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One of the joys of summer for me is creating and feasting on a variety of salads that include produce from my garden. With a friend stopping by for lunch today, I took inventory of what I had in my kitchen and then purchased fresh shrimp to add to the mix. I quickly made a marinade of olive oil, lemon zest, grated Romano cheese, oregano, chili and a pinch of salt. Then I gently coated the shrimp with the mixture and baked them on a cookie sheet for about 8 minutes.  After drizzling a little lemon juice over the shrimp, they were added to the salad which consisted of romaine, arugula, spinach, tomatoes, avocado, eggs, peppers, strawberries and blueberries. It was colorful and quite tasty.  To accompany the meal, I opened a bottle of Pasqua Prosecco Treviso.  Pasqua Vigneti e Cantine was founded in 1925 in Verona, Italy, when the first generation of Pasqua brothers established a wine trade business. Within a few years, they purchased vineyards in the Verona area and became a winery. In the 1960s, the second generation became involved and concentrated on exportation and improving wine-making techniques and quality. They also established a research center for vines, grafting techniques and vineyards. The third generation now leads the company and sells wines in over 50 countries around the world.  Pasqua Prosecco Treviso is a sparkling wine made with 100% Proscecco (also called Glera) grapes from the vineyards in the province of Treviso. The soil is predominantly clay and loam with a large quantity of minerals and microelements making it an ideal terrain for growing grapes for sparkling and semi-sparkling wines. This particular soil gives the wine its unique characteristics. The Charmat method is used to make this sparkling wine in which secondary fermentation takes place in steel autoclave tanks.  The wine is pale straw in color with subtle aromas of fruit such as pear and stone fruit. The palate offers apple, pear and lemon notes with a creamy texture. This is a fresh and nicely balanced wine that is easy to drink, making it an excellent choice for an aperitif. It paired beautifully with our lunch. Alcohol: 11%  In addition to Prosecco, Pasqua Vigneti e Cantine produces high quality Veneto and Italian wines. I look forward to tasting these wines soon!
Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at [email protected] The heat and humidity were relentless this weekend and mercilessly attached itself to every fiber of my being. As the sun finally made its way slowly over the horizon on Saturday evening, my thoughts turned to opening a cool and refreshing bottle of wine. Thankfully, I always keep several bottles in the refrigerator and my choice on this sultry evening was easy. I opted for the ‘Nik Weis Selection’ Urban Riesling. Nik Weis, proprietor and winemaker, is the third generation to run Weingut St. Urbans-Hof, which was founded by his grandfather, Nicolaus Weis, in 1947. The estate is named after St. Urban, the patron saint of vineyard workers and winemakers. Located in the Mosel Valley, in an area called Leiwen, St. Urbans-Hof is considered one of Germany’s premier estates with 40 hectares of vineyards. Nik created ‘Urban’ a few years ago, using grapes sourced from nearby non-estate blue slate vineyards of excellent quality. The blue slate soil retains heat from the sun, protecting the vines in this cool climate region. And, the stony slate gives the Urban Rieslings a unique and delicate balance of acidity, minerality and juicy sweetness.  The 2016 Urban Riesling made me sit up and pay attention. This is a lively wine! It is the color of pale straw with inviting aromas of apple, lime, pear, pineapple and floral notes. The palate offers succulent flavors of peach, pear, lime and green apple with subtle hints of blue slate that blend beautifully, leaving a very pleasant and mid to long finish. The Urban Riesling is perfectly balanced, refreshing and graceful with just the right amount of sweetness. I served it as an aperitif, but needless to say, this wine is food friendly and can be paired with many types of cuisine. Alcohol: 10% SRP: $15   I need to stock up on more Urban Rieslings! Yummy!
