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 The World Series is over and even though I’m a Mets fan, the KC Royals deserved to win. It was enjoyable watching a few of the games with friends, drinking nice wine and munching on food. However, last night I looked forward to crawling into bed before midnight!  As the holiday season approaches, everyone is starting to plan their menus and deciding what wine to serve. Or, if an invited guest, what house gift to bring. Not everyone cooks the “traditional” turkey for Thanksgiving. I have made poached salmon in addition to turkey on many a Thanksgiving holiday. And most of the side dishes that I make go well with both entrees. There are many wines to choose from that will pair well with a meat or meatless Thanksgiving dinner such as sparkling wines that can be elegant and versatile. When choosing whites you might want to go with a wine that has well-balanced acidity such as Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc and Albarino. With red wines, the focus should be on soft tannins so it doesn’t compete with the flavor of the food such as Zinfandel, Syrah, Pinot Noir and Rosés. All these wines make a nice complement to the meal and there are many more grapes to choose from. There is no right or wrong choice, it is truly a personal preference. I will explore more wines for the holidays in the next week or so.  The other evening I had a lovely 2010 Hooker “Blind Side” California Zinfandel. It was easy to drink and I wouldn’t hesitate to serve it with a holiday meal. It is a blend of 79% Zinfandel, 20% Petite Sirah and 1% Merlot. The aromas of berries, spice, caramel and raspberry gave way to cranberry, vanilla, pepper and tobacco on the palate. The finish was long and earthy with spice and pepper lingering. I was imagining how well it would complement my Ice Cream Pumpkin Pie. http://www.lawerfamilywines.com An interesting note about the name of the wine: Betsy Lawer’s father and husband both played the “hooker” position on rugby teams. Her father played for Stanford and her husband played for Duke….hence the “Hooker” label. Have a great Tuesday!
Cheers! Penina  It’s another beautiful day and I’m looking forward to a weekend filled with the World Series, scenic walks and wine tasting.  In some of my recent posts I talked about wines from Portugal. I’d like to mention another winery, Caves Campelo in Barcelos. It is located in the north of Portugal in the Vinho Verde wine region. Although it was established in 1951, there are records dating back to 1923. The company was acquired by José Carlos Lima & Sons in 2007. Caves Campelo offers a wide range of wines such as Vinho Verde, Douro, Dão and Porto wines. I met with Sophia Costa, their export manager who guided me through a tasting of a few of the Vinho Verde wines. We began with Miranda 2014, a ROSÉ wine that was soft pink. It had lovely aromas of fruit and flowers with fresh fruit on the palate. It had a nice mouth feel and was well balanced. The Campelo Adamado 2014 was straw colored with green hues. It had citrus and apples on the nose, with lemon and pear on the palate. The finish was short. The Tapada do Marques Arinto 2014 made with 100% Arinto grape, was “driven” on the nose, but subtle with citrus and floral undertones on the palate. It was quite refreshing. Visit Caves Campelo website for an extensive list of all their wines. www.campelo.pt Have a great start to the weekend!
Happy Friday! Cheers! Penina  The World Series Game One went 14 innings last night with KC finally ending it with a win. In between sipping wine and watching the game, it turned into a very late night!  My post about Château Haut-Brion yesterday had quite a few people guessing as to which vintage was opened. Some of you thought both years were opened, while others seemed to lean towards the 61’. As you can see, the 1994 Château Haut-Brion was the chosen vintage. After decanting the wine, we took a quick taste before allowing it to open. The color was crimson with a powerful earthiness on the nose that gave way to subtler undertones of fruit and leather. It needed time to open up. After one hour, the bouquet was more floral, although a “musty” aroma and taste lingered. Dried herbs, spice and dark fruit began to emerge as the evening wore on. It didn’t have the depth of flavor that I hoped for, but it was smooth, subtle and enjoyable to the last drop! www.haut-brion.com It’s going to be a stormy day and a good time to attend to a few indoor projects.
Happy Wednesday! Cheers! Penina  We went from several days of warm weather to waking up to cold temperatures this morning. Brrr…. The heat was turned back on and the windows were closed again.  To celebrate the “warmer” temperatures the other evening, a friend and I dined on mussels, pasta and swordfish. The balmy weather seemed to warrant a more “summery” type menu. Our choice of wine reflected that as well. We opened a 2011 Domaine Huet Vouvray Sec Le Mont Chenin Blanc to complement the meal. The wine is produced in the Vouvray district of the Loire valley. This was a lovely dry Chenin Blanc with a golden color. The aromas of honeysuckle, green tea and floral notes were present. The palate offered soft fruits, pear, lemon and medium acidity. The finish was long with hints of apple lingering. http://www.domainehuet.com I have a feeling that I will be drinking heartier wines this weekend!
