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 So much for cross-country skiing yesterday. We switched gears and headed out on snowshoes instead. It seems the trails were quite icy. It was fine by me! I got lots of exercise and only fell once!  Afterwards we gathered at a friend’s home for drinks and food. I was ready for a hot toddy or hot chocolate, but I didn’t say no to the glass of Pinot Noir that was handed to me.  It was a 2012 Russian River Pinot from the Merry Edwards Winery in Sonoma. It was a deep red that bordered on purple. Abundant aromas of dark fruits with hints of cocoa and vanilla carried on to the palate. It was full bodied and rich with a long, smooth finish. It certainly warmed me up! https://www.merryedwards.com Enjoy your Sunday!
Cheers! Penina  Trying to play catch up. After digging out of yet another snowstorm, I’m putting the brakes on for a short spell so that I can tell you about some wines that I tasted on Saturday. The first one we tried was a 2013 Orogeny Pinot Noir, from California’s Russian River Valley. It was a ruby color with cherry and pomegranate on the nose with flavors of cherry, spices and a hint of oak. It was well balanced with a spicy finish. The next wine was a 2012 A to Z Pinot Noir from Oregon. It was a typical Pinot with lots of fruit and flowers on the nose. On the palate the fruit continued with spices and a tangy quality. It had a nice finish. And now, on to France and a 2011 Louis Max Mercurey Vignes du Domaine. It was a lovely Pinot Noir from Burgundy. This garnet colored Pinot had plums and cherry on the nose. It had more of a spice taste than fruit, but was a nice balance with smooth tannins. My last taste was a Pinot Noir from Germany. It was a 2012 Diehl Spatburgunder from Pfalz. This was an interesting wine. Very dark red with cherry and black fruit on the nose. Flavors of spice and earth were nicely balanced with the fruit. It was soft with a medium finish.  My favorite was the Pinot from Burgundy. Must run!
Happy Monday! Cheers! Penina  I am fortunate to have friends that possess the capacity to step outside themselves & to be there when the going gets tough! Not just because it’s convenient, but because they are selfless and have big hearts. As all my friends know, I would stop everything to be there for them. If someone seriously wants to be part of your life, they will seriously make an effort to be in it. No Reasons. No Excuses!  So, thank you my sweet friend for coming over last night with a bottle of wine, a hug and a fun evening of watching some of the Oscars together.  We shared soup and a bottle of 2008 Block 216 Pinot Noir Sierra Madre Vineyard. The wine was the color of rubies with dark berries and spice on the nose. There were a variety of flavors to delight the palate such as cherries, licorice, raspberries, cocoa and a hint of oak. The finish was long and silky. It paired nicely with the soup. http://www.sierramadrevineyard.com  Here’s to friendship! Happy Monday! Cheers! Penina  The sun is shining and it’s a great start to the day!  I got together with a few people last night for a gourmet “take out” dinner and wine. Sometimes all you need is good friends, a few belly laughs and warm hugs!  We drank 2011 Ghost Hill Cellars Prospector’s Reserve Pinot Noir, Yamhill-Carlton District in Oregon. I’m not that familiar with Oregon wines, but this was a winner! The Yamhill-Carlton District is about 35 miles south of Portland. The first vineyards were planted in the 1970s and not recognized as an AVA (American Viticultural Area) until 2004. The color of this wine was bordering on purple with lovely aromas of dark cherry, nuts and a hint of floral. The dominant flavors were cherry and strawberry with undertones of spice. Well balanced with a long “jammy” finish made this wine an attention getter. http://www.ghosthillcellars.com I have another busy day ahead of me! And, yes…I’m working on my knitting design!
Happy Wednesday! Cheers! Penina  People are scurrying around trying to prepare for yet another snowstorm that will begin tonight. I think everyone needs to take a chill pill! Food and drinks are flying off the shelves as though we are going to be snowed in for weeks. We will all be out and about by Tuesday the latest…seriously!  If you are snowed in, I might suggest a very good bottle of Pinot Noir to curl up with. I had a 2009 La Follette Sangiacomo Vineyard Pinot from the Sonoma Coast the other evening. Aromas of raspberry, cherries and cocoa were prominent. On the palate, raspberry and black cherry continued with licorice and a hint of pepper. This medium bodied Pinot packed a punch and concluded with a long savory finish. http://www.lafollettewines.com Super Bowl is tonight! Who are you rooting for? Happy Sunday!