Cheers! Penina On Monday, August 21st, 2017 all of North America will witness an incredible celestial event, the eclipse of the sun. The last total eclipse was 38 years ago, in 1979. If you are fortunate enough to be within the path of totality, you will be able to see a total solar eclipse when the moon will completely cover the sun as it passes between the earth and the sun. Observers outside this path will be able to see a partial solar eclipse. In addition to North America, parts of South America, Africa and Europe will see a partial solar eclipse.  To mark this event, it might be fun to have a “moon” themed party. And what better way to toast the eclipse than with “night harvested” wines from Chile, produced by Concha y Toro. Although most any wine with a label suggesting the moon or nighttime will do, I happen to have a few bottles of Frontera After Dark, the 2016 Moonlight White and 2016 After Midnight Red on hand. The Frontera labels are entry-level wines that are priced low, with good value. The grapes are harvested in the cool of the night for “bolder flavors and aromas”.  I presented the 2015 vintages to the millennial crowd at my Thanksgiving dinner this past November. You can read their reviews at: http://thewineknitter.com/1/post/2016/12/day-537.html The 2016 Frontera Moonlight White Blend is produced in the Itata Valley of Chile. Made primarily with Moscato grapes, the wine is pale gold in color with aromas of floral and soft citrus. This is a fresh but sweet wine with a subtle touch of effervescence and hints of honey, peach and white flowers. Finish is short and sweet! Alcohol: 9.5% SRP: $6  The 2016 After Midnight is produced in Central Valley, Chile. The blend is 55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Syrah and 5% Merlot. The color is purple with aromas of cherry, dark berries and plum. The palate offers plum, strawberry, hints of spice and mild tannins. This is a medium-bodied wine that leans towards the sweet side. Alcohol: 12% SRP: $6  In addition to wine, there are many “moon themed” cocktails such as Blue Moon Martinis made with gin and Blue Curacao or Sailor Moon cocktails. Make an assortment of edibles such as Half Moon cheese pies, mini Croissants stuffed with your favorite food (use your imagination) and of course for dessert, Magical Moon Pies! Whatever you choose to drink and eat and how you choose to celebrate the solar eclipse, please make sure to have Eclipse glasses on hand to protect your eyes. And put on some music and listen to Van Morrison’s “Moondance” song. After all, “it’s a marvelous night for a moondance”!  The rain and humidity finally disappeared last evening. So a few friends and I gathered for a sunset glass of wine and appetizers. Our host had a few bottles of perfectly chilled MacRostie Russian River Valley Chardonnay waiting for us. MacRostie Winery and Vineyards is located along the Sonoma Coast in the heart of the Russian River Valley in California. Founded in 1987 by Steve MacRostie, he and winemaker Heidi Bridenhagen are making extraordinary wines. In addition to Steve’s Wildcat Mountain Vineyard, he uses grapes farmed by some legendary winegrowers such as the Duttons, Sangiocomos and Martinellis. The winegrowing sites include more than 30 Chardonnay vineyards and over 15 Pinot Noir sites allowing for diversity and vibrancy in their wines.   The 2015 Russian River Valley Chardonnay is a blend of grapes from some of the finest vineyards, including Kent Ritchie Vineyard, Martinelli Vineyard, Mirabelle Vineyard and Charles Heintz Vineyard. The wine is very aromatic with notes of flowers, citrus, tart apple and honeydew that spill onto the palate with hints of oak and melon that linger on. This is a crisp and well-defined Chardonnay and an elegant addition to any table. SRP: $34 And now I’m off to embrace this beautiful day!
Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at [email protected] It was a beautiful summer evening and I was off to a block party.  Guess what I was responsible for bringing? Wine, of course! Since I had recently received two 1.5L bottles of Frontera Chardonnay and Frontera Cabernet-Merlot, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to taste and share them with my friends and neighbors.  Frontera wines are made by Concha y Toro, world-renowned wine producers from Chile. Concha y Toro wines are no strangers to my blog and I have tasted and reviewed many of their brands. Their Frontera label is an entry–level line with a variety of wines that are nicely focused, easy to drink and have a definite appeal to the millennial crowd. However, the wines that I brought to the party were enjoyed by a wide range of generations! The Frontera 2016 Chardonnay is pale yellow with pleasant aromas of apple, pear and citrus. The palate offers apple, tropical fruit and hints of wood. It is light and refreshing.  Alcohol: 13% SRP: $12 for 1.5L bottle The Frontera 2016 Cabernet-Merlot has a color that borders on purple. This is not a complex wine and it leans toward the fruity side. The nose offers dark berries, plum and vanilla that segue onto the palate. Soft tannins and a medium finish make this an easy wine to pair with foods.  Alcohol: 12% SRP: $12 for 1.5L Check out this link for interesting cocktails and sangria to make with these wines. http://www.virtualcookingschool.com/tag/frontera/ Have a very Happy Wine Wednesday!
Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at [email protected] The July 4th festivities have come and gone. The weather was beautiful and perfect for swimming, grilling and watching magical sunsets while sipping wine. One of the wines that we opened was a Fondo Antico 2016 Bello Mio Zibibbo from Sicily. Made with 100% Zibibbo grapes, this delicate wine is the color of pale gold. Characteristic of the grape, the nose offers lush stone fruit and floral with apricot and hints of almond that segues onto the palate. The taste of apricots and almonds linger on a long finish. The wine has low residual sugar, is nicely balanced and has just the right intensity to complement light food and desserts. We drank it as an aperitif. Alcohol: 12%  If you would like more information regarding Fondo Antico or Zibibbo grapes, please check out some of my stories that were recently posted.
