Cupcake Vineyards wines come from California’s Central Coast. The climate in this part of the country is making it a popular region for winemakers.
The warm days yet cooler nights slow the growing process creating mature grapes. These mature grapes are what lead to balanced wines. Cupcake Vineyards has also added international wines to their growing list from areas such as Marlborough, New Zealand and Italy.
Cupcake Vineyards has numerous varietals of wine, including the four new releases they sent me: Malbec, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Prosecco. Since I am a red girl, I definitely liked the Malbec the best. The Malbec had earthy undertones with a spicy kick at the finish. I love spicy kicks! I enjoyed this bottle of Malbec with my spicy homemade crock pot lasagna. The wine stood up to the sausage and tomatoes in this dish.
I also enjoyed the Prosecco wine. Prosecco is a dry Italian sparkling wine made from 100% Glera grapes. Prosecco is the sparkling wine that is used in Bellini cocktails. Prosecco is produced using a method called Charmat, in which the secondary fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks, making the wine less expensive to produce than a French Champagne. Who doesn’t like saving a few bucks? The Cupcake Vineyard Prosecco was light and refreshing. I brought it over to a dinner party and paired it with this Walnut, Arugula, and Gorgonzola Crostini. The combination was delicious!
The Chardonnay has a nice balance of creamy butter and oak flavors. Due to Cupcake Vineyards central coast location, the evening coastal fogs I mentioned influence these Chardonnay grapes. This cooler, foggy climate slows the ripening process, giving the grapes more time to develop their flavors, which in turn makes a tastier, richer Chardonnay. I paired this Chardonnay with my Summer Quinoa Chicken Salad with Roasted Corn, Tomatoes & Leeks. We are still getting beautiful tomatoes and leeks from our garden!
The last Cupcake Vineyards wine that I sampled was their Sauvignon Blanc. The grapes for this wine are grown in Marlborough, New Zealand. Citrus notes dominate this wine. Think bright, tart, limes. It is an excellent sipping wine choice on a hot summer day. I paired this wine with a simple cheese and cracker appetizer.
Visit Cupcake Vineyards here to see all of the varietals of wine they have!
{Disclosure: I was provided with wine from Cupcake Vineyards’ PR Firm, Folsom & Associates to write this review. All statements and opinions expressed in this article are my own.}
