Tonight I was invited to a tasting of Ferrari Carano wines – 2012 Fume Blac, 2011 Bella Luce, 2011 Chardonnay, 2010 Siena, and 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon. Let me first tell you that I prefer dry whites and sweet, full bodied reds when it comes to wine. That being said, I walked away tonight with a bottle of the Fume Blac, the Bella Luce, and the Chardonnay. All three of them are perfect sipping wines….and by sipping I mean walking in the front door and pouring myself a glass as I take off my shoes and turn on the radio every evening.
Here is a little info on my purchases:
Ferrari Carano Tasting with Kimberly from the Winery
Ferrari-Carano wines are built on love and respect. A love of the land, the grapes, the vines, and the people and animals that are all part of the wine-making process.
2012 Fume Blanc - This wine is a blend of Sauvignon Blanc grapes from various appellations in Sonoma County: Dry Creek, Alexander, Knights and Russian River Valleys. Aromas of orange blossom, quince, white peach, Meyer lemon and mango complemented by flavors of pineapple, pear and guava. This wine has bright acidity, and crisp freshness from the cool, stainless steel tank fermentation, while the subtle oak character from barrel aging adds, body, complexity and depth.
2011 Bella Luce, Sonoma County - Their unique, proprietary, 2011 Bella Luce means “beautiful light” in Italian. Individual lots of white wine grape varieties, including Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Muscat Canelli, Gewürztraminer, Viognier, Pinot Blanc and Muscat Giallo. Delicious layers of Muscat, honeydew, orange, lychee, pineapple, peach and apple, along with lingering floral notes, cream and vanilla.
2011 Chardonnay, Sonoma County - From vineyards in Alexander, Russian River, Carneros and Dry Creek Valleys. This full-bodied Chardonnay boasts delicious aromas of baked apple, marshmallow, pear, citrus and a hint of graham cracker, perfectly balanced by flavors of Fuji apple, lemon, vanilla and lingering, creamy toasted oak notes.
Every one I tried I liked better than the last. I’m really excited about them. In addition to the great tasting wine, Kimberly told me that the best time to visit Sonoma is in September. Talk about awesome information. I was planning a summer trip. September sounds good to me! She said that in September and October the grapes are being harvested and it’s beautiful.
The business: I received these products courtesy of a give away from Melissa at Married My Sugar Daddy and sponsored by CalNaturale. The opinions expressed below are completely my own.
That being said and out of the way. I am in love with this product! What is it you’re asking….
CalNaturale represents the very latest in high quality winemaking and innovative marketing: the grapes used to produce our wine were grown in the famed Paso Robles Appellation and are certified as having been farmed organically; that is, without the use of any pesticides or synthetic fertilizers. Carrying this sustainable theme even further, we have packaged CalNaturale in Tetra-Pak flexible packaging – convenient and very eco-friendly, utilizing less than half the greenhouse gasses, waste and energy in producing and transporting our product.
RIGHT! It’s organic and packaged in an environmentally conscious method! When I won the giveaway that Melissa hosted I expected to receive 2 small containers and 2 large containers of the Cabernet Sauvignon and the Chardonnay. In my mind the large containers would be the equivalent of a bottle and the small containers would be about a glass’ worth. BOY WAS I WRONG! I do believe I poured 6 glasses from the small containers….each. And I haven’t even cracked up the large ones yet. The volume is wonderful.
When I first started drinking wine a friend told me to put my hand over the glass, swirl it around, and then immediately smell it to see what aromas I could sense. If I liked the wine those were the ingredients I needed to be on the look out for. That’s what I did with these. The Chardonnay has strong peach and pear smells and is fruity and crisp. With the Cabernet Sauvignon, the smell of oak hit me strong (which I love) and it’s very juicy. I’m not sure if juicy is the proper wine term but it is. I have enjoyed these wines with meals, cheese, and alone.
Now let’s address this packaging. It’s absolutely wonderful! It ships so easily. I didn’t have to worry about a fragile shipment arriving at my door step or not being taken care of properly. When I finished a container I didn’t have to worry about the clanging of bottles in my trash bag either. It’s a total win/win situation.
Thank you to Melissa and CalNaturale for introducing me to such a fabulous product. Check out the website and find out where you can get your very own.
Earlier this month I received a Love VoxBox from Influenster, filled with products for me to sample. As a baker who prides herself on only using top quality and all natural ingredients, I’m ashamed to say that I have passed by Ghirardelli chocolate bars in the grocery store before now. The box came with a free Milk Chocolate Bar and 2 coupons for more. When I tell you that it was so delicious I wish I had one right now to eat for breakfast, I’m completely serious!
My real surprise came when I looked at the ingredients list! We’re aware that a lot of products claim to be all natural but not many chocolate products have a small list of pure ingredients. Small is the key. There isn’t a lot required to make chocolate you know.
Ghirardelli’s all natural milk chocolate bars are smooth and creamy. As a matter of fact, I took 2 squares from my bar and melted them with a little milk to dip my fresh strawberries in for an evening snack.
It’s a Love VoxBox…why not do something a little sexy with it.
Since my discovery I have also added Ghirardelli to my preferred list of ingredients for Sugar Rush (and my grocery list for myself)!
There is no consoling me….well maybe. I caught my cousin eating a deep dish pizza today called The Kitchen Sink. So I have not failed alone in the least.
And I may be giving up on YouTube. I have been trying to upload this video for MULTIPLE DAYS and even with the all powerful Starbucks wifi that I’m jacking right now….it was delayed on YouTube. So I am giving Vimeo a try today. We’ll see how the next upload goes.