Have a beautiful day! Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at [email protected]  It’s the start of the Fourth of July weekend celebrations, which will continue at least through the actual Fourth of July on Tuesday. There will be picnics, parties and fireworks galore! I will be kicking off the celebration with a bottle of Michel Chapoutier’s 2016 Les Vignes de Bila-Haut Pays d’Oc Rosé.  If you have been following my stories, you might recall that I tasted and reviewed a 2015 Domaine de Bila-Haut “Les Vignes” Rouge and “Les Vignes” Blanc this past October. If not, let me give you a synopsis of Domaine Bila-Haut and winemaker, Michel Chapoutier.  Domaine Bila-Haut is located in the region of Côtes de Roussillon, Languedoc, a wine region known for making top quality wines. It is in Southwest France, and very close to Spain. Michel Chapoutier is head of Maison M. Chapoutier. He is world-renowned and is one of Rhône’s most famous wine producers of Hermitage, Chateaneuf du Pape and Côte Rôtie to name just a few. He purchased the 190-acre Domaine Bila-Haut in 1999. It was a neglected property but showed promise with the land being a mix of schist, gneiss and clay. With Chapoutier’s knowledge, expertise and passion along with the climate of the Mediterranean, he turned the land into a perfect growing environment for Syrah, Grenache and Carignan. Bila-Haut wines reflect all of this. It is interesting to note that Bila-Haut was once a house of refuge for the Knights of Templar and their cross is used as the logo on Bila-Haut labels.  Michel Chapoutier wanted to create a perfectly styled Rosé, so he changed the percentage of grape varieties (called cépage) in the wine to include Grenache and Syrah. The 2016 Les Vignes de Bila-Haut Pays d’Oc Rosé is a blend of 78% Grenache, 14% Cinsault and 8% Syrah. The color is a rich salmon with aromas of rose, peony and red berries with a whisper of orange. The palate is deliciously layered with juicy notes of strawberry, cherry and a hint of herbs. The finish offers lingering notes of citrus. This is a dry, refreshing, crisp wine that is beautifully balanced. Serve as an aperitif or with seafood, light pastas, cheese and fruit. Great value for the quality of this wine! Alcohol: 13% SRP: $15  I’ll be back next week! Have a wonderful holiday celebration!  Happy Saturday!
Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at [email protected] While I was in Sicily a few months ago for Sicilia En Primeur 17, I spent a day at a walk around tasting of the 2016 vintages from forty-nine producers. I met many winemakers, listened to captivating stories and tasted an array of wines. While at the tasting, I met Gianluca Saladino, export manager for Fondo Antico winery who “poured” me an introduction to their delicious wines. Although I didn’t have the opportunity or time to visit the winery while in Sicily, Gianluca kindly brought Fondo Antico to my doorstep by sending me a variety of their wines when I returned home from my trip.   Fondo Antico winery was established in 1995 and is owned by the Polizzotti-Scuderi family that is now in its sixth generation of winemaking. The estate is located in the village of Rilievo, between Trapani and Marsala, in western Sicily. They have 80 acres of vineyards planted with vines such as Grillo, Nero d’Avola, Catarratto, Perricone and Syrah in addition to olive and lemon trees. Fondo Antico loosely translated means “ancient background” and refers to the winery’s history and strong tradition of making wine. Their logo is a branch of Corallium rubrum, (red coral) a local species of the Mediterranean that was considered a symbol for averting evil influences or bad luck and was also a source of local livelihoods between the 14th and 15th century. The coral preserves marine biodiversity and Fondo Antico protects the Sicilian native species and its territory, using eco-friendly practices.  Fondo Antico logo To quote the owner, Giuseppe Polizzotti: “…with the passing of time, this land has conquered me more and more every day, and I grew so fond of it that I eventually decided to follow in my grandfather's and my father's footsteps, the ancestors who understood that viticulture could be a form of income and livelihood for their families. This strong and generous land has always been suited to viticulture and my love for it brought me to learn the art of winemaking.”  Giuseppe Polizzotti Today, I’m going to focus on the Grillo wines, which are Fondo Antico’s “calling card”. To recap from a previous story on Grillo: Grillo, one of Sicily’s best known grapes, is found throughout western Sicily and is noted for its citrus flavors, sweetness and mild acidity. Due to the grape’s high sugar levels, it is ideal for the production of fortified wines. And now because of the innovation of new winemakers, Grillo has a wide range of styles, from crisp and savory, to structured and mature. Fondo Antico’s Il Coro and Grillo Parlante are both made with 100% Grillo grapes, but they are very different in style. Il Coro has longer contact with the skins during fermentation and is aged in oak and acacia barrels for six months. Whereas, Parlante is soft pressed, has less skin contact and is aged in stainless steel tanks and in the bottle.  Il Coro di Fondo Antico 2016 is golden in color with enticing aromas of fresh citrus, fruit, spice and subtle hints of wood. The palate offers a creamy texture of apricot, citrus, flowers and hints of tropical fruit giving this wine an unusual richness. Drink as an aperitif or with most any food. Alcohol: 14%  Grillo Parlante 2016 is pale yellow with a lovely scent of fruit, flowers and citrus. The palate is beautifully balanced with layers of citrus, pineapple, pear and hints of lemon zest on the finish. This is a fresh and lively wine that will pair well with seafood, pastas, cheese and fruit. Grillo Parlante translated means “talking cricket”. The cricket on the label symbolizes and “gives voice to the flavors of the Grillo cultivar”. Alcohol: 12.5%  I have four more Fondo Antico bottles to open and much more to share with you about this winery, the winemaker and their collection. Another story about Fondo Antico to follow soon!
Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at [email protected]  The summer solstice is upon us. And what better way to welcome the longest day of the year than with some wine from the Côtes-du-Rhône. The Côtes-du-Rhône vineyards, located in Southern France, extend from Vienne to Avignon and include 171 vineyards. The region enjoys a Mediterranean climate conducive to grape growing that also reflects in the characteristics of the wine.   Ferraton Père & Fils estate is located in Tain l’Hermitage and was founded in 1946 by Jean Orëns Ferraton. His son Michel, inheriting the same passion as his father, introduced the first Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage and Saint-Joseph wines to the world. Michel Chapoutier, a highly regarded winemaker and close friend of the Ferratons’ introduced organic viticulture to the vineyards in 1998 and he eventually formed a partnership with the Ferratons. By 2000, all of the vineyards were converted to biodynamic farming and are now certified organic. What began in 1946 as a .3 hectare estate (some of these vines still produce fruit), Ferraton now has an annual production of about 350,000 bottles.  The Samorëns Blanc 2016 is a beautiful blend of 35% Roussanne, 30% Viognier, 25% Grenache Blanc, 5% Clairette and 5% Marsanne. The color is pale straw with a floral and stone fruit bouquet. The palate offers citrus, pear and apple. This medium-bodied wine is fresh and nicely balanced with a crisp floral finish. Drink as an aperitif or with light summer fare. Alcohol: 13.5% SRP: $14  The 2016 Samorëns Rosé is made with 50% Grenache, 30% Syrah and 20% Cinsault. The color is a festive salmon pink with subtle aromas of flowers, red berries, peach and melon. The palate is soft and subtle as well, offering stone fruit, watermelon and hints of citrus zest and vanilla on the finish. This is a perfect sunset rosé!
Alcohol: 13.5% SRP: $14 These are fun wines to drink over the summer…and summer is here!! Happy Wine Wednesday! Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at [email protected] My son recently visited Bermuda for a long overdue vacation. While there, he discovered The Bermuda Rum Swizzle, considered one of the national drinks of Bermuda. So, of course he brought back a bottle of Goslings “The Original” Rum Swizzle ready mixed version for me to try.  Bermuda is a British overseas territory situated in the Atlantic Ocean, about 665 miles from North Carolina. Famous for its pink sand, tropical climate and crystal blue ocean, Bermuda is also known for its rum.  Back in 1806, James Gosling, son of wines and spirits merchant William Gosling, set sail from England and landed in St. George Bermuda. In 1824 with his brother Ambrose, they rented a shop in Hamilton where they maintained a store for 127 years. In 1860 the first oak barrels of rum distillate arrived in Bermuda, where after much experimentation in blending took place, a unique black rum was formulated and offered for sale. This black rum was sold from the barrel and ultimately called Black Seal after WW One. Today the company is run by the seventh generation of Goslings. The Original Swizzle Inn Brand Rum Swizzle is a rum-based cocktail made with Gosling’s Black Seal Rum, Gosling’s Gold Bermuda Rum, pineapple and orange juice, sugar syrup, Triple Sec and lemons. Jay Correira, proprietor of the Swizzle Inn, claims the Swizzle drink was invented at the Swizzle Inn pub in 1932. Goslings offers a ready mixed version, but I just found out that it is no longer available in the US. Although I’m not a big fan of fruity alcohol drinks, this caught my attention. The blend definitely tastes of more rum than fruit! The nose is very aromatic and the palate is a rich blend of spice, bitters, subtle fruit flavors and a hint of vanilla. Alcohol: 19%  If you don’t want to make the trip to Bermuda, here is the recipe for the Bermuda Rum Swizzle:
Fill a pitcher with cracked ice and add the following ingredients: 4oz Goslings Black Seal Rum 4oz Goslings Gold Bermuda Rum 2oz Triple Sec Juice of 2 lemons 5oz Pineapple Juice 5oz Orange Juice 2oz Bermuda Falernum or simple sugar syrup 4 dashes of Angostura Bitters Shake vigorously until frothing head appears. Strain into glasses. Enjoy! I’m off to find Goslings Black Seal and Gold Bermuda Rum, which I’m happy to say, is sold in the US! Cheers! Penina |
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