The holidays are almost upon us, and many will be celebrating either alone or with immediate family. But that’s no reason to curb the festivities. In fact, this year, more than ever, it is important to embrace our traditions and be thankful for family and friends that are still with us. In addition to sparkling wines, which I will be talking about in the next week or so, here are a few light still wine suggestions for your holiday table. These versatile and food-friendly wines will pair nicely with poultry, fish, vegetarian cuisine and latkes! Cavit Pinot Noir IGT 2018 The grapes for this 100% Pinot Noir come from the vineyards of Provincia di Pavia in the Lombardy region of Italy. After fermentation, the wine rests on its lees in large oak barrels until release. Aromas of floral, cherry and cranberry segue onto the palate with dark cherry notes, red berries and a hint of spice. This is a well-structured wine with silky tannins and a long finish. Serve as an aperitif or with your favorite meal! Alcohol: 12% SRP: $9.99 Nik Weis St. Urbans-Hof Wiltinger Kabinett Riesling 2018 Wiltinger is a village located in the Saar valley of Germany. The vineyard is on a site called Schlangengraben. It is noted for its reddish slate soil, a color that is derived from the iron content that adds minerality and spice to the wines. The vineyard was planted in 1905 and is one of the oldest in the entire Mosel region. These old vines have deep roots and produce small berries that create intense, lively, aromatic and complex wines. This wine has a VDP Ortswein classification, meaning that it comes from a village’s best vineyards. Intoxicating aromas of floral, stone fruit, spice and a touch of smokiness set the stage for this succulent wine. The palate offers peach, apricot, pear, spice and slate minerality blended with crisp acidity. It has depth and structure with a restrained residual sweetness. Serve as an aperitif or with fish, Asian cuisine and white meat. Alcohol: 9% SRP: $19.99 Mandrarossa Costadune Frappato Terre Siciliane IGT 2017 According to Wines of Sicily, “Frappato is believed to have its origins in the Ragusa province of Sicily around 300 years ago. It is characterized as a light and refreshing wine. Nose: full bouquet, cherry Palate: mild tannins violet, strawberries.” Grapes for this 100% Frappato wine were sourced from vineyards at 820 ft. above sea level in Menfi, southwest Sicily. The wine matures for eight months in steel vats. Lush red fruit aromas, floral and spice set the stage for this light-bodied wine. The palate offers a juicy array of cherries, strawberry, a hint of red plum, sweet spice and a touch of sour cherry that lingers on the finish. It is beautifully balanced between sweet and savory and ideal for a variety of food pairings. Try serving it slightly chilled. Alcohol: 13% SRP: $17.99 Pfaffl Grüner Veltliner Weinviertel DAC Zeisen, 2018 Austria’s most significant and indigenous white grape variety is Grüner Veltliner. This dry wine is known for its vibrant acidity and flavors of pepper and citrus. The grapes for this 100% Grüner Veltliner are harvested from 43-year-old vines located in the Weinviertel appellation of Austria. The wines are bottled after spending four months in stainless steel tanks. As per Austrian Wine, ““DAC” stands for “Districtus Austriae Controllatus” and is the legal abbreviation for special region-typical quality wines. Thus, if a label states the winegrowing region followed by the letter combination DAC, we are talking about a region-typical quality wine.” Citrus, herbs, spice and pepper delight the nose. This is a very crisp and juicy wine with flavors of key lime, pepper, spice, herbs, a touch of minerality and a zingy and peppery finish. It is a refreshing wine and will leave your palate craving for another sip. Serve as an aperitif or pair with poultry, smoked salmon and oysters. Alcohol: 13% SRP: $18.99 Saget La Perrière “La Perrière” Sancerre 2019 Sancerre is a small wine appellation in the Loire Valley wine region of France. It is famous for its production of white wines made from Sauvignon Blanc. As cited by Loire Valley Wines, “Centre-Loire region is at the center of France. It is the original home of Sauvignon Blanc and of Sancerre, the world’s most prestigious Sauvignon Blanc wine that sets international standards for the grape.” This 100% Sauvignon Blanc is sourced from vineyards in the Centre-Loire region. The wine is aged on fine lees for three to four months, then bottled and aged for at least five months in the cellar. Lovely aromas of white stone fruit and floral mingle with citrus and a touch of minerality. The palate is lush, rich and creamy with added notes of melon, lemon, pink grapefruit, pear, a hint of herbs and a flinty finish. It is a beautiful marriage of flavors and vibrant acidity. Drink as an aperitif or pair with fish, poultry, seafood and appetizers.
