Home

Cecelia Messina, Certified Sommelier

I'm not all about reds or all about whites, but rather about wines that can be enjoyed with the occasions in life.
  

I attempt to make wine more approachable in your everyday life because, as corny as it sounds, everyday is an occasion worth the celebration of wine. But every celebration is different and calls for a unique bottle of wine; here you'll have the chance to discover new wines and new wine regions and how they can make each day a memorable one.

I can’t think of anything that would go better with the wines of Bodegas Muga than the bistecs empanizados that my grandmother used to make. She had a knack for making these little cuts of beef into culinary magic. Her cooking is what turned me into a foodie which in turn piqued my interest in wine. Read about it My Grandmother's Glory - A Recipe for Bistec Empanizado and the Little Steel Frying Pan and then try the recipe with a glass of Bodegas Muga Torre Muga 2006.

My Abuela's (grandmother's) Bistec Empanizado (breaded steak) Recipe
1. Cover steaks in garlic salt (You can buy yours although abuela made hers at home with salt, pounded garlic cloves and onion powder) and naranja agria (This is sour orange juice. You can find bottled in ethnic aisle if you don't have or don't know someone who has a tree.) Let steaks marinate overnight but not longer than 12 hours.
2. In a bowl, beat four to six eggs with few tablespoons of water and dash of salt.
3. Place bread crumbs in bowl and mush steak into crumbs to cover well. When I say mush, I mean MUSH. Just mush that piece of meat into the crumbs.
4. Pass the steak over the egg batter making sure it is well soaked.
5. Re-crumb the steak making sure you mush the meat down into crumbs as you did before.
6. Refrigerate the breaded steaks for a couple of hours - even overnight - allowing the breading to form and stick to the meat.
7. Pan fry with olive oil until breading is golden brown and taps crispy to the edge of the spatula.

Join me for a journey down the road less traveled where we will discover great wines from small producers.  Each month I'll share with you a new find that has wowed me and hopefully will wow you too.

 

BODEGAS MUGA (LA RIOJA)Bodegas Muga houses itself in facilities that are two centuries old; young for historical standards but old enough to remind all who work there of the origins and history of the La Rioja region. The winery makes a variety of wines from whites to rosés to cava (Spanish sparkling wine) to their award-winning and world renowned reds. Let me tell you about a couple of my favorites.
The Muga 2007 Reserva is a blend of 70% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha with the last 10% a combination between Mazuelo and Graciano. The wine is aged six months in oak vats, 24 months in small oak barrels and at least 12 months in bottle. The outcome is a powerful wine that is balanced between the fruit flavors and oak.
The Gran Reserva 2004 Prado Enea is 80% Tempranillo with the rest a blend of Garnacha, Mazuelo and Graciano. The key to the loveliness of this wine is the seven years of aging it undergoes before release to market. The breakdown is: 12 months in oak vats, 36 months in oak casks and then another 36 months in the bottle.
The Cool "100"
Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar has unveiled its newest wine collection. To keep the wine list fresh and exciting, Fleming’s has a yearly program of tossing out the old and bringing in the new.
 
Fleming's proprietary collection of 100 wines by the glass is a unique approach to discovering and celebrating wine without having to order an entire bottle; they call it Fleming’s 100®. The new collection for 2012/13 features iconic wineries from the U.S. and Europe as well new-found favorites from Chile, Argentina, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.
 
Pair these with Fleming’s impeccable service and outstanding food and you have got not just one night to remember but 100.

Want more wine, beer or food & wine pairing info, send inquiry to cecelia@uncorkedwines.com. 

@ceceliaswines