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On Monday, August 21st, 2017 all of North America will witness an incredible celestial event, the eclipse of the sun. The last total eclipse was 38 years ago, in 1979. If you are fortunate enough to be within the path of totality, you will be able to see a total solar eclipse when the moon will completely cover the sun as it passes between the earth and the sun. Observers outside this path will be able to see a partial solar eclipse. In addition to North America, parts of South America, Africa and Europe will see a partial solar eclipse.  To mark this event, it might be fun to have a “moon” themed party. And what better way to toast the eclipse than with “night harvested” wines from Chile, produced by Concha y Toro. Although most any wine with a label suggesting the moon or nighttime will do, I happen to have a few bottles of Frontera After Dark, the 2016 Moonlight White and 2016 After Midnight Red on hand. The Frontera labels are entry-level wines that are priced low, with good value. The grapes are harvested in the cool of the night for “bolder flavors and aromas”.  I presented the 2015 vintages to the millennial crowd at my Thanksgiving dinner this past November. You can read their reviews at: http://thewineknitter.com/1/post/2016/12/day-537.html The 2016 Frontera Moonlight White Blend is produced in the Itata Valley of Chile. Made primarily with Moscato grapes, the wine is pale gold in color with aromas of floral and soft citrus. This is a fresh but sweet wine with a subtle touch of effervescence and hints of honey, peach and white flowers. Finish is short and sweet! Alcohol: 9.5% SRP: $6  The 2016 After Midnight is produced in Central Valley, Chile. The blend is 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Syrah and 5% Merlot. The color is purple with aromas of cherry, dark berries and plum. The palate offers plum, strawberry, hints of spice and mild tannins. This is a medium-bodied wine that leans towards the sweet side. Alcohol: 12% SRP: $6  In addition to wine, there are many “moon themed” cocktails such as Blue Moon Martinis made with gin and Blue Curacao or Sailor Moon cocktails. Make an assortment of edibles such as Half Moon cheese pies, mini Croissants stuffed with your favorite food (use your imagination) and of course for dessert, Magical Moon Pies! Whatever you choose to drink and eat and how you choose to celebrate the solar eclipse, please make sure to have Eclipse glasses on hand to protect your eyes. And put on some music and listen to Van Morrison’s “Moondance” song. After all, “it’s a marvelous night for a moondance”! Cheers!
Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at wineknittercomments@gmail.com  The rain and humidity finally disappeared last evening. So a few friends and I gathered for a sunset glass of wine and appetizers. Our host had a few bottles of perfectly chilled MacRostie Russian River Valley Chardonnay waiting for us. MacRostie Winery and Vineyards is located along the Sonoma Coast in the heart of the Russian River Valley in California. Founded in 1987 by Steve MacRostie, he and winemaker Heidi Bridenhagen are making extraordinary wines. In addition to Steve’s Wildcat Mountain Vineyard, he uses grapes farmed by some legendary winegrowers such as the Duttons, Sangiocomos and Martinellis. The winegrowing sites include more than 30 Chardonnay vineyards and over 15 Pinot Noir sites allowing for diversity and vibrancy in their wines.   The 2015 Russian River Valley Chardonnay is a blend of grapes from some of the finest vineyards, including Kent Ritchie Vineyard, Martinelli Vineyard, Mirabelle Vineyard and Charles Heintz Vineyard. The wine is very aromatic with notes of flowers, citrus, tart apple and honeydew that spill onto the palate with hints of oak and melon that linger on. This is a crisp and well-defined Chardonnay and an elegant addition to any table. SRP: $34 And now I’m off to embrace this beautiful day!
Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at wineknittercomments@gmail.com It was a beautiful summer evening and I was off to a block party.  Guess what I was responsible for bringing? Wine, of course! Since I had recently received two 1.5L bottles of Frontera Chardonnay and Frontera Cabernet-Merlot, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to taste and share them with my friends and neighbors.  Frontera wines are made by Concha y Toro, world-renowned wine producers from Chile. Concha y Toro wines are no strangers to my blog and I have tasted and reviewed many of their brands. Their Frontera label is an entry–level line with a variety of wines that are nicely focused, easy to drink and have a definite appeal to the millennial crowd. However, the wines that I brought to the party were enjoyed by a wide range of generations! The Frontera 2016 Chardonnay is pale yellow with pleasant aromas of apple, pear and citrus. The palate offers apple, tropical fruit and hints of wood. It is light and refreshing.  Alcohol: 13% SRP: $12 for 1.5L bottle The Frontera 2016 Cabernet-Merlot has a color that borders on purple. This is not a complex wine and it leans toward the fruity side. The nose offers dark berries, plum and vanilla that segue onto the palate. Soft tannins and a medium finish make this an easy wine to pair with foods.  Alcohol: 12% SRP: $12 for 1.5L Check out this link for interesting cocktails and sangria to make with these wines. http://www.virtualcookingschool.com/tag/frontera/ Have a very Happy Wine Wednesday!
Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at wineknittercomments@gmail.com The July 4th festivities have come and gone. The weather was beautiful and perfect for swimming, grilling and watching magical sunsets while sipping wine. One of the wines that we opened was a Fondo Antico 2016 Bello Mio Zibibbo from Sicily. Made with 100% Zibibbo grapes, this delicate wine is the color of pale gold. Characteristic of the grape, the nose offers lush stone fruit and floral with apricot and hints of almond that segues onto the palate. The taste of apricots and almonds linger on a long finish. The wine has low residual sugar, is nicely balanced and has just the right intensity to complement light food and desserts. We drank it as an aperitif. Alcohol: 12%  If you would like more information regarding Fondo Antico or Zibibbo grapes, please check out some of my stories that were recently posted.
Have a beautiful day! Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at wineknittercomments@gmail.com  It’s the start of the Fourth of July weekend celebrations, which will continue at least through the actual Fourth of July on Tuesday. There will be picnics, parties and fireworks galore! I will be kicking off the celebration with a bottle of Michel Chapoutier’s 2016 Les Vignes de Bila-Haut Pays d’Oc Rosé.  If you have been following my stories, you might recall that I tasted and reviewed a 2015 Domaine de Bila-Haut “Les Vignes” Rouge and “Les Vignes” Blanc this past October. If not, let me give you a synopsis of Domaine Bila-Haut and winemaker, Michel Chapoutier.  Domaine Bila-Haut is located in the region of Côtes de Roussillon, Languedoc, a wine region known for making top quality wines. It is in Southwest France, and very close to Spain. 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. It is interesting to note that Bila-Haut was once a house of refuge for the Knights of Templar and their cross is used as the logo on Bila-Haut labels.  Michel Chapoutier wanted to create a perfectly styled Rosé, so he changed the percentage of grape varieties (called cépage) in the wine to include Grenache and Syrah. The 2016 Les Vignes de Bila-Haut Pays d’Oc Rosé is a blend of 78% Grenache, 14% Cinsault and 8% Syrah. The color is a rich salmon with aromas of rose, peony and red berries with a whisper of orange. The palate is deliciously layered with juicy notes of strawberry, cherry and a hint of herbs. The finish offers lingering notes of citrus. This is a dry, refreshing, crisp wine that is beautifully balanced. Serve as an aperitif or with seafood, light pastas, cheese and fruit. Great value for the quality of this wine! Alcohol: 13% SRP: $15  I’ll be back next week! Have a wonderful holiday celebration!  Happy Saturday!
Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at wineknittercomments@gmail.com While I was in Sicily a few months ago for Sicilia En Primeur 17, I spent a day at a walk around tasting of the 2016 vintages from forty-nine producers. I met many winemakers, listened to captivating stories and tasted an array of wines. While at the tasting, I met Gianluca Saladino, export manager for Fondo Antico winery who “poured” me an introduction to their delicious wines. Although I didn’t have the opportunity or time to visit the winery while in Sicily, Gianluca kindly brought Fondo Antico to my doorstep by sending me a variety of their wines when I returned home from my trip.   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.  Fondo Antico logo To quote the owner, Giuseppe Polizzotti: “…with the passing of time, this land has conquered me more and more every day, and I grew so fond of it that I eventually decided to follow in my grandfather's and my father's footsteps, the ancestors who understood that viticulture could be a form of income and livelihood for their families. This strong and generous land has always been suited to viticulture and my love for it brought me to learn the art of winemaking.”  Giuseppe Polizzotti Today, I’m going to focus on the Grillo wines, which are Fondo Antico’s “calling card”. To recap from a previous story on Grillo: Grillo, one of Sicily’s best known grapes, is found throughout western Sicily and is noted for its citrus flavors, sweetness and mild acidity. Due to the grape’s high sugar levels, it is ideal for the production of fortified wines. And now because of the innovation of new winemakers, Grillo has a wide range of styles, from crisp and savory, to structured and mature. Fondo Antico’s Il Coro and Grillo Parlante are both made with 100% Grillo grapes, but they are very different in style. Il Coro has longer contact with the skins during fermentation and is aged in oak and acacia barrels for six months. Whereas, Parlante is soft pressed, has less skin contact and is aged in stainless steel tanks and in the bottle.  Il Coro di Fondo Antico 2016 is golden in color with enticing aromas of fresh citrus, fruit, spice and subtle hints of wood. The palate offers a creamy texture of apricot, citrus, flowers and hints of tropical fruit giving this wine an unusual richness. Drink as an aperitif or with most any food. Alcohol: 14%  Grillo Parlante 2016 is pale yellow with a lovely scent of fruit, flowers and citrus. The palate is beautifully balanced with layers of citrus, pineapple, pear and hints of lemon zest on the finish. This is a fresh and lively wine that will pair well with seafood, pastas, cheese and fruit. Grillo Parlante translated means “talking cricket”. The cricket on the label symbolizes and “gives voice to the flavors of the Grillo cultivar”. Alcohol: 12.5%  I have four more Fondo Antico bottles to open and much more to share with you about this winery, the winemaker and their collection. Another story about Fondo Antico to follow soon!
Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at wineknittercomments@gmail.com  The summer solstice is upon us. And what better way to welcome the longest day of the year than with some wine from the Côtes-du-Rhône. The Côtes-du-Rhône vineyards, located in Southern France, extend from Vienne to Avignon and include 171 vineyards. The region enjoys a Mediterranean climate conducive to grape growing that also reflects in the characteristics of the wine.   Ferraton Père & Fils estate is located in Tain l’Hermitage 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 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.  The Samorëns Blanc 2016 is a beautiful blend of 35% Roussanne, 30% Viognier, 25% Grenache Blanc, 5% Clairette and 5% Marsanne. The color is pale straw with a floral and stone fruit bouquet. The palate offers citrus, pear and apple. This medium-bodied wine is fresh and nicely balanced with a crisp floral finish. Drink as an aperitif or with light summer fare. Alcohol: 13.5% SRP: $14  The 2016 Samorëns Rosé is made with 50% Grenache, 30% Syrah and 20% Cinsault. The color is a festive salmon pink with subtle aromas of flowers, red berries, peach and melon. The palate is soft and subtle as well, offering stone fruit, watermelon and hints of citrus zest and vanilla on the finish. This is a perfect sunset rosé!
