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Saying “Sí” to Springtime and Drinking Wine

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Saying “Sí” to Springtime and Drinking Wine

I had the best day on Saturday.  It was literally the perfect Spring day.  Temperatures were in the 70’s, the sun was peaking through the clouds, and downtown Omaha was hopping, though a bit breezy… but when is it not windy in Nebraska?  Despite the wind, I did manage to dodge the rain for the perfect rooftop evening with some of my best friends.

ribera_wine 6Thank goodness for girlfriends (and their husbands) who love saying “sí” to grilling out, drinking wine, and enjoying the gorgeous city views of Omaha from eight stories up.

Omaha_skylineJordan is lucky enough to live in an apartment complex with a fabulous rooftop deck complete with grills and patio furniture.  It was the perfect setting for our almost summer night.

I brought two bottles of wine that I was sent from Ribera y Rueda, along with my favorite go-to veggie burgers.  Since adopting a gluten-free diet a couple of months ago, I told my girlfriends that they had to help me learn to become a wine drinker.  With their guidance and recommendations, I am saying “adios” to beer and “sí” to wine.  I don’t think they are complaining about having a good excuse to drink more wine!

ribera_wineBeing fairly new to wine, I cannot say that I am much of an expert yet on what my favorite varieties are.  As a result, I was pretty excited that Ribera y Rueda sent me both a dry red wine and a dry white wine to try so that I could see which one I enjoyed the most.  Both wines came from the heart of northwest Spain and were described as being all about bypassing the boring.  The red variety was the Ribera Tempranillo, which they recommended opening and then allowing to breathe for 10 to 15 minutes before drinking.  The white variety was their Rueda Verdejo, which they suggested serving chilled.

ribera_wine 2Not only am I new to drinking wine, but I’m also fairly new to opening wine bottles.  But there is no time like the present to learn.  As you can see, I took it rather seriously!

ribera_wine 3The seriousness paid off because I had it down pat on the first try.

ribera_wine 4Once the breathing time was up, we got right to drinking!

ribera_wine 5I can honestly say that I loved both for different reasons.  The Verdejo had a slightly tart and crisp tropical flavor that was incredibly complex yet refreshing, while the Tempranillo was a bit more bold and rugged.  Erin was a big fan of the Verdejo variety.  Jordan and I agreed that the Verdejo was delicious, but we thought the Tempranillo really hit it out of the park.  I can definitely see why the Ribera del Duero wine region was ranked the #2 red wine region in Spain overall and was named the 2012 Wine Region of the Year by Wine Enthusiast.  Both varieties were smooth and went down very easily.

ribera_wine 7Maybe a little too easily… ?

Jordan_grillingWith wine in hand and crackers with the most amazing cheddar cheese to snack on, it was time to get our dinner on the grill.  Despite loving to cook, I am by no means a grilling expert.  Thank goodness for Jordan.  She had everything all under control.

We grilled up veggie burgers, turkey burgers, and chicken sausages.  Jordan also roasted up some brussel sprouts and cut up the most deliciously sweet cantaloupe.

wiaw_grillingIt was exactly what I wanted and more.

Hannah_Jordan_Erin_smoresWe could not end the night without a traditional summer activity: making s’mores!  The graham crackers were not gluten-free, so I made my own slightly deconstructed version of a roasted marshmallow and banana slices on a bar of milk chocolate.  I honestly did not even miss the graham cracker.  It was perfectly decadent all on its own.

girls_wine_OmahaSitting down to dinner on a long Spring night with a glass of wine and the most delicious food was the best way to spend my Saturday.  The company made it even better.  I cannot wait to say “sí” to more pre-summer and summer get-togethers with these ladies (and Joanna) this year!

Ribera y Rueda wines are all about popping open a bottle for an outdoor soirée, a night on the couch, or an unexpected food pairing – essentially Ribera y Rueda wines say “sí” to it all!  Be sure to head on over to the Ribera y Rueda Tumblr website to find plenty of fun educational resources on how to pair wine with food (I definitely need help with this), a wine-themed playlist, and a product locator.

ribera_wine_girls_nightWarning: drinking delicious wine may cause you to take silly selfies with your girlfriends and post them on Instagram.  Don’t worry, just roll with it!

