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 Monday began with a bundle of energy called “Patriot”. She is a six month old service dog in training from the Puppies Behind Bars Program. As always, my time spent with these special puppies is awesome! Patriot certainly gave me a run for the money with her boundless enthusiasm and curiosity. After returning her to the facility, I “rebooted” and flew through the rest of the day.  I barely had enough time to race home, change and jump back in the car to attend a small dinner party. Once I arrived, I was immediately handed a Grey Goose on the rocks. My friend knows me so well!  Our host made a delicious meal! We started with local farm tomatoes, roasted beets and arugula salad. The entrée was seared scallops with braised cabbage and roasted asparagus. And, the wine was a 2009 Sauvignon Blanc, J. Lohr Carol’s Vineyard located in St. Helena, Napa Valley. The color was pale straw with aromas of citrus, herbs and grass. On the palate, grapefruit dominated with mango and tart apple following. Someone said they tasted gooseberry. Having never had one, I couldn’t comment. The wine paired beautifully with every course. This was a clean, crisp wine and quite enjoyable! In the recent past, I’ve reviewed J. Lohr Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon with much enthusiasm. So I was not surprised by my enjoyment of last night’s wine! http://www.jlohr.com Happy Tuesday!
Cheers! Penina Here it is Sunday evening and I’m finally catching my breath.  Saturday was a challenge of squeezing twelve hours of “busy” into a window of six hours, but somehow I managed to do it. After meeting a friend for a bon voyage lunch, I ran to the Art Show reception to meet and greet. I was quite pleased with the positive feedback of my art wear.  When the reception was over, a friend and I celebrated the end of the day with a glass of wine. We opened a 2013 Stag’s Leap Karia Chardonnay from Napa. The name Karia is derived from the Greek word meaning graceful. And that is just what this wine was. It had pleasing aromas of apple, pear and spice. The palate offered citrus, tart apple, honey and a hint of oak. This was a clean, well-balanced wine with stone fruit and a creamy finish. It was the perfect way to begin and end the evening! http://stagsleap.com Sunday turned out to be a beautiful day and perfect for taking a power walk. I have quite a busy week ahead. And it’s almost bedtime!
Sweet dreams! Cheers! Penina  Thanks to Hurricane Joaquin, a deluge of rain has prevented many outdoor festivities from taking place this weekend. So, I am grateful that the Art Show that I am exhibiting in is indoors.  With the rain, wind and chilly temperatures last evening, it was nice to be inside. My friend opened an exceptional bottle of wine and all that was missing was a roaring fire.  We drank a 2009 Viña Alicia Las Compuertas Malbec. This wine comes from Luján de Cuyo in the foothills of the Andes and was designated as Mendoza’s first appellation in 1993. The wine is sourced from vines that are up to 150 years old. This was a very captivating and full-bodied wine. The deep ruby color bordered on purple with intoxicating aromas of dark berries, spices, oak and a hint of herbs. The palate was layered with sweet berries, especially blackberry and spice. There was a strong earthiness to it, with smooth tannins and a long “jammy” finish. Yummy! http://www.vinaalicia.com I have a busy day ahead of me.
Have a great Saturday! Cheers! Penina  By yesterday afternoon the humidity had crept back in and the temperature was on the rise. So when my friend came over in the early evening to catch up on life, I went straight to the refrigerator for a perfectly chilled bottle of wine.  We opened a 2013 Nicky Hahn Chardonnay from Hahn Winery, Monterey. While he regaled me with stories, I contentedly listened while sipping this delicious wine. The color was soft lemon with aromas of citrus, pineapple, pear and grass. The palate offered a mosaic of tropical fruits, herbs, caramel, a floral essence and a hint of oak that carried into a long finish. It was crisp and quite refreshing. I’m thinking of buying a few more bottles. http://www.hahnwines.com/  An interesting note about the label…Nicky Hahn’s native language is German. “Hahn” translated means rooster, which is why an illustration of the bird is seen on every bottle produced by the winery. Have a great Tuesday!
