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Valentine’s Day is almost here and quite a few romantics are getting a head start by celebrating this weekend. Flowers, candy and hearts of all different sizes and designs are on display everywhere, as well as specially designed bottles of sparkling wine to mark the occasion. I especially love the mini bottles with little heart embellishments.  With pink and red being the main theme for Valentine’s Day, rosé sparkling wine is a perfect choice to serve. Sparkling rosés are festive and range in color from light salmon to dark cherry and evoke the sentiment of the holiday. Rosés may be thought of as more of a spring and summer wine, but I enjoy them all year long and they pair beautifully with just about every type of food!  Rosés are produced all over the world and can differ greatly in amount of dryness, fruit, flavor and price. Most of my rosé reviews have been about wines from France, Italy, Washington, CA and Spain. So, in keeping with my habitual curiosity of tasting wines, I recently tried a very inexpensive bottle of Casal Garcia Vinho Verde Rosé produced by the Aveleda Winery in Portugal.  Vinho Verde is the largest DOC (Denominação de Origem Controlada) of Portugal and is located in the northwestern corner. The region grows a variety of grapes in fertile, granite and sandy soils with rainy, humid and cool temperatures created by its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean. This particular rosé is a blend of Vinhão, Azal Tinto and Borraçal grapes. The color is vibrant cherry with strawberry and raspberry aromas that segue onto the palate. It is mildly effervescent with a dry yet creamy mouthfeel. The fresh fruit is nicely balanced with acidity and a hint of citrus zest leads to a crisp finish. Alcohol: 9.5% Price: $8.50  Considering the price of this rosé, it is a great value for quality sparkling wine and proves that one doesn’t always have to spend a fortune to show how much you care. Your heart and love will pair well with any wine! Whether you’re celebrating Valentine’s Day with loved ones, friends, family or just want to celebrate “you”, go ahead and indulge in some chocolates such as champagne truffles and pop a bottle of “pink”!  Have a sweet and bubbly Valentine’s Day!
Cheers! Penina  With an impending snowstorm on its way, my thoughts are turning to comfort food and red wines. Last month I made a big vat of vegetable bean soup, poured it into airtight pint sized gelato containers and stored them in the freezer. I do this with a lot of freezable recipes such as chili and stews. It’s a great way to store food and makes for an easy, no fuss meal. Just thaw as many containers as you need, then heat and serve! Several of my friends liked the idea so much, that they are doing the same thing. And the bonus is, you have an excuse to buy and enjoy gelato…just say that you’re running out of containers!  So, while the containers of soup are thawing, I’ll tell you about the wine I chose to pair with the soup.  Marques de Casa Concha is an outstanding brand of Concha y Toro and is known for its fine collection of single vineyard varietals produced by noted winemaker Marcelo Papa. The grapes for the 2014 Carmenere are sourced from the celebrated Peumo vineyard, located in the Cachapoal zone of Chile’s Rapel Valley. The Carmenere grape is a member of the Cabernet family and was originally planted in the Medoc region of Bordeaux, France. It is considered part of the original six grapes of Bordeaux. The name Carmenere comes from the French word crimson. The Carmenere grape was first imported to Chile in the 19th century which now has the largest area of planted Carmenere in the world. Today, Carmenere grows chiefly in the Colchagua Valley, Rapel Valley, and Maipo Province of Chile and produces the majority of Carmenere wines.  The Marques de Casa Concha 2014 Carmenere is a medium -bodied wine made with a blend of 88% Carmenere and 12% Cabernet Sauvignon. The color is an intense dark red with hints of light purple on the rim. The aromas of dark fruit, cherry, spice and a touch of floral are very inviting. The palate offers an amazing rush of black pepper that is immediately infused with layers of plum, dark fruit, essence of oak (from 16 months in French oak), dark chocolate and hints of vanilla and spice on the finish. Soft tannins, velvety mouthfeel and beautifully balanced, this is a wine that speaks. Alcohol: 14% SRP: $25 Although I paired this wine with a hearty soup, it would certainly complement meat, game and fish entrees such as tuna and swordfish. Try some Manchego or Brie cheese with this wine. Trust me, it’s an interesting combo!  My guest was happy that I saved some wine to serve with the soup!
