Milliaire Muscat & Ribs

Milliaire Muscat & Ribs

Low and slow. That is the name of the game for the ribs we just cooked up incorporating a very special Milliaire ingredient: Catherine’s Cuvée Muscat Canelli. Named after winemaker and owner, Steve Millier’s daughter, Catherine’s Cuvée is romantically delicate with a fragrant bouquet of jasmine and lavender complete with a delightful wallop of honey and soft melon. With the blue glass and burgundy foil* not only is it aesthetically beautiful but perfect for pairing with spicy dishes, decadent desserts or even… ribs! 

Because the Muscat is high in residual sugar it makes it the ideal option for a sweet and savory reduction sauce to slather generously over our perfectly seasoned ribs. We used a recipe from one of our all time favorite chefs Alton Brown called “Who Loves You Baby-Back?” and implemented some of our Milliaire Vineyard Selection wine where it says “white wine.” The recipe was easy, albeit somewhat time consuming, but incredibly rewarding and of course, delicious! Plus, we definitely made sure to enjoy the Muscat as we cooked since it was a #treatyoself kind of day. Because, as we like to say, you should always #tipandsip. 

 INGREDIENTS: 

Spices and Brown Sugar

Muscat Canelli

Ribs

Reduction Sauce

You can find the original recipe complete with the Food Network video here: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/who-loves-ya-baby-back-recipe-1937448#lightbox-recipe-video

But you can only find the Milliaire Muscat Canelli here: www.MilliaireWinery.com/wines

And you can only find pictures of how ours turned out here on this blog.

Happy #ribmaking!

*As of our upcoming vintage, we are changing the look of our Catherine’s Cuvée Muscat bottles to be clear glass with golden foil. Due to being unable to properly recycle blue glass, we must say good-bye to the blue bottle. 

Milliaire Bottle Candle Making

Milliaire Bottle Candle Making

When life gives you leftover Milliaire bottles you don’t just throw them away, you reuse, recycle & repurpose! As part of our mission to waste as little as possible, we donate all our Sparkling, Gewürztraminer, and Muscat bottles to a wine to wick candle maker in our local area. Some of our other bottles, such as the Burgundy shaped bottles with the larger base, are used by other candle makers for their own independent use.

One such candle maker generously shared her secrets of making candles out of our bottles. The key to a great candle? It’s aroma! Sure, it’s best to not crack the glass when making them (make sure you wear your gloves!) but the scent of a freshly poured candle made with T.L.C. is sure to make anyone swoon.

The process is simple, really, but the satisfaction of knowing you made a homemade, DIY candle without the harsh chemicals is the best part.

To start, gather your tools:

*DISCLAIMER* (a lot of this we got off Amazon)

• 5 empty wine bottles
• Diamond Tech Crafts “G2 Bottle Cutter"
• Two large pots
• Sandpaper
• Adhesive – tape or hot glue (we used tape)
• Fragrance oils- 10 ml. bottles (We used P&J Oil)
• Soy Wax- 2lb bag
• Candle Wicks
• Rubber Gloves

Step 1: Making sure to measure, score your bottles with the cutter, according to its instructions. We made our score just above the label to ensure a nice, clean break that wouldn’t tamper with the label.  

Step 2: Prepare one pot boiling water (needs to be very hot) & one pot ice water (needs to be very cold). Dip first bottle so the score line is submerged in hot water for 10 seconds and immediately place into ice water for another 10 seconds. Repeat process until the bottom of the bottle pops off.

Step 3: Once the base of the bottles have dried, lightly take the sandpaper to the top of the rim to smooth the raw edge. Applying coconut oil after sandpapering also helps to clean and clear any excess waste from the rim. Place bottle bottoms aside.

Step 4: Line wicks along bottom of the bottle by using tape or a hot glue gun. Hold them in place with either clothes pins or even mechanical pencils, whatever does the trick!

Step 5: Take two pots and place one inside of the other to create a double boiler. Fill bottom pot with boiling water, place top pot inside. Dump soy wax in the top pot as we want indirect heat to melt the wax. Once melted, add desired fragrance oils, about 10 ml per 1 pound of wax.

Step 6: With the wicks securely in place, pour melted, perfumed wax into bottle base. Leave ¼ inch of space at the top. Let stand for 24 hours or overnight and once dry, clip wicks to desired length, about even with the height of the rim of the glass.

Step 7: If your labels fall off during the soaking phase, save them for the end and gently place them back on the bottle and the residual glue should allow them to stick right back on.

Step 8: Light those DIY, made with T.L.C., Milliaire bottle candles and enjoy! Heck, have a glass of wine or two, you’ll feel accomplished!

DIY Cork Wreaths

Christmas time is here, and the big day is right around the corner. Before it ends, however, we had one last craft that we needed to get out of our system: a cork wreath! Easy to make and even easier to accumulate corks for, this DIY friendly craft is something you can make alone or with friends while sipping on a glass of wine. Follow our step by step guide to learn how we created our very own Milliaire Winery & Black Sheep Vintners Cork Wreath.

Step 1: Cut out a piece of cardboard to the size you desire. 

Step 2: Grab that hot glue gun, lay out your corks and get to gluing. Don’t forget to plan out the width between each cork and map out a rough estimation of the design before gluing- it will help the rest of the process.

Step 3: After finishing one row of corks going one way, finish it off with a layer going the opposite direction. The different layers help to break up the continuity and make for a more intriguing design.

Step 4: We ended up gluing a few corks to the top of the wreath where wanted to hang it. We drilled out a hole in the middle of one of them and fed a string through it. We also added champagne corks to the middle of the wreath for added pizzazz.

