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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
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 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  In yesterday’s post I asked which wine you would have opened with the pasta and shrimp dinner. The Burgundy was favored by most of you. It was a tough decision, but I opened the Burgundy!  The 2014 Domaine Dutron Pere et Fils Saint- Véran is produced by the Dutron family who has owned the estate since 1835. “Pere et Fils” means “father & son” in English. Denis Dutron now continues the family tradition of making these delicious wines. Saint- Véran is located in the southernmost appellation of the Mâconnais region of Burgundy where wines are made exclusively from the Chardonnay grape. The Saint- Véran was pale gold with aromas of pear, honeysuckle, nuts and sweet spice. The palate offered lively fruits such as guava and pear, bursts of citrus and hints of hazelnut and floral. Full-bodied and fresh with a nice finale...it was an excellent choice! It’s a rainy day with snow expected this evening! Spring is taking a backseat this weekend.
Happy Saturday! Cheers! Penina  The other evening we celebrated the onset of spring, despite the snowflakes falling. And what better way to toast the season then to drink a nice dry rosé! A bottle of 2013 Antichi Vigneti di Cantalupo Colline Novares il Mimo was chilling in the refrigerator and just begging to be opened. This 100% Nebbiolo grape (locally known as Spanna) had an intense salmon color with aromas of strawberry, roses, citrus and hints of spice. The palate offered layers of strawberry, cherry, tart apple and a hint of pepper on the finish. This is a lovely medium bodied rosé that I plan on drinking throughout the summer. The Cantalupo Winery is situated in Ghemme, Northern Piedmont, Italy and is owned by the Arlunno family. http://www.cantalupo.net   My love, thoughts and prayers go out to Brussels. Stay strong. Have a peaceful Tuesday.
Cheers! Penina  I was hoping that the weather would stay warm for this weekend. Although it won’t hit the 70s, I’ll take what Mother Nature is offering, even if it means slipping on warmer shoes while my sandals patiently wait to be worn again. To start the weekend off, I met with a friend on Friday evening for dinner and conversation. We dined at an Italian restaurant with an emphasis on cuisine from central Italy. My friend preferred to drink vodka, so I opted for a glass of wine instead of ordering a bottle for the table. The selection of wines by the glass was limited, but good.  I picked Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Umani Ronchi Podere 2010. I made sure that the waiter opened a new bottle for the pour. The color was deep red bordering on purple. Pleasant aromas of cherry, dark berries and spices were followed by subtle flavors of sour cherry, plum, herbs, pepper and a hint of cocoa. Medium-bodied with soft tannins made this an easy wine to drink. Umani Ronchi produces an impressive 3 million bottles of twenty different wines every year! Click on the website for their fascinating story. http://www.umanironchi.com  Don’t forget to turn your clocks ahead tonight before you go to bed!
Happy Saturday! Cheers! Penina  It’s such a beautiful day. I’ve been trying to spend as much time as possible outdoors. After a long power walk, I’m finally sitting down (outside) to write this short post.  I was expecting a friend over for dinner last night. The Rosé was chilling and the salmon and veggies were ready for the grill. At the last minute, he asked me to come over to his home instead. So, I grabbed everything and off I went. When I arrived, I handed him the food to grill and I opened the wine.  We drank 2013 Belguardo Rosé Toscana, Mazzei. The Belguardo estate is located in the Maremma region of Tuscany that the Mazzei family purchased in the 1990s. The wine is an unusual blend of 50% Sangiovese and 50% Syrah. The color was pale red with floral aromas and the palate offered red fruit flavors which were soft and succulent. It was medium bodied with a lasting impression of berries and flowers. The average price is $18.00. The dinner was delicious with the wine complementing every bite. http://www.mazzei.it/eng Happy Wednesday!
Cheers! Penina  Sunshine and warm temperatures…now that’s what I’m talking about! I feel inspired to fire up the grill later and open up one of the rosés chilling in my refrigerator. As I mentioned in my last post, while dining at The Continental in Naples, FL, we enjoyed a bottle of 2012 J. Lohr Hilltop Cabernet Sauvignon from the Paso Robles region of CA. The composition is 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Petit Verdot and 1% Malbec. The color was bordering on royal purple with wonderful plum, dark fruit and floral aromas. The palate was richly layered with plum and dark berries that segued into hints of dark cocoa, oak and spices. It was full-bodied with a long smooth finish of berries lingering on the palate. I have tasted and reviewed many J. Lohr wines, but I think this is my favorite so far! http://www.jlohr.com  I’m off to embrace this beautiful day!
Happy Tuesday! Cheers! Penina |
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