This post is from guest blogger Tamara Belgard of @sipwithme

All my blood was rushing to the organs in the lower regions of my body. I sat there looking across the table at my husband, slowly wrapping my lips around the cool metal fork, enveloping the last bite of warm toffee bread pudding, feeling it sweet and satisfying as I took it in my mouth and let it slip down my throat. We sat still, relishing in the afterglow, savoring the final moments of true decadence and complete indulgence when it occurred to me and I said, “You know honey, I think wine and food may just be better than sex.” He laughs.

While exploring this topic, I noticed the gorgeous couple in the booth behind us who’d been keeping pace with us all night had also just finished their dessert and were now sitting so closely next to each other, they could have been spooning. They, who were previously all giggles, batting eyelashes and showoffs, were quiet for the first time of the evening with wicked grins freshly smeared on their contented faces. It was like they just had virtual sex, or wine and food sex… and I watched. Hell, I more than watched, I participated! It was like a wine and food orgy!

I thought about it further (because as a blogger, I tend to obsess about new ideas for my blog): This couple’s wine arrived as she was throwing back her hair, flirtatiously laughing at every silly thing he says, using very obvious and suggestive body language. While they were sipping from their glasses, he acted dominant, making recommends from the menu, saying things like “Trust me, you’ll love it” (I wasn’t exactly evesdropping, the guy just happened to be a very loud talker). Their foreplay continued with the arrival of their appetizer—fries with duck fat (yummers, btw)—as the perfectly crisped French-fried potatoes hit their lips, tongue and mouth with the intensity of a French kiss… “Amazing,” he kept saying again and again. By the time their main course was being consumed, their conversation had degraded to mere moans and groans, more than hinting at their experience of infinite pleasure.

They were not alone… we simultaneously and langourously lingered over those last morsels of our decadent desserts, feeling our minds and bodies relax, giving way to the pleasure just received. As if on cue, I watched her rise from her seat and slide into the booth next to him, gently laying her head on his shoulder, snuggling… spooning, until their bill was paid and they quietly slipped out (for round 2?).

Before all the blood had fled my head to my belly, inducing a serious food coma, I was able to jot down my top 10 reasons why the food and wine experience is better than sex.

1. Condoms aren’t required to eat or drink and there’s never a risk of pregnancy.
2. It’s legal to pay for food and wine.
3. Dropping $100 on a meal is perfectly acceptable.
4. You can take pleasure from both food and wine in public and even in front of your family.
5. You don’t have to be committed to just one; feel free to eat and drink around.
6. Food and wine won’t leave you dripping with sweat or give you bed head.
7. You can make dinner and a bottle last for hours, even all night.
8. There’s no obligation or expectations after you’ve enjoyed wine or food.
9. You don’t need mirrors, angles or toys to make the experience better.
10.  Sorry men, I love you all, but it just has to be said; women have a better chance of being truly and deeply satisfied by a good meal and a few glasses of fine wine.

We’d just finished a stimulating date-night dinner at Allium Bistrot, Hunter and I were having great fun traveling down this obnoxiously creative road until I got to number 10 and he matter-of-factly said, “Wait a minute, I’m not so sure I support this article after all.” So, in all fairness to him I’ve also come up with one great reason why sex will always be better than food and wine. Any sex is good sex and you couldn’t ever say that about a bottle or a meal.

So, in the end, my advice to you is simple, select some good wine, have some indulgent bites and then slow down and discover how the food and wine experience can seduce your palate, leaving you utterly exhilarated, entirely blissful and ever wanting more. Until we sip again…

Cheers!

About the Author

Tamara Belgard is a freelance writer and graphic designer living her dream in Portland, Oregon. She currently writes a wine blog called Sip with Me detailing her journey through wine, Oregon and beyond. In addition to being a full-time mom, Tamara is also a marketing and social media specialist. Her passions include wine, chocolate, travel and all things culinary.

• http://www.sipwithme.blogspot.com
• http://www.belgardcreative.com
• @sipwithme on Twitter
• Sip With Me on Facebook

Guest blog #1 from Coryn Briggs @bstar2009

Are you bored with your girls’ night out cocktails? Has that Cosmopolitan lost its luster? Look no further than your local wine shop for wine selections and food pairing ideas. I’ve included my current list of top five favorite wines along with ideas for food pairings and girls’ night out activities.  Wines listed below are not in any kind of order– all are wonderful and need to be enjoyed in the company of good friends. 

