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It was a lovely weekend of celebrating birthdays and friendship. In between feasting on food and drinking an assortment of wine, we managed to sneak in a day to visit the Degas exhibit and Impressionist collection at the Museum of Modern Art in NYC. These are two of my favorite paintings by Degas and Picasso.  One of the many wines that were opened this past weekend was a lovely 2015 Domaine du Pere Caboche – Vin de Pays de Vaucluse Rosé. It is a blend of 30% Carignan and 70% Grenache, typical Côtes du Rhône varietals. It had a soft pink color with delicate aromas of raspberry, strawberry and a hint of melon. It had lots of ripe fruit on the palate with a subtle layer of spice. This medium-bodied wine was very refreshing, medium-dry, and had a silky finish. It was a perfect start to kick off the evening and paired well with the shrimp and mozzarella platters. http://www.jpboisson.com More reviews tomorrow.
Happy Tuesday! Cheers! Penina
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Taking a few days off for a birthday celebration!  I’ll be back on Tuesday with my thoughts on some of the wines we had.
Happy Saturday! Cheers! Penina  I can’t believe that it’s already June 1st! The warm weather of late has had most of us reaching for cool wines and cooking light meals. With the dog days of summer yet to come, I already need to replenish my white wine and rose’ selection. To quote a dear friend of mine “it is time to make a trip to the boozeorium”.  The other evening I tasted a
2012 Efestē Evergreen Riesling from Columbia Valley, Washington State. The vineyard is set high above the Missoula Flood Plains and only grows white grape varieties. This 100% Riesling was pale yellow with citrus and tropical fruit on the nose. The palate offered fresh peach, nectarine and apple. It was crisp and full-bodied with a long finish. If stored properly, it will go the distance. Alcohol is 12.8% and costs about $20/bottle. http://www.efeste.com I hope to sneak in a swim before the day ends!
Happy Wednesday! Cheers! Penina  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  Wednesday was a beautiful day and perfect for picking lilacs. Gus was certainly a happy camper! And I was in lilac heaven!  As the day drew to a close, I was ready to grill some veggies and shrimp, while enjoying the sunset and a glass of wine. Like clockwork, the phone rang with an invite to watch the Stanley Cup playoffs with a pre game drink and food. So, off I went!  With vodka in hand and a fun group of friends, we watched the game, ate and laughed. What more could you ask for? The Sharks won and are headed to their first Stanley Cup Final. And, there is another exciting game tonight between the Lightning vs. Penguins. I’ll have the wine and shrimp tonight…not a bad deal!
Happy Thursday! Cheers! Penina Barefoot Wines, based in Modesta, CA, recently sent me a sampling of four wines from their very extensive collection.   Barefoot cork Intrigued by their whimsical name and label, I learned that California winemaker Davis Bynum created Barefoot Bynum Burgundy in his garage in the year 1965. Bynum used the old fashioned way of crushing grapes…barefoot. By 1986 Bonnie Harvey and Michael Houlihan took over and so began Barefoot Cellars and the footprint label. In 1995, with only four wines being produced, winemaker Jen Wall joined the team helping to expand the wine collection to what it is today, over 30 wines. Let me begin my take on the following wines with a quote from Barefoot Wines. “Our wines are non-vintage because age is just a number! We believe in providing the same great, consistent taste year after year!” So, with that in mind… The Barefoot Riesling is blended with Gewürztraminer & Malvasia Bianca. The color was pale straw. Citrus, pineapple, grapefruit and a hint of herbs greeted the nose. As the bottle states, it is sweet. The palate offered pear, peach, honey, vanilla and grapefruit. The flavors were nicely balanced with a surprisingly long finish. If you enjoy sweet wine, this is a good choice and it would do well as an aperitif or dessert wine. Alcohol: 8.0 % http://www.barefootwine.com/our-wine/white-wine/riesling  The Barefoot White Zinfandel from Lodi is blended with Symphony. It is a medium sweet wine with a pretty pink salmon color. It had aromas of citrus, strawberry