23 October 2013 Famiglia Pasqua Wine Tasting

Famiglia Pasqua Wine Tasting

October 23, 2013 By

WinesI recently attended a wine pairing dinner at Millie’s Old World Meatballs & Pizza and had an opportunity to sample Famiglia Pasqua wines provided by recently opened Cambridge Wines of Morristown.

Here are my tasting notes:

  • Famiglia Pasqua Prosecco DOC ($10) – extra dry sparkler with lively fruity flavors.
  • 2012 Famiglia Pasqua Pinot Grigio ($10) – light, dry white with hints of floral and citrus notes.
  • 2012 Famiglia Pasqua Sangiovese ($8) – full-bodied with bright fruit from its young age.
  • 2010 Famiglia Pasqua Passimento ($13) – baby Amarone with fruit-forward, spiced nose and round, silky texture from 40% Merlot.

Cheers,

Veronique

Filed Under: By Country, Italy, Merlot, Pinot Grigio, Sangiovese, Sparkling Wine, White Wine, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , ,
21 October 2013 Chilean Red Wine Blends – Virtual Tasting

Chilean Red Wine Blends – Virtual Tasting

October 21, 2013 By

Wines of Chile hosted a #WineChat event on Twitter on Wednesday, October 16. Sort of like a new world wines meets new technology.

I’ve explained the idea of virtual wine tastings in previous posts but for those of you who are new to virtual wine tastings, this is what the story is:

  • Get a bottle of the wine varietal or brand being featured.
  • Invite friends to share the wine and experience with you (or snuggle in your pajamas in front of the computer if you prefer).
  • Sip and share your thoughts about the wine(s) with other tasters around the world using the designated hashtag on Twitter and/or Facebook!

Here are my tasting notes from the three featured wines – 2011 Montes Twins Malbec / Cabernet Sauvignon, 2007 Santa Rita Triple C Red Blend and 2011 Los Vascos Grand Reserve:

2011 Montes Twins Malbec / Cabernet Sauvignon

2011 Montes TwinsGreat dark fruit, richness and structure from the Cab and silky roundness from the Malbec. Little vanilla on the finish from the oak. Nice Colchagua Valley wine for the price.

Pairings: Roast chicken, mushroom pizza, burger

Style: Red Wine

Grape Type(s): 50% Malbec, 50% Cabernet Sauvignon

Price: $18

2011 Los Vascos Grand Reserve

2011 Los Vascos Grand ReserveThis Chilean wine is bright with cherries and stone fruit. It’s intense, has a nice level of acidity and a fruity finish with black licorice notes.

Pairings: Duck, seared salmon, pork

Style: Red Wine

Grape Type(s): 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Carménère, 10% Syrah, 5% Malbec

Price: $15

2007 Santa Rita Triple C Red Blend

2007 Santa Rita Triple C This Maipo Valley, Bordeaux-style blend has a lot going on for it. The 2007 Santa Rita Triple C combines the elegance of the old world grapes with new world winemaking techniques.Definitely not the typical Chilean red wine. Tons of earthy, smoky, leathery aromas with less blackberry than ripe currant that I’d expected. Deep, complex, interesting. Decant!

Pairings: Grilled meat, mushroom dishes

Style: Red Wine

Grape Type(s): 55% Cabernet Franc, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Carménère

Price: $34

I’ve been a fan of Chilean wines and these three bottles that were sent to me as samples are being added to my repertoire.

Cheers,

Veronique

Filed Under: By Country, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere, Chile, Malbec, Red Wine, Syrah / Shiraz, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,
30 September 2013 2005 Podere Rocche dei Manzoni Barolo Vigna d’la Roul

2005 Podere Rocche dei Manzoni Barolo Vigna d’la Roul

September 30, 2013 By

2005 Podere Rocche dei Manzoni Barolo Vigna d’la RoulThis wine was aerated then decanted for an hour prior to tasting. In the glass, it’s deep garnet. Bouquet wasn’t as prominent as I’d expected. Light aromas of cherry cordial with earthy notes. In the mouth, it offers great fruit flavors with black licorice, leather and blackberry notes. Smokey finish with the tannins one would expect from such a young wine.

I’d like to try this wine with another 5 years of aging. 94 points Robert Parker.

