bostonzest

Category: People

  • Our April 1, 2023 Toast Will be a Gruet Sauvage a Sparkling Wine from New Mexico

    We’ll raise a glass of Gruet Family Sauvage Blanc de Blanc to April 2023. The Sauvage will stand in for all our favorites from this family of winemakers from New Mexico. This year we're choosing the wines for our toasts on the first of each month because of the good memories we have of time spent with these sparklers and the people they bring to mind.

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    Sauvage will always stand for the last gathering we had with friends on March 1, 2020, before the pandemic changed our lives. Here's what we said about it, then.

    However, we were introduced to Gruet Blanc de Noir about fifteen years ago by Howey Rubin from Bauer Wine and Spirits. He was one of our early Boston wine mentors. 

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    It was the perfect glass of sparkle for so many occasions. We'd buy cases of half-bottles and always one ready to celebrate when a friend landed a new job, had a birthday, or it was simply a lovely evening to enjoy a sip of wine with neighbors on the roof deck.

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    We often mention our wine mentors. We've been fortunate to learn more about wine from a series of generous people we've met along the way. Recently someone asked what we mean by mentors. Here's a definition that expresses what we mean when we use the term.

    "A mentor is a person or friend who guides a less experienced person by building trust and modeling positive behaviors. An effective mentor understands that his or her role is to be dependable, engaged, authentic, and tuned into the needs of the mentee."

    Trying wines from different places, made with different grapes and produced by different methods, adds spice to our monthly ritual. Since 2007 we have raised a glass of sparkling wine to greet each new month!

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    Our bottle was a gift from a friend and wine mentor!

    Related Posts:

    Our Sparkling Resolution is covered in this post : Join Us as We Toast…

    A Few of Our Favorite Gifts for Wine Lovers

    Here are all the wines we've covered. Since this is a category, this post may appear at the top. Just scroll down for more.

    What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List?

    Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photos: ©2008-2023 Penny & Ed Cherubino 

  • Argyle Vintage Brut 2013 Is Our choice to Toast October 2018 with an Old Favorite!

    We've made Argyle Vintage Brut 2013 our choice for October in this year of favorite sparkling wines!

    We almost always have a bottle of this outstanding sparkler in our wine rack, so we pulled one out to chill and to toast one of our favorite months of the year.

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    Trying wines from different places, made with different grapes, and produced by different methods adds spice to our monthly ritual. Since 2007 we have raised a glass of sparkling wine to greet each new month! Here's some basic info about this one.

    The Facts:

    Vintage Brut | 2013 Willamette Valley AVA

    Bottle Fermented, Aged on the Yeast,

    60% Pinot Noir — 40% Chardonnay, ABV: 12.5%

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    The last time we reported to you on this particular vintage of this particular wine, we said:

    "As spectacular as ever! Great body with nice Pinot-forward character. Shared with friends as we all raised our glasses to toast the arrival of July! Already have another bottle on-ice and ready to go!"

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    Here's to October 2018! Raise a glass of one of your favorites with us! And, while you're toasting, raise a glass to a great winemaker Rollin Soles!

    Related Posts:

    Argyle’s Rollin Soles Talks Wine with BostonZest

    March Sparkles with Argyle’s 2001 Extended Tirage Brut – It’s a Sure Thing!

    Oregon’s Argyle Brut to Light-Up July!

    Our Sparkling Resolution is covered in this post : Join Us as We Toast…

    A Few of Our Favorite Gifts for Wine Lovers

    Here are all the wines we've covered. Since this is a category, this post may appear at the top. Just scroll down for more.

    What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List?

    Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photos: ©2017 Penny & Ed Cherubino 

  • Argyle Vintage Brut 2013 Is Our choice to Toast October 2018 with an Old Favorite!

    We've made Argyle Vintage Brut 2013 our choice for October in this year of favorite sparkling wines!

    We almost always have a bottle of this outstanding sparkler in our wine rack, so we pulled one out to chill and to toast one of our favorite months of the year.

    6a00e54fc42bb8883401b8d291d312970c-800wi

    Trying wines from different places, made with different grapes, and produced by different methods adds spice to our monthly ritual. Since 2007 we have raised a glass of sparkling wine to greet each new month! Here's some basic info about this one.

    The Facts:

    Vintage Brut | 2013 Willamette Valley AVA

    Bottle Fermented, Aged on the Yeast,

    60% Pinot Noir — 40% Chardonnay, ABV: 12.5%

    6a00e54fc42bb8883401bb09aab7a0970d-800wi

    The last time we reported to you on this particular vintage of this particular wine, we said:

    "As spectacular as ever! Great body with nice Pinot-forward character. Shared with friends as we all raised our glasses to toast the arrival of July! Already have another bottle on-ice and ready to go!"

