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Perhaps it is because I’ve been surrounded by a “pink” theme for the past few days, but I’ve been craving rosé wine lately. In my last post I shared my thoughts about a lovely sparkling rosé from the Vinho Verde region of Portugal.  So now let’s travel to another continent and explore a delicious rosé from Lazy Creek Vineyards located in Anderson Valley, Mendocino County, California. It is the second oldest vineyard in the valley dating back to the early 1900s when an Italian family established the 95-acre property for farming. In 1969, Hans and Theresa Kobler, natives of Switzerland, purchased the property and converted the old barn into a winery and planted Pinot Noir, Gewürztraminer and Chardonnay vines that they brought by suitcase from Europe! After a “fruitful” run of 26 years and 19-planted vineyards, it was sold again in 1998 to Josh and Mary Beth Chandler. Ten years later in 2008, Don and Rhonda Carano purchased the 95-acre ranch which now had about 40 acres of grapes including Riesling. Don and Rhonda are no strangers to growing grapes, having first purchased a small ranch in 1979 in the Alexander Valley where they grew a few acres of Gewürztraminer. Their passion and commitment to sustainability transcends to the wines that they produce. Lazy Creek Winery was recently awarded a sustainable certification by the Certified California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance.  Don and Rhonda Carano Photo courtesy of Lazy Creek Vineyards  Lazy Creek Vineyards Lazy Creek Vineyards 2015 Rosé of Pinot Noir is a noteworthy wine made from 100% Pinot Noir. The color is light coral with delicate floral aromas mixed with strawberry, grapefruit and melon. The palate offers strawberry, honeydew and watermelon with hints of nectarine. This medium bodied wine has richness to it but is light at the same time. A dry and crisp finish gives way to flavors that persist for a satisfying conclusion. Serve chilled with just about any food. Thumbs up on this rosé! http://lazycreekvineyards.com Alcohol: 14.2% SRP: $22 Have a happy Friday and a magical weekend!
Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at [email protected] Valentine’s Day is almost here and quite a few romantics are getting a head start by celebrating this weekend. Flowers, candy and hearts of all different sizes and designs are on display everywhere, as well as specially designed bottles of sparkling wine to mark the occasion. I especially love the mini bottles with little heart embellishments.  With pink and red being the main theme for Valentine’s Day, rosé sparkling wine is a perfect choice to serve. Sparkling rosés are festive and range in color from light salmon to dark cherry and evoke the sentiment of the holiday. Rosés may be thought of as more of a spring and summer wine, but I enjoy them all year long and they pair beautifully with just about every type of food!  Rosés are produced all over the world and can differ greatly in amount of dryness, fruit, flavor and price. Most of my rosé reviews have been about wines from France, Italy, Washington, CA and Spain. So, in keeping with my habitual curiosity of tasting wines, I recently tried a very inexpensive bottle of Casal Garcia Vinho Verde Rosé produced by the Aveleda Winery in Portugal.  Vinho Verde is the largest DOC (Denominação de Origem Controlada) of Portugal and is located in the northwestern corner. The region grows a variety of grapes in fertile, granite and sandy soils with rainy, humid and cool temperatures created by its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean. This particular rosé is a blend of Vinhão, Azal Tinto and Borraçal grapes. The color is vibrant cherry with strawberry and raspberry aromas that segue onto the palate. It is mildly effervescent with a dry yet creamy mouthfeel. The fresh fruit is nicely balanced with acidity and a hint of citrus zest leads to a crisp finish. Alcohol: 9.5% Price: $8.50  Considering the price of this rosé, it is a great value for quality sparkling wine and proves that one doesn’t always have to spend a fortune to show how much you care. Your heart and love will pair well with any wine! Whether you’re celebrating Valentine’s Day with loved ones, friends, family or just want to celebrate “you”, go ahead and indulge in some chocolates such as champagne truffles and pop a bottle of “pink”!  Have a sweet and bubbly Valentine’s Day!
