Neat Thoughts About Food, Wine, Travel & More
Hadn’t enjoyed an Emilio Moro wine is some time and need to more often! This is a classic Spanish Tempranillo that I served with roasted pork for a great pairing.
👁️ Inky purple
👃 Blackberry/ripe raspberry
👅 Juicy cherry, little mocha on the finish
💲 $25
🍇 100% Tempranillo
🗺 Ribera del Duero, Spain
Cheers, Veronique
Had this lovely Barolo at a dinner party I hosted at my home and boy did it deliver. Paired great with the beef I served, but also held up to the secondary meat, pork belly. Pretty traditional, classic version of Barolo.
In the glass: Dark ruby red
Aromas (nose): Leather, mocha aromas with some earthy notes
Flavors (palate): Chocolate-coated cherries flavor with some dried fruit notes
Texture/finish: Medium body, velvety medium finish
Pairing: Grilled or roasted meats (beef, lamb, duck), charcuterie
Wine type: Red wine
Grape: Nebbiolo
Region: Piedmont, Italy
Cost: $75 – $90
Adding the 2013 Giacomo Grimaldi Barolo to my repertoire.
Cheers, Veronique
We ordered this Tuscan wine at a dinner where our party was divided foodwise and it worked well with all our dishes. This Italian wine was smooth and rounder than I thought it would be, which was great to pair with our various meals.
This Tuscan blend is a great value!
Look/in the glass: Medium purplish red
Nose/aroma: Floral aromas with a note of tobacco/leather
Palate/taste: Juicy cherry and dark berries with a touch of spice
Texture/finish: Medium body, fresh, crisp, great acidity, medium finish
Pairing: Pasta with red sauce, meats, charcuterie, even grilled salmon would work
Wine type: Red wine
Grape: 33% Syrah, 33% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Franc, 14% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Petit Verdot
Origin: Tuscany, Italy
Price: $37
Cheers, Veronique
I’ve been a huge fan of Limerick Lane Cellars (www.limericklanewines.com) wines for many years. This boutique Sonoma wine producer makes some of my very favorite California Zinfandel and this bottle was outstanding. I love their motto “while we lack pretension, we are very serious about our craft”.
I was fortunate enough to visit Limerick Lane in 2019 and their place is intimate, tranquil and just magical. The tasting room is mere feet from the vineyard and we had an opportunity to spend time in the field and on the patio after our tasting.
We enjoyed this Russian River Valley wine on Easter where I served grilled lamb chops and it was an amazing pairing.
At this price point for such a delicious wine, I’m sorry I only have two bottles left in the cellar. Only 325 cases of this wine were made, so if you can get your hands on some, do it. I can’t wait to taste the newer releases.
Looks: Inky dark red in the glass
Smell: Inviting dark berry and cherry with some mocha and herbal (sage?) notes on the nose
Taste: Ripe strawberry and raspberry with some peppery notes on the palate
Texture and Finish: Medium-bodied, with great acidity on the long finish
Pairings: Grilled beef or lamb. Would be great with skirt steak tacos
Style: Red Wine
Grape Type(s): Old vine Zinfandel
Region: Sonoma County, CA
Price: $48
Cheers, Veronique
I purchased this wonderful grower Champagne at my favorite wine shop, Amanti Vino, in Morristown, NJ. The owner always has special finds and small production bottling that one cannot find at other stores. If you’re a fan of quality, small producer wines, check out her website.
Creamy, refined, fresh and elegant wine with flavors of ripe pear and apple with a touch of citrus and great minerality.
Smell: floral and fruity (apple) with nutty and yeasty notes
Taste: juicy pear, sweet meyer lemon, ripe stone fruit and toasted bread
Texture and Finish: fine moussy bubbles, great minerality, long finish
Pairings: oysters, seafood, sushi, light cream sauced pasta, shellfish
Style: sparkling
Grape Type(s): 55% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay, 15% Pinot Meunier
Region: Champagne, France
Price: $35
I need to order more of this well-made grower Champagne, a great bottle for $35.
Cheers, Veronique
About Sean Minor Wines
The goal of Sean Minor Wines is to make enjoyable, approachable, quality wines that won’t break the bank. The popular California North Coast wine producer doesn’t own vineyards and instead sources fruit from some of the top sustainably conscious growers in California and Oregon.
About the 2017 Sean Minor North Coast Cabernet Sauvignon
I uncorked this affordable California Cabernet Sauvignon the other night to pair with cheese burgers and it was a perfect pairing.
