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Arsenic & Poor Taste

Hello Friends,

I come to you on a rather serious matter. Last Thursday it was reported that many of the beloved cheap wine brands have high levels of inorganic arsenic. I have featured several of these brands on this website. In addition, if you live in a state where alcohol is sold in Trader Joes (I do not..I might be bitter), many of the TJ brands were affected. There is currently a lawsuit regarding this matter but, to be safe, I would avoid the brands I have listed below.

Since I care about all of you, the wines reported to have high inorganic arsenic are listed below (source). For every wine that I love, there is gif portraying my honest reaction to this knew. I was literally yelling “Oh why god!” in my apartment. I am not joking, I was yelling.

1. Acronym’s GR8RW Red Blend 2011
2. Almaden’s Heritage White Zinfandel
3. Almaden’s Heritage Moscato
4. Almaden’s Heritage White Zinfandel
5. Almaden’s Heritage Chardonnay
6. Almaden’s Mountain Burgundy
7. Almaden’s Mountain Rhine
8. Almaden’s Mountain Chablis
9. Arrow Creek’s Coastal Series Cabernet Sauvignon 2011
10. Bandit’s Pinot Grigio
11. Bandit’s Chardonnay
12. Bandit’s Cabernet Sauvignon
13. Bay Bridge’s Chardonnay
14. Beringer’s White Merlot 2011
15. Beringer’s White Zinfandel 2011
16. Beringer’s Red Moscato
17. Beringer’s Refreshingly Sweet Moscato
18. Charles Shaw White Zinfandel 2012
19. Colores del Sol’s Malbec 2010
20. Glen Ellen by Concannon’s Glen Ellen Reserve Pinot Grigio 2012
21. Concannon’s Selected Vineyards Pinot Noir 2011
22. Glen Ellen by Concannon’s Glen Ellen Reserve Merlot 2010
23. Cook’s Spumante
24. Corbett Canyon’s Pinot Grigio
25. Corbett Canyon’s Cabernet Sauvignon
26. Cupcake’s Malbec 2011

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27. Fetzer’s Moscato 2010
28. Fetzer’s Pinot Grigio 2011
29. Fish Eye Pinot Grigio 2012

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30. Flipflop’s Pinot Grigio 2012
31. Flipflop’s Moscato
32. Flipflop’s Cabernet Sauvignon
33. Foxhorn’s White Zinfandel
34. Franzia’s Vintner Select White Grenache
35. Franzia’s Vintner Select White Zinfandel
36. Franzia’s Vintner Select White Merlot
37. Franzia’s Vintner Select Burgundy
38. Hawkstone’s Cabernet Sauvignon 2011
39. HRM Rex Goliath’s Moscato
40. Korbel’s Sweet Rose Sparkling Wine
41. Korbel’s Extra Dry Sparkling Wine
42. Menage a Trois’ Pinot Grigio 2011
43. Menage a Trois’ Moscato 2010
44. Menage a Trois’ White Blend 2011
45. Menage a Trois’ Chardonnay 2011
46. Menage a Trois’ Rose 2011
47. Menage a Trois’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2010
48. Menage a Trois’ California Red Wine 2011
49. Mogen David’s Concord
50. Mogen David’s Blackberry Wine
51. Oak Leaf’s White Zinfandel
52. Pomelo’s Sauvignon Blanc 2011
53. R Collection by Raymond’s Chardonnay 2012
54. Richards Wild Irish Rose’s Red Wine
55. Seaglass Sauvignon Blanc 2012
56. Simply Naked’s Moscato 2011

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57. Smoking Loon’s Viognier 2011

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58. Sutter Home’s Sauvignon Blanc 2010
59. Sutter Home’s Gewurztraminer 2011
60. Sutter Home’s Pink Moscato
61. Sutter Home’s Pinot Grigio 2011
62. Sutter Home’s Moscato
63. Sutter Home’s Chenin Blanc 2011
64. Sutter Home’s Sweet Red 2010
65. Sutter Home’s Riesling 2011
66. Sutter Home’s White Merlot 2011
67. Sutter Home’s Merlot 2011
68. Sutter Home’s White Zinfandel 2011
69. Sutter Home’s White Zinfandel 2012
70. Sutter Home’s Zinfandel 2010
71. Trapiche’s Malbec 2012
72. Tribuno’s Sweet Vermouth
73. Vendange’s Merlot
74. Vendange’s White Zinfandel
75. Wine Cube’s Moscato
76. Wine Cube’s Pink Moscato 2011
77. Wine Cube’s Pinot Grigio 2011
78. Wine Cube’s Pinot Grigio
79. Wine Cube’s Chardonnay 2011

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80. Wine Cube’s Chardonnay
81. Wine Cube’s Red Sangria
82. Wine Cube’s Sauvignon Blanc 2011
83. Wine Cube’s Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz 2011

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Goodbye all my sweet, sweet friends. PLEASE fix this issue because I would rather not die from wine.

Starburst Candy Corn…A True Scandal

Hello Friends!

My last post was in July which, in reflection, isn’t TOO bad considering the hectic nature of my life lately. I moved, started grad school, went to NYC, and now I am changing jobs. Bananas! This entire time, I have had a back up wine pairing. I did this pairing months ago before I moved.

I figured tonight was the best night to post my pair because a certain wine-drinking, white-hate wearing woman is back in our lives.

