We recently went to a wine tasting party at a friend's house, where we blind tasted five different types of wine. What was interesting was that we learned many of the guests regularly only drink one type of wine. That got us thinking; are you "stuck" in a wine groove? Sandra's Wine Life: Find Your Wine Identity written by Sandra Guibord is fun, informational, approachable, and gets you to think differently about your wine selections; by type, by region, by taste, and by season. She also has great recipes to pair with the wine to make you a star at your next gathering no matter what the season or occasion. Cheers!

Erin Hedley and Sandra Guibord
Sandra's Wine Life: Find Your Wine Identity

What's your wine identity? Do you have a one? Do prefer to drink red, white, rosé, or sparkling wines? Do you change your wines according to the season or stay with your tried-and-true, go-to wine, throughout the year? These are some of the areas that author and wine lover Sandra Guibord explores in her absolutely fun and fantastic book, Sandra's Wine Life: Find your Wine Identity. 

We had the pleasure of meeting the dynamic Sandra Guibord at her book signing party at Elm Street Books in New Canaan, Connecticut on October 6, 2022 where she spoke about her book and paired a variety of different wines with a well-curated cheese board by cheese expert Erin Hedley, La Dame du Fromage, to illustrate her wine philosophy. 

In her book, Sandra invites you to expand your wine palate and try diverse types of wines, for example, she suggests that red wine lovers might like to look beyond their comfort zone and try Tempranillo from Spain, Nero d'Avolo from Sicily, or Sangiovese from Italy, as these exotic choices fully deliver on flavor. She also suggests selecting wines by the season for those who like to lighten up in the summer and go for bolder wines in the colder months. For white wine lovers, a few of the different wines she introduces include Cortese or Gavi from Italy, Torrontés from Argentina, and Fumé Blanc and Pouilly-Fumé from France. 

Sandra's Wine Life: Find your Wine Identity by Sandra Guibord is easy to read and understand the nuances of different types of wine, she provides lots of ideas on pairing wine with food, includes mouth-watering recipes, and even includes a fun quiz at the back of the book designed for book clubs, yet could easily be used for wine trivia at your next gathering. So, pick up a copy of the book, pour yourself a glass of your favorite wine, sit back and enjoy a delightful read, and you might discover a few new wines to try along the way.

Sandra Guibord graciously shares her Perfect Fall Recipe, Pumpkin Hummus Served in a Pumpkin, reprinted with permission from her book, Sandra's Wine Life: Find your Wine Identity by Sandra Guibord, to tempt your palate into learning more. One of the nice benefits of this recipe is that it pairs well with a variety of wines. 

Pumpkin Hummus 

Ingredients:

Directions: 

Step 1: Hollow out a small sugar pumpkin. (You can reserve the seeds to toast by spreading them on a cookie sheet, sprinkling with salt, and roasting them at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for up to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Or you can purchase toasted seeds.) 

Step 2: Pulse lemon juice, tahini, garlic, and salt together in a food processor or blender until smooth. Add garbanzo beans and olive oil and pulse until smooth. Add pumpkin, cumin, curry, and cayenne pepper, process until well blended. Transfer hummus to a container with a lid and refrigerate a least 2 hours. 

Step 3: Slice the pumpkin shell horizontally in half (like a bowl), and then transfer the hummus into the bottom shell. 

Step 4: Before serving, garnish with paprika and a sprinkling of toasted pumpkin seeds. 

Sandra's Pro Tip: Make Pumpkin Hummus the day before and let the flavors intensify before serving. If you can fund a small sugar pumpkin at the grocery store or Farmers' Market, turn it into a cute serving bowl when you scoop it out and fill with hummus. 

Websites where you can purchase Sandra's Wine Life: Find your Wine Identity by Sandra Guibord: Barnes & Noble,  Amazon, and more, as well in bookstores. 

Sandra's Wine Life: Find your Wine Identity by Sandra Guibord
Published in 2022
White River Press
Amherst, Massachusetts
Website: www.WhiteRiverPress.com  

ISBN: 978-1-935052-82-1 (hardcover)
ISBN: 978-1-935052-85-2 (paperback) 

Sandra's Wine Life
Website: www.SandrasWineLife.com 
Facebook: www.facebook.com/sandraswinelife 
Instagram: @sandraswinelife

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