Family Sangria Tasting!

Sangria is a great alternative to wine in the summer and something I like to make at home. Last year while on vacation with my family, we had a group sangria recipe taste test. So this year when we were all together again, we had our second annual event.

My aunt Mayanne used to be a bartender so she took the lead on the mixing. We started with a white merlot and a pinot grigio and concocted three different sangria recipes from each. I recorded the recipes but we started from scratch, just thinking about what would go best together. We did not tell any of the taste testers what was in each recipe; they judged on taste alone.

I am including recipes but please note they are approximate and we used two liter bottles of wine. All of these could have cut fruit added (apples, oranges, lemons, limes) and should be served cold over ice.
About 10 of my family members rated the recipes on a scale of one to five, with five being the best and gave us their comments.

Winter Sangria
While sangria is typically a summer drink, we used Yukon Jack Cinnamon in this recipe to give it an extra kick.
One-third bottle white merlot
Half can lemon-lime seltzer
One-third can cranberry-lime seltzer
Large splash triple sec
One-third to half a nip Yukon Jack Cinnamon
Rating: This recipe scored a 2.6.
Overall, most taste testers thought the spicy finish was a little off-putting but would be good at Thanksgiving or Christmas.

White Merlot Sangria
I couldn’t come up with a creative name for this one, but it was fruity and classic like most sangrias you get at a restaurant. This one would be great with some fruit after sitting for an hour or so.
On-third bottle white merlot
Large splash triple sec
Half can lemon-lime seltzer
Half nip blackberry brandy
Juice from a quarter slice of each-lemon and lime
Rating: This recipe scored a 4.
Many of the taste testers called this “true sangria” that was “refreshing and light.” My cousin Lauren said, “Nailed it!”

Blue Cab
Equal parts white merlot and cabernet sauvignon
Three-fourths nip blueberry vodka
Rating: This recipe scored a 2.4
The taste testers loved the nose on this recipe. My cousin’s husband Chris said, “This puts a smile on your face just smelling it,” but felt it had too dry of a finish to be called sangria and was not sweet. “It tastes like cheap red wine,” my brother’s girlfriend Brittany said. While my aunt and I agreed this wasn’t the most usual sangria recipe, we really liked it.

Fruit Splash
One-third bottle pinot grigio
One apple, cut up
Pomegranate liqueur
Splash peach schnapps
One-third can cranberry-lime seltzer
Rating: This sangria scored a 2.9.
While my aunt and I found this sangria slightly plain and boring, the taste testers called it “refreshing,” “tart” and “crisp,” yet my uncle Mike said he “wouldn’t think of this as sangria.”

Fruitilicious
One-third bottle pinot grigio
One half to three-fourths UV Salty Watermelon Vodka nip
One-third can Fresca
Half a lime-squeezed
Rating: This was the overall favorite recipe, scoring a 4.5. It was not only a pretty pink hue in the container, which would be great for parties, but my family felt it was also a perfect drink for the beach. “This is what a sangria should be,” my uncle Mike said, while my brother’s girlfriend joked that she would “bathe in it.” Even though we only had one recipe left, someone else commented, “It’s going to be hard to beat this one.”

Sour Patch Sangria
One-third bottle pinot grigio
1/8 tube Crystal Light Raspberry Lemonade (use sparingly!)
Three-fourths can Limonata
Lime wedges-squeezed
Rating: This recipe closed out the tasting with a 3.6. Only my family members who like sour, like my cousin Lauren who gets credit for the name, liked this recipe. “I love it, but I like sour,” said my mom who rated it a five, while my cousin Katie said, “It’s tart, and makes you pucker.” My brother’s girlfriend agreed and gave it a four. It was too sour for my cousin and aunt, while my uncle said it was “alright.” My brother said it had too much grapefruit.

Overall, Fruitilicious took the top spot this year and Blue Cab took the bottom with the group. The key to all of this is don’t be afraid to try something new and different, according to your own personal taste. I like to experiment so something like this is the perfect opportunity, especially if you come out with something everyone likes.

Stone Gate Vineyard's Last Season: Go Visit Now!

Wine Barrel Tasting event last fall 

Stone Gate Vineyard in Gilford, one of my favorite New Hampshire wineries, opened recently during the Memorial Day weekend. Though this was great news, they also announced that this was going to be their last season. So with this news, I am encouraging everyone to visit. If you haven’t been there yet, go. And if you have already visited, go back and enjoy the great wine, atmosphere and hospitality.

Stone Gate Vineyard is owned and operated by Peter and Jane Ellis. I met them a few years ago while I was a waitress at an Italian restaurant in the area. I happened to notice Peter’s Stone Gate shirt and we struck up a conversation about the winery. I promised to visit and a year later I finally fulfilled my promise. I have to admit I am somewhat partial to this winery because it was the first one I visited in New Hampshire, and Peter and Jane really helped develop my love of wine. 

