flipflop Wines Revisited

6/28/2011

You may remember a while back I reviewed flipflop wines....We were fortunate enough to try their Pinot Grigio, Pinot Noir, and their Riesling. We had fun reviewing these awesome wines, and paired them with the types of foods conveniently recommended by the experts at flipflop wines. After all, we DID want our wine drinking experience to be all that it could be, so what better than to pair a nice bottle of wine with a meal that it complements perfectly? Plus, to be honest, I was a virgin when it came to wines, and the hubby highly recommended I eat something because wine on an empty stomach could make for one drunken mommy! I honestly do not drink very often, so I heeded his warning and was somehow able to completely avoid the dreaded "Wine-Over" I have heard stories about from more seasoned wine drinkers.

We both really enjoyed these wines, and my husband positively raved about their Riesling and Pinot Grigio. I happened to really like the Pinot Noir, myself. I guess it turns out I am more of a red person whereas my husband loves his whites, since they are generally drier wines. But, to each their own! flipflop wines has something to please every palate...Even the most discriminating, like my husband's. He's quite the "Wine Snob" and likes analyzing different types of wine. I am not quite as analytical, and I just like drinking the stuff. I leave the assessing to him! We make a pretty good team that way!

So naturally, when I was contacted again by Stephen over at flipflop asking if I'd like to review a couple more bottles, I was definitely game. Stephen is awesome to work with, and we loved our previous experience with these amazing wines. I was told we would be reviewing their Chardonnay, which my husband was beyond thrilled about, as it's probably his favorite wine, and also their Cabernet Sauvignon. Well, it didn't end up that way, much to Dan's disappointment. We received 2 reds, the Merlot and the Cabernet Sauvignon, and the Chardonnay we had so been looking forward to was nowhere to be found. I wasn't bothered by this slight mishap, as I tend to like reds more than whites, but Dan was pretty bummed out. He was really looking forward to trying the Chardonnay! Maybe next time...

Regardless, we got right into the wine-sampling mode, and were happy to try these great varieties from flipflop wines! We enjoyed it so much last time, we knew we were in for a treat. Despite the $7.00 price tag, flipflop wines are superior quality and easily rival wines that cost several times more! This is something that I love about flipflop wines...These wines are high quality and perfect to serve at your summer get-togethers. Everyone will rave about how good these wines are, and no one will have a clue how cheap...oops...I mean frugal...they are! Cheap just sounds bad, and these wines are anything but bad! As a matter of fact flipflop wines are award winning, and for good reason: These wines are anything but dull, bland or boring!

The first bottle we tried was the flipflop Merlot. Even though Dan was pouting because it was a red, he immediately made note of how good the legs of this wine are. (See? He has all the lingo down and knows what to look for in judging a good wine!) I had no idea what that meant until he showed me. The "legs" of a wine can be determined by swirling the wine in the glass and noting how long it takes for the residue of the wine to settle back down into the bottom from the sides of the glass. (I hope that made sense!) Apparently, the longer it takes the wine to run down the sides, the better its legs. He said that this Merlot had legs almost as nice as mine! Gotta love him for that compliment!

This Merlot had a nice, heady aroma, just beckoning one to drink it. The flavor has notes of ripe plum, mocha, and tannins, and give this medium-bodied wine a smooth, delicious finish. I served the Merlot with some spicy shredded beef chimichangas garnished with a corn and black bean salsa, as well as some restaurant style tortilla chips and homemade guacamole for dipping. The meal was fantastic, and the wine was truly perfectly paired to this spicy dish.

Dan, who tends to hate reds, actually had 2 glasses of this Merlot. He also indicated it was the first time he has EVER gone back for a second glass of a red wine. He strongly prefers whites, and usually won't even touch more than a sip of a red. He really liked this wine, though! We were both surprised! He said that "For a red, this is really freaking good!" That says it all, because these are words that never come out of Dan's mouth. Like I said, he's a wine snob and has his particular tastes. So for someone who prefers Pinot Grigios, Chardonnays, and Moscatos, that was quite the compliment!

The Merlot was my favorite this time around. The flavor profile of this wine was crisp yet warming, and the complex flavors of the plum and mocha were beautifully married in this wine. I loved this wine so much, I had 3 glasses...And ended up quite intoxicated, which made for an entertaining evening, to say the least! Like I said, I am new to drinking wine, so I had no idea that 3 glasses would render me falling down drunk. Lesson learned. I am just glad I learned this lesson privately and that no friends were around to witness my intoxication. I tend to behave very, very badly when drunk...Okay...Dan would argue since he LOVES me when I have been drinking...But I tend to be a lot less inhibited and my inner-Katy Perry comes out. So yeah. Glad we were alone for this! I could have been in trouble otherwise!

Since I did NOT escape the dreaded Wine-Over after drinking the Merlot, we waited a couple of days before trying the Cabernet Sauvignon. I had never had a Wine-Over before, and it was quite the experience. I was rendered useless until noon the next day! Luckily, Dan had the day off work and was able to assist until I got my mojo back. What a great husband!