Pairings: Game, beef, duck, pasta with mushroom or red sauce, cheese course

Style: Red wine

Grape Type(s): Nebbiolo

Region: Piedmont, Italy

Around $100

Filed Under: Italy, Nebbiolo, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,
20 September 2013 2003 Rudd Oakville Estate

2003 Rudd Oakville Estate

September 20, 2013 By

2003 Rudd EstateTasted this wine after it’d been decanted for a couple hours – wow. In the glass, it’s deep garnet and one sniff had me hooked. Aromas of mocha, tobacco, dark fruit and stone fruit. In the mouth it’s lush and round and offers great fruit flavors with caramel, leather and blackberry notes. Finish lasts forever.

Simply an elegant, well-structured wine. I feel fortunate this wine was shared with me.

Pairings: Beef, duck, cheese course

Style: Red wine

Grape Type(s): 79% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Petit Verdot, 3% Cabernet Franc, 3% Merlot and 3% Malbec

Region: Napa Valley, CA, USA

Around $90

Filed Under: Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Red Wine, United States, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , ,
18 September 2013 2010 Penner-Ash Willamette Valley Pinot Noir

2010 Penner-Ash Willamette Valley Pinot Noir

September 18, 2013 By

2010 Penner-Ash Pinot NoirJust love this wine. It’s become my ‘go-to’ for a great Pinot that’s not outrageously-priced.

Medium ruby in the glass, this Oregon Pinot Noir offers aromas of dark cherries, ripe raspberries with peppery notes. This is a medium-body wine with rich cherry and dark berry flavors with a little spice on the dry finish. Nice body with velvety texture. Super Willamette Valley Pinot Noir.

Pairings: Poultry, pork chops, grilled salmon.

Style: Red wine

Grape Type(s): Pinot Noir

Region: Willamette Valley, OR, USA

Around $40

Filed Under: Pinot Noir, Red Wine, United States, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , ,
15 September 2013 Heart & Hands Wine Company – Pinot Noir and Beyond

Heart & Hands Wine Company – Pinot Noir and Beyond

September 15, 2013 By

Heart & Hands WinesSince being exposed to Finger Lakes wines nearly 10 years ago, I have been a staunch supporter of the products coming out of that region.

I am a devoted fan of high minerality, dry Rieslings from the Mosel region and to me, Finger Lakes dry Rieslings rank up there with those fabulous German wines. While a growing number of wine aficionados know and enjoy Finger Lakes Rieslings, a grape some of the wineries in the region do well is Pinot Noir. The winery doing Pinot Noir best is, in my opinion, Heart & Hands Wine Company on the northeastern shore of Cayuga Lake.

Tom Higgins

Tom Higgins

Tech industry veteran Tom Higgins, with experience working at Zachy’s Wine & Liquor and vineyards in Bordeaux and the Finger Lakes, established Heart & Hands with his spouse Susan in 2006. After investing a significant amount of time on site selection to find the location most conducive to growing Pinot Noir, Tom and Susan opted for a 6 acre plot located about 200 meters from the shoreline of Carr’s Cove on Cayuga Lake. The winery officially opened in 2008 and the cozy tasting room opened to the public in 2009.

Puzzled by the Claddagh ring on their wine labels, I asked Susan why they had chosen it and she explained that the Irish wedding ring symbol depicts love, togetherness and fidelity, hence the heart and hands name of their winery. Tom and Susan named their wine club The Claddagh Club. Members of the wine club receive quarterly allocations of Heart & Hands wines, including guaranteed allocations of “Single Vineyard” Pinot Noirs and Rieslings and allocations of club-only wines. There are two club membership levels: “Eclectic Collection” or “Exclusively Red”. The Eclectic Collection features wines selected from the full portfolio, including Pinot Noir, Sparkling Wine and Riesling. The Exclusively Red Collection, of which I am a member, features Pinot Noir exclusively.

Fion the Winery Dog

Fion the Winery Dog

The boutique winery produces around 2,000 cases of wine a year and focuses solely on Riesling and Pinot Noir. During a recent visit, Susan poured us most of the collection under the watchful eye of her gentle giant winery dog, Fion. Here are tasting notes for some of these wines:

2009 Heart & Hands Barrel Reserve Pinot Noir ($40.99)

Medium raspberry-colored in the glass. Cherry, mocha and spiced aromas. Palate of ripe cherries and a little jammy stone fruit with a velvety mouthfeel and a long finish with some lingering tannins. This wine is closed under Vino-Seal for a completely leak-proof and taste neutral closure. A lovely Pinot Noir.

2011 Heart & Hands Polarity Pinot Noir Blanc ($26.99)

What happens to Pinot Noir that is pressed with almost no contact to the skins? Pinot Noir Blanc. Lightly golden in the glass, this is a pretty different yet delicious wine. Caramel and pear tart with a buttery crust in a glass. Long dry finish.

