Wine & Halloween Candy Combinations

Whether you get trick-or-treaters, October is the time of year to have a delicious bowl of sweets and treats in your home. The easiest path to wine pairing with candies like these is to pair sweet with sweet, like our Inifinitum Dessert Wine or Sparkling Moscato. However, as wine lovers, we are intrigued by the challenges and delights of pairing other fine wines with these confections. 

Rather than tell you exactly what wine to have with your fun size Snickers bar, we’ve put together a quick guide to pairing wine and candy based on candy components. Whether you want to lean into the nuances of nougat or the complexities of caramel, there’s a wine that will suit you!

With Peanuts - Centanni Rosso

For anyone reaching for the coveted Reese pumpkins or the salty-sweet of a Snickers, we recommend enjoying this nuttiness alongside the balanced nature of Centanni Rosso. Our Centanni offers enough rich fruit to jive with the peanuts (think of the harmony of a PB & J) and just enough tannin to moderate the sweetness of the candy itself. 

With Mellocreme - Chardonnay

Love it or hate it, candy corn and other mellocreme delights are a part of the season. If you have a soft spot for this polarizing candy, you are not alone! It’s sweet as can be, and sometimes that’s what you need. We enjoy this alongside the light creamy and marshmallow notes of our Landmark Chardonnay.

With Nougat - Sparkling

Nougat offers a satisfying bite with a balance between chewy and smooth. Whether you’re enjoying a rich Milky Way or the fluffy nougat in a 3 Musketeers, you can appreciate the addition of a glass of Sparkling Wine. It’s fun, delicious, and simple!

With Caramel - Barbera

From Rolos to Twix to homemade confections, caramel deserves its established presence in the candy world. We appreciate the plummy, refined tones of a good Barbera alongside caramels of all kinds, especially handcrafted butter caramel. 

With Milk Chocolate - Cuvée Dray

For the chocolate lovers out there, the world of wine is open to you! When it comes to specific pairings, however, this one shines. Our Cuvée Dray is both flavorful and approachable, with enough body to stand up to some sweetness. 

With Toffee - Petite Sirah

The caramelized, buttery profile of crisp English toffee is a delight to the palate and tastes almost nostalgic. A classic like this comfortably joins an underappreciated classic like Petite Sirah. Enjoy the interplay of toffee and this wine’s rich dark notes.

With Dark Chocolate - Cabernet Sauvignon

A truly quintessential conversation if ever there was one! Cabernet and dark chocolate together offer bold flavors, parallel profiles of tannin and cocoa, and full-bodied enjoyment. Both our Jewel Collection and Reserve Collection Cabernets offer this juicy delight. 

With Fruity Candy - Salute Rosé

We love the fun fruity flavors of hard candies like jolly ranchers as well as the chewier varieties like skittles and starburst. These are all delightful with a crisp glass of our vibrant Salute Rose, which offers bright flavor and fun complexity to these pairings. 

Trick or treat! Happy Halloween from Rubino Estates. 

The Proprietary Red Portfolio at Rubino Estates

Since its inception, the Rubino Estates Proprietary Red has enchanted and intrigued wine lovers, vintage after vintage. A premium wine with a top-secret composition, this wine is a must try. On October 18, 19, and 20, we are hosting a luxurious Proprietary Red Portfolio Experience. Read on to learn more!

Experience Details:

On October 18th, 19th, and 20th, we are offering a premium tasting experience featuring an exclusive menu that you won't want to miss. Savor a truly luscious vertical tasting of our 2019, 2020, and 2021 vintages of Landmark Proprietary Red, along with our 2020 and 2021 vintages of our limited-edition Odyssey Red Wine.

Experience Location:

The Portfolio Experience begins in the Rubino Estates Tasting room, where your wine ambassador will greet you with Sparkling Wine and guide you to our hidden Library Room. This secluded room makes an ideal backdrop for enjoying distinguished wines accessible for tasting only at exclusive events like our Proprietary Red Portfolio.  

