Tightrope Walking: SHE CAN Push the Limit

This month, we officially introduced SHE CAN Sauvignon Blanc and Rosé into the McBride Sisters Wines family. After all, 2019 is the year SHE CAN be empowered!

2018 SHE CAN Sauvignon Blanc hails from Marlborough, New Zealand. As you may know, while Robin grew up in Monterey, California, my family is from Marlborough, New Zealand.  It was there that my passion for wine was ignited, and as the ol’ saying goes, the rest is history! Marlborough is New Zealand’s largest wine growing region due to its sunny and dry climate comprised of almost 50,000 acres of vines—a winemaker’s dream!

Me around the age of 5 tightrope walking in Blenheim in the Awatere Valley, Marlborough. I’ve been pushing boundaries since I was a kid!

Our wines originate from New Zealand and California because we trust these regions to produce the highest quality of grapes, and it also happens to be the places we grew up. Trust between a vintner and grape is crucial. Marlborough’s world-class grapes are carefully cultivated and grown in a mountain-protected, sea breeze-cooled sub-regions. The Awatere Valley, south of the Wairau Valley, is a little cooler and known for its unique flavors of gooseberry and racy green apples, while the Wairau Valley produces Sauvignon Blanc grapes that are exotically tropical. SHE CAN Sauvignon Blanc is comprised of fruit from both these regions and, when combined, give us a flavor profile of: kiwi, passion fruit, and white fig. It can’t be argued that this is the perfect palette for the beginning of spring! All we need now are snacks to go with SHE CAN Sauvignon Blanc.

Aerial view of Marlborough.

Put your chef’s hat on…

Try our Brie on a Crostini with Prosciutto Cranberry & Balsamic Glaze recipe (visit our blog post), which pairs wonderfully with SHE CAN Sauvignon Blanc and makes for a simple but elegant appetizer.

If you’re in the mood for a light, savory protein sweetened by tomatoes, try the Tomato and Cilantro Marinated Chicken Shashlik. The fresh tang from cilantro balances SHE CAN Sauvignon Blanc’s tropical flavor. It also makes for a great spring snack to nibble on while lounging on the back deck with a SHE CAN in hand. Wine and food… there isn’t a better combo.

Tomato and Cilantro Marinated Chicken Shashlik (via Food & Wine)

 Makes 8 skewers.

Total time: 40 minutes.

Ingredients:

• 2 large plum tomatoes, coarsely grated on a box grater

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• ½ cup pure olive oil

• ½ cup chopped cilantro

• 4 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 2-inch pieces

• vegetable oil for brushing

• salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Combine the tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, and cilantro in a large bowl. Then, coat the chicken evenly. Leave the coated skewers in the fridge overnight.

2. Lightly brush the skewers with olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Place the skewers on a heated grill and cook for about 15 minutes.

Crack a couple cooled cans of SHE CAN Sauvignon Blanc and kick back with your gals.

This month, SHE CAN Sauvignon Blanc and Rosé are coming to shelves near you! Stay tuned for updates on our newest collection of exquisite, easy-drinking wine.

** The McBride Sisters SHE CAN Professional Development Fund will be accepting scholarship applications beginning on April 1st, 2019. **

Father's Day BBQ & Red Blend Wine Pairing

Chef Mark Phillips has you covered this Father's Day! He has paired our Central Coast Red Blend with a flank steak and mash potato combo, and let us tell you, this ain't your regular steak and mash! Use coupon code THANKSDAD to get 25% off of your purchase from our website to pair perfectly with Grilled Flank Steak with Rosemary Chimichuri Sauce and Florentine Mash Potatoes. 

Recipe and details below - Cheers!   

Florentine Mash Potatoes

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds red potatoes (about 8 small), quartered, skin left on

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

2 tablespoons chopped garlic

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1 cup chopped cooked spinach

Directions

1. Place potatoes in a large pot Add enough water to cover the potatoes. Stir in 1 teaspoon of the kosher salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer about 20 to 25 minutes .When potatoes pierce easily with a paring knife, remove from heat and drain.
2. Place pot back on stove on medium heat. Add butter, garlic and spinach. Saute for 3-4 mins the add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, pepper, and heavy cream.
3. Add potatoes to the pot ( or transfer to a bowl) with the other ingredients and mix on medium speed until mostly smooth (there may be some lumps, but we usually don't mind that). Serve.

