Introducing Black Girl Magic Red Blend!

In honor of Black History Month (and all the #BlackGirlMagic that has been going on in Hollywood), we’re so excited to announce the release of McBride Sisters Black Girl Magic Red Blend (find it online here). The Red Blend joins her Sister Black Girl Magic Riesling, the first in the collection, which we launched at Essence Festival in New Orleans in July 2018.

#BlackGirlMagic

Black Girl Magic Red Blend, from the Central Coast of California, is comprised of Merlot from Monterey (67%) and Cabernet Sauvignon from Paso Robles (33%). The blend is fermented and matured in oak barrels for 18 months, which adds richness to this gorgeous garnet-colored blend with notes of tobacco and warm vanilla bean, complemented by notes of plum, raspberry, and blackberry. The rich Cabernet and luscious chocolate-cherry of Merlot makes this a wine you can’t help but adore!

Our Black Girl Magic Collection was inspired by the movement, #BlackGirlMagic, popularized by CaShawn Thompson in 2013 which was created to "celebrate the beauty, power and resilience of black women," this movement is also intended to commemorate black women on their accomplishments. Thompson refers to a speech made by Michelle Obama (Remarks by the First Lady at BET's "Black Girls Rock!" Event) when she explains that black women around the world persevering, despite adversity, motivated her to spread the concept of Black Girl Magic. In the hopes of counteracting the negativity society places on black women, Thompson created the social media hashtag and rallying cry "Black Girl Magic.” She is GOALS -- can we get an amen?!

Even though we are at the close of Black History Month, we know we continue to celebrate Black History anytime with Black Girl Magic Red Blend. Here are some ways to create your perfect wine experience!

1. Solidify the menu.

   If you like to cook, try our BBQ Wings with Jerk Red Wine Sauce! If you want a break from the kitchen, order yourself some take-out. I’ve never met a pizza I couldn’t pair with wine...just sayin’ ;)

2. Get mixing.

   Loosen your mixologist fingers and make a Black Girl Magic Red Blend cocktail. If you’re in the mood for a sweeter, citrusy tang, try the Queen Charlotte Punch. The Kitty Highball has a sharp snap of ginger that is cooled by the full flavors of the Black Girl Magic Red Blend. Of course, you can keep it simple and elegant with a glass (or 2, we’re not judging) of Black Girl Magic Red Blend. Make sure to give your wine room to breathe by filling your glass no more than halfway.

3. Break it down.

   Hit play on our Black History Month Playlist so you can eat, drink, and dance the night away with your squad! Who run this muthaaaa (cue Beyoncé scream)!

---

Side note...

As a proud black-owned business, we’d be remiss not to mention the 2019 Oscars, since it was a historic night for people, especially women, of color. We’re particularly proud of Ruth Carter, who won for costume design for Black Panther. She is the first African-American woman to win in that category. Her award was made even more powerful by her acceptance speech in which she said, “Thank you for honoring African royalty and the empowered way women can look and lead on screen.” We’re lifting a glass of our Black Girl Magic Red Blend in your honor, Ruth!

Last but certainly not least, after 34 years as an actress, we saw some major #BlackGirlMagic vibes shine through when Regina King won her first Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for If Beale Street Could Talk! SUCH a queen, if there ever was one.

SMOKED SALMON & CHIVE CREAM CHEESE CRISP WITH MCBRIDE SISTERS COLLECTION SPARKLING BRUT ROSÉ

Yields: 20 bites

Prep time: 10 mins

Ingredients

• 1 pack Athens Fillo Shells

• 1 pound smoked salmon, cut into bite-sized pieces

• (1) 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened

• 3 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped

• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

• Dash of white pepper and salt

• Red onion minced (garnish)

• Capers (garnish)

• 1 tablespoon heavy cream, optional

Instructions

• Arrange fillo cups on a platter as desired. Place in the refrigerator while preparing the cream cheese.

• Combine cream cheese, chives, lemon juice, salt, pepper and cream cheese in a large bowl. Beat until well mixed.

• Fill shells with 2 teaspoons of cream cheese mixture and top with a bite-sized piece of smoked salmon. Garnish with capers and red onion.

• Serve at once, or keep in the refrigerator until needed.