Cheers! Penina  With an impending snowstorm on its way, my thoughts are turning to comfort food and red wines. Last month I made a big vat of vegetable bean soup, poured it into airtight pint sized gelato containers and stored them in the freezer. I do this with a lot of freezable recipes such as chili and stews. It’s a great way to store food and makes for an easy, no fuss meal. Just thaw as many containers as you need, then heat and serve! Several of my friends liked the idea so much, that they are doing the same thing. And the bonus is, you have an excuse to buy and enjoy gelato…just say that you’re running out of containers!  So, while the containers of soup are thawing, I’ll tell you about the wine I chose to pair with the soup.  Marques de Casa Concha is an outstanding brand of Concha y Toro and is known for its fine collection of single vineyard varietals produced by noted winemaker Marcelo Papa. The grapes for the 2014 Carmenere are sourced from the celebrated Peumo vineyard, located in the Cachapoal zone of Chile’s Rapel Valley. 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. The name Carmenere comes from the French word crimson. The Carmenere grape was first imported to Chile in the 19th century which 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 Marques de Casa Concha 2014 Carmenere is a medium -bodied wine made with a blend of 88% Carmenere and 12% Cabernet Sauvignon. The color is an intense dark red with hints of light purple on the rim. The aromas of dark fruit, cherry, spice and a touch of floral are very inviting. The palate offers an amazing rush of black pepper that is immediately infused with layers of plum, dark fruit, essence of oak (from 16 months in French oak), dark chocolate and hints of vanilla and spice on the finish. Soft tannins, velvety mouthfeel and beautifully balanced, this is a wine that speaks. Alcohol: 14% SRP: $25 Although I paired this wine with a hearty soup, it would certainly complement meat, game and fish entrees such as tuna and swordfish. Try some Manchego or Brie cheese with this wine. Trust me, it’s an interesting combo!  My guest was happy that I saved some wine to serve with the soup!
Have a great Wine Wednesday! Cheers! Penina  It’s Super Bowl weekend and the parties have already started.  For the past two weeks recipe suggestions for the big day have inundated my Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts. Some of the recipes are quite impressive and unique ranging from simple fare to “food” footballs. Just google “recipes for Super Bowl” and be prepared to click on hundreds of links!  Since I will be attending a Super Bowl party, my only preparation this year will be bringing my famous and delicious warm Crabmeat Dip. If you would like the recipe, please email me. Everyone seems to have an opinion as to the appropriate wine one should open for Super Bowl night. As far as I’m concerned, the only thing that matters is that you enjoy what you open. And I personally think that any wine goes with football! In fact, maybe wine isn’t the answer. Perhaps your “go to” drink might be vodka, scotch, beer, cognac, soda or juice! I plan on bringing a bottle of 2014 Domaine Dutron Pere et Fils Saint- Véran, a lovely white Burgundy produced in the southernmost appellation of the Mâconnais region of Burgundy. The wine should pair nicely with the crab dip.  Whatever you eat or drink, enjoy the game! I hope your team wins!
Cheers! Penina In my last post I raved about a wonderful bottle of Zinfandel that was consumed before dinner was served. So of course I opened another bottle of wine to complement the meal.  The 2009 J. Lohr “Seven Oaks” Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon was the perfect choice. Located halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco, the Paso Robles appellation produces Bordeaux and Rhône varietals. Due to the 50-degree temperature swings and very little moisture, the Cabernet fruit tends to be more intense, with concentrated fruit and soft tannins.  The 2009 is a blend dominated by 79% Cabernet Sauvignon with 9% Petite Sirah, 5% Petit Verdot, 2.5% Merlot 2.5% Syrah and 1% Cabernet Franc. The wine was dark red, bordering on purple, with aromas of dark cherry, plum, spice and hints of vanilla. The palate offered a beautifully structured wine with layers of rich dark cherry, plum, blackberry, spice and a tease of vanilla bean and oak. Silky tannins and a “jammy” mouthfeel led to a long finish. The wine paired beautifully with the Parmesan crusted salmon, Kale & Ricotta ravioli and sautéed spinach with mushrooms! Alcohol 13.5% http://www.jlohr.com  Have a great Wednesday!
Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at [email protected]  After tasting and enjoying so many wonderful Bordeaux wines the other day, I was at a loss as to what wine to open for my dinner guest that evening. I still had Bordeaux on my palate, but I needn’t have worried. My guest came bearing a gift of a most welcome bottle of wine. We opened a 2005 Nickel & Nickel “Ponzo Vineyard” Russian River Valley Zinfandel. The partners of Far Niente founded Nickel & Nickel winery in 1997. Their mission was to produce 100% varietal, single vineyard wines.  Ponzo Vineyard Photo courtesy of Nickel & Nickel The Ponzo Vineyard is located adjacent to the Russian River. The first vines were planted around 1920 on flat, sandy loam soil that produces more dramatic concentrated fruit. The cork was soft and crumbly so we decanted the wine through a strainer. I was happy to note that the color was dark ruby with fruit and spice aromas. Considering the wine’s age, it had a lot of depth and character. Layers of rich fruit, spice and pepper were more present than I anticipated. The wine was silky with lingering moments of cherry and spice on the finish. It drank beautifully! The wine paired nicely with the cheese spread, but we drank it all before dinner was served! I’ll tell you about what we drank with our meal in my next post! http://www.nickelandnickel.com  Have a peaceful Sunday!
Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at [email protected] The other day I was transported to Bordeaux, if only for a few hours. I attended the 2017 United States Tour of The Union Des Grands Crus de Bordeaux 2014 vintage tasting held in NYC. Thirteen appellations and 90 châteaux were represented. Bordeaux is famous worldwide for its wines and beautiful châteaux. It is also the largest wine growing area in France. Although I didn’t visit any of the châteaux, I did taste an impressive array of wines with memorable expressions on the palate that varied between the appellations.  Bordeaux has an extensive wine history dating back to the Romans around mid-1st century. However, I’m going to skip ahead to 1855 when Emperor Napoleon III requested a classification system of the best Bordeaux wines. Without going into too much detail, the wines were ranked according to the trading price and the reputation of the château and then classified in importance from first to fifth growths establishing a classification system that is still used today. It has only been altered twice since the 1855 classification, once in 1856 and 1973. Just to give you an idea, here is the First Growths list. I’m sure you will recognize these wines! It is interesting to note that Pomerol appellation was not included in the 1855 Classification and still remains unclassified. But Château Petrus tends to be included with the First Growths, although not officially. Red Wines First Growths (Premiers Crus) Château Lafite Rothschild Château Latour Château Margaux Château Haut-Brion Château Mouton Rothschild White Wines Superior First Growth Château Yquem First Growths (Premier Crus) Château Climens Château Clos Haut-Peyraguey Château Coutet Château Guiraud Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey Château Rabaud-Promis Château Rayne-Vigneau Château Rieussec Château Sigalas-Rabaud Château Suduiraut Château La Tour-Blanche The grapes permitted in the Red Bordeaux blend are Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec and Carménère. Cabernet Sauvignon tends to dominate the blend in red wines produced in the Medoc and other left bank appellations. Whereas Merlot tends to dominate the blends made in the right bank appellations such as Saint-Emilion and Pomerol. White Bordeaux is made from a blend of Sémillon Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle grapes. Other permitted grapes are Colombard, Merlot Blanc, Sauvignon Gris and Ugni Blanc.  The main river in Bordeaux is the Gironde River which separates the Left and Right bank. The Dordogne and Garonne are small rivers that feed into the Gironde. The soil in Bordeaux is excellent for growing grapes and is mainly composed of gravel, limestone and clay. The Left bank has gravelly topsoil and limestone bedrock creating a desirable environment for old vines. It is interesting to note that all the original châteaux from the original 1855 classification are on the Left Bank. On the Right bank, the limestone is at the surface as opposed to being buried like it is on the Left Bank. And the gravel is not as prevalent, except for Pomerol where gravel has been deposited from a tributary of the Dordogne, creating a base of sandy clay deposits and iron rich sand. Most of the terrain on both banks is flat except for Saint-Émilion and Côtes de Castillon which slope down to the river. This post is a general overview of the wines that I tasted. I will be focusing on and exploring individual châteaux over the next few weeks. The 2014 vintage Bordeaux are exceptional and touted to be the best since 2010. All the wines that I tasted were of high quality stretching from Left to Right bank. The red Bordeaux of Médoc and other Left bank appellations exhibited fresh and rich fruit flavors. As expected, due to Cabernet Sauvignon being dominant, the tannins were light to medium, but not overpowering. The red Bordeaux of the Right bank were lively, focused with juicy berries, restrained tannins that gave the wines a silky feel and nice levels of acidity. I tasted several Sauternes including the First growth Château Coutet. The wines can only be described as elegant, sexy, rich, with perfect acidity and a long and beautiful finish. I will be posting a separate story on the Sauternes in the next few days.  All the wines were very approachable and one can only imagine what they will be like in ten to twenty years!
