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October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. However, we should be “aware” all twelve months of the year! I am reposting a story that I wrote last year at this time with a few minor updates. We need to put an end to a disease that affects hundreds of thousands of families across the U.S. each year, including mine. My love for sparkling wine and passion for supporting Breast Cancer Awareness has me singing the praises of “Pink Cork for the Cause”. Mionetto USA is running this program for the third year in a row. Having donated a total of $70,000 last year to charities committed to fighting breast cancer and supporting survivors and their families, Mionetto USA launched “Pink Cork for the Cause” on September 1st.  By purchasing Mionetto Prosecco Brut DOC or Mionetto Gran Rosé, you have a chance to win a pink 5-speed hand mixer if you find a pink cork in any of these promotional bottles. All winners will be automatically entered into a Grand Prize Drawing for the chance to win a $10,000 charitable donation by Mionetto USA made to the breast cancer charity of the winner’s choice. There will be a total of four grand prize winners across the US. Enore Ceola, managing director and CEO of Mionetto USA, said “Now in its third year, ‘Pink Cork for the Cause’ represents our long-term commitment to the fight against this disease and to giving back to our family of loyal customers, many of whom are among those affected”.  Francesco Mionetto founded Mionetto winery in 1887. It is located in the village of Valdobbiadene, just north of Venice. The winery has been one of Italy’s foremost producers of Prosecco wines for more than 125 years. Francesco’s brothers joined him in the business, building and establishing the winery’s presence. However, all three brothers were called to serve in WW1, leaving the winery unattended and unfortunately it sustained heavy damage. Francesco’s grandsons, Giovanni and Sergio Mionetto, after taking over the winery in 1961, began rebuilding it. Today, Alessio Del Savio is master vintner who studied as Sergio Mionetto’s protégé for more than 15 years. Alessio continues the winemaking tradition of producing high quality sparkling wine. The Prosecco Brut DOC Treviso is made with Glera grapes and has a pale straw color. The nose is filled with aromas of pear, honey crisp apples and apricot. It is light and crisp on the palate with a dry and pleasingly fruity taste and hints of pear and lemon on the finish. Alcohol: 11%  The Mionetto Gran Rosé is made with a blend of grape varieties selected from Veneto and Trentino region. The color is a combination of bright salmon and peach. A pleasing bouquet of fresh fruit, raspberry and pink grapefruit are prominent. The palate offers strawberry, raspberry and hints of succulent peach. Well-balanced acidity with a dry and enjoyable finish. Alcohol: 11.5%  In addition to the “Pink Cork for the Cause” program, another incentive to purchase these sparkling wines is that they pair well with light appetizers, fish and desserts. They also make a great aperitif. With a suggested retail price under $15 and the holidays approaching, these are great sparkling wines to have on hand.
Now go and find a pink cork before the program ends on October 31, 2017! Cheers! Penina One of the joys of summer for me is creating and feasting on a variety of salads that include produce from my garden. With a friend stopping by for lunch today, I took inventory of what I had in my kitchen and then purchased fresh shrimp to add to the mix. I quickly made a marinade of olive oil, lemon zest, grated Romano cheese, oregano, chili and a pinch of salt. Then I gently coated the shrimp with the mixture and baked them on a cookie sheet for about 8 minutes.  After drizzling a little lemon juice over the shrimp, they were added to the salad which consisted of romaine, arugula, spinach, tomatoes, avocado, eggs, peppers, strawberries and blueberries. It was colorful and quite tasty.  To accompany the meal, I opened a bottle of Pasqua Prosecco Treviso.  Pasqua Vigneti e Cantine was founded in 1925 in Verona, Italy, when the first generation of Pasqua brothers established a wine trade business. Within a few years, they purchased vineyards in the Verona area and became a winery. In the 1960s, the second generation became involved and concentrated on exportation and improving wine-making techniques and quality. They also established a research center for vines, grafting techniques and vineyards. The third generation now leads the company and sells wines in over 50 countries around the world.  Pasqua Prosecco Treviso is a sparkling wine made with 100% Proscecco (also called Glera) grapes from the vineyards in the province of Treviso. The soil is predominantly clay and loam with a large quantity of minerals and microelements making it an ideal terrain for growing grapes for sparkling and semi-sparkling wines. This particular soil gives the wine its unique characteristics. The Charmat method is used to make this sparkling wine in which secondary fermentation takes place in steel autoclave tanks.  The wine is pale straw in color with subtle aromas of fruit such as pear and stone fruit. The palate offers apple, pear and lemon notes with a creamy texture. This is a fresh and nicely balanced wine that is easy to drink, making it an excellent choice for an aperitif. It paired beautifully with our lunch. Alcohol: 11%  In addition to Prosecco, Pasqua Vigneti e Cantine produces high quality Veneto and Italian wines. I look forward to tasting these wines soon!
Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at [email protected] The spring flowers are popping up everywhere and the trees are blossoming in bursts of pink, white and yellow. I love this time of year! Spring renewal! It is a time of rebirth, making positive changes and everything seems possible! “It's spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you've got it, you want—oh, you don't quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!” ― Mark Twain  Photo courtesy of jomalatehkotah.blogfa  With my press trip to Sicily rapidly approaching, I’m looking forward to visiting many vineyards where the grape vines will be going through their rebirth and I will observe first hand the new growth of grapes of the soon to be 2017 vintages of wine. So, in keeping with the Sicilian theme, I have a bottle of 2015 Cusumano Nero D’Avola that I will be opening later this evening. Cusumano has seven vineyards spread throughout Sicily with all wines produced at the Partinico based family winery. Cusumano has been in existence for over 60 years and at the helm are brothers Diego and Alberto Cusumano, second-generation winemakers. Their Nero D’Avola vineyards are in the San Giacomo region, located in the center of Sicily. More in-depth coverage to follow over the next few weeks.  I am looking forward to tasting all the 2016 vintages of Cusumano at the Sicilia en Primeur. And I can’t wait to open their 2015 100% Nero D’Avola tonight!
Many stories to tell when I return! Have a great Wine Wednesday! Cheers! Penina  A few days ago I posted a story about Teton Glacier Vodka along with a photo of the bottle. Since then, Teton Vodka reposted the story and photo including an explanation of the bottle’s history, clearing up the age of the vodka for me. This is the original decanter bottle packaging from their 1996 launch! So, this bottle has been hiding in my house for quite a long time! And what’s more amazing is that the vodka is still good! Read my last post for the review. The other evening I opened my last bottle of 2011 D'Isanto & D'Isanto I Balzini Black Label Colli della Toscana Centrale IGT. I reviewed this wine a few months ago and it was every bit as good and consistent in flavor this time. My review of this wine is the same as last time. The wine is a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon and 50% Merlot. “Aromas of dark berries, spice and cocoa were present. The wine had a rich mouthfeel with concentrated berries, dark cherry, plum, licorice and dark chocolate on the palate. As the wine opened over the course of the evening the flavors became more intense. The tannins were soft and the finish was long with cherry and pepper lingering.”  I paired the wine with a delicious Spaghetti Zucchini Shrimp dish accompanied by homemade bread. It was perfect!  Have a great Wine Wednesday! What will you be drinking?
Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at [email protected]  The holidays are upon us and for the past few days I’ve been immersed in cooking and entertaining. There is nothing better than celebrating with family and friends!  I’m trying to keep the meals as healthy as possible this season while adding a little twist here and there to vegetable side dishes. The roasted brussel sprouts with glazed balsamic vinegar and honey along with fresh green beans tossed with sautéed mushrooms, olive oil, pepper, salt and freshly squeezed lemon were a big hit at a recent gathering. With a few guests under the age of thirty, but over 21, I opened a few “friendly” wines that weren’t too big but went well with the meal and seemed to please all.  One of the wines that I served was a Pinot Noir Rolhüt 2015 Peter Zemmer from the Alto Adige – South Tyrol region of northern Italy. Although this region is ski country, it enjoys 300+ days of sunshine a year, with temperatures averaging 64 degrees during growing season. A perfect balance of warm days and cool nights sets the stage for producing aromatic wines with expressive character.   Peter Zemmer Photo courtesy of peterzemmer.com Peter Zemmer Winery is a third generation wine making family that was founded by Peter’s grandfather in 1928 and is one of the oldest wineries of the Alto Adige region. The vineyards and winery are in the middle of the valley floor located in the tiny village of Cortina. Peter Zemmer’s belief in organic farming and sustainability reflect in his high quality wines.  The Pinot Noir Rolhüt is 100% Pinot Noir and is ruby red with lovely aromas of cherry, red berries and a hint of rosehip. The palate offers a juicy combo of cherry, plum and red berries. Tannins are soft with a hint of spice on a long and silky finish. This wine is easy to drink and complements a wide variety of food. In fact, there was just enough left in my glass to sip with the homemade Key Lime pie! Perfect! Alcohol: 13% http://www.peterzemmer.com  I’ll talk about the other wines that I served in my next post!
