RichPairings

Suzann is an international travel writer and publisher at RichPairings. She is a wine aficionado, spirit sampler and former WineShop At Home consultant.

RichPairings originated from a passion for Wine, Pairings, Learning, Sharing...we have expanded our focus to include publishing travel blogs, destination descriptions and recommendations, reviews of places we’ve visited and experiences we want to share. RichPairings originated from a passion for Wine, Pairings, Learning, Sharing – Suzann, along with her husband Ken, are growing their multifaceted

platform to include publishing travel blogs, destination descriptions and recommendations, reviews of places they’ve visited and experiences they want to share. She loves sharing her experience with cooking, pairing wines with food and helping others broaden their palates in a comfortable learning environment. The goal of her research and writing is about igniting excitement for those seeking to explore international cultures, experiences and destinations.

06/09/2026

Worth a stop if your travels take you through Poughkeepsie NY - great happy hour at Shadow On The Hudson 😋🥂😎

05/21/2026

We had a nice intimate May wine club dinner showcasing a unique selection of Italian wines and dishes – all excellent pairings! Our welcome apertif of Le Colture Treviso Brut Prosecco was a lovely, bubbly start. The crisp La Miragja Cuore di Luna Chardonnay was a great complement to the Scallop Crudo w/Radishes – very versatile wine that we look forward to having again! Third wine was Le Fraghe Bardolino, a light but full feeling red that went perfectly with the impressive Chicken Milanese w/Arugula Salad – definitely delighted our whole table! Next up was a bolder red in the Antonelli San Marco Montefalco Rosso paired with a peppery Meatball with a layer of gouda crisp on Polenta that had us all wondering “what was that” – SO good! Final course was the effervescent Cantina di Sorbara Lambrusco di Sorbara Emma (yes, Lambrusco, what’s old is new and fashionable again!) matched up with a savory Italian Apple Cake – super nice pairing!!

We love Italian night, so GRAZIE to the crew from Hanover Golf Club and we hope to see Harry Tatian from Free Run Wine Merchants at another wine night again – he was a wonderful winery tour guide!

05/15/2026

There is never a shortage of wine to taste at the special dinners at The Vines at Oakdale !! This one was an all Virginia goodness event – we started with a welcome spritz, had local ham & eggsalad dish with a bright Sauvignon Blanc by Veritas , then sampled 2 different Chardonnays, one stainless by paired with crab salad and one slightly oaky by Veritas Vineyards and Winery – paired with pimento cheese on fried green tomato – loved the Bombolini Pasta dish paired with Oakdale’s own Red Blend. Then a pork dish with their Cab Sauv and finished with a fan favorite Sparkling Rose with Whispering Springs Farms gelato – yummy!! Great job by Chris, Eric, and crew – see you again soon for wine pickups!!

05/07/2026

Bacari GDL is so good we went twice – highly recommend trying the crudo barramundi, burrata caprese and ridiculously good best cake – amazing staff, service, wine list, and tapas style menu. So glad we “discovered” this place that feels like a local’s hot spot, but actually has multiple locations all with the same foodie find reputation

05/06/2026

Fishing With Dynamite was well worth the short uber ride from our LAX airport hotel – if you are lucky enough to get a resv, it is a cozy little seafood spot in Manhattan Beach that has some truly unique global fusion dishes – loved the Peruvian Scallops, Kusshi Oysters, Black Cod Ceviche, and Koshihikari Rice dish – Umai!

04/17/2026

What a perfect night for a wine dinner at The Vines at Oakdale – weather is feeling like summer and we are looking at a long line up of both local wines plus featured wines from Portugal. We were greeted with a fresh, lemony twist on a French 75 and nibbled on marinated olives while we enjoyed meeting our fellow diners/tasters. First up on wines was Foral Alvarinho that had a perfect citrus note to pair with the Bacalhau-like Salt Cod with luscious lemon aioli – mmmm. Great start here! Next we paired the Oakdale White Blend with amazing Octopus Salad that had hint of heat and we are already asking for refills on wine – delish! Time for a little break and a taste of the summery, Portal da Calçada Rosé – this could go all day. Next up was the smooth, bold Oakdale Cabernet Sauvignon that held up to the pair of bitter Kale but creamy Potato Soup. Next was definitely a table favorite – the juicy, spicy Duris Reserva paired with savory, succulent Roasted Pork with Seasonal Vegetables – this was a dish we would like to see on a regular!! The finale – tell me you’re in Portugal without saying you’re in Portugal – sitting at sunset with the perfect pour of a delicate Van Zellers & Co. White Port alongside an infamous Pastel de Nata Tart - Saúde!