Happy Friday! Cheers! Penina  On Tuesday I attended The Grandi Marchi Experience in NYC, a guided tasting of Italy’s top terroirs. The event was held at Del Posto, another amazing creation of Mario Batali located in the now trendy meatpacking district. Gloria Maoroti Frazee, the Director of Video & Education, Wine Spectator, moderated the event. Not only did we taste the wines, but also had the pleasure of hearing from the principles of each winery as we swirled and sipped. Each spokesperson had a wonderful story to tell. We heard about their fathers, grandfathers and great-grandfathers who’s input helped to make the wines what they are today. The Institute of Fine Italian Wines-Premium brands is comprised of nineteen important Italian wineries with the objective to promote culture and commercialism of high end Italian wine to world markets. The wineries are defined by high standards of product and brand image at national and international levels.  Of the nineteen wineries that make up the institute, fifteen wineries were present yesterday. We tasted 15 wines from Lombardy, Tuscany, Marches, Piedmont, Sardinia, Sicily, Campania, Puglia, Umbria and Veneto. We started with a refreshing 2006 Cuvée Annamarie Clementi and ended with a 2008 Ben Ryé Passito di Pantelleria D.O.C Limited Edition dessert wine. In between we tasted two more whites and eleven reds from producers such as Gaja, Tenuta San Guido, Antinori, Masi, Rivera and Pio Cesare. I will elaborate on some of the wines that I tasted in tomorrow’s post.
Have a great Wednesday! Cheers! Penina  I woke up Monday morning to see frost on my outdoor plants. And, it snowed for a few minutes on Sunday! I guess winter is just around the corner and perhaps it’s time to dust off the skis and snowshoes. It’s also time to start thinking about bold wines to go with those hearty winter entrées. I have several reds that I’m looking forward to opening over the next few months. However, I’m still going to keep a few whites in my refrigerator because you just never know when the mood will strike!  My friend and I dined at a lovely French restaurant last evening. To celebrate the “cold” weather, we ordered a bottle of 2012 Hess Select Cabernet Sauvignon, North Coast. The color was crimson with red fruit and spice aromas. On the palate: dark fruits, plum, anise, spice and a hint of vanilla. It was medium bodied with a jammy finish and paired well with the wild mushroom ravioli entrée. http://www.hesscollection.com I’m off to a wine event.
Happy Tuesday! Cheers! Penina  It was with much anticipation that we all gathered around the television last evening to watch the fifth and final game of the National League Division series with the Mets vs. Dodgers. Finger food was served with many choices to be had in the drink department. I was tempted to have vodka, but the bottle of 2010 Domaine Eden Cabernet Sauvignon was beckoning to me.  Mount Eden Vineyards is in the Santa Cruz Mountain Appellation. It was founded in 1945 and recognized as one of the “original” boutique California wineries. In 2007, they acquired an additional 55-acre wine estate in the Saratoga foothills that they named Domaine Eden. The Domaine Eden 2010 is 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot and 1% Malbec. The cherry red color invited aromas of dark fruit, especially plum and cherry. There was a subtle earthiness to it that carried over to the palate. It was rich with dark fruit, but not overbearing, allowing more “musk” to come through. Hints of anise and spice were present on the finish. The tannins were medium. This is a wine I could drink all winter long! http://www.mounteden.com  As you all know by now, the Mets won last night. And now they will face the Cubs for the NLCS title. Good luck, Mets!
Have a great Friday! Cheers! Penina As much as I would like to discuss the wonderful wine that I had last evening, I will save it for another post. As promised, I’d like to continue my exploration of Portuguese wines.  The Vinho Verde region stretches across the northwest of Portugal which includes nine sub-regions. The popular Alvarinho wines are a specialty of the sub regions Moncao and Melgaco in the northern part of the Vinho Verde region. Lima Cavado and Ave sub-regions are to the south where the main grapes are Loureiro, Arinto and Trajadura.  Quinta da Lixa is an award winning, family run company owned by the Meireles family. It is located in the Sousa sub-region of the Vinho Verde region. Their table was filled with colorful and enticing wine bottles. The Pouco Comum 2014 is 100% Alvarinho. It had floral and fruity aromas with citrus, floral and tropical fruit notes on the palate. It was crisp with a long finish. The Anjos de Portugal 2014 Rosé was quite lively and made with Touriga Nacional and Espadeiro grapes. It was fruity with hints of grapefruit and melon. The Aromas das Castas 2014 is made with Alvarinho and Trajadura grapes. These grapes are considered “two of the noblest “ grape varieties in the Vinho Verde region. The dominant flavor was peach, but hints of pear and herbs came through. It was quite refreshing.  Alexandre Relvas My last stop for today is back in the Alentejo region where I met Alexandre Relvas, of Casa Agricola Alexandre Relvas. He acquired the winery in 1997. It is situated in the municipality of Redondo. In addition to producing around 3 million bottles of wine a year, the owners are dedicated to breeding and conservation of local species. They also breed Merino sheep and sell the wool, which perked my interest as a knitter. Alexandre started me off with a taste of Ciconia Touriga Nacional 2014. This ruby colored wine had intense aromas of dark fruit, earth and spice. The palate offered dark berry, spice and a hint of truffle. It was very smooth with soft tannins. The next pour was Ciconia Reserva Tinto 2013. This red blend of Aragonez, Syrah and Touriga Nacional was filled with ripe berry, spices and medium tannins. It had a richness to it that will certainly improve with age. Although I have to catch up with other wines/countries that I have tasted recently, I will return to Portugal to give you my spin on their wines.
