Moscato, Muscatel, Muscat… what’s the difference between them? Just the names, actually. Rather than just being one grape, Muscat includes a family of grapes in a range of colors (from white to brown, or to near black.) For instance, Moscato is the Italian name and Muscatel the Spanish.
Here in the U.S., Moscato is making its mark and has become the hot wine of the moment. Some would say sweet versions of Moscato are ideal for the American sweet tooth; it’s also an easy wine for the new wine drinker to love.
For a perfect spring day, pack a picnic with a chilled bottle of Temecula Valley Moscato and pair it with good cheese, buttery crackers and seasonal fruit. Salud!
pipesmagazine.com
Here are Five Fun Facts About Moscato
1. Muscat is the only fine wine grape that doubles as a table grape.
2. Twitter currently buzzes with an average of 250 tweets an hour about people drinking their Moscato.
3. In addition to Moscato, Muscatel and Muscat, this common white variety is also known as Muscadel, Muscat Blanc and Muscat Canelli.
4. Virtually all pink Moscatos gain their hue from a splash of red wine, not skin contact.
5. The breadth and number of varieties of Muscat suggest that it is perhaps the oldest domesticated grape variety, and there are theories that most families within the Vitis vinifera grape variety are descended from the Muscat variety.
Looking for a great bottle of Moscato wine in Temecula Valley?
Mulled wine, with its sweet scent of cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg, is a festive way to celebrate the holiday season. For those who aren’t familiar with the term, “mulled wine” is just a simple combination of red wine with a variety of spices, most commonly the ones listed above.
This warm and spicy drink is popular worldwide and versions of it can be found in many countries. Scandanavia’s Glogg contains cardamom, ginger and bitter orange. The French call their mulled wine vin chaud, which features lemon, while Romanians add apples to their vin fiert. In Bulgaria, greyano vino is seasoned with peppercorns while South Brazil’s vinho quente gets its extra kick from the addition of cachaça. As you can see, the combination of warm, red wine and spices, fruit or herbs is a tradition all over the world.
A modern American take on a mulling spice mix could include cinnamon, cloves, allspice berries and orange rind.
To make it, simmer 4 cups of red wine (whatever kind you like; I used Cabernet Sauvignon), 1/3 cup sugar and 2 tablespoons of the mulling spices for about 20 minutes. Remove the spices and serve.
You can serve mulled wine in wine glasses, Irish coffee glasses, even coffee mugs, and you can garnish with all kinds of things, such as cinnamon sticks, orange or lemon wheels, apple slices, even mini candy canes. And for you Californians who are still battling the heat, there is an option for you, too: just chill the finished wine and serve over ice.
For more great food and wine recipes from Temecula Valley wine country, visit Ponte’s blog.
A toast to the holidays from Temecula Valley Wine Country!
September is California Wine Month – and Temecula Valley celebrates BIG TIME with a month-long money-saving Passport offer, the once-a-year wine & food gala CRUSH, and exclusive overnight and transportation packages in wine country. Join our 35 Southern California wineries this September for the festivities – you really can’t miss this!
SIP Passport and Packages, Offered Sept 1-30 Only
To celebrate California Wine Month, the Temecula wine region has created an exclusive $50 passport to taste full flights at any 5 wineries of your choosing. This is a savings of up to $30! *Offer valid seven days a week, September 1 through September 30, 2012 only.
SIP & STAY at Ponte Vineyard Inn. Includes an overnight stay in a King or Double Queen Deluxe guest room, breakfast for two at Bouquet and (2) SIP Passports with Souvenir Glasses (make sure you bring them with you to SIP!). Please call (951) 587-6688 for reservations.
SIP & STAY at South Coast Winery Resort & Spa. Includes an overnight stay, (2) SIP Passports with Souvenir Glasses (make sure you bring them with you to SIP!), as well as an array of special resort amenities.
SIP & STAY at Temecula Creek Inn. Includes a one night stay and (2) SIP Passports with Souvenir Glasses (make sure you bring them with you to SIP!)
SIP & STAY at The Inn at Europa Village. Includes a one-night stay (Sunday-Thursday) in a King Room, (2) SIP Passports with Souvenir Glasses (make sure you bring them with you to SIP!), Sangria Hour, Gourmet Breakfast “Experience”, a Two for One wine tasting and 20% off at Europa Village. Please call The Inn at Europa Village at (951) 676-7047 for package reservations.
This is the ONE and ONLY gala event showcasing the wines of 30 plus member wineries and more than a dozen local restaurants in one location – don’t miss it!
