Wino Review: Monte Maria - Torrontés

Type: White

Name: Monte Maria - Torrontés 

Location: Mendoza, Argentina

Review: A nice mild white with subtle fruity notes and a clean finish. This wine isn't extremely sweet and definitely not too dry for me to enjoy. The description claims some flowery aromas and while I can pick up on some in my initial taste, it doesn't linger. This is another great gift wine in that it will probably please most people and goes great with cheese or fruit for an "afternoon with the girls." There isn't much that impresses me as something new or interesting though so I'm not running out to buy this right away either.

Cooking attempt: Deena Paul Summer Corn

I call this my Deena Paul Summer Corn because I took some inspiration from one of my favorite southern chefs. I got some fresh corn from the local farmers' market and this is how I wanted to use it. Here's the recipe:

6 ears fresh corn (corn cut off the cob)
3 strips of bacon
1/2 can cream of onion soup
1 tbsp. butter

Fry the bacon in a deep skillet and drain on paper towel. Fry defrosted or fresh corn in bacon drippings for about 5 minutes, stirring to coat. Add butter and continue to fry corn until it begins to soften and brown very slightly. Add cream of onion soup and stir. Cook another few minutes until hot. Top with crumbled bacon! Yum!

Wino Review: Sterling - Pinot Grigio

Type: White

Name: Sterling Vintner's Edition - Pinot Grigio

Location: California

Review: I'm personally not really a fan of this wine. Its on the dry side as far as Pinot Grigios go and although its description spouts citrus and fruity notes, I taste very little of either. I get a lemony undertone that sits on the back of my tongue and too much tannic flavor than is pleasing. This would be best if you enjoy Pinot Grigios but dislike sweet wines of any kind as its almost completely lacking in that. It would probably taste best with a salty dish to offset the qualities of this wine, like a cheese appetizer or a buttery cajun scampi.

Picked this up at my local Alexandria Carryout!

Review: Fifty Shades Freed - E.L. James

Rating: 2/5

Summary: And so the sex scandal becomes a love story when Anna and Christian fall in love and get married. They proceed to have slightly interesting non-vanilla sex into their marriage and then find themselves amidst more danger when a few past enemies reenter their lives.

Review: Might I start by saying that I am quite glad I finally finished this series. After having completed all three books, I now feel like I have probably wasted some valuable Audible credits and a few hours on books just not worth my time. The writing style is awful and the sex scenes just got progressively less interesting. Not only does this plot parallel the Twilight series in so many uninteresting and less successful ways, but it also completely drops from a slightly sexy book to a terribly cliché love story with an utterly predictable ending. Lets just conclude by saying if you haven't read these books, don't start, unless you enjoy cheesy dialogue and replica personalities of the Twilight characters with different names. Do not, I repeat DO NOT, waste your time if you enjoy a good book.

Wino Review: Aliança - Vinho Verde

Type: White

Name: Aliança - Vinho Verde

Location: Portugal

Review: Vinho Verde is a type of wine I've never heard of nor tried until this bottle, and what a pretty bottle it is! Love love love the branding/label, and thoroughly enjoyed the wine. Slightly dry and acidic but with a magical bit of carbonation, this white reminded me of a light, un-sweet prosecco. It was faintly citrus with some lingering apple-y notes and really would make a fantastic sipping wine for a hot summer day. In keeping with the "hot summer day" theme this would be best served with some fruit and cheese, but it did not strike me as a mealtime drink.