Avocado Deviled Eggs WITH MCBRIDE SISTERS COLLECTION SPARKLING BRUT ROSÉ

Serves:  6

Prep time:  5 mins

Cook time:  8 mins

Total time:  13 mins

Ingredients

• 6 large eggs, hard-boiled and cooled

• ½ avocado, pitted and peeled

• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder

• ⅛ tsp white pepper

• ¼ tsp kosher salt

• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

• 3 tbsp Just Mayo (vegan mayo)

• 2 tsp Dijon Mustard

• Smoked ground Red Pepper

• Sliced Peppercorn turkey (optional garnish)

Instructions

• Cut eggs in half and remove the yolk gently, placing yolks in a small bowl; repeat for all eggs.

• In the small bowl with the yolks, add all ingredients except for the red pepper and turkey, smash and mix well.

• Fill a piping bag (or use a ziplock bag) with yolk mixture and pipe into eggs on the serving plate. Repeat for all eggs; you may have some yolk mixture leftover.

• Sprinkle each egg with red pepper and top with rolled sliced turkey, placing garnish on top, as seen in the picture.

• Serve and enjoy!

Chef Mark's Butter Lemon Pepper Cornish Hens With McBride Sisters Collection Chardonnay

Serves: 6

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 Cornish game hens, patted dry with paper towels

• 4 tablespoons salted butter (room temperature)

• 3 large cloves garlic, peeled & chopped

• 3 tablespoons lemon juice (keep 3 halves of lemons to stuff in hens)

• Extra virgin olive oil

• 3 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/2 cup Mcbride Sisters Chardonnay

• 1/2 cup chicken broth

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400°F

• Pat the hens dry with a paper towel

• Mix butter, garlic, lemon juice, pepper & salt (set aside)

• Use your index finger to loosen the skin on the top of the hen and slip lemon pepper butter under the skin on top of each breast. Repeat for each hen. Put a quarter of a lemon in the cavity of each hen. Truss the hens by tying the wings and legs.

• Rub each hen all over with remaining lemon pepper butter. Sprinkle extra salt and pepper on skin, then drizzle with olive oil. Place the hens on the rack of a roasting pan lined with aluminum foil, spacing them out so they are as far apart from each other as possible. This will enable their skins to get browned and crispy.

• Place the hens in the preheated oven and roast for 25 minutes.

• While the hens are roasting, combine the chicken broth and wine in a bowl.

• After the hens have been roasting for 25 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F.  Pour the broth/wine mixture over the hens and continue to roast for 30 minutes, basting the hens with the juices at the bottom of the pan every 10 minutes or less. The hens are done when internal temperature reaches 165°F and the juices run clear. If you prefer darker skins, turn up the temperature once cooked to broil for a couple minutes, watching closely to prevent burning.

• Carefully remove the hens and pour the juices from their cavities into the roasting pan. Transfer the hens to a warmed platter, remove the trussing and tent with aluminum foil to week warm. Pour the juices from the roasting pan into a saucepan and boil for about 5 minutes until the liquid is a thin sauce-like consistency.

• Serve the hens whole per guest or cut in half lengthwise. Drizzle the sauce over the hens and serve immediately.

CHEF MARK'S SWEET POTATO PIE WITH MCBRIDE SISTERS COLLECTION SPARKLING BRUT ROSÉ

Serves: 6-8

Total Cook: 2 hours 20 mins

Ingredients:

1 lb cooked sweet potatoes

½ cup butter, softened

½ cup white sugar

½ cup brown sugar

½ cup heavy cream

2 eggs

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 (9 inch) pie crust

Directions:

1.     Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2.     Boil sweet potato in whole skin for 40-50 or until done or bake in the oven. Run cold water over the sweet potato, and remove the skin.

3.     Break apart sweet potato in a bowl. Add butter, sugars, cream, eggs, nutmeg, cinnamon, and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until smooth (be careful not to over mix). Pour filling into unbaked pie crust.

4.     Bake for 55-60 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Pie will puff up like a soufflé, and then will sink down as it cools.

