Authentic Senusal Living - Amorosa Bella

Amorosa Bella Chardonnay “ROCKS” at Lilith Fair!

Special Backstage Blog Written Exclusively by Ziggy the Wine Gal  http://www.ziggythewinegal.com/

What an exciting time it is to be backstage during a large concert... 

The Lilith Fair has an amazing history and reins as the top "Female Focused" live music show in the U.S. I was setting up a wine tasting table backstage on July 5th at the Shoreline Amphitheater for what was an absolutely amazing day of performances by HEART, Colbie Caillet, The Bangles, Miranda Lambert and Sarah McLachlan to name just a few of the 11 acts at the Lilith Fair. 

Talking about and pouring incredible hand crafted wines for Rock Stars is one of my perks being a Rock-n-Roll Sommelier. I am blessed. I was so excited to be able to pour the 2008 Amorosa Bella Chardonnay backstage at the Shoreline Lilith Fair as many of the Rock Stars that I know have heard about the wine but had never tried it. Until now... and the wine was very well received! 

Not only that, but I had the Amorosa Bella candles set up on my wine tasting table and everyone went absolutely nuts for them! As a fun giveaway, I also had a Champagne bucket filled with the Amorosa Bella condoms! It didn't take long for word to spread among all the artists that THE place to be backstage was the "Ziggy, The Wine Gal" table! 

The crowd at my table was pretty solid from the time I set up the wines, lit the candles and lined up the stemware. I think one of the most rewarding moments for me the entire day was when I poured Kristian Attard, Bass Player for the band HEART, a taste of the Amorosa Bella Chardonnay; as he said not only did he like it, but told me how he was really a red wine only kinda guy. 

A while later, he came back to me and I asked him if I could get him some red wine and he said, "no, what I really want is some more of the Amorosa Bella Chardonnay, I love it!" Craig Bartock, the Guitar Player for HEART was at my table at the same time and said he was so happy to try the Chardonnay as he was already a big fan of the Amorosa Bella Pinot Noir! 

The band was getting ready to take the stage and they were glowing with glasses of Amorosa Bella Chardonnay! Yeah! I should tell you that the few tastes of Amorosa Bella Chardonnay before their performance definitely got their 'chops' ready! Note: The definition of the term "Chops" in the music world means: technical ability, to execute music physically and to negotiate chord changes. After their performance and encore, the musicians flocked to my table to reward themselves with glasses of Amorosa Bella Chardonnay. 

I am glad too, that the HEART tour buses have Amorosa Bella candles on board... it was a fun parting gift to many of the musicians that performed at Lilith Fair. Oh, and the condoms? Not a single one left... they were a fun conversation piece among the musicians and roadies! 

The 2010 San Francisco, Shoreline Lilith Fair concert, was, by far one of the most memorable backstage wine tastings for me to date... ahhh, another day in the life of a Rock-n-Roll Wine Gal... I love what I do! 

Cheers! 

“Dining in the Dark” to Ignite All Your Senses

The holidays are about relationships…relationships with your family, friends, community, and the whole world. 

Does it feel like you have forgotten someone?  What are you doing this holiday to celebrate your relationship with YOURSELF?

If your goal is to make the season celebration perfect for everyone you care about and you feel frenzied or detached, here is a tip that is guaranteed to bring you “back to your senses” this holiday season.

Kick-off renewing your love affair with life all over again this holiday by celebrating your “senses!”

“Close your eyes and open your mouth…”

Remember how daring it feels to hear these words? 

Isolate your sense of taste by eating a meal with your eyes blindfolded. Open up to favors, textures and temperatures that you are unable to judge with your vision before it enters your mouth!

Tasting is the most complex sensation. Notice the influence of smell, texture, and temperature on your sensation of taste. Every bite is a sensual delight!

Christopher Greenwald, Amorosa Bella’s premier “Sensual Chef!” http://baylaurelculinary.com/about-us/ is delighted to share two of his favorite sensory recipes for your “Dining in the Dark” adventures:

Petite Oysters on the half shell with Pomegranate and Meyer Lemon Mignonette

What is sexier than raw oysters on the half shell? Try eating them blindfolded.

Bath them in a mignonette made of pomegranate and first of the season Meyer lemon for an extra kick of euphoria.

Pomegranate has been rumored to increase fertility for centuries.

¼ cup red wine vinegar

¼ cup Meyer lemon juice

1 shallot (minced)

½ T. pomegranate molasses

Tiny pinch cayenne pepper

Tiny pinch freshly ground black pepper

2 dozen small oysters (such as Hog Island Super Sweets or Kumamoto, etc.)

Mix all ingredients except oysters together and let sit at room temperature for ½ hour.

Wash and shuck oysters and display in shell on a bed of shaved ice or rock salt (so that they stand up without falling over). Place a tiny amount of mignonette on each oyster and consume as quickly as possible. 

Fill your glass with festive Amorosa Bella Sparkling Brut and feel the “bubbles” perk up all your senses!

Olives and Almonds Marinated With Toasted Cumin, Harrisa and Lemon

This is a perfect bite of goodness to feed yourself or someone you love while blindfolded.