and nectarine. The palate offered fresh and juicy fruit with pineapple and melon on the finish. It was refreshing even though it was a bit sweet. Alcohol: 9.0% http://www.barefootwine.com/our-wine/pink-wine/white-zinfandel  The Barefoot Red Zinfandel, also from Lodi, is blended with Petit Sirah, Malbec and Petit Verdot. The deep ruby color gave way to an aroma of spices that leapt out of the glass along with red fruits. The flavors did not live up to what the nose offered, but there was a sufficient amount of red fruit, plum and a hint of spice on the palate. It was light to medium-bodied and very soft. Alcohol: 13.5% http://www.barefootwine.com/our-wine/red-wine/zinfandel  The Barefoot Cabernet Sauvignon is from Argentina and is 100% Cabernet. The color was dark ruby bordering on purple with blackberry jam and dark berries on the nose. The palate offered dark berries, pepper and a touch of earth. Light tannins and a soft mouth-feel make this an easy wine to pair with a variety of foods. Alcohol: 13.5% http://www.barefootwine.com/our-wine/red-wine/cabernet-sauvignon  The average bottle of Barefoot wine costs about $6 to $11. Barefoot has a large distribution in the U.S. and their wines can be found in most wine stores. You can’t go wrong with these wines and especially at this price. It’s worth picking up a few bottles from their collection and seeing what speaks to you! http://www.barefootwine.com
Cheers! Penina  Another week has flown by and we are fast approaching the lazy days of summer. The peeper frogs and crickets serenade me at night and a chorus of birds has replaced my alarm clock in the morning. It was a warm and beautiful day on Friday that segued into a lovely evening. After a long day of work, it was nice to sit and enjoy a glass of wine and watch the sunset with a few friends.  We opened a 2014 Simi Chardonnay from Sonoma County. The color was golden with wonderful aromas of lemon zest, pear, peach and oak. It was crisp and fresh with juicy notes of pear, apple and honeydew. The texture was creamy with oak and toasted nuts on the finish. It was well balanced and surprisingly expressive for a wine in the $10 to $14 range. It’s worth picking up a few bottles to keep on hand for those summer sunsets! http://www.simiwinery.com  Have joyous Saturday!
Cheers! Penina  On Monday I went to the Vias Imports Grand Portfolio Tasting held at the IAC building in NYC. It was a beautiful venue to hold a wine tasting. Vias Imports has one of the most comprehensive portfolios of Italian wine in the US. In addition to Italy, their portfolio includes wines from Argentina, Austria, France, Lebanon, Spain, and the United States. With over 200 indigenous varietals that express Italy’s unique and diverse regions, there were many wines to taste, including several other countries. It was an afternoon of learning a little history and tasting a few varietals for the first time. One of the varietals that were new for me was the Barbarossa grape. I learned that some of the oldest Barbarossa vines in Italy are located in the Emilia-Romagna region. Fattoria Paradiso owns a hundred-year-old vineyard and produces this grape. I tasted the 2010 Il Dosso Barbarossa Forli, IGT made with 100% Barbarossa. It was fresh with cherry and hints of mint and chocolate. Another grape that was new to me was Dolcetto, found in the Piedmont region of Northwest Italy. I tasted a 2014 Vilot Dolcetto D’Alba from Ca Viola Vineyards. Made with 100% Dolcetto, it had lots of blackberry, licorice and a hint of almonds on the finish.  Matteo Menicacci I met with Matteo Menicacci, winemaker and producer at Castello Di Meleto in Tuscany. He encouraged me to try the 2014 Vigna Casi Chianti Classico Riserva, DOCG. Made with 100% Sangiovese grape, it was smooth and elegant with floral and berries dancing on the palate. The vineyard is rich in history and it is worth visiting their website. http://www.castellomeleto.it I will revisit and share some of the many varietals that I tasted in future posts. But before I sign off, I must tell you about a heavenly wine from Le Salette, located in the Classica Valpolicella region. The 2012 La Marega Amarone Della Valpolicella Classico DOCG was exquisite. This Valpolicella blend was packed with spices, strawberry, herbs, chocolate and plum with a velvety finish. I would drink this for dessert!
