Tucson chefs will be turning your favorite Girl Scout cookies into amazing desserts to serve with wines in the inaugural Girl Scouts of Southern Arizona’s Cookies & Cabernet event this Friday, January 6, beginning at 6pm at Medicine Man Gallery, 7000 E. Tanque Verde Road.

The event will feature hors d’oeuvres, fine art, outstanding wines, and amazing desserts hand-crafted by Tucson’s chefs using Girl Scout cookies. Chefs from Feast, Pastiche Modern Eatery, Kingfisher Bar & Grill, Bob’s Steak and Chop House, HUB Restaurant and Ice Creamery, and The Abbey will be concocting the fare.

“This is the inaugural year for Cookies & Cabernet and we are very excited by the community’s response, especially the talented chefs who have teamed up with us to make this possible, and our wonderful host, Medicine Man Gallery,” explains Debbie Rich, CEO of the Girl Scouts of Southern Arizona. “Cookies & Cabernet will help kick off the Girl Scout cookie season in style and of course allow our supporters to have fun and enjoy great desserts as well.”

And good wines, of course.

Medicine Man Gallery will be donating 20 percent of the proceeds from art sold that night to the Girl Scouts of Southern Arizona. Proceeds will help support Girl Scout programs for the 14,000 girls served in the Council’s jurisdiction.

Tickets to the event are $45 online and $55 at the door.

Cheers to a fun event!

Wine-pairing events to celebrate Valentine’s Day are everywhere this week, so there’s no excuse for not planning ahead.

Ritz-Carlton winemaker dinner

Winemaker Andy Peay of Peay Vineyards, producers of exceptional Pinot Noir and Syrah wines from Sonoma County, will interact with guests at an evening reception and a specially prepared meal with wine pairings at the Ritz-Carlton CORE Kitchen & Wine Bar at Dove Mountain, Marana, on Thursday, February 10 from 6:00pm -10pm.  The remarkable menu includes shaved duck prosciutto, pan-seared bronzini, buffalo short ribs, and more delightful dishes. Call for reservations, 520-572-3000.

Pink & pig at Canela Bistro

Canela Bistro, Sonoita, AZ

Dos Cabezas Wineworks and Canela Bistro, located on Highway 82 in Sonoita, have teamed up for several events featuring new wines all Valentine weekend. On Friday, February 11, Canela Bistro will create some tasty piggy treats to accompany Dos Cabezas latest release, the 2009 “Pink!” Choose from a 3-course menu or wine pairings. On Saturday, February 12, a serious sit-down to celebrate love with Canela Bistro chef/owners John Hall and Joy Vargo, will feature Dos Cabezas wines. Contact Canela Bistro, 520-455-5873 for more information and to make your reservations today.

Sunglow Guest Ranch Resort wine dinner

Keeling Schaeffer Vineyards and Arizona Stronghold Vineyards have teamed up with Sunglow Guest Ranch in the Chiricahua Mountains for this event of great food and Arizona wines on Saturday February 12, beginning at 6:00pm. Chef Colleen will present a four-course dinner featuring pork tenderloin, paired with Keeling Schaefer wines poured by winemakers Rod Keeling and Jan Schaeffer. The Arizona Stronghold wines of winemakers Eric Glomski and Maynard Keenan will be paired with the salad and soup course. Space is limited, reservations required, call Beth at 520-824-3334. Rooms are still available for overnight guests.

Valentine wines & chocolate tasting

Slow Food Tucson is hosting a very special Valentine Tasting of Wine & Chocolate, featuring CataVinos Wine Shoppe wines paired with chocolate tastes from Tucson Creative Catering on Sunday, February 13, 3:00pm to 5:00pm. The mouth-watering menu will include such pairings as Gruet Sparkling Rosé with chocolate-covered strawberries, Torres Vina Esmeralde with mini-chocolate chili cupcakes with chocolate chilli ganache, and Vinho Madeira with chocolate hazelnut torte squares.  And there is more; check the Tucson Creative Catering website for the full fare.

The event will take place at CataVinos Wine Shoppe & Tasting Room, 3063 N. Alvernon Way. Please make reservations by February 10; you can make them online at the Slow Food Tucson website.  

