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Spring has finally arrived and quietly entered a world filled with chaos and uncertainty. Most of us have barely noticed that a new season has begun, but spring brings with it a time of renewal, rebirth and hope. Although many of us are sequestered right now, Mother Nature is not. Soon, the trees and flowers will be blooming, birds will be building nests, hummingbirds will return to the north and we will all eventually get back to “normal”. We will once again enjoy picnics, outdoor concerts, dining in restaurants and travel!  So, with that in mind, here are some delicious rosés from around the world to usher in spring. Let’s bring the celebration indoors and toast Mother Nature and us!  Photo credit: Penny Weiss La Fiera Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo Rosé DOC 2018 This wine is 100% Montepulciano. The grapes are sourced from the Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo DOC appellation in Abruzzo, Italy. A lovely bouquet of strawberry, cherry and floral segue onto the palate with a perfect blend of crisp acidity and fresh, ripe fruit and a delightfully long finish. This is a great wine to serve as an aperitif or with summer fare. Alcohol: 12.5% SRP: $8  Photo credit: Penny Weiss Mont Gravet Rosé 2019 This wine is from Pays d’Oc, France and is made with 100% Cinsault. Berry aromas lead to a fresh, fruit-forward palate with cherry, berries and a hint of peach and pears. Nice structure and balance. Drink as an aperitif or serve with light fare. Alcohol: 12% SRP: $10  Photo credit: Penny Weiss Santa Julia Malbec Rosé 2018 This wine is from Santa Rosa & Maipu Vineyards in Mendoza, Argentina. It is made with 100% Malbec organic grapes. Wonderful aromas of berries and dark cherry segue onto the palate with juicy fruit and a trace of baking spice. Nicely balanced. Drink as an aperitif or serve with light fare. Alcohol: 14% SRP: $11  Photo credit: Penny Weiss Mas Fi Cava Brut Rosé NV This sparkling wine is produced by the Masachs family. The grapes are 100% Trepat and sourced from DO Cava (Penedes) in the Catalan region of Spain. This Brut Rosé undergoes a second fermentation in the bottle (Metode Tradicional) and is aged for 11 months. Red fruit aromas of mostly berries and a trace of floral open to a palate of fine bubbles, red berries, cherry and pomegranate. It is nicely balanced with good structure. Drink as an aperitif or pair with a myriad of cuisines. Alcohol: 11.5% SRP: $12  Photo credit: Penny Weiss Hess Select California Rosé 2019 Made with 100% Pinot Noir, this juicy and crisp wine has red berry and floral aromas. The palate offers strawberry, red cherry and peach balanced nicely with acidity. Drink as an aperitif or serve with light fare. Alcohol: 13.5%. SRP: $12  Photo credit: Penny Weiss Domaine Bousquet Rosé 2019 This wine is made with organic grapes and is a blend of Pinot Noir, Tempranillo, Pinot Gris and Viognier. The grapes are sourced from vineyards in Tupungato Alto Gualtallary in Mendoza, Argentina. Aromas of nectarine and berries set the tone for this lively wine. A palate of red berries, cherry and a splash of citrus are enriched by the fresh acidity. Drink as an aperitif or serve with light fare. Alcohol: 13% SRP: $13  Photo credit: Penny Weiss All of these wines are under $15 and are quite impressive. I’m looking forward to sipping rosé at an outdoor concert soon. But for now, I’ll settle for a glass or two of wine on my front porch or in my cozy house.  Photo credit: Penny Weiss Be safe, be smart and stay well!