Chris and his whole team did an awesome job making the evening super relaxing and already checking our calendars for the next event – highly recommend to join the wine club and enjoy all the benefits of future specialty wine dinners and discounts on what you already know and love from –

04/16/2026

Santé to HGC April Wine Night!! We pre-gamed with a nice light Spanish Sparkling Opera Prima Brut before sipping on our awesome Salasar Crement de Limoux welcome apéritif – super fun to compare the two bubblies of different styles/countries. Our new wine expert, Brian Artis with Elite Wines walked us through the five French wines paired with each course. The Chilled Smoked Oyster Vichyssoise was a unique dish and great start – the Sancerre “Moulin des Vrrilleres” had an intense nose but we liked it better with the creamy and cool soup against the wine’s salty/minerality. The Boeuf en Croute’s savory, salty flavors went really well with the seriously smooth, mostly Merlot, Chateau La Mothe du Barry, Bordeaux Superieur 2023. Third course was a table favorite, the spice flavors of this earthy pasta dish “La Daube Provencal Beef” paired perfectly with the Domaine Stephane Ogier, Cotes du Rhone “Le Temps est Venu” 2022 – a fruity-savory mash-up! For the finale we had a Basque Cheesecake with cherry gelee to go with our Sauternes-like, dessert wine Chateau La Croix de la Martinque – would like to have tried this with an assorted French cheese plate to include a tangy Roquefort to offset the sweetness, but maybe another time!

Merci Beacoup to the crew from Hanover Golf Club and we hope to see Brian at another wine night again!

04/10/2026

Passion for wine and pairings is one thing - adding professional certification gives us reason to celebrate and enjoy those things that make us happy!! 🤩🍾🥂

03/19/2026

We missed a few Hanover Golf Club wine club dinners, but enjoyed the St Patrick theme for March featuring Black Stallion Estate Winery

We loved the first wine the most – our welcome pour was a 2021 Limited Release Majestic Shadow Red Blend – smooth and easy to drink on it’s own or would be a nice finisher with chocolate by a fire. Next was the 2024 North Coast Sauvignon Blanc that was perfect with the salt & citrus flavors of the Rainbow Carrot Salad. Third wine was a surprisingly crisp 2024 Napa Valley Chardonnay – paired with a Crab Profiterole in a Sherry Crème Sauce – so good we used our dinner rolls to get every last drip! Fourth wine was a 2023 Napa Valley Cab Sauv that got better with the tender, juicy Lamb Parmentier. Lastly, we had a light 2024 St Lucia Highland Pinot Noir to go with the Irish Cream Chocolate Cake w/Coffee Crème Anglaise – had to grab another sip of the Majestic Shadow to really cap off the night – yum!

Thanks to Chip, Chef, and the crew for always making our wine dinners feel special occasion worthy!

03/16/2026

totally wowed us with their first specialty wine dinner – Il Capo a Five Course Italian Wine Experience – we signed up not knowing any more than that, but trusting G and his team – happy to share the evening was a huge success! We arrived a bit early to settle into our seats with a specialty cocktail while waiting for the rest of the guests to arrive. We had the pleasure of meeting Massimo, expert wine guide and importer, who promised to take us on a journey through some truly unique Italian wines – Starting with the Barone di Serramarrocco “Quojane” – a Sicilian Zibibbo white with a minerally nose and fresh, crisp taste that only got better with each of the different Bruschetta Trios – we had a hard time deciding which we like best! Next was a very versatile Saecula Syrah – super easy to drink Sicilian red that we had with the crispy/creamy Arancini al Tartufo – but know this wine will pair with many other dishes and definitely taking a couple of bottles home. Third course may have been the favorite, the Generazione Alessandro “Vignazza” rosé may be a little pricy, but it is not your typical patio pounder being both fresh and full in the same sip - worth buying/storing. It could not have been more perfectly paired with the Linguini Al Negro – a savory tomatoey squid ink sauce, plus tender calamari and shrimp. Here’s hoping this dish makes it to the regular menu! Fourth course was another Barone di Serramarrocco – the “Serramarrocco” Bordeaux Blend had a big spicy nose and nice smooth, fruity finish. It was well matched with the slow-braised, tender Veal Short Rib al Vino Rosso on the melt-in-your-mouth parmesan polenta – delish!! Finale was the Magna Moscato, a great wine to have all on it’s own as a port-like dessert but also a nice complement with the actual perfect finish: the airy, creamy, espresso-marsala soaked ladyfinger layered goodness of the best Italian not-so-traditional Tiramisu Classico (Chef-made delight!)

Buonissimo! Big thank you to Giuseppe, Nadia, (shout out to Sarah & Hunter) and the whole team for the great service and fantastic evening!

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