wine Archives - Page 2 of 10 - Jen is on a Journey

Paso Robles Wine Country: Sculpterra Winery and Sculpture Garden

February 17, 2015 by The Mom Jen 2 Comments

I love the phrase “kill two birds with one stone” so much as it just defines my life as a multi-tasker, mom, writer, wife, housekeeper, taxi driver, etc! So when we were traveling around Paso Robles on a recent media tour we chose to visit a winery that doubled as an ‘art gallery’ if you will. Also it meant that the teens and our younger daughter had something to do while mom and dad indulged in some wine tasting, so perfect all around! This is what we found at Sculpterra Winery and Sculpture Garden.

Owned by the Frankel family, Sculpterra embodies 20 acres of pistachios, over 20 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon, 10 acres of Zinfandel, and 10 acres of Merlot. Cabernet Franc, Mouvedre, Petite Sirah and Viognier are the more recent additions to the vineyard.

Sculpterra now features a fine portfolio of ultra premium wines, fine art and a multi million dollar sculpture garden with art from world-renowned sculptor John Jagger, sculptor in residence Dale Evers, and master blacksmith/iron worker Robert Bentley that greets guests and makes for a memorable wine tasting experience. Sculpterra also displays the works of numerous other artists, and they continue to search for unique local talent to display their art and goods, continually spreading the word on the bounty of talent in the area.

We fell in love with their 2013 Viognier and enjoyed snacking on their pistachios that they also sell plain and flavored! Here’s a tour in photos of their stunning property, you really should take a visit! For more information on Sculpterra Winery and Sculpture Garden, a map to visit, and tasting room hours visit http://sculpterra.com/.

Paso Robles Inn: Winery Themed Rooms with Relaxing Mineral Spring Tubs

February 9, 2015 by The Mom Jen 7 Comments

Last summer I visited Paso Robles on a media tour and briefly checked out the Paso Robles Inn. I fell in love with the surrounding wine country and the excellent restaurants we visited but my the selling point of the Inn was it’s the only hotel in Paso Robles to offer the healing, thermal waters of a private sulfur hot springs in their winery themed spa rooms! Paso Robles Inn: Winery Themed Rooms with Relaxing Mineral Spring Tubs

Teaming up with local wineries, the Paso Robles Inn infuses winery characteristics into the decor of 18 Deluxe Mineral Spa Rooms. The decor, ambiance, and amenities showcase the vintner’s unique personality making each of the rooms unique and special. Our double queen room was partnered with Sextant Wines and a nautical theme represents their love of the ocean as well as the coastal influence on the vineyards the Pacific imparts. Here’s a photo tour of the room: Themed decor also include a framed photo of the winery as well as a bottle on a dock.As you may notice, this is one of the ADA accessible rooms, and they even decorate in the restroom.The room is spacious with lots of seating.The fireplace was perfect for the cold rainy night we experienced.On the patio near the tub, I love this gorgeous mermaid on the wall!The Mineral Springs Tub is located on the patio outside the room, has a beautiful sand dollar hanging above it that looks incredibly real! We were on the first floor, with the drapes open it overlooks a walkway and the beautiful property. On a cool evening you can increase privacy by pulling the ceiling to floor drapes closed that also keeps warmth in.
The hot waters of the spring fill the tub and offer out a sulfur odor that most people may not associate with relaxation. Be aware to leave your sliding glass door closed to the room when filling the tub as the odor will linger in. Included are scented bath gels to add to the tub as it fills and it really helps dissipate the sulfur smell. Another tip, remove jewelry before getting into the mineral springs tub, discoloration could occur. Once in, you can turn on the jets or leave the water calm and enjoy the how your skin feels as if enveloped with silk! A little more info from the website:

For over a century, travelers have sought the healing powers from natural mineral hot springs located at the Paso Robles Inn. During the era of Spanish missions in pre-statehood California, Paso Robles was known to the Native Americans and Missionaries as the “hot springs.” The Missions’ Padres were so impressed by the healing powers of the mineral hot springs that they made annual pilgrimages to take (bathe and drink) the thermal waters.

Sulfur is naturally occurring under the hotel and throughout various parts of town in Paso Robles. The water is rich in sulfur compounds and trace minerals which assist healing in a variety of ways. Hydrogen sulfide gas (responsible for the aroma) is a powerful antibacterial agent, stimulating to the body’s mucus membranes, soothing to the respiratory system and calming to the skin. Soaking in sulfur water can ease symptoms caused by arthritis, back, shoulder and neck pain and can also help detoxify the body.

