May 7 – Virginia Dare winemaker Sandy Walhiem
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First up is Virginia Dare winemaker Sandy Walhiem
March was Women’s History Month and a great opportunity to celebrate all of the women that have helped define American history like Virginia Dare, the first English child born in the New World to colonists in 1587. Legend has it that Virginia Dare lived among the Native Americans and grew into a beautiful young woman trapped in the middle of a fatal love triangle. On the very spot where she died, a grapevine sprouted with its fruit stained red. According to the legend, this is how the white wine of America became red wine. The grapevine is widely believed to be the 400-year old Mother Vine, reportedly the oldest cultivated grapevine in North America which still exists today — a clipping of which will soon be planted in Virginia Dare Winery’s Sonoma County estate vineyard.
Virginia Dare Winery located in Sonoma County celebrates the genesis of American winemaking. Francis Coppola’s goal, as told in a TODAY show interview last September, is to revive the wine brand so that it isn’t lost to future generations. For more information, please visit www.VirginiaDareWinery.com.
Virginia Dare Winery, American wines since 1835, pays tribute to America’s winegrowing heritage. The existence of the 400-year-old scuppernong “Mother Vine” growing on Roanoke Island, North Carolina is intertwined with the story of one of the first English settlements in the New World, which later mysteriously disappeared without a trace, leaving nothing but a spellbinding story of mythical and mysterious characters – each of which grace the labels of our wines. Crafted with grapes from the finest viticulture regions in California, our wines are rich with characteristics befitting an American legend: Pure. Natural. Distinctive.
About Winemaker Sandy Walhiem
In 2006, Walheim was hired as an associate winemaker for Francis Ford Coppola Winery. Under her direction, she and her team are responsible for all Sonoma County wines that the winey produces. As she puts it, “a lot of winemaking is problem solving of some sort, which can be really fun, like working a puzzle.” She thrives on the challenges that each vintage, varietal and appellation present — and looks forward to the tremendously gratifying aspect of bringing each wine to its finest quality potential.
A veteran in the California winemaking scene, In addition to making Virginia Dare wines, Sandy oversees the Sonoma County wine program for Francis Ford Coppola Winery. Under her guidance, she and her team skillfully craft the Francis Coppola Reserve wines
(single vineyard designates), Director’s Cut (Sonoma County sub-appellation), Director’s
(Sonoma County appellation) and Archimedes (the winery’s flagship wine).
Good Life Guy’s Wine of the Week:
2014 Russian River Valley Chardonnay
Aged the classic way for 12 months in French oak, this wine delivers both intensity and density, expressing superlative American craftsmanship. A luxurious, creamy texture supports tropical aromas of orange blossom, red grapefruit, Asian pear, and pineapple. Rounding out the profile are underlying flavors of toasty bread balanced with French oak.
2014 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
This wine boasts a round, oaky structure and elegant tannins that linger on the palate. Exotic notes of sandalwood lay the foundation for soft tones of red and black cherry, red plum, and blueberry, expressing a hint of floral violet that culminates in a concentrated, roasted finish.
In the second half I’ll be talking to Mike Odierna District Manager, Boston Beer Company. Mike is the Celebrity Guest at the midwest Beerfest dinner at DoubleTree by Hilton Wichita Airport. All three dinners are $55 and at various locations. To see the menus visit the www.midwestbeerfest.com You must have confirmed reservations for
the dinners. Call 316 682-5502 to reserve your seats at one of these FUN and tasty beer dinners.
I’ll be talking to Wes Hohe Brand Ambassador for Ballast Point Brewing & Spirits about their Beerfest dinner at YaYa’s Eurobistro. Learn more about the brewery at: 
Then Lou Huertas Brand Ambassador for New Holland Brewing joins us to talk about New Holland dinner at All Things Barbecue. Learn more about this brewery at: 
Everyone wants to eat healthier, but pulling together a healthy meal can sometimes feel like a daunting task. Often we run out of time and ideas at the end of the day and resort to unhealthy takeout or frozen food. But there is a better way that is not only healthier—it’s easier, less stressful, and saves money, too. As a busy mother of two, author Aviva Goldfarb has discovered that the key to making healthy meals a reality is simple: Plan several easy, healthy meals in advance and grocery shop once a week with a list.
A rich, copper ale with a case full of gold medals. Our California Amber takes its inspiration from traditional English ESBs. Four types of malts give it a bold complexity, and our proprietary yeast strain lends it a fruity, madeira-like richness. However, it’s the American hops that give this ale a distinct bite and floral aroma that have earned it just about every major beer medal.
Every cookteam likes to know the rules, know the judging tent is run with integrity, that payouts are guaranteed and that they have an equal opportunity to win. So after a year of conversations and negotiations with some of the most influential leaders of the steak cookoff community, the SCA was created. Now cookteams can be assured of a fair and well run cookoff when it is sanctioned by the SCA. All SCA sanctioned cookoffs will have a “SCA Representative” on site to run the judging area and be an ambassador to the cookteams. The SCA Representative will be trained and know all the rules and regulations of an SCA cookoff. 
Amelia traces the delicious thread of Jewish cuisine from its ancient roots to today’s focus on seasonality and sustainability. Guided by the Jewish lunar calendar, she divides the book into six micro-seasons that highlight the deep connection of Jewish traditions to the year’s natural cycles. Amelia draws on her own rich food history to bring you a warmly personal cookbook filled with soul-satisfying spins on beloved classics and bold new dishes. From her Iraqi grandmother’s kitchri—red lentils melted into rice with garlic slow-cooked to sweetness—to four-ingredient Golden Borscht with Buttermilk and Fresh Ginger and vibrant Blood Orange and Olive Oil Polenta Upside-Down Cake, Amelia’s game-changing approach is sure to win over a new generation of cooks. You’ll find naturally vegan dishes, Middle Eastern fare, and new ways to use Old-World ingredients—buckwheat, home-cured herring, andgribenes—in fresh, modern meals.
100% Carmenere aged in American oak barrels. Dark and deep purple with luscious fruit flavors. Dark plums and blackcurrant, dark chocolate with hints of coffee and toasted American oak. Notes of dark plums and spice, generously framed by toasty American oak with a soft and well structured mouth feel. Pair with game meat, garnished with sweet and-sour sauces and berries.