Team Synergy took top honors last week when bloggers became winemakers and competed for bragging rights to the best Meritage blend as VineSleuth and Rodney Strong Vineyards hosted #WineTime at the Hotel Zaza in Dallas.

Team Petite Hashtag took second place and shared this response on Instagram:

The competition was fierce with tweets circulating like these:

Listening to @robertlarson and getting ready to dominate the wine blending competition on team @savings #blissdom twitter.com/HappyHousewife…

— Toni Anderson (@HappyHousewife) March 21, 2013

@dallaswinechick oh yeah we are;)

— Jana | Merlot Mommy (@jspd) March 21, 2013

There were some less competitive ones, too like this one:

Mixing it up pre #blissdom #winetime @ Hotel ZaZa instagr.am/p/XGhPzkkuJW/

— Molly Thornberg (@DigitalMolly) March 21, 2013

For those bloggers in town for Blissdom (a blogging conference that began the next day at the Gaylord Texan), the event started on the shuttle bus with J Cuvée 20 Brut NV bubbles from Sonoma County.

At the Hotel Zaza in uptown Dallas, they met with the local bloggers and faced a room of tables covered in what looked like laboratory gear: pipettes, graduated cylinders, lots of glassware, and, of course bottles of single variety wines for blending.

Here’s what one blogger had to say:

Science experiment or wine blending? twitpic.com/cd1go6 #winetime

— dallaswinechick (@dallaswinechick) March 21, 2013

Robert Larsen, Rodney Strong’s Marketing director, shared a bit about the winery’s vineyards and other things that make Rodney Strong’s wines distinctive, and then guided the bloggers through a tasting of each of the varieties they might consider using in their blends.

Next Justin Seidenfeld, winemaker for Rodney Strong, shared how the blends are determined for Rodney Strong’s Meritage blend, Symmetry. He also shared a bit about winemaking in general and how the Rodney Strong team makes the decisions to grow, harvest and blend their acclaimed wines.

After that, the bloggers were instructed to determine a team name and then get to work creating their own blends, tasting as they needed along the way. Justin determined the winner and then, after sashes were passed out and photos taken, the group moved on to the Dragon’s Den at the Zaza to enjoy more Rodney Strong wines and light bites.

The Teams

Cork Dorks

Krista Gray-Donald (Life in the Hutch),  Melanie Ofenloch (DallasWineChick.com), Jana Seitzer (Merlot Mommy), Krista House  (The Tech Mom), and Anna Epp (Life is Good…At the Beach).

Winey Witches

Betsy Mitchell (The Dallas Socials), Molly Thornberg (Digital Mom Blog), Autumn Reo (Mama Challenge), JJ Gross, and Holly Bator

Petite Hashtag

Diane Eyles, Trista Perot (MommyUpgrade.com), Holly Homer (June Cleaver Nirvana), Lea Ann Stundins (Mommy’s Wish List), and Amy Locurto (Living Locurto).

Synergy

Jason Walker, Sara Dunham, and Nina Semaun from Savings.com and Toni Anderson of the Happy Housewife

 Team Synergy’s Winning Blend

50% Cabernet Franc, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Malbec

Thanks, Robert, Justin, Kristin Hamlin and Rodney Strong Vineyards, for partnering with VineSleuth on this event! And thanks to all the bloggers who joined us.  We had a blast learning, blending, toasting, tasting and just hanging out with all of you!

Cheers!

Looking for a little (or a lot of) Sonoma wine  in Dallas?  We’ve got a great event for you.

Event Details

What:  Sample more than 70 Sonoma County wines all in one place.  See details below.

Date:  Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Time: 5:30 – 8:00 pm

Place:  Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek, 2812 Turtle Creek Blvd., Dallas, TX 75219

Cost:  $34 for Visa Signature cardholders, $40 for General Admission

Sonoma in the City Dallas

Thirteen American Viticultural Areas will be represented at Sonoma in the City, when some of  Sonoma County’s finest winemakers and grape-growers will showcase their wines for you to try. Each winery was selected to highlight the region’s diverse terroir and wine making styles, at the event.

