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 With the temps in the 90s this weekend, it has been less than conducive to imbibe anything but water to stay hydrated. Even the chilled Rosés, Chardonnays and Prosecco in my refrigerator are being ignored. My reviews will have to wait another day or so.  A friend, who recently visited Mexico, brought back a gift for me to try. It is a bottle of El Ron Prohibido Habanero, (the forbidden rum). It is a blend of aged rums using the traditional 12-year solera system. Fermentation takes place in used raisin wine barrels prior to the “mosto” being distilled in column stills. The solera system is an aging process using new batches of rum mixed with older ones in a tiered or pyramid structure. The bottom tier is the solera, the eldest rum, which doesn’t leave the system. The rows above are the younger rums (criadera). It is an interesting process in which about only half of the rum is taken out of the bottom row at the end of a cycle and then the next row up is transferred down to the solera, creating a blend of characteristics that rapidly transfer to the younger rum. This process continues all the way to the top of the pyramid, where new product is added.   I’m looking forward to tasting this rum very soon. And hopefully the next photo won’t be of an empty glass! Happy Saturday!
Cheers! Penina
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 Back in the day, I used to order Lillet when “barhopping” with friends. Having just turned twenty-one, I thought the drink sounded exotic. As my friends ordered classic drinks such as screwdrivers, rum & coke, or a glass of house wine, I would be perched on the bar stool feeling “oh so” sophisticated with my “French” aperitif. I first tasted Lillet Blanc at Yellow Fingers in NYC. The bartender, realizing that I had no idea what to order, took it upon himself to pour me a Lillet over ice. I’m not sure whether it was the wink he gave me combined with his good looks or the delicious taste of the Lillet, but it became my “go to” drink for a while. Lillet is considered an aromatized wine and is produced in Podensac, a small village south of Bordeaux. It is a blend of 85% Bordeaux region wines and 15% macerated citrus liqueurs. It is available in Rouge and Blanc. The company was founded in 1872 by brothers Paul and Raymond Lillet. In 1887, Kina Lillet was created, making it Bordeaux’s first and only aperitif. At the time, all other aperitifs were red. In 1962, Pierre Lillet, grandson of Raymond, created Lillet Rouge, primarily for the American market.  Lillet Blanc has been likened to vermouth, however Lillet has distinct flavors of citrus, honey and spice. The color is golden with aromas of orange blossom and honey with subtle hints of apricot and peach. These aromas segue onto the palate. A creamy mouth-feel gives way to a very crisp and clean finish. It should be served chilled or over ice, perhaps with an orange or lemon slice. As the label states, “it is best presented in a traditional Bordeaux wine glass, to enhance its subtle delicate bouquet”. There are many Lillet cocktails to be found on the Internet. I prefer mine over ice! Alcohol: 17% http://www.lillet.com As soon as I reacquaint myself with Lillet Rouge, I’ll share my thoughts with you.
Happy Tuesday! Cheers! Penina The past few days of humid and rainy weather has had me reaching for “cold” drinks with lots of ice. Although my freezer is stocked with vodka and the bottom shelf of the refrigerator is dedicated to wine, I’ve been guzzling non-alcoholic drinks. Oh my!  Iced tea and iced coffee can tend to get boring after a while, so I started searching for interesting recipes in addition to having a few of my own. Of course, one of the easiest beverages to prepare is infusing water with your favorite fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices. It’s refreshing, healthy and a great way to hydrate! Just combine the water with the ingredients that you like and let sit in the refrigerator for at least 12 hours. The longer it sits, the stronger the flavor! The best part is that you can keep adding water to the blend and it will continue to infuse! A favorite blend of mine is strawberry, lemon thyme and basil. The combinations are endless and a little creativity and imagination can go a long way.  Another easy preparation is to add pureed or chopped fruits and herbs to your favorite lemonade. You can give it an added dimension by adding a little seltzer. Pureed mangos and raspberries make a delicious thirst quencher, especially when served “slushy” style after cooling in the freezer. If you’re craving an exotic drink, but don’t want the alcohol, just add extra juice, club soda, ice cubes or whatever the recipe calls for sans the alcohol.  And lastly, making up fruit/herb ice cube trays, is a fun way to not only add flavor to your beverage, but it is a great conversation piece as well. Chop the fruit/herbs into small chunks and fill the ice cube trays. Make sure you add enough water to each cube to cover completely. Allow to freeze and enjoy! Stay cool and have a great Saturday!
