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 My beautiful niece came to visit on Thursday. At the age of twenty, she has had more travel adventures than most of us achieve in a lifetime! She attended her first year of college in Florence, Italy with weekend trips all over Europe. The first half of her third year of college was spent in Paris. She plans on a 3-week excursion to Southeast Asia during her senior year and upon graduation, a month in Viet Nam. She has visited many museums, wineries and attended numerous cultural events throughout Europe. I asked her if she would please pack me in her suitcase next time she goes away! We shared many stories and got caught up on life while dining at an upbeat restaurant called Willy Nicks in Katonah, NY. Although the waiter kept calling us “girls” one too many times, the food was delicious! We dined on Sesame Tuna Crunch salad made with water chestnuts, carrots, pickled ginger, peppers and wakame with a chile-lime vinaigrette. The tuna was seared to perfection and every mouthful was a wonderful taste and texture sensation.   I enjoyed a glass of 2012 Rainstorm Pinot Noir from Oregon with the meal. The Pinot Noir grapes come from vineyards located in the Willamette and Umpqua Valleys. The Willamette Valley is situated in northern Oregon, which produces Pinot Noirs with more earthy tones and complexity. While the hotter and drier climate of Umpqua Valley located in southern Oregon produces a richer and fruitier flavor Pinot Noir. Rainstorm’s Pinot Noir is a 50/50 blend of these two wine regions. The color of the wine was soft ruby with subtle berry aromas. The palate had a fresh fruit feel, offering cherry, cranberry and a little spice. It was a little “chewy” with a warm finish. The label is a whimsical depiction of Portland showing salmon, coffee, guitars, clouds and wine grapes. http://pinotpassion.com This is going to be a whirlwind weekend. I’ll be back on Monday!
Happy Saturday! Cheers! Penina
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Sight, taste, smell, hearing and touch are the fundamental senses that allow us to experience and express our perception of the world around us. We rely on our sight, taste and smell to communicate impressions of wine and food. Donnafugata, a family owned winery situated in western Sicily, has taken the “sensorial experience” to a whole new level! On Wednesday, I had lunch with the delightful Josè Rallo, one of the family members of Donnafugata. I tasted elegant wines and learned all about this magical family and winery, as we dined on local, artisanal food in a private room at Black Barn Restaurant in NYC.   The Rallo family began their trek into the world of wine in 1851. In 1983, Josè’s parents, Giacomo and Gabriella created Donnafugata. The name means “woman in flight” and refers to a story from a piece of literature called “Il Gattopardo”. Most of the Donnafugata labels and names of wines, which are very whimsical, pay homage to various works of art and literature. In 1990, their children, Josè and Antonio joined them with Josè as head of management control & communication and Antonio as a dedicated agronomist, wine maker and head of the Consorzio Sicilia DOC. Together, the Rallo family has dedicated themselves to eco-sustainable management, biodiversity and paying special attention to their carbon footprint.  Credit: Fabio Gambina copyright of Donnafugata and the name of the photographer mentioned. Contessa Entellina, Donnafugata’s wine estate, is comprised of 667 acres and seven vineyards. They cultivate 17 varieties of grape, both indigenous varieties and Italian and international vine varieties. The Donnafugata vineyards are spread throughout 10 districts, each having uniqueness in soil, altitude, exposure and micro-climatic conditions. In addition, Donnafugata has a winery and vineyard on Pantelleria, a volcanic island situated between Africa and Sicily. Zibibbo (Moscato d’Alessandria) is the wine variety grown on their 168-acre vineyards, located in 12 different areas of the island. Some of the plants are more than 100 years old! The vines are cultivated by hand, planted in a basin and trained to grow low and horizontally. This system of planting allows the vines to withstand the wind on the island. The winery is located in the Khamma district of the island. Wines produced at Contessa Entellina and Pantelleria are brought to the Marsala Aging Winery, Donnafugata’s production facility, for refinement and bottling. And now, back to my lunch with Josè!  As we nibbled on appetizers, Josè introduced us to SurSur 2014, a 100% Grillo grape, that is an ancient indigenous variety from Sicily. The color was pale straw with lovely aromas of green apple, peach and grapefruit. The palate offered a perfect balance of citrus and floral. At an average price of $19.00, this is a great wine to keep stocked in the refrigerator, especially with the warmer months on the way. We continued to drink the SurSur as we ate a delicious Kale Salad. Josè, who is also an accomplished singer with a beautiful voice, sang us a song that she felt paired the wine with the music, giving us the ultimate “multi-sensory” experience! In fact, she sang a song with every wine poured, sending us on an incredible sensory journey each time.  Josè serenading us!  