Grilled Flank Steak with Rosemary Chimichuri Sauce

 Ingredients
FOR THE MARINADE

• 1 large flank steak
• ¾ cup Worcestershire sauce
• ¼ cup lime juice 
• 4-5 cloves of chopped garlic 
• 1 Tbsp of grated ginger
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar 
• 1 tea chili flakes 
• 1 tea black pepper 
• 1/2 tea kosher salt
  
  FOR THE CHIMICHURI SAUCE
•  
• 1 large bunch cilantro
• ½ bunch parsley
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh rosemary
• 3 garlic cloves
• juice of 2 limes
• 1 tsp cider vinegar 
• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ cup olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS

For the Marinade and Grilling:

1. Whisk all of the ingredients together and pour into a large ziploc bag.
2. Add skirt steak to Ziploc bag with marinade and allow to marinade overnight preferably.
3. When ready to grill you can add additional sprinkles of salt and pepper. 
4. Grill until golden brown and perfectly charred then allow to rest before slicing on a cutting board.

For the Chimichurri:

1. Add all of the ingredients to a heavy duty blender or food processor and blend until everything is chopped up and smooth then serve. Seriously that easy.

McBride Sisters "Rosy Sister©" Truvée Rosé + Tanqueray 10 Cocktail

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We just launched our Truvée Rosé! 

And its available nationwide in store across the United States!  

We're absolutely thrilled with how well this 2015 Grenache Rosé from the Paso Robles region of California, has developed - its an absolutely stunning wine.

And like we do, every time we release a new wine, we get our friends together, taste them on the new wine and get their feedback (Which is always great). During our little soiree, we got onto the topic of Summer time fun, vacations, BBQ season, the beach, pool time, and then a long discussion about the perfect cocktail. This sparked an idea with Robin, she said "Lets make a Truvée Rosé wine cocktail!!". So we did some experimenting and what we've crafted is delicious!  

We focused on keeping the ingredients simple and matching the aromas and flavor profile of the Truvée Rosé: Strawberry, raspberry, citrus and white florals, so we used small batch gin (Tanqueray 10)  that has been fermented in botanicals, ruby red grapefruit juice, simple syrup and a light garnish of an aromatic flower. So please enjoy our McBride Sisters recipe:    

McBride Sisters "Rosy Sister"© Rosé Cocktail 

Truvée Grenache Rosé, Paso Robles, California - 12 Ounces 

Tanqueray No. 10 Gin - 6 Ounces 

Ruby Red Grapefruit Juice - 12 Ounces

Simple Syrup - 1 Ounce (or to taste) 

Aromatic edible flowers - Garnish 

Serving size - 6 

Drop the Elitist Attitude but Keep the Wine Slang

If you ask us, wine is about connection and celebration. We gather and toast accomplishments, unwind from long days with close friends and gift it to show our gratitude for the ones we love. But hold up, then why is it wine is also associated with pretentious behavior and an elitist attitude? One of the big problems we see is wine language. 

In our effort to keep wine a pleasurable experience for all, we bring you a breakdown of common wine slang starting the series with a free glossary of terms to help you navigate the basics of tasting wine.  Ok, time to breakdown the BS!

SWEETNESS:

Wine’s sweetness comes from residual sugar (RS) that stays in the wine after the alcohol is created during fermentation. Typically, sugar is not added to wine to make it sweeter. There can be any level of sugar remaining from bone-dry (dry meaning no sugar) to super sweet.  

ACIDITY:

Acidity is what makes lemons sour and your mouth water, but it’s also what makes wines racy, vibrant and refreshing!  The acids in the grapes determine the level of acidity you detect in the wine. It’s presence is necessary to balance the overall taste, especially of sweet wines.

TANNINS: 

Tannins are found in red wines and come mostly from the skins of red wine grapes.  You have to think of tannins as more of a feeling than a flavor. High tannins can feel mouth-drying or gritty and can create a bitter sensation in the back of your mouth. Wines that are high in tannins are also usually served with food.  Softer tannins can give richness and body to the wine.

ALCOHOL:

Higher alcohol wine will have more of a “burn” as it goes over the back of your tongue. We refer to this feel as a wine being HOT! Sweeter wines (more residual sugar) tend to have lower alcohol content. 

BALANCE:  

A wine is considered well-balanced when all of these characteristics are in harmony and do not overpower each other. It may be the last on our list, but this feeling is exactly what we seek when we are tasting wine! 