Wine and pairings all weekend long

Charron Vineyards has updated its Valentine’s weekend plans by extending the wine and chocolate pairings Friday through Monday this coming weekend. Best known for its White Merlot, Charron now offers a 2010 Dry White Merlot that is fantastic paired with grilled salmon, and most importantly, goes well with dark chocolate.  A win-win situation.

For other Valentine options at Canelo Hills Vineyards, elle Wine Bistro, Kokopelli Winery, and Pastiche Modern Eatery, please check my POUR ME SOME GRAPES February 1, 2011 blog; and for the perfect wine to present your Valentine, consider the choices in my POUR ME SOME GRAPES  February 5, 2011 blog.

Valentine’s Wine Meet-up

Don’t have a specific Valentine yet? No problem! The Old Pueblo Wine Club welcomes you to its Saturday, February 12 meet-up. This month they will be celebrating the holiday of love by tasting wines from South America. Bread, crackers, fruit provided. Attendees are asked to bring a favorite cheese, fruit, or olives to share. For location and more information, you must be a member; membership in the group is free (sign up online). The event, hosted by Keith Figgins, is $15/person.

Cheers to your very special wine-fulfilled Valentine’s Day!

Forget the roses. Nothing says Happy Valentine’s Day like  an amazing bottle of fine wine. Pairing it will great chocolates, music, and food add up to the perfect formula for love. Here are a few venues to choose from this year…planning ahead is a sign of love.  

Just add dessert and music in Elgin

Join Canelo Hills Vineyard and Winery in Elgin, AZ, for a very special Valentine’s concert and wine tasting. Kathryn Mueller, nationally acclaimed for her lovely, soaring soprano voice, will be joined by pianist Brian O’Morrow for a concert of love songs, from classics by Mozart to beloved jazz standards. A wine tasting paired with delectable chocolate desserts will follow.

Visit with Canelo Hills winemaker Tim Mueller after the performance to sample the vineyard’s wines, including special treats like sparklings and, of course, their yummy Zin.  Space is limited, so don’t miss your chance to join the festivities at the winery Saturday, February 12, 5:00pm to 6:30pm. Reservations are required; $30 per person. Call 520-455-5499 or email info@canelohillswinery.com to purchase tickets, or buy them online at Canelo Hills Vineyard and Winery.

elle Wine Bistro’s fifth annual All-Red Wine Dinner

An elle Valentine-related tradition continues—held this year at their new location on N. Campbell, on Sunday, February 13, beginning at 6pm.  It’s the fifth annual All-Red Wine Dinner…a four-course meal paired with (what else?) four exquisite red wines. View the entire elle wine bistro menu and plan ahead. Seating is limited, so call for reservations at 327-0500. It could be one of the most romantic things you’ll do this Valentine’s weekend!

Pastiche open for celebration all day Valentine’s Day

If you prefer to wait until the traditional Valentine’s date of Monday, February 14 to celebrate your love, head on over to Pastiche Modern Eatery on N. Campbell. From 11:30am to 10:00pm, they will be doing what they do best…serving a diverse and tasty menu paired with amazing wines–all with you and your Valentine in mind.

Kokopelli’s Chandler celebrates Days of Wine and Roses, Feb. 11 – 14

Kokopelli Winery and Bistro in Chandler, AZ, is saluting love in America, February 11-14, with a Days of Wine & Roses festival that will include French-themed food, live romantic music, complimentary sparkling wine tasting, wine-oriented dinner specials nightly Friday through Sunday evenings, and then a five-course Winemaker’s Dinner on Valentine’s Day (Monday February 14) from 5:00pm-10:00pm.

Dennis Minchella, Kokopelli’s owner, learned to cook French style dishes while working several years in New Orleans. Minchella tells us that their menu for this special weekend skews to a French format, since “the French are known for their devotion to food and love.” 

The lovers’ weekend is highlighted by the Winemaker’s Dinner($65 per person) which will be offered along with wines of the Southwest that perfectly complement each course; dinner will conclude with a champagne toast. Dishes such as the French cheese artisan nosh, Crab Bisque soup, Beef Forestierre, Cordon Bleu Pasta, Coq Au Vin, all sound sinfully delightful.

Dates will receive a sample of one of the bistro’s sparkling wines and, of course, Kokopelli’s award-winning wines will be available available all day. For information and reservations, call 480-792-6927.

If you have other Valentine’s weekend venues that you’d like to see featured in Pour Me Some Grapes, please send via email to pourmesomegrapes@gmail.com. Cheers!