Alcohol: 13.5% SRP: $14 These are fun wines to drink over the summer…and summer is here!! Happy Wine Wednesday! Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at wineknittercomments@gmail.com My son recently visited Bermuda for a long overdue vacation. While there, he discovered The Bermuda Rum Swizzle, considered one of the national drinks of Bermuda. So, of course he brought back a bottle of Goslings “The Original” Rum Swizzle ready mixed version for me to try.  Bermuda is a British overseas territory situated in the Atlantic Ocean, about 665 miles from North Carolina. Famous for its pink sand, tropical climate and crystal blue ocean, Bermuda is also known for its rum.  Back in 1806, James Gosling, son of wines and spirits merchant William Gosling, set sail from England and landed in St. George Bermuda. In 1824 with his brother Ambrose, they rented a shop in Hamilton where they maintained a store for 127 years. In 1860 the first oak barrels of rum distillate arrived in Bermuda, where after much experimentation in blending took place, a unique black rum was formulated and offered for sale. This black rum was sold from the barrel and ultimately called Black Seal after WW One. Today the company is run by the seventh generation of Goslings. The Original Swizzle Inn Brand Rum Swizzle is a rum-based cocktail made with Gosling’s Black Seal Rum, Gosling’s Gold Bermuda Rum, pineapple and orange juice, sugar syrup, Triple Sec and lemons. Jay Correira, proprietor of the Swizzle Inn, claims the Swizzle drink was invented at the Swizzle Inn pub in 1932. Goslings offers a ready mixed version, but I just found out that it is no longer available in the US. Although I’m not a big fan of fruity alcohol drinks, this caught my attention. The blend definitely tastes of more rum than fruit! The nose is very aromatic and the palate is a rich blend of spice, bitters, subtle fruit flavors and a hint of vanilla. Alcohol: 19%  If you don’t want to make the trip to Bermuda, here is the recipe for the Bermuda Rum Swizzle:
Fill a pitcher with cracked ice and add the following ingredients: 4oz Goslings Black Seal Rum 4oz Goslings Gold Bermuda Rum 2oz Triple Sec Juice of 2 lemons 5oz Pineapple Juice 5oz Orange Juice 2oz Bermuda Falernum or simple sugar syrup 4 dashes of Angostura Bitters Shake vigorously until frothing head appears. Strain into glasses. Enjoy! I’m off to find Goslings Black Seal and Gold Bermuda Rum, which I’m happy to say, is sold in the US! Cheers! Penina Last week I was transported to Madeira Island for a few hours where I participated in a Madeira wine seminar and walk around tasting. It was an informative and detailed seminar covering history, the region, grape varieties, vinification and aging process. In addition, my palate was treated to some very noteworthy Madeira wine ranging in style and age.  Justino's Madeira Terrantez 50 Years Old Madeira is a Portuguese archipelago located in the North Atlantic Ocean, southwest of Portugal and off the northwest coast of Africa. It is known for its fortified wine called Madeira bearing the island’s name. These wines are aged under heat and noted for their high levels of acidity.  Forty-seven percent of the island is forests and mountains. There are 500 hectares of vineyards on the island with eight producers and 2000 growers! Six of the producers export to other countries. The average vineyard size is about one acre, with the largest being thirty acres and the smallest only three vines! Due to its mountainous topography, vineyards are terraced and supported by stonewalls. Some of the terraces begin at sea level and climb up to the edge of the mountain, not unlike the vineyards of Pantelleria Island that I recently visited in Sicily. Grapes are harvested by hand due to the steep slopes. The soil of Madeira is of volcanic origin and rich in acidity. The soil combined with the sea, hot, humid summers and mild winters add to the uniqueness of the wine.  Blandy's Wine vineyard. Photo courtesy of Wineanorak. The history of Madeira wine is long and one could write a book about it. An interesting note, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson, in addition to several U.S. presidents such as George Washington, were connoisseurs of Madeira wine. In fact, Madeira wine was served to celebrate the Declaration of Independence, 1776!  