Happy Sunday! Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at [email protected]  My love for sparkling wine and passion for supporting Breast Cancer Awareness has me singing the praises of “Pink Cork for the Cause”. Mionetto USA is running this program for the second year in a row. Having donated a total of $40,000 last year to charities committed to fighting breast cancer and supporting survivors and their families, Mionetto USA launched “Pink Cork for the Cause” on September 1st.  By purchasing Mionetto Prosecco Brut DOC or Mionetto Gran Rosé, you have a chance to win a pink 5-speed hand mixer if you find a pink cork in any of these promotional bottles. All winners will be automatically entered into a Grand Prize Drawing for the chance to win a $10,000 charitable donation by Mionetto USA made to the breast cancer charity of the winner’s choice. There will be a total of four grand prize winners across the US. Enore Ceola, managing director and CEO of Mionetto USA, said “Now in its second year, ‘Pink Cork for the Cause’ represents our long-term commitment to the fight against this disease and to giving back to our family of loyal customers, many of whom are among those affected”. The program has been extended to November 30th, 2016. Bottles with pink corks are still in stores throughout the USA. Francesco Mionetto founded Mionetto winery in 1887. It is located in the village of Valdobbiadene, just north of Venice. The winery has been one of Italy’s foremost producers of Prosecco wines for more than 125 years. Francesco’s brothers joined him in the business, building and establishing the winery’s presence. However, all three brothers were called to serve in WW1, leaving the winery unattended and unfortunately it sustained heavy damage. Francesco’s grandsons, Giovanni and Sergio Mionetto, after taking over the winery in 1961, began rebuilding it. Today, Alessio Del Savio is master vintner who studied as Sergio Mionetto’s protégé for more than 15 years. Alessio continues the winemaking tradition of producing high quality sparkling wine. The Prosecco Brut DOC Treviso is made with Glera grapes and has a pale straw color. The nose is filled with aromas of pear, honey crisp apples and apricot. It is light and crisp on the palate with a dry and pleasingly fruity taste and hints of pear and lemon on the finish. Alcohol: 11%  The Mionetto Gran Rosé is made with a blend of grape varieties selected from Veneto and Trentino region. The color is a combination of bright salmon and peach. A pleasing bouquet of fresh fruit, raspberry and pink grapefruit are prominent. The palate offers strawberry, raspberry and hints of succulent peach. Well-balanced acidity with a dry and enjoyable finish. Alcohol: 11.5% http://www.mionetto.com  In addition to the “Pink Cork for the Cause” program, another incentive to purchase these sparkling wines is that they pair well with light appetizers, fish and desserts. They also make a great aperitif. With a suggested retail price under $15 and the holidays approaching, these are great sparkling wines to have on hand.
Now go and find a pink cork! Cheers! Penina There are many eye catching and whimsical wine labels that make one want to reach for the bottle regardless of style or origin of wine. I must admit that I have on very rare occasions bought a bottle just for the label! What can I say about these particular labels and wines? A lot! When I opened the shipping box delivered to me by the importers, I immediately thought that this was going to be a fun review!   Paolo Masi, who is a third-generation winemaker at Renzo Masi winery, makes both of these wines. Fattoria di Basciano is the estate owned by the Masi family since the start of the 1900s. Located in the south of Florence, in Tuscany’s Rufina district, the estate sits on a hill overlooking the Argomenna Valley on one side and the right bank of the Sieve river on the other. The Renzo Masi winery produces a broad spectrum of wines from entry-level to fine and is considered one of the best areas for Sangiovese grapes after the “Classico” region. Renzo Masi’s motto is “Big enough to be broad-minded. Small enough to care about the details”. Affectionately called “Rubio and “Blanca”, Il Bastardo Sangiovese di Toscana IGT 2015 and La Bastarda Pinot Grigio di Siciliana 2015 tell their own story the minute the wine is opened. La Bastarda is 100% Pinot Grigio from Sicily. Grapes are picked before they lose their natural acidity and become too sweet. The color is a soft golden yellow with fruity aromas including citrus and honey. The palate is crisp with inviting notes of mild citrus, pear and apple. This is not your typical Pinot Grigio, exhibiting more character and structure than most I’ve tasted. One can only imagine what “Blanca” must be thinking as she poses with not a care in the world while sipping wine! Alcohol: 12.5% Price: About $9  Il Bastardo is 100% Sangiovese mostly picked from Tuscany’s Rufina district. The color is dark ruby with hints of purple. The nose offers dark berry and ripe cherry that segue onto the palate. Fennel, a hint of pepper and soft to medium tannins give this medium-bodied wine a smooth finish. So where is “Rubio” going on his motorbike? Is he off to find “Blanca” or is he running away with this delicious wine? Alcohol: 13% Price: About $9  Both wines are well priced and sold throughout the US. And in addition to being a conversation piece, the wines will complement a variety of dishes. Have some fun and enjoy the adventures of “Rubio” and “Blanca”!
