Last weekend we went to our 3rd Killington Wine Festival I guess you can say when we set our minds to do something we kind of go all out. I mentioned our quest to like wine in my initial post; what better way than to go to a wine festival where they have over 200 wines and over 40 vendors. I must admit I am enjoying a glass of Pinot Grigio while writing this post.
Invited by our very good friends who have a condo at K-ton; and now a home close by and them knowing we were wine virgins but we were on a mission; we went to our first wine festival and let’s just say since they are not wine virgins, they had a game plan as they have been to this festival several times before.
When you arrive you get a bag with a small wine glass, pen and booklet with all the wines and vendors listed with a space to make notes. Our first year our veteran wine friends were going to start with all the whites and then walk around tasting all the reds. Rich and I came up with our own plan since he likes reds and I like whites. I would try all the whites and he the reds.
Things started out well. We used the usual wine terms fruity, dry, bold, peppery etc. Also listening to our friends you don’t have to drink all they pour; they do have a place to pour out what you don’t drink. This is a very valuable lesson if you take nothing else away from this post. About halfway through, I think, we started to use what the wine industry would probably cringe at for descriptions. One I particularly like that I wrote was “Yuck” the women apparently looking over my shoulder thought that was hysterical and wanted to know which one I thought was yucky! Side note about the yucky wine, we went to a friends house a week or so after and the “yucky” wine was on their counter, I being polite gladly drank a glass or two. It’s not so bad now I have had it a few times over the last few years… We did get the biggest laugh when we got home the next day and re-read what we wrote. Rich wrote on one of them and I quote “Donna likes, she must be drunk” towards the end of the book we started using buy and don’t buy instead of going into any great detail. Even that small amount of wine adds up over the 4 hour period they give you
We also learned another valuable lesson that first year – what you can sell and buy in Vermont you cannot always find in the state of New Hampshire. So the second year we went we, a little more educated I would say, we asked can you get any of these in NH. If not can you buy them online and ship to NH? Not a bad thing that we didn’t have as many to try this year, though we did learn quite a bit about different regions and growing conditions making a world of difference in the taste of wine even the same wine year to year, again probably not new news to anyone who is a novice but we are new and still learning.
This year our son came with us for his first wine festival, he is definitely a fan of the reds; can anyone tell me why some peoples teeth and lips turn purple so much faster than others when drinking red wine? I just don’t understand. Rich and Al walked around to all the reds this year, after awhile they did start to take some notes. Nothing as funny as my first years notes…
I also have another question if anyone knows the answer, why is it so hard to get wine into the state of NH. is it an old boys network, is it because we have state liquor stores? I think it costs money to sell wine to certain states, Is NH more expensive? I have tried some very good Finger Lakes Region wine and talked with the maker and he was trying very hard to come to NH. I must find out why and how to resolve this!
There is a group of about 9 of us that attended the festival; we try to cook out at the condos after and it doesn’t really work out as well as we envisioned; before drinking wine for 4 hours. I think we need to come up with another plan. Maybe something made in a crock-pot or a lasagna already made just pop it in the oven. We definitely give it the ole college try; who knows we will probably try to cook out again next year!
I have always loved cooking with wine and if there is ever a bottle left over; direct quote from Dave “just because you open it, doesn’t mean you have to finish it” He and his wife also attend the festival every year. I do try to use whatever is left over fairly quickly so it doesn’t sit for too long. IF there is a leftover bottle of red I will make Beef Stew or an au jus for steak. I have a crock-pot recipe I use and an oven one. It cracks me up that the oven one I use is dubbed the “quick beef stew” from my husband. He has NO idea it still takes me an hour or so to assemble and peel and cook all the veggies. Apparently that is fast for him since it is done in an hour and half versus cooking all day.
3 lbs boneless beef chuck
Kosher Salt freshly ground black pepper
3 Tbs olive oil – add more when needed
3 Cups diced onions – about 2 medium
4-5 Large cloves of Garlic minced
2 bay leaves
2 tsp dried thyme
3 Tbs flour
1 Cup red wine – or more if that is what you have
2 Cups water
3 Cups of Veggies: Potatoes – Carrots – Turnip are my go to for Beef Stew
Heat oil in dutch oven trim and cut beef into 1 inch bite size pieces, generously salt and pepper. in batch’s, do not crowd, brown beef on 2 sides and set aside in a dish until all are done. You want a nice dark brown crust. Add more oil if needed.
Reduce the heat and add the onions and garlic stirring until softened. Add the bay leaves and Thyme stirring for about 30 seconds. Stir in the flour and then the wine and water. Return the beef and all juices to the pan.
Take a large sheet of heavy duty tinfoil and press down until it almost touches the beef; press against the sides, crimp the foil around the rim for a tight seal. Cover and place in a 450′ oven for an hour and 15 minutes.
Peel and cook the veggies either by boiling, steaming or sauteing. I boil mine; remove the pot from the oven, carefully remove the foil; add the cooked veggies cover with the foil and cover let sit and meld for about 15 minutes or so.
I am almost done with my glass of wine and it is time for me to make dinner since Alex just came out of the den and asked what’s for dinner. His FAVORITE thing to say to me…. If he ever moves out on his own; he will MISS me…