Wine Wednesday: Grape Creek 2022 Petite Sirah

 

So I've been drinking so many blends lately that it was nice to try this Petite Sirah (which is actually 4% Rubired--more about that later). According to Grape Creek's website, this wine is a dense purple "with a touch of garnet." It's not. It's garnet through and through. 

The nose is pleasant. I've had a few wines lately that seemed to have no aroma at all. This is nice--blackberry, cocoa, a hint of espresso, the barest whisper of toasted oak. All as advertised on the website. 

Lest you think I'm just copying from what's online--oh, I'm not. The website refers to this as, "the most moody and melancholy of red wines." And yeah, I don't even know what that means. 

Even if I did know what it means, I wouldn't apply it to this wine, which has a jammy, lively, fruit forward quality, hints of almond, a moderate amount of tannins. And yes, a silky mouthfeel, as well.  

I'd like to pair this wine with something smoky but not too heavy. A charcuterie plate, perhaps. Or maybe a pasta dish--mushroom and pancetta, pasta carbonara, butternut squash ravioli in a smoked gouda cream sauce. Or anything along those lines. The website mentions beef or venison stew, but I can't see that, at all.

So Rubired is a hybrid of two Portuguese grapes, Tinto Cao and Alicante Ganzin. It's only been around since the late 1958 and I think it's mostly used in blends, cheap rosé and grape juice. It originated in California, where I guess it's still mostly grown. I did read somewhere that it had been tried in Australia, but it wasn't very successful. Mostly, it's notorious for being utilized in something called Mega Purple, which is a concentrate used to enhance flavor and color in wines. I think Mega Purple might have been referenced (unfavorably) in one of the POUR DECISIONS books. 

This Week's Free Read

Fun fact: This story originally had the title, The Irish Goodbye. When you read it, you'll understand why. But once I settled on the GAMES WE PLAY series title, all the books got game-themed names, which worked out much better and made this one of my favorite series to write. 

Book One, Truth or Dare was a story I'd been wanting to write for a long, long time. Book Two, Never Have I Ever is probably the most polarizing story I've written--people either love it or absolutely hate it. Two Truths and a Lie is the perfect end to the trilogy, pulling all the threads together...okay, the bouncing back and forth between time periods gets a little confusing, not to mention all the fake names, but overall, I loved the characters and their interaction. 

And it paves the way for all the sequels! I'm up to four right now, with at least one more to go.

Anyway, this freebie will Irish Goodbye on Friday, so get it while you can!

Two Truths and a Lie

Book 3 in the Games We Play series

All work and no play has been the story of Brenda Donovan's life these past few months. Her concern about the future of her family's inn has her tied up in knots—and not in a good way. Between searching for a buyer for the business, and keeping secrets from her cousins, she's had no time to pursue an actual relationship. But pretending to date sexy Max Murphy, the hotel scout who's there to assess the property? That's totally doable. Especially when games, role-playing, and light bondage are included in the package. Falling in love was never supposed to be part of their deal; but now her heart's in play and all bets are off.  

Max has no problem with hiding his true identity from Brenda's cousins. If that's the way she wants to play it, he's all in. But are Luke and Gwyn the only ones he's deceiving?  

It's game, set, and match this time around. And when all the scores have been tallied, and everyone's secrets are finally revealed, will the cousins lose the Wild Geese Inn? 

https://tinyurl.com/2Truths26

Musical Monday: Because You Loved Me (cover by Matt Bloyd)

 

Okay, so here's a small spoiler, although I guess it shouldn't be. Clay's mom will be at his wedding (along with several other members of his family. Shocking, I know!) and I think this song would be perfect for them to dance to. 

Wine Wednesday: 2024 Valravn Chardonnay

 

As I mentioned last week, I got to enjoy some different wines on my birthday--and the days surrounding it. I enjoyed this Chardonnay at dinner with some amazing potato leek soup. This is a medium pale straw color. The nose is bright and citrusy with notes of apricot and honeydew. The flavor is buttery and dry with hints of dried pineapple and toasted meringue. 