Have a #wine related question for us? Leave us a comment and check back every #WineTipTuesday on Instagram and Twitter! 

 

 

Valentine’s Day Food and Wine Pairing | ESSENCE Magazine Feature

What do Valentine’s Day, food, wine and ESSENCE Magazine have in common? They’re some of our favorite things!  For those of you who didn’t catch our feature in the February issue of ESSENCE Magazine, here are our food and wine pairings for you and that special someone this Valentine's Day and beyond. 

Fried Chicken

Fried Chicken 

Seduce your special someone -or enhance your own palate- with perfectly golden fried chicken. Add a glass of sparkling wine. The saltiness of the food harmoniously accentuates the fruit flavors of the champagne.

Oysters

Oysters with horseradish and chives 

Research suggests that the rich amino acids in shellfish like oysters can have a lingering effect on your libido. Pair your oysters on ice with an eco.love chilled Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand. This style of wine is bursting with passion-fruit, nectarine and citrus flavors, while also being a dry wine - not a lot of sugar.  

Figs

Figs with goat cheese 

Some scholars believe the forbidden fruit Eve gave to Adam was actually a sweet, pulpy fig. Try this succulent treat with an eco.love off-dry Riesling for a nice balance of peaches, florals, ginger, honey, a touch of sugar and great citrus flavors that keep you asking for more! 

Chocolate

The Aztecs were believed to be one of the first to use cocoa beans to increase sexual desire. To turn up the heat, combine chocolate-covered strawberries, pineapple or bananas with a sweet wine, like a Port Wine or a Moscato.

*Article as seen in Essence Magazine 

McBride Sisters Gourmet Grilled Cheese Sandwich

The weather is starting to cool down and it finally feels like fall is here. Which of course, is the perfect time to start making delicious comfort foods. Here is our recipe for an upgraded, gourmet, grilled cheese sandwich, that goes perfect with our McBride Sisters Truvée Chardonnay - Cheers!

 McBride Sisters Gourmet Grilled Cheese Recipe

• 1 tablespoon butter for the skillet + more for spreading on your bread slices
• 4 slices Brioche bread 
• ½ cup La Tur Cheese 
• 6-8 slices prosciutto
• ½ of any sweet, crunchy apple; such as Honeycrisp, Fuji, Gala or Jonagold, thinly sliced using a mandolin slicer
• Serve with Robin's Grenache jelly and pair with the McBride Sisters Truvée Chardonnay

 Instructions

1. Butter one slice of bread on both sides and set aside. Using a cast iron skillet or non-stick skillet, heat one tablespoon of butter in your skillet over medium heat. Let the butter melt completely and then lay your slice of buttered bread into the skillet and top with a ¼ cup of the grated La Tour Cheese. Cover the skillet with a lid and let the cheese melt until it’s almost entirely melted, for about 2-3 minutes.
2. Next, lift the lid and top the melted cheese with the prosciutto and apple slices and cover again with the lid for a minute or two. Butter one side of the second slice of bread with the apples and flip your grilled cheese to begin toasting the other side. You do not need to cover the pan again since your cheese is already melting nicely. You can flip a couple more times if desired until you have nice, golden brown toasty bread on both sides.
3. Repeat everything for your second grilled cheese sandwich. Serve with Robin's Grenache jelly and McBride Sisters ‘Truvée Chardonnay.’ Enjoy!

5 Essential Wine Pairing Rules That Will Change Your Life!

Please think outside the bottle! Play with new ideas to figure out what tickles your palate best. Get creative and let your imagination run free. There really are no food and wine pairing rules, only guidelines because there is a huge variation in personal preferences when it comes to flavors. What might seem like the “perfect pairing” to one person may be ordinary or not the bomb to another! Pairings should take into account the preferences of the individuals and the basic interactions of food and wine. 

The general rule of thumb when pairing wine with food is that white wine goes with fish, and red wine with red meat. If you’re a new drinker, then it’s not a bad rule to follow, but for (almost) every rule there are exceptions, especially in the culinary world.

So, here are some basic rules from a couple of vintners to help guide you along the way.

1) Sweetness in Food

So you know that champagne toast with your wedding cake you envisioned? BIG MISTAKE! Sweetness in food increases the perception of bitterness and alcohol in the wine and it decreases the body and fruitiness. The sweetness from the cake will make the dry champagne taste bitter and awful. Try a Sauternes desert wine instead. Its a sweet wine with great acidity that will compliment your cake perfectly!