Madeira wine has existed for more than five centuries, but I am going to give you a very condensed version starting in the 17th century with exportation of the wine. Transportation of Madeira wine to various regions including the U.S. was made in the hold of ships. Because the holds reached very high temperatures when passing through the tropics, it was discovered that when some of the wines returned to Europe, they had greatly enhanced in quality and complexity due to the hastened aging process from the heat! Once this was discovered, barrels of Madeira wine were purposely sent to the Indies to quicken the aging process and valorize the wine. This “round trip wine” became the famous “Vinho da Roda”. Madeira wine producers in the mid 18th century were motivated by the positive effects made by the Round Trip Wine and invested in a technique called “estufagem” that produced the same effect by using direct heat, circulation of hot air or water steam that circulates in copper inside the wine. The Estufagem method is used today along with the Canteiro process that is used for the more expensive wines made from the noble grapes as well as the Terrantez grapes. With the Canteiro process, wines are aged in ancient barrels on top floors of warehouses where they rest on wooden support beams. The slow warming of the wine and influence of the wood give the wine its unique character and flavor. These wines can age for more than 100 years and still maintain their uniqueness. In fact, once a bottle of Madeira is opened, it will keep for years to come without losing flavor. Most wines will oxidize once opened, but Madeira wine endures and will still taste fresh for a very long time! I’ve heard stories of Madeira wine that were recently opened and some date back to the 1700s. The wines were quite vibrant! Here is a run down of the grape varieties on the island. The first four varieties listed are the noble grapes. Sercial grapes produce a dry, crisp wine. Verdelho is another white variety that produces medium dry wines that tend to be tropical. Boal is medium sweet, more complex and quite aromatic. Malvasia (Malmsey) produces sweet, full-bodied wines with honey and spice and is the richest and sweetest style of Madeira. Tinta Negra is used in more entry-level wines but is quite versatile in producing dry to sweet wines and produces stronger tannins. The wines at the seminar ranged from a 3 year old blended sweet wine to a 50-year-old Terrantez wine. All six wines that we tasted had a common theme of raisins, figs and nuts and varied in intensity and sweetness. The Verdelho 15 Year Old, Colheita Malmsey 1999, Verdelho 1973 and Terrantez 50 Year Old offered more layers of dried fruit, spice and richness. All the wines were quite amazing. After the seminar, we did a walk around tasting with six producers. I will talk about these producers in future posts, as each one has a unique story.   When shopping for Madeira wine, pay attention to the label. It will give you origin, grape varieties, dated vintage (if it exists) alcohol and sugar content.
Every bottle of Madeira wine is marked with a “sweetness” level on the wine label ranging from Dry, Medium Dry, And Medium Sweet to Sweet. Alcohol content ranges between 17% and 22% Madeira wines, depending on the sweetness, complement a wide variety of food from cheese and fruit to desserts. There are truly no words to describe the aromatic bouquet and intoxicating mouthfeel that Madeira delivers. Madeira wine needs to be experienced. Go forth and find! Cheers! Penina In anticipation of attending a South American wine tasting this week, I recently opened a bottle of Chilean and Argentinian wine to whet my palate! Both wines are perfect to serve as aperitifs or as an accompaniment to a summer meal. These are very food friendly wines and the price to value ratio can’t be beat!  The Casillero del Diablo Rosé 2016 is from Chile’s Central Valley. The wine is mostly Shiraz grapes with a touch of Cinsault and Carmenere blended in. The color is pink salmon with lovely aromas of strawberry, cherry and melon. The palate offers juicy blackberry with hints of spice and vanilla. This is a dry and refreshing rosé with a touch of citrus zest on the finish. The bottle is pretty and festive. SRP $11 If you would like to learn more about Casillero del Diablo and the winemaker, please read my story at: Day 518 "The Devils Locker" http://thewineknitter.com/1/post/2016/09/day-518.html  Skipping over to the other side of the Andes, I opened a bottle of Trivento White Orchid Reserve Torrontés 2016 from Mendoza’s Uco Valley in Argentina. Torrontés is one of the country’s most widely planted white grape varieties. This is an interesting blend of 85% Torrontés and 15% Pinot Grigio. The color is pale straw. It is a slightly dry wine with a rich bouquet of flowers and tropical fruit. The palate is layered with pineapple, apple and subtle notes of citrus. The wine has a long finish and is crisp and refreshing. Alcohol: 12% SRP: $11 If you would like to learn more about Trivento wine and the winemaker, please read my story at: Day 564 http://thewineknitter.com/1/post/2017/03/day-564-triventos-malbec.html  I have many countries to visit this week and lots of wine to taste. I’ll be back soon to share my adventures. Happy Monday!
Cheers! Penina |
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