Have a great Thursday! Cheers! Penina  Portugal is located in the Southwest corner of Europe in the Iberian Peninsula. It is the westernmost country of Europe and surrounded by Spain to the North and East and the Atlantic Ocean to the South and West. What makes Portugal so unusual with regards to wine is that it boasts a remarkable number of grape varieties that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. In fact, many of the Portuguese grape varieties are restricted to the national territory. There are 250 indigenous grape varieties officially registered. The Alvarinho, Baga and Touriga Nacional grapes are probably the most widely known by name. Portugal is divided into fourteen Regional Wine areas. Each region has a unique geography and climate, influencing the production of the grapes. I had an opportunity to taste some very interesting wines from these regions at the Wines of Portugal event at the City Winery in New York. Most of the wines I tasted were blended, using several national grape varieties, as is their tradition to combine grape varieties rather than use 100% grape. In fact, some winemakers will blend more than twenty varieties to attain the perfect balance. However, there are a few regions that boast a single variety grape, such as Bairrada, using the Baga grape (red) and Moncao/Melgaco in the Vinho Verde region, using the Alvarinho grape (white). The most “popular” of the white grapes are Alvarinho, Arinto/Pederna, Encruzado and Fernao Pires/Maria Gomes. The popular red grapes are Baga, Casteao, Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca, Touriga Nacional and Trincadeira/Tinta Amarela. As I traversed from table to table and region to region I was introduced to a variety of blends. There were 30 tables, with many bottles to sample at each table. Most of the whites were refreshing, a few sparkling wines stood out, as well as some hearty reds and port. My objective with my post today is to touch upon a few of the regions and wineries and to discuss the rest in future posts. Adega de Redondo is one of the largest wine producers in Portugal and is located in the Alentejo wine region which covers a third of Portugal in the southern half. The climate is hot and quite challenging to grow white grapes. I met with Alexandre de Cunha who guided me through a tasting of their wines. I took note of the AR Reserva 2011 made with Touriga Nacional, Syrah and Alicante Bouschet. The color was deep red with intense aromas of dark fruit and cocoa that carried over to the palate. Tannins were strong and he suggested decanting it for an hour prior to serving. The Real Lavrador Branco 2014 was a white wine made with Roupeiro and Rabo de Ovelha grapes. It was dry and zesty but pleasant with citrus and fruit on the palate. The next table offered wines from the region of Porto and Douro. The winery, Quinta Do Portal, is based in the Douro Valley of northern Portugal. Douro was the first wine region to be designated and regulated in 1754. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage site. Douro, known for supplying the world with its production of port is now being regarded for its unfortified wines. Quinta Do Portal has a lovely sparkling wine. It was very appealing, dry and fruity. The Touriga Nacional (100%) 2009 was dark ruby with heavenly aromas of dark fruit. Raspberry and dark currant dominated the palate. Strong tannins made for a chewy finish. The 10-year-old Tawny Port was cherry red in color and was a nice combination of sweet and nuttiness with a long finish.  Carlos Queiros and Filipe Ferreira Quinta Da Foz also located in Porto and Douro was established in 1876 and one of the oldest producers in the Douro. I asked Carlos Queiros to select one wine for me to taste. He poured a Red Reserva 2011, a red blend of very old vineyards. Vinified in granite tanks, it is then aged for 18 months in French oak barrels. Although the tannins were “thick”, the fruit and smokiness came through. It is unfortunate that I didn’t have time to wait for it to open up. And speaking of time, I must end this post with the promise that I will continue tomorrow covering more regions and vineyards.
Saúde! Penina  Friday was a warm but stormy day. Unfortunately, most of my afternoon business took place outside. At one point I was hoping to be transported to a tropical island with blue skies, sand and gentle surf. Didn’t happen.  By the time evening rolled around I was happily transported to Jumilla, a wine DO title of Murcia that is a small region on the Mediterranean coast of southeastern Spain. It was about as close to water as I was going to get.  The wine we opened was a 2013 Bodegas de Juan Gil. The Monastrell grape (also known as Mourvedre grape) was hand picked from 40-year old parcels in their estate vineyards and kept in French oak barrels for 12 months. The color was dark red, bordering on purple. Aromas of ripe cherry, blackberry and herbs were dominant. The palate was layered with cherry, candy apple, licorice, plum and was quite succulent. As the wine opened over the course of an hour, cherry and pepper pushed it’s way forward with a hint of clove, leaving a much sweeter and jammy finish, along with soft tannins. http://bodegasjuangil.com/en/ It’s going to be a busy weekend filled with house guests and fun activities. And just maybe…I’ll squeeze in some time to make the pumpkin muffins!
Happy Saturday! Cheers! Penina |
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