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When I think of calendar events in February, Ground Hog’s Day and Valentines’s Day are at the top of my list. Unfortunately, Punxsutawney Phil, the famous groundhog, made his prediction this year with six more weeks of winter to contend with. So, with that in mind, let’s move on to Valentine’s Day and comfort our hearts and souls with wine, a cocktail, and tea that are sure to please the palate and chase away the winter blues. Loveblock Wines Pinot Noir 2020 The founders of Loveblock Wines are veteran winemaker Kim Crawford and his wife Erica, who have been working in wine most of their lives. The grapes for this lovely 100% Pinot Noir are sourced from New Zealand’s Central Otago region on a 20-acre vineyard affectionately named “Someone’s Darling.” Erica said, “Loveblock is a true love story. It is one of depth and dedication.”  Photo credit: Penny Weiss Nose: Red fruit, cherry, earth, and spice. Palate: Juicy, rich fruit, cherry, dark plum, red berry notes, with a dash of herbs and spice. Beautifully balanced and smooth with bright acidity. Alcohol: 13.5% SRP: $37 Pairings: Cheese, white meat, lamb, risotto, or salmon. Gorghi Tondi Dumè Frappato Sicillia DOC 2020 Tenuta Gorghi Tondi is located in south-western Sicily, surrounded by vineyards and the sea. Sisters Annamaria and Clara Sala continue the 100-year-old family tradition of making wine here that their great grandmother Dora started with her captivation of the land, sun, and light. The grapes for this 100% Frappato are sourced from one of the estate’s youngest (6 years old) vineyards. The wine is aged in stainless tanks, on the lees for five months and two more months in the bottle.  Photo credit: Penny Weiss Nose: Lively red fruit aromas with berries, herbs, a floral touch, and a hint of the sea. Palate: Engaging flavors of fresh red fruit, strawberry, pomegranate, rosemary, with a dab of orange peel and spice lingering on the finish. It may be served slightly chilled. Alcohol: 12.5% SRP: $19 Pairings: Serve with pasta dishes, fish, white meat, hamburgers, or pizza. Bubbles!  Photo credit: Penny Weiss Valdo Marca Oro Prosecco DOC Rosé Brut 2020 Valdo was founded in 1926 and has been owned by the Balla Family since 1938. The grapes for this sparkling wine are sourced from the Prosecco DOC appellation in Veneto, Italy. It is 90% Glera and 10% Pinot Noir and produced using the Charmat Method. Nose: Lovely floral notes with pear, apple, and red berries. Palate: Persistent bubbles with aromas that segue onto the palate. Bright acidity and a creamy mouthfeel add to a long and refreshing finish. Alcohol: 11% SRP: $14.99 Pairings: Enjoy as an aperitif, or serve with fish, pasta, salads, grilled chicken, or dessert. Bottega Liquid Metals Rosé Gold NV This sparkling wine is produced by Bottega SpA, headquartered in Castello Roganzuolo, about 30 miles from Venice, Italy. It is 100% Pinot Noir grapes hand-harvested from vineyards in the Lombardy region. It is produced using the Martinotti (Charmat, tank) method. Sandro Bottega, third-generation winemaker and co-owner, said, “Bottega’s motto is “Fatto A Mano,” which means ‘handmade.” Its mission is to work and achieve the highest levels of quality, design, and sustainability.” The gilded bottle protects the wine from light, preserving the wine's clean and refreshing aromas. Nose: Juicy peach, mixed red berries, and floral notes. Palate: Fresh and lively with an accent on raspberry, strawberry, and peach. Dry with a fine perlage. Alcohol: 11.5% SRP: $32.99 Pairings: Enjoy as an aperitif or with light fare. Champagne Boizel Rosé NV This Champagne is produced by the Boizel House, established in 1834 and located in Épernay, in the heart of Champagne. The grapes for this rosé is a blend of 50% Pinot Noir, 20% Chardonnay and 30% Pinot Meunier sourced from Grands and Premiers Cru vineyards “The still wines (vins clairs) from the year are blended with 20% of reserve wines kept from the previous two harvests, ensuring consistency. By using reserve wines within two vintages only, Boizel is able to preserve freshness in their wines, a signature trait of their winemaking style.” The wine is aged for three years on its lees, in the bottle. Nose: Delicate notes of cherry and strawberry. Palate: Creamy mouthfeel, persistent and fine bubbles with an accent on raspberry, citrus, and subtle notes of spice and minerality on a long finish. Alcohol: 12% SRP: $61.99 Pairings: Enjoy as an aperitif or serve with just about anything, including dessert! Champagne Vollereaux Rosé de Saignée Brut NV Champagne Vollereaux produces this 100% Pinot Noir rosé. They are a sixth-generation family winery located in Pierry, France. “Vollereaux is one of the very few champagne wineries to use the traditional saigne method of maceration for its Rosé Champagne, which involves bleeding off a portion of pink juice during red wine production (as opposed to blending red and white wine together). This process occurs after a short contact with the grape skins and seeds.” The