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

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  • Erin @ Her Heartland Soul May 11, 2015, 4:56 am
    I'm saying si to more girls nights!! That was so much fun! And the wine was great! Erin @ Her Heartland Soul recently posted...Weekend SnapshotsMy Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl May 11, 2015, 7:28 am
      Si and si! I had a blast with all of you and I'm pretty darn decided that I have already found some wines that I love :D
  • Dana May 11, 2015, 7:44 am
    I really enjoy Spanish grapes. Tempranillo is great, but my favorite is Sangiovese. Spain and Texas have similar climates, so Texas wines have a similar style to the Spanish ones.
    • ClnEatingVegGrl May 11, 2015, 9:35 am
      It sounds like you know a lot more about wine than I do, Dana ;) I'll have to track down some Sangiovese to try since I really enjoyed the Tempranillo. Maybe I also need to take a vacation down to Texas ;)
      • Dana May 11, 2015, 8:15 pm
        You should! The Texas wine country is much more budget friendly than California. Go in March to see the bluebonnets.
        • ClnEatingVegGrl May 11, 2015, 9:36 pm
          Good to know! Thanks for the recs :)
  • Miranda @ Miranda Writes Blog May 11, 2015, 10:56 am
    Yay for girlfriend wine parties! I love trying new wines all the time! Looks like you guys had a blast... =) Miranda @ Miranda Writes Blog recently posted...Current Favorites No. 6My Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl May 11, 2015, 11:31 am
      We did! It was so much fun and we all came away with some new ones to love!
  • Dani @ DaniCaliforniaCooks May 11, 2015, 11:54 am
    Looks fun! Happy spring! Dani @ DaniCaliforniaCooks recently posted...Sesame Vegetable Soba Noodle SaladMy Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl May 11, 2015, 12:40 pm
      Thanks Dani! It was an awesome evening. I hope the rest of your spring is great too!
  • Ashley May 11, 2015, 2:22 pm
    Oh how fun! That sounds like my kind of night with friends! Yay for nice weather! Ashley recently posted...Veggie-Filled Tortellini SkilletMy Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl May 11, 2015, 4:10 pm
      I am so glad that nicer weather is finally making an appearance again. It gives us all a great excuse to get together with our friends for drinks and meals outside :)
  • Farrah May 11, 2015, 5:15 pm
    Ah, how I miss fun evenings/nights spent with friends! <3! Farrah recently posted...Skin CancerMy Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl May 11, 2015, 6:47 pm
      They are truly the best! I hope you get to enjoy some soon :)
  • ~ Carmen ~ May 11, 2015, 8:27 pm
    That sounds like the perfect spring day. In the 70s?! Hello perfection. I am a wine newbie myself. :] // ▲ itsCarmen.com ▲
    • ClnEatingVegGrl May 11, 2015, 9:37 pm
      Yay for wine newbies! If either of these two are in your area, you should definitely try them. I loved them both!
  • katie May 11, 2015, 9:26 pm
    What a fun time! I have never been to Omaha, but that roof top looks amazing! ​xo katie // a touch of teal
    • ClnEatingVegGrl May 11, 2015, 9:38 pm
      Omaha is fantastic! It is highly underrated. You should definitely make your way here sometime if you get a chance!
  • Jessie May 12, 2015, 12:59 am
    I love your cover up! It's so pretty. Where did you get it?
    • ClnEatingVegGrl May 12, 2015, 8:23 am
      Thanks Jessie! I found it at American Eagle!
  • Dixya @ Food, Pleasure, and Health May 12, 2015, 5:58 am
    this looks pretty fun. you guys look gorgeous and that view, amazing. Dixya @ Food, Pleasure, and Health recently posted...Chocolate Chip Banana Oat WafflesMy Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl May 12, 2015, 8:24 am
      We had an absolute BLAST. It was the perfect evening!
  • Julie @ Running in a Skirt May 12, 2015, 6:47 am
    What a blast! Looks like great wine!
    • ClnEatingVegGrl May 12, 2015, 8:26 am
      Si! to both of those! I absolutely loved the wine and the evening with my girlfriends.
  • Jen@jpabstfitness May 12, 2015, 1:36 pm
    What a cool rooftop set up! We had the same perfect weather this past weekend in Michigan, it was amazing!! Jen@jpabstfitness recently posted...PlanningMy Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl May 12, 2015, 1:44 pm
      It was awesome! I hope we get some more of that weather and that it sticks around for awhile!
  • Bobi May 12, 2015, 1:59 pm
    I like the banana slices for s'mores idea.
    • ClnEatingVegGrl May 12, 2015, 9:28 pm
      That was Erin's idea! It was a delicious combo for sure.
  • Emily May 12, 2015, 10:18 pm
    Yay for girl's nights. Even though I live in a house of 5 girls and 1 guy, we don't actually do girl stuff very often, but it's fun when we do. We usually get a movie, eat some ice-cream, dinner, and talk. Those kinds of memories are a TREASURE >_>. And I love how you took the tasting of and opening the wine seriously. :) Emily recently posted...Monday Motivation – Summer Goals? + a RECIPE!My Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl May 13, 2015, 10:03 am
      Those times are the best, aren't they? I love girls nights!!

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