This winery is so welcoming and isn’t intimidating for anyone who knows nothing about wine. I have always felt like a member of the Ellis family while visiting and have enjoyed sharing their wines with my friends and family. I have also had the pleasure of meeting their daughter and her children at the winery – it’s a family vineyard.

Peter and Jane had been making their own wine as a hobby for a few years before they opened the winery. They had spent some time in California in wine country during one of Peter’s business trips, and learned even more about wineries. Eventually, their hobby evolved into a business. Their on-site vineyard is currently filled with cold weather grapes that are hardy enough to survive New England winters. They were told they couldn’t grow grapes in New England, but like many other New Hampshire wineries, they have really proved that statement wrong.

When I visited during opening weekend, there were nine wines available for tasting at Stone Gate Vineyard. I can honestly say I like them all, and have really enjoyed watching their wines develop and change over the years. Since Peter doesn’t personally like any sweet wines, his wines tend to be on the drier, semi-sweet scale, which many wine drinkers will enjoy. It is important to note, however, that many visitors may not know most of the wines right away, but give them a taste and let Peter and Jane guide you through what you may or may not like.

One of my favorite Stone Gate wines is Cayuga, a hybrid grape developed at Cornell University in New York. This wine is described as off dry with a floral nose and is very smooth. It has been compared to a Riesling, but I find it has its own unique qualities. Many white wine drinkers will enjoy this wine well chilled. 

Steuben is another New York hybrid grape available for tasting. This wine is semi-sweet, light and fruity. On the nose, it reminds me of the Niagara grape but has different fruit flavors on the palate.

My favorite Stone Gate wine is definitely their Riesling. This semi-sweet wine celebrates the best of the delicate grape’s characteristics, without being too manipulated, according to Jane. She said they like to let it be and the result is so nice. I recommend purchasing a few bottles of this wine if you like it because it consistently sells out and quantity is limited.

The Apple wine is made with three different kinds of apples from a local orchard down the street. This might be my second favorite wine at Stone Gate. It has a lovely apple aroma that reminds me of apple juice. On the palate, it is very smooth and pleasant with just the right amount of acid. 

The Steuben is a semi-sweet, light and fruity wine with a Concord grape nose. Many white wine drinkers will enjoy this one as well. 

One of the most unique wines at Stone Gate is the Winnipesaukee White, a semi-sweet wine made from Niagara grapes, the cousin to the Concord grape. This wine smells and tastes very much like adult grape juice. It’s very different from most wines you may have tasted before.

Three red wines are currently available at Stone Gate, including their only blend, Winnipesaukee Red, from Rougeon and DeChaunac grapes, a Frontenac, Marechal Foch and a Cabernet made from California grapes. I noted a raspberry nose on the Winnipesaukee Red. It is very pleasant with a smooth finish. The Frontenac is slightly drier but still fruity, with berry flavors.  The Foch is full-bodied with cherry and earthy notes, with a slight effervescence to it that is noticeable on the finish. 

The 2010 Cabernet is made from grapes that were hand-picked in California. This wine is full-bodied, smooth and aging very well in the bottle, Peter noted.

Though I have been to Stone Gate numerous times since my very first visit, I never get tired of trying their wines and helping others discover it as well. To say I am going to miss them is an understatement. 

Stone Gate Vineyard is located at 27 David Lewis Road in Gilford. The tasting room is open Saturdays and Sundays from 1-5 p.m. 

Hermit Woods Wine Dinner

This text will appear in the Hippo on Thursday, May 30 in my wine column. But this wine dinner was so good I wanted to share additional links and photos. 

What happens when a local winery, restaurant and bed and breakfast come together? In short, there’s great wine, delicious food and excellent hospitality. This was my experience at Hermit Woods Winery’s second annual Wine Release Dinner, the event that marks the beginning of the winery’s season and introduces members of the media to their offerings.

A group of us met at Hermit Woods Winery, located in Sanbornton near Steele Hill Resort. The boutique winery opened in 2011, offering wines made from grapes, fruit and honey (meads). Co-owners Bob Manley and Ken Hardcastle greeted us, noting Chuck Lawrence, a commercial pilot, was in Portugal. Hardcastle, a geologist by trade and the winery’s chief winemaker, said their goal is to use local fruits and products to create classical style, dry wines.

“Every year Ken achieves more unique combinations, bringing out the qualities in the wines,” said Manley. “This is our second annual wine release dinner and we want to make this a tradition.” 

Our group tried seven different wines, beginning with the 2012 Whiteface, a new fruit wine made with whole quince, rhubarb, peaches and rosehips. While this combination may not sound like something you expect in a wine, it has lovely aromas of peaches and a light hue. I found this wine to be very unique but pleasant with a nice smooth finish. A limited quantity will be available at the winery.