The Flight:

The flight will feature a vertical tasting of three vintages of Proprietary Red and two vintages of Odyssey. The Proprietary Red is a royal jewel of our Landmark Collection. Its blend is top secret, and it never disappoints. The Odyssey is a premium wine, styled after right-bank Bordeaux blends, and it celebrates more than a century of winemaking history on our estate. We explore each wine more below. 

2021 Landmark Proprietary Red

A mouthwatering medley of berries graces the aroma, with marionberry, blackberry, and blueberry. Accenting these features are a sassy hint of oak spice and elegant vanilla. On the palate, luscious notes of dark fruit dance through to the finale. Built for lasting enjoyment, this wine offers a smooth texture with a slight grip, a medium body, and a luxuriously long and fruit-forward finish.

2020 Landmark Proprietary Red

Experience notes of rich prune with accents of pink peppercorn followed by juicy raspberry and bing cherry on the nose. Savory elements with a touch of cocoa, blackberry, and ripe currant chime in on the palate. Red fruit and vanilla trail beautifully into the finish. This vintage boasts an enticing bright garnet hue and medium mouthfeel, built with tenacious tannin and elegant gravitas.

2019 Landmark Proprietary Red

A lively nose dances with a lush variety of red, black, and blue fruits featuring mulberry, raspberry, and plum with a flourish of anise and vanilla. Flavors follow off the nose, with the red fruit taking prominence. A mid-length finish flourishes with fruit and vanilla notes. Enjoy a medium mouthfeel, bright acidity, and delicious trailing tannins that have continued to integrate over time.

2020 & 2021 Odyssey Red Wine

The Odyssey Red Wine celebrates our story, and these vintages chronicle Chapters 1 and 2 of the journey. The rich history and winemaking legacy of the Ruby Hill Winery’s estate vineyard stretches from 1885 to present day and beyond. Each vintage has very limited production, so this experience is your chance to taste this luxurious wine! 

As you are guided through this luxurious flight, the wines will be accompanied with assorted food offerings. Your wine ambassador will provide insight and information about these two wine programs and answer questions as you enjoy each wine. 

The Proprietary Red Portfolio Tasting Experience will be hosted on the following days and times:

Friday, October 18th at 2:30pm
Saturday, October 19th at 12:00pm and 2:30pm
Sunday, October 20th at 12:00pm and 2:30pm

Tickets are sold individually—no group required. Come alone, bring a friend, or grab some loved ones! This experience is $75 per person, $50 per club member. There are only 8 tickets available per time slot available, so act fast. If purchasing online, please log in with your member credentials to take advantage of the discount.

 

Harvesttime Vineyard Views

Harvest has arrived on the estate, and the vines are heavy with beautiful fruit! We can't refuse the opportunity to document and share the picturesque vines of every varietal.

Each block reaches prime picking conditions in its own time. This Cabernet cluster is beautiful but not ready yet!

These rows of Barbera are almost ready. In fact, we harvested the first of this year's Barbera fruit this week!

Throughout the vineyard, you see warm touches of fall settling in as well, like this leaf’s yellow fringe out in our Petit Verdot.

These productive Sangiovese vines have us thrilled for the 2024 vintage. 

Out in front of the tasting room, our young Cabernet vines are yielding gorgeous mature clusters

Nearly all of our white wine grapes have been harvested, but you may still spot a few rows hanging on. 

Subtle variations in climate, elevation, soil, and other variables give each block its own personality. 

Some clusters, like this Petite Sirah, are packed with grapes just waiting to be harvested

Other varietals, like this Cabernet, have clusters that are looser—but just as flavorful

This week, we harvested the first red fruit from the estate vineyard, including some Barbera and Zinfandel.

We carefully sort out any imperfections so we can create the best wines from our gorgeous vines. 

Thank you for taking this virtual walk through the vineyard! Come visit the tasting room anytime to take in the beauty—we are open from 11:00 am to 5:30 pm, seven days a week!

 

Essential Guide to Sangiovese

This month, we are celebrating Sangiovese. This classic Italian red is a delight to the eye and to the palate, pairing perfectly with a range of foods. An elegant and pleasantly balanced wine is welcome in this season of transition from summer heat to autumn crispness. This week, we are sharing essential information about Sangiovese for wine novices and connoisseurs alike.

