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 The snow has arrived along with howling winds. I have food, wine, books and movies to entertain me. Let’s hope all the power lines stay intact! Aside from work, writing and meeting friends for quick drinks these past few days, I’ve also been reorganizing my wines. It seems that I’m low on bottles under $20 again. I would love your thoughts and suggestions as to what you drink in the under $20 range. There are so many delicious wines in this price category.  Realizing that I was probably going to be stranded inside for the better part of the weekend, my friend came over last night to shake things up a bit. We opened a bottle of 2010 Lunadoro Vino Nobile di Montepulciano D.O.C.G to have with my homemade spinach quiche. The wine carried us through to salad and pasta with shrimp in vodka sauce. And speaking of lower price points, (average bottle around $16) this Tuscan wine was impressive. Made with 100% Sangiovese grapes, it was the color of dark rubies. The nose had lovely notes of floral, berries, plum and fennel. The palate offered cherry, plum, licorice and a hint of spice. It was medium-bodied with soft tannins, giving rise to a long finish. http://www.lunadoro.com  NFL playoff games tomorrow! What will you be drinking and eating? Happy Saturday!
Cheers! Penina  It was an extremely cold day yesterday and I was supposed to attend the Benvenuto Brunello wine event, showcasing Brunello di Montalcino 2011 4-star vintage. However, I never made it into the city. Oh, for the days when I still owned my pied-à-terre there. How simple it was to just roll out of bed and easily walk to most places.  Instead, I met up with a friend for a quick lunch and then headed back home to work for a bit while sitting by the fire.  The evening brought more cold weather along with my friend at the door with dinner and wine. The wine was perfectly chilled from his ride over, but the food needed reheating. As we caught up on the past few days, we sipped 2013 J Vineyards Russian River Valley Chardonnay while munching on Thai cuisine. Although one might think of serving this wine with more “mellow” dishes, strangely enough, it complemented the spicy flavors of the food. It was a lovely golden color with inviting aromas of citrus, floral and peach. The flavors were resonating a tropical paradise of citrus, pear, peach and apple. It was smooth and silky with a long finish. https://www.jwine.com  It’s another cold day with a snowstorm looming over the weekend. My skis and snowshoes are standing by. Happy Wednesday.
Cheers! Penina  It’s an overcast day, but I’m heading out for a power walk soon. I need to burn off a few calories from my dinner last night.  After watching the Patriots win the playoff game, (yippee!) I met up with a friend at a local Italian restaurant for some wine, mussels and pasta. It was a delicious meal, topped off by good conversation and many laughs.  We drank 2011 Castellare Chianti Classico from Tuscany. Made with only native vines, 95% Sangioveto, and 5% Canaiolo, this medium bodied wine was ruby red in color with dark cherries, spices and herbs on the nose. The aromas carried through to the palate with red cherry, tobacco, pepper and a hint of floral for a very satisfying finish. http://www.castellare.it/eng/home.asp Have a peaceful Sunday!
Cheers! Penina  I’m happy to report that I stayed awake for the entire Golden Globes Awards on Sunday. Considering that I was sipping on wine during the evening, I fully expected to nod off. However, I was thoroughly entertained by Ricky Gervais and many of the presenters.  After watching lots of football during the day and prior to my friend arriving, I sautéed brussel sprouts, mushrooms and asparagus in garlic and olive oil. We baked a pizza and added the veggies on top. Quite yummy!  We drank 2012 Da Vinci Chianti from Tuscany while we ate pizza and watched the awards. This was smoother than most Chiantis I am used to drinking. It is made with 90% Sangiovese and 10% Merlot grapes. The color was vibrant red with aromas of cherry, plum and spice. The palate offered dark fruits (mainly cherry & blackberry) with pepper, herbs and earth. This medium-bodied wine had rounded tannins with a nice pepper and spice finish. The price is reasonable, ranging from $12 to $15. http://www.davinciwine.com I have a busy day ahead, but hope to get home before the snow begins!
Happy Tuesday! Cheers! Penina  The holiday decorations have been put away and I’m already starting to think about all the flowers and herbs that I want to plant for the spring. Of course, we still need to get through a few brutal months of winter first.  The other evening it was extremely cold out and a perfect time to serve up a heaping bowl of Tomato Lentil soup to one of my favorite “wining & dining” companions. This hearty vegetarian soup is packed with protein and is quite filling. Sometimes I add a few grilled shrimp or sautéed scallops on top, but it isn’t necessary.  In addition to the soup, we shared a 2010 Abeja Cabernet Sauvignon from Columbia Valley, WA. This elegant and beautifully balanced wine is 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot. Lots of dark fruit, floral and a hint of leather on the nose segued into plum, blackberry, licorice and spice on the palate. Soft tannins and an earthy finish made this a most enjoyable wine! http://www.abeja.net  I can’t believe that the weekend is already here and my calendar is filling up with activities. Happy Friday!