It was so relaxing to end the night and start the day in the mineral springs tub, I’m still trying to figure out how to pipe it from there to my own tub!

In addition to the spa rooms, there are spa treatments available by appointment as well as a heated pool and hot tub. Walking around the Inn, the beauty is stunning and you don’t feel like you’re in the middle of downtown Paso. Outside our back patio.The koi pond is fun for the kids, you can get fish food from the front desk for feeding!A wedding perhaps, there are beautiful spots on site year-round.The steakhouse restaurant adjacent to the hotel lobby offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner and some of the food is grown right in the property gardens. If you choose to eat off site, plenty of restaurants, ice cream and candy shops are within walking distance in the town square as well as wine tasting, farmer’s markets, or stumble upon a wedding. A proud member of the Historic Hotels of America, the Paso Robles Inn has a rich and colorful place in the town’s history spanning more than a century. It’s a must visit when in Paso, and if you’re lucky enough to stay, I highly recommend a mineral springs tub room! The front desk offers a Passport to Paso Robles Wine Country, this includes discounts when you visit many of the winery partners’ tasting rooms. For those traveling with families, ask about their kid-friendly packages that is being updated for 2015! For more information or to book your stay, visit http://www.pasoroblesinn.com/.

We stayed as guests of the resort, all opinions are 100% our own.

Brancott Estate Flight Song Wine: Keep Your Resolutions with Less Guilt #ad #IC #FlightSongResolutions

January 20, 2015 by The Mom Jen 1 Comment

I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Influence Central for Brancott Estate Flight Song. I received product samples and a promotional item to thank me for my participation.

As the years have gone by, I’ve enjoyed celebrating New Years Eve with family and friends, saying goodbye to the old and hello to the new. In years past I’ve often had that typical resolution to start being healthier in the new year and “finally get in shape,” etc. But as I’ve gotten older (and we won’t say how old), I’ve come to realize that trying to make severe overnight changes isn’t realistic. Because every year I would vow to start fresh, and every year I would fail.With that said, I can now say that I’ve stopped putting that kind of pressure on myself. Instead of planning out so many changes that I overwhelm myself within a week, I instead want to make small changes here and there, over time, and in a way that doesn’t leave me feeling deprived and grumpy.

What’s one thing that I know I don’t want to deprive myself of? Wine! So how do I go about keeping something I love in my life but with a little less guilt and a few less calories? Introducing a wonderful new option — Brancott Estate Flight Song, a delicious wine that is crafted to be 20% lighter in calories! When I first received the bottles to try, I was impressed by the crisp color of the wine and the lovely label they’ve created. I opted to try the Pinot Grigio 2013, hoping it would taste like a sweet white wine — and it did! It absolutely hit the mark of a fruity and tasty wine that I enjoyed sharing with my family for New Years. Nobody could pick out that it held fewer calories and everyone thought it was great. Well done, Brancott!Brancott Estate’s Flight Song is going to be one thing I will joyfully integrate into my healthier lifestyle. When I want to treat myself to a cool glass of white wine, I can reach for this and not feel like beating myself up over it. Because that is the dream — to live a healthier lifestyle that can still include the things I love. Thank you Brancott for making this possible!For more information visit their website, http://www.brancottestate.com or find them on social media, http://facebook.com/BrancottEstate and @BrancottEstate on Twitter. meredith

Merrie is a writer for the Jen is on a Journey and you can also find her at her blog, Sleepless Mornings: Merrie is the mother of two beautiful children, newly married, a scrapbooker, a baker, and always fun to be around!

Fifty Shades of Grey Wine Collection + Movie Trailer #FiftyShadesofGrey #FiftyShades

December 15, 2014 by The Mom Jen 8 Comments

Fifty Shades of Grey Wine Collection It may be just a tad early to start thinking about Valentine’s Day, but I have something to share with you. Something you can plan for, a date night like no other, are you ready for the Fifty Shades of Grey movie? Here’s the trailer…

I have to admit, this has me excited! I’ve yet to read the books, but my husband and I have an intimate Christmas gift to ourselves to read the series together! We’ve heard so much about the books and we’re finally ready to find out for ourselves and ready for the movie in February!

Fifty Shades fans will be delighted to hear that there is a personally blended wine collection by author E.L. James, inspired by the seductive relationship between Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey.

Wine plays an important role in Fifty Shades of Grey, reflecting the sensuality that pervades every encounter between Anastasia and Christian. I’ve always had a penchant for good wine, so helping to create the blends Red Satin and White Silk felt like a natural extension of the Fifty Shades Trilogy. I hope all of you curl up with a glass to savor the romance and the passion.