Have a great Wine Wednesday! Cheers! Penina  It’s Super Bowl weekend and the parties have already started.  For the past two weeks recipe suggestions for the big day have inundated my Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts. Some of the recipes are quite impressive and unique ranging from simple fare to “food” footballs. Just google “recipes for Super Bowl” and be prepared to click on hundreds of links!  Since I will be attending a Super Bowl party, my only preparation this year will be bringing my famous and delicious warm Crabmeat Dip. If you would like the recipe, please email me. Everyone seems to have an opinion as to the appropriate wine one should open for Super Bowl night. As far as I’m concerned, the only thing that matters is that you enjoy what you open. And I personally think that any wine goes with football! In fact, maybe wine isn’t the answer. Perhaps your “go to” drink might be vodka, scotch, beer, cognac, soda or juice! I plan on bringing a bottle of 2014 Domaine Dutron Pere et Fils Saint- Véran, a lovely white Burgundy produced in the southernmost appellation of the Mâconnais region of Burgundy. The wine should pair nicely with the crab dip.  Whatever you eat or drink, enjoy the game! I hope your team wins!
Cheers! Penina In my last post I raved about a wonderful bottle of Zinfandel that was consumed before dinner was served. So of course I opened another bottle of wine to complement the meal.  The 2009 J. Lohr “Seven Oaks” Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon was the perfect choice. Located halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco, the Paso Robles appellation produces Bordeaux and Rhône varietals. Due to the 50-degree temperature swings and very little moisture, the Cabernet fruit tends to be more intense, with concentrated fruit and soft tannins.  The 2009 is a blend dominated by 79% Cabernet Sauvignon with 9% Petite Sirah, 5% Petit Verdot, 2.5% Merlot 2.5% Syrah and 1% Cabernet Franc. The wine was dark red, bordering on purple, with aromas of dark cherry, plum, spice and hints of vanilla. The palate offered a beautifully structured wine with layers of rich dark cherry, plum, blackberry, spice and a tease of vanilla bean and oak. Silky tannins and a “jammy” mouthfeel led to a long finish. The wine paired beautifully with the Parmesan crusted salmon, Kale & Ricotta ravioli and sautéed spinach with mushrooms! Alcohol 13.5% http://www.jlohr.com  Have a great Wednesday!
Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at [email protected] The other day I was transported to Bordeaux, if only for a few hours. I attended the 2017 United States Tour of The Union Des Grands Crus de Bordeaux 2014 vintage tasting held in NYC. Thirteen appellations and 90 châteaux were represented. Bordeaux is famous worldwide for its wines and beautiful châteaux. It is also the largest wine growing area in France. Although I didn’t visit any of the châteaux, I did taste an impressive array of wines with memorable expressions on the palate that varied between the appellations.  Bordeaux has an extensive wine history dating back to the Romans around mid-1st century. However, I’m going to skip ahead to 1855 when Emperor Napoleon III requested a classification system of the best Bordeaux wines. Without going into too much detail, the wines were ranked according to the trading price and the reputation of the château and then classified in importance from first to fifth growths establishing a classification system that is still used today. It has only been altered twice since the 1855 classification, once in 1856 and 1973. Just to give you an idea, here is the First Growths list. I’m sure you will recognize these wines! It is interesting to note that Pomerol appellation was not included in the 1855 Classification and still remains unclassified. But Château Petrus tends to be included with the First Growths, although not officially. Red Wines First Growths (Premiers Crus) Château Lafite Rothschild Château Latour Château Margaux Château Haut-Brion Château Mouton Rothschild White Wines Superior First Growth Château Yquem First Growths (Premier Crus) Château Climens Château Clos Haut-Peyraguey Château Coutet Château Guiraud Château Lafaurie-Peyraguey Château Rabaud-Promis Château Rayne-Vigneau Château Rieussec Château Sigalas-Rabaud Château Suduiraut Château La Tour-Blanche The grapes permitted in the Red Bordeaux blend are Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec and Carménère. Cabernet Sauvignon tends to dominate the blend in red wines produced in the Medoc and other left bank appellations. Whereas Merlot tends to dominate the blends made in the right bank appellations such as Saint-Emilion and Pomerol. White Bordeaux is made from a blend of Sémillon Sauvignon Blanc and Muscadelle grapes. Other permitted grapes are Colombard, Merlot Blanc, Sauvignon Gris and Ugni Blanc.  