Cheers! Penina  Today is World Chocolate Day. This is an observance that takes place globally every year on July 7th. Although I can’t confirm it, supposedly today marks 466 years since chocolate was first introduced to Europe. I certainly don’t need an excuse to indulge myself in chocolate. I am a confirmed chocoholic and proud of it!  If you’re thinking of sipping wine while nibbling on chocolate, you might want to consider what wine to open. Full-bodied wines such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and Zinfandel pair well with dark chocolate. Port, Rosé and Madeira complement creamier chocolate such as milk and white chocolates. Of course my all time favorite pairing is Teuscher’s champagne truffles and Cristal!  The other evening while at a friend’s home, I tasted 2010 Nadia Cabernet Sauvignon, Highlands Vineyard, Santa Barbara County produced by Laetitia Vineyard & Winery. This Cabernet would have paired well with a rich dark chocolate dessert. Made with 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc & 3% Merlot, it was a rich garnet color. The aromas were intoxicating and filled with berries, licorice, pepper and a touch of mocha. The palate offered lush berries, lots of pepper and spice. It was beautifully balanced, with silky tannins and a long finish. It’s too bad that I didn’t have any chocolate to go with it! Alcohol: 14.2% http://www.laetitiawine.com Happy Chocolate Day!
Cheers! Penina  It was a fun filled weekend celebrating the 4th of July with friends. There were sunset parties, swimming, fireworks, great food and of course, wine! I brought a bottle of Château Gassier Ormilles Côtes de Provence Rosé 2015 to start off the evening at one of the dinner parties this past weekend. I reviewed this rosé a few days ago. http://thewineknitter.com/1/post/2016/07/day-484.html As dinner drew near, my hostess opened a bottle of MOMO Pinot Noir 2011. Momo is a line of wines produced by Seresin Estate in Marlborough, New Zealand. Momo means “offspring” in Maori. This wine is a certified organic wine, made with sustainably grown grapes that are hand picked and hand sorted from Seresin’s three biodynamic vineyards. After natural fermentation, the wine is matured for ten months in French oak. The color was garnet with cherry, strawberry, earth and a touch of herbs on the nose. The wine was medium-bodied, offering dark fruit, oak, spice and a hint of herbs on the palate. It paired well with the grilled lamb chops, beans and squash. http://seresin.co.nz  It’s a short week and so much to do!
Have a great Tuesday! Cheers! Penina HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!  I’LL BE BACK TOMORROW TO SHARE MY THOUGHTS ON SOME INTERESTING WINES I TASTED OVER THE WEEKEND!
CHEERS! Penina  It is the start of July 4th weekend. Wasn’t I just recently talking about Memorial Day? The summer is going by so quickly. Except for some big thunderstorms today, the rest of the weekend looks pretty good. So chill the wine, pack a picnic and find some awesome fireworks to watch.  A lovely Rosé to pack in your picnic cooler is Château Gassier Ormilles Côtes de Provence Rosé 2015. I had it the other evening as an aperitif. Made with Grenache, Cinsault and Syrah, this dry rosé is refreshing as an aperitif or with light fare. The color was between salmon and peach with aromas of strawberry, peach and a hint of citrus. The palate offered a creamy texture of strawberry, light berries and a hint of vanilla. A touch of lemon zest lingered on a medium-finish. Alcohol 13% My post is short and sweet today. I have much to do to get ready for this weekend.
Happy Friday! Cheers! Penina  In between my exploring and tasting wines from South America of late, I made an “imagined” pit stop in Germany over the weekend.  While dining at a friend’s home, I was served a 2013 Dr. H Thanisch Berncasteler Doctor Riesling Auslese, Mosel, Germany. The Mosel wine region is the most famous of Germany’s 13 official wine regions and the 3rd largest in the production of wine. This region is best known for its Riesling wines. The first vineyards were planted along the Mosel River by the Romans around the second century.  I’ve had the opportunity to drink Berncasteler Doctor over the years and have never been disappointed. This was no exception. The aromas of apricots, peaches and pineapple made me swoon. The palate was rich with juicy fruit, hints of spice and had a silky texture. The finish was long with more tropical fruit and lemon zest tickling the palate. Alcohol: 9% To quote from their website: “The legendary Berncasteler Doctor vineyard is located behind the village Bernkastel and is one of the most famous vineyards in Germany. This 100% steep site with a South-South-West orientation consists of medium deep, stony, loamy weathered argillaceous schist. Planted with up to 80 year old vines, full-bodied, spicy wines are grown here.” Visit the website at: http://www.dr-thanisch.de/en/ My plane is leaving and I must run!