Wineries Attending

• Ancient Oak Cellars
• Alexander Valley Vineyards
• Benovia Winery
• Blue Rock Vineyard
• Bruliam Wines
• Captûre Wines
• Davis Family Vineyards
• Dry Creek Vineyard
• Ferrari-Carano Vineyards and Winery
• Flowers Vineyard and Winery
• Folie à Deux
• Francis Ford Coppola Winery
• Gary Farrell Vineyards & Winery
• Gloria Ferrer Caves & Vineyards
• Hanzell Vineyards
• Hartford Court
• Hook & Ladder Winery
• Huge Bear Wines
• Inman Family Wines
• J Vineyards & Winery
• Keating Wines
• Laurel Glen Vineyard
• Lost Canyon Winery
• MacPhail Family Wines
• MacRostie Winery
• Mauritson Family Winery
• Papapietro Perry
• Patz & Hall
• Paul Hobbs Winery
• Peter Michael Winery
• Ramey Wine Cellars
• Ravenswood
• Rodney Strong Wine Estates
• Schug Carneros Estate Winery
• Seghesio Family Vineyards
• Sequana
• Siduri & Novy Family Wines
• Taft Street Winery
• The Donum Estate
• White Oak Vineyards & Winery

For more information or to buy tickets go to Sonoma in the City: Dallas.

Guess what?

Your votes made me a finalist in the Foods From Chile Next Top Blogger Contest, which means I’m one step closer to an amazing culinary adventure in Chile, thanks to you and your influence on my behalf!

THANK YOU SO MUCH!

Yesterday I shot a video explaining why I think the judges should pick me, as each of the other 9 finalists did, as well.

The judges will take a look at that and my entry post and make their decision by the end of the week.

Will I get to go to Chile again, this time exploring some of its vineyards, olive groves and fruit plantations up close? Will I get to visit the Mercado Central in Santiago and Nam Santiago Food Festival and get to share my experiences with you?

I don’t know the answer just yet, but I do know that I have some of the best fans out there. So thanks, everyone, for your support in getting me to this point. I’ve got my fingers crossed for the judging that’s taking place now, but I already feel so fortunate to have made it this far.

Oooh! I can almost taste all the fresh, delicious fruit, vegetables and seafood… and all those wines…

Do you love Petite Sirah…or would you like to give it a try?

Make plans to attend PS I Love You’s Dark & Delicious Petite Sirah this Friday, February 22, at Rock Wall Wine Company in Alameda, California.

You will be able to taste dark Petitie Sirahs from more than 50 wineries and nibbles from more than 30 restaurants and caterers. In addition to the current vintage, there will also be plenty of older, rarer vintages poured, as well.

Ticket Details

What: PS I Love You’s 7th Annual Dark and Delicious Petite Sirah event

Date: Friday, February 22, 2013

Time: 6:00 – 9:00 p.m.

Where:  Rock Wall Wine Company, 2301 Monarch St., Alameda, CA 94501

Cost:  $63.00 per person, free parking

Click the following to purchase tickets or visit PS I LoveYou for more information.

Meeting & Wine Tasting Details

What:  Meet Etude winemaker Jon Priest and enjoy three of his wines
The Wines:  Etude Chardonnay, Rosé and Pinot Noir
Where:  The Tasting Room Uptown Park in Houston
Date:  Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2013
Time:  4:00 -6:00 pm
Price:  $15 per person or $20 per couple

The Wines

Last week I sneak previewed the wines with Jason McCain of The Tasting Room and this is what I observed:

The Chardonnay very much reflects Etude’s commitment to growing its wines in the vineyard and tinkering with the grapes very little after being picked. It had layers of flavors that expressed themselves throughout the tasting in different ways. I like a Chardonnay with some complexity like that. The acidity was perfect for me, keeping it crisp, and the oak was subtle, rather than overpowering. This was a Chardonnay that could be enjoyed solo, taking in each of its flavors, or with a meal.