The main river in Bordeaux is the Gironde River which separates the Left and Right bank. The Dordogne and Garonne are small rivers that feed into the Gironde. The soil in Bordeaux is excellent for growing grapes and is mainly composed of gravel, limestone and clay. The Left bank has gravelly topsoil and limestone bedrock creating a desirable environment for old vines. It is interesting to note that all the original châteaux from the original 1855 classification are on the Left Bank. On the Right bank, the limestone is at the surface as opposed to being buried like it is on the Left Bank. And the gravel is not as prevalent, except for Pomerol where gravel has been deposited from a tributary of the Dordogne, creating a base of sandy clay deposits and iron rich sand. Most of the terrain on both banks is flat except for Saint-Émilion and Côtes de Castillon which slope down to the river. This post is a general overview of the wines that I tasted. I will be focusing on and exploring individual châteaux over the next few weeks. The 2014 vintage Bordeaux are exceptional and touted to be the best since 2010. All the wines that I tasted were of high quality stretching from Left to Right bank. The red Bordeaux of Médoc and other Left bank appellations exhibited fresh and rich fruit flavors. As expected, due to Cabernet Sauvignon being dominant, the tannins were light to medium, but not overpowering. The red Bordeaux of the Right bank were lively, focused with juicy berries, restrained tannins that gave the wines a silky feel and nice levels of acidity. I tasted several Sauternes including the First growth Château Coutet. The wines can only be described as elegant, sexy, rich, with perfect acidity and a long and beautiful finish. I will be posting a separate story on the Sauternes in the next few days.  All the wines were very approachable and one can only imagine what they will be like in ten to twenty years!
Until next time! Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at [email protected] As a rule, the last type of wine that one might reach for in single digit weather is a perfectly chilled Chardonnay. We tend to gravitate towards more “robust” wines in cold weather, myself included. However, rules don’t seem to apply anymore when it comes to wine. Old school thought was to serve only red wine with meat and hearty dishes during cool weather. And white wine was usually served with light fare and seafood upon the onset of the warm season. But as long as wine doesn’t clash with the food you are eating, then I say anything goes!  The other evening I opened a 2014 Marques de Casa Concha Chardonnay from Concha y Toro in Chile. As you might recall, I reviewed the 2014 Marques de Casa Concha Cabernet Sauvignon a few weeks ago. Marcelo Papa is the winemaker for Marques de Casa Concha as well as Casillero del Diablo.  Photo courtesy of Concha y Toro The Chardonnay grapes for this wine are handpicked from a single vineyard; the Quebrada Seca Vineyard is located about 12 miles from the Pacific Ocean on the north bank of the Limarí River. The clay and chalk soils give the Chardonnay expressive minerality while the limestone soil balances it with crisp acidity. The color is soft yellow with succulent fruity aromas of peach, pear and toasted oak. The palate offers a creamy texture of pear, apple, spice and oak. This is an amazing Chardonnay that has a long and impressive finish!  I paired the wine with a vegetable risotto and sautéed shrimp. Although I may be more partial to reds during the winter months, I won’t hesitate to open a bottle of this Chardonnay again! Alcohol: 14% SRP: $25.  Happy Tuesday!