So when we opened up the bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon, I was much more cautious. I was going to limit myself this time! Dan noted again that the legs on the Cabernet Sauvignon were quite good as well, but not as strong as we found in the Merlot. This is a drier red wine, and has a heady aroma brimming with the promise of berries with a hint of spice. I loved the flavor of this wine almost as much as I liked the Merlot. This wine is full-bodied and has notes of blackberry, dark cherries, and a hint of black pepper. The finish is lingering and smooth. I paired the Cabernet Sauvignon with some nice Ribeye steaks, baked potatoes, and some grilled squash, zucchini, and asparagus. It was absolutely wonderful with our steaks, and certainly helped to enhance the natural flavors of the beef.

Dan did not really care for this wine. He said for a red it was "Okay", and he did finish his glass, but he did not go back for a seconds. I am not surprised, as he never really drinks reds. I was impressed that he even finished his glass. Normally, when trying a red, he takes a sip, grimaces, and puts it down. This was not the case here, and that says a lot. He did say that the wine is obviously high quality, and would make any red drinker quite happy. Reds just aren't his preference. He prefers dry whites for some reason. I tend to like reds better myself, as they aren't as bitter tasting as whites, and often have a fruitier flavor. We just have different palates when it comes to wine.

I do have to say, I limited myself to 2 glasses this time, and still ended up drunk. (Although nowhere near as intoxicated as I was after enjoying the Merlot!) This was a pleasant, happy, giggly intoxication, and I am glad to say I was not feeling any ill-effects the next morning. I really enjoyed the Cabernet Sauvignon, and have even incorporated it into a great recipe for Burgundy Beef Tips! ( I will include my recipe in this post!)

Another thing I love about flipflop wines is that they are a company with a heart. You may recall I told you about their Soles4Souls campaign. This program is wonderful, because for every bottle of flipflop wine sold, Soles4Souls will donate one pair of shoes to someone in need. Shoes are something we in America take for granted. I happen to have over 40 pairs of shoes myself...But sadly, shoes are something considered a luxury in some cultures. There are actually places in the world where something as simple as shoes are hard to come by. There are men, women, and even children who are forced to go barefoot in their towns and villages. Not only can this cause injury and infection, it can also cause illness. People are forced to walk unprotected on paths where animals defecate, and if they have open wounds on their feet, all of that bacteria can enter their bodies making them quite ill. Some people even lose their lives....Who knew a simple pair of shoes could make such an impact on the health and well-being of a community? flipflop wines and Soles4Souls recognize this epidemic and are doing their part to help combat this global problem. So next time you're looking for a great bottle of wine, please consider helping in these efforts by purchasing flipflop wines. Not only will you be buying an excellent wine, you'll be helping to ensure that someone in need will have shoes to wear. You will help to improve the very quality of someone's life! Now isn't that something you can feel good about? I know I can!

Before I get to my recipe, I would love to tell you how you can connect with flipflop wines!

HOW TO CONNECT:

You can learn more about flipflop wines on their website. If you like what you see, and I am certain you will, you can puchase flipflop wines HERE.

You can also follow flipflop wines on Facebook, on twitter, and on YouTube to stay on top of their latest news, promotions, and some great wine-pairing suggestions!

Brandy's flipflop Beef Tips Recipe

Because I am a self-proclaimed "foodie", I love experimenting with different recipes and tweaking them to make them my own. I love good Burgundy Beef Tips over egg noodles or mashed potatoes, and I decided to try my hand at making this much loved favorite with the Cabernet Sauvignon I received from flipflop wines. The results? Exceptional! I would love to share this recipe with you so you can try it for yourselves!

Ingredients:

1 cup beef broth
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon beef demi glace
3 tablespoons bacon drippings
2 pounds beef round, cut into 3 inch pieces
3 tablespoons sherry wine
1 1/2 cups chopped onions (or if you're like me and don't like onions, use 1 teaspoon onion powder)
1 cup flipflop Cabernet Sauvignon wine
6 slices of bacon, crisp and crumbled
3 sprigs fresh parsley
3 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
12 fresh mushrooms, sliced. I like Portobello, but button mushrooms work well, too!
1/4 cup butter
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Directions:

In a small bowl, mix together beef broth, flour, tomato paste and demi glace; set aside.
Cook bacon in a large heavy skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove and crumble. Set aside.Add beef to skillet, and cook until brown on all sides. Remove beef from skillet; set aside. Stir the sherry wine into the skillet. Add the onions and garlic, and cook about 5 minutes. Blend in the tomato paste mixture, and bring to a rapid boil, stirring constantly. Stir in Cabernet Sauvignon. Make the herb bouquet: Place parsley, rosemary, thyme, and bay leaf in a square of cheesecloth. Place herb bouquet in sauce.
Return beef to skillet. Cover, and simmer over low heat for about 3 hours, or until beef is tender.
Melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Saute mushrooms until lightly browned. Add mushrooms and crumbled bacon to meat in the skillet, and continue cooking 15 minutes. Discard bouquet garni. Serve in a casserole dish, sprinkled with parsley.

Serving Suggestions:

This is especially good served over rice, egg noodles, or mashed potatoes. I love mine with a side of fresh buttered peas, a salad, and some crusty bread! Enjoy!

***Disclosure: I received complimentary products to facilitate my review. No other compensation was provided, and all opinions are 100% honest and have not been influenced in any way.***

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