Join winery owners, winemakers and growers of the Temecula Valley as they celebrate California Wine Month at CRUSH. Now in it’s third year, CRUSH showcases Southern California’s wine country and culinary stylings in one stellar location.
In addition to sampling wines from more than 35 Temecula Valley wineries and over a dozen restaurants, VIP guests will also have an opportunity to learn about winegrape growing in Southern California. Winery owners, winemakers, and chefs will mingle amongst the guests, giving attendees a chance to meet their favorite local wine and culinary stars at the newly-renovated Callaway Vineyard & Winery
New! VIP Tickets are $100 and include early-entry, a pre-event VIP Reception, access to the Winemakers Roundtable seated tasting, and a gift bag including a Perfect Pairings recipe booklet. Click here to purchase VIP Tickets.
Local Temecula restaurants will be serving unlimited gourmet plates all evening:
Ponte Vineyard Inn is offering a lodging package that includes a two-night stay (September 14 & September 15), breakfast for two on Saturday morning, and two tickets to CRUSH. Please call (951) 587-6688 for reservations.
Temecula Creek Inn is offering a lodging package that includes a one-night stay, two tickets to CRUSH and shuttle transportation for two to the event.
Exclusive photo of the newly-renovated Callaway Vineyard & Winery, July 2012
Ponte Family Estate is well-loved for their delicious al fresco restaurant so we asked them for a great grill recipe for summer. Here’s an interesting twist on an American classic – the cheeseburger. And the best part about this burger recipe is it’s simplicity. This is an easy dish to prep and grill with the family for 4th of July weekend. Pair with a light white wine – and sparkling lemonade for the kids!
Make the burgers using classic ingredients:
Ground beef (medium) or turkey patties (well-done)
Shredded lettuce
Pickles
Cheddar cheese (1-2 slices)
A bun, lightly grilled
Special Sauce (see below)
Measure the following ingredients by taste to make the special sauce:
Mayonnaise
Mustard
Mild curry spice
Dash of salt
*Pair with Ponte Winery’s Isabel 2010, a light and delicate summer white.
Sometimes spritzy, always easy, Pinot Grigio is certainly a favorite white wine for spring. With its warm days and cool nights, Temecula is an ideal spot to grow Pinot Grigio, which requires plenty of sunshine to develop the vibrant apple and melon flavors for which it is known. And everyone enjoys drinking it, especially when paired with a chunk of aged Gouda cheese, Marcona almonds and dried apricots, a grilled salmon salad with a healthy squeeze of lemon, or a nice bowl of penne tossed with spring vegetables and butter.
Below are five fun facts on this Old World varietal, plus some suggestions on where to pick up an affordable bottle at one of your local Temecucla Valley wineries.
Pinot Gris (French) and Pinot Grigio (Italian) refer same grape – just different countries and different styles.
Very closely related to the Pinot Noir grape, the grape normally has a grayish-blue skin, accounting for its name – gris meaning “grey” in French; pinot comes from the French word “pine cone,” which could have been given to it because the grapes grow in pine cone-shaped clusters.
The first American Pinot Gris vines were planted in Oregon in 1966 by David Lett from Eyrie Vineyards.
Pinot Gris grows well in the Central and South coastal areas of California. The Pinot Gris from California is often called Pinot Grigio because of its similarity in style to the wine of Italy.
Pinot gris is considered an “early to market wine” – which means it can be bottled and out on the market within 4–12 weeks after fermentation. This white can be opened and consumed young.
Temecula Valley wine country Pinot Grigios to try:
Ponte Family Estate is an experience that shouldn’t be missed during a getaway to Temecula Valley wine country. And with the opening of the brand-new Ponte Vineyard Inn in May, everyone can enjoy their experience in Temecula Valley a little bit longer.
The Story
Claudio Ponte planted vineyards in 1984 and opened the popular winery in 2003. Ponte Family Estate includes The Restaurant at Ponte, tasting room and marketplace, vineyards, wedding/event spaces and the latest addition, the Ponte Vineyard Inn. Guests are invited to wine, dine and stay, all while enjoying friendly service and hospitality.
The Ponte Vineyard Inn – opening its doors in May!
Ponte Family Estate welcomes visitors to its 60-room boutique, wine country hotel on May 4, which is located next-door to the winery and each room as a vineyard-view. Book a package today and enjoy an overnight stay in Southern California’s wine country.
The Restaurants
The Restaurant at Ponte is headed by the experienced Chef Vincent Logan. This al fresco venue prides itself on sourcing local ingredients, serving natural and sustainable meats and fish and providing top-notch service. A great place for Mother’s Day – or anytime!
