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So, before I “leave” the continent of Australia, I want to share some thoughts on their red wines. As mentioned in a previous post, Australia’s major red wine production is Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Grenache and Merlot. Below are a few examples of what I tasted.  Shiraz was one of the original varieties brought to Australia. It is grown in just about every region. With varying climates, the styles vary as well. The cooler climates generally tend to produce medium-bodied wines that are spicy, while warmer climates produce more full-bodied, richer Shiraz. Each region brings it’s own unique style to the wine. The Hickinbotham Clarendon Vineyard Brooks Road Shiraz 2013, from McClaren Vale, SA is 100% Shiraz. Deep purple in color, it was rich with dark berry flavors and spice. Firm tannins and a peppery finish made this medium-bodied Shiraz a standout. Heading north, I tasted Tyrell’s Wine Vat 9 Shiraz 2013, Hunter Valley, NSW. This Shiraz was very dark red with more herb and floral on the nose. Lots of berries with fennel, floral and a little earth mixed in. Gentle tannins added to a lengthy finish.  Charlie Seppelt Since Cabernet Sauvignon does not grow well with heat stress and drought, Coonawarra and Margaret River have developed the best reputation for growing Cabernet Sauvignon in Australia. However, there are other regions such as Langhorne Creek, McLaren Vale and Barossa in South Australia that also produce noteworthy Cabernet. At the tasting last week, I found most of the Cabernets to be “chewy” but very drinkable. Yalumba The Menzies Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 from Coonawarra was deep garnet with berry, plum and herbs on the nose. The palate was alive with fruit, oak and savory herbs. Tannins were high with more fruit on the finish. Pinot Noir grows best in Australian regions with cooling influences of the ocean or altitude. The state of Victoria produces a wide range of styles as does Yarra Valley, Mornington Peninsula and Macedon Ranges. Tasmania is surrounded by the cooling effect of the Southern Ocean and does well with this particular variety of grape. One of the Pinot’s I tasted was Giant Steps Yarra Valley, 2015 from Victoria. Floral and cherry were on the nose. Silky red fruits, spice and pepper greeted the palate with medium tannins and a hint of herbs on the finish. I have touched on just a few of the varieties of wine that Australia has to offer, so I suggest that the next time you’re in a wine store or out to dinner, try a bottle of Australian wine. You won’t be disappointed! Have a great Wednesday!
Cheers, Penina
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The weekend flew by with fun dinners, watching a little hockey, basketball and some much needed down time. I also enjoyed a beautiful Mother’s Day filled with sweet acknowledgements of a job well done! And now it’s Monday. Time to fire up the computer and get to work.  The other evening while at a dinner party I tasted a lovely 2009 Château Durfort-Vivens Margaux, Bordeaux, France. This red blend is 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc and is a second growth Deuxième Cru of the 1855 Classification. This medium-full bodied wine was ruby red with succulent aromas of berries, spices, tobacco and cocoa. The palate was layered with cherry, purple plum, blackberry and spice. Hints of cocoa were present on a long and silky finish. It was a treat to drink it! The wine was aged in 40% new French oak barrels for an average of 18 months. http://www.durfort-vivens.fr The week is jam packed with lots to do, but I plan to take advantage of the warm weather and blue skies to get in as much power walking as possible.