    6a00e54fc42bb8883401bb09aab81e970d-800wi

    Here's to October 2018! Raise a glass of one of your favorites with us! And, while you're toasting, raise a glass to a great winemaker Rollin Soles!

    Related Posts:

    Argyle’s Rollin Soles Talks Wine with BostonZest

    March Sparkles with Argyle’s 2001 Extended Tirage Brut – It’s a Sure Thing!

    Oregon’s Argyle Brut to Light-Up July!

    Our Sparkling Resolution is covered in this post : Join Us as We Toast…

    A Few of Our Favorite Gifts for Wine Lovers

    Here are all the wines we've covered. Since this is a category, this post may appear at the top. Just scroll down for more.

    What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List?

    Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photos: ©2017 Penny & Ed Cherubino 

  • We Toast May 2018 with 2013 Argyle Brut Rosé and Look Forward to 2023

    We just returned from Provincetown where the ever reliable wine folks at Perry's had the 2013 Argyle Brut Rosé chilled and waiting for these two Argyle lovers to enjoy.

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    This year we're celebrating old friends and wines we already love as we choose our sparkler of the month. We are so happy we discovered Perry's curated wine selection. It's always great when your wine merchant has similar taste to your own.

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    The friends connected to this wine begin with Argyle founder Rollin Soles. He's the man with the great big smile in the photo. We corresponded with him long before we had the pleasure of meeting him. We have a great history of friendship with his wines. 

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    This wine is a stunner! We tend to be one glass of wine people these days but, with this one, we couldn't resist a second pour. 

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    The 2023 mentioned in our post title is because Argyle says,

    "Like all Argyle Sparkling wines, Argyle Brut Rosé is made to be long aging, maintaining its richness & minerality. It was cellared and aged on the yeast for 3-5 years and disgorged on demand, just prior to release. A portion of this vintage will remain on yeast 10 years to become Extended Tirage Brut Rosé in 2023."

    We've made a note on our calendars to find that wine in 2023.

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    We enjoyed one bottle in Provincetown, but stopped by Perry's to buy a second one to bring home and share with friends on May 1st!

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    Trying wines from different places, made with different grapes, and produced by different methods adds spice to our monthly ritual. Since 2007 we have raised a glass of sparkling wine to greet each new month! Join our Sparkling Resolution!

    Related Posts:

    Our Sparkling Resolution is covered in this post : Join Us as We Toast…

    A Few of Our Favorite Gifts for Wine Lovers

    Here are all the wines we've covered. Since this is a category, this post may appear at the top. Just scroll down for more.

    What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List?

    Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photos: ©2018 Penny & Ed Cherubino, Rollin Souls photo courtesy of Argyle.

  • We Toast May 2018 with 2013 Argyle Brut Rosé and Look Forward to 2023

    We just returned from Provincetown where the ever reliable wine folks at Perry's had the 2013 Argyle Brut Rosé chilled and waiting for these two Argyle lovers to enjoy.

    P1010653

    This year we're celebrating old friends and wines we already love as we choose our sparkler of the month. We are so happy we discovered Perry's curated wine selection. It's always great when your wine merchant has similar taste to your own.

    SparklingNateRollin

    The friends connected to this wine begin with Argyle founder Rollin Soles. He's the man with the great big smile in the photo. We corresponded with him long before we had the pleasure of meeting him. We have a great history of friendship with his wines. 

    P1010662

    This wine is a stunner! We tend to be one glass of wine people these days but, with this one, we couldn't resist a second pour. 

    IMG_8853

    The 2023 mentioned in our post title is because Argyle says,

    "Like all Argyle Sparkling wines, Argyle Brut Rosé is made to be long aging, maintaining its richness & minerality. It was cellared and aged on the yeast for 3-5 years and disgorged on demand, just prior to release. A portion of this vintage will remain on yeast 10 years to become Extended Tirage Brut Rosé in 2023."

    We've made a note on our calendars to find that wine in 2023.

    P1010666

    We enjoyed one bottle in Provincetown, but stopped by Perry's to buy a second one to bring home and share with friends on May 1st!

    P1010638

    Trying wines from different places, made with different grapes, and produced by different methods adds spice to our monthly ritual. Since 2007 we have raised a glass of sparkling wine to greet each new month! Join our Sparkling Resolution!

    Related Posts:

    Our Sparkling Resolution is covered in this post : Join Us as We Toast…

    A Few of Our Favorite Gifts for Wine Lovers

    Here are all the wines we've covered. Since this is a category, this post may appear at the top. Just scroll down for more.

    What's on your Food Lover's Shopping List?

    Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photos: ©2018 Penny & Ed Cherubino, Rollin Souls photo courtesy of Argyle.

  • Where Would You Find These Neatly Folded Hands?

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    Let's play Attention to Detail! We give you a close-up clue and you have to figure out where you've seen it around Boston.

    Here are some hints:

    • The hands are on a statue of a woman that was created by a woman.
    • The statue is of a Quaker and was created by a Quaker.
    • It is located next to a famous building. 
    • It was installed in 1959.

    Ready? Click through for the answer.

    (more…)

  • Where Would You Find These Neatly Folded Hands?

    CHE_0289 copy

    Let's play Attention to Detail! We give you a close-up clue and you have to figure out where you've seen it around Boston.

    Here are some hints:

    • The hands are on a statue of a woman that was created by a woman.
    • The statue is of a Quaker and was created by a Quaker.
    • It is located next to a famous building. 
    • It was installed in 1959.

    Ready? Click through for the answer.

    (more…)

  • Lucy Stone’s Wisdom for Women’s History Month

    The next time you walk by the Boston Women's Memorial, think about the words of wisdom these and other women of Boston have left behind for us.

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    Ed took this great photo of Lucy Stone with Abigail Adams in the background at the beginning of one of last month's snowstorms. We saved it to remind our readers that March is National Women's History Month.

    Here are three quotes from Lucy Stone (1818-1893):

    "I expect to plead not for the slave only, but for suffering humanity everywhere. Especially do I mean to labor for the elevation of my sex."

    "I think, with never-ending gratitude, that the young women of today do not and can never know at what price their right to free speech and to speak at all in public has been earned." 

    "Now all we need is to continue to speak the truth fearlessly, and we shall add to our number those who will turn the scale to the side of equal and full justice in all things." 

    Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

    Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photography: © 2017 Penny Cherubino  

  • Lucy Stone’s Wisdom for Women’s History Month

    The next time you walk by the Boston Women's Memorial, think about the words of wisdom these and other women of Boston have left behind for us.

    IMG_3505 copy

    Ed took this great photo of Lucy Stone with Abigail Adams in the background at the beginning of one of last month's snowstorms. We saved it to remind our readers that March is National Women's History Month.

    Here are three quotes from Lucy Stone (1818-1893):

    "I expect to plead not for the slave only, but for suffering humanity everywhere. Especially do I mean to labor for the elevation of my sex."

    "I think, with never-ending gratitude, that the young women of today do not and can never know at what price their right to free speech and to speak at all in public has been earned." 

    "Now all we need is to continue to speak the truth fearlessly, and we shall add to our number those who will turn the scale to the side of equal and full justice in all things." 

    Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

    Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photography: © 2017 Penny Cherubino  

  • Sunday Is Leif Erikson Day, Discover his Boston Statue!

    October 9th has been the official Leif Erikson Day since Congress declared it so in 1964. If Hurricane Matthew allows us to have a nice day on Sunday, we suggest you take a walk along the Commonwealth Avenue Mall to the corner of Charlesgate East (map) and discover Boston's Memorial to this Viking explorer. 

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    At the moment, many details of the monument are hidden by tropical plants. 

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    In this photo from the Boston Public Library Collection, you can see that he stands above a dragon-headed boat and that boat would have been the basin for a fountain rather than a planter.

    According to an 1887 Boston Globe article, the memorial's dedication was originally located on a traffic island at Commonwealth Avenue and West Chester Park, the former name of Massachusetts Avenue. We are still trying to confirm when it was relocated.

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    Here's a photo that Penny took a few seasons ago with more of the monument showing in the setting sun.

    Plan a return visit!

    Be sure to come back in winter to discover all the lovely details that sculptor Anne Whitney incorporated into this work of art. A few years ago, we interviewed Sarah Hutt, the Friends of the Public Garden Collections Care Manager. She admitted that this is her favorite statue on the Mall. “I just find that so playful,” she said. “I’ve had the opportunity to go up on the scaffolding [during a restoration] and look at it. There is so much interesting detail… It has all these little stories of his voyages engraved in it.”  

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    How Do You Spell It? 

    Back in 1000, when this man was said to be sailing up the Charles, people were not as fussy about spelling as we are today. References to him include the following spellings: Leif, Leifur, Leiv, Erikson, Ericson, Ericsson, or Ericksson. As you can see on the information plaque attached to the statue, the city has gone with the Leif Erikson version so we are following their example for now. 

    Our research files on this monument contain many more interesting tidbits that we'll share at a later date. For now, enjoy the fall weather and take a walk to see this piece of Boston public art.

    Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Or do you need to buy one for a gift? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

    Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photography: © 2016 Penny Cherubino, historic photo by Moulton Photograph Co. courtesy of the Boston Public Library.

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