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 It’s interesting how a change in temperature can influence the palate. I awoke the other morning to crisp fall-like weather and my thoughts went immediately to making one of my hearty soups. I started compiling a list of ingredients to buy and perused my wine inventory for a bold red wine to serve with the soup. By the time I was ready to go food shopping, the humidity and heat had crept back in. The soup went on hold mode and the California Cabernet Sauvignon was gently slipped back into its resting place. With another heat wave on the horizon, I’ll revert back to “light” cooking and enjoying crisp, refreshing, chilled wines! Speaking of which… I popped open a bottle of 2013 Frog’s Leap Sauvignon Blanc, Rutherford, Napa Valley. This 100% Sauvignon Blanc is “made entirely from dry-farmed and organically grown grapes.” Quote taken from Frogsleap.com The color was pale straw with vivid aromas of pear, citrus, grapefruit and a hint of floral. The palate offered a tasty infusion of citrus, pear and pineapple with hints of grapefruit and melon. A combination of lemon zest and vanilla lingered on the finish. This is a crisp and beautifully balanced wine that would complement a multitude of food in addition to drinking on it’s own, as I did.  I’m off to embrace this warm but beautiful day! I’m thinking perhaps a white Burgundy might be nice for this evening!
Happy Thursday! Cheers! Penina
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Wines of Chile Visits Whole Foods Markets Over the past few months, I have written several posts pertaining to Chilean wines. I have described the land, talked to wine producers and reviewed some amazing wines. For a better understanding of Chile, its regions and grapes, please go to http://thewineknitter.com/1/post/2016/06/day-482.html.  Recently, Wines of Chile sent me nine bottles of wine to taste and review. These wines representing eight regions throughout Chile will be available in Whole Foods Markets nationwide for the “Country of Origin In-Store Program” from August 24th through October 26th, 2016.   Odfjell 2016 Armador, Sauvignon Blanc, Casablanca Valley Odfjell Winery is located in a small corner of the Maipo Valley. Started 25 years ago by Norwegian born ship owner, Dan Odfjell, it is a family run business carried on today by his sons Laurence and Dan Jr. Odfjell Winery prides itself in producing unique wines with an emphasis on sustainability. Armador, which is the Spanish word for “ship owner”, is 100% Sauvignon Blanc harvested from their vineyard in Casablanca Valley. The color is soft yellow with a green tinge to it. A floral bouquet with citrus and pear continues onto the palate with light fruit and citrus notes. This is a crisp wine that would make a great aperitif or served with light meals. http://odfjellvineyards.cl Alcohol: 14% Price: $12.99  Viña Errazuriz 2015 Max, Chardonnay, Aconcagua Costa Don Maximiano Errázuriz founded Viña Errazuriz in 1870. It is a fifth generation family owned winery. Eduardo Chadwick Claro is president of Viña Errazuriz and a descendent of the winery’s founder. Errazuriz was the first estate to plant vines and cultivate the coastal area of Aconcagua Valley and also one of the first wineries to be granted the Certification of Sustainability. The Viña Errazuriz 2015 Max Chardonnay Reserva is 100% Chardonnay. The color is straw with citrus, tropical fruit and pear on the nose. The palate is layered with citrus, lush fruit and a creamy mouthfeel. Lemon and flowers are persistent on a long crisp finish. This is a refreshing wine that would pair well with most meals. http://www.errazuriz.com Alcohol: 13.28% Price: $17.99  Autoritas 2014 Pinot Noir, Valle Central Autoritas wines are produced by Luis Felipe Edwards in the Valle Central region. The name Autoritas is derived from the Latin word Auctoritas that means respect and prestige. The 2015 Autoritas is 100% Pinot Noir. The color is dark cherry with aromas of berries, spice and pepper. The palate offers cherry, plum and spice with almost no tannins to speak of. This is a very clean and uncomplicated wine. You can’t beat the price! http://www.lfewines.com Alcohol: 13.5% Price $7.99  Boya 2014 Pinot Noir, Leyda Valley (San Antonio Valley) Boya Winery is a boutique estate winery located just five miles from the ocean. Matias Garces Silva is founder of Boya Winery and pioneered winemaking in Leyda, a sub-region of the San Antonio Valley in the coastal zone. Fittingly, Boya means, “buoy” in Spanish. Boya 