2) Acidity in Food

The McBride Sisters have a serious problem when it comes to goat cheese … we eat absurd quantities because it’s so decadent and delicious. It happens to be quite acidic which increases the perception of body, sweetness and fruitiness of wine and decreases the perception of acidity. So what do you drink with it? Goat cheese pairs perfectly with the passion fruit, peach, gooseberry and grapefruit flavors of our Sauvignon Blanc (shameless plug). This is probably one of our favorite food and wine pairings

3) Salt in Food

Fried chicken and champagne are a match made in heaven! We believe that may actually be a quote in the bible (don’t hold us to that). The saltiness from the chicken increases the perception of body in the wine and decreases the perception of bitterness. The chicken makes the wine taste more fruity, rich and less acidic. This is one of those “drop the mic” pairings, that’s hard to beat.  

4) Bitterness in Food

The idea of wine and chocolate seem so right together (like your high school boyfriend), yet are so disastrously wrong (ditto). Bitterness increases bitterness in the wine. The sweetness of the chocolate intensifies the bitterness of the tannins and decreases the fruitiness and body of the red wine. So how do we solve this? Try peanut butter cups and a tawny port,  the creaminess and sugar from the peanut butter cups will mix perfectly with the berry flavors from the port. Just think peanut butter and jelly … bomb right?  

5) Chili Heat in Food

Trying to figure outa wine that would pair perfectly with a spicy Pad Thai? Chili heat increases the perception of bitterness, alcohol and acidity in wine and decreases the perception of body, richness, sweetness and fruitiness. This is a tough one, but Riesling has got you covered, no worries! All the great fruit flavors and a little sweetness from a nice off-dry Riesling is your answer and pairs perfectly. Add curries and anything else for that matter with chili spice onto your list of foods to pair with an off-dry Riesling.   

Now that you have the general guidelines, tell us…what are some of your favorite food and wine pairings?

Chardonnay vs. Sauvignon Blanc…

It’s hard to manage two BFF’s. Favor one more than the other and drama is guaranteed.  

Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc are a similar situation. It’s hard to say which we love more and no doubt are two of the most popular white wines in the world, with each wine taking on a different style and approach. Without playing favorites, here are our favorite styles and characteristics of each variety.  

Tropical fruit, rich, buttery and nutty  

Considered the “Queen” of white grape varieties, the style of Chardonnay we love is smooth and rich with dominating fruit flavors of apple, peach, melon and balanced with good citrus and acidity. Winemakers particularly love Chardonnay for its blank canvas quality, which is perfect for discovering new ways to deliver varying flavors and styles. It is one of the few white wines that age well in an oak barrel, which can add unique creamy, buttery, nutty, vanilla-like flavors. Though not as popular as the oaked version, unoaked Chardonnay is quickly developing a following amidst the Chard drinkers who prefer the wine’s more stripped-down crisp fruit driven characteristics (no oak), somewhat similar to a Sauvignon Blanc.

Still, regardless of different variations and styles, Chardonnay tends to be made in a bolder, richer style influenced by oak. The best and priciest come from Burgundy in France, in addition to more affordable and high quality options from Russian River and the Central Coast of California. Chardonnay pairs deliciously well with a wide assortment of foods, especially creamy dishes, soft cheeses, and richer fish such as salmon and swordfish.

...Or crisp, dry and zesty?

 By contrast, Sauvignon Blanc is more refreshing, higher in acidity and lighter than Chardonnay with aromatics ranging from fresh cut grass, gooseberry and grapefruit to fruitier notes of peach passion fruit and melon. Though some Sauvignon Blanc wines see the inside of an oak barrel, it’s less likely for it to have as strong of an oak influence as Chardonnay.

Sauvignon Blanc is produced in a variety of styles with the best made in Marlborough, New Zealand and Sancerre, in France. This wine is the perfect to enjoy underneath the sun, also making it a great choice for any barbecue. Because of its great citrus flavors, the wine pairs well with foods such as grilled summer vegetables, fish, seafood and sushi. It is also a great wine for green salads in vinaigrette dressing and other tart foods.

Whether you prefer the crispness of Sauvignon Blanc or the rich tropical taste of Chardonnay, both are exceptional white wines certainly worthy of a pour.