juice spends three years on lees, more than twice the time required by appellation rules. Nose: Strawberry and juicy red berries, vanilla, and bread dough. Palate: Strawberry, kirsch, and citrus mingle with berries and cream. It is dry with fine bubbles, has vibrant acidity and a hint of brioche and minerality that linger on a long finish. Alcohol: 12% SRP: $54.99 Pairings: Delicious as an aperitif, or with light fare and dessert. Cocktail Time! Wild Hibiscus Daiquiri This cocktail is a delicious sweet and sour blend made with Australian wild hibiscus flowers in syrup. The 250g jar includes 11 edible flower buds. There are many recipes available online, or create your own! SRP: $13 (available on Amazon)  Photo credit: Penny Weiss Wild Hibiscus Daiquiri Recipe: 3 oz. white rum 1 oz. fresh lime juice 1 oz. wild hibiscus syrup Wild Hibiscus Flower garnish Pour ingredients (minus flower) into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously for 10 seconds. Strain into glass and garnish with flower. Tea Time! And lastly, for those who enjoy tea, this is not to be missed.  Photo credit: Penny Weiss Adagio Teas ‘Cupid’s Cup Tea’
This delicious tea is a love potion that is tangy, sweet, and creamy. The ingredients are rose hips, hibiscus, apple, sprinkles, rose petals, strawberry, and natural flavor. Caffeine-free. This is a loose leaf tea that takes five to seven minutes to brew. SRP: $15 So, whether you are celebrating with someone or want to have a “just because” moment, the above potations will brighten your spirits and warm your heart. Although they will chase away the February blues, they are meant to be enjoyed all year long! Until next time… Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at wineknittercomments@gmail.com In my home, one doesn’t need a special occasion or excuse to pop open a bottle of sparkling wine. And these days, the gentle sound of a cork being coaxed from a bottle of bubbly, is music to my ears! With the holidays upon us, having a few bottles of sparkling wine on hand will most certainly add a little sparkle to the festivities! And I highly endorse those occasional “just because” moments as well!  Here are a few suggestions of sparkling wines from around the world ranging in price from $11 to $54.99  Photo credit: Penny Weiss Casas del Mar Blanc de Blancs NV Cava Brut This Cava is produced by Casas del Mar estate located in Catalonia, Spain. It is a blend of 40% Xarello (from 70-year-old vines, 30% Macabeu and 30% Parallada. Grapes are harvested from the Penedès appellation in the Catalonia region. It is made using the Méthode Traditionnelle, the same method used in the Champagne district of France, where the second fermentation takes place in the bottle. This Cava is aged on the lees between 18 & 24 months before disgorgement.  Photo credit: Penny Weiss Nose: Apples, citrus and pleasant yeast aromas Palate: White stone fruit, melon, floral, and a touch of spice Alcohol: 12% SRP: $11 Roscato Rosso Dolce IGT This is a delicately sweet and refreshing wine from the Lombardy region in northern Italy and is produced in the Moscato d’Asti style. It is a blend of three indigenous grapes, Croatina, Teroldego and Lagrein, in addition to a few international grapes. Each variety is vinified separately before blending. It has a screw cap, no cork to pop, but it is still a festive wine to pour!  Photo credit: Penny Weiss Nose: Dark berries, cherry, red raspberry Palate: This wine is frizzante (gently sparkling wine) with notes of berries and has a nice balance between sweetness and acidity. Not only will it complement desserts, but this wine will also pair beautifully with spicy cuisine! Serve chilled. Alcohol: 7% SRP: $12.99 Domaine Bousquet Sparkling Rosé Brut NV The grapes for this rosé are harvested from vineyards in Tupungato, Alto Gualtallary in Argentina at the foothills of the Andes at 4000 ft. altitude. It is a blend of (organic) 75% Pinot Noir and 25% Chardonnay and made using the Charmat Method.  Photo credit: Penny Weiss Nose: Cherry, red berries, citrus, a touch of floral Palate: Strawberry, ruby grapefruit, red berries, delicate bubbles. Alcohol: 12.5% SRP: $13 Paul Cheneau Lady of Spain Cava Brut NV Giró Ribot is the producer of this wine located in the heart of the Penedès appellation in Catalonia, Spain. They own 247 acres of vineyards of the indigenous Macabeo, Xarel·lo and Parellada grapes, with which Cavas are produced. This wine is made using the Méthode Traditionnelle and is a blend of 45% Macabeo, 40% Xarel·lo and 15% Parellada. It is bottle aged for 12-15 months.  Photo credit: Penny Weiss Nose: Citrus, light peach, brioche Palate: Dry, fine and persistent bubbles, fresh fruit, stone fruit. Nicely balanced between acidity and alcohol with a long finish. This is an eye-catching bottle that doesn’t disappoint when opened. Alcohol: 12% SRP: $14.99 Côté Mas Crémant de Limoux Brut NV This sparkling wine is produced by Domaines Paul Mas located in the southern French region of Languedoc. The grapes for this wine are sourced from Crémant de Limoux appellation. It is a blend of 60% Chardonnay, 20% Chenin Blanc, 10% Pinot Noir, and 10% Mauzac. It is produced using the Méthode Traditionnelle. After primary fermentation, the “Liqueur de Tirage,” a blend of sugar and yeast, is added to the juice a few hours before bottling. After one year of aging, the lees are expelled and the “Liqueur de Dosage” is added and aged an additional twelve months.  