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 The days are flying by so quickly. Most of the fun things I wanted to do this summer didn’t happen. My energy and concentration was diverted to more practical and necessary issues. However, there are still a few weeks left to plan a quick trip here and there.  In the meantime, let me tell you about the wine I tasted last night. A few of us gathered around sunset, which was beautiful! We sat outside and enjoyed a 2012 Peter Lauer Barrel X Riesling. It was pale straw in color, with fruit and citrus aromas. It had a nice kick to it with fennel, grapefruit, tart apple and lemon on the palate. It was just bordering on “dry”. If you are a fan of the grape, then you will definitely enjoy this wine. It was a nice accompaniment to the platter of cheeses and fruit. http://lauer-ayl. I have a long day ahead of me, but I’m looking forward to a late day swim!
Enjoy your Sunday. Cheers! Penina  It was a productive but long day on Monday. I rewarded myself with a 30-minute swim before heading out for the evening. I was looking forward to a nice and relaxing dinner with a friend.  We dined on grilled swordfish basted with teriyaki and sesame seeds. The asparagus and mushrooms were seasoned with herbs that I brought from my garden.  I also brought a bottle of I Balzini Cabernet, but he wanted to open a 2012 Pinot Noir CrossBarn by Paul Hobbs from the Sonoma Coast. It was heavenly. The color was deep ruby with a nose full of ripe fruit, anise and spice. The palate offered layers of dark cherry, raspberry, plum, licorice and oak. The texture was velvety with a long finish of lingering licorice, spice and berry. The grapes were hand-harvested from select vineyards across the Sonoma Coast AVA and the wine was aged in 10% new oak for 10 months before bottling. This was a real treat! http://www.crossbarnwinery.com I have another non-stop day ahead of me.
Happy Tuesday! Cheers! Penina  It was another scorcher yesterday. I tried to get all of my obligations out of the way early so that I could immerse myself in air conditioning for the rest of the day. I had every intention of staying home for the evening. However, my friend coaxed me out of my “cool” cocoon to join him for dinner, promising me a nice bottle of wine. He did not disappoint me.  In addition to a wonderful meal, we opened a 2012 Freemark Abbey Viognier from Napa Valley. Wow! It was the palest of straw with floral aromas, stone fruit and lemon. This medium-bodied wine was layered with flavors of honeysuckle, citrus, peach, tropical fruits and a hint of oak. It was rich and very decadent, with a touch of spice lingering on the finish. http://www.freemarkabbey.com An interesting note: Freemark Abbey was the only California winery to have both a Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon selected to compete at the Judgment of Paris in 1976! I will look forward to tasting more of their wines. Busy day…must run.
Happy Thursday! Cheers! Penina  It was a beautiful day yesterday and jam packed with a long “to do” list. My goal was to get as much done as possible and then squeeze in a late afternoon swim. Mission accomplished!  Prior to scooting out the door for an evening engagement, I opened a rosé that had been chilling in my refrigerator for a few weeks. It was a 2014 Charles & Charles Rosé from Columbia Valley, Washington. It was an interesting blend of 72% Syrah, 8% Mourvedre, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Grenache, 3% Cinsault, 3% Counoise. The color was such a deep pink, it was bordering on coral. Aromas of watermelon and apples greeted me. The palate was soft fruit, strawberry, with a hint of citrus and candy apple on the finish. It is not a bad “go to” wine for the price…about $12.00 a bottle. http://www.charlessmithwines.com  I’m off to embrace another beautiful day!
Happy Thursday! Cheers! Penina  I can’t believe that it is already Sunday. The weekend flew by quickly. After a rocky start to the day yesterday with thunderstorms and house issues, things began to settle down…for a short time.  Although I was reticent to go on a sunset boat ride with friends due to the earlier storms, I was cajoled into hopping aboard. As I suspected, the water was a little too choppy for my enjoyment. However, I smiled, laughed and didn’t eat!  Our hosts provided lots of food and a variety of drinks. I drank lots of water and sipped on 2013 La Crema Chardonnay from the Russian River Valley  It was a beautiful straw color with a nose full of apple, citrus and oak. The palate was layered with pear, apple, toasted nuts, honey and citrus. It was full-bodied and well balanced. The finish was long and smooth. The wine was barrel aged for nine months and alcohol was 14.5%. http://www.lacrema.com My land legs are back and I’m staying low key today.