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That’s right, Scandal is back and so am I…so let’s get crackin.

The Wine: Brethen of the Road, 2013, Grenache, Santa Cruz Mountains

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The Candy: Starburst Candy Corn. Yeah. Yup. It is real.

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The Dream:

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This was months ago so I do not remember what I was thinking. All I know is this: I was unpacking and I found a sample pack of Starburst Candy Corn that I bought in a fever dream.

Have you ever held a mistake? Because I have.

Have you ever held a mistake? Because I have.

The Reality: 

I don’t know exactly what this is or why I ate it. The candy is basically a Starburst but with a candy corn texture. I don’t understand it. My brain could not handle it. I love candy corn and I love Starbursts, but together they are truly horrifying. If you want to be disgusted and frightened this Halloween, this is the choice for you.

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My Thoughts Exactly Olivia

The wine has a yeasty, cherry smell. It is not very fruity and it is dry, which I thought might be good. But I was wrong. Horribly wrong. The texture of the candy meets the wine and it….bubbles. How? HOW? What a mistake.

Anyway, what a post to come back on right? I wish I could have made this more Scandal appropriate…..but that would just be straight wine right? What makes a Scandal pairing?

Selling out without selling out

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So hey, I just wanted to publicly thank everyone for what is amounting to a a batshit INSANE opening week to the 2014 Weenie season. Seriously, that’s a whole lot of soap, & I am incredibly grateful for your enthusiasm & support!

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I also wanted to apologize for the speed at which the new hot process & salt bars sold out – in some cases, within 24 hours of being listed. I knew you kids were excited, but I was in no way expecting things to move so quickly. A lot of you missed out on the bars that you wanted, & that’s not what I like to see.

“But Hayley!” folks have said, “Selling out’s a GOOD thing, right?” “Don’t make more right away! Let them get scared so when you do restock, it gets snapped up!” “Hey, you should put your micro batches on eBay instead, imagine what…

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I will not be returning to Ferguson

I will not be returning to Ferguson

Sippin’ from the Cup of Glory

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Hey Guys,

Got some good news…

That’s right! I am happy to report we have moved and are attempting to settle in. Decorations are being hung up and I even bought some wine decals. That’s right, wine decals. How could I resist? 

This pairing celebrates Germany’s win in the World Cup. Based on wine preferences alone, I was cheering for Argentina. But I must bow down to the better team and continue with our World Cup themed pairing. I am going to admit immediately that my friends Nikki and Megan provided both the wine and candy. Think of me like a weak invalid who needs a generous neighbor to give them a casserole for dinner. I won’t make any attempt to claim I had some grand vision but I hope you’ll enjoy this post nonetheless! 

The Candy: Salty Caramel Apple by Salty Road, in Brooklyn

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The Wine: Riesling, Yellow Tail 

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The Pair:

The riesling is clean and crisp with the slightest note of apple. There is a touch of sweetness and a slight sour twist.

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The candy is very, very chewy which is too be expected from taffy. Chewy candies are very hard to pair because there is just so much matter in the mouth. The taffy has a very subtle flavor. There is a touch a cinnamon and a very mild sweetness. 

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Fortunately, the slight sweetness prevents the flavor of the wine from turning. It is a pleasant back and forth. But I would have preferred a bit more punchiness from either the candy or wine. Overall I rate it a positive pairing and I encourage you to give a whirl if you can.

Congratulations again Germany. 

Disaster Health Workshop

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Urban Whinin’

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Hello All,

Ok this is my last vacation post! I can’t ride on the coattails of vacation forever and besides, I need to get back to pairing.

Today I am sharing a few pictures from our trip to Enso Urban Winery, a hip little spot in Portland. Apparently it is critically acclaimed as well! Unfortunately I didn’t take any notes but I can say with confidence that you should check them out if you are in the area and enjoy some quality wine.

Our Tasting Menu

Our Tasting Menu

A very impressive menu with some interesting flavor notes.

White & Red Tasting Selection

White & Red Tasting Selection

I hope you are enjoying a beautiful spring. I plan to have another post up ASAP!

 

Wine by the Mountain

Wine by the Mountain

I have betrayed you! I have been behind on posting. The next few days though I will feature some wines we enjoyed. Here are some photos from Phelps Creek vineyards where we partook in a tasting and drank a bottle of Pinot in the mountain’s shadow in Oregon.

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The Wine of a Procrastinator

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Hello All!

I have been behind posting and I apologize. The reason why? Cookie March Madness! Every week in March my coworkers and I have brought in cookies. Each week, one of us gets the cookie crown (not an actual crown made of cookies…but you get the idea). This has left me exhausted of sweets and gluttony in general. As consolation, here are the cookies I made with recipes.

Popcorn Cookie

Popcorn Cookie

From the wonderful Smitten Kitchen. Don’t overbake them like I did! Woops! Would go with a Reisling.

Recipe

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Ultimate Chewy Ginger Snaps

I actually won with these bad boys! Enjoy with a Malbec.

Recipe

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Flourless Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Votes are not in quite yet…keep your fingers crossed. Perhaps a Pinot Noir!

Recipe

I am soon going to Seattle so expect plenty of foody alcohol fun stuff! I will do a pairing this week. I swear.

Liz

Keep Pouring without Me

Keep Pouring without Me

It has been awhile friends and I am sorry. But keep drinking and I will be with you soon. I just need to pick up a port for our next pairing.