The wine had lovely dark berry aromas and it was smooth with a small amount of tannins. For that price, admittedly I don’t drink a lot of Cali Cabs at this pricepoint, I thought it was a nice glass of wine! This wine is easy to locate at wine stores across the country, even in this vintage from a few years back.
Looks: Dark ruby red in the glass
Smell: Dark berries, cassis notes
Taste: Juicy dark cherry and blackberry flavors with some coffee notes on the finish
Texture and Finish: Full-bodied, light tannins, smooth, dry finish
Pairings: Grilled meats – beef or lamb, cheesy burger
Style: Red Wine
Grape Type(s): Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: North Coast, CA, USA
Price: $21.99
Cheers,
Veronique
This Virginia wine was in my April wine club pack put together by The Cork Report. There were only 370 cases made, so finding a bottle could prove challenging, but definitely worth it.
About Early Mountain Vineyards
Early Mountain Vineyards is a 350-acre property situated in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. The popular Virginia winery was voted the number one USA tasting room by USA Today in 2016.
Early Mountain Vineyards was acquired by Jean Case in 2012. Case, a philanthropist, is the Chairman of the National Geographic Society and CEO of the Case Impact Network and the Case Foundation. Her primary vision in buying the winery was to advance respect for Virginia wines.
One of the first things Case did after buying the winery was hire Ben Jordan, a native Virginian, as Winemaker. Jordan started his winemaking career in Sonoma County, CA and was the GM and Winemaker with Michael Shaps Wineworks in Charlottesville, VA prior to joining Early Mountain Vineyards. Jordan and Early Mountain align on a philosophy “to craft high quality wines that showcase a commitment to the vineyard and the expression of place”.
About the 2019 Early Mountain Vineyards Shenandoah Valley Cabernet Franc
The 2019 Early Mountain Vineyards Shenandoah Valley Cabernet Franc shows what kind of wines can be crafted when left to the care of an artisan like Ben Jordan. More Burgundy than Bordeaux in style, this Virginia Cabernet Franc is a delight of dark fruit and berry on the nose and palate with a smooth/silky texture. I served the wine with grilled steaks and roasted mushrooms and it was outstanding.
Looks: Medium ruby red in the glass
Smell: Dark berries, plum and tobacco aromas
Taste: Juicy dark cherry and ripe raspberry/blackberry flavors with some leather/earthy notes
Texture and Finish: Medium-bodied, medium tannins, smooth, dry finish
Pairings: Grilled meats – beef or lamb, cheesy burger, roasted mushrooms
Style: Red Wine
Grape Type(s): Cabernet Franc
Region: Shenandoah Valley, VA, USA
Price: $30
Cheers,
Veronique
I wrote about my visit to Limerick Lane Cellars after my last Sonoma County winery tour. The place is amazing, and I highly recommend a visit next time you’re in wine country. Very intimate setting with very knowledgeable staff and some of the very best wines in Sonoma.
As part of my allocation, I ordered a few of the rosé bottles as it’s a special wine. The creation of the Limerick Lane Rosé was inspired by Jake Bilbro’s 2012 visit to Southern Rhone region of France then Provence.
The grapes for the 2019 Limerick Lane Rosé are grown and picked specifically for this wine and not a saignée of Pinot Noir or Zinfandel. If you’re fortunate enough to find this wine (less than 500 cases made), buy buy buy!
Looks: Medium salmon in the glass
Smell: Inviting juicy citrus and floral notes on the nose
Taste: Zesty citrus, ripe strawberry on the palate
Texture and Finish: Light-bodied, with great acidity with a dry/clean finish
Pairings: Seafood (specially oysters and mussels), fish (ceviche would be great). Great as an aperitif but so food friendly also
Style: Rosé Wine
Grape Type(s): 50% Syrah, 27% Mourvedre, 20% Grenache & 3% Grenache Blanc
Region: Sonoma County, CA
Price: $28
Cheers,
Veronique
The 2018 No Curfew Pinot Noir is part of the Amici Cellars and Olema Wines family from Calistoga, California, known for expertly crafted wines of character, quality, and personality.
I’m trying to incorporate a few wines I’ve never sampled, priced under $15, every time I go to the wine store. This medium-bodied Pinot Noir was found on one of my shopping trips and I need to stock up on it and check out the Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon No Curfew also produces. It drinks young and fresh with cherry cordial flavors and a lovely velvety finish.
The 2018 No Curfew Pinot Noir is affordable, a very enjoyable easy drinking wine and I’m digging its motto of “Because Limitations Are A Drag”.