The 2012 Kiwi Wine is something I was really looking forward to trying, as past batches have sold out before I had the chance. The 2012 wine was made with two local organic kiwi varieties, chosen for their tartness. This wine has great aromas and flavors of honeydew melon. It is off dry and could be compared to a Riesling, but has its own uniqueness and isn’t overly sweet. 

As Hermit Woods has been open for a couple of years now, they are able to age some of their wines. One example of that is their 2011 Blue Mead, a blend of two separate wines: blueberry wine and honey mead. This wine is off dry and should be served slightly chilled. The 2011 Elderberry Oak is another example of an aged fruit wine, similar to the elderberry wine but this one is fermented warmer and aged in an oak barrel. 

One wine made from grapes at Hermit Woods is the 2011 Ermitano, a cabernet sauvignon made from Chilean grapes. “Ermitano” means hermit in Spanish, and this wine is big, bold and deep red in color. Big red wine drinkers will enjoy this one, as it was aged in oak for seven months. 

One of my favorite wines of the night was the 2012 Deep Blue, an intense, port style wine made with low bush blueberries. The aroma of this wine is great and the finish is very smooth despite noticeable tannins and strong alcoholic heat. 

Following this tasting, the group of us headed to the Lake House at Ferry Point, a Sanbornton bed and breakfast on Lake Winnisquam where John and Cindy Becker are the innkeepers. There, Chef Kevin Halligan from Local Eatery in Laconia and his wife, Gillian, were busy preparing a fabulous seven course menu, each course paired with a different Hermit Woods wine. First, we sampled a blueberry Bellini, made with Hermit Woods’ Hermitage wine. 

“It’s so exciting to share our wines with everyone. You are the first through the door to try them,” Hardcastle said as dinner began.

I have worked with Halligan in the past and eaten at Local Eatery restaurant, so I knew dinner was going to be amazing because he is such a great chef. He uses as many locally sourced products in his restaurant as he can, which supports local farms and businesses and equals a very high-quality product. He did an exceptional job pairing Hermit Woods’ wines with an exquisite menu and explaining his choice for each. 

We enjoyed pan-seared scallops paired with Lake House White; a lobster cocktail paired with Harvest Apple, a mixed greens salad paired with Three Honey Wine, braised rabbit paired with Knot Mead, pork medallions paired with Petite Blue Reserve and three cheese blintzes paired with Mélange. The last time I had such a wonderful meal was at Local Eatery earlier this year, but the wine pairing made it that much better. 

During the meal, I thought about what made Hardcastle and Halligan so good at what they do: they both respect their ingredients and celebrate the best qualities in their products. Hardcastle allows the grapes and fruit awaken the palate in his wine, while Halligan showcases each item on a plate, put there for a reason. 

One of my favorite pairings was the third course. The complex flavors in the award-winning Three Honey Wine went really well with the mixed greens, apples, honey glazed almonds, fresh goat cheese and honey ramp vinaigrette in the salad. 

“These were outstanding food and wine pairings,” Manley said, praising Halligan for his choices. “We are looking forward to continuing this tradition.”

Following dinner, some of us stayed at the Lake House, where we had a classic New England inn experience. I was lucky enough to be able to stay in the Sunrise Room, which has the inn’s best view of the lake. The Becker’s served an excellent breakfast in the morning of pancakes, sautéed strawberries and a local egg omelet. 

This experience was truly amazing and I was very thankful to be able to experience the wine, food and hospitality offered by these three local businesses. I was also very impressed with the wine and I highly recommend trying it. 

Hermit Woods Winery is now open for the season. Visit them weekends from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. until July and August, when they will also be open Wednesday through Friday from 1-5 p.m. 

Taco Tour...Better Late than Never!

I am a little (okay very) late on this post, but I wanted to make sure I shared some information about the Hippo de Mayo Taco Tour for anyone who is unfamiliar with it. As a columnist for The Hippo, I have been invited to be a Taco Tour judge two years in a row. It's a great event, lovingly named the "world's largest taco tour," and a great event for Manchester. Restaurants gain awareness and overall, it's really fun! 

Here's how it works: Manchester restaurants come up with a taco recipe and a charity of choice. Taco tourists take a map and head out around the city enjoying $2 tacos. There is a judges' choice and a taco tourist vote at the end of the night. Both winners earn money for their charity of choice.

As a judge, I get to ride around in a limo all night and sample tacos. This year, I sampled more than 38 tacos (just a small bite)! While some restaurants unfortunately ran out of tacos before we arrived, others had multiple taco offerings-so overall our team of judges had our fill of tacos for the night.

