Category: Syrah

Day 624 "Just Because"

1/26/2018

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

Day 614 A Taste of Rhône

12/6/2017

On the eve of the summer solstice in June, I wrote about Ferraton Père & Fils flavorful Samorëns Rosé 2016 and Samorëns Blanc 2016. And now that we are just fifteen days away from the winter solstice, I decided it was time to open a few reds from Ferraton Père & Fils.

Ferraton Père & Fils estate is located in Tain l’Hermitage in Southern France and was founded in 1946 by Jean Orëns Ferraton. His son Michel, inheriting the same passion as his father, introduced the first Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage and Saint-Joseph wines to the world. Michel Chapoutier, a highly regarded winemaker and close friend of the Ferratons’ introduced organic viticulture to the vineyards in 1998 and he eventually formed a partnership with the Ferratons. By the year 2000, all of the vineyards were converted to biodynamic farming and are now certified organic. What began in 1946 as a .3 hectare estate (some of these vines still produce fruit), Ferraton now has an annual production of about 350,000 bottles and is headed by oenologist Damien Brisset.

La Matinière Crozes-Hermitage 2015 is 100% Syrah. Crozes-Hermitage is the largest appellation in the Northern Rhône and is known for its exceptional Syrahs. The grapes for the La Matinière are sourced and blended from a mix of estate and neighboring vineyards in the Mercurol and Beaumont-Monteux districts of central and southern Crozes-Hermitage. The wine is the color of dark plum bordering on purple. It is very aromatic, filling the nose with cherry, dark berries, spice and earth. The palate offers a beautiful dance of dark cherry, red berries, pomegranate, pepper and cocoa. Smooth tannins with a long finish of cherry, plum and pepper add a nice kick to the finale. This is a versatile wine when it comes to pairing with food!
Alcohol: 13%
SRP: $23

Côtes-du-Rhône is in the Southern Rhône. The region enjoys a Mediterranean climate conducive to grape growing which also reflects in the characteristics of the wine.

Samorëns Côtes-du-Rhône Red 2015 is a blend of 85% Grenache, 10% Syrah and 5% Cinsault. The grapes are sourced from estate and smaller growers mostly located in the Northern Rhône. The color of the wine is dark ruby with aromas of lush red fruit, cherry, raspberry, floral and spice. The palate offers tart cherry, raspberry, fennel and pepper. It has a lovely mouthfeel with spice and pepper on a long finish. At $14 a bottle, this is a steal! Will pair well with pasta, meats and hearty fish. I popped a chocolate kiss in my mouth and took a sip of the wine. Wow!
Alcohol: 14%
SRP: $14

All of these wines, including Samorëns Rosé and Samorëns Blanc, will drink beautifully at any time of the year. Don’t limit your selection of wine based on what season it is. Be adventurous and have some fun with mixing it up a little. I have white and rosé wine chilling in the refrigerator all year long!

Cheers!
Penina

To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at wineknittercomments@gmail.com

Day 589

8/6/2017

For the past few weeks I’ve been slowly making my way through an assortment of wines that Fondo Antico winery sent to me from Sicily.

As I wrote in an earlier post, Fondo Antico winery was established in 1995 and is owned by the Polizzotti-Scuderi family that is now in its sixth generation of winemaking. The estate is located in the village of Rilievo, between Trapani and Marsala, in western Sicily. They have 80 acres of vineyards planted with vines such as Grillo, Nero d’Avola, Catarratto, Perricone and Syrah in addition to olive and lemon trees.

Fondo Antico loosely translated means “ancient background” and refers to the winery’s history and strong tradition of making wine. Their logo is a branch of Corallium rubrum, (red coral) a local species of the Mediterranean that was considered a symbol for averting evil influences or bad luck and was also a source of local livelihoods between the 14th and 15th century. The coral preserves marine biodiversity and Fondo Antico protects the Sicilian native species and its territory, using eco-friendly practices.

Syrah is the only international red variety that Fondo Antico produces. And it is a winner!

The color of the Syrah 2015 wine is a rich dark purple. Holding the wine up to the light, one can see how purple it is. Also note the small amount of rim variation indicating that the wine is young.

The nose offers red fruit, cherry and hints of earth. The palate is layered with red fruit, lush berries, pepper and a touch of strawberry on the finish. This is a medium-bodied wine with medium tannins and will pair nicely with fish or meat.
Alcohol: 14%

I chose to make a simple meal that paired beautifully with the wine. We grilled salmon with fresh basil, oregano and lemon and grilled corn on the cob. My homegrown tomatoes and avocado rounded out the dinner.

