One doesn’t need a special occasion to open a bottle of wine in my home. There are no hard and fast rules for those “special” bottles to only be opened when celebrating something momentous. In fact, my only reason for saving a special bottle of wine these days is because I just can’t bring myself to open it! I love the anticipation of drinking the wine, but once the bottle is empty, there’s no going back! But little by little, I’ve been opening some gems such as 1969 and 1989 Petrus, 1961 Chateau Haut Brion and 1983 Far Niente Cabernet. Let me be clear that a “special” bottle of wine as far as I’m concerned doesn’t always mean that it is an old or rare vintage. It might convey sentimentality, be a particular grape or blend or country of origin that makes it special to me. And so, I finally opened a wine last evening that I considered special. I’ve been hovering over this particular bottle since I received it several months ago. The occasion for opening this wine you might ask? “Just because” is my answer. Mille e una Notte is the flagship red wine of Donnafugata which is located in South-western Sicily. Giacomo and Gabriella Rallo, the founders of Donnafugata, wanted to create an iconic Sicilian red. With the help of Giacomo Tachis, enologist and “father of Super Tuscan wines”, they succeeded in fulfilling their dream. The first vintage of Mille e una Notte made its debut in 1995. The 2012 vintage of Mille e una Notte is an artistic blend of Nero d’Avola, Petit Verdot, Syrah and a small amount of other grapes. The grapes are hand harvested from Donnafugata’s Contessa Entellina Estate and other areas close by. The best grapes of the year are carefully selected and used for production. The wine spends 14 months in new French oak barriques and 36 months in the bottle. I decanted the wine for about one hour prior to drinking so that the flavors could gracefully emerge. This is a very expressive wine with seductive aromas of dark berries, plum, sweet spice, cocoa and vanilla. The palate is layered with dark fruit, prune, blueberry, pepper and hints of oak, cocoa and herbs. The wine is rich with silky tannins and is a perfect blend of flavors that complement each other. The finish is long and the wine is elegant! It paired beautifully with seared scallops and pasta with roasted cherry tomatoes, asparagus and mushrooms. This wine has the aging potential of 20 years, but I am too impatient to wait that long! Alcohol: 14% SRP $80 As with every Donnafugata label, there is a story. To quote from their website: “The palace shown on the label is the one where Queen Maria Carolina took refuge fleeing from Naples and was the favorite house of the writer Tomasi di Lampedusa in Santa Margherita Belice. Gabriella Anca Rallo –founder of Donnafugata, with her husband Giacomo- captures the image and embeds it into the sky from “Arabian Nights”, full of stars and full of promise. The strong and passionate character of this wine has inspired maître chocolatier Ernst Knam in his creation of the “Mille e una Notte with chili” pralines.” To learn more about Donnafugata and Sicily, please use the menu on the right to explore more stories.
Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at wineknittercomments@gmail.com Since my last post landed us in Argentina, I thought it would be fun to hop over to Chile, which is on the other side of the Andes. The Andes is among the world’s highest mountain range in the Western Hemisphere, running from north to south on the western side of South America separating Chile from Argentina. The Andes also borders on Bolivia, Columbia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela. Our stop is in Central Valley, one of the largest wine regions in Chile, encompassing about 250 miles with varying climates and soil. A variety of grapes are grown here including Chile’s icon grape, Carmenere. To refresh your memory or if you are reading my blog for the first time, here is an excerpt from a story I wrote a few months ago about Carmenere. “The Carmenere grape is a member of the Cabernet family and was originally planted in the Medoc region of Bordeaux, France. It is considered part of the original six grapes of Bordeaux. Carmenere was thought to be extinct after the European phylloxera outbreaks in the 19th century. However, the grape was rediscovered in Chile in the 1990s after having been imported there in the 19th century. Chile now has the largest area of planted Carmenere in the world. Today, Carmenere grows chiefly in the Colchagua Valley, Rapel Valley, and Maipo Province of Chile and produces the majority of Carmenere wines. The name Carmenere comes from the French word crimson. The grape is known for its deep red color, soft tannins and flavors of blackberry, cherry and spice.” Within Central Valley is a sub-region called Rapel Valley, a warm and dry region, producing about a quarter of all Chilean wine. It is sheltered from the cold by two mountain ranges, the Andes and the Coastal Range. Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Carmenere are the most important grapes grown here. And this is where Concha y Toro harvests the Carmenere for their Casillero del Diablo Reserva. The soil in this area is riverbench and benchland associated. The summers are hot with mild winters and sweeping differences in day and night temperatures, all typical of the Mediterranean climate here. The growing season is long allowing the grapes to ripen slowly. Casillero del Diablo Reserva Carmenere 2016 is 100% Carmenere. The color is red violet with aromas of pulpy dark fruit, cherry, sweet spice and vanilla. The palate offers a lovely blend of dark berries, plum, cherry and dark chocolate with vanilla and pepper on a long finish. This is an expressive wine with soft tannins and just the right amount of fruit intensity. It is a great wine to serve with cheese, hearty stews and game during the winter months, but it will drink beautifully with summer fare as well! Alcohol: 13.5% SRP: $12 In fact, it was the perfect choice to pair with the vegetarian spicy Sweet Potato Chili that I made for dinner! For more information on Chile and Concha y Toro, please peruse my past stories I have written by choosing from the right-hand menu on this page.
Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at wineknittercomments@gmail.com It never ceases to amaze and impress me the amount of quality-focused wines that are being produced in South America. I have written many stories about wines from Chile, Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil. And as I have mentioned before, the wines are unique, filled with distinctive characteristics and many are “pocketbook” friendly! Although today’s story takes place in Argentina, it actually begins in France. Jean Bousquet and his family expand four generations of winemaking and are originally from the city of Carcassonne, in Southwest France. Their family winery and vineyards were located close by in the commune of Pennautier. In 1990, Jean Bousquet and his family made a trip to Mendoza, Argentina, specifically to the Gualtallary Valley to learn about the region. The Gualtallary Valley is situated high up in the Tupungato district of the Uco Valley with altitudes that reach up to 5,249 ft. Bousquet was impressed with the region’s unique characteristics and qualities even though the land was barren of vines. Back then the area was considered too cold for growing grapes and the very idea of planting vines was shrugged off by the locals. However, Bousquet had a vision to turn the cool climate land into a winery and vineyards to make organically grown wines. The photos below show the land prior to 1990 and the winery today. Having divested almost everything he owned, including the family winery and vineyards in France, Bousquet purchased 998 acres in 1997 in the Gualtallary Valley in Tupungato. Sitting at an altitude of 4,000 feet, it is considered one of the highest altitude vineyards in Mendoza and the world! And so the Bousquet family began their new life in Argentina at Domaine Bousquet. “The objective of the Bousquet family was to unite our tradition of European wine making with the ideal agricultural conditions in Mendoza.” Bousquet realized from the get go that with the low amount of rainfall in this region, he would need a water source. So, in 1998 they began digging a 495 ft. well, which took two years to complete. Between the drip irrigation system and desert like conditions, they control the amount of water needed to produce grapes with lower pH, resulting in beautifully balanced wines. His first vintage was released in 2005. Bousquet’s daughter Anne and her husband Labid al Ameri, who were living in Boston, became involved with the company after visiting Argentina in 2002. After numerous trips back and forth and Labid joining his father-in-law full time in 2005, they finally moved to Tupungato in 2009. Anne and Labid became full owners in 2011, bringing with them their shared philosophy on organic and economic sustainability. With Anne’s background as an economist, she assists in financial planning, day-to-day operation management and business development. Labid has a degree in Finance and in 2005 he created the commercial structure for Domaine Bousquet, which now has a brand presence in over 50 countries. With the benefits of cool climate, sandy soil, controlled water irrigation and healthy organic grapes, it certainly sets the stage for quality wines. I recently had the opportunity to try two wines from Domaine Bousquet, Gaia Red Blend and Gaia White Blend. In Greek mythology, Gaia is the Mother Earth goddess, the ancestral mother of all life. And considering that Gaia wine is all organic, it is a fitting name. The grapes are harvested manually, barrel fermented and aged in French oak. Gaia White Blend 2016 is made with 50% Chardonnay, 35% Pinot Gris and 15% Sauvignon Blanc. The color is a crisp yellow with aromatic notes of soft citrus, floral and pear. It is fresh and lively on the palate with subtle notes of pear, citrus and green apples. The finish is dry with hints of tropical fruit lingering on the palate. This is a perfect wine to serve with oysters, seafood, cheese and fruit. Alcohol: 12.5% SRP: $18 Gaia Red Blend 2015 is made with 50% Malbec, 45% Syrah and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. The color is dark purple with heady aromas of anise, violet and dark berries. The palate offers silky tannins with dark fruit, dark cherry, hints of spice and white pepper on a long finish. This is a wine that will complement just about any dish from appetizers to dessert! Alcohol: 14.5% SRP: $20 I look forward to trying the other range of wines that Domaine Basquet has to offer, such as their Premium, Reserve and Grand Reserve lines and single bottling Ameri Icon and Dulce.
France + Argentina = delicious wines! Simple math! Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at wineknittercomments@gmail.com Whenever I see a wine store, I like to go in and peruse the shelves. It is a fun way for me to discover and learn about lesser-known wines. On this particular day, I was looking to see what the store had to offer for under $15. When I reached the Italian section, I saw a bottle of Ninety+ Cellars Chianti Riserva selling for $11.99. I must admit that I was not familiar with the label, but I was intrigued by the accolades that the wine store owner was giving it. So, I decided to purchase a bottle and see for myself. First of all, Ninety+ Cellars is a wine brand based in Boston, MA. Founded by Kevin Mehra in 2009 and with Wine Director Brett Vankoski at the helm, their concept is to buy a percentage of a winery’s production for a reduced price, bottle it in Ninety+ Cellars bottles and sell the wine for less. The website states, “We are a modern day wine négociant–working with highly rated wineries and vineyards to curate a portfolio of fine wines from all over the globe”. Every wine bottle is given a lot number and has the 90+ stamp of approval. Their wine portfolio includes Napa Valley, New Zealand, Italy, and France. Wines range in price from $10 to $40. 90+ Cellars Classic Series Chianti Riserva 2013 Lot 144 Sangiovese grapes are sourced from the Chianti region of Tuscany. The wine spends three years of maturation before release and therefore is given the Chianti DOCG Riserva label. The color is ruby with aromas of cherry, spice and floral notes. The palate offers red fruit, spice, with hints of white pepper and oregano on the finish. Mild tannins, beautifully balanced and impressive for the price. Alcohol: 13% SRP: $11.99 It’s hard for me to pass up a wine store, bookstore or knitting shop!