2008 Erath Vineyard Pinot Gris – How do I love this wine let me count the ways…

First, I love this winery as they consistently produce wonderful quality affordable wines. I also had the great opportunity to visit the tasting room and was so pleased with the level of customer service. The second reason I love this wine is for the bright fruit aromas and flavors—it is a wonderful combination of citrus and tropical fruit. The third reason is that this wine pairs well with many different dishes, including seafood, pasta salads, roasted game birds and mild to medium flavored cheeses.  An easy and fun idea to incorporate this wine into the next girls’ night out is to have someone host a tapas party because the versatility of this pinot gris makes it great for a mix of ethnic foods and flavors. 

Black Star Farms Sirius Raspberry Dessert Wine – Anyone for dessert and a movie? This is a perfect wine for a girls’ night party themed around chocolate. This port like wine has flavors of ripe sweet raspberries, combined with the warmth of brandy. Try this wine with anything chocolate. Ideas include: fudge brownies and chocolate fondue. I instantly think of a night in with the girls and one of my favorite movies, Chocolat (staring Johnny Depp and Juliette Binoche). Or, try your hand at a flourless chocolate cake, host a contest and serve this wine alongside the decadent dark chocolate creations. In the end you will all be winners! 

2007 Babich Unoaked Chardonnay – Not your typical housewife’s chardonnay…this unwooded Chardonnay is bursting with flavors of citrus, fresh apple, pineapple and a crisp dry finish.  I first discovered this wine because I was on a mission to try unoaked Chardonnays from around the world. The winery I work for produces a lovely unwooded Sur Lie Chardonnay and I was looking to expand my knowledge and palate on this style. This chardonnay is perfect with creamy sauces and cheese.  Fondue party ladies? Or perhaps a pasta cooking party complete with homemade noodles, sauce and all… 

Cristalino Brut Rosé Cava– Rosé is the new Pinot Grigio, that being said, I tend to associate Rosé wines with summer and in Northern Michigan we will take anything that evokes thoughts of summer. Spring or summer this bubbly Rosé brings versatility to the table anytime of the year. Think flavors of ripe red berries followed by a refreshingly bright finish. Not too sweet or too dry this has become my favorite new bubbly.  Move over cosmopolitans…a new pink is in the house.  Try it with appetizers, white meats, salmon, and mild cheeses. For girls’ night out think pink and do something fun that will benefit breast cancer awareness.  

Shady Lane Cellars Sparkling Riesling – The party ideas are endless when it comes to this wine. It is truly a fun wine and a favorite in my house.  With aromas of fresh peach and green apple followed by a touch of sweetness and a dry finish this wine is crisp and refreshing. Pair this bubbly with appetizers or add a little apricot nectar for a quick Bellini. Sip on a glass of this bubbly and let the girls’ night out begin! Or pour a glass at the spa where you can release your inner diva in the company of good friends.

Celebrate the joys of friendship, take quality time with your friends, relax and unwind. Whether you want to stay in or go out, the wines and ideas presented give you a good start for your next night with the girls. So go ahead, wine a little and feel good about it! 

About the Author

Coryn Briggs moved to Traverse City 6 years ago and quickly immersed herself into the Michigan wine industry. She is currently the Winery Promotions Coordinator for Black Star Farms. In this role she manage the many pieces of the marketing mix including, off-site events, website content, advertising, social media, as well as graphic design. She enjoy local food, wine and the downtown Traverse City area where shes live with her husband and two young daughters.  

Black Star Farms is a unique agricultural entity that features two winery production facilities, their adjacent tasting rooms, a distillery, Inn, and equestrian facility.  The winery just celebrated its 10^th year anniversary and is proud to represent the viticultural diversity of the Northwest Michigan region, and its proximity to the 45^th parallel.

• Twitter: @bstar2009
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/blackstarfarms
• Web: www.blackstarfarms.com
• You Tube: http://www.youtube.com/user/corynbriggs1

Hello, my name is Josh and I’m addicted to Google Analytics. This is a post to help fellow bloggers identify their addiction. If you answer yes to 3 or less, then you’re safe. If you find yourself agreeing with 3-5, you may want to continue watching for the warning signs of addiction. For those bloggers reading this that can relate to 6-9 of the addictions signs, you should consider admitting yourself in to the G.A.A (Google analytics anonymous). You will find a strong support group to help break free from the bonds of addiction. For those that can relate to all 10 “signs,” you’re obviously a super star blogger with massive site traffic. Can you re-tweet this? PLEASE! 

10. Each night you go to bed counting referrals instead of sheep. 

9. Before you go to sleep you pray, “Now I lay me down to rest, I pray for visits from the West, as China and India awake, please click my links for heavens sake.” 