Cal-Ital Identity

Long before we grafted Sangiovese into our Estate Vineyard, this old-world workhorse of a wine has been enjoyed globally for its medium tannins, delightful acidity, and fullness of bright, luscious red fruit. Sangiovese is the core component of Chianti Classico, growing prolifically in its home region of Tuscany and boasting the status of most planted varietal in Italy. In the US, it is much less widespread. We are proud to produce estate-grown Sangiovese right here in the Livermore Valley as part of our Cal-Ital mission. Early to bud and slow to ripen, Sangiovese grapes are tender and delicate while still resistant to drought, making them right at home in the Livermore Valley. We believe this varietal is worthy of acclaim!

Vibrant Varietal Characteristics 

One feature of Sangiovese (which you will also find in Italian Chianti) is that these wines are easy to drink young, but well-crafted ones improve over 5-10 years. This varietal’s deep purple grapes produce a gorgeous red color and cherry flavors, with intriguing flavor variation determined by the growing environment. Our 2020 Riserva Sangiovese boasts notes of wild strawberry, vivacious red fruit, and a touch of lychee. A hint of black pepper peeks through on the palate, and rich cherry flavor accents the lingering finish. This vintage is very smooth, with sassy floral notes and a mid-weight palate.

Solo and Supporting Roles

Sangiovese is a very bright varietal with reliable acidity, which means it lends itself well to blending with other varieties. With the balanced elements of fruit, acid, and tannin, Sangiovese is also a pairing superstar, especially with pizza and pasta, but also with meatloaf, roast chicken, and other medium fare. From simple table wine to astonishingly elegant luxury wines, Sangiovese can do it all! 

Sangiovese Pairing Inspiration

These wines are truly an absolute delight to drink, especially with food. After all, Italian wine should be enjoyed with good food! We lean toward Italian cuisine for pairing, including dishes like bruschetta, pizza, and caprese salad. Sangiovese’s food-friendliness also makes it a Charcuterie board’s best friend!

Recipes to try with Sangiovese

Bruschetta with Tuscan Peperonata 
Rustic Homemade Margherita Flatbread Pizza 
Cal-Italia Pizza with Prosciutto & Figs 
Chicken Caprese Spaghetti Squash
Bistecca alla Fiorentina 

Enjoy Sangiovese today! Our Riserva Sangiovese is perfect for September. Get it now for less while it's our Wine of the Month. Click here to shop now!

Welcoming New Wines

At Rubino Estates, we love to share great wines. Our August release has brought three delightful new vintages to the Rubino Tasting Room, including our all new wine, Old World Chardonnay. These wines are perfect for the warm season and enjoying with good friends. 

2023 Old World Chardonnay

We are proud to unveil our Old World Chardonnay, an aromatic and classical take on this much-loved varietal, and the newest addition to our Riserva wine club collection. An homage to Burgundian Chardonnays, this wine is aged in fully neutral oak to emphasize the natural aromas and freshness of the fruit with just a subtle influence from the oak barrels. On this vintage, an elegantly aromatic nose features stone fruit notes of peach and apricot, along with floral touches of citrus and apple blossom. The flavors follow through on the aroma, with stone fruit and a pleasing hint of oaky vanilla gracing the finish. The smooth body has just enough structure, balanced by a lovely refreshing acidity. This debut vintage spent 9 months in neutral oak prior to bottling.

2020 Amuleto

Amuleto, meaning “amulet” in Italian, is crafted exclusively for the Rubino Estates Wine Club. Combining two of the most popular Italian varietals, it’s our good luck charm. This vintage marries 52% Barbera and 48% Sangiovese. Boasting a delightful and vibrant profile, it brings lively red cherry, cranberry, strawberry, and light floral notes. There’s a touch of toasted oak on the finish that gives way to bright, lingering fruit flavors. The mouthfeel is full with a pleasant acidity and very smooth tannins. Overall, the 2020 is a very lively, well-balanced, and exciting vintage.

