Friday, April 30, 2010

Spring Fever : Fresh Wines

"Spring is nature's way of saying "Let's Party""-Robin Williams




Spring is one of my favorite times of year. After spending seven months in the cold and snow, it brings so much possibility!

I start to get spring fever pretty much right after Christmas and have to suffer through until May... but spring is finally in the air!

I think one of the reasons I love spring so much, is that after spending the entire winter hibernating, people finally start to go outside again! The parks are full of kids and dogs, you can't find an empty table on a patio anywhere and people start to just chill out their friends!

Now I ask you, Is there really a better season to enjoy a glass of white wine with friends? I doubt it!

So, when you see the first tulips starting to bloom... pour a glass!

When you stop wearing leggings under your dresses... pour a glass!

And, when the snow has finally all melted away to reveal that perfect back yard Adirondack chair... pour a glass, or maybe two!

Here are a few of my favorite spring time white wines.
Grab a bottle, chill, pour, sip and chill…

Mollydooker Violinist Verdelho



Australian slang for "left-handed", Mollydooker is one of my favorite wineries. Their wine is amazing and their lables are so cool! The Violinist is a Verdelho (my favorite varietal!) and happens to be the only white wine Mollydooker makes. The Violinist is a beautifully tart wine with fresh flavors of pineapple, melon, mango and citrus and a nice clean finish. Although these lefty wines are designed for everyday drinking all on their own, they also pair really well with fresh fruit! I love adding sliced apples to my glass!

Kim Crawford Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc



I used to think I hated New Zealand wines. They are famous for their "herbaceous" Sauvignon Blancs... read asparagus and cat pee! Needless to say, I wasn't a fan. Then one night my sister ordered us a bottle of this Kim Crawford Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc (I agreed because it was on special... and who are we kidding, even the wine I don't love, I'll still drink when it's on special!) and I was hooked. It is a perfectly balanced crisp white wine with intense tropical passion fruit and citrus flavors and a nice fresh finish. It's the perfect match to spring salads and vegetables of any sort really. It's also perfect to drink right out of the bottle... err, I mean glass!

Evolution



Evolution is a nice dry wine, a little bit tropical and has a crisp finish. Try pairing it with spicy food like thai and mexican, fish or pretty much anything that's big on flavor. Or, if you're like me and like the occasional pre-dinner cocktail, try it on its own over ice!

My advice to you this weekend: Stock up! You never know when a friend or two will drop by unannounced!

Tulip Photo Credit: Lindsay Skeans Photography

Friday Morning Must Have: Keel's Simple Diary

"I never travel without my diary. One should always have something sensational to read in the train."
- Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest, Act 2




I first saw these amazingly cool diaries featured in the Rachel McAdams interview in the January 2010 Vogue . I'm one of those people who loves the idea of keeping a diary, but can't even begin to come up with anything remotely interesting to write in one! That is what is so great about the Keel's Simple Diary... Each page is filled with questions and fill in the blanks to get you started and then it's up to you to keep on going or just stick with the short answer. It makes introspection almost effortless... Now who doesn't love that!



And seriously, how off the wall are the questions?
I love it!

These would make a great gift for a shower or Mother's Day!
They are available for special order at Chapters or at Simple Diary

Once upon a time...




I have wanted a blog of my own for a while now.

My interest in blogging first started with following a few daily fashion blogs. Now, here I am two years later, starting each morning by clicking through my ever growing list of bookmarked blogs. This does nothing to help with the inevitable rush to get ready for work which always ensues after giving myself at least three "5 more minute" warnings!

I think I was holding off on my own blog for lack of inspiration... Would I blog about day to day life, clothing and fashion, marriage and the journey to starting a family? I just couldn't decide on anything I could see myself committing whole heartedly to! And then it came to me... Why not just blog about everything?

And so, drum roll please... I present Truly, Madly, Deeply a blog about everything I love and am interested in! This blog will be a combination of my interests and my life and will include everything from clothes, wine and interior design to wedding showers, infertility clinics and my husbands curling team!

I hope you enjoy...

xoElle

Photo credit: Sarah Muckle