2016 Super Bowl 50 – VA Beach!

It’s fun going out and rooting for your team with fellow fans and not having to cook or clean-up afterwards.

If you want to go out and watch the Big Game in Virginia Beach, I’ve got a list of the BEST places to go for watching the Super Bowl.  Plus I have two new wine reviews on Pinot Noir.

All of these restaurants and pubs are close to the oceanfront and never fail to please: 

• 501 City Grill
  • Flat screen TVs throughout the bar
  • 102′ HD projection TV for your viewing
  • Awesome signature Superbowl Half-time spread for only $15
  • Plenty of drink specials and discounts on all of their local craft beer selections
  • Will be raffling off 2 passes to iFly during half time
  • Doors open at 11am for Suday Brunch
• South Beach Grill
• 11th Street Taphouse
• Chix Seaside Grill
• Murphy’s Irish Pub & Restaurant

Mike and I are staying home to watch the Super Bowl this year. He likes the game and I enjoy the half time show and commercials. But we both love ribs and Pinot Noir, so that’s what I’m fixing.

I’m going to be drinking my new favorite wine which is not available for sale anywhere in the world.

This is because Mike made this Pinot Noir in 2011. We cracked open a bottle of it last week and the cork popped out of the bottle like champagne. Mike didn’t intentionally make this a sparkling wine and thought it might have gone bad.

Mike poured a glass and it looked like a sparkling wine with soft bubbles dancing around the surface. Apparently when he bottled this in 2011 some of the yeast and sugar remained in the wine, and there was enough to produce the bubbles. The color was similar to black cherries but light enough to see through. The smell was amazingly rich of sweet blackberry jam with a woodsy note. It was like being in a thick, dense forest, filled with rich dark earth and evergreens. I was bracing myself for a sweet berry flavor but was pleasantly surprise by the complexity of taste. On first sip I noticed a lightly sweet blackberry taste highlighted by the frizzante that turned quickly into a light mushroom quality, and then transformed to tastes of golden raisin and cranberry. This journey finally ended with a soft finish of dark berries, think dark cherry and blackberry again. This wine has a roller coaster of tastes and flavors, this is what I like best in wine.

To me the best wines take you on a journey, as in life some journeys are better than others. The trips that aren’t as good help you appreciate the great ones.

I also tasted another wine this week. Trader Joe’s Blue Fin Pinot Noir for $4.99. Let me start this by saying – I love Trader Joe’s Grifone Sangiovese, it’s only $5.99 and has a magnificent taste! But this Blue Fin should be released back into the sea. To me it’s too small in flavor. It needs to grow more before being consumed.

Here is what I got out of this wine – the color was ok, think light raspberry. The smell had a light fruity fragrance which was ok. The taste reminded me of tart cherry juice which had been watered down. No complexity and not much flavor. Everyone has different tastes, so this may be for you if you like acidic, weak, and dry wine.

Whether you stay home or go out this Sunday to watch the Super Bowl have a great time. If you get a chance to try a new restaurant, wine, beer or food, go for it, and expand your palate and life.

Cheers – Carrie