Before the main course arrived, a bottle of 2011 Tancredi Sicilia and 2010 Mille e Una Notte Sicilia were opened. The Tancredi is made with Cabernet Sauvignon and Nero d’Avola. The aromas of dark fruit, light oak, spices and herbs gave way to earthy flavors, rich berries, licorice, spice and soft tannins. The average price of this wine is about $36.00. The Mille e Una Notte is made with Nero d’Avola, Petit Verdot, Syrah and other grapes. Deep red in color, the aromas were heady and intense with dark fruit and spices. The palate was layered with plum, cherry, pepper and a hint of cocoa. Soft tannins accompanied a long finish. This is one of Donnafugata's more expensive wines, with a price tag averaging around $60.00 a bottle, but well worth it!  As we got ready for dessert, a bottle of 2013 Ben Ryé was opened. It was exquisite! This naturally sweet wine is made with 100% Zibibbo grown on the island of Pantelleria. The color was brilliant amber with intoxicating aromas of apricot and floral that segued onto the palate and lingered. The wine was concentrated and intense, but beautifully balanced. Although I would have been quite happy drinking this as my “dessert”, it complemented the Chocolate Cremeux passion fruit gelee, nougaline. I found the average price to be around $45.00 a bottle.  Delicious wines! Donnafugata wine is distributed in 60 countries and can be found in most wine shops, online and in many restaurants. To learn more about this innovative winery, visit their website at: http://www.donnafugata.it/pagine/Homepage.aspx
Josè’s exuberance and passion for her wines, music and life was the sweet pearl that I took with me when I left. It was a very enjoyable afternoon! Cheers! Penina  We have beautiful blue skies and temps in the mid 50’s degree range. I’m putting on my sunblock and heading outdoors! This is perfect weather for a long power walk.  Last evening I got together with a dear friend who was visiting from California. Perhaps he brought the sunshine and good weather with him! We ate at a local restaurant and dined on simple fare and drank a nice bottle of 2012 Frog’s Leap Zinfandel from Napa Valley. Blended with Petite Sirah and a little Carignan, this ruby colored wine had alluring aromas of raspberry, cherry and spices. The palate offered Bing cherry, mellow fruit and a complementary dryness that might have been produced with the Carignan. Tannins were tight, but softened as the wine opened. The finish was spicy with a tease of fennel. Delicious! http://www.frogsleap.com  We are a week away from the Oscars and parties are in the making. I must confess that I haven’t seen most of the nominated movies. I may sit this one out! Enjoy the rest of the weekend!
Happy Saturday! Cheers! Penina  It was a busy Wednesday and in between dealing with business, I was on a search for fresh escarole. None was to be found. It seems that due to the weird weather we’ve been experiencing, the winter crops are not fairing well and most markets aren’t selling escarole right now. I was hoping to put together a pasta dish of sautéed escarole, cannellini beans and shrimp. So, I improvised and used broccoli rabe, which actually ended up giving the dish a little more dimension. We started the meal with a small serving of Tomato Basil Bisque and homemade peasant bread.   Prior to serving the soup, I opened a bottle of 2010 Tommasi Amarone della Valpolicella Classico. Instead of rich dark fruit aromas, there was an overwhelming mustiness that carried over to the palate. By the time we finished our soup, the wine had developed a small trace of cherry and plum on the palate with the mustiness still in the forefront. I was disappointed to say the least, but it was not worth waiting to see if the wine got any better. So we left “Italy” and traveled to “Spain” and opened a 2009 Bodegas San Prudencio Depadre Rioja. I reviewed this wine in June and it was even better than I remembered. My previous review: “The color was a dark Syrian amethyst with heady aromas of dark fruits and floral bouquet. Made from Tempranillo and Garnacha, this multi-layered wine exploded on the palate with blackberry, cherry, anise, espresso beans and a hint of vanilla. It was quite impressive with a long finish. This is a wine with a lot of character and depth.” And, it is a full-bodied wine with medium tannins. Alcohol: 13.5%. http://bodegasanprudencio.es  The wine paired well with the rest of the meal.  Happy Thursday!
Cheers! Penina This past weekend was all about friends, food and drink. I came across a quote recently that made a lot of sense. “Don’t let anyone rent space in your head, unless they’re a good tenant.” And that’s what it’s all about…surrounding oneself with positive people that are optimistic, joyful and trustworthy. I’ll drink to that!  And speaking of drink…Six months ago I wrote a review about Shingleback’s 2011 The Gate Shiraz that is produced in the McLaren Vale area of South Australia. It was an amazing wine and I promised myself that I would keep the other bottles under wrap for a few years. But I couldn’t help myself and opened another bottle last evening. As before, the aromas of lush fruit and spice were heavenly. Cherry and candy apple dominated. In my last review, I said: “The palate was a feast of layers, oozing dark jams, cherry, oak, pepper, spices and a hint of vanilla. Silky tannins and a solid backbone gave way to a long finish.” In addition, this time the wine had a hint of marzipan that teased the palate. This full-bodied wine paired well with the meal and dessert! http://www.shingleback.com.au  I served baked salmon and cherry tomatoes with a wine, shallot & mustard sauce accompanied by asparagus and mushrooms sautéed in olive oil and shallots. I also made my famous mashed potatoes. The dessert was Molten chocolate cake. Click on each image for a closer look. The evening segued into watching a silly but funny movie and sipping the last of the wine. Perfect!