It was a beautiful evening to dine outside, but the yellow jackets were not willing to share the space on my deck. And since I’m not fond of these bees, we retreated to indoors with our food and wine!

Have a great day!

Cheers!
Penina

To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at wineknittercomments@gmail.com

Day 524

10/14/2016

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It is not uncommon for UPS and Fed-Ex to deliver wines to my door from wineries, PR agencies and importers. I love exploring regions, discovering new wines and learning about the winemakers without having to pack a suitcase. Of course, nothing compares to actually walking through a vineyard with glass in hand!

Most recently, I received a box of wines containing samples of Michel Chapoutier’s 2015 Domaine de Bila-Haut “Les Vignes” Rouge and “Les Vignes” Blanc. Domaine Bila-Haut is located in the region of Côtes de Roussillon, Languedoc. It is in Southwest France, and very close to Spain.

Michel Chapoutier

Michel Chapoutier is head of Maison M. Chapoutier. He is world-renowned and is one of Rhône’s most famous wine producers of Hermitage, Chateaneuf du Pape and Côte Rôtie to name just a few. He purchased the 190-acre Domaine Bila-Haut in 1999 . It was a neglected property but showed promise with the land being a mix of schist, gneiss and clay. With Chapoutier’s knowledge, expertise and passion along with the climate of the Mediterranean, he turned the land into a perfect growing environment for Syrah, Grenache and Carignan. Bila-Haut wines reflect all of this.

Les Vignes de Bila-Haut Rouge is elegant. This is a beautiful blend of Syrah, Grenache and Carignan. The color is so dark it borders on violet. Intense aromas of dark cherry, blackberry, spice and herbs are present. The palate offers lots of dark fruit, plum and pepper. The “jammy” flavors blend well with the spice. The wine is medium-bodied with soft tannins and an extra treat of pepper and chocolate on a long finish. Alcohol: 14.5%

Les Vignes de Bila-Haut is a lovely blend of 50% Grenache Blanc, 20% Marsanne, 20% Macabeo and 10% Vermentino. It is interesting to note that only 4% of the grapes in this region are allocated to white wine. And, Michel Chapoutier has done a stunning job of capturing the essence of these varietals. Soft yellow in color, this crisp wine is very aromatic with citrus, vanilla, floral, lemon and hints of stone fruit that segue onto the palate. It has a creamy mouth-feel with a lingering bit of zest and the sea on the long finish. Alcohol: 13.5%

The wines are available nationally and on select wines lists as well. They retail for about $15.

Both wines will pair well with a variety of foods. With the holidays approaching, these are wonderful wines to serve with appetizers, entrees and even dessert! They are a great value for the price and easy wines to drink! Enjoy!

Cheers!
Penina

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Day 457

4/24/2016

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The week flew by very quickly. Because I spent so much time outdoors, I didn’t attend to everything that I should have. It will definitely impact the week coming up. In addition to work, I have wine events, a dinner party and best of all, a puppy to socialize from the Puppies Behind Bars organization.

Prior to sunset last evening, my friend arrived for dinner. We decided to open a bottle of 2012 Chateau Mourgues Du Gres ‘Les Galets Rosés’ that I had chilling in the refrigerator. Made mostly with Syrah and a small amount of Grenache, this rosé was full-bodied, dry and fruity. The color was deep salmon with fragrant aromas of strawberry, peach and raspberry. Wonderfully layered flavors of strawberry, cherry, melon and vanilla gave way to a long finish of sweet apple lingering on the palate. Francois Collard, a former journalist, owns Chateau Mourgues Du Gres. It is in the appellation of Costieres de Nimes, located on the border of Languedoc and Provence. Check out the website for more information.
http://www.mourguesdugres.com

The rosé paired well with the baked Dijon-crusted salmon, corn on the cob drizzled with truffle oil and roasted asparagus.

With just a little of the rosé left and no prepared dessert, I grabbed a bag of semi-sweet chocolate chunks for a little treat. The combination of the rosé and the chocolate in our mouths was quite amazing and very delicious. It was like eating strawberries dipped in chocolate. Yummy!

I’m hoping to get in a power walk before the day ends.

Have a great Sunday!

Cheers!
Penina

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Day 346

9/21/2015

Since I was stuck at home nursing a “boo boo” on my leg these past few days, friends stopped by with food and good cheer. In the movie “A Streetcar Named Desire”, Blanche DuBois said, “Whoever you are, I have always depended on the kindness of strangers.” I, on the other hand, have always depended on the kindness of my friends”.

