Wine and Entertaining – A few tips and guidelines for the holidays

2011 November 22 by Jess

Tis the season for entertaining! And no get-together is complete without wine to accompany the
occasion! But what should you serve? And how much should you have on hand? Here are some quick
tips and guidelines for incorporating wine into this year’s holiday festivities.

Greet guests with a glass of bubbly! No matter the size or scope of your party, sparkling wine is the
perfect aperitif, and many believe that bubbles serve to stimulate the appetite. There’s an abundance
of sparklers out there to choose from these days. The best values can be found in Prosecco (Italy) and
Cava (Spain), but if you’re ready for a splurge, head straight for Champagne!

Determining how much wine to have on hand can seem like a shot in the dark, especially if you aren’t
aware of your guests’ habits and preferences. If you’re serving other alcoholic beverages, too, it can
seem even more complicated. Just plan on 3 glasses of wine per person where wine is the principal
beverage being served and count on filling 5 glasses of wine per bottle.

Context is everything, so consider the type of party you’re hosting when deciding on wine. A casual
get-together means you should keep things simple. One white and one red will be all you need in most
cases. If you’re hosting a potluck, for example, opt for something versatile that will pair well with lots
of different flavors. Some of my favorites that are also easy on the wallet hail from Spain and southern
France.

Even if your plans include a multi-course formal meal, it’s best not to get carried away with too many
wines. Talk to your favorite wine monger about the details of your menu and choose three, at most, for
dinner. Options might include a white with the first courses, red with your main courses and a sparkling
or dessert wine to complete the meal. And remember this cardinal rule of food and wine pairing: it’s
not so much what you’re serving as how it’s being prepared. Pair wine to the seasonings and cooking
method as opposed to simply the starch or protein.

If a cocktail party is in the works this season, how about exploring the emerging world of wine cocktails?
Hundreds of recipes can be found doing a simple web search. When choosing your base wine, stick to
simple, fruit-driven whites and reds. Multi-layered, complex wines are best enjoyed on their own. Or
try your hand at mulled wine this year! The recipe is simple and often includes a combination of red
wine, Port, brandy, triple sec, brown sugar and a bundle of spices including allspice berries, bay leaf,
cinnamon sticks and cloves.

And when you’re the guest this holiday season, don’t forget a bottle of wine for your host! If you’re not
sure what they like, bring a bottle of something you love and include a recipe card for a favorite pairing.
Just remember, you needn’t spend more than $15 on a great bottle of wine and don’t waste money on a
wine bag, just roll the bottle up in a piece of tissue paper and tie a ribbon around the neck.

Holiday Gift Ideas!

2011 October 25 by Brian

This year The Wine Studio wants to be your one-stop shop for all your wine gift needs!  We got some ideas to fit every kind of wine lover on your shopping list from beginner to the wine lover who has everything.  We will also be expanding our hours from November to December in order to better serve you!

DeLong Grape Varieties Chart, $35

Resembling the ubiquitous table of elements poster from your high school chemistry class, this chart give us cogent facts about more varieties than most of us will ever taste.

Wine Maps, $30

Do you have a wine lover on your list who already has a cellar full of wine and all the opening and serving accessories they could need? How about one of our amazingly detailed poster-sized wine maps from DeLong? These wonderful examples of enological cartography feature Spain, California, Italy or France. (We can even special order one of the wine regions of Long Island!)

Ticket to Wine 101, $10

Wine 101 is held here at the studio on the first Thursday of every month.  What a steal for only ten bones! This is a classroom-style tasting of 6 wines with an engaging presentation designed for the person who’s just getting into wine.

The Teardrop Decanter, $10

Unleaded, dishwasher-safe and doubles as a water carafe.  And at this price, it won’t hurt too badly when someone breaks it!

Gift Certificates, $??

Our gift certificates can be purchased for any amount and can be used for wine, accessories, beer, or classes and tastings!  Great when you’re just not sure what they like to drink and makes great stocking stuffers!

Girls on Grapes Membership, $25

Girls on Grapes is Asheville's best wine tasting group for women!  We began meeting nearly four years ago and membership is the best way to take advantage of all that Girls on Grapes has to offer! A $25 annual membership includes a Girls on Grapes tee shirt, tasting notebook, 20% discount card on all services at Spa Theology, discounts on wine at The Wine Studio and discounted Girls on Grapes tasting fees.  We also hold a couple members-only events each year.  Learn more: here.

The Passport Gift Box, $50

This kit includes everything you need to start exploring the world of wine: a copy of The Wine Bible, a soft bound wine tasting notebook, the original aroma wheel from Dr. Ann Noble, 2 wine glasses, the teardrop decanter, and a pull-tap corkscrew (the one the pros use!).  Add on a couple of bottles to complete the experience!

The Locavore Gift Box, $50

Here at The Wine Studio we carry lots of local items and this gift box features our faves: mustard by Lusty Monk, a bag of locally-made crackers from Roots and Branches, locally-made, raw and organic chocolate from Raw Shakti Chocolates, a pizza kit from Gallolea Pizza and Organics, plus two bottles of wine! A $70 value!

A month…or more of Six Pix, $60

Purchase a gift subscription to Six Pix for a single month or as long as you’d like.  Six Pix is our monthly wine club designed for the eager and adventurous wine lover!  For more info about the Six Pix program click here.

The Hundred Dollar Case, $100

This idea came about in response to a challenge: could we assemble 12 different, but equally delicious wines that are clean and sustainably grown, unique and off the beaten path, and oh yeah, could we do it for $100?  Well we did it! A great gift at a great price.

Welcome!

2011 June 22 by Brian

Hey guys, welcome to the new site! It is still a work in progress and we are fixing the kinks as we come across them.  Thanks for your patience.  There are so many new features on this site and we hope you will take some time to explore it. Here’s a little guide:

New Features:

Tasting Archive: You will find a link at the top called “Tasting Archive.” Here we will post the tasting line-ups for all our classes and events.  That way if you’re trying to remember that rosé you tasted two weeks ago at a Winesday you can go online, and boom! There it is.

Online Event RSVP: Check out the “Events” tab to see our calendar of tastings and classes for the month.  With the new site you can RSVP for events online! Simply follow the steps and fill in the blanks to reserve your spot at any event you choose!

Blog: This goes without saying, since you’re already reading it but we’re excited about this blog which will allow us to share new wines, reviews, and notes with you guys in a much easier way.

Online Sales: Yep, that’s right! We’re about to launch an online store, you will be able to order from our inventory online and we will deliver it to your doorstep! Sounds pretty cool right? Well we still have to work out some small issues so stay tuned!

If you notice problems around the site feel free to e-mail Brian at brian@winestudioasheville.com

As always thank you for allowing us to serve you in the world of wine,

Jessica, Carah, and Brian