In a move reminiscent of the famous "Schlitz Gay" SNL beer commercial, a new wine, meant to "honor the gay community" has recently been introduced to the market.

Mundo Gay, which means Gay World,  is produced by Bodegas y Vinedos Robeal, in honor of the recent arrival of gay marriage in Spain.  The 100% Tempranillo varietal sells for 20 euros.

This is not the first wine targeted at the gay community. In 2004 New Zealand husband and wife winemakers Kim and Erica Crawford launched Pansy rosé in Sydney - just in time for the city's annual gay Mardi Gras parade.

Health experts warn not to raise your glass just yet, but recent studies have shown a link between red wine consumption and a decrease in amyloid-beta proteins, which cause Alzheimer's inducing plaque in the brain.

A team at New York's Mount Sinai Medical Center tested mice to determine the effects of red wine on the brain.  Three groups, separated into cabernet sauvignon drinkers, plain ethanol drinkers, and teetotalers spent 7 months on their drink of choice before being subjected to a variety of mazes.  The cabernet group surpassed the other groups in all tests performed, and showed noticably lesser amounts of amyloid-beta protein build up in their brains.

The researchers warn that there is "no direct experimental evidence" that red wine or polyphenols in wine "beneficially influence" Alzheimer's disease, but tests indicate that the amount ingested by the test mice would equal one 5 ounce glass per day for women, and two 5 ounce glasses per day for men.

Easy enough for a weeknight meal, but sophisticated enough for guests, this French classic from the pages of Food & Wine was last night's supper.  We served it alongside roasted potatoes and an arugula salad.  With its easy cooking methods, and short list of ingredients, this recipe is sure to make a reappearance in our kitchen.

 Roasted Chicken with White Wine and Tarragon
from Food & Wine
serves 4

3 tablespoons dry white wine
2 teaspoons dried tarragon
1 (3) pound chicken, quartered (ask the butcher to do this for you!)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup water
salt & pepper

Preheat your oven to 375F.  In a small bowl, mix 2 tablespoons of the wine and 1/2 teaspoon of the dried tarragon.  Set aside.

Coat the chicken with olive oil, and arrange the pieces, skin side up, in a large roasting pan.  Sprinkle the chicken with the remaining wine and season with salt & pepper.  Top each piece of chicken with a small piece of butter.

Cook the chicken for 15 minutes and then sprinkle with the reamining tarragon.  Baste the chicken and then cook until the breasts are done, about 20 minutes longer.  Remove the breasts, and cook the legs 5 minutes longer.  Remove the roasting pan from the oven, and return the breasts to the pan. 

Heat the broiler.  Baste the chicken and broil until the skin is golden brown, about 2 minutes.  Transfer the chicken to a plate.

Pour off the fat from the roasting pan.  Set the pan over medium heat, adding the reserved wine and tarragon mixture, plus the water.  Bring to a boil, scraping up the dark bits at the bottom of the pan.  Boil about 3 minutes, until the liquid has reduced to 3 tablespoons.  Season to taste, and spoon over the chicken.

Perfect to serve with Corned Beef and Cabbage, or even an Irish Lamb Stew, this Saint Patrick's Day Sangria will have your Irish eyes smiling…

Saint Patrick's Sangria
makes 6 - 8 servings

Combine all ingredients except seltzer in a large pitcher, squeezing a bit of fruit juice into the wine before adding the pieces of fruit to the pitcher.  Chill in the fridge for two or more hours.  Before serving, add the seltzer, and serve over ice.

Happy St. Patty's Day!

I have mentioned before what a fantastic job my husband does of selecting wines for our house.  Trips to our local wine market result in his spotting a few new gems for us to try, and the shop's lovely owner normally suggests a couple of exciting bottles for us to sample.  No trip to the store would be complete, however, without him picking up a couple bottles of our favorite wine stand-bys.  You know the kind I mean - the wines you want on hand for surprise guests, or the wine you open for a quick weeknight meal when you just can't justify opening that $30 bottle.  We brought one such stand-by to the table this weekend, and after the rousing reception it received, we realized we shouldn't be taking it for granted.

The 2005 Terrazzo Esino Rosso, from Marches, Italy, is a Sangiovese-Montepulciano blend that pairs beautifully with bold Italian foods and rich, meaty dishes.  We find it at $11 per bottle here in NYC, but have seen it as low as $9 online.  Its medium-bodied, flavorful and dry, and was a terrific complement to our Saturday night meal of braised lamb shanks.