I think this wine would also pair well with roast chicken or quiche. 

Valravn is a small Sonoma winery. It's only been around for ten or so years. Its winemaker is a Napa native--and obviously, I love that! You can read more about it here: https://www.valravnwine.com/

Romance Writers Weekly ~Do Your Characters Surprise You? ~ #LoveChatWrite

This week, on the Romance Writers Weekly blog hop we're asked, “Do your characters ever surprise you? Talk about plots you have fallen into by luck.”

OMG, do they ever! All the bloody time. I think the most egregious example is still Cara Matthews from the Oberon series. Cara first appears in book four. She's the ex-girlfriend of the hero and heroine's son--obviously a very minor character. IIRC, she's in all of one scene. 

She resurfaced briefly in book five as an example of her ex, Seth, falling back into bad company, and then assumes a bigger role (albeit still a supporting one) in book seven.

Book four was supposed to have been the end of it. Book seven absolutely should have been. In fact, I wrote a perfectly lovely scene where she and Seth (who were never destined to end up together) finally resolve their issues and part company.

And then...

The villain of book eight made an unscheduled appearance at the end of book seven. He took one look at Cara and decided on the spot that he wanted her as the heroine of "his" book. In hindsight, that was actually a good idea. However, as a result, book eight blew up into a huge, ungodly mess and I had to shoehorn Cara and Liam back into book nine in order to give them their HEA. Which, apparently, wasn't as EA as some readers wanted, so I brought them back yet again for a sequel novella, Sea Change. 

I was going to offer the Halloween novella, Hungry Heart, for free this week, because it has a forward penned by the aforesaid villain but the book is available through Kindle Unlimited, which means I can't give it away anywhere else. So I made the Forward available as an excerpt. You can read that here: 

https://www.PGForte.com/excerpt-forward-from-hungry-heart

Enjoy! And now, hop on over to Leslie Hachtel's page now to learn about how her characters have surprised her. And don't forget to check out her book, Come Back to Me

Come Back to Me

What would you do if you could go back in time to find your soulmate? For Skye Blaine, the answer is clear: she would do whatever it takes to be with the one she loves. Follow her as she travels through time in search of her heart's desire, finding that the path to true love is never easy, but always worth it. Will she find her happy ending? This page-turning story of love, sacrifice, and courage is sure to captivate and inspire. Don't miss out on this unforgettable journey through time!

https://amzn.to/3thW8BR

The Celtic Legends Series

Steamy Historic Romantasy set in 19th century Ireland

 IRON

 When an immortal, shape-shifting fae, arrives on his doorstep, Gavin O’Malley knows he's in luck. Aislinn Deirbhile can give him everything he's been missing: A devoted-seeming wife in the image of his beloved Mairead, and children who are sure to outlive their father. And all he has to do is find a way to keep her—without losing his immortal soul in the process. 

OAK

 Twice each year, Aine Murphy ventures into the woods to hold ceremonies to honor the Oak King and the Holly King, never dreaming these Lords of the Forest could be anything more than myth. When the legends spring to life in front of her, how can she help but fall for the sexy demi-gods she's loved all her life?

https://www.PGForte.com/celtic-legends

Musical Monday: The 'I Feel Like I'm Fixing to Die' Rag (Country Joe and the Fish)

Well, I had a different song planned for today, but then Joe McDonald died. And honestly, given the state of the world, this probably fits better. I learned the words to this song on the playground of my elementary school. Yes, I am that old. 

Wine Wednesday: Duckhorn 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon

 

So this is one of the wines I received for my birthday. It has a nice nose--blueberry compote, spiced fruits and hints of violet and cedar wood. It's a DARK burgundy color, medium tannins, not much in the way of legs. The taste is lush, with a lingering, peppery finish. It tastes of cocoa, currant and tart cherry. 

It's very good, but yet again, here's a wine that I'd rather drink on its own than pair with food. If I had to pick a meal to eat with it, I honestly think I'd go with a really good, char-broiled burger with goat cheese and bacon jam.