Big plans for the Holiday weekend?  We will be headed to a BBQ, and just may have a container of this party-friendly, warm weather treat in tow…

White Wine Fruit Cocktail

1 1/4 cups dry white wine
1/3 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
1/2 cantaloupe, cut into bite-size pieces
1 cup seedless green grapes, halved
1 pint fresh strawberries, hulled and halved

Combine the wine and sugar in a saucepan. Place the saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil; stirring to dissolve sugar. Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the mint; set aside. Combine the cantaloupe, grapes, and strawberries in a large bowl. Pour the wine mixture over the fruit; toss together until all the fruit is covered with the wine mixture; cover and chill. Store in the refrigerator up to 8 hours before serving.

Have a Happy 4th of July, everyone!

Is it wrong that I don't completely hate on Sandra Lee?  Sure, she's likely to still use Tang as an ingredient, and I am still getting over the great "Denim and Diamonds Tablescape" debacle of 2007, but you gotta admit, the lady throws a heck of a party.

I happened to catch an episode yesterday, and I was reminded of one of the reasons I can stand to watch Sandra Lee - she is very pro-alcoholic beverages.  I may skip the Wisteria tablescape that went with the Sangria she whipped up - but the recipe is a keeper.

Sandra Lee's Blueberry Sangria

1 bottle white wine - she used Chardonnay
1/2 bag frozen blueberries
1 container frozen pink lemonade
1/2 cup cognac
1 liter lemon-lime soda

In a large pitcher, mix the first 4 ingredients together.  Allow the flavors to marry in the fridge for a couple of hours.  Add the lemon-lime soda prior to serving over ice.

The Chateau Miraval wine estate in Provence, France is about to welcome some new tenants. Reports are in that Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have selected the estate as their home for the months leading up to the birth of their twin daughters, due in August.  Rumors are that the Jolie-Pitts have selected the area in order to pay honor to Jolie's late mother, Marcheline Bertrand, who hailed from the region.

The deal has apparently marked a huge boost in sales for Miraval wines, with U.S. importers indicating that cases are nearly gone.

The Miraval estate is no stranger to celebs.  The estate features a recording studio, which has been used in the past by artists such as Sting and Pink Floyd.  Maybe a luxury birthing center is next?

Its a little hard to imagine enjoying red wine in this oppressive heat we've been experiencing in the Northeast (other than our go-to sangria), but I spotted a recipe this weekend that made me want to crack open another bottle.  Giada's Cantaloupe Red Wine Surprise is a cool and refreshing heat-wave treat.

Giada De Laurentiis' Cantaloupe Red Wine Surprise

2 cups light red wine, preferably Pinot Noir
3 tablespoons sugar
1 cantaloupe, halved and seeds removed
1/2 lemon
1 tablespoon chopped basil leaves

Warm wine in a shallow saucepan over low heat; it should be steaming but not simmering. Dissolve sugar in wine; remove from heat. Pour into medium glass bowl and allow to completely cool. Using a melon baller, scoop out balls of cantaloupe and add to the wine mixture. Thinly slice the outer peel from half a lemon into 4 strips; add to bowl. Add chopped basil. Stir gently. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes. Divide between 4 wine glasses and serve chilled.

Pannonhalmi Apatsagi Pinceszet, Pannonhalmi Apatsagi Pinceszet…trips off the tongue, doesn't it?  Try saying it 3 times real fast!

I would join you, but I far prefer drinking it.  And drink it I did, when my husband brought a bottle home on recommendation from our ever-dependable neighborhood wine shop proprietress.  "Your wife likes Gewurtzaminer, right?  Here, try this."

Hailing from Pannonhalma, Hungary, Drink Up New York reports that this wine is grown in a single vineyard, and fermented in stainless steel.  Dry and perfectly acidic, this is a wine that we will be coming back to this summer.  At $12.99 per bottle here in Brooklyn, I have no problem with my husband straying from the $10 and under section when coming home with a treat like this.

Blink and you may miss them…fiddlehead ferns are in season once again - but be sure to catch them before their brief 3 week window is up.