Have a great Monday! Cheers! Penina  Okay…I’m ready for sunshine, warm waves, palm trees and an exotic tropical drink resting in my hand. Enough of these sub zero temperatures! Everyone is running off to go skiing for the long holiday weekend and I want to run in the opposite direction!  And, let’s not forget that part of Presidents Day weekend also includes Valentine’s Day this Sunday…a holiday that restaurants, florists and candy shops will make lots of money on. Whatever happened to the days when everything wasn’t so commercialized? I remember making my own valentines and writing beautiful poems that truly came from the heart. I say, “let’s get back to the basics”!  However, if offered, I certainly won’t pass up a glass of Cristal Champagne and Teuscher of Switzerland Champagne Truffles! They are the best truffles I have ever had. The Champagne Truffle is Teuscher’s signature truffle. It has a Dom Perignon champagne cream center, surrounded by dark chocolate ganache and is then covered with milk chocolate and dusted with confectioner’s sugar. Oh, my…I’m having a hot flash just thinking about it. Yummy! http://www.teuscher.com  Speaking of champagne, a friend and I had a pre-Valentine toast with a glass of Philipponnat Brut Royale Réserve. Situated in the heart of the Champagne wine-growing area, the Philiponnat family has been producing wine for almost 500 years. The nonvintage Champagne we tasted is mostly Pinot Noir blended with Chardonnay and a small amount of Pinot Meunier. Aromas of citrus, honey and pear led to light and crisp flavors of pear, apple, floral notes and a dash of nutmeg. A light citrus and chalky finish gave it an extra bounce! http://www.philipponnat.com  It’s time for me to bundle up and brave the 15-degree temps outside.
Have a warm and happy Friday! Cheers! Penina  Oh my…it’s Friday and I’m finally sitting down to write a post. The days are going by so quickly and I can’t seem to get caught up with everything. However, an unexpected little snowstorm is keeping me inside this morning, so let me begin.  I met with a few friends midweek for tapas and a glass of Albariño wine. This green-skinned grape is grown in Galicia, located in northwest Spain. Albariño is the Galician name for this grape whereas in Portugal it is referred to as Alvarinho. Albariño wine is noted for its floral and soft fruity bouquet extending to the palate with common notes of peach and citrus. I found it to be light and quite complementary to the variety of tapas dishes. It is a lovely wine to keep in mind for the warmer months and also makes for a great aperitif.  Last night I opened a bottle of 2009 D’Isanto & D’Isanto I Balzini Red Label to serve with a hearty homemade vegetable and bean soup. I reviewed this Tuscan wine about a year ago. Most of what I experienced back then, remained consistent. Made with Cabernet, Merlot and Sangiovese, the aromas were rich in dark fruit and spice. The palate offered black cherry, plum and earth as it did before. However, this time the finish was stronger, with spice and anise lingering for a longer finish. The wine opened up much faster as well. My guest will attest that it was good to the last drop! http://www.ibalzini.it/index.php/en The snow is beginning to taper off and I’m getting ready for the weekend and Super Bowl!
Happy Friday! Cheers! Penina  The sun is shining and the temps will be warming up this week. Perhaps the warming trend is short lived, but I’ll take it!  Although it was quite cold last night, my friend decided to grill swordfish steaks and vegetables for his guests. As he stood outside with a down coat on, spatula in one hand and a martini in the other, I had to marvel at his enthusiasm. With the warmer weather approaching this week, I might just fire up my grill!  One of the guests brought a few bottles of 2012 Brouilly, Château des Tours from the cru village of Brouilly in Beaujolais. Château des Tours has been making wine from the same vineyards since 1153 AD. Made with 100% Gamay, the color of the wine was royal purple with a beautiful bouquet of red fruit and flowers. It was full-bodied, with soft tannins and a palate rich in dark cherry, strawberry and plum. There was a hint of spice lingering on the finish. Quite lovely! http://www.chateau-des-tours.com/en/ This is definitely going to be a “power walk” day. I’m gearing up for a “power” week!
Have a great Sunday! Cheers! Penina  Once again, I’m taking a deep breath and exhaling. The last 24 hours has really tested my patience for insensitive people and chronic complainers. However, it’s a brand new day and it's getting closer to the weekend! Yippee!!  I need to backtrack to Tuesday night. A mellow evening with a good friend and a bottle of 2008 Miguel Torres Mas Borràs was pure bliss. This 100% Pinot Noir comes from a small single vineyard in the Penedes region of Spain, close to the Mediterranean. The color was deep garnet with heavenly aromas of cherry, pomegranate, spice and rich loam. The palate was packed with red fruit, purple plums and a hint of spice. Soft tannins and a jammy mouth-feel gave way to a long and silky finish. http://www.torres.es/en/home  This might be a good night to curl up by the fire with a good book and a snifter of cognac.
Have a great Thursday! 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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