freezes easily, and is relatively inexpensive.  I think the most I've spent on enough for 8 servings is around $8.