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 On Saturday morning I woke up to snowflakes and cold temperatures. Did winter finally arrive? No, just a tease. It seems that we will be having mild “spring like” conditions for the next week or so. It is definitely not going to be a white Xmas around here.  I spent most of the weekend catching up with friends for brunch, lunch or dinner. At one of the dinners, I tasted a 2014 Chateau Saint-Maur L’Excellence Rosé Cotes de Provence. The blend of Grenache, Cinsault, Mourvèdre and Rolle grapes made for a very expressive Rosé. Pale salmon in color, the fruity and floral aromas were enticing. The palate offered soft red berry fruit, peach and spice with a surprising bite of pepper and lemon zest on the finish. I would love to add this wine to my Rosé collection! An interesting note: Roger Zannier is also owner of Quinta do Pessegueiro in the Douro. Check out their website for some interesting info. http://www.chateausaintmaur.com  The Winter Solstice will occur on December 21st, marking the shortest day of the year. And I will be counting the days for when the sun begins setting after 8 pm instead of 4:30 pm!  I am heading out for a few days and won’t have my computer with me. However, I will be back by Christmas to check in and share some wine and food stories with you. Until then, eat, drink and be very merry!
Cheers! Penina  It’s another beautiful day and I’m looking forward to a weekend filled with the World Series, scenic walks and wine tasting.  In some of my recent posts I talked about wines from Portugal. I’d like to mention another winery, Caves Campelo in Barcelos. It is located in the north of Portugal in the Vinho Verde wine region. Although it was established in 1951, there are records dating back to 1923. The company was acquired by José Carlos Lima & Sons in 2007. Caves Campelo offers a wide range of wines such as Vinho Verde, Douro, Dão and Porto wines. I met with Sophia Costa, their export manager who guided me through a tasting of a few of the Vinho Verde wines. We began with Miranda 2014, a ROSÉ wine that was soft pink. It had lovely aromas of fruit and flowers with fresh fruit on the palate. It had a nice mouth feel and was well balanced. The Campelo Adamado 2014 was straw colored with green hues. It had citrus and apples on the nose, with lemon and pear on the palate. The finish was short. The Tapada do Marques Arinto 2014 made with 100% Arinto grape, was “driven” on the nose, but subtle with citrus and floral undertones on the palate. It was quite refreshing. Visit Caves Campelo website for an extensive list of all their wines. www.campelo.pt Have a great start to the weekend!
Happy Friday! Cheers! Penina  It was a beautiful day yesterday and jam packed with a long “to do” list. My goal was to get as much done as possible and then squeeze in a late afternoon swim. Mission accomplished!  Prior to scooting out the door for an evening engagement, I opened a rosé that had been chilling in my refrigerator for a few weeks. It was a 2014 Charles & Charles Rosé from Columbia Valley, Washington. It was an interesting blend of 72% Syrah, 8% Mourvedre, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Grenache, 3% Cinsault, 3% Counoise. The color was such a deep pink, it was bordering on coral. Aromas of watermelon and apples greeted me. The palate was soft fruit, strawberry, with a hint of citrus and candy apple on the finish. It is not a bad “go to” wine for the price…about $12.00 a bottle. http://www.charlessmithwines.com  I’m off to embrace another beautiful day!
Happy Thursday! Cheers! Penina  It’s hard to believe that the days are getting shorter. Didn’t summer just begin?  Wednesday was busy with lunch dates and business. However, I did find time at the very end of the day to have a nice swim. To welcome the evening and sunset, I opened a bottle of 2014 La Petite Perriere Rosé from the Central Loire Valley of France. The Rosé was the color of soft salmon with floral and fruit aromas. The palate offered strawberries and raspberries with a hint of citrus on the finish. It was quite refreshing, dry and a great accompaniment to the beautiful sunset! http://sagetlaperriere.com  The Fourth of July festivities are underway. I will post when I can!
Have a great Thursday! Cheers! Penina  Once again, I lost a few days. So, let me back track to Wednesday. It was a hectic morning that segued into a late afternoon/evening of good friends, wine and food. The weather was perfect…finally!  We started out with a wine that I reviewed a year ago. It was a 2013 Rosé from The Withers Winery in the Sierra Foothills of CA. My opinion is the same. The wine is a delicious blend of 56% Mourverdre and 44% Grenache. The color was soft salmon with strawberry and raspberry on the nose. It had gentle citrus tones with red berry flavors. The wine was very pleasing to the palate. We also had a 2014 vintage that was just as good! Visit the website for more information. www.thewitherswinery.com  As the evening progressed, we moved the party to a restaurant and dined outside, continuing our exploration of rosé wines. And now, I’m off on an adventure!
