Wine Shop At Home! Come For The Taste Stay For The LifeStyle

Wine Shop At Home, a premier artisan winery located in the esteemed Napa Valley region is proud to accept one of our newest wine consultants, Toni Staton Harris. 

www.wineshopathome/tonistatonharris

Many of you know me as Wine With Toni, the enthusiast and lover of all things wine.  That hasn't changed; now I bring Napa to you.  In the privacy of your living room, I bring some of Napa's best for you to taste, sip and enjoy with family and friends.  You get to "try before you buy", but most importantly experience the wine, play games and learn about the tasting wines and wine in general. 

It doesn't matter if you are an enthusiast, a connoisseur or a novice.  If you are interested in wine there is something for you.  If you like what you've tasted or would like a steady stream of different tastes, an opportunity to purchase wines, join our wine club or become a consultant is presented to you at the end of each tasting.

Wine Shop At Home Wines
We bring Napa to you!

Wine Shop At Home is an artisan boutique winery that produces wine in small quantities so our savory wines tend to sell out quickly.  We are constantly introducing new and different grapes and reproducing favorites.  Your advantage however is great taste and convenience. 

You have the unique opportunity to try before you buy and having the wine shipped directly to you.    When you come home from a hard day's work and you want a glass of wine, rather than bee-line your way to the store, your favorite Cabernet Sauvignon or Pinot Grigio can be sitting right at your door.  You know you like it because you've already tasted it. 

A tasting is also a great way to gather up to 14 of your family members and friends to get together and enjoy wine.  Maybe you want to celebrate a special occasion.  Maybe you've been Napa and you would love to experience it again, and just don't have the time.  Maybe you've never been to Napa but would still like to experience the region through wine.  I'm your girl, Toni Staton Harris and Wine Shop At Home is for you.

To host a wine tasting in your home it is very easy.  For $29.95 plus tax and shipping you receive five bottles of wine for you and up to 14 of your friends to taste.  You receive a complimentary host gift that can be shared with your guests or saved for later.  You provide, the friends, the living room and light appetizers such as cheese, french bread or crackers, fruit & chocolate and I do the rest.  I even bring the glasses (if needed) and you receive an expert guide, (me) through the world of Wine Shop At Home wines.  It is a fun and informative evening that you and your guests will enjoy.

 

Please feel free to contact me at www.wineshopathome/tonistatonharris or Toni@winewithtoni.com or 973-545-6314 for additional information.  I serve the Southern California region, Las Vegas, Texas, DC, New York and other East Coast states being added soon.  I also support a number of team members in various states that can get to you in a sip, so give us a call for a rep near you.  If you'd like to join my team and get paid to taste and enjoy wine, please contact me for details.  It's fun, easy and no experience required.  You don't need to live in California to play on my team, just live in one of the states we service.

Wine Shop At Home, Come for the Taste, Stay for the Lifestyle  Cheers!

Buying Through The Cute Labels

What to do, what to do when attempting to try a different wine and you are faced with thousands of candidates in front of you?  You know you like Merlot or Moscato, but your palate is asking for something different.  Maybe you have heard that Pinot Noir is the new Merlot and Gewurztraminer is the new Moscato.  So you pick up a bottle whose label is calling you because it is cute, stylish or you like the color, however your confusion and trepidation is not lessened.

Labels can contain a plethora of information.  They can provide a visual indication and knowledge of what you are about to experience.  As equally informative, labels can also be confusing and in some cases provide minimal information beyond what is required by law, i.e. alcohol warnings, alcohol content and health warnings.  Labels should not be one's sole determinant when choosing wine, however learning how to read them can certainly help narrow your choices to one that is taste appropriate for you.

According to The Little Black Book of Wine, Elizabeth Poyet, there are four types of wine labels.