Photo credit: Penny Weiss Nose: Apples, peaches, melon, honeysuckle Palate: Citrus, candied lemon, tart apple and crisp acidity with a touch of citrus zest on the finish. Alcohol: 12% SRP: $’’19.99 Bottega Gold Prosecco DOC NV This wine is produced by Bottega SpA, headquartered in Treviso in the Veneto region of northern Italy. 100% Glera grapes are hand-harvested from manually maintained and sustainable vineyards in Treviso Plains. It is produced using the Martinotti (Charmat, tank) method. “The gilded bottle also protects the wine from light, preserving the wine's clean and refreshing aromas.”  Image courtesy of Bottega SpA Nose: Floral, apples and citrus Palate: Pear, apple, pink grapefruit, floral. Creamy mouthfeel, fine and persistent perlage with apples and a touch of honey lingering on the finish. Alcohol: 11% SRP: $32.99 Champagne Boizel Brut Réserve NV This Brut Réserve is produced by the Boizel House, established in 1834 and located in Épernay, in the heart of Champagne. The grapes for this cuvée is a blend of 55% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay and 15% Pinot Meunier. “The still wines (vins clairs) from the year are blended with 30% of reserve wines kept from the previous two harvests, ensuring consistency. By using reserve wines within two vintages only, Boizel is able to preserve freshness in their wines, a signature trait of their winemaking style. “ The wine is aged for three years on its lees, in the bottle.  Photo credit: Penny Weiss Nose: Floral, white stone fruit, citrus and pastry Palate: Peach, apricot, toast, citrus notes, minerality, nice acidity and persistent mousse. Alcohol: 12% SRP: $49.99 Champagne Vollereaux Rosé de Saignée Brut NV Champagne Vollereaux produces this 100% Pinot Noir rosé. They are a sixth generation family winery located in Pierry, France. “Vollereaux is one of the very few champagne wineries to use the traditional saigne method of maceration for its Rosé Champagne, which involves bleeding off a portion of pink juice during red wine production (as opposed to blending red and white wine together). This process occurs after a short contact with the grape skins and seeds.” The juice spends three years on lees, more than twice the time required by appellation rules.  Photo credit: Penny Weiss Nose: Strawberry and juicy red berries, vanilla and bread dough.
Palate: Strawberry, kirsch and citrus mingle with berries and cream. It is dry with fine bubbles, vibrant acidity and a hint of brioche and minerality that linger on a long finish. Alcohol: 12% SRP: $54.99 Pair the above wines with your favorite cheese, desserts, and holiday meals, or enjoy as an aperitif. And if you are stuck on what to give the 21+ drinkers on your “holiday/birthday/just because” list, these wines make beautiful gifts! If you would like more information on the regions and wine production methods, please visit the menu on the right and click on the category of interest. Until next time… Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at wineknittercomments@gmail.com Since my views have never changed concerning Valentine’s Day, I decided to repost part of a story that I wrote a few years ago with the addition of some wines and treats to celebrate “hearts” day!  “With Valentine’s Day almost upon us, flower and candy shops, jewelry stores and the wine and spirits industry are bedazzling us with an array of red and pink treats. Ah yes, Valentine’s Day is the one day of the year that we make a point of celebrating romance, love and friendship by expressing our affection with cards, gifts and special dinners. Personally speaking, I think we should be celebrating each other and ourselves every day! By now, you know that I’m a big proponent of “just because” when it comes to opening a bottle of wine. And that philosophy extends to buying flowers, jewelry and candy! For me, it’s the unexpected gesture of love and friendship that is the most meaningful, not because a holiday dictates it. And yes, I admit that I have on rare occasions gone overboard in celebrating Valentine’s Day. At heart, I am a hopeless romantic Whether it’s Valentine’s Day or a “just because” day, pick up some fun treats and open up a bottle of rosé, sparkling or still wine that you’ve never tried before.”  Photo credit: Penny Weiss To start your Valentine festivities this is the “perfect pairing” of wine and cheese.  