5.     Let rest for 20-30 minutes and serve.

ROASTED FALL SAGE & THYME VEGETABLES WITH MCBRIDE SISTERS COLLECTION CHARDONNAY

Servers: 4

Total Time:  40 mins

Ingredients:

1 large red onion (peeled and diced into large chucks)

3 large carrots (peeled and chopped)

15 Brussel sprouts trimmed and halved

1 large butternut squash (peeled, seeded and chopped)

¼ cup olive oil

1 tablespoon chopped thyme

1 tablespoon chopped sage

2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions:

1.     Preheat oven to 400 degrees

2.     Toss all ingredients in a large bowl ensuring even coat of oil and herbs

3.     Pour vegetable medley on to a sheet pan with parchment paper

4.     Bake in oven for 30-40 minutes (or until vegetables are tender and brown)

5.     Let stand for 5 mins and server

MCBRIDE SISTERS FAMILY CHOCOLATE & JALAPENO SHORT RIB WITH MCBRIDE SISTERS RED BLEND

Serves 6

Total Time: 3 hr. 30 min

Ingredients

 3 1/2 pounds boneless short ribs

2 1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. black pepper

2 tsp. canola oil

1/2 yellow onion diced

1 carrot diced

1 celery stalk diced

1 tsp. chopped garlic

1/2 jalapeno pepper, minced

3 tsp. tomato paste

3 tsp. ketchup

1 1/2 tbsp. smoked paprika

1 tsp. ground cumin

2 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. ground pepper

1 cup McBride Sisters Red Blend

2 cups beef stock

6 dried mixed chilies (Chipotle, arbol, ancho)

1 disc Abuelita Mexican Hot Chocolate chopped

2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar

Directions

1.      Preheat a Le Creuset Grill Pan over medium heat; brush lightly with canola oil. Pat the short ribs dry and season with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Grill short Ribs in batches on all sides until grill marks appear, remove from grill and repeat with remaining short ribs.

2.      Preheat oven to 300 F

3.      Heat olive oil in the Le Creuset Braiser over medium heat; add the onion, carrot, and celery to skillet. Sauté until they achieve color. Stir in garlic and jalapeño, cooking for one minute, and then add tomato paste and ketchup. Cook and stir until the pasts starts to darken, scraping the bottom of the braised to prevent burning. Stir in Paprika and Cumin, thyme, salt, and pepper. Continue to cook and stir to toast spices. Deglaze with McBride Sisters Red Blend wine and scrape any brown bits off the bottom of the pan; allow wine to reduce by half. Add dried chilies and beef stock and heat mixture to a rolling simmer; add chocolate and stir to melt.

4.      Place short ribs into braiser, cover with lid and place in oven for 30 hours. The ribs should be very tender and almost fall off the bone. Carefully remove ribs to a serving platter and keep warm.

Remove whole Chile pieces from sauce and skim fat from the surface. Stir in 2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar. If the sauce is too thin, mix 1/2 tbsp. flour 1tbsp. water together to form a slurry and whisk into sauce. Bring sauce to a boil and serve over ribs.  

BRIE ON A CROSTINI WITH PROSCIUTTO CRANBERRY & BALSAMIC GLAZE WITH MCBRIDE SISTERS COLLECTION SAUVIGNON BLANC

Serves: 24

Total Cook Time: 25 min

Ingredients:

1 Cup Granulated Sugar

¾ Cup Water

2 Teaspoon orange zest

1 Teaspoon finely chopped rosemary

¼ teaspoon Himalayan pink sea salt

12 oz (3 cups) fresh cranberries

1 loaf French bread cut into ½-inch slices

3 Tablespoons olive oil

8 oz Brie (sliced thin)  

Balsamic glaze for Drizzle

Directions:

1.     Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2.     Cranberry Sauce: Bring sugar, water, orange zest, rosemary and salt to a boil in a large frying pan over high heat. Stir frequently until sugar dissolves.

3.     Add cranberries to pan and return to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until thick sauce forms and most of the berries have popped open (about 7-10 minutes).  You want the jam to be thick to ensure it doesn’t slide off crostini.

4.     Remove sauce from heat and allow to cool completely before serving. (NOTE: Sauce can be prepared in advance stores up to a week. Let rest at room temperature for 30 mins to hour before use)

5.     Drizzle pre-sliced French bread with olive oil and place single layer on a baking sheet for 5-7 minutes.

Remove from oven and immediately add a slice of brie, top with 1 tablespoon of cranberry sauce and drizzle balsamic gla

Brut Rosé Strawberry Granita

The crisp and fruity flavors of McBride Sisters Brut Rosé Strawberry Granita shine bright in this light, packed full of flavor, snowy frozen dessert!