The Rosé was soft and dry, and not at all sweet, although I noticed a hint of strawberries and cream. Please, dear readers, if you haven’t given Rosé a try since White Zinfandel, do it. There are some fantastic ones out there and this one is delightful. Most people in other parts of the country (where the winters are cold) see Rosé as a summer wine. I love that in Houston it can be perfect almost year round. My husband was also tasting with me and, if this gives you any indication of our thoughts on the wine, he ordered a case of this Rosé as we were wrapping up our evening.

The Pinot Noir changed in my glass through the tasting. At first pour, I found it to be a bit hot, or high in alcohol, but as it sat in my glass, just 10 minutes later made a difference and brought out more luscious flavors. I enjoyed the red fruit and pepper accents in this Pinot and paired it with the Arugula pizza at The Tasting Room. (I’m a simple girl, really.) I’d definitely buy more of this and decant it for a bit and enjoy it at home, alone or with dinner.

The Winemaker

When I asked Jason about the winemaker, Jon Priest, he said he is a “Salt of the earth, boots on the ground farmer… And we get to take advantage of (his) passion.”

Jason pointed out Jon’s respect for the commitment to sustainability at Etude, and when I spoke with Jon earlier this week, he echoed the winery’s regard for the earth and his commitment to allowing the grapes to reflect the character of where they are grown.

Jon mentioned that both in the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes, he strives to make the wine “more about the vineyard than the winemaking.” The ranch, where the grapes are grown, is covered in wildlife with lakes, flowers and other landscape.

“It’s a happy place to be and hopefully it reflects that in the wine, ” Jon said.

In caring for the grapes, Jon said, “The wines are made with heart and soul and hopefully that shows in the glass. What better vehicle is there to share and make memories than a bottle of wine?” Jon said.

I couldn’t agree more.

If you are in Houston, come find out for yourself what you think of the wines and chat with Jon this Thursday at The Tasting Room Uptown Park.

He’ll also sign any bottles purchased to take home.

For reservations or more information on this or other Valentine’s Day events at any Tasting Room location, visit The Tasting Room website.

Professional bloggers gathered at the Savvy Blogging Summit in Atlanta this October to exchange ideas, network, work hard and, well, play hard, too.

And I got to help kick off the fun with an informal wine tasting after the first evening’s keynote address by Michael Hyatt thanks to Freixenet USA who provided 6 delicious wines to share.

Wines enjoyed included:

Bubbles:

• Freixenet Cordon Negro Brut (Spain)
• VOVETI Prosecco (Italy)

Whites:

• Deakin Moscato 2010 (Australia)
• Vionta Albariño (Spain)

Reds:

• Tapeña Tempranillo  (Spain)
• VAZA Cosecha 2008  (Spain)

As you can see, the suite was at capacity with bloggers looking to try new wines and share marketing, writing and blogging tips:

Toni Anderson of the Savvy Blogging team and The Happy Housewife, musician Erik DiNardo also of Savings.com and Andrea Deckard of the Savvy Blogging team and Savings Lifestyle

Ted Rubin, Andrea Deckard and Erik DiNardo (Um, yes, they are in the bathroom.)

 Seth Schaeffer of Hoptocopter

Jacquelyn Cromwell of Nerd Family, Debba Haupert of Girlfriendology,  Aimee Horner of International Delight and Lisa Thompson of Simplified Saving

Phil Hollows of FeedBlitz, Amy of VineSleuth (that’s me), Crystal Collins of the Savvy Blogging team and The Thrifty Mama

Some of the Houston bloggers:

Me, Paul & Tiffany Ivanovsky (I Heart  the Mart and My Litter), and Lisa Stauber of Houston Blogging Chicks, Mile High Mama

Jon Rhoads of OodleTech, Brianna of Bargain Briana, Bridgett Miller of Savings Lifestyle (Dayton), Melissa Buckles of Bargain Shopper Mom and Mitchell Wischmann of Frugal Finders & My Frugal Tech

Erin Gifford of ZipList, Marsha Strickhouser of Valpak, Gila Fox of Valpak and Kimberly Danger of MommySavers 

A  huge thank you to Freixenet USA for providing the wines for the tasting!