Happy Monday! Cheers! Penina  All my “wine” friends are talking about Australian wines. The Australians recently came to town and wowed us. After spending the beginning of the week at a seminar and tasting these magical wines, I’m ready to dive in and start sharing some of my thoughts. I was very impressed with the Chardonnays. I had the opportunity to taste these lovely wines from different parts of Australia. They all had a unique style and range of flavors. Hunter Valley, one of Australia’s best-known wine regions is located north of Sidney in the New South Wales region. It is home to some of the oldest vineyards in the world and was spared from the phylloxera epidemic that wiped out vineyards of Europe in the 19th Century. It is in this “sacred site” that some of Tyrrell Wines premium vineyards are located. The vines (Chardonnay, Semillion and Shiraz) are over 100 years old and still produce and grow on their own roots. I tasted Tyrrell’s Vot 47 Chardonnay 2010 that came from Hunter Valley, NSW. The wine was creamy with soft citrus, peach, hints of vanilla and oak with nice acidity, length and balance. I had the pleasure of meeting with Bruce Tyrrell, 4th generation and managing director. He chose some outstanding Shiraz for me to taste (which I will reflect on in another post.)  Chester Osborn of d'Arenberg  Another impressive Chardonnay came from Eden Road Wines located in Tumbarumba, NSW. Eden Road is a boutique wine company and fairly young but is producing award-winning wines. I was bowled over by their 2013 Chardonnay. Aged in 15% new oak, the aromas were heady with citrus and fruit. The palate offered creamy peach, nectarine and a hint of hazelnut. Nicely layered and a stunning finish.  The Leeuwin Estate is located in Margaret River, WA. The Winery is one of five founding wineries in the Margaret River district in Western Australia. It is family owned and they have given themselves quite a name for combining fine wine, food, art and music. Now that’s what I like, all my favorites under one roof. They have an award winning restaurant, art gallery and concert arena. Their Art Series Chardonnay 2012 was extremely good. The “Art Series” represents Leeuwin’s most opulent and age worthy wines. The aromas were heady with floral, caramel and oak. Aged in 100% new oak, this wine was unbelievably rich in texture, with fruit, citrus and hints of oak and nuts on the palate. The finish was seductively long. It was a “wow”! All the whites that I tasted at this event were focused and consistent with ripe fruit. Australian Chardonnays have certainly broadened my palate! More to come…
Happy Wednesday! Cheers! Penina  On Monday I found myself seated in the banquet room of the popular Tribeca Grill in NYC. Owned by Robert Di Nero and Lou Diamond Phillips, among others, this trendy establishment opened its door in 1990 and is still going strong. However, I wasn’t there to dine. I came for the Savour Australian Roadshow, a highly anticipated event for media and trade that included a seminar and walk around wine tasting of Australian wine.  Australia, a single country continent, is the smallest of the seven continents but it is the sixth largest country by total area. Australia is also the flattest continent with a land mass almost equal to that of the United States and much larger than Europe. Australia is broken down into six states. Wine is produced in every state with more than 60 designated wine regions and over 2000 wineries. Temperatures and soil vary not only from region to region, but within the regions as well. The diverse climates and terrain in these unique wine regions are reflected in the wines. There are no grapes indigenous to Australia. The first vines arrived in 1788 and vineyards were established in 1805. James Busby, regarded as the “father” of the Australian wine industry, went to Europe in 1831 and collected 650 varieties of which 362 survived the journey. They were planted in the Botanical Gardens in Sydney and a duplicate collection was planted in Busby’s Hunter Valley property. Over time, cuttings made their way to other regions, establishing the “old vines” of which many can be traced to the original Busby collection. With over 130 grape varieties, the major wines that are produced in Australia are Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Grenache, Merlot, Chardonnay, Riesling, Semillon, Muscat and Sauvignon Blanc. Mark Davidson, Global Education Manager, moderated the seminar “Old Vines & Classic Wines of Australia” along with an impressive panel of winery principles, Charlie Seppelt, Chester Osborne, Bruce Tyrrell and Allister Ashmead. Fifteen glasses of wine were set before each of us to taste and compare. We tasted Marsanne, Chardonnay, Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz ranging in style, vintage and region. As we sipped the wines, we were educated on the regions, terrain, various production techniques, some family history and a few humorous stories. I enjoyed listening to the panelists who were so dedicated and passionate about wine. In fact, every winemaker and owner that I met yesterday had a story to tell, whether it was about their family, the region, wine production or how they hand picked the grapes. The room was pulsating with enthusiasm! Many different winemakers and regions were represented at the walk around tasting, including Hickinbotham Wines, Tyrrell’s Wines, Brokenwood Wines, d’Arenberg, Elderton Wines, Leeuwin Estate and Kaesler Wines. Over the next few weeks I’ll review some of these extraordinary wines and share a little history about the vineyards they come from. I must confess that when I hear an Australian accent, especially when it’s emanating from a handsome Australian man, my heart tends to melt. However, it was the Australian wines that stole my heart yesterday!
Happy Tuesday! Cheers! Penina  With the wide swing in temperatures from one day to the next, it has made my choice in wine and food quite mercurial as well. Saturday brought blue skies and warm temps making it conducive for a long power walk and sunset drinks on the deck. I opened a bottle of 2014 Napa Valley Mockingbird Hill Chardonnay that was perfect for the occasion. This is a very noteworthy wine with lots of depth and character. The color was pale straw with lovely aromas of citrus, pear and vanilla. The palate revealed lush layers of honeysuckle, pineapple, and honey crisp apples with hints of oak and vanilla. The finish was long with a touch of creamsicle lingering. Nice acidity and very clean. Aged in 25% new French oak, this chardonnay is a winner!   It’s a rainy Sunday and quite chilly. I’m thinking Cabernet and soup tonight! Have a peaceful Sunday.
