by Sandra Crittenden

December is gift giving season!  This month we take a look at some great gifts for the wine lover in your life. You'll find some that are easy to order  on-line and some that are available right here on the island. As seen in the December 2019 issue of  Galveston Monthly   magazine

With tours, tastings, a coffee shop, full restaurant, and a store, Mazzetti d’Altavilla is the most tourist friendly Grappa distillery that we visited. This family business has everything that a Grappa lover could want.   Elisa Belvedere Mazzetti met our group and offered us coffee in the coffee shop before we started our tour. She then led our group outside to what they refer to as Pomace Square where the deliveries of marc or pomace arrive from the wineries and are conserved in tubular containers that look like well fed giant white snakes. Inside of these tubes, the pomace is temporarily preserved in a vacuum to protect the freshness. Next, we went into the distillery where the wine grape pomace begins its journey to become Grappa. Mazzetti d’Altavilla Distillery uses the discontinuous method which involves distilling in pot stills. They operate from September to January and are sustainable using solar energy for fuel. Grappa meant to remain c...

Next stop on the Grappa tour was in Parma at Faled Distilleries. Faled has been distilling spirits from local grapes Malvasia, Lambrusco, Fortana, Barbera, and Bonarda since 1945. Success in the region led the company to invest both in improving the plant, purchasing wooden barrels, and buying a 15th century castle to age their Grappa.  They spent several decades expanding their market and their portfolio of products. In addition to Grappa, Faled makes brandy and liquor infusions including Nocino a nut flavored liqueur, Bargnolino which is berry flavored and Limoncino, a lemon flavored spirit. In the new millennium, they started a new brand of premium Grappa called Spirito Verdiano. The Spirito Verdiano line was created to showcase the grapes that have been a part of the region's wine making since ancient times.  Giuseppe Scaltriti, Director of Communications, led us on the tour of the distillery followed by a tour of the Castle Roccabianca. The castle was original...

I couldn't have been more delighted that the Grappa tour would take me back to Castello Banfi . I stayed at the castle with my daughter back in the spring of 2015 when we did a mother/daughter  trip through Europe following her graduation from college. Castello Banfi is located between the Orcia and Ombrone rivers in the southern part of Montalcino in Tuscany. All of the pomace used in the production of the four Grappas comes from wines made from grapes in the vineyards surrounding the castle. After a vineyard tour and wine tasting at the winery, our group headed back to the on-site restaurant for lunch followed by a Grappa tasting. Banfi produces four different Grappas, one is made from a blend of grapes and the other three are made from Brunello di Montalcino, a type of Sangiovese and the most important grape variety in the region. The Tasting: All of these Grappas were double distilled in a continuous still and have 45% ABV. Grappa del Castello - Made from a blend...

I went on a Grappa media tour in October. Before going, I really did not know much about Grappa, other than that it fell in the same category as Brandy. It had been briefly discussed years ago when I was taking wine certification classes though I don't remember actually tasting any at that time. Then, a few years ago, a wine producer brought some to Houston when they did an event and did I taste one at that time, I was surprised by it. It wasn't the "firewater" that I had expected, it was a far smoother drink and a nice way to end a heavy lunch. Unfortunately, in the Houston area at that time, I was not finding Grappa on the after dinner drinks list at my favorite restaurants so I was not able to explore it more. Almost 3 years after that positive experience, I found myself on a Grappa trail in Italy eager to learn more. The trip started with a rooftop party in Rome. Our group had the opportunity to meet some producers, taste an array of Grappa, and most impo...

  I met Stephen Wilson, Director of Whisky Engagement for Crown Royal in Houston last month. We sat down for a tasting of some of the brand's more popular offerings including the recently released Texas Mesquite Whisky.   Wilson shared the the story of how the brand was created in 1939 when King George VI and Queen Elizabeth came to Canada to tour the provinces. The whisky was stocked on their train for them to enjoy throughout their travels. The name, the shape of the bottle, and the bag were all designed to showcase the whisky as a royal gift. The popularity of the brand increased immediately after entering the American market. It is still the top selling Canadian whisky in North America.   This original flagship blend set the standard for Crown Royal, it is comprised of five different styles of whisky blended together from many different years aged in many different barrels both new and seasoned to create the consistent taste and texture that aficionados have alwa...

During my visit to Paso Robles, I didn't just taste wine, I also went for a tour and tasting at Pasolivo   Olive Oil Ranch . Located in the heart of Paso Robles' western hills, the scenic 45 acre ranch has 6,000 trees planted, mostly Tuscan varieties. I was interested to learn more about olive oil production. I've read numerous articles in recent years about mislabeled and counterfeit oils that are imported and sold in America. I had not realized that neither the FDA nor the USDA enforces labeling rules for extra virgin olive oil. Since learning this, I have been purchasing California olive oil that has the California Olive Oil Council or COOC seal on it. Pasolivo Olive Oil Ranch carries that seal and is in the process of becoming certified organic. After the tour of the orchards, the mill and the production line, I went into the shop for a full tasting of their oils, vinegars and seasoning. The olive oils were all big and bold, some were more peppery, some fruitier an...

As someone who enjoys cooking, I have maintained a small herb and vegetable garden at my home for years to complement my kitchen endeavors. In the Houston area, we have a long growing season but we do deal with excessive heat in the summer and some freezes in the winter. I have a lime tree that produces well and I am able to grow different vegetables all year long. While I keep my array of herbs going pretty strong throughout most of the year, I do have some problems. In particular, I struggle with maintaining cilantro in the summer and basil through the winter. After years of pondering the AeroGarden system, I received one for a holiday gift last month. I have the classic design LED seven pod AeroGarden Extra. I set it up with the basic herb seed pack. Within two weeks, I had growth across all seven seed pods. It is just as simple as the advertising suggests. I would recommend carefully considering placement of this indoor garden in your home. The bright lights can disrupt your...

I attended a  Cheeses of Europe  tasting last week where I sampled some extraordinary French dairy products. These items are already available in Texas, you can find them at HEB/Central Market, Whole Foods and some are also available at Costco. As the holiday season approaches and my entertaining increases, I will be choosing to use many of the different varieties on my own  cheese plates and in recipes. The organization's chef created some special h ors  d'oeuvre   for "the Texas palate" which meant adding some spice to the mix.   The unusual combinations had a good balance of flavors and demonstrated that you are only limited by your own imagination and personal preferences. The Prepared Bites: St Agur Blue cheese, jalapeno jelly and chipolte peanuts on black pepper  water crackers. St Andre Brie on baguette or roasted garlic crackers with spicy barbecue sauce and smokehouse almonds. Ile de France Camembert on melba toast or baguette with appl...

I'm still using this towel and I'm still loving it! As originally seen at RelaxedYoga.com I received this towel* for review purposes from Shandali's marketing department on Friday, October 24, 2014 right after I got home from teaching my yoga class. I opened it up, looked it over and thought it looked like the towels my husband uses to wipe off the cars-only bigger, I put it aside until my next class. I do like to use mat covers or yoga towels so I was excited to try it even if it didn't look particularly special on first sight. The next week, I used it for the first time in an over air-conditioned class so perspiration problems weren't in play, I did not get to test it for that purpose. I thought it felt nicer than I had expected. I decided I liked the dark gray color as well, I felt that it wouldn't get dirty looking. The next time I used it was in an over heated class so I can vouch for its non-slip ability; it is absorbent, your hands and feet s...