Have a great weekend! Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at wineknittercomments@gmail.com “Oh the weather outside is frightful But the fire is so delightful And since we've no place to go Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!” From “Let It Snow” Songwriters: Jule Styne / Sammy Cahn With unbearable temperatures outside this weekend, it was a good time to focus on a few indoor projects that I’ve been putting off for way too long. As much as I wanted to go snowshoeing, the high winds and below 0-degree temps held me back. I braved the elements only once so that I could buy a few ingredients for Tomato Lentil soup that I was making for guests who were far braver than I am and didn’t mind venturing out in the cold and windy evening. Although I had planned to open a Carmenere from Chile to serve with the soup, one of my guests brought a few bottles of Josh Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon for us to drink. So I decided to open the Cabernet first. Cabernet Sauvignon is grown worldwide and the characteristics of the wine vary depending on the climate and soil of the region, among other factors. California has many wine regions ranging from Northern California to Napa Valley that are well suited for Cabernet Sauvignon production. In fact, according to California Agricultural Statistics Service for 2016, Napa had the most Cabernet Sauvignon acreage planted of all the counties, 20,759 acres. Joseph Carr formed his own wine company in Napa Valley after spending a decade as a world-class sommelier and another decade as a wine industry executive. His dream was to have his own family-owned winery and so in 2005 he began making wines under the label ‘Joseph Carr’. In 2007 Carr launched Josh Cellars as a tribute to his dad, Josh, who inspired and influenced the man Carr is today. “Every bottle of Josh Cellars wine produced honors and acknowledges his father”. Grapes for the Josh Cellar wines are sourced from top California winegrowing regions to create wines with character and complexity. The 2015 Josh Cellars North Coast Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of 83% Cabernet Sauvignon and 17% Merlot dominant blend. This is a full-bodied wine with aromas of dark fruit, oak, spice and currant. The palate offers a silky mouthfeel with dark cherry, blackberry, plum, spice, vanilla and pepper. It was a long finish of pepper with hints of oak. Outstanding price for the product! Alcohol: 13.5% SRP: $15 The Tomato Lentil soup is hearty, packed with protein and quite filling! It’s perfect for a cold night. In addition to onions, carrots and celery, I added a blend of herbs, a little dry white wine and lots of love! The soup takes about three hours to cook, but is well worth it. The wine paired well with the soup and didn’t compete with all the subtle flavors the soup had to offer. We eventually moved on to taste the Carmenere, but that will be the topic of another post. When I left my house this morning, it was a chilling -6 degrees! I think that a glass of wine and a bowl of soup are on the menu for later today! Cheers!
Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at wineknittercomments@gmail.com It was a cold and blustery night, the car temperature read 6 degrees outside, but Don Melchor and I were determined to reach the restaurant no matter what. As I was driving I kept looking anxiously at the passenger seat to make sure Don was safely strapped into the seatbelt. Having traveled thousands of miles from Chile to partake in the evening’s festivities, it was important for my journeyer to have a smooth ride. Concha y Toro Don Melchor Cabernet Sauvignon and I go back a few years. I’ve had the pleasure of drinking several vintages, all of them outstanding. My last story and review was on the 2013 vintage. Please take a moment and read it to learn the history of Don Melchor, the region, climate and soil so that you can appreciate the beauty of this wine. http://thewineknitter.com/1/post/2016/11/day-532-don-melchor.html Don Melchor Cabernet Sauvignon is Chile’s first and most renowned icon wine. With winemaker Enrique Tirado at the helm, each vintage of Don Melchor is expressive and elegant. Every year Tirado chooses grapes from 50 to 60 parcels, out of the 142 located in Puente Alto on the north bank of the Maipo River. Tirado says, “each parcel not only offers a unique expression, but that expression varies from year to year”. The 2014 Don Melchor Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of 92% Cabernet Sauvignon and 8% Cabernet Franc. Prior to tasting, we decanted the wine to allow the aromas and flavors to open. The color is ruby red with seductive aromas of dark cherry, plum and dark currant. The palate offers dark and lush berries, plum, cocoa, and spice. The wine is full-bodied with velvety tannins and a long black cherry finish. We paired the wine with a variety of dishes such as baked Brie with truffles, oysters, halibut and scallops with leek fondue. And yes, I saved a sip to pair with the apple and blueberry strudel. Alcohol: 14.5% SRP: $125 This is a wine to savor and share! Drinks beautifully!
I look forward to our date same time next year, Don Melchor! Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at wineknittercomments@gmail.com |
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