Cheers! Penina  Yesterday’s post ended with a little history of Chateau Figeac and today’s post will begin with some history of Chateau Haut-Brion. As promised, I have a story to tell.  Over the years I have tasted Chateau Haut-Brion 59’ 69’ 81’ 94’ and most recently a 61’. I have reviewed most of these vintages on previous posts along with some history. At the risk of being redundant, I felt that after drinking the 61’, we should all be reminded of whence it came. So here is part of a post from September 2015 with additional information added to it. Chateau Haut-Brion, a Premier Cru Classé First Growth) is produced in Pessac located just outside the city of Bordeaux. Of the five first growths, it is the only wine with the Pessac-Léognan appellation. It also has one of the longest histories of any Bordeaux wine chateau and has been growing grapes to produce Bordeaux wine for almost 600 years! Haut-Brion is the earliest identified first growth that was included in the official 1855 Classification. The name is derived from the Celtic term “Briga”, meaning a rise or mount in the land. When Jean de Pontac married Jeanne de Bellon in 1525, she brought the first portion of the Bordeaux wine property called Haut-Brion as a dowry. Pontac bought the title to the domain of Haut-Brion in 1553 and continued to expand and improve the property. Pontac died at the age of 101, having married twice more, siring 15 children and ensuring a legacy for generations to come. In 1801,Haut-Brion was sold to Talleyrand, Prince of Benevento making him the first “non-family” to own Chateau Haut-Brion. In 1935, Clarence Dillon, an American financier bought the Château. Today, Dillon’s granddaughter, Joan Dillon is head of the Chateau. The first official review of Chateau Haut-Brion wine and any wine ever came from Samuel Pepys on April 10th, 1663. He wrote, “There I drank a sort of French wine called Ho-Bryan that hath a good and most particular taste I never met with.” An interesting wine review! Chateau Haut-Brion was one of the first Bordeaux châteaux to begin using stainless steel vats for vinification in 1961. Double skinned, stainless steel vats were introduced at the Chateau in 1991. The wine is aged in up to 100% new French oak for about 24 months. The blending takes place just after fermentation is finished and prior to the oak barrel aging process begins. The best vintages for the red wine of Château Haut-Brion are: 2012, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2006, 2005, 2000, 1998, 1996, 1995, 1990, 1989, 1985, 1982, 1961, 1959, 1955, 1953, 1950, 1949, 1948, 1947, 1945, 1934, 1929, 1928, 1926 and 1921. It is interesting to note that when Clarence Dillon bought the chateau, he hired Georges Delmas as the château's régisseur (director). And ever since then, a Delmas has remained as régisseur. In fact, the 61’ was the debut vintage for Jean-Bernard Delmas, son of Georges. So, without further ado, here is my review of the 1961 Chateau Haut-Brion.  The cork was soft but came out easily. The wine was then poured into a decanter with surprisingly very little sediment. The color was deep garnet with fruity aromas that were indiscernible. A quick sip after decanting assured us that the wine was very drinkable. After thirty to forty minutes, the wine began to open. It was full bodied, had substance and was as smooth as silk. Over time, the palate offered a complex array of dark, sweet fruit with a smoky edge. The fruit continued to the very last sip. This was without a doubt a heavenly experience. I must confess that the Haut-Brion and 1975 Chateau Figeac were not stored in optimum conditions for the past thirty-one years and that is the only thing that these two Bordeaux have in common. Unfortunately, the Chateau Figeac when opened was the color of rust and undrinkable. However, the Haut-Brion has stood the test of time and less than favorable storage conditions. One should expect no less from a Premier Cru Classé First Growth! Cheers!
