|
Join The WineKnitter in exploring the world of Wine, Spirits, Food, Travel and much more! |
 In between work, car travel and my “to do” list yesterday, I managed to make a delicious Cuban whole wheat bread and scrumptious dinner. The adrenalin was pumping!  When my dinner guest arrived, I opened a bottle of 2010 Villa Mattielli Amarone della Valpolicella. I reviewed this wine a few months ago and my thoughts about it are still the same. Although the wine wasn’t decanted this time, it was every bit as good. This is what I had to say about it a few months ago. “It had dark berries and spice on the nose. The wine was rich and smooth with notes of dark cherry, clove, red currants, a hint of white chocolate and oak. Soft tannins and jam gave this a very nice finish.” The only comment I want to add is that the flavors got more intense as the evening went on. I have one bottle left and I plan to keep it under wraps for a year or so. Okay…back to work for me!
Happy Wednesday! Cheers! Penina  I put in a long day yesterday. So it was a welcome treat to go out with a few friends for a fun dinner and bottle of wine.  We had Italian food and 2010 Casa Emma Chianti Classico. The wine is made with 90% Sangiovese grapes, 5% Canaiolo grapes and 5% Malvasia grapes. It was dark ruby with fruity aromas of cherry, strawberry and herbs. Cherry dominated the palate along with subtle flavors of dark currant and soft minerals. Fruit and silky tannins carried over to the long finish. It was very smooth and enjoyed by everyone. http://www.casaemma.com I have another busy day ahead of me, including a quick stop for a wine tasting that includes wines from California, France and Germany.
Happy Saturday! Cheers! Penina  My main goal yesterday was to sort through all the books in my house and arrange them in piles of “keep”, “donate” and “sell”. It was a daunting task of which I am still immersed in. However, there is a light at the end of the tunnel…I think!  At the end of the day, I joined a few friends at a very popular and crowded restaurant/bar for a quick drink to kick off the weekend. I decided to forgo my usual vodka martini and opted for a glass of 2010 Renato Fenocchio Barbaresco DOCG, from Piedmont, Italy.  This 100% Nebbiolo grape definitely hit the spot! The wine is aged in French oak barrels, where it remains for a year and half and then is aged for another six months in the bottle. The color was a beautiful garnet with hints of orange if held up to the light. On the nose the wine was fruity with traces of spice. It was rich with flavors of dark fruit, hints of oak, spice and plum. I wouldn’t mind having a bottle or two in my wine cabinet! http://www.renatofenocchio.it I’m off to do some work. Have a happy Saturday!
Cheers! Penina  After a routine workday, a friend stopped by last evening for an “after work/early evening” drink. As fate would have it…or not, I tripped over one of the many piles of things that I’m giving away and ended up icing my knee along with my drink. Good thing he was there to scoop me up!  As I mentioned yesterday, my “wine tasting” evening on Tuesday ended with a vintage wine. It was a 1986 Porta Della Pietra from Greve in Chianti. Producer: John Matta. Written on the label is “Vino da Tavola Toscano”, which means “table wine” in Italian and represents the most basic level of Italian wine. However, this category held some prestige back in the 1970s and 1980s. Top-quality wines were produced under this title, but it doesn’t hold true today.  So, with great anticipation, the bottle was opened and the wine decanted. The wine was made from 75% Sangiovese and 25% Cabernet. It was a dark garnet color and quite impressive for it’s age! Aromas of fruit and spice gave way to red berries, fennel and earth on the palate. After an hour of opening, the wine held up very well. There was a velvety mouth feel and lots of fruit that contributed to a long finish. And the best part is that I have another bottle in my “wine cellar”!  I tried in vain to search for the vineyard. It is probably gone or exists under another name today. However, I did find the producer, John Matta, who now owns Castle Vicchiomaggio in Greve and is making wine! Hmmmm…. Have a super Thursday!
Cheers! Penina  Happy Valentine’s Day!  I think I lost a day somewhere and forgot to post something yesterday. Life has been hectic and this weekend is no exception!  So, I will get right to my review of a lovely wine I had last evening while out to dinner. It was a 2009 Pasqua Amarone della Valpolicella. The blend is Corvina, Rondinella, Corvinone & Negrara grapes. This full-bodied wine was a dark ruby color. It had aromas of blackberries, leather and dark currents. It carried over to the palate with plum and a hint of nuts and vanilla. It was a smooth and silky finish. It paired well with my Branzini! http://www.pasqua.it/  We’re bracing for another snow event here. It looks like it will be an “indoor” Valentine’s evening. Works for me!! Cheers!