Photo credit: Penny Weiss Having just returned from Piedmont, Lombardy and Veneto where I indulged in sparkling wine and out of this world cheese, I was excited to receive a sampling of Garda DOC Spumante wine and Piave DOP cheese upon my return home. Pairing these two makes so much sense when you think about how Piave DOP is surrounded by sparkling wine production. Garda DOC is made up of ten historic appellations located along the western shore of Lake Garda, the largest lake in Italy. As you can see from the map below, Garda DOC is partially in Lombardy and then continues on to a small area in Veneto.  These sparkling wines are produced in both the Metodo Classico and Charmat method and range in style from Brut Nature to Demi-Sec. The Consorzio Garda DOC was founded in 1996 to protect the value of the wines and to ensure that all rules of production are followed. Cantina Di Custoza Spumante Extra Dry, Garda DOC 2018 This wine opens with delightful floral and fruit aromas that lead to a palate of fine bubbles with notes of pear, peach, honeysuckle and minerality. It is light and refreshing! The gentle fruit and floral flavors of the wine combined with the nutty flavors of the cheese are divine. Alcohol: 11.5%  Photo credit: Penny Weiss Piave DOP is a hard, cooked curd cheese that is only produced from indigenous Italian cattle breeds in the Dolomites area of the Belluno province in Italy’s Veneto region. The Consorzio Di Tutela Del Formaggio Piave was created in 2010 to protect from misuse or counterfeiting, in addition to making sure that all traditional production techniques are used. There are five different age classifications with aging being anywhere from 20 days to over 18 months. Piave Fresco D.O.P. (20/60 days), Piave Mezzano D.O.P. (61/180 days) Piave Vecchio D.O.P. (>180 days), Piave Vecchio Selezione Oro D.O.P. (>12 months) Piave Vecchio Riserva D.O.P. (more than 18 months). My cheese samples included: Piave Medium (60/180 days) This cheese has a straw-yellow color with a mild nutty flavor that imparts a nice creamy texture on the palate.  Photo credit: Penny Weiss Piave Vecchio Selezione (12 months) The color of this cheese is dark yellow showing its age. This is a rich and smooth cheese with a pronounced walnut flavor and a hint of sweetness.  Photo credit: Penny Weiss Piave DOP cheese is delightful on its own or with sparkling wine. It also makes a great addition to recipes. Here are a few more wines that I recently wrote about that will add a smile if not sparkle to your celebration. Domaine Bousquet Brut NV Chardonnay /Pinot Noir A delightful sparkling wine made with organic grapes sourced from the vineyards of Tupungato, Argentina. Beautiful aromas of citrus, apple and tropical notes segue onto the palate with hints of brioche and pear. Fine bubbles and a creamy mouthfeel add to a fresh and crisp treat. Alcohol: 12.5% SRP: $13  Photo credit: Penny Weiss Charles Heidsieck Brut Réserve NV A golden color and fine bubbles lead to a complex and elegant nose of brioche, pear, white flowers and a hint of apricot and citrus. The palate is rich with white fruit, toast and tart baked apples, with hints of cherry, citrus, toasted nuts and vanilla. It has good acidity and a creamy texture with a long, lush finish. Alcohol: 12% SRP: $69  Photo credit: Penny Weiss Pasqua Vigneti é Cantine PassioneSentimento Prosecco Treviso Spumante Brut, DOC This Prosecco is quite aromatic with fresh fruit, pear and brioche. The palate offers pear, apple, a hint of slate and lemon zest on the finish. This is a fresh and balanced wine with tiny bubbles and lovely perlage. Alcohol: 11% SRP: $16  Photo credit: Penny Weiss Bibi Graetz Bollamatta Spumante IGT NV This wine is soft pink in color with an abundance of fruit and floral on the nose. The palate offers strawberry, cherry, stone fruit, bread and citrus. Fine bubbles and crisp acidity make this a “crazily” refreshing wine! Alcohol: 12.5% SRP: $26  Photo credit: Penny Weiss Banfi Rosa Regale Brachetto D’Acqui DOCG 2019 is made with 100% Brachetto and is produced using the Charmat method. This is a well-balanced sparkling wine with just the right amount of sweetness and acidity. Aromas of roses and red berries spill onto the palate with a refreshing and soft sparkle. Alcohol: 7% SRP: $12 to $15  Photo credit: Penny Weiss Domaine de Bila-Haut “Les Vignes” Pays d’Orc Rosé 2018 This coral-colored wine has subtle but inviting aromas of floral, citrus, red fruit and minerality. The palate offers a soft array of berries, rose, herbs, minerality and a hint of watermelon. This is a dry and refreshingly crisp wine with just a trace of citrus on the finish. Alcohol: 12.5% SRP: $15  Photo credit: Penny Weiss Cuvée de la Commanderie Rosé 2018 A.O.P. Côtes de Provence This wine has a soft peach color with aromas of red berries, salinity and floral. The palate offers strawberry, raspberry, light citrus, salinity and crisp acidity. This is a dry and complex wine that displays elegance and freshness with savory taking the lead over fruit. Alcohol: 12.5% SRP: $20  Photo credit: Penny Weiss As I like to say every year, “whether you’re celebrating Valentine’s Day with loved ones, friends, family or just want to celebrate “you”, go ahead and indulge! Eat champagne truffles and pop open a bottle of wine!”