Until next time! Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at [email protected] This is a blog about wine, food, travel, knitting…and life. I try to stay away from politics and controversial matters, leaving it to other bloggers/writers to pontificate on. However, with the recent changes in our government and the Women’s March taking place all over the world today, I cannot in good conscience ignore the profound impact it has had on me as well as the rest of the world. I stand in solidarity with my “sisters” on their march today. Our voice is one.  In 1964 Bob Dylan wrote the song “The Times They are A Changin”. It was written in an attempt to create “an anthem of change for the time”. Dylan said, "it is about the person who doesn’t take you seriously but expects you to take him seriously.” I don’t think this is a “protest” song, but more of a wake up call to what is happening around us.  Here are the lyrics to the song and the link to Bob Dylan singing it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHMBs5yZDEc&feature=share The Times They Are A-Changin' Bob Dylan Come gather around people Wherever you roam And admit that the waters Around you have grown And accept it that soon You'll be drenched to the bone And if your breath to you is worth saving Then you better start swimming or you'll sink like a stone For the times they are a-changing Come writers and critics Who prophesize with your pen And keep your eyes wide The chance won't come again And don't speak too soon For the wheel's still in spin And there's no telling who that it's naming For the loser now will be later to win Cause the times they are a-changing Come senators, congressmen Please heed the call Don't stand in the doorway Don't block up the hall For he that gets hurt Will be he who has stalled There's the battle outside raging It'll soon shake your windows and rattle your walls For the times they are a-changing Come mothers and fathers Throughout the land And don't criticize What you can't understand Your sons and your daughters Are beyond your command Your old road is rapidly aging Please get out of the new one if you can't lend your hand Cause the times they are a-changing The line it is drawn The curse it is cast The slowest now Will later be fast As the present now Will later be past The order is rapidly fading And the first one now will later be last Cause the times they are a-changing Songwriters: Bob Dylan I will return in a few days to share some wonderful Bordeaux wines with you! Peace Out Everyone!   A few days ago I posted a story about Teton Glacier Vodka along with a photo of the bottle. Since then, Teton Vodka reposted the story and photo including an explanation of the bottle’s history, clearing up the age of the vodka for me. This is the original decanter bottle packaging from their 1996 launch! So, this bottle has been hiding in my house for quite a long time! And what’s more amazing is that the vodka is still good! Read my last post for the review. The other evening I opened my last bottle of 2011 D'Isanto & D'Isanto I Balzini Black Label Colli della Toscana Centrale IGT. I reviewed this wine a few months ago and it was every bit as good and consistent in flavor this time. My review of this wine is the same as last time. The wine is a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon and 50% Merlot. “Aromas of dark berries, spice and cocoa were present. The wine had a rich mouthfeel with concentrated berries, dark cherry, plum, licorice and dark chocolate on the palate. As the wine opened over the course of the evening the flavors became more intense. The tannins were soft and the finish was long with cherry and pepper lingering.”  I paired the wine with a delicious Spaghetti Zucchini Shrimp dish accompanied by homemade bread. It was perfect!  Have a great Wine Wednesday! What will you be drinking?
Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at [email protected]  While cleaning kitchen cabinets the other day, I uncovered a bottle of Teton Glacier Potato Vodka that had been shoved all the way to the back of the cabinet and out of sight. I couldn’t determine how old it was, but the bottle was a beautiful decanter style with an impressive glass stopper that gave it a vintage look.  Teton Glacier Potato Vodka is made in Rigby, Idaho, the heart of potato country. All ingredients are sourced from Idaho; the wellspring of high-mountain glacial water is blended with spirits distilled from volcanic soil-grown potatoes. As the label indicates, the vodka is “Crystal and Charcoal Filtered”. The bottle was sealed tight, but had been opened at some point in time. Not knowing the age of the bottle made it all the more difficult to determine if evaporation had taken place or if it was just that the vodka had been consumed. Eighty proof spirits contain a high alcohol content that helps to prevent the spirit from “turning” over time. Vodka is one of the more stable spirits that can be stored for a long time. However, once opened it will begin to very slowly evaporate and possibly start to lose flavor. Since this bottle was stored in a cool and dark place, light exposure was not a contributor to altering the flavor of the vodka.  We had difficulty removing the cork from the bottle because it was jammed in tight. It took patience and a strong hand, but we were rewarded for our efforts. In keeping with the vintage theme, I poured the vodka into antique cut crystal glasses. We drank it straight and at room temperature. It had a clean scent with sweet overtones and a hint of yeast. The palate offered a subtle sweetness and nutty bite to it with a combination of bitter and sweet on the finish. There was no “burn” to this vodka; on the contrary… it was rather smooth. Finding this vodka was a treat and I will have a decanter to use when the vodka is gone!
80 proof Alcohol: 40% http://tgvodka.com Have a great weekend! Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at [email protected] |
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