Penina  I woke up to snow flurries this morning, but I’m confident the sun will eventually come out to say hello.  After spending most of the day yesterday making piles of “things” to throw out, give away or keep, I was ready for a diversion.  So, when a friend called and suggested that we meet for dinner, I flew out the door. It was a lovely meal. My dinner companion and I shared a bottle of Brunello di Montalcino that was very good. As much as I would love to tell you about this particular bottle, I failed to take a photo or write down tasting notes. I believe that is a first for me!  However, I can certainly tell you about the wine in general. Here are some interesting facts about Brunello di Montalcino: The wine is produced with 100% Sangiovese grapes in vineyards that surround the town of Montalcino located in the Tuscany wine region. Brunello di Montalcino was awarded the first DOCG designation in 1980 and is considered one of Italy’s most famous and distinguished wines. Montalcino is a small wine region with around 3,000 acres planted as compared to the nearly 41,000 acres of planted land in Chianti. Montalcino has roughly 250 wineries producing Brunello di Montalcino. The “common” characteristics of the wine are as follows: Bright garnet color Aromas and flavors of dark berries, chocolate, leather, aromatic wood, vanilla and a subtle floral bouquet. It tends to be dry with a long aromatic finish. Now on to a very busy day!
Cheers! Penina  I’m writing this post on the fly. I have many appointments and lots of car travel today.  In between all my work yesterday, I managed to make a big pot of tomato lentil soup. A friend stopped by for an impromptu visit in the evening. So, I gave him a bowl of soup and a glass of wine.  We opened a bottle of 2010 Castello di Gabbiano Chianti Classico. This Tuscan wine made of 100% Sangiovese grape was ruby in color with earthy aromas. It was full-bodied with dark berries and tart fruit. It is a nice “go to” wine when not going big. http://www.castellogabbiano.it Have a great Wednesday!
Cheers! Penina  Well, I certainly didn’t have to worry about all the bread I baked going to waste. I packed up a little care package for one friend yesterday afternoon and a package for another friend in the early evening. I’m bringing the rest to my office as a “sweet” treat for everyone!  I want to share my thoughts on a very good wine I tasted not too long ago. It was a 2008 D'Isanto & D'Isanto I Balzini White Label Colli della Toscana Centrale IGT. The wine is 50% Cabernet Sauvignon and 50% Sangiovese. The color was deep garnet with an incredible bouquet of dark fruits, earth and spices. It drank better after decanting for about an hour due to strong tannins. It was rich in flavor with dark plum, blackberries, pepper and herbs. The finish was long and smooth. I reviewed their 2009 Red Label on 9/22/14. The White Label is superb and I’m happy that I have another bottle in my wine rack! http://www.ibalzini.it Have a great Thursday!
Cheers! Penina  It was a productive day yesterday that ended with a cocktail and fun conversation with a friend. Of course, my cocktail was Grey Goose over ice.  I tasted an amazing wine from the Ruffino Winery that is worth mentioning. It was a Greppone Mazzi Brunello di Montalcino 2008. The wine is made from 100% Sangiovese grapes. It held the aroma of red berries and floral undertones. Rich cherries, licorice and spice were on the palate. Invigorating tannins and bountiful finish with a hint of chocolate made this a stand out! http://www.ruffino.com FYI…the wine is aged in large oak casks for about 36 months, which is 12 months longer than required by Italian law. Much to do…Happy Sunday!
Cheers! Penina  I woke to a beautiful snowfall this morning. My snowshoes are waiting for me at the front door and I hope to be on a fun winter walk this afternoon.  I haven’t forgotten about my knitting projects. It has been a little hectic of late, but I will have something to show you very soon!  Il Poggione is a major winery in Montalcino. I tasted several of their wines, including a “dessert” wine that was excellent. It was a Sant’Antimo DOC Vin Santo 2004. The grape blend is Trebbiano and Malvasia. The wine is fermented and aged for 5 years in small oak barrels and 6 months in the bottle. It was amber in color with heady aromas of honey, apricots and dried flowers. I tasted subtle fruits and honey. It was not cloyingly sweet…it was just right! I am most definitely adding this to my wine rack! Check out the website: http://www.tenutailpoggione.it/tenuta.asp Happy Saturday!
Cheers! Penina |
Categories
All
|
RSS Feed