Cheers! Penina  I was in a store the other day and not only were there displays for Halloween and Thanksgiving, but they had twinkling Xmas trees as well! Retailers need to take it down a notch and chill. Let’s enjoy the day and not get too ahead of ourselves! Life goes by fast enough without having to plan so many months in advance for the holidays.  Speaking of “chilling”, I had a lovely and relaxing dinner the other evening with a few friends. As we sat outside in the crisp autumn air with the fire pit keeping us warm, we sipped on 2011 Shafer Merlot from Napa. It is 76% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Malbec and 2% Petit Verdot. It was full-bodied and the color was what I like to call “passionate purple”. It had inviting aromas of black cherries, dark fruit, spices and a touch of musk. The wine was dense and heady with licorice, dark cherries, spice and herbs on the palate. There was a hint of pepper as well. The finish was long and well balanced. It paired well with the grilled root vegetables and swordfish. http://www.shafervineyards.com  Here is a little trivia: Merlot is the most widely planted grape in the Bordeaux region. The name is derived from the French word “merle”, which means “young blackbird” and refers to the dark blue color of the grape. I need to put some finishing touches on two knit pieces that are being displayed in an upcoming art show. I hope to have photos tomorrow to show you.
Happy Friday! Cheers! Penina  It’s a lovely day…and technically, the last day of summer! I’m not ready to put away the sundresses and sandals quite yet. However, the leaves on the trees are starting their transformation and my hummingbirds are getting ready for their journey south.  Yesterday, a friend came over for a quick “autumn” lunch of homemade soup and bread. We opened a bottle of 2008 D'Isanto & D'Isanto I Balzini White Label Colli della Toscana Centrale IGT. We each had a glass to toast our friendship. I never tire of this wine and have reviewed and discussed it a few times over the course of a year.  Antonella and her husband Vincenzo D’Isanto founded the estate that is located just outside the boundary of Chianti Classico. All their wines are named after a color and labeled red, white, black, green and pink. I have not tried nor do I have the Green or Pink Label yet. But I did review the Red Label about a year ago and I have a few bottles of the Black label waiting to be opened.
http://www.ibalzini.it I look forward to sharing the rest of the I Balzini White Label tonight! Happy Tuesday! Cheers! Penina  Since I was stuck at home nursing a “boo boo” on my leg these past few days, friends stopped by with food and good cheer. In the movie “A Streetcar Named Desire”, Blanche DuBois said, “Whoever you are, I have always depended on the kindness of strangers.” I, on the other hand, have always depended on the kindness of my friends”.  The other evening, one of those kind friends brought over a very nice bottle of Spanish wine in addition to a killer meal that he prepared for me. We opened a 2010 El Escocés Volante '3000 Anos' from Bullas, Spain located in the southeast Mediterranean area. El Escocés Volante means “The Flying Scot”. Norrel Robertson came to Spain in 2003 with his family and released his first wine in 2004. The 3000 Anos is a blend of 50% Monastrell and 50% Syrah. The color was dark purple with aromas of dark berries, cranberries and leather. This full-bodied wine was filled with flavors of dark fruit, smoky oak, spices and herbs. The finish was long and velvety. http://www.escocesvolante.es The temperature is slowing dropping and autumn is upon us. It’s time to dust off the knitting needles that I have neglected for far too long and begin a project.
