By Laina Carter of McGrail Vineyards Malbec, which is the favorite varietal of our Winemaker’s mother, is typically an easy drinking, jammy wine. Being a producer of heavy, tannic Cabernets, our Malbec is naturally bigger and bolder than the typical Malbec. The large body on this Bordeaux varietal makes it excellent for pairing with heavy […]
Black and Blue Cheese Burgers and Malbec Read More »
By Laina Carter of McGrail Vineyards Since portobello mushroom burgers always seem to be our go-to vegetarian pairing suggestions for our big, bold estate-grown Cabernets, I thought it was time I finally created a recipe to pair with our wines. I chose not to add a bun or any kind of bread to this burger,
Gouda Balsamic Portobello Burgers & Patriot Cab Read More »
By Laina Carter of McGrail Vineyards Can’t choose between our Gracie Sparkling and Peyton Paige Sauvignon Blanc? That’s okay; neither can I. This dish works with both of these delightfully crisp, refreshing wines. Either combo is godsent on a hot day, which we’ve had plenty of lately. The soft, creamy texture of the scallops tones
Spicy Citrus Scallops & Sparkling OR Sauvignon Blanc Read More »
By Laina Carter of McGrail Vineyards & Winery The versatility of sparkling wine always gets me super excited! It can go with pretty much anything and everything, but it’s also always delicious on its own or in a cocktail. Since we don’t currently have any sweet wines, it’s hard for me to come up with
Summertime Grilled Fruit Spongecake & Sparkling Read More »
By Laina Carter of McGrail Vineyards If you don’t fire up the grill on our Day of Independence, are you even American? One of my family’s oldest traditions is our July 4th ritual of throwing steaks, burgers, hot dogs, veggies, and just about anything else grill-able over the massive fire pit grill at my family’s
Independence Day Patriot Pairings Read More »
By Laina Carter of McGrail Vineyards With a global pandemic and a shelter-in-place order came economic recession and unprecedented job loss in the United States. As a result, what became a necessity for American people was comfort and frugality. Said need for comfort and frugality can be satiated in many forms, but food usually tends
Fast Food and McGrail Wine Pairings Read More »
Wondering what to make for dinner tonight? Simply choose your favorite McGrail wine and follow one of our recommended pairing recipes linked below! These are all wine and food pairing recipes we’ve created. A Jó Élet, “The Good Life,” Cabernet Sauvignon Austin James Cabernet Sauvignon C. Tarantino Cabernet Sauvignon Charlie Rae Chardonnay Colton’s Cabernet Sauvignon
All Wine and Food Pairing Recipes Read More »
By Laina Carter of McGrail Vineyards Although all our wines are delicious on their own, a heavy, tannic Cabernet isn’t always the most appealing on any of the many 100°+ days we have here in the Livermore Valley. An easy way to enjoy a red wine on an unbearably hot summer day is to make
Red, White, & Rosé Summertime Sangria Read More »
By Laina Carter of McGrail Vineyards & Winery Our Colton’s Cabernet is special. It’s set apart from our other Cabs because it’s an old-world-style Cab and the grapes come from our Lucky 8 Vineyard. What’s unique about this property is a gargantuan eucalyptus tree on the adjacent property, which lends these grapes serious herbal characteristics.
Herb Braised Short Ribs, Polenta, & Colton’s Cabernet Read More »
If you’ve ever been to Italy, or almost anywhere in Europe for that matter, you’ve probably at least seen an Aperol spritz or have maybe even enjoyed one yourself. If you haven’t, you’re probably wondering what the heck an Aperol spritz is. It’s the drink of summertime in Northern Italy and much of Austria. Plainly,
A Virtual Trip to Italy via Sparkling Citrus Aperitivos Read More »
