|
Join The WineKnitter in exploring the world of Wine, Spirits, Food, Travel and much more! |
 With all the hustle and bustle of late, I decided to give myself a day off yesterday. Although I had a little running around to do in the morning, the brakes were activated by lunchtime.  I had a lovely lunch with a friend at a new place in town and then scurried off to hang out with another friend at my pool. It was pure bliss. Between swimming, reading, talking and zoning out, I felt all the tension in my body melt away.  By cocktail hour I was ready for Grey Goose vodka. I was tempted to open up one of my Rosés but decided to save it for the weekend. With the impending storm, we decided to forgo grilling the salmon and retreated to the kitchen to cook. All in all…a good day! And now, back to work!
Happy Thursday! Cheers! Penina  Yesterday was a full day of tending to business, meeting friends, getting hugs and finally taking a much-needed swim.  Towards the end of the day and into early evening my home was filled with people coming and going. It was a low key, but party like atmosphere. Some opted for cold beer.  I opened a bottle of 2013 Firestone Sauvignon Blanc from the Santa Ynez Valley to usher in the sunset. This is an easy drinking wine with aromas of pineapple, grapefruit and citrus. The palate offered a tropical blend with a tangy citrus zip to it. It’s a nice starter wine and the price is right. http://www.firestonewine.com  As eight o’clock approached, I made everyone settle down to watch game six of the Stanley Cup with the NY Rangers vs Tampa Bay Lightning. The Rangers did not disappoint…great game! Happy Wednesday!
Cheers! Penina  It was a great weekend filled with friends, impromptu get-togethers, swimming and of course grilling and wine!  One of the wines served was a 2012 Stags Leap Chardonnay that I tasted back in the fall. My friend had a few bottles and opened this one for me. It was as I remembered. It had a light straw color with inviting aromas of pear, honeysuckle and citrus. Pear, green apple, a hint of vanilla and a buttery smoothness were on the palate. It had a nice crisp finish. We opened another bottle! www.stagsleap.com  I took a little “me” time as well to plant strawberry and cherry tomato plants this weekend. I’m looking forward to summer salads! Happy Tuesday!
Cheers! Penina  Santa Claus made a surprise visit yesterday with a small selection of wines to taste and review. He also brought some cool weather with him that deterred me from taking a dip in the pool.  However, it is beautiful and warm today. After my work commitments this morning, I am definitely going to jump in the pool later for some laps and aerobics.  I was invited to a friend’s home for dinner last night, so I grabbed one of my “Santa Claus” bottles of wine to start off the evening. It was a 2012 Chateau Mourgues du Gres Les Galets Rosés Costieres de Nimes Rosé from the Languedoc-Roussillon region. It is mostly Syrah with a touch of Grenache. The color was very dark pink, with wild berries, cherries and floral fragrance. The fruit flavors, especially raspberry, were intense with an interesting spice kick and orange zest on the palate. The finish was long with spice lingering on. Thumbs up on this Rosé! http://www.mourguesdugres.com I’ll be back on Tuesday…Happy Sunday!
Cheers! Penina  Friday morning began with a series of productive meetings. As the weather warmed up, I ran home to tend the garden, one of my many passions.  My main goal was to “harvest” delicate and intoxicating miniature lilacs. The little lilac bush was a gift from a special friend that was planted many years ago. The bush has endured hard winters, hurricanes, etc. and yet unfailingly produces beautiful bouquets every year. So I snipped away and filled my home with lilacs. Now I must patiently wait for my peonies to burst open…. all thirteen bushes! Years of love have gone into the gardens and I hope to enjoy the fruits of my labor for many years to come!  The rest of my day was non-stop. I finally took a moment to breathe before getting together with a friend for a fun evening of Kirkland Vodka, Italian food and of course, the Stanley Cup. Go Rangers!  I’m hoping to sneak in a swim later today before preparing for the evening’s activities.
