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 In the midst of spring cleaning the other day, I unearthed a box of family photos dating back to the late 1800’s. I was so totally immersed in the images before me that I didn’t realize that a good portion of the day had slipped by.  Storing memories on computers, digital cameras and phone cameras may be more convenient and easier to share with everyone, but there is something special about actually holding a photograph or browsing through an album that connects one to the visuals. In some ways, it’s akin to my drinking wine. It’s not only the sense of smell and taste of the wine, it is also the feel of the glass in my hand that makes for the total experience. Okay…I’ve gone too far. But speaking of wine… Last evening I cooked a wonderfully simple meal of baked salmon in a basil, shallot and wine sauce. Mashed potatoes, a simple salad of greens and sliced avocado drizzled with balsamic dressing accompanied it.   The wine was a 2007 Beringer Private Reserve Chardonnay from Napa Valley. This full-bodied wine had a beautiful bouquet of apricot, ripe peach, citrus and oak. The palate was layered with peach, honeysuckle, pear, lemon zest and a hint of caramel. It had a rich and creamy mouthfeel that continued on to a long finish. Being a 2007, I didn’t expect it to be so vibrant, but we were pleasantly surprised and enjoyed every sip! http://www.beringer.com Have a great Thursday!
Cheers! Penina
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 Sunshine and warm temperatures…now that’s what I’m talking about! I feel inspired to fire up the grill later and open up one of the rosés chilling in my refrigerator. As I mentioned in my last post, while dining at The Continental in Naples, FL, we enjoyed a bottle of 2012 J. Lohr Hilltop Cabernet Sauvignon from the Paso Robles region of CA. The composition is 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit Verdot and 1% Malbec. The color was bordering on royal purple with wonderful plum, dark fruit and floral aromas. The palate was richly layered with plum and dark berries that segued into hints of dark cocoa, oak and spices. It was full-bodied with a long smooth finish of berries lingering on the palate. I have tasted and reviewed many J. Lohr wines, but I think this is my favorite so far! http://www.jlohr.com  I’m off to embrace this beautiful day!
Happy Tuesday! Cheers! Penina  We have beautiful blue skies and temps in the mid 50’s degree range. I’m putting on my sunblock and heading outdoors! This is perfect weather for a long power walk.  Last evening I got together with a dear friend who was visiting from California. Perhaps he brought the sunshine and good weather with him! We ate at a local restaurant and dined on simple fare and drank a nice bottle of 2012 Frog’s Leap Zinfandel from Napa Valley. Blended with Petite Sirah and a little Carignan, this ruby colored wine had alluring aromas of raspberry, cherry and spices. The palate offered Bing cherry, mellow fruit and a complementary dryness that might have been produced with the Carignan. Tannins were tight, but softened as the wine opened. The finish was spicy with a tease of fennel. Delicious! http://www.frogsleap.com  We are a week away from the Oscars and parties are in the making. I must confess that I haven’t seen most of the nominated movies. I may sit this one out! Enjoy the rest of the weekend!
Happy Saturday! Cheers! Penina  It was an extremely cold day yesterday and I was supposed to attend the Benvenuto Brunello wine event, showcasing Brunello di Montalcino 2011 4-star vintage. However, I never made it into the city. Oh, for the days when I still owned my pied-à-terre there. How simple it was to just roll out of bed and easily walk to most places.  Instead, I met up with a friend for a quick lunch and then headed back home to work for a bit while sitting by the fire.  The evening brought more cold weather along with my friend at the door with dinner and wine. The wine was perfectly chilled from his ride over, but the food needed reheating. As we caught up on the past few days, we sipped 2013 J Vineyards Russian River Valley Chardonnay while munching on Thai cuisine. Although one might think of serving this wine with more “mellow” dishes, strangely enough, it complemented the spicy flavors of the food. It was a lovely golden color with inviting aromas of citrus, floral and peach. The flavors were resonating a tropical paradise of citrus, pear, peach and apple. It was smooth and silky with a long finish. https://www.jwine.com  It’s another cold day with a snowstorm looming over the weekend. My skis and snowshoes are standing by. Happy Wednesday.
Cheers! Penina  The “balmy” December weather is slipping away and is quickly being replaced with freezing temps for the month of January. I’m sure that snow will be upon us soon! Hearty soups and Cabernet will be gracing my table this week. I think I’ll make tomato lentil soup and homemade bread to start the week off.  Speaking of Cabernet, I tasted a very nice one on Saturday evening. We opened a Chalk Hill 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon from Sonoma. This Bordeaux blend was 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 7.5% Malbec, 3% Carmenere and 1.5% Petit Verdot. A bouquet of dark fruits, spice and oak greeted the nose. On the palate, the flavors fused together with lots of dark cherry, blackberry, licorice, spice and a hint of oak. The wine had a wonderful rich mouth feel to it and the tannins were soft. It had an “unending” finish. Quite good! http://www.chalkhill.com  And now, it’s time for Sunday football!