Step 5: Let glue dry, add a bow over an area you might not be too fond of if you’re a perfectionist and remember: art is forgiveness! 

 Voila! You have a custom made cork wreath!

Milliaire Zinfandel Port Brownies

Happy Holidays friends of Milliaire! We are so grateful to spend this time of year celebrating with all of you as we come together to enjoy one of life’s simple pleasures: wine! We often buzz through our daily lives, barely stopping for a few moments to pause and enjoy the gift that is the present moment. Enjoying wine, moreover during the holidays, is the perfect way to pause, reflect and relish the relationships of those closest to us. The only thing that’s better than drinking wine is simultaneously implementing it into delightful dishes. #tipandsip

 

This week we are so excited to share our own twist on a classic, easy recipe: Milliaire Zinfandel Port Brownies with Cranberry Port Sauce all topped off with ice cream. To share or not to share, that is entirely your decision but all we can do is guarantee deliciousness! So, go ahead, #tipandsip and enjoy! 

Milliaire Zinfandel Port Infused Brownies

Brownies: 1 Ghirardelli Double Chocolate Brownie Mix 1/4 Cup Milliaire Zinfandel Port 1/3 Cup Vegetable or Coconut Oil 1 Egg Preheat oven 350 degrees Combine and whisk Port, vegetable oil and egg together in large bowl. Gradually stir in brownie mix. Pour into a greased baking dish and bake for 45 minutes or until cooked thoroughly.

Cranberry Port Sauce 1 1/2 Cup Cranberries 1 1/2 Cup of Milliaire Zinfandel Port 1/4 Cup of Sugar 1 Orange zested and squeezed In medium saucepan, bring Port and Sugar to boiling. Zest orange and squeeze juice into liquid. Add thoroughly washed cranberries and boil until skins pop. Remove from heat and let cool, about 1 hour.

Ice Cream 1 pint of your favorite Vanilla Ice Cream Place 1 scoop of ice cream on top of brownie. Smother with cranberry port sauce and enjoy!

 

Don’t forget to #tipandsip! 

Cheers!!

-Gina

Milliaire Mulled Wine

It’s cold. The falling leaves are deep hues of red, orange and yellow. The sky is overcast and winter is coming. For a cozy, fall day like this it’s nearly impossible not to think of drinking a large cup of steaming, fragrant mulled wine. After all, it isn’t fall without mulled wine (and possibly a spiced apple donut or two).

As the holidays approach traditions once again have special meaning and nostalgia settles in like an old acquaintance. We buy thoughtful gifts for our loved ones and ourselves (because #treatyourself), call up old friends and send festive family postcards. Suddenly food and drink become the focus of our holidays as we start to crave the cranberry pie our aunt makes, the crispy latkes our niece loves, or the pozole our grandmother has been making for generations. Despite also being a challenging time for some, we are ultimately reminded of how much we love and are loved, encouraging one another to spread light all around us. It truly is the most wonderful time of the year!

Mulled wine is a memory more than it is a drink. It’s intoxicating aroma and distinctive taste instantly transports us back to the days of simper times, when the anticipation of opening gifts was more exhilarating than the gift itself. Because of mulled wine’s instant sensory recall and the fact that it features our favorite ingredient: Milliaire’s Cabernet Sauvignon red wine, we know this is the perfect drink for every wine-o at heart. So, put on your thick, fuzzy socks, cuddle up under your favorite blanket by the fireplace and enjoy your very own cup of Milliaire inspired mulled wine. 

Enjoy!

Milliaire Winery

Spiced Cider Mulled Wine

Ingredients 1 bottle of Milliaire’s Cabernet Sauvignon 2 cups apple cider ¼ cup brown sugar 1 pack of Wine Country Wine Mulling Spices (available in our tasting room) Or 1 orange, zested and juiced 5 whole cloves 2 cinnamon sticks 4 cardamom pods 1 whole star anise   Throw into a crockpot and simmer for two hours before serving!

Winederful Stuffing

Happy month of Giving Thanks!

We have had some feedback asking us about how we made our wine infused stuffing for our Facebook LIVE event this past weekend and wanted to share our recipe! 

A unique twist on a traditional favorite, we substituted half of the chicken broth for our 2016 Sierra Foothills Chardonnay. We used Mrs. Cubbison's Traditional Stuffing and recipe which we have posted below (with a few modifications):

Cranberry Sausage Traditional Stuffing

Servings: 10

Prep Time: 30 mins

Cook Time: 50 mins

Photo from MrsCubbisons.com 

Ingredients:

1 box (12 oz.) of Mrs. Cubbison's Traditional Seasoned Stuffing

1-1/2 pounds; Pork Sausage Meat, crumbled

1/4 cup; Butter, unsalted

1 cup; Celery, chopped

1 cup; Onion, chopped

2 teaspoons; Garlic Cloves, chopped

1 cup; Cranberries, dried sweet

1 each; Granny Smith Apple, peeled, cored, chopped 1/2-inch

1 tablespoon; Sage, fresh, chopped

3/4 cups; Chicken Broth

3/4 cups; Chardonnay

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. 

Place sausage in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until even;y brown; stir in butter, celery, onion and garlic; sauté until translucent.

In a large mixing bowl, combine Mrs. Cubbison’s Traditional Stuffing, prepared sausage and vegetable mixture, cranberries, apple, sage, chicken broth and Chardonnay.

Transfer mixture to medium buttered baking dish. Bake covered in preheated oven 30 minutes; uncover and bake additional 20 minutes until lightly browned.

Serve paired with our 2016 Mistral Viognier, 2016 White Zinfandel or 2016 Sierra Foothills Chardonnay!

Enjoy!

- GV