Sweet Vs. Fruit Forward: Sipping The Difference

I was out with a friend who asked a wine server her recommendation for a nice glass.  "...Sweet, I like sweet."  She told her.  When the server return she presented me with a glass of Pinot Grigio and a Port for her, my friend returned it explaining that it was too sweet.

The server returned with another recommendation, to my surprise, a delight of mine Marietta Old Vine Red Lot 51.  My friend sipped and expressed sheer pleasure.  "Now that's what I like..." 

Marietta Old Vine Red
Lot 51 "jammy or fruit forward"

As we enjoyed a second round I suggested, "...Perhaps you don't like sweet wine but a 'fruit forward' wine."  She explained that she didn't know the difference but she knew she didn't like anything tart (dry).

Wine is typically classified as Sweet (Sugary), Semi-Sweet (Not so sugary) and Dry (Tart).  While the difference between "sweet" and "fruit forward" can be indistinguishable for both the novice and the connoisseur, there are subtle nuances between the two that can make a huge difference in discovering something you enjoy.

Red Dress, Red Lipstick, Red Wine for a Red Diva!

On October 20, 2011 I had the distinct honor and pleasure to go V.I.P. and experience the diva, The Boss, Miss Ross!  As I watched in awe of this legend perform her classics, one of my all time favorites: "I'm Coming Out", I thought if I had the opportunity to Wine Style The Boss, this is how I'd do it.

Diana Ross at the Gaylord National in D.C.
Photo courtesy of www.RainyDayDiva.com & www.GirlTD.com

So I'm Coming Out with The Boss' recommended WineStyle:  I'd set her up with a sweet red in her dressing room before hair and make-up.  Red Curtain should be right up her alley, with a light flavor that dances on the tongue.  It is the perfect appertif. 

Once the hair and make-up got started, I'd have the staff toast the Diva with a smooth, nice, fruit forward Pinot Noir, Haute Red by Middle Sister.  It's mellow, great for sipping and/or paired with some of gnosh foods with a little substance.  Low tanins, High fruit, just enough sustenance to keep her going.  Haute Red was recently released and premiered at  The Blogalicious Conference 2011.

Middle Sister Haute Red Pinot Noir

Great Fall Wines

Summer may be officially over, and there are some great fall wines to compliment the mood.  I attended a wine tasting at one of my favorite restaurants, recently.  The wine was divine and the food, MUAH!  Scrumptious.  The experience ushered in the new season with a bang.  I share that experience with you.

Truxton's

The place: Truxton's American Bistro  The Event: Wine and Food Pairing  The Ambiance:  Great Friends and Great Food  The Result:  Outstanding!

The wine featured on this night was Demetria Winery of Santa Barbara.  Truxton's Sommeliers worked seamlessly to pair food that showcased this wine like I'd never tasted before. I've traveled up the coast on several occasions and in the past hadn't been a fan of Santa Barbara Wines.  After this night, I am now a fan.  This night shows me that rarely is there a bad glass of wine, it is just a wine that has to be paired with the right foods and moods.  With that in mind a skeptic like me can be enlightened. 

First Course:   Lobster, Fava Bean and Frisee Salad with Truffle Yuzu Vinaigrette served in a steep Martini Glass 

Lobster Martini

Wine:  Demetria Chardonnay '09

This Chardonnay was buttery, smooth and reminiscent of an unoaked Varietal that gave a superb Orvieto a run for its money when pairing with seafood.  Notes of honeyed pears, orange blossom and marmalade with nuances of vanilla and lemon curd.  It mellowed the sharpness that shadows Frisee Salad.

Summer Isn't Over Yet! ONA Anakena of Chile



Ona Anakena Chile
Aged in French Oak for at least 1 year

The September calendar may be rolling without breaks, but summer isn't over yet.  And there are still some great wines, perfect by pool or beachside just before the tide of Fall drops its leaves.  During the last post I introduced you to a great summer find, Ballet of Angels.  I would like to share another.