Fiddlehead ferns are the unfurled tip of the wild Ostrich Fern.  Foraged by professional foragers in areas of the Northeast and Great Lakes regions, fiddlehead ferns are appearing at farmer's markets, produce stands, and restaurants' spring menus.

Anxious to see what the hubbub is for yourself?  We found this great recipe from All Recipes that seems a great way to enjoy the springtime delicacy.

Trout w/ Fiddlehead Ferns
serves 2

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease a baking sheet. Spread about half of the margarine over the whole trout and inside the cavity. Combine the flour, salt and pepper; coat the inside and outside of the trout with the mixture. Melt remaining margarine in a large skillet over medium heat. Lightly saute the fiddleheads until just tender. Season with salt, pepper and tarragon. Add the lemon juice and white wine, and cook for one minute. Transfer the contents of the fiddlehead pan to a bowl, and mix with egg and bread crumbs. Stuff the mixture into the cavity of the trout, and place it on the greased baking sheet. Bake uncovered, for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork. Serve immediately.

**Important Note:  Fiddlehead ferns contain a mild toxin that while not poisonous, will upset your stomach if eaten raw.  Make sure to clean and cook them thoroughly.**

Oenophile….or sucker? 

The New York Times reports that American wine drinkers are more and more being portrayed as easily manipulated "dupes and twits" in the wine marketplace.  The Times points out a recent Newsweek article, which focuses on a taste-test that resulted in a $10 bottle of Washington sparkling wine beating out a $150 bottle of Dom Perignon, and a $55 bottle of Napa Cabernet being defeated by the infamous Charles Shaw "Two Buck Chuck."  But turn the tables, and inform the "average oenophile" how much a particular vino costs, and taste-testers are typically reported to score higher marks to the pricier bottle.  Could it be (as studies by the California Intitute of Technology would indicate), that the more expensive a consumer believes a wine to be, the more pleasure he will derive from it?

The answer?  Sure! (But doesn't that apply to nearly all things?)

"Its not just about wine, its about everything!" says Professor Dan Ariely, Behavioral Economist.  Regardless of the situation, Ariely states, suggestion has a powerful effect on perception and belief. “If you expect not to get something as good, lo and behold, it’s not as good. We think of it as an objective reality. We don’t see how much is created by our mind.”

We are huge sangria fans at our house, so I am always on the lookout for variations to jazz up a party.  This one from the Daily News' Dining section seems perfect for our casual Cinco de Mayo get-together later this evening.

Sangria Rita
Serves 4

1 bottle red wine
1 3/4 cups simple syrup*
1 1/3 cups tequila
1 orange, cut into half-wheels
1 lemon, cut into half-wheels
1 lime, cut into half-wheels

Combine all of the ingredients in a large ceramic or glass container and stir well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Serve over ice. If desired, shake a small amount in a cocktail shaker with ice and strain into a Margarita glass. Garnish with additional fruit.

*To make simple syrup, add equal parts sugar and hot water, and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved.  Allow to cool completely before using.  Will keep well in refrigerator for future use.

Yes, I'm serious.

Rapper/Hip Hop Artist Lil' Jon has released his own wine label.  Little Jonathan Winery is the artist's second venture into the beverage game, after the wild success of his popular Crunk!!! Energy Drink.  While admittedly not a wine connoisseur, Lil' Jon knows what he likes, with his label featuring some of his favorites like whites and dessert wines. 

"I'm not no `drink wine every day' kind of dude.  I'm not like an expert, so don't ask me no questions … I just like the taste…This is not no ghetto Boone's Farm; this is some real wine."

Seems like Jon has plenty of time for wine making these days…his record label, TVT Records, just filed for Chapter 11.

In a move reminiscent of the famous "Schlitz Gay" SNL beer commercial, a new wine, meant to "honor the gay community" has recently been introduced to the market.

Mundo Gay, which means Gay World,  is produced by Bodegas y Vinedos Robeal, in honor of the recent arrival of gay marriage in Spain.  The 100% Tempranillo varietal sells for 20 euros.

This is not the first wine targeted at the gay community. In 2004 New Zealand husband and wife winemakers Kim and Erica Crawford launched Pansy rosé in Sydney - just in time for the city's annual gay Mardi Gras parade.