2021 Landmark Chardonnay

As with all of our Landmark Collection wines, the production of our Landmark Chardonnay begins in the vineyard and expresses the relentless value we place on fruit quality and purposeful winemaking. This vintage is a delightfully classic Chardonnay, with swirling notes of white peach, golden nectarine, pear, and a touch of flint. Welcoming notes of vanilla, butterscotch, and a touch of cinnamon grace the palate to round out the fruit notes. It’s best served slightly chilled. Savor the luscious mouthfeel and a lengthy, luxurious finish. This exquisite Chardonnay was aged in a blend of fine european oak cooperage (75% French and 25% Hungarian; 70% new) for 21 months before bottling.

All of these wines are available now in the tasting room and online. Which will you pick?

 

Veraison: Colors Emerge In the Vineyard

August has arrived, and it has brought color to the vineyard! As our fruit finishes its growing stage, it begins to take on its gorgeous mature colors, a process called veraison. 

Across the estate, our clusters are dappled with color. This is Cabernet, though each varietal matures at its own speed. 

This lively Syrah vine shows the pastel progression of pale green, through pink, to lilac. 

The vibrant color of this Zinfandel gleams in the sunny afternoon light. 

Some red varietals, like our Barbera, mature much later than others. The berries are large and will take their time to take on the mature purple we expect. 

Looking closely, however, we found some Barbera clusters who are beginning to blush! 

Veraison in white wines looks a little different. You can tell these Sauvignon Blanc berries are shifting from bright green to a softer, more golden hue. The berries will soften and become more transparent as they ripen. 

The Sangiovese has a handful of picturesque pink polka dots in this section. You can see the potential to create our Rosé!

Other sections of the Sangiovese are further along, taking on a rosy violet tone. 

This particularly picturesque Petite Sirah cluster boasts the whole spectrum of color, from the bright green to the dark purple of the mature fruit. 

Petite Sirah takes on a particularly rich indigo hue, to which we owe the bold tannin profile of the finished wine. 

This row of Merlot is looking promising! The vine is youthful but robust. 

Come see the vineyard up close and personal with a behind-the-scenes tour of our estate: click here to learn more about our Duck Tour today!

Summer Berry Pie with Sparkling Moscato

We’re declaring that it’s a sweet treat summer. Inspired by the effervescent allure of our Moscato Dessert Wine, we wanted to make a dessert that feels perfect for July. While pie might not be the first thing on your list when you think of summer, it won’t take long for the enticing combination of summer fruit inside warm pastry to change your mind! 

This recipe takes advantage of delicious late summer fruits, but feel free to get creative! We used strawberries and blueberries, and sealed it into our favorite whole-wheat pie crust for some extra dimension. Pop a chilled Moscato and let’s sip dessert & bake it too!

Late-Summer Mixed-Fruit Pie Recipe
By Stella Parks for Serious Eats

Ingredients

• 3 medium plums, apricots, or nectarines (about 12 ounces; 340g)
• 9 ounces pitted cherries (1 2/3 heaping cups; 255g), from about 12 ounces whole fruit (2 1/4 heaping cups; 340g)
• 6 ounces fresh blueberries, blackberries, or raspberries (1 cup; 170g)
• 4 ounces Cape gooseberries, currants, or fresh cranberries (1/2 cup; 110g)
• 7 ounces sugar (1 cup; 195g)
• 1/2 teaspoon (2g) kosher salt
• 1 1/2 ounces tapioca starch (1/3 cup plus 1 teaspoon; 40g)
• Favorite pie dough, rolled and chilled as per the directions for a double crust 
• Sprinkling Sugar  

Directions

For the Filling: Wash your stone fruit (no need to peel), cut into 1/2-inch slices, and measure out 9 ounces (1 1/2 cups; 255g) in a large bowl. Add pitted cherries, blueberries, and Cape gooseberries, or whatever mix of fruit you prefer, to bring the total weight to 28 ounces (790g; volume will vary). Toss with sugar, salt, and tapioca starch, folding with a flexible spatula until well combined. Scrape into a prepared pie shell and place the top crust in whatever configuration you prefer: a solid sheet, a lattice, a herringbone, or checkerboard. Trim away excess dough and refrigerate to ensure the top crust is completely chilled, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat to 400°F (205°C).