Cheers! Penina It was a “feel good” day on Thursday. A portion of the day was spent with Otis, a service dog in training from Puppies Behind Bars. There is nothing like the unconditional love that these dogs give. I love volunteering and socializing these terrific pups!   Towards evening I met up with some friends for some fun banter and light fair. I tasted a 2014 Bodegas Muga Blanco from Rioja, Spain. The wine is a blend of 90% Viura and 10% Malvasia grapes. Gold in color with a green tinge to it, this was a light and crisp wine. The nose offered apple, honey and citrus that carried through to the palate. Pear and spice slid into a surprisingly long finish. Very nice! http://www.bodegasmuga.com It’s hard to believe that the weekend is already here. What will you be eating and drinking? Please share!
Happy Friday! Cheers! Penina  This week was tossed into a shaker and what poured out was nothing like I had originally planned! I was all set to attend the Consorzio Valpolicella Tasting & Seminars in NYC yesterday. Unfortunately, a client pre-empted my plans and the day took a different direction.  I have been to several Italian wine tastings that have included the Veneto Region. Valpolicella comes from the Veneto region of northeastern Italy and is the most famous wine district in that region. Valpolicella is a blended wine. The Corvina grape makes up most of the blend (usually up to 75%) with Rondinella and Molinara rounding out the mix. Sangiovese, Negrara or Barbera are other grapes that are used as well. Corvina is the grape of choice for higher quality Valpolicella.  Since I didn’t make it to the event, a sweet friend found a bottle of 2013 Folonari Valpolicella for me to taste. This red blend is a mix of Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara grapes. The aromas were subtle with fresh fruit and pine. The palate offered cherry, cranberry, pepper and herbs. It was light and smooth with soft tannins and a hint of vanilla bean on the finish. Very easy to drink. Founded in 1825 by Francesco Folonari, the winery is located in the heart of the Veneto region http://folonariwines.com The sun is shining and I’m going to try and reconstruct the rest of this week!
Happy Wednesday! Cheers! Penina  Monday was a beautiful day filled with lots of sunshine. It actually felt like the middle of summer but without the benefit of a pool to dive into. However, in just a few more weeks, I’ll be swimming again!  The mild temperatures continued throughout the evening, which made it ideal for sitting outside and watching the sunset with a few friends. My host provided an array of cocktails that included wine, Tequila Sunrise and my recipe from last summer, Tequila Sunset. I opted for the Ram’s Gate 2012 Chardonnay Carneros Sonoma, CA  The Chardonnay had a soft yellow color with rich aromas of oak, hazelnut and tropical fruit. Citrus, pear, mango and honeysuckle entertained the palate. The wine was crisp and lush with a hint of spice on the finish. It was a definite thumb’s up! http://www.ramsgatewinery.com  If you’re a New Yorker, please get out there and vote today! Have a great Tuesday!
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  After a busy, but fun filled weekend, it was nice to put on the brakes Monday evening. We opened some wine, made popcorn and watched a movie. You might be wondering what wine to pair with popcorn. Well, that all depends on how you “dress” the popcorn. I prepare my popcorn in a Whirly Pop Popcorn Popper and then season the popcorn with salt and pepper, very simple. However, there is an endless list of creative ways to flavor popcorn, such as butter, cheese, truffle oil, herbs, melted chocolate or caramel. If the popcorn is sweet, a dry brut style champagne or dry rosé would pair well. Chardonnay and Malbec pair nicely with buttered popcorn. If you love cheese on your popcorn, Zinfandel, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon are a great match. And, if you like munching on plain popcorn, then any wine will work! As I always say, “whatever floats your palate”. There is no right or wrong when choosing wine as long as the flavors of food and wine aren’t at war in your mouth!   We ended up opening a 2011 Crooked Path Cellars Zinfandel from Paso Robles region of CA. It was smooth with a hint of spice and dark berries. Full-bodied with medium tannins gave way to a long finish. I love the label! Have a great Tuesday!
Cheers! Penina |
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