Sparkling

Have you ever wondered about sparkling wine?  How it's made? About it's history? Technically you can only call it champagne if it's made in France.... but even a few of the restaurants we recently visited in the Napa Valley referred to it as champagne.

Sparkling wine isn't something I normally order, except for some reason on our anniversary, but when a waiter suggested it one evening......I didn't think it was a bad idea. After all, our recent trip was partially about trying out new flavors, we were eating French food and had decided on a plate of fruit and cheeses before dinner. During our conversation he mentioned he was studying to become a master sommolier, so I asked him to choose the wine for me. When he let me know what he would be bringing, I noticed the man at a nearby table smile at his dinner companion. I must have given him a quizzical look, because he motioned toward her and said, "She made that. It's her sparkling wine." Turns out I was seated next to the president and founding winemaker of the winery that my sparkling glass of bubbly came from. By the way it was delicious. And very special to be able to tell her so.

Although we intended to tour her winery at some point during the week, we somehow didn't make it. We did, however, manage, to tour another place in the area, Shramsberg, well known for its sparkling wines.  We walked through dimly lit caves that smelled earthy and sweet, and listened to a guide show and tell us what, in their opinion, makes their wines special. We watched the rapid rise of bubbles in cold flutes and tasted by candlelight. We saw photographs of presidents, princesses and first ladies raising glasses of it and learned that one variety (Blanc de Blanc) was the wine President Nixon served on his historic 1972 trip to China.

It was somewhat of a challenge to photograph in low light and with no flash or tripod, but I made an attempt. The images I captured allowed me to bring an unforgettable experience home with me....to prolong it a bit further. Those and the few bottles we ordered......

Wishing you a wonderful week ahead.......again....Cheers!

Warmly, Margaret

Enjoying

We've been enjoying some food and wine tasting for the past few days with flavors far beyond any expectations. A feast for the eyes as well! More later, but for now.....Wishing You a Wonderful Weekend!

Warmly, Margaret

Pics from my weekend....Chelan Winterfest

Our friends invited us to spend time with them in Chelan for Winterfest. What a great reason to spend a couple of days there. It's fun, quaint, colorful, charming and old fashioned. On a walk around town we saw hot dog vendors, ice sculptures and fires in fire bowls. There was music, an ice bar, a skating rink and a torchlight parade. It reminded me a little bit......and in a a very good way because it's one of my favorite movies......of some of the wintry town scenes from the movie Groundhog Day. 

What truly made the weekend, however, was the group of people I was with. The kind I know I both can and should be nothing but myself around. No rigid schedules. It was OK to get up 'whenever', stay in pj's as long as possible or make yourself at home in the kitchen. Play a game, stay up late, go here or there.......or not. We could gush with pride about our own kids, but just as easily about each others. Everyone participated with meals, clean up and helping each other out. I've got to hand it to our hosts. They had twelve people in their home of all different ages and stages and everything went smoothly. I know there was a lot of planning and work ahead of time for them, and what a gift to us all that they made it seem so easy and effortless. But most of all....those people can make me laugh until I cry.

So besides spending the weekend with a group of wonderful friends and family (...and thankfully those who don't mind that I carry a camera wherever I go).....here are some of the things that I liked best about the past couple of days:

 There was snow on the ground in Chelan. Pretty to look at. Enough on the back porch to keep beer cold.

Sharing morning coffee with my friends Amy and Mary who are simply beautiful, inside and out. And yes...we did get matching jammies! 

Lots of down time for watching football...or doing...whatever

Love this town. The main street was closed to cars for the weekend so people could wander and look at ice sculptures....

 And watch the artists carving...

.....or toss a keg. 

Seriously the best hot dog I've ever eaten. Cooked on a street corner by Sam and topped with cabbage-apple sauerkraut and mustard. OMG....it's rare that I indulge in one but this was great!

Couldn't pass up checking out the snowmobile races. Then at the end of the day we stopped in at our friends favorite winery.

I couldn't resist the endless rows of red-brown grapevines in the vineyards. They were so stark against the snow and sort of hypnotizing as they rolled along with the hills. I know they are beautiful green in the summer and heavy with fruit later on, but during the winter against the backdrop of the glass lake....I'm pretty sure that's when they are the most impressive.

 

After a dinner of seriously awesome Cincinnati chili, we went back to town to watch brave souls hit the water for a polar bear swim and then go stand by an enormous bonfire on the beach. It was raining pretty hard so I wasn't taking any pics. The fireworks show was spectacular. Several times we started clapping after assuming that long bursts of noise and color were the 'grand finale'.....only to have the show continue for many more minutes. I had a coat with a hood on, but rain managed to run down my neck and back and somehow up my sleeves. It was beautiful, colorful, and noisy. The crowd was thinner than last year due to the rain, but happy. It almost felt like we were treated to a private showing.

 
Morning light
on the hills. Thanks Clark and Mary!

Have a great week all!

Warmly, Margaret