Cheers! Penina  Click to enlarge photo. Last evening I prepared baked salmon fillets in an herb and lemon sauce. It was served with roasted asparagus, sweet potatoes and brussel sprouts.  My dinner guest brought a 2013 Concannon Reserve Semillon from Livermore Valley, Central Coast, CA that paired well with the meal. The wine had delightful aromas of tropical fruit, stone fruit and oak. The palate was an explosion of pear, nectarine, green apple, oak and a hint of floral. It was full-bodied and it all came together nicely into the long finish. Alcohol is 14.3%. An interesting note: Concannon Vineyard is the oldest ongoing winery in America that is still under the same family label and stewardship since it’s inception in 1883. http://www.concannonvineyard.com  The weekend is upon us. What will you be drinking and cooking?
Happy Friday! Cheers! Penina  Saturday evening was very low key. I was invited over to a friend’s home for pizza, wine and NHL hockey. We watched the NY Rangers lose for the second time in a row. I must admit that I dozed through half the game because it started so late in the evening!  The pizza was good and the wine was excellent! My friend brought out a 2010 Beekeeper Cellars Zinfandel from the Madrone Spring Vineyard in Sonoma. He told me that only 109 cases were made and he had been saving it for quite awhile. The wine is made with 89% Zinfandel and 11% Petite Sirah. Heady aromas of dark fruit and spice transitioned into complex layers of blackberry, raspberry, pepper and hints of vanilla. It was full bodied with medium tannins and it was good to the last drop! Ian Blackburn is the Proprietor and Winemaker. http://www.beekeepercellars.com It’s time to head outdoors and enjoy another beautiful day.
Happy Sunday! Cheers! Penina  The last few days have been quite busy, but I’m taking a little time to exhale this weekend. The skies are blue, the temps a bit chilly, but it’s a beautiful day to spend outdoors.  The other evening a friend and I shared a bottle of 2013 Smith-Madrone Riesling from the Spring Mountain District of Napa. This 100% Riesling is 12.6% alcohol and comes from Stu and Charles Smith’s 42-year-old vines. This pale yellow wine is vibrant with lively acidity and is quite refreshing. Aromas of stone fruit, apples, honeysuckle and a hint of grapefruit were present. The palate was a feast of lime, apricot, honeysuckle, citrus notes and a hint of spice. The finish was long with a creaminess lingering on the palate. I wouldn’t hesitate to serve this at Thanksgiving! http://www.smithmadrone.com/index.htm  A friend recently asked why he hadn’t seen any “knitting” posts on my blog for such a long time. I must admit that my journeys have taken me down a different path of late. However, with the winter months soon to be upon us, I will be knitting once again. I need to knit a few more scarves and hats to keep my friends and me warm on the slopes and trails this season! Happy Saturday!
Cheers! Penina In between errands yesterday, I was glued to the news with updates on the tragedy that took place in Paris. I was relieved that my niece and cousin were okay, but I still felt unsettled about it all.  At the urging of my friend, I finally relented and agreed to join a few people for a low-key evening. I’m happy that I did. Soft music in the background and wonderful aromas emanating from the kitchen put me in a good mood. I brought homemade whole wheat Cuban bread that was still warm from the oven. My host provided the food and wine.  We drank Santa Barbara Winery 2008 Stolpman Vineyards Santa Ynez Valley Sangiovese. The vineyard is located in Ballard Canyon, which is known for the production of Syrah wines. Although Sangiovese is historically the prime grape of the Chianti region of Italy, the warm climate of Ballard Canyon is nicely suited to growing this grape. The wine was ruby red with heady aromas of cherry, raspberry, a soft floral bouquet and spices. The aromas segued onto the palate with more “jammy” flavors of cherry, red fruit and spice. I wouldn’t normally choose a Sangiovese grape for Thanksgiving, but this particular bottle might be a consideration. It had soft tannins and didn’t challenge the flavors of the food. It is perhaps past peak, but still very drinkable. http://www.stolpmanvineyards.com Have a peaceful Sunday!
Cheers! Penina  It’s a very rainy day here and as much as I would like to snuggle in for the day, I have much to do.  However, before I run off, I’d like to tell you about a wine I had last evening that would pair well with any Thanksgiving feast. We opened a 2009 Ketcham Estate Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. The color was deep ruby red with delightful aromas of cherries, strawberry, a bit of raspberry and spice. This medium bodied wine offered ripe fruit, black cherry and subtle spice on the palate with a long fruit filled finish. Soft tannins, balanced acidity and smooth texture had us all agreeing that this would make an excellent wine to serve with the assortment of food that usually graces the Thanksgiving table. http://www.ketchamestate.com I’ll return tomorrow with a fantastic side dish recipe!
Happy Wednesday! Cheers! Penina |
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