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After enduring many sultry days, I enjoyed waking up this morning to 53-degree temperatures and no humidity! And yes, it put me in the mood for red wine, even though I have some lovely white and rosés chilling. I selected Domaine Bila-Haut, which is produced by Michel Chapoutier.  Photo credit: Penny Weiss Michel is a fourth-generation oenologist and head of Maison M. Chapoutier, founded in 1808. It is located in the Rhône wine region in southeastern France. Michel is one of Rhône’s most famous wine producers and is known worldwide for such wines as Hermitage, Chateauneuf du Pape and Côte Rôtie.  Photo is courtesy of Maison Chapoutier In 1999, Michel purchased the 190-acre estate Domaine Bila-Haut located in the region of Côtes de Roussillon, Languedoc in Southwest France. It was a neglected property but showed promise due to the Mediterranean climate and a mix of schist, gneiss and clay soils. With Michel’s knowledge, expertise and passion he turned the land into a perfect growing environment for Syrah, Grenache and Carignan. Sustainable farming and low yields along with Michel’s belief of “emphasis should be on quality, not quantity” have led to producing the highest quality fruit and concentrated flavors in these expressive wines. Les Vignes de Bila-Haut Rouge Côtes Du Roussillon Villages 2017 This Syrah-dominated wine is blended with Grenache and Carignan. Grapes are hand-harvested from plots located on the slopes of the high Agly Valley.  Photo credit: Penny Weiss Vibrant aromas of plum, dark berries, spice and cocoa set the stage for this succulent wine. Michel Chapoutier adds that it has “the smell of summer rain on stone.” The palate offers layers of plum, dark cherry, spice and pepper that tease and linger on a long finish. This is a beautifully blended and well-balanced wine with silky tannins. Enjoy with grilled fish, meat and dessert! Alcohol: 14% SRP: $15 Domaine de Bila-Haut L’esquerda Côtes Du Roussillon Villages 2017 This is a single vineyard wine made from old vines. Syrah dominates the blend with small amounts of Grenache and Carignan added. The percentages of the blend vary from vintage to vintage. The grapes are hand-harvested from the 67-acre L’esquerda vineyard comprised of 40 to 60-year-old vines that grow in granite and schist soils.  Photo credit: Penny Weiss Earthy aromas mix with dark fruit, spice, floral notes and mocha. The palate offers juicy notes of black cherry, blackberries, plum, spice and a hint of wet stone. The finish is long with a touch of chocolate and herbs lingering. Delicious! Serve with grilled meat, tuna, poultry and hearty stews.
Alcohol: 14.5% SRP: $28 These Rhône wines are elegant and expressive and Michel Chapoutier never disappoints! Until next time… Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at wineknittercomments@gmail.com The leaves are beginning to change color and some of them are already sprinkling to the ground.  It is officially autumn, however I’m not quite ready to put away my sandals. And, I’m certainly not inclined to shelve my white and rosé wines. In fact, if you have kept up with my stories, then you know I tend to drink these wines all year round. To welcome the fall season, I decided to open a crisp rosé from Michel Chapoutier’s Domaine de Bila-Haut vineyards located in the region of Côtes de Roussillon, Languedoc.  Photo credit: Penny Weiss To learn more about Michel Chapoutier, please click on the link below or peruse the Categories list to the right of this page. http://thewineknitter.com/the-journal/category/bilahaut Domaine de Bila-Haut “Les Vignes” Pays d’Orc Rosé 2018 is a blend of 60% Grenache and 40% Cinsault that is fermented and aged in tanks. Up until the 2018 vintage, Michel, ever the artist and experimentalist, also used 5% Syrah in the blend, but he has phased it out completely.  Photo credit: Penny Weiss 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. Drink as an aperitif or serve with light pasta, seafood, sushi and salads. Alcohol: 12.5% SRP: $15 Although I’m taking inventory of my red wines and getting ready for those cold winter days ahead, my refrigerator will always be stocked with white, rosé and sparkling wines!  Photo credit: Penny Weiss Until next time…
Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at wineknittercomments@gmail.com Many of you have been questioning of late why the “knitter” in The Wineknitter has disappeared. I have many excuses lined up, but truth be told, my passion for knitting waned. I must confess that I haven’t picked up knitting needles in over two years…that is until last week.  A family member recently reached out to me and asked if I would teach her how to knit. I was quite happy to do so. As we sat sipping wine and going through the basics of knitting, I realized how much I’ve missed the challenge of designing and creating knitwear. And I had forgotten how peaceful and centering knitting is. Although I don’t have a lot of time anymore to sketch, work out patterns, etc., my teaching session motivated me to grab some yarn and start knitting. So, with knitting needles, yarn and a glass of wine in hand, I embarked on a quick project!  The “pour” that paired with my knitting project is Michel Chapoutier’s Domaine de Bila-Haut L’esquerda Côtes Du Roussillon Villages L’esquerda 2016.  Domaine Bila-Haut is located in the region of Côtes de Roussillon, Languedoc in Southwest France. Michel Chapoutier is a fourth-generation oenologist and head of Maison M. Chapoutier. He is world-renowned and one of Rhône’s most famous wine producers of Hermitage, Chateauneuf du Pape and Côte Rôtie. The blend of Domaine de Bila-Haut L’esquerda 2016 is mostly Syrah with small amounts of Grenache and Carignan. The percentages vary from vintage to vintage. The grapes are hand harvested from the 67-acre L’esquerda vineyard comprised of forty to sixty-year-old vines that grow in granite and schist soils.  The color of the wine is deep purple with intoxicating aromas of dark berries, spice, pepper and vanilla. The palate is layered with blackberries, plum, raspberry, fennel, spice and hints of minerality. The finish is long and filled with blackberry jam, chocolate, pepper and a touch of fennel. This is an expressive and beautifully balanced full-bodied wine. Serve with grilled meats, chicken, cheese, tuna steak and hearty stews. Alcohol: 14.5% SRP: $28 As a side note, Michel Chapoutier’s wine labels are also printed in Braille. It is Michel’s way of paying homage to Maurice de la Sizeranne who was born in 1857 and had lost his sight by age nine. Maurice was one of France’s most noted philanthropists and founded the Revue du Braille, perfecting the system of abbreviated Braille. Maurice and his family are also known for a small plot of land they own in the famous Hermitage appellation where Chapoutier sources grapes for one of his most famous wines, Monier de la Sizeranne. If you would like to learn more about Bila-Haut wines, please click on “Categories” on the right-hand side of this page. My knitting moments will be far and in-between going forward, but every now and then, I will post a “sip and stitch” story. Here is my finished cowl neck scarf which took a few hours to make.  Until next time…
Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at wineknittercomments@gmail.com  It’s the start of the Fourth of July weekend celebrations, which will continue at least through the actual Fourth of July on Tuesday. There will be picnics, parties and fireworks galore! I will be kicking off the celebration with a bottle of Michel Chapoutier’s 2016 Les Vignes de Bila-Haut Pays d’Oc Rosé.  If you have been following my stories, you might recall that I tasted and reviewed a 2015 Domaine de Bila-Haut “Les Vignes” Rouge and “Les Vignes” Blanc this past October. If not, let me give you a synopsis of Domaine Bila-Haut and winemaker, Michel Chapoutier.  Domaine Bila-Haut is located in the region of Côtes de Roussillon, Languedoc, a wine region known for making top quality wines. It is in Southwest France, and very close to Spain. Michel Chapoutier is head of Maison M. Chapoutier. He is world-renowned and is one of Rhône’s most famous wine producers of Hermitage, Chateaneuf du Pape and Côte Rôtie to name just a few. He purchased the 190-acre Domaine Bila-Haut in 1999. It was a neglected property but showed promise with the land being a mix of schist, gneiss and clay. With Chapoutier’s knowledge, expertise and passion along with the climate of the Mediterranean, he turned the land into a perfect growing environment for Syrah, Grenache and Carignan. Bila-Haut wines reflect all of this. It is interesting to note that Bila-Haut was once a house of refuge for the Knights of Templar and their cross is used as the logo on Bila-Haut labels.  Michel Chapoutier wanted to create a perfectly styled Rosé, so he changed the percentage of grape varieties (called cépage) in the wine to include Grenache and Syrah. The 2016 Les Vignes de Bila-Haut Pays d’Oc Rosé is a blend of 78% Grenache, 14% Cinsault and 8% Syrah. The color is a rich salmon with aromas of rose, peony and red berries with a whisper of orange. The palate is deliciously layered with juicy notes of strawberry, cherry and a hint of herbs. The finish offers lingering notes of citrus. This is a dry, refreshing, crisp wine that is beautifully balanced. Serve as an aperitif or with seafood, light pastas, cheese and fruit. Great value for the quality of this wine! Alcohol: 13% SRP: $15  I’ll be back next week! Have a wonderful holiday celebration!  Happy Saturday!
Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at wineknittercomments@gmail.com |
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