Saying Farewell to Summer with a Craggy Range Sauvignon Blanc #WorldWineTravel

The World Wine Travel group has exited Australia and have now stopped on New Zealand.  Australia was a tough country for many of us as we struggled to source wines from the more remote areas of the land down under.

New Zealand appears as if it is going to be problematic for me as well.  While I had no problems finding wine in Michigan from the Martinborough and Marlborough regions, I have had no luck finding wines from New Zealand outside of those areas.

Yellow Tail Wine Round 2 and the Weekly Menu #WorldWineTravel

Sometimes a casual dinner calls for a casual wine.  When you enjoy having wine with dinner each night, you can't....well, at least, I can't......afford to open a pricey bottle every time.  So we always keep an eye out for sales and bargains.  

Our World Wine Travel Group is continuing to explore the wines of New South Wales this month.......

Peach Chicken and a Chardonnay from Fowles Farm #WorldWineTravel

This delicious Australian chicken dish is quick, easy and perfect for a weeknight meal while fancy enough to serve to guests.  It paired perfectly with this Chardonnay from Fowles Farm in Victoria.

The World Wine Travel group are still visiting Australia and I am lucky enough to be hosting this month......

An Australian Farm to Table Dinner #WorldWineTravel

Today the World Wine Travel group is tasting red wines from Victoria, Australia, hosted by Jeff of Food Wine Click.  I found a cool bottle of Fowles Wine Farm to Table Cabernet at wine.com.

You can learn more about the wine regions of Victoria at Jeff's Invitation Post.

South Australian Chardonnay with Pesto Bruschetta Chicken #WorldWineTravel

This dish reminds me of Spring for some reason.  It is a scrumptious dinner that combines all the flavors of Bruschetta and Pesto without the carbs from the baguette.  Of course, I paired mine with pasta but if you are watching your carbs it would be perfect with just a side salad and a glass of this crisp, amazing Punt Road Chard from South Australia.

The World Wine Travel group are sipping the White Wines of South Australia this month.......

Visiting South Australia; Home to one of Australia's Oldest Wineries

Penfolds wine has long been a favorite in this household so when our theme for this month's World Wine Travel was the Red Wines of South Australia, I naturally went right to this popular brand.

Lamb and Lupin Kofte with a Vasse Felix Filius Cabernet #WorldWineTravel

Delicious lamb meatballs known as kafta in Lebanon and kofte in other countries mixed with lupin flakes made from a legume grown in Australia were a huge hit in our house, especially when paired with a Cabernet from Western Australia.  Surprising to me because my husband and youngest profess to not liking lamb but loved these kofte.

These kafta are made with ground lamb and lupini flakes.  I had never heard of lupini flakes before but I guess they are quite popular in Australian cooking.  I found them on Amazon and ordered up a bag.  These kafta are sooooo good!! I can't wait to try the flakes in other applications.

Taking a Second Voyage with Burgers on the Barbie

We eat a lot of burgers in the summer.  There is nothing that I love throwing on the grill, or Barbie, as it is called Down Under, more than a hamburger. It is the first thing we grill when the weather warms up, having waited all year long for the opportunity.  We probably enjoy burgers, of some sort, at least once a week during the grilling season.

Why am I talking about what a grill is called Down Under?  Well, you see, this month our Wine Pairing Weekend Group is heading to Australia, thanks to our host Gwendolyn of Wine Predator.  Gwendolyn chose OZ because they are hosting the National Wine Bloggers Conference this year.  She tells more about it in her Preview Post.

Since we are not all lucky enough to hop on a plane and head to the other side of the world, Gwendolyn thought we should at least get together, virtually, to visit and share some food and wine pairings.  She asked us to throw something on the Barbie to pair with one of the many Australian Wines that are exploding here on top of the world.