Alcohol: 13.5% SRP: $39.99 The above wines are meant to be enjoyed all year round. Indulge your palate and have fun mixing and matching with your favorite food pairings. Until next time… Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at wineknittercomments@gmail.com A few years ago I wrote a story about Loire Valley. After attending “Spring to Loire Valley 2018” wine tasting this past week, I thought it would be worthwhile to revisit these noteworthy wines with you. So before I get into the specifics of some of the wines I tasted, let’s review the Loire Valley region. Loire Valley spans 170 miles and is located in the middle stretch of the Loire River, (France’s longest river) in central France. Loire Valley is also called the “Garden of France” noted for its vineyards, floral gardens, castles and historic towns. The Loire Valley wine region is France’s third largest winemaking region and ranks second in production of rosés. The vineyards, situated along the river, stretches from the Atlantic coast to north-central France. The diversity in soil composition and climate along this stretch plays a key role in the production and characteristics of the wine. Pays Nantais region is closest to the Atlantic Ocean and produces Muscadet, made from the Melon de Bourgogne grape. An interesting note, more Muscadet is produced than any other Loire wine. Muscadet tends to be light-bodied and dry. The high acidity and soft citrus notes make for easy food pairing. The Anjou region is best known for its fruity rosés and red wines. Many of Loire Valley’s sweet wines are produced here. Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc are the most prominent grapes used. Saumur is considered a premier sparkling wine region in France and is also noted for its red wines made with Cabernet Franc. The main variety of grape for white wines is Chenin Blanc. Due to the chalky soil, the sparkling wines tend to drink like champagne. The red wines lean towards fruity and light-bodied. Touraine has many famous appellations that include Vouvray, made from Chenin Blanc grapes and Chinon and St. Nicolas de Bourgueil, both made from Cabernet Franc. The red wines from this region are made mostly from Cabernet Franc, Gamay and Malbec and tend to be rich in tannins. Most of the white wines are made with Sauvignon Blanc and tend to be dry and refreshing with an edge of fruit and tart. Centre-Loire region is at the center of France. “It is the original home of Sauvignon Blanc and of Sancerre, the world’s most prestigious Sauvignon Blanc wine that sets international standards for the grape”, as cited from Loire Valley Wines. The majority of the wines that come from the Loire Valley are pressed from a single varietal as opposed to most classic French wines that are blended. It is easier to discern the terroir of the single varietal grapes through aroma and taste. There are 24 grape varieties in the Loire Valley. The leading white varietals are Melon De Bourgogne, Chenin and Sauvignon. The leading red varietals are Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc and Gamay. With 28 wine importers showcasing wines from all four regions, I had the opportunity to taste a wide range of whites, reds, rosés and sparkling wines. Below is a slide show of just a few of the wines I tasted along with a brief summary of wines that caught the attention of my palate. Domaine de Cézin, 2016 Chenin Blanc is from the Jasnières appellation. It is 100% Chenin Blanc grown in limestone and clay soil. Layers of light fruit, honey, floral and minerality on the palate show off the aromatic and off-dry characteristics of this wine. SRP: $24