Strawberry Ros Granita

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup sugar
• ½ cup chopped strawberries
• 1 bottle (750 ml) McBride Sisters Rosé Champagne
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Directions:

In a small saucepan, bring 1 1/2 cups water, strawberries and the sugar to a boil. Pour mixture into blender and puree for 30 seconds to a minute and place in a 9- by 13-in. freezer-proof baking dish, stir in McBride Sisters Brut Rosé and lime juice, cover with plastic wrap, and freeze for 2 hours. Stir mixture, breaking up any chunks, re-cover, and freeze at least 3 hours and up to 2 days. When ready to serve, scrape mixture with a fork (using the back of the fork to smooth any chunks) to create soft mounds of icy "snow." Serve immediately with fresh fruit or with extra Rosé.  Cheers!

White Wine Sangria With McBride Sisters collection Sauvignon Blanc

 INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup of a cup vodka 
• 4 cups peach juice or fruit punch  
• 1 bottle of McBride Sisters Collection Sauvignon Blanc
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1/2 cup diced pineapples
• 2 lemons (cut into slices)
• 1 lime (cut into slices)
• ½ cup blueberries
• 1/4 cup watermelon balls or chunks
• 1/2 cup granny smith apples cubed
• ½ of a cup halved strawberries (about 15 small strawberries)
• ½ to 1 cup sparkling water
• 2 cups of ice 

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a large punch bowl or pitcher stir together vodka and white wine and all the fruit and give it a quick stir.
2. Leave in refrigerator overnight for the flavor of the fruit to mix together with the alcohol.
3. When ready to serve, add sparkling water, top off with ice cubes to keep chilled.
4. If you are planning on serving it straight away, skip placing the bowl in the fridge and add sparkling water and ice cubes. Serve!

How to Make BBQ Wings With A Jerk Red Wine Sauce

Don't EVER say The McBride Sisters ain't got your back! We've worked with Chef Mark Phillips for your wine & food pairing for the 4th of July. And if you really want to show out, we suggest you try this Red Wine BBQ Jerk Wing recipe. TRUST .... you will have fans for life, and of course it pairs perfectly with our Red Blend. As we always say, a little Red Blend for the cooking and the rest for your glass! 

Cheers and Happy 4th of July! 

Red Wine BBQ Jerk Wings

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing 
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup ketchup
• 1 cup McBride Sisters Collection Red Blend 
• 2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar 
• 2 tablespoon graces Jerk paste 
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 
• 1 tablespoon lime juice  
• Kosher salt
• Pepper
• 1-2 lbs chicken wings 

HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE

• Turn gas grill on charcoal to reach 350 degrees. Coat clean chicken with 1 tablespoon of Jerk paste and set aside. In a medium saucepan, heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the garlic and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Whisk in the ketchup, wine, sugar, 1 table spoon jerk, lime juice, Worcestershire and mustard. Bring to a boil over moderately high heat, then simmer over moderately low heat, stirring frequently, until thickened, about 15 minutes. Let cool slightly, then puree in a blender until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
• Preheat the oven to 425°. Place chicken on preheated grill about 5-7 mins on each side. Remove from grill and line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil and put a baking rack. Brush the chicken with some of the sauce and roast for 20 minutes longer, turning and basting every 10 minutes, until nicely glazed and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest piece registers 165°. Transfer to a platter and serve.

Shrimp Scampi and Chardonnay Food Pairing

It's Wine Wednesday! Who's thirsty and hungry? Chef Mark Phillips has put something special together for these hot summer days and nights and used our McBride Sisters Chardonnay in this Shrimp Scampi recipe. Pour a little wine in the dish for the cooking and a lot of wine in your glass for you! Cheers, recipe and details below. 

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 cups McBride Sister Chardonnay 
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh basil
• 1/4 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning 
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup chopped asparagus
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• Dash of chili flakes (optional) 

DIRECTIONS:

• Season shrimp with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add shrimp and asparagus; cook, stirring occasionally, until pink, about 2-3 minutes; set aside.
• Add garlic to the skillet, and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in white wine and lemon juice. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until reduced by half, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in basil, Italian seasoning, and thyme.
• Stir in butter, 2 tablespoons at a time, until melted and smooth.
• Sir in shrimp, asparagus, chili flakes and parsley; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Serve immediately, garnished with Parmesan, if desired.