The sun is shining and I have many things to do today. But before I run out the door, I want to tell you about the wine I tasted last night. I wanted to open something hearty and special for my “300th” post. So I chose Shingleback’s 2011 The Gate Shiraz. The wine is produced in the McLaren Vale area of South Australia. It scored high points in the 90’s and has won many awards. I can understand why! The moment it was opened, I knew we were in for a treat. This full-bodied wine was deep purple with aromas of dark fruit, oak and spices. The palate was a feast of layers, oozing dark jams, cherry, oak, pepper, spices and a hint of vanilla. Silky tannins and a solid backbone gave way to a long finish. http://www.shingleback.com.au I have five more bottles that I will savor over the next 10 years or so! Have a great Tuesday!
Cheers! Penina In between the raindrops on Sunday, I managed to complete a few “projects” that I set out to do. I even squeezed in a delicious lunch of lobster ravioli with a friend. As much as I wanted to have a late afternoon swim, the rain and cool temps deterred me. So, I continued my “sorting and filing” until it was time to head out to my friend’s house for the evening. By the time I got there, a bottle of Veuve Clicquot had already been opened. It seems a celebration was underway. Kudos to my friend! And hooray for the Veuve! It is a beautiful morning! I hope to finish all my obligations so that I can have a swim in the late afternoon before I start grilling for company tonight!
Happy Monday! Cheers! Penina I took advantage of the rain on Saturday afternoon and curled up with a good book. Although I should have been knitting, the lure of a quiet read while the rain tapped at the windows was just what I needed. I roused myself a few hours later (yes…it was indulgent) to tidy up the house and start prepping food for my dinner guest. The rain continued, but that didn’t stop me from going outside to pick fresh herbs from my garden for the dinner. I roasted vegetables, made linguini with fresh shrimp and tossed it all together with olive oil, garlic & fresh herbs. It was yummy! When my friend arrived, I decided to open my last bottle of 2012 Nieto Senetiner Pinot Noir from Mendoza Argentina. I reviewed this wine in September of 2014, but had a slightly different opinion of it this time around. The color was dark ruby with the same aromas of cherries, plums and spice. However, on the palate, it seemed much sweeter than the last bottle. The taste of dark cherries and cinnamon dominated the more subtle flavors of black pepper and spices. The tannins were softer with almost no acidity. It was a little too sweet for my taste, but my friend seemed to enjoy it! The winery dates back to 1888 and is one of the oldest wineries in Mendoza. Check it out at http://www.nietosenetiner.com.ar/ES/ARG/ It’s another rainy day, but I must attend to “projects” today!
Have a peaceful Sunday! Cheers! Penina After a much needed swim workout on Friday morning, I concentrated on business at hand before setting out to enjoy a beautiful afternoon. As the sun began to set, I decided to open a bottle of 2009 Rioja Bodegas San Prudencio Depadre that I purchased from WTSO.com. As my friend and I sat outdoors enjoying the sunset, the wine became the scene-stealer. The color was a dark Syrian amethyst with heady aromas of dark fruits and floral bouquet. Made from Tempranillo and Garnacha, this multi-layered wine exploded on the palate with blackberry, cherry, anise, espresso beans and a hint of vanilla. It was quite impressive with a long finish. This is a wine with a lot of character and depth. I look forward to drinking more of it over the next few years. And now I have to go search for my bicycle helmet! Have a great Saturday!
Cheers! Penina Once again, I lost a few days. So, let me back track to Wednesday. It was a hectic morning that segued into a late afternoon/evening of good friends, wine and food. The weather was perfect…finally! We started out with a wine that I reviewed a year ago. It was a 2013 Rosé from The Withers Winery in the Sierra Foothills of CA. My opinion is the same. The wine is a delicious blend of 56% Mourverdre and 44% Grenache. The color was soft salmon with strawberry and raspberry on the nose. It had gentle citrus tones with red berry flavors. The wine was very pleasing to the palate. We also had a 2014 vintage that was just as good! Visit the website for more information. www.thewitherswinery.com As the evening progressed, we moved the party to a restaurant and dined outside, continuing our exploration of rosé wines. And now, I’m off on an adventure!