–E L James

The collection includes Red Satin and White Silk, sure to send your taste buds on a thrilling adventure. The Fifty Shades of Grey Wine Collection is a perfect blend of naughty and nice.

Fifty Shades of Grey Red Satin Wine Pairing our Red Satin with the chilling 38 degree Sierra Nevada temps and the 104 degree hot tub, the wine is a decadent blend with flavors of black cherry, cocoa powder, creamy caramel and vanilla, leather and clove spice. It is a primarily a blend of Petite Sirah and Syrah, aged in a combination of new and neutral French oak barrels.

Fifty Shades of Grey White Silk Wine White Silk tastes like a Gewurztraminer right off first sip, a zingy white wine I love. Fermented cool, under 50 degrees F, and aged in stainless steel to preserve its delicate and rich fruit character. Blended with Sauvignon Blanc, it has floral aromatics of lychee, honey and pear. Those are tempered by flavors of crisp grapefruit, mineral and lush pear with a faint hint of butterscotch. A cozy evening in, glowing Christmas tree lights, this wine pairs well with bare skin under a lush blanket!

Fifty Shades of Grey Wine Collection Even the corks play with the theme! To make it easy for you this holiday season and to treat that Fifty Shades fan with a delicious stocking stuffer, Red Satin and White Silk can be purchased at www.FiftyShadesWine.com, Albertsons, CVS, Total Wine and More, Vons and other retailers for $17.99.

Tell me, have you read the books…what did you think? Will you watch the movie, try the wine?

Wine was sent for review, all opinions are my own.

Visit Paso Robles: 8 Great Places to Sip, Savor, and Sample

July 29, 2014 by The Mom Jen 16 Comments

Paso Robles boasts a bounty of farm-to-table cuisine, 200+ wineries, and an extensive variety of activities and experiences that appeal to couples, girlfriend getaways, and families as well. Scenic wineries, rolling hills, grand oaks, historic ballrooms, and even a nearby California Mission make Paso Robles a wedding or family reunion ready city. It’s no wonder how this little town is booming with tourism and putting it’s name on the map. Here are a few stops on my recent media tour, each and every one being something that I want to return to with my loved ones and friends!

Villa San Juliette
From reality television’s So You Think You Can Dance and American Idol, Nigel Lythgoe and Ken Warwick came into the wine business blind. But, since 2008, the duo have successfully grown their stunning 168-acre, 14,000-square-foot Tuscan-style estate and tasting room into a sustainable and environmental responsible wine stop in San Miguel, the northern most tip of the Paso Robles AVA.The views will take your breath away, the tour will educate you, the wine (loved the 2012 Chorum White) will tempt you, and the food will have you coming back for more! A wedding here would be stunning with this backdrop!Their artisan pizza flatbreads are phenomenal and their dessert divine, you’ll be hooked and want to become a wine club member to come back again and again. If that’s not enough they’ve recently launched helicopter tours to experience the property from a bird’s eye! I’m not a member yet, but a fan of the proprietors and the amazing day we had, this will be the first place I return to when heading to Paso Robles with my husband or girlfriends!

Brochelle Vineyards
Brock & Michelle Waterman’s little hill in west Paso offers wonderfully flavored wine, the grapes speak for themselves! Their 3 year old gorgeous tasting room on Tuley Ct. is stylish and and I was completely mesmorized by this elegant yet simple chandelier hanging over the bar!We enjoyed a 5 wine and cheese pairing starting with their 2013 Chardonnay with piave vecchio cheese finishing with a 2012 Estate Petite Sirah and a wild boar salami bite! We had the opportunity to meet Brock and admired his love and passion for winemaking. Brochelle is known for their 2012 Estate Zinfandel which was my favorite as it was spicy with just the right balance of acid. Belonging to their wine club will get you $9-12 off retail prices depending on the varietal, stop in and try it out!

BarrelHouse Brewing Co
Maybe it’s beer you crave, well look no further because the ambiance and beer at BarrelHouse Brewery is top notch! Check out these outdoor spaces! We dined al fresco here just before heading in for a round of beer tasting and can you imagine bringing a bunch of friends out for $1 pizza night or to listen to some jams (offered a few nights a week)? Such a neat place, co-founder Chris Vaughn took us through a full beer tasting-my favorite being the hoppy and tropical Poor Man’s blonde, brewery tour and we even sampled some beer from the barrels and one that resembled a white wine! I’m new to craft beer so the tasting is perfect to find out what you like!

