We created a board for each zodiac sign on Pinterest where we pin things that we think your sign would love.  It's called Design for your Sign.  It is more than just wine, too.  It includes fashion, interior decor, architecture, scenery, food, and much more!

Just click on your sign to check out your board.

As the last sign of the zodiac, some say that Pisces is a little piece of all the signs before them.  Since they are a bit of a smorgasbord, we decided to pair their Santa Maria Valley Pinot Noir with a variety of yummy treats.  

We recommend:

Brie Cheese

Gouda Cheese

Goats or Sheep's Milk Cheeses

Olives

Grapes

Cranberries

French Bread

Photo by Natalia Robert. Food Styling by Betsy Haley.

 

Seared scallops - can we say yum?  A lot of people think that Aquarius is a water sign, nope, not true.  They are actually an air sign, which is why there is no water in those glass vases.  If there’s a box (or a vase), chances are the Aquarius is outside of it. As the sign of genius, this friendly and freedom loving sign dances to their own drum.

For the Aquarius Chardonnay from Alexander Valley we recommend pairing it with a delicious array of seared scallops and a rice salad.  Delish!

Seared Scallops

Ingredients:

Cooking spray

1/2 cup prechopped onion $

1 cup uncooked orzo (rice-shaped pasta) $

1 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth $

1/2 cup dry white wine $

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoons olive oil $

1 1/2 pounds sea scallops

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

 Directions:

1. Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion to pan; sauté 3 minutes. Stir in pasta, broth, wine, and thyme; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and pasta is al dente. Stir in chopped chives and lemon juice. Keep warm.
2. Heat oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle scallops evenly with salt and pepper. Add scallops to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Serve with pasta mixture.

 

Goats like to be on top. Not only is this Cabernet Sauvignon from the highlands of Alexander Valley, but it also only gets better with age, just like the successful Capricorn. The longer you know a Capricorn, the more you love them. This determined, patient, and thoughtful sign is destined for greatness.

For Capricorn, we suggest a recipe that will let them taste sweet success.  That's right, chocolate.  There aren't much better things in life than chocolate, fine wine, and a loaded 401k. 

Chocolate Hand Pies

INGREDIENTS
1 Box Pillsbury Rolled Pie Crust
1 1/2 Cups Bittersweet Chocolate Pieces
2 Tbsp Butter
2 Tbsp Corn Starch
1/2 Cup Heavy Cream
1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
1/8 Cup All Purpose Flour
1/3 Cup Low-fat Milk

 

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a large baking sheet by covering with parchment paper (or foil).
2. In a medium saucepan over low heat combine Chocolate, Butter, Corn Starch, Heavy Cream and Sugar. Mix continuously as Chocolate and Sugar melt. Once melted, hot and thoroughly blended remove from heat and let cool.
3. On a large, lightly floured cutting board roll out one piece of pre-made pie crust. Use a bowl about 5″ in diameter as a cookie cutter to cut large circles out of the dough. You will get about 3 circles from each pre-made pie crust, 6 total. Set 6 circles aside. Take crust remains and re-knead the dough into a small ball. Re-flour the surface of the cutting board and use a rolling pin to roll out the dough to a thin pie crust, cut 1-2 more crust circles from the dough. (Note: if you have any additional dough remaining you can cut out small shapes – hearts, stars, unicorn heads, etc. to put on the tops of your pies).
4. Take a 5 inch crust circle and lightly coat the inside edge with milk (this will help seal the pie when you fold it shut). Cradle the crust in your hand, bending slightly and spoon 1/4 cup of Melted Chocolate mixture into crust. Fold Pie Crust in 1/2 to form a 1/2 circle and squeeze together at the edges (expect some oozing). Lay the mini-pie on the cutting board and smoosh the edges shut with the tines of a fork. Place pie on parchment paper on baking sheet. Repeat for all pie circles.
5. Once all pies are on the parchment paper, adorn with dough cutouts if wanted and coat all pie crusts with a milk bath to keep crust golden and crispy. Bake in preheated oven for about 30 minutes or until crust is a golden brown. Remove from oven, let cool for about 15 minutes and serve warm. Enjoy!

 Photo by Natalia Robert. Food Styling by Betsy Haley.

 

Sagittarius is a bit of a gypsy spirit.  The guitar player in front of the fire, the camper on another stargazing journey.  Which meal soothes the wandering soul more than a delicious bowl of chili?  This Old Vine Zinfandel will pair perfectly with a nice, hearty chili, topped with all the fixings.  

Crock Pot Chili

Ingredients:

1 lb extra lean ground beef

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

1 (14 1/2 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained

1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce

1 tablespoon chili powder

3/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 (15 -16 ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained or 1 (15 -16 ounce) can pinto beans, if desired

 

Directions:

1. Cook beef, onion and garlic in 3 qt saucepan until beef is brown.

2. Stir in remaining ingredients except beans.

3. Heat to boiling, reduce heat to low.

4. Cover and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

5. Stir in beans.

6. Heat to boiling, reduce heat to low.

7. Simmer uncovered about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until desired thickness.

8. To freeze for OAMC: Let chili cool to room temperature and then place into quart-size freezer bag. Remove air and freeze flat on a cookie sheet. Once frozen, can be stored in freezer standing up or stacked horizontally.

9. To serve, thaw in fridge overnight and then transfer to a pot and reheat over medium low heat until heated through.

 

For a sign as sexy as Scorpio, only a wine of love will do. Lucky for them, our Pinot Noir is an aphrodisiac.  Start stirring some feelings with this Santa Maria Pinot Noir paired with a scrumptious raspberry balsamic chicken breast. 

 

Raspberry Balsamic Chicken

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

1/2 cup red onion, chopped

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme

1/2 teaspoon salt

divided 4 (4 -6 ounce) boneless skinless chicken breasts

1/3 cup seedless raspberry preserves

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

 

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over med-high heat, add onion and saute 5 minutes.

2. Sprinkle thyme and 1/4 tsp salt over chicken.

3. Add chicken to pan; saute 6 minutes on each side.

4. Remove chicken from pan and keep warm.

5. Reduce heat to medium, add 1/4 tsp salt, preserves, vinegar, and pepper to pan, stirring until preserves melt.

6. To Serve: Spoon sauce over chicken and serve immediately. OR Return chicken to pan and coat chicken evenly, serve immediately.

 

Naturally a Libra will want to share this dessert with their lover de jour.  As the sign of partnership, you better bust out two forks and a couple of glasses.  This Alexander Valley Chardonnay pairs well with the zesty lemon slivers and ripe strawberries, and will also complement the butter flavors in the pound cake nicely.  

Chardonnay is the world’s most popular wine and everyone loves a charming Libra. The Scales seek balance, harmony, and beauty in their life.  So show them a little bit of beauty with a delicious dessert.

Lemon Pound Cake

Ingredients:

Cooking spray

3 tablespoons dry breadcrumbs

3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup butter or stick margarine, softened $

2 1/2 cups granulated sugar

2 teaspoons lemon extract

3 large eggs $

1 1/2 tablespoons grated lemon rind (about 2 lemons)

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, divided

1 (8-ounce) carton low-fat sour cream $

1 cup powdered sugar

 Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Coat a 10-inch tube pan with cooking spray, and dust with the breadcrumbs.
3. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl; stir well with a whisk. Beat the butter in a large bowl at medium speed of a mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually add the granulated sugar and lemon extract, beating until well-blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add grated lemon rind and 2 tablespoons lemon juice; beat 30 seconds. Add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with sour cream, beating at low speed, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
4. Spoon batter into prepared pan. Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack. Combine 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and powdered sugar. Drizzle glaze over top of cake.