2014 Pinot Noir is 100% Pinot Noir with a dark ruby color. The wine has intense aromas of fresh fruit, strawberry, tea rose and a hint of spice. The palate is nicely balanced with ripe fruit and spice. Soft tannins with a little pepper on a medium finish add to the character of this wine. http://www.boyawines.cl Alcohol 13% Price: $14.99  Criterion 2014 Carménère, Colchagua Valley Criterion Cellars is located in the southernmost region of Chile. Colchagua is the southernmost portion of the Rapel Valley and one of Chile’s best-known wine regions. It is noted for the Carménère grape. This is a dark skinned grape that was originally planted in the vineyards of Bordeaux and has found its home in Chile. The 2014 Criterion Carménère is 100% Carménère. The color is deep crimson, bordering on purple. The nose offers black fruits, spice and a hint of earth. The palate is layered with dark cherries, blackberries, pepper, cocoa, coffee and soft tannins. The finish is medium to short, but has all the elements for an enjoyable wine. http://www.criterioncellars.com Alcohol 13% Price: $13.99  Mayu 2014 Carménère-Syrah, Elqui Valley Mayu Winery located in the Elqui Valley at the northern edge of Chile, was founded in 2005 by Mauro Olivier. The focus of Mayu winery is “only the production of Premium wines originated in the Elqui Valley with unique style and personality.” The arid desert climate and cold nights are ideal for growing grapes, leading to more concentrated aromas, deep color and developed tannins. Mayu is the Incas word for “river of stars in the Milky Way”. The 2014 MAYU Carménère-Syrah Reserva is a blend of 55% Carménère and 44% Syrah. The color is deep ruby with purple hues. It is an interesting combination of aromas, from ripe fruit to earth and spice. The palate offers dark cherry, plum, spice and hints of vanilla lingering on a medium finish. It has depth, but yet light enough to serve in the warm days still ahead. http://mayu.cl Alcohol: 14.5% Price: $12.99  Erasmo 2010 Reserva de Caliboro, Maule Valley In 1995 Count Francesco Marone Cinzano, owner of the Col d'Orcia estate in Montalcino, Tuscany, brought his expertise and knowledge to "Riserva di Caliboro" in the Maule Valle of Chile to produce high quality wines from grape clones imported from France. The 2010 Erasmo Reserva de Caliboro is a single vineyard handcrafted wine. The blend is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc. The color is deep ruby with aromas of dark berries, earth and a hint of floral. This is a full-bodied wine with a beautiful richness to it. Layers of blackberry, cherry, candy apple, licorice and pine give way to soft tannins and a long velvety finish. This is a wine to drink now and right through winter. Alcohol: 14.5% Price: $19.99 http://www.erasmo.bio  De Martino 2014 Estate Organic Cabernet Sauvignon, Maipo Valley De Martino winery was established in 1934 when the De Martino family moved to Maipo from Italy. The winery is now run by the family’s third and fourth generation and is one of the leading organic producers in Chile. They have vineyards in seven regions throughout Chile. The 2014 Estate Organic Cabernet Sauvignon is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. The color of the wine is ruby with subtle aromas of cherry, red and black fruit with a hint of mushrooms. The palate offers lush fruit with traces of tobacco, earth and lingering spice on the finish. Medium-bodied with mild tannins. Very nice! http://www.demartino.cl Alcohol: 13.5% Price: $12.99  Casa Silva 2014 Los Lingues Vineyard, Cabernet Sauvignon, Colchagua Valley Viña Casa Silva is a family owned winery that was established in 1997 and is located in Colchagua Valley. Although recently under a new name, the family’s passion for winemaking began in 1892, when Emilio Bouchon arrived from France. The fourth and fifth generation decided to make wines under their own label, creating a new family winery, Viña Casa Silva. The 2014 Los Lingues Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. The color is deep garnet with lovely aromas of dark fruit, strawberries, anise and pepper. The palate is lush with juicy red fruit, hints of tobacco, and soft tannins. The finish is medium with a touch of pepper lingering. This wine would pair well with a hearty meal! http://www.casasilva.cl/home Alcohol: 14% Price: $17.99 With all the above wines costing below $20.00, this is a great opportunity to “visit” Chile at Whole Foods Market and experience some wonderful wines. There is a wine for everyone and every occasion!