Thomas Hill Organics
In the charming Park district of Paso Robles, Debbie Thomas brought her produce from Thomas Hill Farms to create a local-driven fresh market bistro with bold imaginative dishes and the space has expanded to include a wine bar. Offering amazing dishes, the restaurant recently debuted a new cocktail menu featuring sake as the star in many concoctions. During our visit we all enjoyed the sake mixology with creations like The Margarita, The Mojito, and my favorite, The Ginger Grant.With the cocktail tasting, we enjoyed Stuffed Peppadew peppers stuffed with local goat cheese mousse, olives, micro greens with min oil. Not a huge fan of goat cheese I wanted to try one anyway and I love a good sweet pepper, I was pleasantly surprised how much I loved this tasty bite. In fact, I ate 2 more!

Our meal was beyond spectacular as we paired wines starting with an amazing Rock Crab Cake over risotto and a 2011 Lone Madrone Rhone White Blend. Next up was Ras al Hanout Seared Maple Leaf Farms Duck Breast with quinoa tabbouleh. The meat was so tender and I loved the texture of the tabbouleh and the tartness of the pickled cherries. Third course had us enjoying a Pistachio Crusted Lamb Sirloin over a sweet potato mofongo that was delicious, summer squash my favorite, paired with a 2011 Tablas Creek Rhone Blend. Finally, I went to heaven with a Chocolate Marquis with macerated fruit. Out of this world I tell you!

Artisan
The Kobayashi brothers brought their dream to reality in central California with vibrant dishes, craft cocktails, and a knack for hospitality. Their produce and herbs are organically farmed within a few miles of their restaurant and their menu is phenomenal.

Artisan is built upon chef kobayashi’s attention to detail, focus on locally sourced ingredients and fervor for refined cuisine.

Wood fired pizza with garden chard and pesto, pickled beet salad with arugula, roasted cauliflower and quinoa, and meatballs with a ricotta gnocchi started us off. Cedar planked shrimp and grits, boar tenderloin, and white sea bass and andouille followed. Cocktails with templeton rye and vermouth or elderflower and grapefruit will have you curious for a sip. The desserts will definitely have you back salavating for another taste. We’re talking cookie dough tart with oatmeal and chocolate chip crust and black cherry ice cream, blueberry crisp with apricot creme fraiche, a grasshopper sundae with walnut brownie and mint, and a s’more with cacao sherbet and chocolate fudge. This was our last dinner of the trip and my palate exploded with so many flavors and I just have to go again with friends to make sure I wasn’t living a dream!

General Store Paso Robles
Open daily from 10am-7pm on 12th Street, General Store Paso Robles owners have been artisan producers of items from letterpress stationery to pottery, and even olive oil. Shopping in their store, you’ll find a selection of home goods, kitchenware, and even toys!

If you sample the great selection of local cheeses and salamis, nuts, crackers, fresh baguettes and baked goods, you’ll fall in love. Pack up a picnic basket with goodies for an outdoor lunch or to take on your wine tasting tour and don’t forget the almond brittle! It’s one of those things that you wish you can have delivered to your door monthly like a wine club membership! No joke!

Vivant Cheese Shop
I never wanted a sheep before heading to Vivant Cheese Shop! All cheeses fall into six different categories: fresh, soft ripened, washed rind, semi hard, hard, and blue. The sheep milk’s cheese (Ewenique from Central Coast Creamery) in the semi hard category was so sweet and savory at the same time, I knew I had to buy some, and that I did! Over 150 local cheeses and those from around the world can be bought as well as paired with wines, beer, or along side a delicious panini in downtown Paso Robles.

Pasolivo Olive Oil
Did you know the health benefits of olive oil? It lowers cholesterol, blood pressure, prevents cancer, contains antioxidant qualities, and improves cognitive function! Now everyone can use a little shot of olive oil, right? As in some people take 2-3 teaspoons of it just for their health each day, never mind cooking with it!Visiting Pasolivo’s tasting room will have you driving a while on a winding road, but the tour is worth it. Hand-picked just steps from the olive oil press from the 45 acre orchards, Pasolivo makes award winning olive oil with unique flavors that include basil and tangerine! Grab a baggie of bread and a plate of their spices and salts and test out each flavor.

Fruitiness, bitterness and pungency are the three positive attributes of fresh olive oil, while light and heat can damage it. For more information and recipes, visit their website http://www.pasolivo.com/.

Meals, tastings, and tours were all a part of the Experience Paso FAM, all opinions are my own!