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 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  Saturday evening was very low key. I was invited over to a friend’s home for pizza, wine and NHL hockey. We watched the NY Rangers lose for the second time in a row. I must admit that I dozed through half the game because it started so late in the evening!  The pizza was good and the wine was excellent! My friend brought out a 2010 Beekeeper Cellars Zinfandel from the Madrone Spring Vineyard in Sonoma. He told me that only 109 cases were made and he had been saving it for quite awhile. The wine is made with 89% Zinfandel and 11% Petite Sirah. Heady aromas of dark fruit and spice transitioned into complex layers of blackberry, raspberry, pepper and hints of vanilla. It was full bodied with medium tannins and it was good to the last drop! Ian Blackburn is the Proprietor and Winemaker. http://www.beekeepercellars.com It’s time to head outdoors and enjoy another beautiful day.
Happy Sunday! Cheers! Penina  Last evening I had a few friends over for “cocktail” hour to celebrate the onset of the weekend and holidays. Even though it was unseasonably warm out, the decorations helped to put us in a more “winter” frame of mind.  In addition to serving other spirits, I opened a 2013 Saddlebred Cellars Pinot Noir from Sicily. This inexpensive 100% Pinot was bright crimson with aromas of cherry and raspberry. On the palate, hints of floral along with dark cherry, pomegranate and strawberry were present. The finish was long with a touch of white pepper. It was a very smooth and silky Pinot Noir. I couldn’t find any info on the vineyard itself, but I will continue to research it.  For appetizers, I served baked Cranberry Brie, Spinach Quiche and assorted cheeses and fruit. I’m off to embrace this beautiful spring day on December 12th!
Happy Saturday! Cheers! Penina  Aside from one soak drenched day this week, the weather has been beautiful. Holiday decorations are going up and some of the homes and properties I have seen are quite magical. I’m starting to think about holiday menus and pairings. The other evening I made a delicious meal of baked Halibut with lemon, olive oil, cherry tomatoes and capers. For the side dish, I sautéed together shallots, sweet potatoes, asparagus and mushrooms. It was a simple dinner, but my guest said it was “restaurant quality”, as he quickly gobbled it all down.  I paired a 2010 Château Lascombes Haut-Médoc de Lascombes to go with the dinner. It is the third label of a Margaux second growth. The wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot. This Bordeaux blend was deep purple with lovely aromas of blackberry, plums and spices. I found this to be an “earthy” wine and full-bodied. The palate offered dark fruit, plum, spice and hints of oak that carried through to a nice finish. I have a few more bottles that will be opened over the next year or two! www.chateau-lascombes.com  The weekend is here and although I have work to attend to, there are a few holiday parties to drop in on! Have a great Friday!
Cheers! Penina  I hope that everyone had a great Thanksgiving! I certainly did! Family and friends filled up my home with good cheer as well as the wonderful aromas of food emanating from the kitchen.  As usual, I made more food than was necessary and now I will have fun getting inventive with all the leftovers. Of course I overdid it with the desserts, so perhaps I’ll put together little dessert packages for a few people today.  Two wines graced the Thanksgiving table yesterday. We opened a 2013 Acrobat Pinot Noir from Oregon and a 2011 I Balzini Black Label. Both wines complemented the meal from appetizers to dessert. I reviewed the I Balzini a few weeks ago. You can read it at http://thewineknitter.com/1/post/2015/11/day-375.html The Acrobat Pinot Noir comes from the King Estate Winery, founded in 1991. The color of the wine was cherry red with aromas of expressive berries and spice. The palate offered smooth and velvety flavors of cherry, plum and cranberry with hints of oak and spice. The finish was long. https://www.kingestate.com It’s a beautiful day and time to start changing the décor inside and outside to acknowledge the upcoming holidays.
Have a great Friday! Cheers! Penina  As much as I would have loved to lounge in bed on Sunday morning, I had to be at the office early. So I begrudgingly hopped out of bed to face a few hours of work.  By the time I got home, the sky was already turning pink from the sun beginning to set. I turned on the last quarter of the Jets game and got very comfy on my sofa. My plan was to be a “hermit” for the evening and mellow out. However, a good friend thought I needed his company and arrived with sushi and wine.  Most people enjoy green tea, sake or beer with sushi. But, there are many wines that complement the spiciness and exotic flavors of Japanese food. Dry Rieslings, Chardonnay, dry Rosé, sparkling wines, Gruner Veltliner and Gavi are good matches. Subtle fruit tones and high acid wines are the best go to for sushi pairings.  Last night we enjoyed a 2010 Broglia “La Meirana” Gavi di Gavi made with 100% Cortese grape. This was a crisp wine with subtle flavors of stone fruit and honey. It was very easy to drink and quite delicious! Broglia is considered the oldest winery in Gavi. Check out their website for the history. http://www.broglia.it I have lots to do before Thanksgiving!
Happy Monday! Cheers! Penina |
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