Have a great Friday! Cheers! Penina It was another “indoor “ day on Tuesday as thunder, lightning and powerful winds paid us a visit. Trees came down, hail smacked against the roof, but I continued on with my work. Although I’m not a fan of Pinot Grigio, I must give a thumbs up to the one I tasted last night. A friend brought me a perfectly chilled bottle of 2013 Cupcake Vineyards Pinot Grigio Trentino that we immediately opened. The color was pale straw with aromas of pear, pineapple and citrus. The palate offered pear, grapefruit, vanilla and lemon zest. It was smooth with a very nice citrus finish. It was a cool and refreshing wine to drink on a sultry summer’s night! http://www.cupcakevineyards.com I’m off to an early appointment and then really looking forward to a long awaited swim.
Happy Wednesday! Cheers! Penina The weather was very fickle this weekend. It took strategic planning to avoid the thunderstorms and still forge ahead with weekend plans. But we all prevailed and enjoyed it. The only little snag was that after Friday evening, I didn’t “imbibe” for the rest of the weekend. And, since I only watched and didn’t taste, I have no “weekend” reviews. However, I still haven’t talked about a wine that I tasted a few weeks ago. It was a 2008 Six Sigma Sauvignon Blanc from Michael’s Vineyard in Lake County, CA. It had a lovely citrus nose with a hint of vanilla. It was dry and crisp with flavors of lemon, lime and herbs. It had a creamy texture with a nice finish. http://www.sixsigmaranch.com I have a very busy week ahead and am looking forward to having wine again by Wednesday so that I can share with you.
Happy Monday! Cheers! Penina I was invited for pre-sunset cocktails and dinner at a friend’s home last night. My friend and I arrived well after the rain had stopped. The sun made an appearance making the last of the raindrops sparkle on the blades of grass. We sat outside and enjoyed delicious Grey Goose martinis while the birds and music serenaded us. Normally, I would segue into the wine that was opened with dinner. However, I was more focused on the incredible balsamic vinegar that was mixed into the salad. It is organic balsamic vinegar called Mavra’s. This 5 year aged vinegar comes from Mavra Papadatos family farm in Greece where she also produces olive oil. The aromas and flavor of the vinegar were rich and savory. I was told that some people just pour it into a glass and drink it! I was imagining it drizzled on my homegrown cherry tomatoes and basil with some mozzarella. Yum! I’ll catch up with some wine reviews tomorrow or Monday.
Have a great Saturday! Cheers! Penina About 5 months ago I uncovered 10 bottles of 1976 Chateau Beychevelle Grand Vin Saint-Julien hidden in my wine cabinet. I always knew that I had a few bottles lurking about, but was most delighted to find even more. In April of this year I opened a bottle with another wine enthusiast and wrote a review. http://thewineknitter.com/1/post/2015/04/day-258.html. Since then, a few of my “wine” friends have been pleading with me to share a bottle with them. So last night, I opened a bottle for a special friend hoping for the same positive experience as before. We were not disappointed! Although the color was faded to brick and the aromas were muted, the essence of fruit was still detectable on the nose. We allowed it to sit for about 45 minutes. As with the bottle that was opened in April, this too, was very drinkable. Soft with the taste of berries overriding it’s age and earthiness, it got better and better with each passing minute! Eight bottles to go…who will be the next to share with me? What will you be drinking to start off you weekend?
Happy Friday! Cheers! Penina Wednesday turned out to be a long day of “catch up” at work and dealing with a myriad of personalities. So, it was a welcome treat to go out for a peaceful dinner and glass of wine with a friend. That’s right…no bottle ordered! I had a glass of Banfi Centine Toscana 2009. The grapes were Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The color was ruby with a lovely nose of dark cherries, spices and floral. The flavors were intense with lots of berries, plum and a touch of spice. This was an easy drinking wine with soft tannins and a nice finish. http://castellobanfi.com/ I have a busy day ahead, but I’ll be dining and wining tonight…hoping to open something big!
Have a great Thursday! Cheers! Penina |
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