Have a great Friday! Cheers! Penina  Santa Claus made a surprise visit yesterday with a small selection of wines to taste and review. He also brought some cool weather with him that deterred me from taking a dip in the pool.  However, it is beautiful and warm today. After my work commitments this morning, I am definitely going to jump in the pool later for some laps and aerobics.  I was invited to a friend’s home for dinner last night, so I grabbed one of my “Santa Claus” bottles of wine to start off the evening. It was a 2012 Chateau Mourgues du Gres Les Galets Rosés Costieres de Nimes Rosé from the Languedoc-Roussillon region. It is mostly Syrah with a touch of Grenache. The color was very dark pink, with wild berries, cherries and floral fragrance. The fruit flavors, especially raspberry, were intense with an interesting spice kick and orange zest on the palate. The finish was long with spice lingering on. Thumbs up on this Rosé! http://www.mourguesdugres.com I’ll be back on Tuesday…Happy Sunday!
Cheers! Penina  It was a beautiful Sunday filled with lots of activity. Between a quick walk, visiting with friends, watching the Stanley Cup and cooking, it was no wonder that I blissfully crawled under the covers last night for a much-needed sleep.  One of the highlights of yesterday was a delightful afternoon lunch with a friend. We popped open a 2014 Whispering Angel Rosé from Chateau d’Esclans Coted de Provence. This southern Rhone blend was made from Grenache, Rolle, Cinsault, Syrah and Mourvedre grapes. The color was a delicate pale salmon with aromas of strawberry, peach, and tropical fruits. It was crisp, filled with fruit flavors and a touch of spice. This was a fabulous Rosé with flavors that lingered for a long finish. http://esclans.com  I have included a photograph of the back label. I love the quote!  Have a great Monday and don’t forget to watch the NY Rangers tonight! Cheers!
Penina  I’m off to a Chianti Classico Tasting and seminar today. Before I head out I want to tell you about the delicious Rosé that a friend and I had last night to celebrate the sunset.  It was a Blackbird Vineyards 2012 Arriviste Rosé from Napa Valley. I reviewed this wine on April 11th. It was just as good as last time. And, sitting out on the deck while drinking it was even better! Here is my review from April: “It is 38% Merlot, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon and 26% Cabernet Franc. The color was dark pink with a bouquet of crisp apples and citrus. Every mouthful was an experience, tasting cherry, strawberry, spice and a hint of pepper. It was very clean and full bodied with a touch of acidity. This is a perfect wine to add to your spring/summer wine collection.” This is a full-bodied Rosé. I’m going to buy a few more bottles! https://www.blackbirdvineyards.com I’ll be back tomorrow with my take on the wine tasting.
Happy Wednesday! Cheers! Penina  I sailed through yesterday with meetings, closing a deal and tasting a wine here and there.  In the late afternoon, I had an opportunity to taste a very nice and refreshing rosé, which I failed to remember the name of. (oops) However, it certainly wet my appetite for the bottles of rosé that I have in my refrigerator. I can’t wait for that perfect sunset to sit outside and share a glass.  In the early evening I opened a bottle of Famille Ligneres 2005 las vals . I reviewed this wine last year. Here is what I said: “This delightful wine is made from 80% Roussanne, 10% Grenache gris and 10% Vermentino. It had a yellow to gold color with a soft aroma of peaches and a light floral essence. Apricots, spices and a hint of honey on the palate.” Check out their website and story at http://www.familleligneres.com/story.html. Happy Friday!
Cheers! Penina  It’s a beautiful day and the weather is finally warming up! I’m tossing my winter wear aside and searching for my sandals.  The days have been packed with appointments and such, leaving only a few minutes to bang out a quick post! I think I totally forgot about Thursday. So, I’ll tell you about the wine I tasted on Friday evening.  I shared a lovely bottle of Blackbird Vineyards 2012 Arriviste Rosé from Napa Valley. It is 38% Merlot, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon and 26% Cabernet Franc. The color was dark pink with a bouquet of crisp apples and citrus. Every mouthful was an experience, tasting cherry, strawberry, spice and a hint of pepper. It was very clean and full bodied with a touch of acidity. This is a perfect wine to add to your spring/summer wine collection. https://www.blackbirdvineyards.com Enjoy Saturday!
Cheers! Penina |
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