Happy Saturday Cheers! Penina  It was a cool day yesterday and a chilly evening. I was back to wearing jeans and a sweater. Crazy weather! The day passed quickly and before I knew it, the sun was beginning to set. So, I dashed over to a friend’s home to watch the Stanley Cup. He opened a 2010 Stonestreet Estate Cabernet Sauvignon from Sonoma Valley. It seemed fitting for the cool evening.  The wine was deep red with aromas of blackberry, anise and spices. Flavors burst onto the palate with blackberries, cherries, and licorice leading the way. Hard tannins settled into a softer mouth feel as the wine opened. Spices, hints of mocha and a touch of tobacco lingered into a long luscious finish. This is a big wine and I’m sure that it is going to be even more so in the next several years! It was a treat to drink this! An interesting note: Stonestreet Estates is formerly known as Monument Ridge. It was making the transition at the time of bottling the 2010 vintage. Some of the labels read Monument Ridge and some labels read Stonestreet Estates. http://stonestreetwines.com Even though the NY Rangers lost last night, it was an exciting and high scoring game!
Have a great Thursday! Cheers! Penina  How did it get to be Wednesday? What happened to Tuesday? The days are racing by and I’m juggling clients, writing, and setting up my deck for summer fun and pool time.  In between it all, friends have been popping over for some fun distraction. I had a little down time with a friend yesterday afternoon and then as I was about to settle in for a quiet evening, another friend stopped by for a little Stanley Cup viewing, conversation and cognac.  I pulled out the Camus VSOP and we each had a tiny snifter. We sipped, watched the game and the incredible “lightning” show going on outside. And now, onto another busy day!
Happy Wednesday! Cheers! Penina  It was a beautiful Sunday filled with lots of activity. Between a quick walk, visiting with friends, watching the Stanley Cup and cooking, it was no wonder that I blissfully crawled under the covers last night for a much-needed sleep.  One of the highlights of yesterday was a delightful afternoon lunch with a friend. We popped open a 2014 Whispering Angel Rosé from Chateau d’Esclans Coted de Provence. This southern Rhone blend was made from Grenache, Rolle, Cinsault, Syrah and Mourvedre grapes. The color was a delicate pale salmon with aromas of strawberry, peach, and tropical fruits. It was crisp, filled with fruit flavors and a touch of spice. This was a fabulous Rosé with flavors that lingered for a long finish. http://esclans.com  I have included a photograph of the back label. I love the quote!  Have a great Monday and don’t forget to watch the NY Rangers tonight! Cheers!
Penina Saturday turned out to be quite the party scene at my house. An impromptu visit from a friend to watch the NY Rangers play, turned into more friends coming over to watch the Preakness Stakes. It was a lot of fun until I ran out of beer and white wine! So, we switched to vodka and scotch…but not together! With a starving crowd and no food to serve, we had pizza and snacks delivered and the party resumed!  Among some of the wines that we depleted were a 2013 Armas de Guerra and a 2012 Tenuta Le Calcinaie Vernaccia di San Gimignano. They are both very refreshing, light and what I call “great starter wines”. The 2012 Tenuta is an Italian wine from Tuscany and 100% Vernaccia grape. It had tones of white fruit, peach and grapefruit. Very refreshing on a warm day. The 2013 Armas de Guerra Blanca is from the region of Bierzo of Spain. It is a blend of 85% Doña Blanca and 15% Godello. It was a lovely floral blend, with peach and was light and crisp. Both of these wines are modestly priced and worth stocking up on. It’s a great way to start the party before bringing out the bigger wines! Enjoy your Sunday!
Cheers! Penina  The year was 1969. It was the year of love, Woodstock and the Beatles “Revolver” album. Nixon was inaugurated 37th president of the US. The movies Midnight Cowboy, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and Easy Rider were released. Neil Armstrong & Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to walk on the moon.  And then…. there was 1969 Petrus.  I shared this amazing wine last evening with a fellow oenophile. The wine was released from 46 years of resting in the bottle and gently decanted. The color was brick red with very subtle aromas of dried berries and faint spice. A quick sip told me that we were in for a treat. We allowed the Petrus time to open up. Over the course of an hour or two, we enjoyed tasting the very delicate but undefined flavors of fruit and earth. However, I did detect a hint of plum. It was a 1969 love fest. And…I have one more bottle that I’m saving for a special occasion. The winery is located in the eastern portion of Pomerol in the Bordeaux region of France. The vineyard’s location is in the highest point of Pomerol and is made up of iron-rich clay soil, resulting in fruit with excellent mineral balance and aging potential. It is interesting to note that although Pomerol has never been granted “growth” classification status, Petrus is widely considered on par with other First Growth wines. I'll drink to that! http://www.moueix.com Enjoy your Saturday…the Stanley Cup and The Preakness!
Cheers! Penina |
Categories
All
|
RSS Feed