Green olives are fresh, fleshy and rich in flavor and olives have been considered an aphrodisiac for eons.

The heat of the harrisa, a North African condiment common in Morocco, is perfect for spicing up the moment. 

½ lb. green olives (drained of brine)

½ lb. blanched almonds

1/2 Lemon (washed and roughly chopped)

1 Tbls. harrisa paste

2 Tbls. olive oil

1 t. toasted cumin

Mix lemon, harrisa, olive oil and cumin together, then mix with olives and place back in tubs. Let marinate at least over night.

Pair with Amorosa Bella Chardonnay for the right balance and zest!

California Wine Country Living: A Sensual Way of Life

I have a love affair with the Sonoma wine country of California.  In my book, “Authentic Sensual Living”, I introduce you to several influential icons of the Northern California wine region.

Ziggy “The Wine Gal” Eschliman is one of my favorites. http://www.ziggythewinegal.com/ 

From the top of the industry to the bottom, Ziggy is the premier voice of wine in the region.  Ziggy is a bit of a “muse”; she makes people’s wine wishes come true. Ziggy is highly knowledgeable and richly engaging.  She has certainly made my wine wishes for Amorosa Bella, come true! 

As matchmaker, Ziggy has paired Amorosa Bella with Thomas George Estates Winery.  It is a match made in heaven! http://www.thomasgeorgeestates.com/index.php

Amorosa Bella, in exclusive partnership with Thomas George Estates will launch our first wine season with three limited wines, a chardonnay, pinot noir, and a sparkling wine, uniquely handcrafted in small-lots that express the sensual characteristics of each varietal. 

Sparkling winemaker, Penelope Gadd-Coster, of Rack & Riddle, Custom Wine Services http://www.rackandriddle.com/index.php?page=home working hand-in-hand with Thomas George Estates, created a magnificent sparkling wine that will be Amorosa Bella’s signature of romantic expression.

Let me tell you more about Ziggy.  She is a powerful “voice” for some of the most successful winemakers, and at the same time, she speaks for those in the wine industry who have little or no voice at all; namely the Spanish-speaking field and winery workers.  One of Ziggy’s radio shows airs in Spanish, furnishing all those in the wine industry, at every level, up-to-date industry buzz. http://www.967bobfm.com/

Ziggy’s professional success is magnified by her ability to develop trusting relationships and to knit people and opportunities together. She interlaces her connections in the wine industry and all other associated industries with the community at large.  Her bubbling enthusiasm and enjoyment for wine is contagious! 

As a driving force behind a national movement toward making wine hip, fun and accessible, Ziggy puts it plainly, “Wine has been around for centuries; the mystery is so over.  It’s time to get past the stuffiness and clichés.  If you are not having fun, you are not on the right track.”  Ziggy wants people to be as comfortable with their wine as they feel being around her. 

Recently, Ziggy added a new credit to her list of accolades: Rock Star Sommelier and personal sommelier for the legendary band, JOURNEY.  “Rock-n-roll and wine strike a natural chord and musicians create harmony for wine enthusiasts everywhere,” claims Ziggy. http://www.journeymusic.com/

JOURNEY band member, Jonathan Cain attended one of Ziggy’s infamous wine dinners.  Seated next to Ziggy, Jonathan asked many inquisitive wine questions.  Delighted with Ziggy’s wisdom and warmth, Jonathan invited Ziggy to join the band’s upcoming tour as their “private wine gal”.   Now that’s an offer that nobody could refuse!  

Weaving relationships is one of Ziggy’s greatest skills.   She introduced Jonathan to others in the wine industry.  Jonathan is joining forces with a couple of leading winemakers to produce an elite private label wine, solely for the purpose of generating income for charitable giving.  

On tour with JOURNEY, Ziggy poured wines after each performance.  Each wine selection was something special.  As Ziggy put it, “Rock stars are just like any one of the rest of us, they just want to relax and enjoy a really nice glass of wine after a hard day’s work.” 

Ziggy felt the rigor of touring with a rock-n-roll band.  Everywhere you go, every concert you play, everybody wants “a piece of you” if you are a rock star.  You want to give all that you can to your fans.  She watched the band “charge up” for events.  They give all that they have on stage.  Her special gift of wine was always surprising; giving band members a little lift, something “fun” to look forward to, something exclusive just for them. 

Passing benefits forward is Ziggy’s way of doing good business.  Her eyes and heart are wide-open, seeing opportunities in everyday life and integrating them into her way of living and giving.  Ziggy enjoys volunteering for the YWCA and found an opportunity to multiply her personal contribution to the organization.  As a leading wine authority, she applied her insight and local celebrity draw to attract an overcapacity crowd to a wine luncheon to benefit the Sonoma County YMCA.  The event yielded record-breaking returns for the YMCA and fun was had by all.  http://www.ywca.org/site/pp.asp?c=fuLTI6OXH&b=67374

Ziggy understands life balance, having the ability to draw boundaries in order to replenish her supply of energy and zest.  She lives a rich and rewarding life by creating pleasure around her.  She makes life better by adding good wine, good food, and good friends.  When you are around Ziggy, life is a party and everyone is invited!