Salud! Penina  Although it was a busy “work” weekend, I managed to take some time to catch up with old friends, enjoy a little swimming and dining as well. As is so often said, “it’s good to pause and take time to smell the roses” or in my case, the bouquet of wine! With the temperatures still hitting over the 90 degree mark, I opened my last bottle of 2014 Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough New Zealand that had been chilling in my refrigerator for most of the summer. I reviewed this wine about a year ago, but it is definitely worth mentioning again. The color was pale straw with citrus, tropical fruit, floral and herbs on the nose. The palate was layered with fruit, green apple, grapefruit and a flirtatious amount of lemon that tickled the mouth. This is a light and crisp wine with an edge of bitterness on the finish, but works. http://www.oysterbaywines.com Alcohol: 13% Price: $15.00  The wine complemented a light summer meal that I prepared for my guest. Poached salmon served over fresh romaine, farmer’s market beans and cherry tomatoes tossed with a light Caesar dressing. It was perfect in every way! As we dined, the sky lit up with an incredible lightning show and I was quite happy to be inside!  Have a peaceful Sunday!
Cheers! Penina  With all the dreadful heat and humidity of late, my desire to “imbibe” has waned a little. For the past few days, water seems to be the big star in my glass. However, I did have a refreshing and perfectly chilled Sauvignon Blanc the other evening.  The 2015 CADE Sauvignon Blanc was a great choice for a balmy night. Made with 92% Sauvignon Blanc, 2.5% Sauvignon Musque 3% Sémillon, and 2.5% Vionier, it was just the right blend of grapes that added subtle layers to the wine. The color was so pale, it was almost clear. Delicious aromas of soft citrus, peach, lemon and honeydew segued onto the palate. The texture was creamy with some floral and apple thrown in. Hints of honeysuckle and lime lingered on the finish. This was a crisp and wonderfully layered wine! Alcohol 14.2% CADE is PlumJack’s sister winery, located high up on Howell Mountain in Napa Valley. The winery is at an elevation of 1800 feet and is considered one of the greenest wineries ever built.
http://www.cadewinery.com I have many bottles of wine to taste and review, but I’m waiting for a break in the weather, which will hopefully arrive towards the end of the weekend. Have a great Thursday! Stay cool! Cheers! Penina It was the perfect evening to sit out on the deck, watch the sunset, share stories and drink wine. There was a delightful breeze and NO humidity!  The empty bottles and the last few mouthfuls of some nice wine…  We started with Montes Spring Harvest 2016 Sauvignon Blanc from the cool coastal region of Leyda Valley, Chile. The grapes are handpicked one month early, making the wine available 2 months earlier than other wines of this variety. Aurelio Montes, the chief winemaker, says this wine is “ideal to celebrate the beginning of the spring season.” The color was light yellow with a green hue. Aromas of citrus, grapefruit, mango and a hint of herbs tickled the nose. The palate offered citrus, grapefruit, lemon zest and hints of pepper. A bitter edge followed at the finish, making this a most delightful experience. Full-bodied with racy acidity makes this wine a perfect accompaniment to most food. Alcohol: 12.5% Price range: $13 to $16 http://www.monteswines.com For our dinner, I made pan seared Halibut with charred corn, mint, scallions, cherry tomatoes and fresh lime juice. A side of pear, walnut and Gorgonzola stuffed ravioli drizzled with balsamic & fig dressing, and homemade country French bread completed the meal.   We chose a 2014 J. Lohr Riverstone Chardonnay from Arroyo Seco Monterey, Central Coast, CA to drink with our dinner. This is a “tried and true” chardonnay. I reviewed the 2014 vintage in November. The color was pale yellow with aromas of peach, strawberry, honeysuckle and nuts. The aromas carried over onto the palate with oak and a smooth buttery feel on the finish. Alcohol: 13.5% Price is approximately $14 It’s time for a swim.
Happy Thursday! Cheers! Penina  This week is busy with wine events and I hope to have a few interesting posts for you to read in the next week or so. In the meantime, I just want to give a quick thumbs up to the 2014 Groth Sauvignon Blanc from Napa that I had the other evening. This is a beautiful blend of 91% Sauvignon Blanc and 9% Semillon. 80% of the fruit is fermented in oak barrels and 20% in stainless steel. Pale yellow in color, this wine has wonderful aromas of citrus, melon and pear. The palate does not disappoint and offers a lively array of peach, pear, citrus and light minerals. It is crisp with a velvety mouth-feel and a nice finish. Lovely balance between tart and sweet. Alcohol: 14% Price range is $17 to $21. http://www.grothwines.com  It’s a beautiful day and perfect for an early evening swim and cocktails!