The other evening, one of those kind friends brought over a very nice bottle of Spanish wine in addition to a killer meal that he prepared for me. We opened a 2010 El Escocés Volante '3000 Anos' from Bullas, Spain located in the southeast Mediterranean area. El Escocés Volante means “The Flying Scot”. Norrel Robertson came to Spain in 2003 with his family and released his first wine in 2004. The 3000 Anos is a blend of 50% Monastrell and 50% Syrah. The color was dark purple with aromas of dark berries, cranberries and leather. This full-bodied wine was filled with flavors of dark fruit, smoky oak, spices and herbs. The finish was long and velvety. http://www.escocesvolante.es

The temperature is slowing dropping and autumn is upon us. It’s time to dust off the knitting needles that I have neglected for far too long and begin a project.

Happy Monday!

Cheers!
Penina

Day 254

4/24/2015

What happened to spring? I woke up this morning to 35 degrees and it is supposed to go down to 29 degrees tonight! Seriously? It’s hot toddy weather again.

I have a busy day ahead of me, but before I dash off, I want to tell you about the 2006 Hecht & Bannier Faugères that I had last night to toast my lucky friend who has been traveling in the Languedoc region.

The wine is made from about 70% Syrah and the rest is Mourvèdre. It was a rich garnet color with cherry, violet and pepper on the nose. The palate offered dark plum, berries, spices and a hint of cocoa. The texture was pure velvet with soft tannins and a long finish. It is interesting to note that this is the smallest appellation in the region and only 200 cases are produced per year. I was fortunate to try a bottle!
http://hechtbannier.com

Enjoy your Friday and stay warm!

Cheers!
Penina

Day 152

12/4/2014

It was a great day yesterday. I went to a holiday luncheon with a group of fabulous people who exuded happiness, laughter and positive energy! The drinks were varied…Mimosas, Bloody Marys, Strawberry Bellinis and Screwdrivers. It was festive and ended all too soon!

What little time remained of the day was spent in preparing for my youngest son’s upcoming visit! It will be a fun filled holiday season for sure!

I had a quick cocktail hour with a friend and then it was on to sketching and refining my next knitting project.

I tasted a very good wine recently. It was a 2012 Saggi Super Tuscan-style Blend from Long Shadows. It was a blend of Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. Aromas of cherry, herbs and mocha gave way to tasting raspberry, cherry and currants. There was a hint of smokiness to it as well. This is a nice blend with just enough richness and sweetness carrying through to a nice finish. www.longshadows.com

Cheers!
Penina

Day 137

11/16/2014

It was a productive weekend for my knitting project. I finished the first panel and am in the process of knitting the second one. I’m still not telling you what it is yet.

I attended a wine tasting yesterday to sample Long Shadows Vineyard wines from Washington State’s Columbia County. I tasted six reds and a Riesling. While they were all noteworthy, the Riesling, Merlot and Syrah were my favorite picks. Alan Shoup founded Long Shadows Vineyard in 2003. He brought seven amazing vintners from around the world to Washington State to produce wines in the Columbia Valley. The story behind Long Shadows is very interesting and can be found at www.longshadows.com. Over the course of the next several days, I will give you my opinion on each wine that I tasted.

But for now, I must “fly out the door” to embrace the day!

Cheers!
Penina

Day 135

11/14/2014

We had our first tiny snowfall last evening. I could have sworn that my snowshoes winked at me in anticipation of winter. Or were they flirting with my skis that were parked next to them? Perhaps I just need to get away!

I’ve been working on my knitting project. Although I’m not going to divulge what I’m making, I’ll show you how far I got yesterday.
Click on the image for a more detailed view!
As much as I would have liked to spend more time on it, I had to attend to other business. I will try to squeeze in an hour or so today of knitting.

I had a very nice wine last evening. It was a 2010 Hill Family Estate Syrah from the Clark Vineyard. On the nose, strong earthy tones and rich fruit greeted me. I tasted lush fruits with black cherry being predominant. There was a hint of vanilla and other berries that I couldn’t identify. Soft tannins and a very smooth finish made this a most enjoyable wine. And of course, the company and food were an added bonus! http://www.hillfamilyestate.com

By the way, did you know that the word Syrah is derived from Shiraz, a city in Iran?

Cheers…and Happy Friday!
Penina

An adventure into the world of wine, food, travel, knitting...and so much more!

Day 624 "Just Because"

Day 614 A Taste of Rhône

Day 589

Day 524

Day 457

Day 346

Day 254

Day 152

Day 137

Day 135

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