8. You go into a cold sweat as you enter the weekend still needing 400 page views to pass last weeks numbers. 

7. You think about posting an expose on sex addiction including “exclusive” quotes from Tiger Woods and Jesse James. 

6. You refresh you stats page 30 seconds after every time you tweet your newest post 

5. You secretly tag your posts and images with key words, Brittany Spears, Avatar, Porn, and Justin Bieber 

4. The first 30 minutes of every visit to your psychiatrist covers how your value and self worth are not tied to your page views 

3. Secretly you hope that @rickbakas, @sung_h_lee, @nansen or @garyvee will re-tweet your posts 

2. To be trending on Mashable is one of your bucket list items 

1. You read that people like to read lists so you put together THIS list in hopes to boost your traffic for the day.

*photo credit www.thedailydigi.com

March came in like a lion and went out like a lion. An all time high of 30 posts with 28 formal wine reviews made for a busy month. Aside from the ‘formal reviews’ I bet I tasted close to 100 different wines at Taste Washington, at restaurants, and ‘relaxing’ at home.

With amazing online wine activities like #SauvBlanc on March 4 and #WAMerlot and Taste Washington 3/25-28 the wino activities were never ending. It’s pretty inspiring to think that the two main Twitter events for March could have driven sales upwards of 350 cases of wine and millions of brand impressions, engaging thousands of consumers world-wide. Sit back and think about that for a second.

The Nectar Monthly Honors is a recap of the BEST the Month had to offer.

Wine of the Month

Best Value Under $15

2007 Desert Wind Winery Sauvignon Blanc [reviewed here] $15

• The Stuff: 100% Wahluke Slope Sauvignon Blanc, Stainless Steel fermentation; 432 cases made
• The Sniff: Wholly tropical fruit Batman. This wine instantly transported my nose to Hawaii with Guava, Peach, and Pineapple aroma. I instantly fell in love with the nose and wished it could be bottled as a summer body spray for my wife.
• The Sip: Less dynamic on the flavor profile. The guava was mellow on the front and earthy herbs presented themselves on the mid-palate. The finish was lemon/lime tart but washed away nicely after a few seconds.
• The Score: At just $15, I score this a 4 (out of 5). This is a great value and is a wine that will impress at parties and provide a fantastic drinking experience in the summer months.

*Runner Up: NV Segura Viudas ARIA Estate Brut – Spain [reviewed here] $8

Best Wine

The best wine I had all month actually came from Taste Washington and was the Cote Bonneville 06 from Yakima Valley. Since I didn’t do a formal review, it doesn’t qualify.

2006 Fielding Hills Merlot [reviewed here] $36

Yes, I drank a ton of Merlot this month (8 to be exact) – what do you expect with March being #WAMerlot?

• The Stuff: Single vineyard Wahluke Slope AVA, 80% Merlot 11% Cab 9% Syrah, aged 19 months in 77% new oak, 14.3%abv, 163 cases
• The Swirl: Dark plum with beautiful jewel tones toward the edges. Mostly opaque
• The Sniff: Overwhelming aromas of cherry, smoke, and hints of spicy bacon. Amazed at how aroma profile changes as it comes through the nose.
• The Sip: A mouthful of joy! The black cherry fruit skips across your tongue and then transforms into undertones of smooth violet perfume, that then release themselves to cocoa flavors. The acidic finish brings a nice wash across the back of the mouth as the finish lingers for eternity.
• The Score: At $36, I score this wine a 4+ (out of 5) and would easily buy it again and again. The balance between complexity, flavor, and drinkability are impeccable.

Cellar Tracker Score 93pts (1 score); Wine Spectator Score 93pts

*Runner Up: 07 Longshadows Pedestal Merlot $55

Random Favorite Highlights from March

The post that made me spit wine out of my nose – Sommelier Starts a Winery: Originally seen on Wino Magazine, the credit for the humorous video goes to Greg from Gramercy Cellars. “Campy and rough, it still demonstrates the ridiculous misconception of what being a winemaker (or owning a winery) is all about. Winemakers watching this will snicker if not guffaw.”

Best Wine Quote: From Rudy @merlove during the #WAMerlot Twitter Tasting

”#wamerlot our most expensive Merlot smells of Gasoline and unshaven armpit and tastes like wooden strawberries”

Best Wine Post (sensual) – This goes to none other than my good friend and stellar writer Tamara at Sip With Me. My Date With Pinot Noir (warning either have a cold shower running or your significant other nearby)

Best Wine Image – This month’s award goes to the amazing Andy Katz whose image “The Golden Oak” was featured on Vinography, March 12.