Like drinking bubbles and think you might like driving a MINI Cooper for two years?

Freixenet is offering fans a chance to win a 2 year lease on a MINI Cooper and lots of other prizes through the end of the year with promotions on-line and in person at locations in the Houston and Miami areas. (The promotion kicked off in Boston in September and is in Houston for the rest of October before it moves to Miami.)

The MINI Coopers and Freixenet have been at events in nightlife hot spots, retail stores, and popular brunch locations. At each stop, fans have the opportunity to sample Freixenet Cordon Negro, play games for fun prizes, and enter a national sweepstakes offering the chance to win a two-year lease of a brand new MINI Cooper.

Fans at each event can enter to win by scanning special QR codes found on the MINI Coopers, posters, bottle tags, and brand ambassadors’ clothing, or by completing in-store entry forms.

Not in Houston or Miami? No worries. Enter the “Freixenet Drive a MINI Cooper Giveaway” by finding online bubble game pieces hidden on Freixenet’s website, Facebook timeline, Twitter feed, Pinterest boards and the new Freixenet Rewards site. Redeem the codes found on each bubble at FindTheBubbles.com for multiple entries to win.

Freixenet is also hosting “Freixenet Fridays,” a series of social media giveaways in which fans and followers can win a prize every week by completing social actions like commenting, tweeting, re-pinning or sharing specific posts. Prizes include hand-painted champagne flutes from Lolita, Bose headphones, wine fridges and more, with a new challenge announced every Friday through the end of the year. You can follow @FreixenetUSA on Twitter or any of Freixenet’s other social media sites to stay informed about each week’s giveaway.

Don’t worry: As festive as the Freixenet MINI Coopers may be, if you win, you get to pick the color of your car for the two year lease. You won’t be driving around with the bubbles on the car!

Best of luck to VineSleuth Uncorked readers in winning!

Cheers!

In Houston?

Here’s the rest of the schedule of Freixenet events here:

• Thursday, October 25 from 4pm-7pm at Kroger, 1035 N. Shepherd, Houston, TX 77008
• Friday, October 26 from 4pm-7pm at Kroger, 1035 N. Shepherd, Houston, TX 77008
• Friday, October 26 from 9pm-1am at Eighteenth Cocktail Bar, 2511 Bissonet, Houston, TX 77005
• Saturday, October 27 from 11am-3pm at Robertson Stadium
• Saturday, October 27 from 9:30pm-11:30pm at Lucky’s Pub, 801 St. Emanuel St., Houston, TX 77003
• Sunday, October 28 from 11am-2pm at Farrago World Cuisine, 318 Gray Street, Houston, TX 77002

Join me tonight on Twitter as I and several other bloggers including Kelly of Kansas City Mamas, Andrea of Greenbacks Gal, Nanette of Wine Harlots and Grace of Cellar Mistress taste through several Rodney Strong wines.

We’ll be tasting:

• 2011 Charlotte’s Home Sauvignon Blanc ($15)
• 2010 Chalk Hill Chardonnay ($20)
• 2011 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir ($25)
• 2010 Knotty Vines ZInfandel ($25)

We’ll also ‘talking’ with Chef Josh Silvers of Jackson’s Bar and Oven as he prepares Frisée Salad Lyonnaise and the Pan-Roasted Chicken Breast with Spaghetti Squash “Carbonara” from the cookbook Down Home Downtown.

“What’s dinner without dessert?” you ask.

That’s where the Stud Muffin and Chocolate Zinfandel cupcakes from Sift Cupcake & Dessert Bar come into play! (Yes, they ship nationwide beautifully, by the way!)

Want to learn more? Join us tonight (Thursday) on Twitter starting at 8 p.m. Central. Follow me @VineSleuth and also the #RSVineyards hashtag to get in on the fun.