Tag: sparkler

A Frisky Italian Malvasia to Celebrate June!
This sparkling Malvasia from the Emilia region of Italy is a perfect way to celebrate the arrival of June. As we scour the vineyards of the world for interesting candidates to fulfill Our Sparkling Resolution – to greet each month by popping a bottle of bubbly – we couldn’t have found a more perfect fit, right in our own backyard.

Our first impressions: fruit, almonds, a briny nose, hints of Manzanilla sherry, light, subdued bubbles (frizzante).

We consulted an award-winning wine source, The Oxford Companion to Wine , Edited by: Jancis Robinson, that described Malvasia from Emilia as, “lightly sparkling dry to demi-sec.” It’s known as, “champagnino or ‘little champagne’, and where local trenchermen consider it the perfect accompaniment and digestif for the rich local fare.”

Well, alright, if it’s good enough for local trenchermen, than we must be in good company. Our local fare included pretzels, a cucumber & tomato salad, and our favorite shell-on roasted almonds from Fastachi.

The Malvasia Dell’Emilia’s also won points for its 11% alcohol, a trend we enthusiastically support. We say, “serve this sparkler cold and keep it cold,” (with a chilled sleeve on the bottle).

Who might like this wine?
- Riesling Lovers
- Anyone with a “Life-List” of Wine
- Trenchermen (of course)
- Italian Wine Fans
- Moderately Priced Wine Advocates
Malvasia Dell’Emilia – $18 @ TerraVino Wines in Brookline

Here's a look at the Wines We’ve Been Tasting

And, more about Our Sparkling Resolution

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Details:
Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2012 Penny Cherubino

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often those add a great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.
June 1, 2012
Toasting May with Thierry Triolet Champagne at the Beach!

While enjoying a bottle of Thierry Triolet Champagne Brut is a treat in itself, popping the cork at a beach in Provincetown elevates the entire experience to the level of “unforgettable.”

As we faithfully carry out Our Sparkling Resolution (raising a glass of bubbly to greet each new month) we’re always open to pushing the boundaries of our pledge.

We found this special sparkler at Perry’s Wine & Liquors in Provincetown where Scott O’Connor described Thierry Triolet Champagne Brut as creamy and a great value at $36.

Penny remembered the wine from a tweet by Gretchen (@MoralBeast) who called it, “… a remarkable Champagne! Dry but not too dry. It's a wonderful balance [with] an explosion of flavor!" Her brand new website is Urban Wine Dweller.

Despite our preference for pinot-forward sparkling wines, this beauty’s 60% Chardonnay, 35% Pinot Noir, and 5% Pinot Meunier held our attention from the first sip. The winemaker puts it simply and best, “… pale yellow with hints of amber is expressed on fresh and fruity notes.”

Our bottle didn’t last long. It was so good, we couldn’t resist sharing with our neighbors at the beach.

Thierry Triolet, a small grower who supplies grapes to major Champagne houses, also has been making his own wine for more than 25 years– which means we have a lot of catching up to do.

If this Champagne Brut is any indication of Thierry Triolet’s passion and expertise, we can’t wait to try his other vintages. Back in Boston, we followed Gretchen's trail to TerraVino Wines in Brookline and happily found another bottle to enjoy today.

Update: Sadly TerraVino Wines is no longer in business.

Check Out: Our Sparkling Resolution Winner’s List

More about Our Sparkling Resolution

Finally, more of our Provincetown Posts!

We have a new favorite wine book that we are not only recommending to our readers, but buying as a gift for wine-loving friends. It's a treasure and we expect it to look a bit worn and well-used pretty quickly. It may even suffer a few wine stains but we doubt that Karen and Andrew will mind.

