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 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
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 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  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 |
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