To Bake: Place our chilled pie on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Bake until the crust is golden, about 1 hour, then loosely cover with tented foil. (Alternatively, an empty baking sheet can be placed on the topmost rack of the oven to serve as a shield.) Continue baking until filling is bubbling even in the very center of the pie, about 15 minutes more. If the crust completely covers the filling, bake until the pie reaches an internal temperature of 212°F (100°C) on a digital thermometer.

To Serve: Cool pie for at least 3 hours, depending on the type of pie plate. (Above that temperature, filling will be runny and thin.) Slice into wedges with a sharp knife, pressing firmly against bottom and sides of pie plate to ensure under-crust is completely cut. 

Serve à la mode and with chilled sparkling Moscato for a perfect summertime treat!

Our 2019 Moscato is a sparkling dessert wine boasting an expressive aroma with high notes of orange, tangerine, orange blossom, cream and poached pear. A light bodied, sparkling effervescence mingles with both sweetness and acidity. Best of all, it's on sale as our Wine of the Month. Get yours today!

Wine Acidity: A Fundamental Feature

If you love exploring good wines like we do, your curiosity will lead you to all kinds of wine world vocabulary. In this blog, we’re exploring the essentials of wine acidity. What does “acidity” mean in wine tasting? Is acid in wine good or bad? How can you describe a wine’s acidity? We explore all this and more. 

Acidity is Essential to Wine

There are four basic traits you can look for in every glass of wine: tannin, alcohol, sweetness, and acid. Of course, the levels and character of each of these elements will vary between varietals, vintages, winemakers, wine styles, terroir, and more. In general, you can expect red wines to be less acidic than white wines. Acidity is the main source of structure in a white wine, which is why it’s more associated with white wines. Red wines also have influential acidity, but their structure is generally dictated by the tannin quality. Light-bodied whites are generally more acidic than a more rounded white wine, and sweet white wines are the most acidic. A perfectly acidic wine will literally make your mouth water, sharpening the individual flavors, offering a delicious prickling sensation on the sides of the tongue, and a mouth-watering finish. 

The Role of Acidity

Acid, in particular, is responsible for the tart, tangy, vibrant, or sour character within a wine. If it’s mouthwatering or makes you pucker a bit (good or bad) it’s probably the acidity at work. These fresh, tart and sour attributes of the wine are evaluated in relation to how well the acidity balances out the sweetness and bitter components of the wine such as tannins. Sweetness will temper the sensation of acidity--so two wines with the same level of acid won’t have the same sensation if one is sweeter than the other. Sweet wines generally have higher acidity because of this dynamic. Regardless of sweetness, however, a wine without acid ages poorly and tastes “flabby” and undefined. A wine that is very acidic but well balanced by its other elements is an absolute delight!

The Science of Wine Acidity

Depending on its acidity, the pH of wine ranges from 2.5 to about 4.5, making it less acidic than other common beverages like coke or lemonade. Tartaric and malic acid occur naturally in grapes, and as they ripen the sugar increases and the acid decreases. At harvest time, our winemaker makes picking decisions based on this balance. During the winemaking process, many wines will undergo malolactic fermentation (also called “the malo” or MLF), a secondary fermentation where malic acid is converted into the softer lactic acid creating the creamy or “buttery” profiles of wine. If you have ever compared a stainless steel Chardonnay (no MLF) to an oaked Chardonnay (MLF) you know that the type of acid in a wine has a significant impact on the flavor and profile of the wine. 

Describing Wine Acidity

Other than simply “acidic,” a few words you may hear to describe acidity in a wine include tart, tangy, fresh, and sour. If you want to be more creative and describe the exact character of the acidity, words like puckering or mouthwatering describe the effect of the wine, while laser-sharp, crunchy, or crisp might encapsulate the effect on a wine’s structure. Feel free to borrow other acidic fruits to describe the individual notes, such as lemon zest, tangerine, or grapefruit in a white wine or cranberry and tart cherry in a red wine. Some words provide an overall description of how the wine feels, like racy, electric, zippy, zing, bright, or brisk, and these refer to the acidity as well. 

