Watch out Willamette Valley - you have competition!

I was in the mood to try new wines today so I took advantage of Total Wine's free Saturday wine tasting. Out of the six wines I tasted I found three that were delicous.

My favorite was a California Montoya Pinot Noir for $16.99 a bottle. It was pleasantly fruit forward bringing forth visions of dark red berries, with just a hint of an underlying sweetness which transitioned into a smooth, light finish. Yum - enough said. So all my Pinot drinkers this is one to try!

I would pair it with, my Polenta topped with guacamole and bacon. I made this last night for dinner. It's a fast and easy recipe. Bake your Polenta in round spring form pans (put in lots of Parmesan cheese), top it with store bought guacamole, then top with bacon. YUMMMM.

Do you like Oak?

Are you a little tired of Chardonnay & want to try something new?

Try this French wine Ch de nages Nimes Blanc V. This wine reminds me of a Pinot Grigio being drunk out of an oak glass, it's different, a little surprising, unexpected and quite delicious. For all my friends who enjoy that toasty flavor, think pineapple on the grill with oak chips, and its a reasonable price at $14.99 a bottle. You could also pair this with the same Polenta, guacamole and bacon dish.

For Sweet Wine Lovers:

Don't be put off by the name, Rinaldi Moscato Pink Bug Juice from Piedmont Italy, it is rich in flavor with a touch of bubbles to make it a bit zippy. Lots of sweet strawberry, cherry, peach and apricot flavors intertwined with zesty sweet bubbles. It's a bit pricey for a Moscato at $18.99 but I would indulge for a special occasion.

It would pair nicely with my black bean brownie dessert I made last night. If you love dark chocolate and want to lose weight try this recipe, because it's freaking delicious!!!!! This recipe was also featured on the Tasty Kitchen website.