2011 Dry Riesling ($22.99)

Pale lemon-colored in the glass, this wine offers lemon/lime aromas. While there is still citrus on the palate, the flavors are richer with some peach and ripe melon. Dry, medium finish.

Heart & Hands Pinot Noir has garnered some very good press in recent years for its stellar wines, even getting some love from James Molesworth of Wine Spectator who recognizes that Tom is willing to lower yields to produce superior quality Pinot Noir.

Heart & Hands wines are available through the winery’s online store or at select New York restaurants and retail locations. Now, if the winery could develop a more robust distribution channel so more of us can enjoy its products….

The tasting room is open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 12 – 5pm, and on Mondays and Thursdays by appointment.

4162 State Route 90, Union Springs, NY, 13160

(315) 889-8500

www.heartandhandswine.com

Cheers,

Veronique

 

Filed Under: Culinary Travel Tales, Pinot Noir, Red Wine, Riesling, United States, White Wine, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,
12 September 2013 2012 Domaine Tempier Bandol Rosé

2012 Domaine Tempier Bandol Rosé

September 12, 2013 By

2012 Bandol RoseThe medium-bodied Rosé is crafted from hand-harvested grapes. It’s salmon in color and just pretty to look at. What’s in the bottle isn’t too shabby either.

This French Rosé has an intense floral nose with a bit of strawberry. It has incredible peaches and juicy, ripe cantaloupe flavors with bright acidity and a long pleasantly dry finish.

Can’t recall a better, more elegant Rosé.

Pairings: Just about anything would be great with this wine. Nice as an aperitif or paired with seafood, poultry, pork, etc….

Style: Rosé

Grape Type(s): 50% Mourvèdre, 28% Grenache, 20% Cinsault, 2% Carignan

Region: Provence, France

Price: $40

Filed Under: France, Grenache, Mourvedre, Rose, Blush Wine, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , ,
25 August 2013 Old York Cellars – Virtual Tasting

Old York Cellars – Virtual Tasting

August 25, 2013 By

Old York WinesOld York Cellars is one of New Jersey’s oldest vineyards and last week, old vines met new technology in a virtual wine tasting.

I’ve detailed the concept of virtual wine tasting in previous posts but for those of you who are new to virtual wine tastings, this is what the concept entails:

  • Buy a bottle of the wine varietal or brand being featured.
  • Invite friends to share the experience with you, or snuggle in your pajamas in front of the computer.
  • Sip and share your wine feedback with other tasters globally using the designated hashtag on Twitter and Facebook!

Old York Cellars’ vines have been active since 1978 and planted at what was Amwell Valley Vineyard at the time. The winery provided excellent chocolates for the tasting by Laurie’s Chocolates out of Bucks County, PA.

Here are my tasting notes from the featured wines:

2011 Old York Cellars Chardonnay

This Chardonnay is fermented in stainless steel then sees four months of medium oak. That process will please fan of unoaked Chardonnay as the oak is light but there’s a bit of butteryness that oaked Chardonnay fans will appreciate. This wine offers intense fruity flavors with a little vanilla and green apple on the finish. It has a nice level of acidity.

The Laurie’s Chocolates treat I liked best with this wine was the milk chocolate caramel.

Pairings: Roast chicken, salmon, pasta in light creamy sauce

Style: White Wine

Grape Type(s): Chardonnay

Price: $17

2011 Old York Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon

The 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon sees 6 months of medium oak and is medium-bodied. Don’t expect a big, bold Napa Valley Cab here, this is lighter in flavor and texture with cherry flavors and a dry, soft finish. The Laurie’s Chocolates Cabernet Truffle couldn’t have been a better pairing.

Pairings: Grilled beef, tomato-based Italian dishes, mushroom dishes

Style: Red Wine

Grape Type(s): Cabernet Sauvignon

Price: $21

Old York Cellars has a summer music series and the events hosted at the property sound fun. I’m looking forward to making the trek down south for a tasting.

Cheers,

Veronique

Filed Under: Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Culinary Travel Tales, Other Neat Things, United States Tagged With: , , ,
23 August 2013 Alba Vineyard – New Jersey Wines Anyone?

Alba Vineyard – New Jersey Wines Anyone?

August 23, 2013 By

Alba SignAward-winning Alba Vineyard is located in the rolling hills of Warren County in Milford, New Jersey. The winery and tasting room reside in an 1805-converted stone barn with an striking wood tasting bar, rustic stonewalls and old oak beams.