Domaine des Varinelles 2015 Cabernet Franc is from Saumur-Champigny. It is 100% Cabernet Franc and packs a punch with berries, spice, pepper and cherry. Medium tannins and easy to drink. SRP: $20 Domaine Pascal Jolivet 2016 Sauvignon Blanc is from Sancerre. This is a dry and lively wine with fresh citrus, melon, pear, minerality and a snappy lemon curd finish. SRP: $38 Maurice Bonnamy Cabernet Franc Rosé Sparkling NV Crémant-de-Loire appellation. Fine and foamy bubbles lead to fresh citrus, red fruit and spice with a chalky lemon finish. Nice! SRP: $16.99 Domaine Champeau 2016 Chasselas is from Pouilly-sur-Loire appellation. Chasselas grapes originated in Switzerland and are grown in several countries. Although it is usually blended with Sauvignon Blanc, this particular wine is 100% Chasselas. The wine is mild with citrus and floral overtones, lots of salinity and a sour edge to it. Food pairing can be a challenge, but mushrooms, quiche, cheese and fruit work. SRP: $14.99 Domaine Valery Renaudat, 2016 Pinot Gris Rosé is from the Reuilly appellation. This 100% Pinot Gris has layers of citrus, floral, peach and strawberry. Lively acidity with a hint of a bitter finish. SRP: $17.99 Jean Michel Gautier/Domaine de la Racauderie Grolleau Rosé Sparkling NV This 100% Grolleau comes from Touraine appellation. Persistent fine bubbles with soft sweetness, red fruit and lively acidity. Fresh and dry. SRP: $22.99 Domaine du Colombier-Mouzillon-Tillières 2012 Melon de Bourgogne This 100% Melon de Bourgogne is from Muscadet-sèvre-et-Maine appellation. More than two-thirds of total Muscadet production comes from this appellation. The wine is tangy with flinty notes, salinity and hints of apple and mild fruit. SRP: $19.99 Domaine de la Colline 2016 Cabernet Franc is from Chinon appellation. This 100% Cabernet Franc is medium-bodied and earthy with notes of dark fruit and plum. Hints of floral and soft fruit remain on the palate. SRP: $14.99 The wines of the Loire Valley range in style and complexity. So, no matter what you like to drink, whether it’s white, red, rosé or sparkling, crisp, dry, sweet, fruity, racy, edgy, earthy or robust, Loire Valley has a wine that is sure to please your palate. Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at wineknittercomments@gmail.com Memorial Day weekend is here and friends have headed to the beach or hightailed it up to their country cabins and lakes. For those of us that have chosen to stay home, we’ve been swimming, grilling and hanging out! While grilling Vidalia onions and mushrooms last evening, I took stock of my herb and vegetable garden. I was very pleased to see that my strawberry plant is producing such large fruit. And, the strawberries are very sweet! I’m thinking that strawberries pureed with vodka and crushed ice would make a fun summer drink! I’ve been looking forward to opening Soulmates Wines 2008 Zinfandel and I was hoping to try it last night. But with temperatures hovering close to 90 degrees, we needed to drink something a touch lighter and a bit cooler! However, it will be the first red wine that I open when the temperatures drop a bit. We ended up opening a 2015 Jean-Picard Sancerre Le Chemin de Marloup Sauvignon Blanc that was chilled to perfection. This 100% Sauvignon Blanc was pale lemon with soft aromas of citrus, peach, strawberry, floral notes and a hint of vanilla. On the palate this full-bodied wine was understated and refreshing. The texture was creamy with mingled flavors of pear, nectarine, & a hint of herbs. The Picard family has been producing wine in Sancerre since 1750. The vineyard is located next to the Loire on the Bue’ slopes which are reputed to be one of the finest for quality. I look forward to trying their Sancerre Rose’ and Sancerre Red soon. http://www.sancerre-picard.com/en/ Happy Sunday…and enjoy the rest of the holiday weekend!
