Cheers from Steve & Kathy Howe
"The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate."
Oprah Winfrey
What's in this issue?
Print FREE Wine Tasting Coupons
March Wine Events
Top Ten Things to Do in Monterey
Unique Sparkling Wine
Recipe - Easy Manicotti
Recipe - Wine Cake
March Wine Events
Have fun at wine events happening throughout California during the month of March. Click on the links below to learn more about our recommendations:
March 4-6: 11th Annual World of Pinot Noir
March 5: Foothills Celebration - A Unique Tasting in Grass Valley
March 5-6: World of Wine Barrel Tasting Weekend - Temecula
March 4-6 and 11-13: Barrel Tasting Along the Wine Road - Sonoma County
March 13: Family Winemakers of California Tasting - Del Mar
March 13: Family Winemakers of California Tasting - Pasadena
March 18-20: Paso Robles Zinfandel Festival
March 18-20: Taste of Solvang Food & Wine Festival
March 19-20: Savor Sonoma Valley
March 19-20: Barrel Tasting Weekend - Livermore
March 25-26: Lodi Spring Wine Show
March 26: Patway to Pinot Paradise - Santa Cruz
March 27: Rhone Rangers San Francisco Grand Tasting
Top Ten Things to Do in Monterey
The breathtaking scenery of Monterey makes it the perfect destination for your next getaway. There are many choices of fun things to do in the area.
1. Sample wine at wonderful Monterey wineries. You'll find lots of wineries in the scenic Carmel Valley, at Cannery Row, and in the Salinas area. Don't miss wineries: Robert Talbott, Bernardus Winery, and Joullian Vineyards (all located in Carmel Valley).
2. The Monterey Bay Aquarium is an amazing places to spend three to four hours or more exploring marine life. You'l enjoy nearly 200 galleries and exhibits showcasing the fascinating marine life of Monterey Bay.
3. Monterey has more than it's fair share of golf courses.. You'll find many golf courses to choose from; some famous, and some not so famous. Either way, Monterey is a gorgeous area for golf!
5. If you want to relax and enjoy beautiful coastal scenery, you really must visit Point Lobos State Reserve. Explore the rich marine life, unique geological formations, and the abundance of coastal plant and animal life.
6. Garland Ranch Regional Park is a hikers' paradise. Hiking trails wander alongside Garzas Creek, through Rumsien Indian habitation sites and nineteenth-century homesteading and logging settlements, along the Carmel River, and up the Santa Lucia Mountains. You can even hike to a waterfall!
7. Get up close to the marine life of Monterey Bay on a guided kayak tour. Monterey Bay Kayaks offers a variety of guided tours around Monterey Bay and beyond. Paddle around sea otters, kelp beds, harbor seals, and sea lions for an exciting look at nature.
8. Visit Monterey's popular, Cannery Row. This waterfront district offers restaurants, shopping, recreation, hotels, wine tasting shops, and nightlife. Cannery Row is a major attraction and is usually crowded. Park in a garage or bring quarters to feed the meter (though finding a park on the street will not be easy). The aquarium is located at one end of Cannery Row.
9. Monterey's 17-Mile Drive is famous for being one of the most scenic drives in the world. It's a toll road that winds along the coast through exclusive neighborhoods from Carmel to Pacific Grove.
Great Sparkling Wine
We recently tasted a unique Sparkling Wine from South Coast Winery in Temecula. It's the first Pinot Grigio Sparkling wine we've tasted. We found this wine to be quite refreshing with delightful fruit flavors, lovely bubbles, and a nice long finish. The crispness of the wine coupled with the ripe citrus flavors creates a wonderful sparkling wine that would be perfect for a wedding or other celebration. South Coast Winery Pinot Grigio Temecula Valley Sparkling Wine is a wine that even nonwine drinkers can enjoy! For more information visit the South Coast Website.
Use this search box to find the perfect wine.
Print Free Wine Tasting Coupons
Print Your Own Wine Tasting Coupons...for Free!
As a subscriber to Cheers 2 Wine News you can access our pages of free wine tasting coupons. Some of these coupons allow you to taste for free while others let 2 people sample wine for the price of 1.
The password for these pages is:
cheers2wine2006
Cooking With Wine Recipes
"I cook with wine; sometimes I even add it to the food."W.C. Fields
Easy Manicotti Recipe
Ingredients for Stuffing:
1 cup cooked spinach, drained and chopped
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg
1 clove of garlic minced
1 tablespoon chopped basil
salt and pepper (to taste)
1 package manicotti
Instructions for Stuffing:
1. Mix all of the ingredients except the manicotti in a medium bowl. Stuff the uncooked manicotti with this mixture.
2. Lay stuffed manicotti in buttered baking dish. Cover with the manicotti sauce.
Ingredients for Sauce:
1 pound lean hamburger
1/2 pound pork sausage
1 medium chopped onion
1 4-ounce can sliced mushrooms (not drained)
1 teaspoon Italian herbs
1/2 cup Zinfandel
1 30-ounce can solid pack tomatoes
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
Instructions for Sauce:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Brown meat.
3. Add onion, seasonings, and Zinfandel.
4. Simmer on low for 1 hour.
5. Cover manicotti with sauce and top with Parmesan Cheese.
6. Cover pan with foil and bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour.
This will make 6 servings.
Wine Cake
Ingredients:
1 box yellow cake mix
1 4 1/2 ounce box of instant vanilla pudding
4 large eggs
3/4 cup olive oil
3/4 cup Riesling
1 teaspoon nutmeg
Instructions:
1. Combine all ingredients and mix with electric mixer for 5 minutes at medium speed.
2. Pour batter into a greased bundt cake pan.
3. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 45 minutes until done.
This will serve 8
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