Acidity and Wine Pairing

Outside of the characteristics of the wine itself, acidity also factors into a wine’s pairing potential. A wine with nice acidity will pair very nicely with delicious salty or higher-fat foods, perking up these heavier meals by working as palate cleansers and preparing you for each delectable bite. Additionally, a lower acid wine will taste dull and flat alongside acidic dishes, while a crisp, higher-acid wine will complement the meal beautifully. So, if you are having a dish that is zesty and zippy with acidity, you can choose a wine that matches. We recommend serving acid-driven wines at a lower temperature. Acid and chilling go hand in hand—it’s one thing that makes these wines so crisp and refreshing. Traditional Italian wines are well-known for their pairability, and it will come as no surprise that it’s due to their amazing acidity, so we recommend a zippy Sangiovese or a Barbera with tart cherry notes with dinner tonight!

Growing: An Estate Vineyard Update

As spring gives way to summer, we are out in the vineyard to look at all the glorious changes that the season has brought. Spring means a vibrantly green season, with verdant leaves, vines, and beautiful grape blossoms. Those blossoms quickly turn into green juvenile grapes, which will grow in size until veraison, when they reach their mature color. The vineyard is beginning the shift from blossom to early berry. Scroll through this gallery for a virtual walk through the vineyard with us!

The sun is beaming into the vineyard, tickling the tops of the vines and illuminating the diligent growth of the past few months. 

The rain of winter and spring has allowed our vines to clothe themselves in a dense canopy of leaves.

These young Cabernet vines have bloomed beautifully and will self-pollinate. This early stage doesn’t last long, though!

These Petite Sirah berries are also very early in their development, but you can see the individual definition of the berries. 

Some vines, like this Sangiovese, offer a glimpse of the future. You can see the clusters taking shape.

Of course, every vine has its own pace. These clusters are already heavy and growing fast. 

The sunshine makes each block glow in the morning and ripen in its season. We are excited for this Sangiovese’s future. 

These baby Barbera bunches are looking positively dreamy in the morning sun!

As the season progresses, our vines will continue to grow and fill out each block of the vineyard with vibrant green. 

More than just grapevines, our estate is a full ecosystem. Come visit us to take in the beauty of the wildflowers, birds, trees, and blue skies!

 

Strawberry & Salute Rosé Snack Cake

This summer, we’re making a point to seek out all the little sweet treats. This Strawberry Rosé snack cake, with its beautiful pink hue and very light and fluffy texture, is perfect for those moments in the day when you want a little morsel of joy. Plus, this cake is easy to put together and is great for sharing, and since the alcohol content in the Rosé bakes off, anyone can enjoy it! The flowers are blooming all around us, the summer fruit is ripening, and it’s a Rosé kind of day, so this recipe is the perfect choice. 

Strawberry-Rosé Snack Cake

Ingredients

• Cake:
• 1 1/2 cups freeze-dried strawberries, divided
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2/3 cup rosé wine
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• Frosting:
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 1/4 cups powdered sugar

Directions

Prepare the Cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on all sides. Process freeze-dried strawberries in a mini food processor until powdered, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Measure 3 tablespoons powdered strawberries into a medium bowl (reserve remaining powdered strawberries in the food processor for Frosting). Add flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt to bowl. Using a spoon, make a well in center of flour mixture, and pour rosé wine, oil, and vanilla into well. Crack egg into rosé mixture. Pierce egg using tip of a whisk, and lightly beat together. Fold egg mixture into flour mixture to form a smooth batter.

Spread batter evenly in prepared baking pan. Bake in preheated oven until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 25 to 28 minutes. Remove from oven, and cool in pan 5 minutes. Using parchment paper overhang, lift Cake from pan and transfer to a wire rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour.

Prepare the Frosting: Place butter, cream cheese, and salt in a clean bowl, and beat with an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Add reserved powdered strawberries, and beat on medium-high speed until thoroughly combined, about 1 minute. Add powdered sugar, and beat on low speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Spread Frosting over cooled Cake. Enjoy!

Recipe by Southern Living

We invite you to enjoy this cake with our Wine of the Month, Salute Rosé! On sale now for a limited time.