Cheers! Penina  With the much-needed rain pouring down, it’s a perfect time to catch up on writing and sample a few wines. Let’s travel to Italy. Astoria Wines is located 50 miles north of Venice in one of the most beautiful wine-growing regions, the Veneto. This northeastern region of Italy stretches from the Dolomite Mountains to the Adriatic Sea. The Alps and the sea protect the region from harsh northern winds which in turn provide ideal conditions for growing grapes and producing wine. Astoria Wines is owned by the Polegato family and represents four generations of winemaking. The first winery, Vinicola Polegato, was established in the 1950s. Several decades later, Vittorino Polegato found an ideal location in the heart of the DOCG area to launch the next stage of the family business, the Val De Brun estate in Refrontolo. In 1987 Vittorino renovated an old 18th century home and converted it into Astoria’s headquarters. Giorgio and Paolo Polegato, (Vittorino’s sons) along with the next generation of Polegatos, led by Filippo, Carlotta and Giorgia, uphold the family name and winemaking tradition.  Photo courtesy of Astoria Wines Although Astoria Wines is noted for being the largest private producer of Prosecco DOCG in Italy, their portfolio includes Pinot Grigio, Moscatos (both red and white), Pinot Noir and a Red Blend.  The first thing I noticed when unpacking the wines was the unusual shape of the bottles. The packaging is eye-catching and original. The 2014 Alisia Pinot Grigio I.G.T is light yellow in color with intriguing aromas of fruit, floral and stone fruit. This 100% Pinot Grigio surprises the palate with fruit, peach and lemon. It is medium-bodied and dry but still fruity and nicely balanced. The long lemon zest finish is a treat! This wine would pair well with pasta, cheese & fruit, grilled vegetables and light fish. Alcohol: 12.5% SRP: $11  The 2012 Primo Rosso Red Blend I.G.T is made with 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Pinot Noir and 20% Merlot. The color is dark ruby. It is quite aromatic with berries, herbs and spice tickling the nose. The palate offers red berries, fennel, pepper and hints of plum. The finish has hints of cocoa and dark cherry. Medium-bodied with soft tannins make this an easy wine to pair with most foods. Alcohol: 13% SRP: $11  The wines are priced well and would make great little gifts to give out at holiday time. Keep a few bottles around for that spur of the moment party as well!
Next stop might be New Zealand. Stay tuned! Happy Friday! Cheers! Penina  Nestled in the Province of Asti, in the Italian region of Piedmont, lies the town of Canelli which is home to over 10,000 inhabitants. Ancient villages, castles and bountiful vineyards perched on gentle slopes surround Canelli. The town is steeped in history and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site on June 22nd, 2014. It is also considered the birthplace of the Italian sparkling wine, Asti.  The municipality boasts many grape varieties such as Moscato, Barbera, Dolcetto, Cortese and Chardonnay. The Barbera grape is the third most planted red grape variety in Italy and the most famous appellation is the DOCG Barbera d’Asti. Almost half of all grape vine plantings in Piedmont are Barbera. The grape is a deep color and is known for producing low tannins and high levels of acid.  Photo courtesy of Coppo Winery Coppo Winery is located in Canelli and was founded by Piero Coppo in 1892. It has remained in the family for over 120 years and is now run by Piero’s four grandsons, Piero, Gianni, Paolo and Roberto. Cousins Max and Luigi who are fourth generation, have recently joined the team. Piero began building the winery in the late 18th century, creating small underground cellars to store wine. The cellars were expanded between the 1800s and 1900s and are know today as the Underground Cathedrals. Due to their historical value, these underground cellars have been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site. What began in the 1800s with Coppo making the first Italian spumante with secondary bottle fermentation and giving Canelli a place in wine history, led to Coppo’s production of red wines in the 20th century. Among their most notable red is Barbera d’Asti. In 1984, the Coppo family produced the first vintage of Barbera d’Asti Pomorosso, “making it the symbol of the winery and paradigm of a new history of Barbera”. Quote taken from Coppo website. I recently tasted three Barbera d’Asti releases from the Coppo Winery, courtesy of the importer, Folio Fine Wine Partners.  