Cheers! Penina  The snow is coming down and it’s a winter wonderland!  I’m pretending that I’m in Miami and am baking Key Lime pies.  I want to tell you about the wine I had the other evening at my dinner party. One of my guests brought a few bottles of 2005 Chateau de Sancerre Rouge. This is their first vintage that is available in the U.S., which is quite something considering that the Chateau has been making Pinot for almost 90 years! The wine was the color of cherries and had aromas of spice and berries. It had a classic Pinot taste…cherries, licorice and spice. It was smooth and easy to drink. A nice finish with the taste of cherry jam lingering in my mouth was all the dessert that I needed.  I must complete my pies and start preparing for the Thanksgiving feast tomorrow!
Cheers! Penina  I’m hoping for my yarn delivery today so I can begin my knitting project. My fingers are getting itchy with anticipation!  It was a quiet day yesterday due to banks and post offices being closed. I took advantage of it and did some cleaning and purging of items that I have held onto for much too long. It felt good. My motto is “if you don’t use it, lose it!”  The other evening I tasted a 2012 The Pinot Project. It had a dark ruby color. On the nose it was sweet and fruity with cherry overtones. I tasted red berries…more reminiscent of jam. I also detected a little violet and leather. Not bad for $13.00. There is a very interesting story behind this wine. A well-known wine importer, Michael Skurnik founded The Pinot Project in 2009. His goal was to make the finest quality Pinot under $20.00. He reached out to the “who’s who” of wine makers in CA to help him source grapes. To learn more about it, visit: http://thepinotproject.com Busy day ahead. Happy Wednesday.
Cheers! Penina After a morning of running around and an early afternoon of organizing, I finally regrouped and embraced the day.  I took a little power walk and was rained on by all the falling leaves. It was peaceful and quite calming.  Although I started off with no plans for the evening, (oh no, Saturday night) it all changed in a heartbeat. After receiving a phone call with an impromptu invitation, I happily headed out the door. And just like that, my evening turned into a lovely dinner with a killer bottle of wine.  My dinner date surprised me with a bottle of 2010 Paul Hobbs, Pinot Noir Russian River Valley. I’m no stranger to drinking Paul Hobbs wonderful wines, but this was outstanding. It was a beautiful ruby color with aromas of red fruit and spices. Silky smooth tannins added to the flavor of dark cherry, clove, licorice, chocolate and leather. A long finish rounded out this orgasmic experience! http://www.paulhobbswinery.com  All we could do after finishing the last drop of wine was to sit in front of a fire and moan in ecstasy.
Have a great Sunday! Cheers! Penina  My day started with baking pumpkin bread. My home was filled with the aroma of sweet spice, the leaves were gently falling outside and I was ready to embrace Autumn.  The bread was delicious. Although I am known for my pumpkin muffins, I have to say that the bread was a contender for first place!  A few nights ago, I tasted a terrific wine from Okanagan Valley British Columbia. It was a 2012 Mission Hill Pinot Noir Reserve. We decanted the bottle and enjoyed it throughout the evening. It was the color of garnets and had layers of berries and spice on the nose. We tasted black cherry, raspberry, anise and a hint of vanilla. I thought this was an elegant wine that improved with each passing hour. http://www.missionhillwinery.com 
I should have a photo of my knitting project to show you by tomorrow!
Cheers! Penina  What started out as a beautiful Sunday, quickly turned into a crap storm of unwanted stress and tears. As hard as I tried to center myself and keep busy, it just didn’t work.  As they say, in times of trouble, we tend to know who our true friends really are…whether we’ve known them forever or just a short time. And I am blessed to have such people in my life…for they all stepped up to catch me as I fell yesterday.  I had a soulful late afternoon with a dear friend who “fed” me champagne and hugs. We threw out the negativity and embraced all that was positive.  Another friend whom I have known for a few short years, rushed over in the evening with a bottle of wine to help chase away the blues. And the wine was suburb…as well as his company and sage advice.  He opened a bottle of 2007 Domaine de la Vougeraie Gevrey-Chambertin. This excellent Pinot Noir was the color of rubies and had a heady aroma of cherry, oak and spice. The texture was smooth and silky. We tasted red cherries, oak and a touch of vanilla. It had a great finish with a fruitiness lingering on the palate. Yum… http://www.domainedelavougeraie.com/ After insisting that he take the unfinished wine home with him, I finally bade him adieu. I reflected on the day as I slipped under the covers, totally exhausted from my emotional roller coaster and I looked forward to a brighter tomorrow.
Cheers! Penina |
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