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In between errands yesterday, I was glued to the news with updates on the tragedy that took place in Paris. I was relieved that my niece and cousin were okay, but I still felt unsettled about it all.  At the urging of my friend, I finally relented and agreed to join a few people for a low-key evening. I’m happy that I did. Soft music in the background and wonderful aromas emanating from the kitchen put me in a good mood. I brought homemade whole wheat Cuban bread that was still warm from the oven. My host provided the food and wine.  We drank Santa Barbara Winery 2008 Stolpman Vineyards Santa Ynez Valley Sangiovese. The vineyard is located in Ballard Canyon, which is known for the production of Syrah wines. Although Sangiovese is historically the prime grape of the Chianti region of Italy, the warm climate of Ballard Canyon is nicely suited to growing this grape. The wine was ruby red with heady aromas of cherry, raspberry, a soft floral bouquet and spices. The aromas segued onto the palate with more “jammy” flavors of cherry, red fruit and spice. I wouldn’t normally choose a Sangiovese grape for Thanksgiving, but this particular bottle might be a consideration. It had soft tannins and didn’t challenge the flavors of the food. It is perhaps past peak, but still very drinkable. http://www.stolpmanvineyards.com Have a peaceful Sunday!
Cheers! Penina  As I sit here this morning and try to digest the events of the tragedy in Paris yesterday, my heart begins to ache for all of those who needlessly lost their lives and for the families and friends that must now bear the burden of that loss.
Last night was supposed to be a collective celebration of accomplishments for a few of us that would have included fine dining, a special bottle of wine and laughter. Instead, we gathered around the television with scotch or vodka in hand and watched the sobering events in Paris unfold. I should be sitting here now writing about an exceptional bottle of wine and a delicious meal. However, I am more concerned about my niece who is doing a semester abroad in Paris and is thankfully safe and sequestered in an apartment with her friends. I am worried that we haven’t heard from my cousin who lives in Paris. My stories can wait for another day or two. My thoughts and prayers are with France and the senseless loss of innocent lives. Peace, Penina  Well, it’s Friday the 13th! I’ve always considered the number “13” lucky, especially since my youngest son was born on that date! However, some people see it as a very unlucky day. There is actually a term for this phobia, known as “friggatriskaidekaphobia”. No joke! Frigga was the name of a Norse goddess, for whom Friday is named and triskaidekaphobia is the fear of the number thirteen.  The origins of Friday the 13th are steeped in history and myths. Superstitions about the number 13 date back as far as 1700 BC. There are many stories surrounding Friday the 13th of which I won’t elaborate on here. I say, embrace the day and make something positive out of it!  And speaking of positive, I closed two significant deals yesterday and celebrated the beginning of the evening with a good friend, Veuve Clicquot and a special dinner. I love the sound of a champagne cork gently popping and the rush of bubbles tickling my mouth! Have a “Super” Friday!
Cheers! Penina  It’s a very rainy day here and as much as I would like to snuggle in for the day, I have much to do.  However, before I run off, I’d like to tell you about a wine I had last evening that would pair well with any Thanksgiving feast. We opened a 2009 Ketcham Estate Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley. The color was deep ruby red with delightful aromas of cherries, strawberry, a bit of raspberry and spice. This medium bodied wine offered ripe fruit, black cherry and subtle spice on the palate with a long fruit filled finish. Soft tannins, balanced acidity and smooth texture had us all agreeing that this would make an excellent wine to serve with the assortment of food that usually graces the Thanksgiving table. http://www.ketchamestate.com I’ll return tomorrow with a fantastic side dish recipe!
Happy Wednesday! Cheers! Penina  Sunday was a beautiful day and perfect for outdoor activities. It began with a brisk nature walk and taking in the last of the leaves that were still clinging to the trees. Although I had much to do that required me being indoors, I found an abundance of reasons to keep me outside.  As the sun began to set, I turned my thoughts to creating a seasonal dinner for my friend and I. It was too late to start making bread and soup, so I went “simple”. I baked acorn squash with cinnamon and maple syrup; roasted brussel sprouts in olive oil and tossed them with toasted almonds. I then seared sea scallops with capers and shallots. The whole dinner took about 30 minutes to prepare!  We opened a 2014 J. Lohr Riverstone Chardonnay from Arroyo Seco Monterey, Central Coast, CA that complemented the meal beautifully. I reviewed the 2013 back in June and this vintage was just as good. The color was pale yellow with aromas of peach, strawberry, honeysuckle and nuts. The aromas carried over onto the palate with a hint of oak and a smooth buttery feel on the finish. I have a few more bottles, one of which is already in the refrigerator on standby! You can’t go wrong with this chardonnay or the price. It retails for around $14.00. http://www.jlohr.com I’m off to the city on an adventure!