Looks: Dark garnet red in the glass
Smell: Bright cherry and dark berries aromas with notes of tobacco
Taste: Chocolate-covered cherry and ripe strawberry with a little spice on the palate
Texture and Finish: Medium-bodied, spice on the long finish
Pairings: Duck, turkey, mushroom-based dishes (mushroom risotto would be stellar), grilled salmon, a great cheesy burger
Style: Red Wine
Grape Type(s): Pinot Noir
Region: California, USA
Price: $14.99
Cheers,
Veronique
Last week I participated at a virtual wine tasting featuring the lovely wines of TerraNoble from Chile. The session was led by TerraNoble winemaker Marcelo Garcia and Tomas Uribe the Regional Director, USA & Europe for TerraNoble who did a great job translating to English for Marcelo.
About TerraNoble
Founded in 1993, TerraNoble pioneered quality wines in the Maule Valley. According to the winery, the name “TerraNoble” recognizes the unassuming majesty of the soils of the Maule Valley, and its ability to gift excellent wines. When it was first established, TerraNoble was a boutique winery specializing in Merlot but in 1994, when Chilean Merlot was identified as Carmenere, the popular winery’s focus shifted to this rediscovered varietal that is now top of mind when wine drinkers think of Chilean wine.
TerraNoble has furthered its regional presence to the Colchagua and Casablanca valleys where its philosophy continues to be one of minimum intervention, for wines to be true to the land and the distinctiveness of its grape varieties.
The winery believes in sustainable principles and is a Sustainable Wines of Chile Certified winery that adheres to the Wine in Moderation initiative, and is now Vegan certified.
About Winemaker Marcelo Garcia
TerraNoble Winemaker Marcelo Garcia was born in Santiago, Chile and studied agronomy at Universidad Mayor before earning his Diploma in Winemaking from the Universidad de Chile in 2000.
Marcelo worked his first vintage at Concha Toro in 2000 as a winery operator. In addition to Concha y Toro, Marcelo’s résumé features other important Chilean wineries, such as Valdivieso, Santa Carolina and San Pedro. At San Pedro he was responsible for 1865, Castillo de Molina and Santa Helena, among the winery’s most renowned brands.
Marcelo joined TerraNoble as Chief Winemaker in 2015 where he has formed a team that always delivers the best that Chilean viniculture has to offer.
About the Wines Tasted
2017 Gran Reserva Carmenere
Looks: Purple red in the glass
Smell: Dark fruit/berry with peppery notes on the nose
Taste: Ripe/juicy stone fruit and tart raspberry on the palate with dark chocolate notes
Texture and Finish: Full-bodied, sweet/round tannins with balanced acidity with a medium finish
Pairings: Grilled meats, spicy chili
Style: Red Wine
Grape Type(s): 100% Carmenere
Region: Maule Valley, Chile
Price: $18.99
2016 CA1 (Carmenere Andes)
Looks: Cherry red in the glass
Smell: Ripe red fruit with minty notes on the nose
Taste: Cherry and red fruit on the palate with oaky notes
Texture and Finish: Medium/full-bodied, round and balanced tannins with a silky texture and a long finish
Pairings: Mushroom risotto, cassoulet
Style: Red Wine
Grape Type(s): 100% Carmenere
Region: Colchagua Valley, Chile
Price: $24.99
2017 CA1 (Carmenere Andes)
Looks: Red with some blueish hues in the glass
Smell: Big juicy red fruit on the nose
Taste: Ripe red fruit and cherry on the palate with minty notes
Texture and Finish: Medium/full-bodied, round tannins with long, fresh finish
Pairings: Grilled meats, spicy chili
Style: Red Wine
Grape Type(s): 100% Carmenere
Region: Colchagua Valley, Chile
Price: $24.99
2017 CA2 (Carmenere Costa)
Looks: Deep red in the glass
Smell: Big red fruit on the nose
Taste: Ripe/juicy red fruit and on the palate with some spiced notes
Texture and Finish: Full-bodied, little jammy, firm tannins with a bit of minerality and with a long, intense finish
Pairings: Grilled meats, stewed meat dishes like beef short ribs
Style: Red Wine
Grape Type(s): 100% Carmenere
Region: Colchagua Valley, Chile
Price: $24.99
2018 Gran Reserva Carignan
Looks: Deep red in the glass
Smell: Red fruit with some floral notes on the nose
Taste: Cherry and tart raspberry on the palate
Texture and Finish: Medium-bodied, nice minerality with a crisp, long finish
Pairings: Cheese plate, red sauced pasta
Style: Red Wine
Grape Type(s): 100% Carignan
Region: Melozal, Maule Valley, Chile
Price: $18.99
Very impressed by these wines.
Cheers,
Veronique
Note: Wines were provided by TerraNoble complimentary for this tasting.
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