Last week I went to my new favorite wine store for a good value, Stew Leonard's Wines, and picked up a bottle of their Venue Pinot Noir for just $11.99. 

I must admit that my hopes were not too high for a Pinot Noir that was less than $15, but I was pleasantly surprised once I tried this tasty light to medium bodied red.

Right away I picked up on the notes of cherry and currant, and was impressed by it's quality of flavor.  This is not a watery budget Pinot Noir!

Pinot Noir is a very versatile wine for pairings...if you are going to be using the grill this weekend you could enjoy this red with grilled chicken, salmon, or steak!

This Christmas my husband and I offered to make Beef Bourguignon for my family because 1) it's delicious and 2) we thought my mother deserved a break after years of preparing holiday meals alone!

My parents don't have a cast iron dutch oven so we planned to bring our Le Creuset pot with us to cook the meal...at $305 this is definitely a luxe pot, but it will last you a lifetime.  Here is the "Cadillac of Cast Iron"...

Well it was a great plan until we got half way to my parents' house and realized that we had a week's supply of diapers for a two day trip, but we had left the Le Creuset pot at home!  We certainly were not going to go out and pick up a $300 Le Creuset pot from the local hardware store which seemed like our only option, until we thought to check out Kohls!  This is where we found the Food Network Cast Iron Dutch Iron for $89.99!  More than a 1/3 less than our beloved Le Creuset...

I must admit none of us could tell the difference when it came to tasting the Beef Bourguignon.  The flavors were incredibly rich as always, luxe for less pot and all! 

If your kitchen is in need of a dutch oven and you can't stomach spending more than $100 on your cookware, than I say go for the Food Network line of cast iron. 

And if this post has made you hungry for some delicious beef stew, I recommend Ina Garten's recipe for Bourguignon.  We make it with Guigal Cotes du Rhone...and it always comes out fantastic.  And of course we buy two bottles so we have one to drink with our meal!  At $12.99 this is a medium bodied French red that is easy to drink with food or on its own.  Here is an article on the success of Guigal Cotes du Rhone and why it is such a great bargain if you are interested in reading more about this tasty red!

Going to start the night with a glass of this...

Snack on a few of these in this pretty bowl  that only cost $5!...

Try this crab cake recipe from Whole Foods...or just pick up their shrimp and scallop cakes that are only $4 a piece and so delicious!

Splurge with a few Alexa Sweet Potato Fries...

And catch up on this!

I discovered this red a few months ago and since then it has become one of my go to Friday night wines to share with my husband.  This Italian red is from Sicily and is made 100% from the Nero D'Avola grape.  In my opinion this is a fruity, smooth, and delicious full to medium bodied red that is an incredible value!  It pairs well with many foods, but I like it with pizza or a tomato based pasta dish.  

I have found this wine for $9.99, but if you can't find this for under $10 near you, than you can buy it online here for $7.99!  Now that is a steal!

I always enjoy a nice cool glass of white wine, but sometimes I feel like Goldilocks in that it is hard for me to find a white that is "just right."  Some Pinot Grigios are too watery for my taste, Sauvignon Blancs too tart, and Chardonnays too heavy.  That is why I was ecstatic when I discovered the Albarino grape many years ago when I became friends with someone from Galicia, the province in Spain where the Albarino grape grows.

Albarinos have more body than a Pinot Grigio, but are not as oaky or heavy as a Chardonnay.  They are fruity and zesty, and pair well with seafood.  And because of their balanced character Albarinos can also stand well on their on as an aperitif when you want to enjoy a glass of wine without food.  (which I do every now and then!)

This past weekend I purchased the 2010 La Cana Albarino from Stew Leonard's Wine Shop for $14.99.  This wine is fruity with lemon and mineral flavors, and has a nice medium body as the wine is partially fermented in barrels and aged sur lie.  If you can't find this wine locally for less than $15 you can purchase it online here for $16.99.  In my opinion this is still a good deal as it is being sold for $19 elsewhere.

For more information on the Albarino varietal, check out this informative article on the Albarino grape from Food and Wine.

What do you plan on drinking this weekend?

This weekend I plan on picking up a bottle of Otto's Constant Dream Sauvignon Blanc.  This is is a crisp and fruity Sauvignon Blanc that is produced by a husband and wife team in Brooklyn.  I discovered this wine two weeks ago at The Vintage Grape on Third Avenue.  This bottle usually retails for $14.99, but you can find it in store or online at The Vintage Grape for $11.99.  If you like the widely sold Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc I think you should give this one a try!  And if you want to read more about this interesting local husband and wife wine producing team, I suggest reading this New York Times article that explains their journey into wine production.

Because Sauvignon Blanc is typically a lighter more acidic white wine it does not go as well with red meats or heavier dishes with butter or cream.  I would suggest trying it with a Greek salad for dinner this weekend as a compliment to the Mediterranean flavors and acidic feta cheese in the salad.  Other good options would be a roasted chicken with fresh herbs or a grilled white fish.

What do you plan on drinking this weekend?