The Food Lover's Guide to Wine

Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Here are more books from this team:

The Flavor Bible: The Essential Guide to Culinary Creativity, Based on the Wisdom of America's Most Imaginative Chefs

What to Drink with What You Eat: The Definitive Guide to Pairing Food with Wine, Beer, Spirits, Coffee, Tea – Even Water – Based on Expert Advice from America's Best Sommeliers

Becoming a Chef

Details:
Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2012 Penny & Ed Cherubino

May 1, 2012
The Food Lover’s Guide to Wine: Book Review
With our sparkler of the month on March 1st, we mentioned that we had put The Food Lover's Guide to Wine on our book wish list. That afternoon, we received an email from the authors Karen Page & Andrew Dornenburg saying they would love to send us a review copy.

It arrived a few days later and hasn't made it to a bookshelf yet. It has spent a few nights beside the bed as Penny's relaxation reading, we've used it explore a couple of new wines, and we're planning to feature some recommended producers as our Sparkler of the Month.

Learn in various ways from a collection of great wine lovers.
- If you were hanging outside our door, you might have heard us reading quotes from the book to one another. It has the greatest collection of quotes from wine lovers and wine experts you can imagine. Boston's own Cat Silirie is often cited.
- Ed loves the pronunciation guide in the core listing of wines, grapes, and wine topics.
- The system used to emphasize the importance of wine grapes, characteristics, and producers (by using bold and all caps in lists) is brillant and intuitive to use.
- The end chapters on matching wines with foods, cuisines, and courses will have us exploring new options.
- We love the gold boxes with great asides on topics. A few are already marked with page tabs.
- Since these writers believe that the wine you like is the right wine for you, they've prepared a series of recommendations based on your own taste. If you like a flavor, for example almonds, they give you a list of wines to try. If you like a particular wine, they give you others with similar flavor profiles.
A Great Interview Grabbed Our Attention

We first hear about The Food Lover's Guide to Wine on the Heritage Radio Network show, A Taste of the Past. Penny listens to podcasts of food shows while she cooks, and this one was good enough for a shared listen during an afternoon of crab-cracking and conversation.

Host Linda Pelaccio began by covering the history of American Wine (the book contains a timeline) and then a discussion of the book that really gave us an insight to the authors' points of view and how this book would fit into our collection. Here's a link to that show.

Meet the authors and hear what some experts say about this book.

We are not only recommending this book to our readers, we'll be buying copies as gifts for wine-loving friends. It is a treasure and we expect it to look a bit worn and well-used pretty quickly. It may even suffer a few wine stains but we doubt that Karen and Andrew will mind.

Here are more books from this team:

The Flavor Bible: The Essential Guide to Culinary Creativity, Based on the Wisdom of America's Most Imaginative Chefs

What to Drink with What You Eat: The Definitive Guide to Pairing Food with Wine, Beer, Spirits, Coffee, Tea – Even Water – Based on Expert Advice from America's Best Sommeliers

Becoming a Chef

and of course

The Food Lover's Guide to Wine

Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:
Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2012 Penny & Ed Cherubino

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often those add a great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.
April 10, 2012
Greeting April with a Big Sip of Bugey Bubbles!

We’re saying Hello to April with an outstanding sparkler– Montagnieu Brut from the Bugey!

Repeat after me, BOO-zhee. I enjoy saying Bugey almost as much as drinking this outstanding sparkler.

In a year where each week seems to hold a special weather surprise, this Montagnieu Brut from the small French region of Bugey seems a perfect wine to celebrate our sparkling resolution as we leap into the unknown of a new month.

While this is not Champagne, we think it’s very Champagne-like. Without the label in plain view, it could have easily fooled us.

This sparkler has a big, important Champagne character to it. Penny insisted, “It became better with every sip– bigger, fuller, like an aged white wine.” It reminded us both of the way Krug gets better sip-by-sip. Try drinking this Bugey through the range of temperatures by enjoying each glass without topping it up.

It’s a white sparkling wine that’s nice and dry with the roundness of a pinot. As constant students of wine, we now know we really like the blend of Altesse (also known as Roussette) and Mondeuse Noir grapes.

Simply put, Bugey “Montagnieu Brut” was a pleasant surprise and has prepped us for the next 30 days. Bring it on, April.