Until next time… Cheers! XOXO Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at wineknittercomments@gmail.com The holiday festivities have begun and I’ve heard a lot of corks popping lately, which is always music to my ears! Champagne and sparkling wines have always been considered the “go-to” drink for celebrations. But they have evolved into wines that are now enjoyed all year long and not just for special occasions. There are numerous styles to choose from that are produced in wine regions all around the world such as the popular Italian Prosecco, Spanish Cava and Sekt from Germany. To kick off the holiday season, I received a variety of six sparkling wines for review. I’m all about the bubbly, so I was happy to oblige!  Photo credit: Penny Weiss Charles Heidsieck founded his own Maison in 1851 in Reims, France and he is credited for introducing and popularizing Champagne in the United States. After visiting New York and New England in 1852, he realized the great potential for selling his Champagne in America. A massive import of his wine was met with great success and he achieved record sales. Charles Heidsieck Brut Réserve NV This champagne is summarized as an equation: 60/40/10 and expresses the quintessence of its style. 60: the number of crus in the blend (1/3 Chardonnay, 1/3 Pinot Noir, 1/3 Meunier) vinified cru-by-cru, varietal-by-varietal in stainless steel vats. 40: a high proportion of 40% reserve wines equally divided between Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. 10: average age of 10 years for the reserve wines. Aging takes place in chalk cellars.  Photo credit: Penny Weiss  Photo credit: Penny Weiss A golden color and fine bubbles lead to a complex and elegant nose of brioche, pear, white flowers and a hint of apricot and citrus. The palate is rich with white fruit, toast and tart baked apples, with hints of cherry, citrus, toasted nuts and vanilla. It has good acidity and a creamy texture with a long, lush finish. Alcohol: 12% SRP: $69 Piper Sonoma is located in Sonoma, CA in the Russian River Valley region. It was founded in 1980 by Marquis d’Aulan. They have been producing sparkling wines for almost 40 years using the classic Méthode Traditionnelle technique to make the wines. Each vineyard lot is hand-harvested, fermented and aged separately. The wines are produced in Healdsburg under the guidance and expertise of winemaker, Keith Hock. Piper Sonoma Brut NV This sparkling wine is a blend of 70% Chardonnay, 20% Pinot Noir, 3% Pinot Blanc and 7% aged Reserve Blend.  Photo credit: Penny Weiss This wine is pale lemon with fine and persistent bubbles. Aromas of brioche, orchard fruit, pear and citrus segue onto the palate with notes of berries and clementine. It has a fresh and smooth mouthfeel with a long and delightful finish. Alcohol: 13.5% SRP: $22 Piper Sonoma Blanc de Blancs NV This is a new blend for this wine made of 75% Chardonnay and 25% Pinot Blanc.  Photo credit: Penny Weiss This wine is a soft straw color with fine bubbles and a lovely combination of aromas that include citrus notes, floral and tart apples. This dry and lively wine is creamy in texture with great acidity and notes of brioche, apples, citrus and a touch of vanilla. Alcohol: 12.9% SRP: $22 Piper Sonoma Brut Rosé NV This rosé is a blend of 53% Chardonnay, 39% Pinot Noir, 6% Pinot Blanc and 2% aged Reserve Blend.  Photo credit: Penny Weiss This is a fresh and aromatic dry sparkling wine that has inviting aromas of berries, floral and citrus. Fine bubbles give way to flavors of strawberry, cherry, citrus and a hint of toast. It is nicely balanced with crisp acidity and a creamy mouthfeel. Alcohol: 12.6% SRP: $22 Known in the wine industry as the Tuscan renegade, Bibi Graetz has managed to become one of Italy's most ingenious winemakers adding "cult winemaker" in addition to "talented abstract artist" to his dossier. His first wines were released in 2000 and his bio reads like a movie script. (More to follow in another post) Bibi Graetz Bollamatta Spumante IGT NV Bollamatta is a sparkling wine made with 100% Sangiovese grapes sourced from Bibi’s 50 to 80-year-old vineyards spread across Tuscany. Bollamatta means “crazy bubbles” in Italian. The wine is produced using the Charmat method with five months on the yeasts. It is aged on the lees in stainless steel.  Photo credit: Penny Weiss The wine is soft pink in color with an abundance of fruit and floral on the nose. The palate offers strawberry, cherry, stone fruit, bread and citrus. Fine bubbles and crisp acidity make this a “crazily” refreshing wine! Alcohol: 12.5% SRP: $26 Villa Sandi dates back to 1622 and is located in Northeastern Italy in the heart of the Prosecco area at the foot of Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG hills. The estate is owned by the Moretti Polegato family and has been in the family for many generations. Villa Sandi Il Fresco Brut Prosecco DOC NV The grapes for this wine come from Treviso, the heart of Prosecco. It is a blend of Glera, Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc. After fermentation, the sparkling wine spends two months on lees before bottling.  Photo credit: Penny Weiss This is a light and fun sparkling wine with vibrant aromas of honeysuckle, stone fruit and apples. The palate offers citrus, apple, honeydew melon and a touch of minerality. This wine is well balanced with just the right amount of acidity.