Well in our $12-15 price range I visited Chile, a favorite region of mine for wine and fruit and happened upon ONA Anakena of Chile.  A bright white blend of Voignier 35%, Riesling 35% and Chardonnay 30%.  I had trepidations at first, while I enjoy a good Viognier and a sharp dry Riesling, at times apart, the two varietals can be a tad sweet for me.  So initially when I read they were together, I thought, fruit bomb and I wasn't in the mood for a fruit bomb.  At the recommendation of Tim from Total Wine, I took a chance.

I was more than pleasantly surprised.  Although the Chardonnay falls to the background in composition, in taste it surpasses and forces the Riesling to take a back seat.  A delicate blend is created with just enough fruit, citrus and oak; it is aged in French oak barrels that also lends a slight vanilla smoothness to the palate (common characteristic of French Oak).

It is Chilean so you know you are in for a slight kick in the long finish but it doesn't put you off.  It lingers delightfully.  And although it is paired well with , marinated king crab claws, oysters, sea food ceviche, grouper with parsley sauce, lobster and your favorite salmon and poultry dishes, it made my Trinidadian Curry Chicken, Rice and Peas and Cabbage sing.

And while I may have billed this as a great summer wine, if you just happen to be in Maine, enjoying Lobster, fireside or up the coast whether East or West, diving into a crab bucket or peeling the tail from your first or last peel-n-eat shrimp with a blanket wrapped around your shoulders, this wine is your perfect companion....Cheers!

Ballet of Angels: I hear a Symphony!

Every once in a while I have to remind myself to try something different, something new.  I am very comfortable with my request to taste a or a number wines before selecting something that fits my mood for the evening and/or the meal.  To request to taste is not a put-on, it is an availability that I take full advantage of. 

So when I visited one of my favorite hotspots in Los Angeles near the airport, Truxtons, I grew giddy at their "new" selections of wines.

Truxton's  your Neighborhood Cheers!

The Chile-glazed wings weren't available tonight, a bummer for me because I love a good hot wing, just the right amount of spice, enough sauce that the wing is not drowned in it, but provides for great flavor.  They were sold out so I opted for the Ancho Honey Glazed Shrimp--Yummy-- and the Bob's Tossed Cobb sans guacamole, yes I am the only Californian I know who is unable to stomach avocado or guacamole, no matter how good it is for you. 

Now my husband opted for the Stone Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon, he's a die-hard Red guy, but I was in the mood for a White.  Here, I'd had several Pinot Grigios as well as a good French Burgundy.  However tonight I noticed a new comer, Ballet of Angels. 

Ballet of Angels

It was billed as fresh, crisp, light with a smart hint of citrus.  I was curious.  I am a fan of citrus but not so much so that my tongue is bitten and left bleeding.  I felt trepidation about the billing because the wine called for semi-sweet.  I was already having an appetizer with a sweet glaze, I didn't need the wine to compound the sugar, so I asked and I tried.

Was my tongue in for an awakening.  Ballet of Angels was more crisp than semi-sweet and layered perfectly with pear and grapefruit.   Grapefruit is not always the common citrus but is delightful when properly layered.  Now, Ballet of Angels can be a great sipper poolside but is better when paired.  My Ancho Glazed Shrimp and Ballet of Angels, perfect combination.

Sure this wine can handle the spicy, but sweet/spicy is its best mate.  The flavors created a symphony (Diana Ross and Supremes Style).  I did the happy food dance.  (Don't worry, my husband is used to this!) 

Not only did I enjoy fabulous company, my husband, but a great meal enhanced by another great find Ballet of Angels.  And it hails from New England!  Go figure!

Stop by Truxton's.  Peruse the great wine and the fantastic menu, chock full of marvelous entrees, mouth-watering sweet treats, great company, chic cocktails and of course, Wine!  Tell them Wine With Toni sent you, you'll have a great time, where everyone will know your name!

BTW, Ballet of Angels fits well within our median price range....Cheers!