For more about the wines we’ve been enjoying (including a Bugey Cerdon) check out
Our Sparkling Resolution Winner’s List

Bugey “Montagnieu Brut” $25 at The Wine Bottega, in Boston’s North End

Here’s more about Bugey “Montagnieu Brut” from Louis Dressner Selections

Want to learn more about wine? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site! Here's, The Food Lover's Guide to Wine the latest addition to our wine reference list. We heard a great interview and review of this book over on Taste of the Past.

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2012 Penny & Ed Cherubino

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often those add a great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.

March 31, 2012
Benvenuto March with Prosecco from Bisson & Rosenthal

We’re welcoming March with a bottle of prosecco– always a safe bet, but with Rosenthal on the label it’s nearly a sure thing! We once advised a friend, who was uneasy about the thought of ordering wine at an upcoming business dinner, to just ask the restaurant for a Neal Rosenthal wine. She got a Standing O!

The terms, “artisan, traditional, and natural” are more than words on a label, they’re part of this wine merchant’s philosophy. When Rosenthal talks about Enoteca Bisson and Pierluigi Lugano’s care and passion as a grower and producer of distinctive wines, you can begin to appreciate the vision and effort that goes into his prosecco.

Vino Frizzante Prosecco (Glera in Italy) 2010 Bisson is produced in a “bone-dry style.” That would normally be enough for me to take a pass on a sparkler, but one sip and I was intrigued.

Bisson Prosecco uses a Crown Cap (also called a “Spark Cap”)

Yes, it was dry but not in an overwhelming way. We both could taste the fruit– concentrated pear? Penny compared the wine’s body to that of a Bollinger Champagne!

When we returned to buy another bottle from Howie Rubin at Bauer Wine & Spirits, he wasn’t surprised, “I find it’s got a little more chalkiness, more like real Champagne.” Rubin pointed to, “…the yeast in the nose. It could be the limestone in the soil, it could be more Champagne-like soil.”

Whatever it is, we’ve added our applause and another bottle to our wine rack. There’s a lot of prosecco out there. “Leave it to Neal Rosenthal to give us something that’s a little drier, a little more complex, a little deeper in flavor,” said Rubin. “It sets it apart from all the rest.”

Links:

Vino Frizzante Prosecco 2010 Bisson, Rosenthal Wine Merchant, NY at Bauer Wine & Spirits

Here's More About: Our Sparkling Resolution

Check Out: Our Sparkling Resolution Winner’s List

Want to learn more about wine? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site! Here's, The Food Lover's Guide to Wine the latest addition to our wine reference wish list. We heard a great interview and review of this book over on Taste of the Past.

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2012 Penny & Ed Cherubino

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often those add a great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.

March 1, 2012
Sophisticated Pink Sparklers for Valentines’ Day

Don't be afraid of pink sparking wine! We'll let you in on what wine experts have always known– some serious and elegant wines come with a blush of color. There are also plenty of classy, but inexpensive, pink options.

As regular readers know, we start every month with a glass of sparkling wine, and we share those choices with you. Today, we'll remind you of a few that are perfect for cork-popping on Valentine's Day. (Yes, we are our own Friday Link this week!)

If price is no object, consider a rosé from one of France's great Champagne houses. We've really enjoyed these two:

Champagne Billecart-Salmon Brut Rosé - This is one of Penny's all time favorite wines. It's price has really skyrocketed during the years we've been telling you about it. But, sometimes only the best will do and Billecart-Salmon has earned it's place at the top of the charts.

Delamotte Brut Rose - Brix Wine Shop gave us the opportunity to taste this wonderful Champagne from Delamotte, the ledgendary house that produces Salon.

For a bit of France on a budget, slide out of the Champagne region and try a Crémant.

We suggest a bottle of Louis Bouillot Rosé. Even the lable looks like a party! This is one of our favorite beach wines.

For a real value sparkler, we'll move you to New Mexico. New Mexico you ask? Mais Oui!

Gruet Blanc de Noir is coppery in color and rich with pinot noir flavor, and it's heritage comes from another of the great French Champagne families. They also make a bright pink rosé.