Happy Monday! Cheers! Penina  Bel Giorno! Yesterday I began my review of the Kobrand Tour d’Italia 2015 eight-city tour of Italy. We explored some wonderful vineyards and tasted interesting wines. I now have three more stops to make.  I made my way to Veneto, where Tony Apostolakos, the U.S. Director of Masi Agricola was waiting to guide me through a tasting of Amarone. It is interesting to note that Sandro Boscaini, the owner of Masi, is referred to as “ Mr. Amarone” due to the unique crafting of his wines. He uses the appassimento method to concentrate aromas and flavors in wine. The Appaxximento symbol can be found on his labels guaranteeing the authenticity and quality of Masi Wine. I’ll highlight a few of the wines I tasted. The 2011 Costasera Amarone was full-bodied with cherry, plum and spices. The 2008 Vaio Armaron Amarone, aged in cherry wood casks for four months, was amazing. The aroma and flavor of cherries, spices and fruit lingered on the palate. Before I departed I was treated to a taste of 1999 Amarone della Valpolicella Classico. It had a beautiful bouquet of fruit and earth, with dark fruit and spice on the palate. http://www.masi.it  The next stop was Piedmont to visit Michele Chiarlo, a family owned and run winery. Their grape varieties are Moscato, Barbera, Nebbiolo and Cortese. It is interesting to note that the wines are never blended. I tried a 2011 Reyna, Barbaresco, 100% Nebbiolo. It was flowing with dark fruit, spice and licorice. The 2007 Cannubi Barolo, also 100% Nebbiolo was full-bodied with notes of licorice, spice and firm tannins. Although I didn’t have a chance to taste the light sparkling wine Nivole, Moscato d’Asti, 100% Moscato, I was told the wine is so delicate that, Michele Chiarlo named it Nivole after the Piedmontese word for clouds. http://www.michelechiarlo.it/ My final destination was back in Tuscany with Ambrogio E Giovanni Folonari. The Folonari family began their wine making in the 1700’s and are considered among Tuscany’s top winemakers. Their portfolio is vast and with the array of bottles set before me, I knew that I didn’t have time to sample them all. So I asked Claudio Andreani to guide me through a few of the wines. We started with the 2010 Tenuta La Fuga Brunello di Montalcino. It was full-bodied and robust with dark berry and tobacco. The 2012 Tenute del Cabreo Il Borgo was smooth and earthy. Tannins were a bit chewy. Next was Tenuta di Nozzole Chianti Classico Riserva, 100% Sangiovese. Aged for 16 months in Slavonian oak vats, the wine was earthy with firm tannins. My last taste was a 1997 Tenuta Campo al Mare, Rosso, Bolgheri. This wonderful Bordeaux-style blend was rich in flavor. Dark fruit, licorice and a long smooth finish completed my day of tasting. http://tenutefolonari.com
Have a great Friday! Cheers! Penina  The days are flying by and I can’t believe that we are already approaching mid September. I am not ready to give up summer!  I must admit though that I am looking forward to making soups and breads to enjoy on those crisp autumn nights. In fact, I’m planning on making a large vat of soup this week to store in the freezer. I’ve saved up small freezer friendly containers so that I can heat up a few servings at a time.  Over this past weekend, I attended a small dinner party with a “fall” menu, including a very good 2009 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Mercer Estates, Columbia Valley, WA. The blend was 84% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 2% Malbec, 1% Petit Verdot and 1% Syrah. It was aged in French and American oak barrels for 28 months. The wine was full bodied with aromas of blackberry, cherry, pepper and clove. The palate was layered with dark fruit, blueberry, cherry, pepper, anise and spices that led to a long velvety finish. http://mercerwine.com. I may not be ready to give up summer yet, but I am ready to embrace some hearty red wines! Have a peaceful Sunday. And, if you’re celebrating the Jewish New Year, then “L ‘Shana Tova”.
Cheers! Penny  The skies have finally opened up and rain is pouring down onto the parched earth. The trees and plants are smiling with relief! And I am happy that my rain dance worked!  For the last few days, my time has been divided between appointments and socializing sweet Mabel, the little puppy from Puppies Behind Bars program. www.puppiesbehindbars.com. As busy as my schedule has been, I did manage to take a little “me” time to taste a lovely wine with a friend the other evening. It was an extremely hot and humid night, so we were both craving a cold and crisp wine.  We chose 2014 Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand. It was light and crisp, but impressive. It had intense aromas of grapefruit, lemon, tropical fruit and fennel. The palate offered ripe citrus, herbs, stone fruit and a wonderful chalky minerality. It was a very refreshing wine with a long finish. http://www.cloudybay.co.nz Much to do before the day ends.
Have a great Thursday! Cheers! Penina |
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