During our visit, Caroline, our Alba Vineyard Ambassador, let us sample several Alba wines. She was a gracious host and shared information about each wine and about the history of the winery founded in 1980. Alba is the only winery in New Jersey to only use French oak barrels. Head winemaker John Altmaier uses each barrel a maximum of four times then sells them to a local brandy and cognac maker.

Alba Outdoor Seating

Alba Outdoor Seating

The wines we enjoyed most are:

  • 2011 Dry Riesling ($16.99) – With this dry Riesling, winemaker John Altmaier endeavours to recreate the type of Rieslings produced in Alsace. The wine is rich yet crisp and had me craving Thai food. 100% Riesling.
  • Gewürztraminer ($18.99) – This floral wine with tons of pink grapefruit flavors won a gold medal at the Long Beach Grand Cru. A really pretty nice example of this aromatic varietal. 100% Gewurztraminer.
  • 2011 Chelsea Dry Rosé ($10.99) – Lovely light pink color from the Chambourcin skins, this crisp rosé offers big strawberry aromas and peach/strawberry flavors. Perfect wine to sip on a warm summer afternoon. 46% Cayuga, 46% Vidal Blanc, 8% Chambourcin.
  • 2010 Pinot Noir ($23.99) – Burgundian in style and light in the glass, this Pinot is full-bodied with big cherry flavors and a nice peppery finish. 100% Pinot Noir.
  • 2011 Barbera ($34.99) – This wine took me completely by surprise. Piedmont comes to Jersey? Round, elegant, velvety with great fruit flavor. 100% Barbera.
  • Red Raspberry ($16.99) – Was I just a bit skeptical of raspberry dessert wine? Yes. Was I pleasantly surprised after tasting it? Yes again. The raspberries used for this wine are picked at a local farm in Tewksbury. Simply a huge mouthful of raspberries enjoyable on its own and was super paired with dark chocolates during the tasting. Would be great in a cocktail also and Caroline suggested I replace the water in my favorite brownies recipe with this wine for a chocolate/raspberry combination that’s unbeatable. I’ll be trying that.
  • 2009 Vintage Port ($19.99) – While I’m not a huge Port fan, this Chambourcin-based version is pretty grand. Jammy fig flavors with just a hint of sweetness. Was gorgeous with dark chocolate and would be great with a cheese plate. 100% Chambourcin.

Alba’s Chelsea Cellars is a line of hand-crafted wines made with grapes from Sagemoor Vineyards, one of the most respected growers if the Columbia Valley of Washington state. Alba sources the finest Merlot, Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes from Sagemoor to create the Chelsea Cellars wines. To ensure the freshest fruit possible, the grapes are shipped to New Jersey within 72 hours of picking.

The regular tasting is $10/person and the private tasting and tour is $15/person (must include 4 or more guests). Tastings are paired with cheeses, flat breads, seasonal fruits or appetizers.

Alba Vineyard

Store and Tasting Room

Guests are encouraged to buy a bottle and take it outside to enjoy on the beautiful grounds of the property or under the arbor. I suggest you visit Alba before the winter comes, it’s a beautiful place with some of the best wines in the Garden State.

269 Rte 627, Milford, NJ 08848. (908) 995-7800.

The tasting room is open weekdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Sundays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Veronique

Filed Under: Barbera, Cabernet Franc, Culinary Travel Tales, Dessert Wine, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Noir, Red Wine, Riesling, Rose, Blush Wine, United States, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , ,
20 August 2013 2009 Chateau Perenne Bernard Magrez Cru Bourgeois

2009 Chateau Perenne Bernard Magrez Cru Bourgeois

August 20, 2013 By

2009 Chateau Perenne Bernard Magrez Cru BourgeoisBought this inexpensive Bordeaux in Quebec in anticipation of a couple dinner parties I was attending and thought it was a nice wine for the price point.

This inky-hued wine offers beautiful fruit and nutmeg undertones. Round from the Merlot with solid body and tannins from the Cabernet Sauvignon.

This is the same producer who makes Château Pape Clement Pessac Leognan Grand Cru priced at over $350.

Pairings: Poultry, pork chops, grilled beef.

Style: Red wine

Grape Type(s): 75% Merlot, 22% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Malbec, 1% Cabernet Franc

Region: Bordeaux, France

Around $13

Filed Under: Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, France, Malbec, Merlot, Red Wine, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , ,
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