From there, head north to Soter Vineyards in Oregon. One New Year's weekend, we tasted four great sparkling wines. The Soter was one of them. These wonderful wines, from a highly respected team with a great Pinot Noir reputation, will always be on our list of favorites. Try the Soter Rosé to see how much finesse American sparklers can have.

We also say, "Olé" for the pink Spanish cavas like Segura Viudas Brut Rosé or their ARIA Pinot Noir Cava.

Related Posts:

If you don't have enough ideas here, go explore our entire wine post collection.

And, we've gathered all of our Valentine posts at Valentine's Day 2012 – Romantic Dining in Boston

Need some Valentine's Day gift ideas? Click over to Amazon and do some planning and if you do buy something there, they'll put a few coins in our tip cup.

Details:
Words: Penny & Cherubino
Photos: © 2012 Penny & Ed Cherubino

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often those comments add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.

February 10, 2012
Remembering Pol Roger– New Year’s Eve Tasting Update!

Though I hardly knew him, I feel like I’ve lost an old friend. Our bottle of Pol Roger Extra Cuvée de Réserve Brut Champagne Vintage 2000 was that good.

As promised, here’s an update to our Toasting a New Year with Pol Roger! post.

Opening the bottle and carefully splashing our glasses half full, it was the aroma that commanded our attention. I thought, toasty. Penny said it reminded her of almonds.

The first sip had us using words like: mellow, lush, citrus notes, smooth with a dry finish, and just enough fruit for balance.

While outstanding on its own, this champagne was equally impressive with food. Trying a perfectly ripe piece of Truffle Tremor from Cypress Grove Chevre and long-time favorite Ascutney Mountain we found each enhanced the taste of the other. Bites were improved by sips, sips were improved by bites!

Truffled pâté with Penny’s own spicy cranberry chutney, plus a Dijon and sweeter bourbon molasses mustard did not intimidate our Pol Roger. It all worked!

As with all high-end champagnes we’ve tried, this one drinks well as it warms– actually revealing more of its character. You’re quite a complex guy, Pol Roger. What a memorable way to begin 2012.

Here's how this story began: Toasting a New Year with Pol Roger!

For more about our wine adventures, check out:

Our Sparkling Resolution

Our Sparkling Resolution Winner’s List

Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:
Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2012 Penny & Ed Cherubino

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers’ comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those comments add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.

January 9, 2012
Toasting a New Year with Pol Roger!

We’ll be spending New Year’s Eve with Pol Roger (Champagne)– perhaps saluting the memory of the man who sold his first bottle of wine 163 years ago!

As we head toward the beginning of a new month and more importantly a new year, we always look forward to selecting an interesting bottle of bubbly. However, this time a special sparkler appeared on our door step (a gift from a friend and wine merchant) and immediately bumped everything else in line.

Pol Roger Extra Cuvée de Réserve Champagne Brut Vintage 2000– when the name on the bottle has that much going on, how could we resist?

Besides, our benefactor knows our taste is for a pinot-forward sparkler, in this case 60% Pinot Noir – 40% Chardonnay. As this champagne house puts it, the pinot supplies “body…strength” and the chardonnay the “finesse…lightness.” (Something to keep in mind when selecting a champagne to fit your taste.)

As descriptions go, we can expect the aromas of: “ripe, expressive fruit…dried apricots and poached pears and honey…” (who writes this stuff?) “…a champagne of harmony, elegance and generosity.” The wine is said to pair well with, “Rich, full-flavored dishes…Distinctive dry cheeses…”

All this just increases my curiosity and raises my expectations. But, can this storied champagne really live up to the hype? We’ll soon find out and promise to report back in early 2012– look for an “update” to this post.

That update is here: Remembering Pol Roger– New Year’s Eve Tasting Update!

Happy New Year!

For more on our wine adventures, check out:

Our Sparkling Resolution

Our Sparkling Resolution Winner’s List

Do you have an Amazon Gift Certificate to use? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site!

Details:
Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photography: © 2011 Penny Cherubino

Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers’ comments, we welcome hearing from the people that are part of the places and services we cover. Often, those comments add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.

December 29, 2011