Some of my personal favorites this year were Ben and Jerry's Mexicone Dream Taco, Baked's Baked Cake Taco, Margarita's Taco del Mar, Red Arrow Diner's Buffalo Chicken Taco and Gyro Spot's Opa Taco. Of course, there were a few tacos I wish I never tried. But we won't get into those. 

The judge's choice this year was Gyro Spot's Opa Taco. Even though I don't usually eat pork, this taco was pretty tasty, complete with French fries. 

If you live near Manchester and have never been to this event (this year was the third annual), mark your calendar for next year. It always falls around Cinco de Mayo and it's a great time! Information available here.

TACO GALLERY

Where's the Wine?

Lime wine from Coffin Cellars for Cinco de Mayo 

Anyone who knows me knows that wine is one of my favorite things, but not just to drink. For me, wine is an experience. It's learning about the winemaker and the grapes, how and why it was made, figuring out its "story." It's the reason I write a column in the Hippo every week. I enjoying learning something new and helping others learn too. I am definitely not an expert; there is so much to learn, but it's been a very fun process.

I have a very special place in my heart for New Hampshire wineries and I really enjoy visiting them. For a small state, New Hampshire has a good amount (I think the last count was 33?). I hope to visit all of them in the state at some point. I am making great progress but there are new ones opening up each year. 

So why aren't there any wine posts yet, you may ask?

There are plenty of wineries that stay open year-round and then there are some that open after Memorial Day. That is when I will really start to make my rounds. For now, visit the NH Winery Association's website for listings and locations. 

Shaking Down with the M/S Mount Washington

Getting ready to board the ship. This couple wanted to be first in line.

 I love my job, but some days I really, really love it and am extra thankful for days spent out of the office doing something fun. Because the PR agency I work for also works with the M/S Mount Washington, I had the opportunity to go on the vessel's annual Shakedown Cruise on Lake Winnipesaukee. This marks the beginning of the ship's season, when it has been cleared by the fire marshal for safety and all permits have been obtained for it to set sail. 

I always enjoy going out on the Mount, but the weather the day of the Shakedown Cruise was especially perfect-warm and sunny. It was a perfect day to be on the lake. I attended a prom on it in high school; a booze cruise in college; some casino nights for my dad's old company and a Captain's Cruise when I worked as a newspaper reporter. 

One of the highlights of the Shakedown Cruise is being able to go up into the Captain's Quarters, meet the Mount's great staff and have the opportunity to "steer" the ship. 

The Mount has changed over the years. The original S.S Mount Washington ship burned in a dock fire in 1939. Though attempts were made to free the ship, it was stuck in the shallow mud of the bay and was burned along with the boardwalk and railroad station. A new ship from Vermont, which happened to be for sale at the time, was brought in from Lake Champlain. The ship was 203 feet long and constructed of iron. The ship was sent in pieces from Vermont to Lakeport, where it was reassembled. 

Great view!!!

The ship has seen many changes over the years. Twin diesel engines were added in 1946 and its length was extended 25 feet in 1982. It was after both of these changes that it would become the M.S. Mount Washington it is today. It holds up to 1,250 passengers and is a true gem of the Lakes Region. It's very own Captain Jim is also well-known in the community for his dedication to tourism and his community. 

I am looking forward to getting back out on the water this summer for another cruise. Check out the Mount's schedule here. 

First Spring Hike: Piper Mountain

Hiking is one of my favorite activities, so I always look forward to spring when the weather gets warmer and I can finally get back out on the trails. It's something I enjoy doing with my friends, family and our pets. 

The first couple hikes of the season can be a challenge as your body readjusts to the activity. My mom and I, joined by our two dogs, headed to Belknap Mountain Road in Gilford for our first hike of the season. The entire access road wasn't open yet, so we parked off to the side, headed down the access road past the gate. We headed up the Piper Mountain Trail off to the right, which leads to a summit a little over a mile up. Piper Mountain, part of the Belknap Range Peaks (12 total) is only 2,044 feet so it's a fairly quick and easy hike depending on your pace and the conditions. The trail starts out steep right away then winds nicely to the summit, where other trails can be accessed. 

Because it's spring, the terrain posed some challenges: ice and lots of mud. The ledges near the summit were slippery, especially on the way down, but should be clear within a few weeks. The day was clear though, so the view near the top and at the summit were great. Though the views are somewhat limited in my opinion, I like all of the interesting rock formations that have been built up there. 

While we used the trail from the access road, you can also get to the summit from the White and Old Piper Mountain trails. Further up Belknap Mountain Road, there are several trails leading to Belknap Mountain, on the backside of Gunstock. 

I'm looking forward to conquering some bigger mountains this summer, but I will always love the Belknap Mountain trails because they aren't crowded, don't take a whole day to hike and are easily accessible from where I live.