Happy Tuesday Cheers! Penina This is a brief look at Chile and its wines.  Chile is a long and narrow country bordering the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Andes mountains to the east. It spans 2700 miles of land running from north to south and is only 100 miles wide. Due to the expansive range of terroirs, the style of wines made has an equally wide range, with most of the climatic variations in the wine-growing regions running from east to west due to the influence of the ocean and mountains.  There are numerous wine regions in Chile that are then divided into sub-regions. Rather than listing them all, the map on the right should be helpful. Maipo Valley is home to most of the country’s wineries and is Chile’s most-established wine region. It is considered the birthplace of Chile’s wine production. Curicó Valley is one of the oldest and largest wine regions with Maule being the oldest wine region. Chile has a long viticulture history dating back to the 16th century. There were only 12 wineries in existence in 1995 and today that number exceeds 476 across six regions.  Carménère grape With over 20 varieties of grape grown, the Carménère grape has become the “signature” grape of Chile. Originally planted in the Médoc region of Bordeaux, France, it was thought to be extinct after the European phylloxera outbreaks in the 19th century. However, the grape was rediscovered in Chile in the 1990s. The Carménère grape is known for it’s deep red color with flavors of blackberry, cherry and spice. Cabernet Sauvignon accounts for more than one third of Chile’s grape production. In addition, Syrahs, Malbecs and old vine Carignan from Maule are among the more popular grapes grown. White wine grape varieties grown in Chile are also important such as Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Semillon and Riesling.  Felipe Ortiz, Chief Winemaker Last week I had the opportunity to meet and chat with Felipe Ortiz, Chief Winemaker of Casa Donoso Winery. Felipe has worked in France, USA, and Australia and has now brought his talents to Casa Donoso. The winery has four vineyards located in the Maule Valley. La Oriental Estate located in the heart of the Maule Valley boasts plants of more than 60 years of age. San Vicente Estate has plants that are more than 50 years old. Las Casas Estate is on the coastal zone of the Maule Valley and Fudno Pencahue is located on the coast. To quote Felipe with regard to Maule Valley’s “multiplicity of characters”; “White wines with very fresh and mineral traces, in particular our Sauvignon Blanc. Red wines with short maturity cycles showing a very good balance between alcohol and acidity, like Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. And above all, a nice and silky Carménère, is a tricky and demanding variety which is hard to mature properly in other valleys”. It was a pleasure conversing with Felipe and I look forward to visiting Casa Donoso in the near future and getting a first hand tour!  The first wine Felipe poured for me was Sucesor Romano Limited Release 2015. It is 85% Cesar Noir and 15% Carignan and is made from the grapes in La Oriental Estate. Ruby red and wild berry aromas give way to juicy blackberry and spices. The wine is sophisticated with medium tannins and a long finish. Alcohol: 13.5% The next pour was “D” a 2011 Limited Edition blend of 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Carménère, 20% Malbec and 10% Cabernet Franc. This unfiltered estate bottle’s origin is La Oriental Estate. The wine is elegant with dark fruits, oak and spice on the nose seguing into a balanced and silky finish with just the right touch of pepper and licorice. Alcohol: 14% The last wine I tasted was the 2012 Perla Negra, “a selection of grapes from the oldest and best musts of the domaine.” The blend is 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Carménère, 20% Malbec and 10% Cabernet Franc. Aged in French oak barrels, the wine has heady aromas of berries, spice and herbs. The palate offers a rich array of ripe berries, spices and a hint of cocoa. Tannins were chewy, and needs time to open. This wine is a gem. Alcohol: 14% I have more Chilean winemakers to talk about and will do so over the next few weeks.
Happy Weekend! Cheers! Penina  At the beginning of the week I had a belated birthday celebration with a fellow wine enthusiast. My gift was dinner and a shared bottle of a very special wine. Having had the opportunity to drink a 59’, 69’ and 94’ vintage, I was very excited to try the 1981 Château Haut-Brion, Premier Cru Classé (First Growth) that my friend brought. The cork was removed intact and the wine was decanted. The color was more russet than red. We patiently waited for the wine to open, but had to take just a little sip first. As to be expected, it was heavy with must and earth, but we could detect the fruit that was buried beneath it. We waited. As the wine opened, gentle flavors of non-descript fruit emerged mingled with hints of tobacco. It was soft and quite pleasant. Although its plateau of maturity has long faded, the wine was enjoyable to the very last drop. http://www.haut-brion.com  I wrote an article on the history of Château Haut-Brion along with a review of the 1994 vintage in Sept. 2015. So rather than repeat myself, please click on this link to read about it. http://thewineknitter.com/1/post/2015/10/day-369.html
I have a 1961 and 1969 Château Haut-Brion still waiting to be opened! Happy Thursday! Cheers! Penina |
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