Happy Sunday! Cheers! Penina  I thought I had been shot out of a cannon yesterday because I never hit the ground from all the activity. So it was a welcome thirty minutes of swimming towards the end of the day that set the tone for the upcoming evening. I put on some music, started grilling vegetables and prepared the salmon for an early dinner. I had a great bottle of wine chilling and the weather was ideal for outdoor dining.  We opened a 2011 Grgich Hills Estate Chardonnay. Wow! It was heavenly. The color was intense yellow with tropical fruit, citrus and oak aromas. The palate offered juicy tropical fruit, stone fruit and citrus. It was a lovely finish with a hint of spice lingering on the palate. The wine is fermented and aged 10 months in French oak. http://www.grgich.com  Instead of giving you a history lesson with regard to the estate, I photographed the back of the bottle. It is an interesting read!  I still have much to do before I can kick off my shoes and relax. Happy Friday!
Cheers! Penina  Although the days are now getting shorter, it is full on summer with heat and humidity. Dining has taken on a whole new meaning of light and easy meals. Quinoa salads, bean salads, cold shrimp, lobster and fresh fruit are the go to fare of late. Chilled wines are the pick right now.  Last night we opened a 2014 Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand. It was pale straw in color with aromas of citrus and tropical fruit. The palate offered layers of fruit, lemon, lime and green apple. It was light and crisp with a touch of acidity. It complemented the meal, but would drink well on it’s own. I have another bottle chilling in the refrigerator! http://www.oysterbaywines.com  Stay cool and hydrated in this warm weather!
Happy Tuesday! Cheers! Penina  About a month ago I planted a miniature strawberry and cherry tomato plant along with an assortment of herbs. I’ve been enjoying the “fruits” of my labor until recently. It seems that some creature has also been feasting on the sweet strawberries. And last evening, I caught the little thief nibbling away. It was a female cardinal. She seemed nonplussed to have me watching her. And, I fully expected her to hop on the table and join us for wine and cheese! And speaking of wine and cheese….  I opened a bottle of Epiphany 2004 Grenache from Santa Barbara County. The cork fell apart while opening it, but the wine was perfect and very drinkable. The color was dark purple with fruity aromas. The dominant flavor was cherry. As it opened up, the sweetness settled. Pepper, cocoa and blackberry emerged with cherry pie on the finish. It was a nice balance with the array of cheeses that I served. Alcohol content was 15.1%. https://www.epiphanycellars.com  I have quite a few hours of work ahead, but then I’m looking forward to a swim!
Happy Saturday! Cheers! Penina  It’s another overcast day with lots to do, so no rest for the weary. And…I am so very weary. I awoke this morning before the birds did. After a productive day yesterday, I finally started to wind down. With company coming, I began my food prep for the evening’s dinner. The menu was grilled vegetables with couscous and seared scallops. The wine was a 2001 Chateau La Grave A Pomerol. Just imagine, while the grapes for this Bordeaux blend were being harvested, the world was about to change forever with the 9/11 tragedy. On a brighter note for that year, Apple announced iTunes at the Macworld Expo in San Francisco, for organizing and playing digital music and videos.  The wine was the color of rubies. We took a taste as soon as the bottle was opened. It was soft and somewhat closed, needing time to open up. So we put it aside for about 45 minutes and then began to drink it. The aromas of dark cherry, raspberry and a hint of tobacco were intoxicating. The wine was delicious and straightforward with flavors of dark fruits, plum and a touch of spice. It had a very nice “jammy” finish. We savored every mouthful! http://www.chateau-la-grave.net  I’d love to steal a catnap before tonight’s activities, but not happening! Happy Thursday!
Cheers! Penina  The last few days have been non-stop with appointments, social obligations and trying to squeeze in some “me” time.  So, it was a welcome treat earlier today to spend a little down time with Dixon. He’s one of the pups from Puppies Behind Bars program. Dixon will be graduating at the end of this month and he will become a full time service dog to a war veteran. After saying my good-byes to Dixon, I raced home in the hopes of having a swim. However, I had to put it on hold for a few hours. Rain got in the way! So, I’ll tell you about an incredible Merlot that I tasted and hope for a swim later on.  Last night a friend and I opened a bottle of 2006 Ehlers Estate Merlot from Napa Valley. It was a very rich and well balanced wine. The aromas were heady with dark cherry, currants and spice. The palate offered black cherry, plum, spice and a hint of pepper and vanilla. Medium tannins and a long silky finish made this wine a standout! It went well with a movie and finger food! http://www.ehlersestate.com  It looks as though the skies are clearing…. pool time! Happy Tuesday!
Cheers! Penina |
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