Alcohol: 11% SRP: $16 All of the above sparkling wines will drink beautifully as an aperitif and are easy to pair with a wide variety of cuisine. These are perfect wines to serve over the holidays, but they are great to drink all year long! Until next time… Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at wineknittercomments@gmail.com Once upon a time, there was a Benedictine monk and cellar master who lived and worked at Hautvillers Abbey; his name was Dom Pérignon (1658-1715). As legend has it, it was Dom Pérignon who discovered how to turn the still vin de Champagne into a foamy, bubbly wine. This is indeed a controversial subject and one that I will pursue at another time. My focus today is on another legend in the making whose origins are from Hautvillers as well. Hautvillers is a traditional Champagne village located on the right bank of the Great Valley of the Marne in the foothills of Montagne de Reims in France. Premier Cru is exclusively grown here. Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier are grown in soil containing chalk and belemnites originating from the Mesozoic era. Hautvillers is a small village with only 850 inhabitants and nestled amongst the residents is Champagne Marion-Bosser, a small cooperative producer that has been in the family for five generations. Today, Champagne Marion-Bosser is led by the dynamic mother-daughter team of Bernadette and Elodie Marion.  Elodie and Bernadette Marion Elodie’s maternal great-grandfather launched Marion-Bosser, which was then passed down from mother to daughter with each ensuing generation. At a point in time, Elodie’s grandmother moved the family to Paris and leased out the vineyards, but Bernadette moved the family back to Hautvillers in 1994 to take over the vineyards again. At the age of forty, Bernadette immersed herself in school to learn farming and winemaking. Her daughter Elodie also pursued an education, enrolling in the Beaune wine school CFPPA in Burgundy. After completing eight years of study in Burgundy, Elodie returned to Hautvillers in 2009 to work alongside her mother in running the domaine. Marion-Bosser owns three hectares of old-vine premier cru vineyards, most of which are Pinot Noir, in their home village. They source out their Chardonnay from grand-cru vineyards in Oger and Vertus. These impressive women work the vines by themselves and practice sustainability that is influenced by Elodie’s Burgundian education. Elodie makes her wine at the local cooperative, which demands strict specifications from farming techniques to winemaking. In addition, she has the advantage of using state-of-the-art equipment and is surrounded by fellow enologists. Needless to say, the wines reflect the passion and dedication that has gone into making them. Images of Hautvillers courtesy of Marion-Bosser Elodie prefers to age the champagne before the wine is bottled and likes to keep the dosages low, preserving “the fresh character of the grapes intact”.  Brut Tradition, Premier Cru is 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir. It is aged for 3 years on lees. The color is golden with a soft bouquet of floral, pear and stone fruit. The palate offers fine, persistent bubbles with tart apples, stone fruit and hints of nuts and yeast. This is a lively champagne with lots of freshness and a lingering taste of lemon zest. Alcohol: 12.5% SRP: $47.99  Brut Tradition, Premier Cru Extra-Brut Blanc De Blancs Premier Cru is 100% Chardonnay. It is aged for 3 years on lees. The color is light straw with aromas of lemon, granny apples and minerality. The palate offers soft fruit with crisp acidity, refreshing mousse, toast and fine bubbles. This is a dry wine with a clean finish. Alcohol: 12.5% SRP: $53.00  Extra-Brut Blanc De Blancs Brut Rose, Premier Cru is 55% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir and 15% Pinot Noir red wine. It is aged for 3 years on lees. The color is pink salmon with delicate aromas of strawberry and red berries. The palate offers persistent fine bubbles with strawberry, raspberry, hints of citrus and minerality. Beautifully balanced, creamy and a crisp finish. I enjoyed sipping it with my gourmet grilled cheese sandwich! Alcohol: 12.5% SRP: $56.99  Brut Rose, Premier Cru  Millesime Premier Cru 2008 is 50% Chardonnay and 50% Pinot Noir. It is aged for 5 years on lees. The color is golden yellow with lovely aromas of stone fruit, soft red berries and baked bread. Stone fruit dominates the palate with fine bubbles, soft fruit and a lemon zest finish. This is a crisp, dry and bold wine. Alcohol: 12.5% SRP: $74.99  Millesime 2008, Premier Cru All of the above champagnes will pair well with an array of food or drink beautifully as an aperitif. My guests enjoyed sipping and nibbling on a variety of cheeses, fig spread, fruit and shrimp with cocktail sauce.  As their brochure states “this family-run estate has made wines with care, precision and a passion for terroir, from generation to generation for more than a century. They are passionate about the land and about the wine.” And it clearly shows in each bottle of these elegant wines!  Cheers!
Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at wineknittercomments@gmail.com There are many historical gems that exist all over Manhattan. After living there for so many years, I’m still awestruck when I learn about or stumble across another piece of history. And to my delight, I’ve added another hidden treasure to my list of historical buildings. Last week I was invited to attend the Bruno Paillard Champagne master class in New York.  The event took place in Harriet and Bill Lembecks’ Rose Hill Historic House, located on 29th Street and 3rd Avenue. It is an 18th century farmhouse that is steeped in history. The house is on the National Register of Historic Places. After purchasing the property, the Lembecks’ converted the downstairs into a wine education center. Entering through a side gate, I walked through a “secret garden” to where the event was being held. The room was charming and beautifully furnished with a brick fireplace, fabric walls and a copper & patina finish on the tables. It was the perfect setting for Bruno Paillard to lead the master class and introduce us to his wines. See slideshow below. Champagne Bruno Paillard is located in the heart of the Champagne region. It is an independent family run house that Bruno Paillard, at the age of 27, founded in 1981. Bruno comes from a long line of Champagne vine growers and grape brokers in the two Grands Crus villages of Bouzy and Verzenay dating back to 1704. Bruno’s great grandfather was a vineyard manager and Bruno’s father Rémy had a small parcel of vines in addition to owning a grape-broking company. With a sense of purpose and having spent six years of grape-broking, it seemed only natural for Bruno to want to start his own Maison. His focus is single vintage and small production. His daughter, Alice Paillard joined her father in 2007 as co-manager. She says about her father, “Bruno Paillard is part of his Champagnes’ DNA”.  Alice Paillard with her father, Bruno. Maison Bruno Paillard is a small Champagne house with 79 acres. In 1994 Bruno purchased his first vineyard (7.5 acres). They buy only the best grapes from the Grand Cru plots which are on the greatest chalky subsoil of Champagne. Bruno says, “Where the grapes come from is more important than the composition.”  In addition to the terroir and rigorous grape selection, Bruno uses only the highest quality first press juice, which allows for more aging potential acidity and chalky minerality. The addition of sugar (dosage) is minimal to “let the freshness shine through” and the ageing is two to four times longer than the legal minimum in Champagne. In 1983, Bruno Paillard became the first Champagne producer to print the disgorgement date on the label of every single bottle produced. Disgorgement is a critical step in making Champagne and other sparkling wines. After the second fermentation in the bottle, sediment forms and must be coaxed to the neck of the bottle, called remuage. The bottles are turned in such a way as to allow the sediment to move towards the neck of the bottle over a period of 8 days to 5 weeks. Once the remuage is complete, the neck of the bottle is frozen, the cork is pulled and the sediment which is now ice, is expelled. The bottles are then recorked and returned to the cellar to “rest and recuperate”. The Première Cuvée and the Rosé Première Cuvée rest for a minimum of 5 months, the Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru rests for 8 months, the wine vintages rest for 8 to 12 months, and up to 18 months for the Nec Plus Ultra. “During the convalescence, the wine will recover a balance between freshness and softness of the dosage, to make a perfect marriage.” For a more comprehensive and fascinating description of the whole process, please read: http://www.champagnebrunopaillard.com/en/disgordement-the-wines-lives-after-disgordement/ We tasted a beautiful and diverse selection of wines.   Champagne (Extra Brut) Première Cuvée, MV the “flagship” of the house. Fine bubbles, ripe citrus fruit, dry with a clean finish SRP $50 Champagne (Extra Brut) Rosé Première Cuvée MV Copper/salmon color with fine bubbles, lively, red fruit, dry, minerality and depth. SRP $70 Champagne Blanc de Blancs 2002 Fine bubbles, love the dryness perfectly balanced with fruit, salty, floral notes Elegant! SRP (Magnum) $120 Champagne Assemblage 2002 Miniscule bubbles, playful with notes of citrus, stone fruit, salt, chalk and oak SRP $90 Champagne N.P.U. “Nec Plus Ultra” 2002 A delicate wine with fine bubbles and golden appearance. There are layers upon layers of fruit, spice and herbs to discover. Beautifully balanced. Creamy texture with a long finish. It is interesting to note that only 17 villages out of 320 in Champagne are entitled to the appellation “Grand Cru”. Nec Plus Ultra comes exclusively from six of the Grand Cru appellations. This wine spends 13 years in the cellar prior to disgorgement and then another 2 years to rest, making this a very unique Champagne.. SPR $275 All of the above Champagnes will drink beautifully as aperitifs or complement cheese, fruit, white meats, fish and poultry. Bruno Paillard Champagne is elegant, but one doesn’t have to wait for a special occasion to pop one of these corks. A lot of love, thought and labor has gone into producing these wines. To quote Bruno “Champagne is my passion. It is my life. I was born here and I will be buried here.”  Cheers!
Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at wineknittercomments@gmail.com  Best laid plans often go awry. Without going into detail, I missed my train to the Wines of Portugal event yesterday. However, I have lots of information about these delicious wines from my attendance at the event last year. If you haven’t already read them, here are the links to previous posts about wines of Portugal. http://thewineknitter.com/1/post/2015/10/day-360-wines-of-portugal.html http://thewineknitter.com/1/post/2015/10/day-361-more-wines-of-portugal.html http://thewineknitter.com/1/post/2015/10/day-371.html  So, instead of spending an afternoon in Portugal, I ended up in France! Lunching with a good friend in a cozy and authentic French bistro was the cure-all for a rainy day. We leisurely sipped on Philippe Prié ‘Depuis 1737’ Brut Tradition Champagne while catching up on life. Maison Philippe Prié is located in the heart of the Côte des Bar in the south of the Champagne region. They have been producing wines since 1737. All of their vintages are a blend of Chardonnay (giving it elegance and grace) and Pinot Noir (adding impressive structure). The 30 year-old vines are grown in clay and limestone soils. This particular blend is 80% Pinot Noir and 20% Chardonnay. This is a light but beautifully textured champagne. Invitingly aromatic with fine bubbles, the palate is entertained with tart apples, citrus, peaches, floral and a hint of honeysuckle on the finish. It is crisp and clean with a creamy mouth-feel. I am definitely adding this to my holiday list!  Happy Friday!
Cheers! Penina  Okay…I’m ready for sunshine, warm waves, palm trees and an exotic tropical drink resting in my hand. Enough of these sub zero temperatures! Everyone is running off to go skiing for the long holiday weekend and I want to run in the opposite direction!  And, let’s not forget that part of Presidents Day weekend also includes Valentine’s Day this Sunday…a holiday that restaurants, florists and candy shops will make lots of money on. Whatever happened to the days when everything wasn’t so commercialized? I remember making my own valentines and writing beautiful poems that truly came from the heart. I say, “let’s get back to the basics”!  However, if offered, I certainly won’t pass up a glass of Cristal Champagne and Teuscher of Switzerland Champagne Truffles! They are the best truffles I have ever had. The Champagne Truffle is Teuscher’s signature truffle. It has a Dom Perignon champagne cream center, surrounded by dark chocolate ganache and is then covered with milk chocolate and dusted with confectioner’s sugar. Oh, my…I’m having a hot flash just thinking about it. Yummy! http://www.teuscher.com  Speaking of champagne, a friend and I had a pre-Valentine toast with a glass of Philipponnat Brut Royale Réserve. Situated in the heart of the Champagne wine-growing area, the Philiponnat family has been producing wine for almost 500 years. The nonvintage Champagne we tasted is mostly Pinot Noir blended with Chardonnay and a small amount of Pinot Meunier. Aromas of citrus, honey and pear led to light and crisp flavors of pear, apple, floral notes and a dash of nutmeg. A light citrus and chalky finish gave it an extra bounce! http://www.philipponnat.com  It’s time for me to bundle up and brave the 15-degree temps outside.
Have a warm and happy Friday! Cheers! Penina  Well, it’s Friday the 13th! I’ve always considered the number “13” lucky, especially since my youngest son was born on that date! However, some people see it as a very unlucky day. There is actually a term for this phobia, known as “friggatriskaidekaphobia”. No joke! Frigga was the name of a Norse goddess, for whom Friday is named and triskaidekaphobia is the fear of the number thirteen.  The origins of Friday the 13th are steeped in history and myths. Superstitions about the number 13 date back as far as 1700 BC. There are many stories surrounding Friday the 13th of which I won’t elaborate on here. I say, embrace the day and make something positive out of it!  And speaking of positive, I closed two significant deals yesterday and celebrated the beginning of the evening with a good friend, Veuve Clicquot and a special dinner. I love the sound of a champagne cork gently popping and the rush of bubbles tickling my mouth! Have a “Super” Friday!
Cheers! Penina  The clocks have been turned back and the sun will begin setting earlier. I’m already anticipating the winter solstice on Dec. 21st when the days start getting longer again! It was a fun weekend mixed with meeting friends for lunch & dinner, celebrating Halloween, working and of course, watching the World Series. I’m ready to put on the brakes for a few hours!  On one of my lunch dates this weekend we had Moët & Chandon "Impérial" Brut Champagne. It was chilled to perfection. The color was pale yellow with wonderful aromas of citrus, nuts and pears. The palate offered a salad of soft fruit with a hint of lemon. It was bright and crisp with a lovely finish. How nice to rediscover this elegant champagne! Varietal: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier. http://us.moet.com To quote Moët & Chandon: “Moët Impérial is the House’s iconic champagne. Created in 1869, it embodies Moët & Chandon’s unique style, a style distinguished by its bright fruitiness, its seductive palate and its elegant maturity.” And I couldn't agree more!  Have a great Sunday…and don’t forget the World Series game 5 tonight!
Cheers! Penina |
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