Happy Monday! Cheers! Penina  Friday turned into a serendipity day…my favorite kind! After meeting with a client in the morning, I was all set to work on some projects. However, a phone call from a friend veered me in another direction and I was off on an adventure that included a beautiful fall ride, lunch and wine.  We each had a glass of 2012 Navarro Vineyards “Mendocino” Chardonnay with our lunch. The color was pale straw with pear, honeysuckle, and a hint of citrus on the nose. The palate offered pear, oak, apple and lemon. The wine was crisp with a medium finish and paired nicely with the crab cakes and salad. http://www.navarrowine.com  As I was finally making my way home, another friend called to invite me over for a quick drink of Zodiac Vodka. Trust me…I only had a sip or two, but the vodka was good! It seemed to have more “perfume” on the palate than I recall from my last review, but it was delicious and it is quite different from most vodka that I’ve tasted. I reviewed it on Day 132, 11/11/2014. Here is the review from one year ago: Day 132 on 11/11/2014 The name of the vodka is Zodiac…American-Made in Idaho. It is one of the better potato vodkas that I have had! They originally launched 15 years ago and then re-launched this past October. The vodka is made with regionally sourced potatoes and water from the Snake River Aquifer that runs beneath the distillery. It had a slightly sweet and much cleaner smell than grain vodka. The sweetness extended into the taste, which again, was clean and very smooth. It had a very pleasant aftertaste. Zodiac is also 100% gluten-free! I’m definitely going to add Zodiac to my freezer collection! http://zodiacspirits.com Happy Saturday!
Cheers! Penina It was a long but productive Wednesday. I managed to squeeze in a photo shoot, meet with clients and write a story. By the time I got home it was dark…and not even 6:00 pm yet! Ugh!  While waiting for my dinner guest to arrive, I opened a bottle of 2011 D'Isanto & D'Isanto I Balzini Black Label Colli della Toscana Centrale IGT. After having tried and reviewed their White and Red Label, I was anxious to finally taste the Black Label. Made with a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, this bold wine was the color of deep purple. Aromas of dark berries, spice and cocoa were present. A quick sip and swirl upon opening, told me this was going to be a treat. The wine had a rich mouthfeel with concentrated berries, dark cherry, plum, licorice and dark chocolate on the palate. As the wine opened over the course of the evening the flavors became more intense. The tannins were soft and the finish was long with cherry and pepper lingering. I think the Black Label is my favorite so far! You can read more about these wines on my previous posts: Day 347 9/22/15 and Day 230 3/19/15. http://www.ibalzini.it  In anticipation of traveling a lot over the next few months, I finally got my flu shot this week. If you plan to travel by plane, subway, train, etc., I would suggest protecting yourself, by getting a flu shot soon!
Happy Thursday! Cheers! Penina  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  The clocks have been turned back and the sun will begin setting earlier. I’m already anticipating the winter solstice on Dec. 21st when the days start getting longer again! It was a fun weekend mixed with meeting friends for lunch & dinner, celebrating Halloween, working and of course, watching the World Series. I’m ready to put on the brakes for a few hours!  On one of my lunch dates this weekend we had Moët & Chandon "Impérial" Brut Champagne. It was chilled to perfection. The color was pale yellow with wonderful aromas of citrus, nuts and pears. The palate offered a salad of soft fruit with a hint of lemon. It was bright and crisp with a lovely finish. How nice to rediscover this elegant champagne! Varietal: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier. http://us.moet.com To quote Moët & Chandon: “Moët Impérial is the House’s iconic champagne. Created in 1869, it embodies Moët & Chandon’s unique style, a style distinguished by its bright fruitiness, its seductive palate and its elegant maturity.” And I couldn't agree more!  Have a great Sunday…and don’t forget the World Series game 5 tonight!
Cheers! Penina |
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