Best Social Media Post – I recently discovered super tweeter @sung_h_lee. It seems that every tweet he provides becomes a favorite. Of the amazing articles on Social Media I read this month, my favorite was, “Thirty Best Ways to Build Blog Traffic”

DrinkNectar Most Viewed Post – “How do you define a bargain” (50+ comments) The post really struck a chord with people looking for value wine. While the post and videos that followed were birthed from a Grocery Outlet promotional campaign, visitors resonated with the message. My favorite part about this post was the fact that actual consumers, and not other bloggers, were the ones that read it and made comments.

Best New Blog Series – United Slurps of America; This incredibly creative concept is the brain child of the he said / she said blog at www.swirlsmellslurp.com. The premise, drink wine with another blogger in all 50 states. The challenge, damn distribution laws. The results, so far Pennsylvania, Washington (with yours truly) Michigan and Texas. This is a MUST bookmark just see if they can make it through with their livers in tact!

Lastly, I’d like for all of us to pause for a moment of silence in remembrance of two dear blog brothers who are no longer with us. March 2010 saw the loss of two of the most entertaining blogs related to wine. 

Hosemaster of Wine; RIP

On March 17, Ron Washam, Hosemaster of Wine announced a hiatus from his controversial, humorous and satirical blog. He leaves us with these words.

“First of all, thank you to everyone who took time out of their lives to read my crap. I sincerely appreciate it. Secondly, to anyone I genuinely offended, I humbly apologize.”

Dale Cruse Drinks are On Me; RIP

March 30 was a dark day in the wine world. Wine bloggers around the world lost a trusted friend, good resource and visual inspiration. Dale Cruse announced he was shutting down his site in pursuit of new explorations. Personally I will miss Dale’s brand of wine humor. Good luck Dale!

*Just an observation, but could Dale and Ron be the same person? Maybe this is an elaborate scheme to break through with some super uber new sexy snarky blog that will blow the world away… #justsayin*

The Affair

*My contribution for Wine Blogging Wednesday #67, hosted by 1WineDude

She stood in the archway clutching her chest, heart pounding, short of breath. Her mind swirled dizzy with excitement, drunk with lust. As the exhilaration faded, guilt set in. The new experience was a thrill but her friend…her lover. She would never understand. How could she know? Would she detect the new scent, would she…ahhh her mind drifted to the intoxicating and rich aroma. Bright, like deep cherries and strawberries. As the scent lingered it turned to an erotic spice. It reminded her of her mom’s cherry cloves that she would sneak when noone was around. The aroma would float along with the breeze into her bedroom window and linger overnight.

Days passed as she tried to put aside the memory of her affair. She returned to the comfort of her long time companion. As they sat out by the pool in the heat of the sun, she was reminded of the comfort she’d known for so many years. Her partner was sweet, seductive and slightly coy. Her light skin shimmered against the water in the pool. She had grown to love the comfort, her fragrance of melon, and citrus perfume was all she’d known. Each night they would embrace but their passion had grown stale. She longed for a break from the routine.

He was exciting, strong and full of mystery and intrigue. If she closed her eyes she could still taste him on her tongue. His warmth as he entered her made her shudder. His skin was dark and his strength assured her. Her pulse quickened and her senses aroused as she thought of the next time. The next time, she reminder herself there wasn’t going to be a next time. She couldn’t leave her partner for the arms of another. In desperation, the darkness called to her. Hastily she retreated to their meeting place. There he stood in the shadows, confident and bold, waiting for her. Throwing aside her inhibitions and fears she rushed into his arms. Red.

 Seeing Red for the First Time

As I thought about the challenge of this week’s Wine Blogging Wednesday, I went back and forth between ideas. The challenge: What red wine would you choose to introduce a white wine drinker to the dark side? I could go light, Gamay, Beaujolais, Pinot Noir. Or I could go big, Cabernet, Bordeaux, or Zinfandel. Obviously from the story above, I chose something bold, intriguing, with lots of aroma and flavor. The wines that came to my mind were dynamic and multilayered. Going cheap would run the risk of an off balance wine that could taint the white wine lovers experience. I picked a 2004 Croze Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa (previously reviewed) and a local blend from Latah Creek Winery called Vinosity (Cab, Syrah, Zinfandel). The Croze had a nose (nice rhyme) that was intoxicating – the flavor profile was so deep. The Vinosity brings strength and sweetness that is appealing to a wide audience.