Cheers! Penina I’m nursing a big “boo boo” on my leg, so I’m in down time mode for a few days. Fortunately, my friends have been popping over to entertain me! After a restful day yesterday, a friend stopped by in the late afternoon for a quick hello and good-bye. About an hour later another friend came over with food, a bottle of wine and positive energy. Now, that’s what I’m talking about! He cheered me up in no time! We opened a bottle of 2011 Jean-Paul Picard Cuvée Prestige Sauvignon Blanc, from Sancerre, Loire Valley. The wine was light straw with stone fruit and floral aromas. The palate was a mixture of pear, apple, a hint of lemon zest and quite rich! The long finish was quite satisfying and paired well with the salmon, salad and grilled asparagus. Sancerre is a small wine district located in central France. They are famous for their high quality white wines made from Sauvignon Blanc. Sancerre is also known for its high quality goat cheese. I would love to try some of that! Don’t forget to watch the Stanley Cup game tonight. I’m looking forward to a fun evening! Happy Saturday! Cheers! Penina The snow is coming down and it’s a winter wonderland! I’m pretending that I’m in Miami and am baking Key Lime pies. I want to tell you about the wine I had the other evening at my dinner party. One of my guests brought a few bottles of 2005 Chateau de Sancerre Rouge. This is their first vintage that is available in the U.S., which is quite something considering that the Chateau has been making Pinot for almost 90 years! The wine was the color of cherries and had aromas of spice and berries. It had a classic Pinot taste…cherries, licorice and spice. It was smooth and easy to drink. A nice finish with the taste of cherry jam lingering in my mouth was all the dessert that I needed. I must complete my pies and start preparing for the Thanksgiving feast tomorrow! Cheers! Penina Happy Labor Day! I’m taking advantage of the sunshine before the rain and thunder roll in again this afternoon. I made a tiny dent in my knitting project. I made the pattern so complicated, that I have to really concentrate and count every stitch as I knit. Oh boy…quite a challenge considering that I like to multi task! Enjoy the last of summer! Open up a bottle of wine and celebrate! Cheers! Penina Since it is a rainy day I decided to go through my liquor cabinet to hopefully organize it more ergonomically…if that’s even possible! While sorting through bottles of spirits and wines that haven’t been touched in years, I stumbled across a bottle of Cherry Heering. When is the last time you used this liqueur? And what do you really know about it? I confess that I was a little intrigued, so I did some research. This remarkable liqueur created by Peter Heering has been produced in Denmark since 1818. And, the best part is that it is ALL NATURAL! Cherry Heering is made by soaking lightly crushed Danish cherries and a blend of spices in neutral grain spirits. It is then cask-matured for up to five years adding sugar during the aging process. It is a deep ruby color and actually tastes good…no candy or cough drop flavor that one expects from a cherry liqueur. See more at http://www.cherryheering.com/ Try pouring a little Cherry Heering over ice cream for a change of pace! If you have any mixology drinks or other recipes that you would like to share that incorporates Cherry Heering, please do.
Cheers! Penina Hooray! I picked up my knitting needles today and actually knit for a few minutes. This is going to be great hand/wrist therapy. Although I can only knit for about 15 minutes at a time, it is progress. Here is a very tiny sample of today’s handiwork. It's only a about 3 inches from top to bottom! What are you going to drink this evening to kick off the weekend? Let’s get some dialog going and share your thoughts with me! I’m contemplating a nice Rose or Chardonnay to start with. However, I'm going to a pool/dinner party this evening, so l will let you know what the host has chosen! Cheers!
Penina The first hurricane of the season, Arthur, made its presence known last night, even though it was hundreds of miles away. My house shook all evening with violent thunderclaps and the fireworks display (lightning) rivaled Macy’s Fourth of July fireworks. My air conditioner was blasting and I was reminded of the days I used to live in Miami Beach with high humidity and temps in the 90’s. Ugh… I felt it was important to stay hydrated, so the water bottles came out and the wine bottles stayed in the cabinet and refrigerator. Hence, no reviews today. I will leave you with this photo of wine corks, courtesy of Wine Folly. Stay cool…stay hydrated!
Cheers! Penina It was a beautiful late afternoon with a perfect breeze and low humidity. I thought about having a glass of wine, but then decided to have my “go to” favorite spirit…vodka. I consider myself quite knowledgeable on the topic of vodka and have tasted all so many brands and types. For the most part, I’m a purist when it comes to drinking vodka. I like it straight out of the freezer and into my glass…no ice…no fruit…just vodka. When I drink vodka straight up, which is most of the time, I lean towards drinking Grey Goose, Belvedere, Chopin, Van Gogh and Zyr. They are smooth and very tasty. If I’m mixing vodka with anything, I go to the next tier of vodkas. Like wine, spirits and art, it is all subjective when it comes to taste. Whatever floats your boat is the right choice. No judgment from the peanut gallery!
So there I sat at sunset with Grey Goose in good hand, enjoying the flavors and watched the sultry day turn into a sweet evening. Cheers! Penina |
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