The Restaurant at Ponte Dining Hours:
Monday-Thursday 11am-4pm
Friday & Saturday 11am-8pm
Sunday 11am-5pm
(951) 252-1770
Within The Ponte Vineyard Inn, there will be the exciting addition of two new restaurants, open to all visitors: Bouquet and The Cellar Lounge.
Bouquet offers a “sharing and pairing” menu and is conveniently located in the lobby of the hotel with both indoor and outdoor seating. The restaurant also serves continental breakfast Monday thru Friday and sit-down breakfast service Saturday and Sunday. Lunch is served from 11:30am to 3pm on weekends only. Dinner served 6pm to 9pm daily.
The Cellar Lounge is located in the basement of the hotel and offers a variety of small plates and entrees in a cool, rustic setting. The Cellar Lounge boasts the only full bar in wine country and a carefully selected list of locally produced wines. Dinner served 5-10pm daily.
For more information on the new restaurants at The Ponte Vineyard Inn, please click here.
The Wines
Ponte Family Estate offers an approachable, memorable tasting experience that welcomes both new and experienced wine lovers with the mantra, “If you like it, it’s good wine!”™
Classics – single varietals like Pinot Grigio, Sangiovese, Zinfandel, and Chardonnay
Blends – the best combinations go into Graciela, Super T, Meritage, and the Angry Wife lines
Sweet – Juliet, Isabel, and Beverino are top favorites
Sparkling & Fortified – Moscato, Rose Spumante, Port are perfect for dessert in wine country
The Ponte Winery Wine Club offers incredible VIP service and exciting perks for members all year-round.
Tasting
Flights include 6 wine tastings and a Ponte souvenir wine glass:
For this edition of Winemaker’s Roundtable, we’re talking about Bordeaux Blends- specifically, red Bordeaux blends. These lush, deeply rich wines are called Meritage here in California, and Temecula Valley wineries offer a fine variety of what would be a great pairing to a holiday meal.
Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in Southwest France, and is the world’s premier wine industry capital. Bordeaux’s defining characteristics are its limestone soils and the neighboring rivers, which are used to irrigate the land.
A red Bordeaux wine is a blend of two or more of these five grape varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec, and Petit Verdot.
In 1988, a small group of Napa Valley vintners formed The Meritage Association, using the term “meritage” (a combination of merit and heritage, and pronounced like the latter) to denote red and white Bordeaux-style wines made outside of Bordeaux. The term “Meritage” was created to avoid using the name “Bordeaux” for wines that are not actually produced in the Bordeaux region.
Because the percentage of each grape used in Bordeaux blends varies, each year’s vintage brings different flavors and nuances, making tasting Bordeaux blends a fun and interesting experience. Red Bordeaux blends typically are rich, full-bodied wines with notes of black currant, blackberries, cocoa and cherries.
Bordeaux-style wines go well with grilled steak, rack of lamb, or even game meats like venison or duck. Several Temecula Valley wineries offer wonderful Meritage wines perfect for the holidays or simply your next meal:
½ cup red onion, diced
¼ cup red bell pepper, diced
½ tablespoon cilantro, chopped
1 cup mango, diced
1 cup papaya, diced
1 cup grilled pineapple, diced
Juice of one lime
1 teaspoon salad oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
(6) 5-ounce salmon fillets
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons Italian parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons thyme, chopped
6 sprigs cilantro
To make the relish, combine all diced ingredients in a bowl. Add the juice of one lime, salad oil, salt and pepper to taste.
Rub salmon fillets with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle with the herb mixture. Place salmon on a high-heat grill, turn every 2 ½ minutes, for a total of 10 minutes. Remove salmon from grill and plate, topping each piece with the tropical relish and a cilantro sprig garnish.
2. Boil heavy cream and pour over chocolate and wine mixture. Stir slowly with a spoon or rubber spatula, until the mixture comes together. Chill in refrigerator over night.
3. Scoop the set ganache with a melon baller and freeze.
4. When frozen roll into a round sphere. Freeze again.
5. Sift together cocoa powder and powdered sugar, reserve for dipping.
6. Melt second amount of chocolate. Dip frozen truffle lightly and drop onto parchment paper.
7. When chocolate has set, dip truffles again and immediately drop coated truffles into cocoa powder and sugar mixture. Let sit in mixture for one hour.
New! VIP Tickets are $100 and include early-entry, a pre-event VIP Reception, access to the Winemakers Roundtable seated tasting, and a gift bag including a Perfect Pairings recipe booklet. 
Pinot Gris (French) and Pinot Grigio (Italian) refer same grape – just different countries and different styles.
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