So, what are your favorite wine stand-bys?  We'd love to hear…

Isn't it often the simplest of recipes that makes for the best meal?  Aside from the scallops, this dish could easily be whipped up on the fly from items you may already have on hand.  The sauce is at once zingy and rich, and best sopped up with a crusty loaf of bread, though we wouldn't hold it against you if you opted to drizzle it over some herbed basmati rice instead.

Seared Sea Scallops w/ White Wine Sauce
Makes 3 - 4 servings

Rub the scallops with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and sear in a hot skillet until opaque, firm and the scallops have developed a lightly carmelized color.  Meanwhile, in a saute pan set over medium to high heat, combine the broth, lemon juice, shallot and garlic, cooking and stirring until most of the liquid has reduced.  Stir in the butter until melted.  Top the scallops with the warmed sauce, sprinkle with the lemon zest and parsley, and serve immediately.

So we have to confess, we haven't actually tried any of the varietals from the Washington and Oregon winemaker, Naked Wineries.  With names like Dominatrix, Tease, Escort and Missionary, we sure aren't bringing a bottle to our next book club meeting.  Reviews online are mixed, but the 2003 Penetration Cabernet, pictured above, scores a rating of 87 with an average retail price of $28. 

American Winery describes the "orgasmically grown" varietal as having  "…intense concentration with a huge extract…Penetration is always satisfying…" 

Ummmmm…we'll have what she's having.

The New York Times 'Wines of the Times' section had a great article this week on wines of the Bordeaux region, particularly those found in the area known as Medoc, the area between the Atlantic and the Gironde River north of the city of Bordeaux. Along with some excellent bottle suggestions in the $50 and under category, the Times offers the following recipe as a comforting pairing with a Medoc Bordeaux, and its one we can't wait to try.

Tournedos of Beef With Pot-Au-Feu Vegetables
from The New York Times - February 6, 2008
makes 4 servings

Season beef w/ salt & pepper.  Heat oil in a 12 inch saute pan, add beef and sear over high heat until browned but still almost raw inside.  Remove.  Add the vegetables and stock.  Simmer over low heat until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes.  Remove vegetables to a saucepan, draining well to reserve stock, and cover. 

Add wine and thyme to stock in saute pan and reduce to about 1 cup over high heat.  Remove thyme.  Whisk in mustard.  Over low heat, whisk in 2 tablespoons butter bit by bit to thicken sauce.  Season with salt & pepper.  Add beef and cook over low heat, basting with sauce until done, about 4-5 minutes for medium rare.  Remove from heat and transfer beef and sauce to warm platter.  Tent with foil. 

Reheat vegetables in saucepan with remaining butter.  Fold in chives.  Arrange around beef on platter and serve.

And the votes are in, folks!  The verdict?  "Not that bad!"

I have always been dying to try Trader Joe's much talked about Two Buck Chuck (or Three Buck Chuck, as the regional case may be.)  My husband?  Well, not so much.  While our tastes in wine are well-matched, the one area we butt heads on is price.  Always the budget-minded shopper, I urge my husband to stick to the $10 and under section of our local wine shop.  When left to his own devices, he comes home with more than a few $20 bottles.  Fortunately, he rarely picks a clunker.

I knew I wasn't going to convince him to take the 20 minute subway ride with me in pursuit of a $3 bottle of wine, so I picked it up myself while running errands in the City yesterday.  We cracked into it last night over dinner.  While it certainly didn't blow either of us away, we found it to be pleasantly drinkable with our light meal of bruschetta and cheese.  My husband noted the lack of any tannins that we'd expect from a Cab, and the watery sweetness reminded us more of a fruity merlot.  I was happy to find that it lacked the alcohol sting that hits the back of my mouth the way many bargain reds can.

With winking nostalgia for some of the boxed wines we remember our parents entertaining with in the 80s, we agreed that Two Buck Chuck was a good value as an everyday table wine, or as that third bottle of wine that finds its way to the table when your company seems to want to keep the night going.   We may not be showing up to any parties with Two Buck Chuck anytime soon, but the bargain-basement price does have me curious as to how it will fare in a wine-heavy recipe like Beef Bourguignonne.

Researchers at Sirtris Pharmaceuticals seem to have stumbled upon The Fountain of Youth…and it's filled with red wine.

For the first time in history, scientists have documented proof that Resveratrol, a derivative of an ingredient in red wine, combats some symptoms of aging in human subjects.  Resveratrol, which stimulates a gene known as SIRT1, has already been shown to improve the lifespan of rodents, but this latest study is the first time similar effects (like significant reduction in blood sugar) has been replicated in humans.  Sirtris hopes to have their Reseveratrol formulation, known as SRT501, approved and ready to hit a drugstore near you by 2012.

Red wine in a pill?  We don't know about you, but we think we will stick to enjoying our Resveratrol the old fashioned way…