Happy Wednesday! Cheers! Penina  Memorial Day weekend is here and friends have headed to the beach or hightailed it up to their country cabins and lakes. For those of us that have chosen to stay home, we’ve been swimming, grilling and hanging out! While grilling Vidalia onions and mushrooms last evening, I took stock of my herb and vegetable garden. I was very pleased to see that my strawberry plant is producing such large fruit. And, the strawberries are very sweet! I’m thinking that strawberries pureed with vodka and crushed ice would make a fun summer drink!   I’ve been looking forward to opening Soulmates Wines 2008 Zinfandel and I was hoping to try it last night. But with temperatures hovering close to 90 degrees, we needed to drink something a touch lighter and a bit cooler! However, it will be the first red wine that I open when the temperatures drop a bit. We ended up opening a 2015 Jean-Picard Sancerre Le Chemin de Marloup Sauvignon Blanc that was chilled to perfection. This 100% Sauvignon Blanc was pale lemon with soft aromas of citrus, peach, strawberry, floral notes and a hint of vanilla. On the palate this full-bodied wine was understated and refreshing. The texture was creamy with mingled flavors of pear, nectarine, & a hint of herbs. The Picard family has been producing wine in Sancerre since 1750. The vineyard is located next to the Loire on the Bue’ slopes which are reputed to be one of the finest for quality. I look forward to trying their Sancerre Rose’ and Sancerre Red soon. http://www.sancerre-picard.com/en/  Happy Sunday…and enjoy the rest of the holiday weekend!
Cheers! Penina  Mercury is in retrograde until the end of May. Even if you don’t believe in astrology, (which I tend not to) it seems that everyone is on edge. And if that isn’t enough, it was also Friday the 13th yesterday. Oh my!  So, by cocktail time I was ready for a martini or glass of wine. Since I was expecting company I was more inclined to open wine. However, plans changed when we all decided to meet at a friend’s home for a “Stanley Cup” playoff party. It was Game One between Lightning vs. Penguins and everyone wanted to watch.  Because of a little bout with sniffles, I opted for something light. So my host opened a Dutcher Crossing 2011 Sauvignon Blanc from Dry Creek Valley in Sonoma. Citrus, melon and pineapple on the nose segued into zesty and fresh acidity with citrus and peaches on the palate. Unfortunately, my congestion overtook my taste buds, but I felt this vintage was winding down. http://www.dutchercrossingwinery.com Despite an injury or two, Lightning won the first game.  I’m taking advantage of the beautiful weather and heading out for a power walk and then doing some serious strawberry and tomato planting!
Happy Saturday! Cheers! Penina  It has been a beautiful weekend filled with blue skies and warm temps. And, it was the perfect setting for alfresco dining.  A few friends and I kicked off the weekend with a lovely lunch while sitting on the porch of Purdy’s Farmer & The Fish. The restaurant is located in North Salem, NY in a quaint 18th century house that dates back to 1775. Most of the herbs and vegetables used in the kitchen are grown on their five-acre farm right behind the restaurant. Farmer & The Fish has been a popular casual “hangout” spot since it first opened in 2012. It was nice to connect with everyone the other day and I’m looking forward to seeing more of the crowd throughout this summer.  I ordered one of my favorite dishes, the Seared Scallop Salad. It is made with fingerling potatoes, sunny side up egg, crispy bacon and lemon aioli. The scallops were done to perfection and although I opted out of the bacon, I enjoyed every bite! Unfortunately, the photo is not the best due to the sun hitting the table and casting shadows everywhere.  The alfresco dining continued throughout the weekend. Saturday evening I grilled vegetables and tossed it all with pasta. We enjoyed a bottle of chilled 2014 Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand. I reviewed this vintage in July 2015. You can read it at: http://thewineknitter.com/1/post/2015/07/day-309.html. The wine was just as good last evening. http://www.oysterbaywines.com  I’m off to embrace this beautiful day!
Happy Sunday! Cheers! Penina  The last few days have been quite busy which didn’t allow me time to sit and write. Winter Storm Jonas brought us more snow than anticipated, throwing my schedule off slightly. The Super Bowl teams were determined this past Sunday and I have two party invites so far for Super Bowl Sunday. What are your plans?  Last evening I got together with a few friends for a casual dinner. We dined on roasted halibut and salad. It was simple, but delicious. The pour was a 2011 Nobilo Icon Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand. I found this to be a crisp, full-bodied wine. The color was pale yellow with tropical and citrus aromas. The palate was a menagerie of peach, honeysuckle, melon and tart apples. It was very refreshing with a surprisingly long finish. It was a perfect match for the halibut. http://www.nobilowines.com I have several wine events coming up in the next few weeks, barring any unforeseen snow storms! Stay warm!
Happy Tuesday! Cheers! Penina |
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