Ottawa Women's Wine Club: VINO VIXENS!

We spent a lovely evening together, as usual, enjoying good food, and celebrating happy moments!  Happy birthday Tayisa and congrats to Carm! The theme was a Mexican fiesta with nachos, shredded beef tacos, chopped Mexican salad, and tasty paletas (popsicles) for dessert! As requested, here are links to the recipes I used for the beef and the salad dressing.  http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/mexican-chopped-salad-with-honey-lime-dressing-230154 http://www.food.com/recipe/shredded-beef-for-tacos-or-burritos-228102 Below are photos of the bottles we had - the first one on the left was the rose bubbly, which I think was a crowd pleaser!  Another bottle of note was the 4th from the left - delicious and a great price!

Summer Flavours and Crisp whites - Anna's Place - June 12, 2015 Present: Carmela, Reem, Andrea, Shereen, Julie, Sara Rose and a Reham as our honorary guest! Meal: Pesto linguine with toasted pine nuts, goat cheese, garden arugula and grilled chicken marinated with garden herbs and fresh garlic. Dessert: Coconut "cheese cake", chocolate raspberry and vanilla blueberry. Recipe from:  http://minimalistbaker.com/7-ingredient-vegan-cheesecakes/?utm_source=June+2015+Newsletter&utm_campaign=June+2015&utm_medium=email Freixenet Cordon Negro Brut Cava LCBO# 216945 | 750 mL bottle - $13.95 a bottle. Spain Freixenet S.A. Cavit Collection Pinot Grigio delle Venezie IGT Pinot Grigio —LCBO#: 99218   |   750 mL bottle - $12.95 a bottle   Light and Crisp - Pale straw; light lemon-apple aroma and flavour; light bodied with a clean finish Kellerei Pinot Grigio

Striking a pose... Pretty colours! Beautiful smiles Featuring a special guest Rose Coppola Sofia - $19.95 . We seemed to like this one. A little dry. We like the label and the name! Casal Thaulero Sangiovese Terre di Chieti - $7.75 . Our most economical but drinkable. Julie enjoyed this one but it burned her nostrils when she tried to sniff it. Lesson learned: good for drinking and not for smelling.  Ruffino Chianti Classico Riserva Ducale - $22.45. Second most expensive but most liked! Cab Merlot Organic Frogpond Farm - $24.00. Most expensive and most earthy...it was OK.  Fonseca Periquita White - $8.95. Should have had this first! Light and easy, but difficult to appreciate after the heavier flavours.   Fennel, orange and olive salad Lamb, mint sauce, nut loaf, corn, watermelon + feta salad I want your cannoli nooooowwww! Too many cannoli...

Wine Club at Julie's Date : April 11, 2015 Theme : Zinfandel ... with Smoked BBQ brisket Company : Shereen, Reem, Jacquie, Andrea, Anna, Melissa, Sara-Rose Menu : Smoked Brisket Smoked Lasagna rolls Roasted potatoes Smoked beans Green beans with shallots Apple & Cabbage Coleslaw Apple Crisp Lessons of the night: Zinfandel is considered California's heritage grape.    We tested 'regular' vine vs 'old vine' Zinfandels. While there is no legal definition for what classifies a vine as 'old', some California vineyards are over 125 years old, and there is a general belief that older vines give better, more intense flavoured wine. Overall I think we noticed a difference, and found the old vine selections more full-bodied than their younger counterparts. Wines: Dancing Bull Zinfandel LCBO 00669499, $13.95 Excellent, light wine - liked by all, would buy again.  (Even went nicely with the Chicago mix!) Cline Z