Until next time, Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at [email protected] When you can’t choose between drinking red or white wine and circumstances permit, try both and let your palate choose. That’s why I love using my Coravin system; there is no waste factor in my home!  Photo credit: Penny Weiss Donald Hess is the founder of Hess Wines, a family-owned, fifth-generation company located in Napa Valley, CA. In the 1970s, while on a business trip to Napa Valley, Donald took an interest in mountain winegrowing. He ascertained that the Mount Veeder mountain vineyards were an ideal area for growing grapes, which produce unique character and flavor due to the microclimate and soils.  Map courtesy of Hess Collection In 1978 Donald made his first land purchase on Mount Veeder, a property in which winemaking and farming have a history going back as far as 1876. This property is now the site of the Hess Collection Winery. By 1982, Donald had acquired 900 acres and in 1986 he opened the Hess Collection Winery to the public. Dave Guffy became Director of Winemaking in 1999 and Donald formally retired in 2011, passing on the baton to his son-in-law Timothy Persson as CEO and his daughter Sabrina, the fifth generation of the Hess family. In addition to its mountain vineyards, Hess Wines has estate vineyards in areas such as Pope Valley and near the Carneros region of the Napa Valley. They also produce wine in Argentina and South Africa. Hess Wines focuses on sustainable practices in the vineyard and winery. “The wines cultivated at The Hess Collection follow the dictates of the Napa Green certified land and winery programs, as well as the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance “Code of Sustainable Winegrowing”, both third-party certification programs with significant oversight.” (Quoted from Hess website) My review today is on wines that come from Hess Allomi and Súskol Vineyards in Napa.  Map courtesy of Hess Collection Hess Collection Napa Valley Chardonnay 2017 is 100% Chardonnay. The grapes are sourced from Súskol Estate Vineyards located in one of the coolest growing regions within Napa. It is the site of an ancient seabed with shallow, sandy soils. Chardonnay is exclusively grown on this 175-acre vineyard with nine unique clones to work with. 70% of the blend goes through stainless fermentation and the remaining 30% sees a light touch of oak-aged for nine months in French oak, 19% new.  Photo credit: Penny Weiss Luscious aromas of floral, pear, honeydew and vanilla lead to a rich and creamy palate. Layers of melon, honeysuckle, pear and baking spice with hints of stone fruit are complemented by lively acidity and balance. Enjoy as an aperitif or serve with seafood, light pasta or cheese. Alcohol: 14.4% SRP: $22 Hess Collection “Allomi” Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 is a blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Petite Sirah, 3% Petit Verdot, 2% Malbec and 2% Merlot. Grapes are harvested from Allomi Vineyard located in northeastern Pope Valley, a part of Napa Valley. Vines are exposed to a long, warm growing season and well-drained clay loam soils. There are 35 unique blocks with six different Cabernet clones in this 210-acre estate. Each block is evaluated and only the finest components are selected for each vintage. This wine is aged in 27% new American oak for 18 months.  A profusion of black fruit and spice with hints of floral and vanilla greet the nose. The palate offers dark plum, black cherry and spice with a finale of dark chocolate, vanilla and sour cherry on a long and luxurious finish. It has a beautiful mouth-feel with well-integrated tannins. This wine is full of personality and simply put, is elegant. Serve with grilled meat, wild game, stews and grilled vegetables.
Alcohol: 14.5% SRP: $32 I look forward to revisiting these wines very soon! Until next time… Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at [email protected] It was a very untraditional Thanksgiving this year. Family and friends gathered at my home for a non-turkey feast. We dined on Spinach Lasagna, Chicken Parmesan, Avocado, Bean & Corn salad, Cornbread Custard and Spinach & Arugula salad. An array of wines was opened including Carmenere, Rosé, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. And don’t even get me started on the desserts! I think we were all pretty well sated by the end of the day. Although all the wines were good, I particularly enjoyed the 2016 Hahn Pinot Noir from the Monterey County appellation. This is a versatile wine and it paired well with all the styles of food on the table.  Hahn Family Wines is located in the Santa Lucia Highlands of California. Nicky Hahn and his wife Gaby made their first purchase of land in 1979 and Nicky released his first vintage of wine in 1980. They continued to make land purchases through 1992. They have four estate vineyards in the Santa Lucia Highlands and two vineyards in the Arroyo Seco AVA of Monterey County. Hahn practices sustainability from the grape growing to the winemaking.  Hahn Family map of vineyards Sadly, Nicky passed away in March of 2018 at the age of 81. His legacy lives on through his son, Philip Hahn, Chairman of Hahn Family Wines and his daughter Caroline Hahn. 2016 Hahn Pinot Noir is 100% Pinot Noir. The grapes come from the Arroyo Seco appellation of Monterey County. The cool winds coming from the Monterey Bay allow for gradual ripening and development of rich flavors. The wine is aged for 8 months in 40% new French oak. The color is ruby with intense aromas of red cherry, strawberry, roses, pepper and hints of cedar. The palate offers layers of black cherry, plum, cranberries, vanilla and a hint of kirsch. It is beautifully balanced with smooth tannins and a soft finish. Alcohol: 14.5% SRP: $15  An interesting note about the label…Nicky Hahn’s native language is German. “Hahn” translated from German means rooster, which is why an illustration of the bird is seen on every bottle produced by the winery.  Until next time…
Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at [email protected] Yes, it’s damp and chilly and time for some soup and Cabernet!  My last post took us to Argentina where I introduced some expressive Cabernet Sauvignons. So now we’re off to California where Cabernet Sauvignon is the most widely planted red grape variety in this state. Let’s zoom in on Sonoma County which stretches from the Pacific Coast to the Mayacamas Mountains in the east and is adjacent to Napa Valley.  There are seventeen appellations and approximately 60,000 acres of vineyards in Sonoma with over sixty grape varieties grown here. The climate and geography are diverse and can change from one appellation to the next. Rodney Strong Vineyards is located in Healdsburg, Sonoma County and is named after Rod Strong, an American dancer who over 55 years ago, decided to pursue his lifelong passion, winemaking. In 1989, the Klein family, fourth generation California farmers, purchased the winery. Today, the Klein family produces critically acclaimed Single Vineyard and Reserve wines including impressive Estate releases and best-in-class Sonoma County varietal wines. Rodney Strong practices sustainability in the vineyards and winery. In 2010 they were awarded certification by the California Sustainable Winegrower’s Alliance. They have fourteen estate vineyards in seven appellations throughout Sonoma, each vineyard with its own distinctive climate and geography, characteristics that are expressed in the finished wine.  Rodney Strong map Rodney Strong produces a wide range of styles and varietals. For their complete selection, please visit https://www.rodneystrong.com This story will only be covering the Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon.  Rodney Strong Cabernet Sauvignon made the perfect pairing for my vegetable and bean soup. In the past, I’ve poured a range of varietals to serve with my soup. However, with this particular batch of soup, I added a secret ingredient to spice things up. And, the wine was a great match! Rodney Strong Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. The grapes were harvested from three Cabernet vineyards located in Jimtown, Geyserville and all the way north to Cloverdale. The wine was blended and aged for fifteen months in 75% American oak and 15% French oak barrels. The color of the wine is dark ruby with tantalizing aromas of dark cherry, spice, plum, dark berry and hints of floral. The palate is layered with rich dark fruit, dark plum, black cherry, spice and hints of sour cherry, pepper and light oak on a long finish. Tannins are mellow and the wine is beautifully balanced. It will pair well with cheese, stews and hearty entrees and of course, soup! Alcohol: 13.5% SRP: $20 (assuming you can still find this vintage)  It’s hard to believe that Thanksgiving is next week! What will you be drinking?
Until next time… Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at [email protected] Spring has finally arrived! Warm weather and wearing sandals are always conducive to making me happy!  And, it’s time to dust off the grill and move the party outside. I’ll be popping open more white and rosé wine now. However, as you might know, I never abandon red wine just because of warm weather!  So, in honor of the pink full moon last night and the 75-degree temps, I opened my last bottle of 2014 Mockingbird Hill Chardonnay from Napa Valley. I reviewed this vintage in May 2016. This is a delightful wine with enticing aromas of citrus, melon, pear and hints of floral. As I reported last time “the palate revealed lush layers of honeysuckle, pineapple, and honey crisp apples with hints of oak and vanilla. The finish was long with a touch of creamsicle lingering. Nice acidity and very clean.” This is a wonderful wine to drink as an aperitif. It’s also good with cheese, fish and grilled veggies. http://www.mockingbirdhillwine.com   Over the next two weeks I will be posting infrequently due to a tight schedule and an upcoming press trip to Sicily! I will be back on my blog full-time at the beginning of May with lots of stories! In the meantime, you can follow me on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook to view daily photos and updates of my trip. The links are below: Twitter @peninablogger
Instagram @thewineknitter Facebook https://www.facebook.com/TheWineKnitter-1313377698713518/?ref=bookmarks Have a great Tuesday! Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at [email protected] 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] 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] |
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