Cheers! Penina  I spent this morning chopping up lots of onions, carrots, celery and herbs for the Tomato Lentil Soup that I was making. The lentils take a few hours to cook, so I have to replenish the liquid every now and then. In addition to using water, I also refresh with dry white wine for added flavor. However, I discovered that I was out of inexpensive dry white wine, so I went for the next best thing…dry vermouth! It’s not just for martinis!  When in a pinch, you can almost always substitute dry Vermouth for any recipe calling for white wine. Vermouth is a liquor made from wine, with different herbs and spices added for flavor. It is also known as an aromatized liquor, and some people refer to it as a fortified wine. Vermouth tends to have more flavor than most wines, so you may need to use less of it than you would if you were cooking with wine. And the bonus is that it has a long shelf life. I would encourage you to store the Vermouth in your refrigerator once opened though. It will last longer (up to 3 months) and stay fresher. I used Martini & Rossi Extra Dry Vermouth for my soup. Their Vermouth is made with a “secret” blend of rare woods, herbs and spices that was first introduced in 1900. If cooking with white wine, you’ll want to look for a wine with high acidity and moderate alcohol content such as Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Gris and Sémillon. These are known as dry “crisp” wines, which tend to add a “punch” and work well with most recipes. You might also want to keep in mind that as wine cooks, it loses some of the subtle flavors and characteristics. So, save the more expensive wines for drinking!  The soup turned out great and I can’t wait to serve it this evening to my dinner guest! And now, I must start baking the bread!
Happy Wednesday! Cheers! Penina  The “balmy” December weather is slipping away and is quickly being replaced with freezing temps for the month of January. I’m sure that snow will be upon us soon! Hearty soups and Cabernet will be gracing my table this week. I think I’ll make tomato lentil soup and homemade bread to start the week off.  Speaking of Cabernet, I tasted a very nice one on Saturday evening. We opened a Chalk Hill 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon from Sonoma. This Bordeaux blend was 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 7.5% Malbec, 3% Carmenere and 1.5% Petit Verdot. A bouquet of dark fruits, spice and oak greeted the nose. On the palate, the flavors fused together with lots of dark cherry, blackberry, licorice, spice and a hint of oak. The wine had a wonderful rich mouth feel to it and the tannins were soft. It had an “unending” finish. Quite good! http://www.chalkhill.com  And now, it’s time for Sunday football!
Cheers! Penina  I’m back! I took a few days longer than anticipated to bask in some much-needed R and R. Upon my return to the land of reality, I was inundated with wonderful visits from friends and family.  In addition to many holiday treats, one of my visitors brought over a Bodegas Muga Reserva 2011 from Rioja, Spain that he thought worth tasting. Made mostly with Tempranillo grape, it also has a little Garnacha, Graciano and Mazuelo grape mixed in. Everything is fermented in oak vats and then aged for one year in new French oak barrels and yet another year in used ones. Needless to say, this ruby colored wine had heady oak aromas along with spices and dark fruit. The palate was medium bodied with dark cherry, plum, pepper, cloves and a hint of vanilla. Tannins were soft and the finish was long. The roaring fire, company and tapas rounded out the tasting experience! http://www.bodegasmuga.com I have much to catch up on and will do so over the next few posts.
Have a great Tuesday! Cheers! Penina  On Saturday morning I woke up to snowflakes and cold temperatures. Did winter finally arrive? No, just a tease. It seems that we will be having mild “spring like” conditions for the next week or so. It is definitely not going to be a white Xmas around here.  I spent most of the weekend catching up with friends for brunch, lunch or dinner. At one of the dinners, I tasted a 2014 Chateau Saint-Maur L’Excellence Rosé Cotes de Provence. The blend of Grenache, Cinsault, Mourvèdre and Rolle grapes made for a very expressive Rosé. Pale salmon in color, the fruity and floral aromas were enticing. The palate offered soft red berry fruit, peach and spice with a surprising bite of pepper and lemon zest on the finish. I would love to add this wine to my Rosé collection! An interesting note: Roger Zannier is also owner of Quinta do Pessegueiro in the Douro. Check out their website for some interesting info. http://www.chateausaintmaur.com  The Winter Solstice will occur on December 21st, marking the shortest day of the year. And I will be counting the days for when the sun begins setting after 8 pm instead of 4:30 pm!  I am heading out for a few days and won’t have my computer with me. However, I will be back by Christmas to check in and share some wine and food stories with you. Until then, eat, drink and be very merry!
Cheers! Penina  Click to enlarge photo. Last evening I prepared baked salmon fillets in an herb and lemon sauce. It was served with roasted asparagus, sweet potatoes and brussel sprouts.  My dinner guest brought a 2013 Concannon Reserve Semillon from Livermore Valley, Central Coast, CA that paired well with the meal. The wine had delightful aromas of tropical fruit, stone fruit and oak. The palate was an explosion of pear, nectarine, green apple, oak and a hint of floral. It was full-bodied and it all came together nicely into the long finish. Alcohol is 14.3%. An interesting note: Concannon Vineyard is the oldest ongoing winery in America that is still under the same family label and stewardship since it’s inception in 1883. http://www.concannonvineyard.com  The weekend is upon us. What will you be drinking and cooking?
Happy Friday! Cheers! Penina |
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