Have a great Wednesday! Cheers! Penina  Mercury is in retrograde until the end of May. Even if you don’t believe in astrology, (which I tend not to) it seems that everyone is on edge. And if that isn’t enough, it was also Friday the 13th yesterday. Oh my!  So, by cocktail time I was ready for a martini or glass of wine. Since I was expecting company I was more inclined to open wine. However, plans changed when we all decided to meet at a friend’s home for a “Stanley Cup” playoff party. It was Game One between Lightning vs. Penguins and everyone wanted to watch.  Because of a little bout with sniffles, I opted for something light. So my host opened a Dutcher Crossing 2011 Sauvignon Blanc from Dry Creek Valley in Sonoma. Citrus, melon and pineapple on the nose segued into zesty and fresh acidity with citrus and peaches on the palate. Unfortunately, my congestion overtook my taste buds, but I felt this vintage was winding down. http://www.dutchercrossingwinery.com Despite an injury or two, Lightning won the first game.  I’m taking advantage of the beautiful weather and heading out for a power walk and then doing some serious strawberry and tomato planting!
Happy Saturday! Cheers! Penina So, before I “leave” the continent of Australia, I want to share some thoughts on their red wines. As mentioned in a previous post, Australia’s major red wine production is Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Grenache and Merlot. Below are a few examples of what I tasted.  Shiraz was one of the original varieties brought to Australia. It is grown in just about every region. With varying climates, the styles vary as well. The cooler climates generally tend to produce medium-bodied wines that are spicy, while warmer climates produce more full-bodied, richer Shiraz. Each region brings it’s own unique style to the wine. The Hickinbotham Clarendon Vineyard Brooks Road Shiraz 2013, from McClaren Vale, SA is 100% Shiraz. Deep purple in color, it was rich with dark berry flavors and spice. Firm tannins and a peppery finish made this medium-bodied Shiraz a standout. Heading north, I tasted Tyrell’s Wine Vat 9 Shiraz 2013, Hunter Valley, NSW. This Shiraz was very dark red with more herb and floral on the nose. Lots of berries with fennel, floral and a little earth mixed in. Gentle tannins added to a lengthy finish.  Charlie Seppelt Since Cabernet Sauvignon does not grow well with heat stress and drought, Coonawarra and Margaret River have developed the best reputation for growing Cabernet Sauvignon in Australia. However, there are other regions such as Langhorne Creek, McLaren Vale and Barossa in South Australia that also produce noteworthy Cabernet. At the tasting last week, I found most of the Cabernets to be “chewy” but very drinkable. Yalumba The Menzies Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 from Coonawarra was deep garnet with berry, plum and herbs on the nose. The palate was alive with fruit, oak and savory herbs. Tannins were high with more fruit on the finish. Pinot Noir grows best in Australian regions with cooling influences of the ocean or altitude. The state of Victoria produces a wide range of styles as does Yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula and Macedon Ranges. Tasmania is surrounded by the cooling effect of the Southern Ocean and does well with this particular variety of grape. One of the Pinot’s I tasted was Giant Steps Yarra Valley, 2015 from Victoria. Floral and cherry were on the nose. Silky red fruits, spice and pepper greeted the palate with medium tannins and a hint of herbs on the finish. I have touched on just a few of the varieties of wine that Australia has to offer, so I suggest that the next time you’re in a wine store or out to dinner, try a bottle of Australian wine. You won’t be disappointed! Have a great Wednesday!
Cheers, Penina |
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