Penina  Hopefully everyone has been enjoying the holidays so far. All the wonderful posts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram certainly depict the joy, love and celebrations that are going around!  I have been doing my fair share of celebrating, dining and wining as well and is the excuse for my absence here for a few days! I have much to catch up on, but the holiday season is far from over, so my posts will be spread out over the next week or so.  To get the season off to a fun start, I had dinner with a friend prior to Christmas at a lovely French restaurant. We ordered a bottle of 2009 Rombauer Napa Valley Merlot that carried us through appetizers and entrees. This elegant Merlot is blended with 12% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Petite Verdot. The color is dark ruby with enticing aromas of dark berries, plum and black cherry. The palate offers juicy notes of blackberry, plum and oak with smooth tannins and a silky mouth-feel. The wine paired beautifully with the appetizer of Mini Pumpkins filled with Mousseline, Wild Mushrooms and sautéed shrimp and the cod and lobster entrees. Koerner and Joan Rombauer founded Rombauer Vineyards in 1980 with first, second and third generation family members running it today. An interesting note: Koerner’s great aunt was Irma Rombauer, author of the “Joy of Cooking”. http://www.rombauer.com Whatever you’re celebrating, I hope it’s filled with love, laughter, family and friends!  Happy Monday! Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at [email protected]
 In between the snow and frigid temperatures this past weekend, I ventured out for a holiday party and some good cheer. However, most of my time was spent nesting at home and enjoying friends. Since the cold weather had me craving warm and hearty meals, I put my slow cooker to good use. I made vegetable lasagna, red lentil chili and barley and chickpea risotto. If you would like the recipes, please email me.  To accompany the meals, I gravitated towards “generous” red wines. One of the wines opened was a 2014 Marques de Casa Concha Cabernet Sauvignon, another wonderful treat from Concha y Toro. Marcelo Papa, one of five lead winemakers at Concha y Toro, makes the Marques de Casa Concha wines. It is also interesting to note that Marcelo Papa is winemaker for the very successful Casillero del Diablo wines which I have tasted and reviewed. The grapes for Marques de Casa Concha are handpicked from single vineyards, except for the Cabernet Sauvignon, which is a blend from the Puente Alto and Pirque vineyards located close to the foothills of the Andes Mountains in the Maipo Valley of Chile. The blend is 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc, 1% Merlot and 1% Syrah. The color is midnight ruby with lively aromas of dark fruit and black cherry. Smooth and silky on the palate, the wine is layered with rich and lush fruit, blackberry, plum and spice. Hints of pepper and fennel mingle with the fruit on a long finish. Needless to say, this wine would pair well with any hearty meal! Alcohol: 14.2% Price: $25 I can’t wait to open the Concha y Toro Marques de Casa Camenere and Chardonnay.  Happy Tuesday!
Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at [email protected] The arctic blast is upon us and as I sit here sipping peppermint tea, I’m thinking that hot toddies, Irish coffee, spiked cocoa and hot buttered rum are the go to drinks for the next few days. Any hot drink can be transformed into a festive and interesting alcoholic beverage that will warm you and your friends up! If you’re not the creative type, there are a host of recipes to be found on the Internet.   As much as I wanted a hot drink while visiting with friends last night, I was more than happy with the 2012 Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Noir that they served. This Pinot Noir is from the Eyrie Winery in Williamette Valley, Oregon. It is a blend of 84% estate grown Pinot, and 16% is sourced from the Cattrall Brothers, Pearl, and Bishop Creek Vineyards. The color is bright red with intoxicating aromas of dark fruit, cherries, spice and a touch of earth. The palate offers intense layers of dark cherry, dark berry, rich spice, and raspberry coupled with a savory and fruit driven finish. This is a silky and medium-bodied wine with lively acidity and is beautifully balanced. This wine is a true gem! Pairs well with most any food such as fish, meat, fowl, pasta, stews and chocolate desserts! http://www.eyrievineyards.com Alcohol: 13.5% Stay warm and have a great Thursday!
Cheers! Penina |
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