It is a frosty morning to be sure, all of one degree Fahrenheit today with a high near seventeen. A good day to stay inside and clean, okay scratch that, I had a weak moment. How about cleaning out your closet, I only suggest that so that you have ample room for Christmas gifts and more shopping. Shopping is almost as fun chocolate and wine. Shopping works up an appetite then you need sustenance and what could be better than chocolate and wine or cheese and crackers and wine or fruit, cheese and wine? Do you see where I’m going with this? Wine is the perfect accessory, it goes with everything.

We had a Sicilian wine for dinner last night, a different wine from the normal everyday wines, such Merlot, Zinfandel, or Cabernet Sauvignon. We had chicken parmesan and lasagna rollups. Great for a cold night, warm and filling. The wine was called Mandarossa 2011, cost under $15, so budget friendly. The grape was Nero D’Avola, a red wine, dry and smooth, a bit salty, but not super heavy or too full. It actually tasted kind of light, definitely did not overpower the food at all. The alcohol content was 13.5%, not too high.

It was a bright ruby red in color had a little bite, smooth with a berry fruit taste. My father was first generation Sicilian so my cooking lends toward the simple robust meals of my grandparents. My sauce is a bit sweeter than some and this wine complemented the sauce perfectly. My glass needed to be refilled a couple of times. A good thing I was home because after three glasses of wine, walking was a bit of a challenge.