To learn more about our eco. love Sauvignon Blanc and Truvée Chardonnay; please visit the ‘Wine’ section of our website. Cheers!

7 Wines You Need To Know

The surprising thing about wine is that there are 1000’s of varieties, but only a few are grown commonly around the world. Whether you’re an expert or just beginning your journey, exploring different types of wine is an essential part of figuring out what you like. Let’s be honest, half the fun is in the drinking…ehem, learning right? So let’s take a look at seven common wines you need to know.

Cabernet Sauvignon --- one of the more popular full-bodied dry red wines recognized for its deep color, bold tannins, blackberry, blueberry and eucalyptus aromas. Cab is best enjoyed with a great lamb or beef dish, and is for the drinker who has a love for big substantial drinks e.g. Johnnie Walker Blue

Pinot Noir --- This is one of our favorite varieties, why you ask? It’s simple, this wine can be paired with nearly everything in perfect harmony. Its dry, medium body, medium tannins and has fruity aromas of black cherry, sweet spice and vanilla that WERK! Our eco.love Pinot Noir is our go-to, everyday drinking wine.

Syrah --- the red wine responsible for some of the darkest full-bodied dry red wines in the world and can also be found in our very own, Truvée Red Blend. Known for its blackberry, plum and peppery aromas and flavors, Syrah is a perfect accompaniment to smoked meats and pairs well with feta, white cheddar and Manchego cheese.

Zinfandel --- the most widely planted red grape variety in California and extremely popular amidst those who prefer a more fruit-forward, jammy style of wine with aromas and flavors of plums, blackberries and sweet spices.  Zinfandel pairs deliciously with spiced barbecue dishes and curry.

Chardonnay --- arguably the best old world white wine grape, this wine has a wide range of aromas and flavors from fresh citrus to peach, nectarine and melon. Depending on the winemakers style, there can also be strong oak and butter flavors to no oak at all. Our Truvée Chardonnay tends to be on the crisper side with aromas of peaches and nectarines and with some French oak barrel aging, that adds additional layers of creamy, nutty, vanilla and spice aromas and flavors. This style of wine can be paired with nearly every savoury dish you can imagine!

Sauvignon Blanc ---  This wine packs a punch, especially when made in New Zealand. The aromas are filled with layers of tropical fruit, citrus and floral aromas like our eco.love Sauvignon Blanc which showcases flavors of nectarines, peaches, passion fruit, and grapefruit with delicate floral notes of jasmine and orange blossom. This wine is like a cocktail, less the calories and perfect for happy hour, grilling season and of course shellfish and seafood.

Riesling --- a highly aromatic and fruity grape variety that produces wine known for its crisp aromas and sweet flavors. Our Riesling features floral scents on top of citrus, white peach, root ginger and spice flavors that can easily enhance the best fish or pork cuisine. But if you have something else in mind…go for it! Riesling is an extremely versatile and food-friendly wine.

To Decant Or Not To Decant Red Wine…And For How Long?

Do you notice when you open a bottle of red wine and pour a glass, the wine gets better over time, especially the second glass (not a trick question!)? You start to notice the wine smells better, the fruit flavors become pronounced and the tannins are softer? That’s because the wine has “opened up” due to the increased contact with the air. Decanting introduces oxygen, which releases aromas and flavors in all red wine.

So how long should you decant wine?

Most tannic red wines will take about 2-3 hours and typically last 12–18 hours after being decanted.

Red Wines

• · Zinfandel: 30 minutes
• · Pinot Noir: 30 minutes
• · Malbec: 1 hour
• · Grenache Blend: 1 hour
• · Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot: 2 hours
• · Petite Sirah: 2 hours
• · Tempranillo: 2 hours
• · Sangiovese: 2 hours
• · Syrah/Shiraz: 2–3 hours
• · Nebbiolo: 3+ hours

DO NOT DECANT 20+ YEAR OLD RED WINE!

Chances are you probably dropped some serious dough for an 20+ year old, dry, bottle of red wine. These types of  wines show best decanted immediately before serving. If you wait to long, all the amazing aromas and flavors would have disappeared!

What happens if you decant a wine for too long?

High levels of acetic acid (the same acid found in vinegar) increases and a repugnant, vinegar-like smell then emerges, which is a very good indicator that the wine has gone bad.

Trick of the trade: You don’t need to spend top dollar on your house party wines. Decant the cheap bottles of red before your guests come over, we promise you they will taste double the price you paid!