2014 Coppo L’Avvocata Barbera d’Asti DOCG 2012 Coppo Camp du Rouss Barbera d’Asti DOCG 2010 Coppo Pomorosso Barbera d’Asti DOCG  The 2014 L’Avvocata is Coppo’s entry level Barbera d’Asti. It is made with 100% Barbera grapes and aged in stainless steel tanks. The color of the wine is dark cherry bordering on ruby. The aromas of cherry, plum and a bit of earth spill over into a subtle fusion of fresh berries, raspberries, spice, pepper and a hint of sour cherry on the palate. It is a medium to long finish. The wine is clean and nicely balanced with soft tannins. This is a great wine to pair with pasta, piquant red sauce, meaty fish and bold cheeses. Alcohol 13% Price: $15 (SRP)  The 2012 Camp du Rouss Barbera d’Asti is made with 100% Barbera grapes and aged in French oak barrels. The color of the wine is deep ruby with cherry, red raspberry, tobacco and spice on the nose. On the palate this full-bodied wine leads with sour cherry seguing into hints of plum, pepper and oak with a long and crisp finish. This is another well balanced wine with soft tannins, making it a perfect wine to drink alone or pair with a hearty lasagna! Alcohol: 14.5% Price: $21.00 (SRP)  The 2010 Pomorosso is Coppo’s signature Barbera d’Asti. Made with 100% Barbera grapes, it is aged for 14 months in French oak barrels. The color of the wine is dark ruby with purple hues. It has intense aromas of spice and cherry with hints of blueberry and oak that are layered and continue onto the palate. A blast of pepper and hints of tobacco linger on a long finish. Again, as with the previous wines reviewed, the Pomorosso is full-bodied, crisp and clean, with mild tannins. This wine will complement any hearty meal such as stews, meat entrees or one of my famous soups! However, I found it also paired well with the Manchego and Piave del Sapore cheeses! Alcohol: 14.5% Price: $50.00 (SRP Barbera d’Asti wines pair beautifully with a wide range of food. So, if you’re looking for full-bodied Italian red wine with lots of character and low tannins, put a little swirl in your glass and try Barbera d’Asti!
To learn more about Coppo’s history, wines and integrated farming and biodynamic techniques, please visit their website. http://www.coppo.it/en/ Cheers! Penina My introduction to Donnafugata wine (owned and operated by the Rallo family) was this past February and it was a memorable one. Not only did I taste some delicious wines from Sicily, I also had the pleasure of meeting and lunching with Josè Rallo, one of the family members who is head of management control and communications manager. I encourage you to read my story about the family, their vineyards and wines at: http://thewineknitter.com/1/post/2016/02/day-431-donnafugata.html as a prelude to this post. Donnafugata recently sent me two bottles of wine from their “Fresh and Fruity” collection, SurSur 2015 and Sherazade 2015, representing Sicily’s indigenous grape varieties.   SurSur is made with 100% Grillo grape, an ancient indigenous variety from Sicily. Having tasted the 2014 vintage several months ago, I was looking forward to trying the 2015 vintage. The wine was beautifully balanced with a soft straw color. The nose offered citrus, grapefruit, floral and peach. The aromas carried over to the palate with stone fruit, most notably peach and hints of pear. It had a creamy mouthfeel with pleasant notes of floral and vanilla on the finish. SurSur is lovely served as an aperitif or with any summer meal. To quote Donnafugata, “a fresh and fruity Grillo with a youthful spirit”. Alcohol: 12.73% Price: $23.00 (SRP)  Sherazade 2015 is made with 100% Nero d’Avola, another indigenous grape that is also considered Sicily’s most important red wine grape. Nero d’Avola is named after the city of Avola which is located in the far south of Sicily and is referred to as “the black grape of Avola”. The color of the wine was dark ruby, bordering on purple. The aromas were a playful blend of dark berries, violets and a touch of candy apple. The palate was fruit forward offering red berries and cherries with pepper and spice on the finish. Soft tannins and a lush mouthfeel make this a perfect “go to” wine for light meals. Alcohol: 12.86% Price: $23.00 (SRP) Donnafugata’s wine labels are whimsical and always tell a story. Most of the artwork is created or inspired by Gabriella Rallo. Each label interprets the personality of the wine in addition to paying homage to art and literature. Sur Sur mean cricket which comes from the classical Arabic language once spoken in Italy. Crickets are good luck and are part of the sounds of spring and summer. The SurSur label shows Gabriella as a young girl running barefoot through “flowers and fresh grass” following the singing crickets.  The Sherazade label represents the leading female character in The Arabian Nights. To quote Donnafugata “a fruity flesh voice, wrapped in a spicy drape, that tells you the fairy tale of this masterpiece of Oriental literature.”  If you’re looking for authentic Sicilian flavors, pick up a few bottles of these wines to drink throughout the rest of the summer and into the fall. Serve as an aperitif or enjoy with most any meal! www.donnafugata.it
Cheers! Penina |
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