Tag: sparkling resolution

Philipponnat Royale Réserve Brut Champagne with Great Stories for Toasting March 2019

Happy New Month! This time we are raising a glass of Philipponnat Royale Réserve Brut Champagne to salute the month of March.

Today we will also toast two wonderful gentlemen, Tom Fielding and Scott O’Connor, who provided us with fabulous wine selections at Perry's in Provincetown for years.

Here's to the two of you! We hope you'll have many happy years in your new home in San Miguel de Allende. This is the last bottle we have that was one of their selections. And what a selection it is! We can't wait to taste it.

Philipponnat has its own story!

In case you didn't notice the 1522 in the top photo, we took a close up of it on the neck of the bottle. The Philipponnat family have been on this land for nearly 500 years. They provided wine to French King Louis 14th, other royals, magistrates and mayors, even to those in the Champagne region.

We have read that the current family member managing the vineyard is Charles Philipponnat who's responsible for bringing it back to greatness by paying close attention to details from vine to bottle.

No flutes for this wine. We'll be enjoying it in large wine glasses to capture every nuance of the blend.

The winemakers say:

"The Blend: 65% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay, 5% Pinot Meunier. First press juice of mainly Grand and Premier Crus grapes from the heart of the Champagne wine-growing area. 20 to 30% of reserve wines are aged in wooden barrels using the solera system to incorporate older wines without losing freshness."

"TASTING:

To the eye: Deep gold in colour with amber glints. Delicate froth, lively and lingering.

With the nose: The first nose reveals vine blossom, linden and fresh, lightly toasted bread. After breathing, aromas of summer berries, citrus fruit and honey develop.

With the mouth: Fine vinous attack on the palate, fruity (red currant, raspberry, ripe grape) and full- bodied, generous and long. Light notes of biscuit and freshly baked bread on the finish."

Tip: When you want to find a wine, take a photo of the back label. This gives you the information your wine shop will need to order it for you.

We purchased our bottle at Perry's in Provincetown ~$60.00

(03.01.19) 4p – Update: Be sure to drink this wine through the temperatures because it is spectacular at 55º in a large glass!

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: ©2019 Penny & Ed Cherubino

March 1, 2019
Philipponnat Royale Réserve Brut Champagne with Great Stories for Toasting March 2019

Happy New Month! This time we are raising a glass of Philipponnat Royale Réserve Brut Champagne to salute the month of March.

Today we will also toast two wonderful gentlemen, Tom Fielding and Scott O’Connor, who provided us with fabulous wine selections at Perry's in Provincetown for years.

Here's to the two of you! We hope you'll have many happy years in your new home in San Miguel de Allende. This is the last bottle we have that was one of their selections. And what a selection it is! We can't wait to taste it.

Philipponnat has its own story!

In case you didn't notice the 1522 in the top photo, we took a close up of it on the neck of the bottle. The Philipponnat family have been on this land for nearly 500 years. They provided wine to French King Louis 14th, other royals, magistrates and mayors, even to those in the Champagne region.

We have read that the current family member managing the vineyard is Charles Philipponnat who's responsible for bringing it back to greatness by paying close attention to details from vine to bottle.

No flutes for this wine. We'll be enjoying it in large wine glasses to capture every nuance of the blend.

The winemakers say:

"The Blend: 65% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay, 5% Pinot Meunier. First press juice of mainly Grand and Premier Crus grapes from the heart of the Champagne wine-growing area. 20 to 30% of reserve wines are aged in wooden barrels using the solera system to incorporate older wines without losing freshness."

"TASTING:

To the eye: Deep gold in colour with amber glints. Delicate froth, lively and lingering.

With the nose: The first nose reveals vine blossom, linden and fresh, lightly toasted bread. After breathing, aromas of summer berries, citrus fruit and honey develop.

With the mouth: Fine vinous attack on the palate, fruity (red currant, raspberry, ripe grape) and full- bodied, generous and long. Light notes of biscuit and freshly baked bread on the finish."

Tip: When you want to find a wine, take a photo of the back label. This gives you the information your wine shop will need to order it for you.

We purchased our bottle at Perry's in Provincetown ~$60.00

(03.01.19) 4p – Update: Be sure to drink this wine through the temperatures because it is spectacular at 55º in a large glass!

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: ©2019 Penny & Ed Cherubino

March 1, 2019
We Toast February 2019 with Prosecco Venti22due from a Good Friend

The official name of this award-winning sparkling wine is "Venti22due" Prosecco Superiore Conegliano-Valdobbiadiene D.O.C.G.

We have a wonderful friend who shares our love of sparkling wines and often drops off a bottle of something he thinks we'll love. Over the holidays he presented us with this one, providing an opportunity to learn more about this vineyard in one of the most desirable sections of the Veneto.

Fortunately we can share what separates this area from other prosecco producing regions in a 5 minute video from the producer's site.

We were pleased to have the refinement of this Prosecco D.O.C.G clearly explained and are looking forward to pop-in' the cork on our bottle tonight.

Ordinarily we'd say search for this label, but since the bottle is part of a limited production run and distribution, you may not find it. In that case, grab any sparkler you like and join us in toasting February. Since we know so little about this particular wine, we're including a photo of the hang tag which tells all of us a bit more.

We loved this quote from the producer, "Prosecco Venti22due should be served at the ideal temperature of 45 degrees F (4-5 degrees C). At this temperature you can almost taste the aroma of the apple and cherry trees that grow on the top and bottom edges of the vineyard, Vinicollina Tesini."

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.

Because we did not buy this bottle, we can't tell you the exact price or where to find it. From what we've seen online, it will cost around $40.

UPDATE: (02.01.19) We just toasted February with Prosecco Venti22due. It's everything described above and more! We chilled the bottle to about 40º F, served in a large wine glass (great for swirling), and sipped our way through the slowly rising temperatures.

Snacking on sliced bits of Cheddar and cubes of a Braeburn apple made for a very special late afternoon interlude. Un delizioso prosecco!

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: Courtesy of Vinicollina Tesini ©2019 Penny & Ed Cherubino

February 1, 2019
We Toast February 2019 with Prosecco Venti22due from a Good Friend

The official name of this award-winning sparkling wine is "Venti22due" Prosecco Superiore Conegliano-Valdobbiadiene D.O.C.G.

We have a wonderful friend who shares our love of sparkling wines and often drops off a bottle of something he thinks we'll love. Over the holidays he presented us with this one, providing an opportunity to learn more about this vineyard in one of the most desirable sections of the Veneto.

Fortunately we can share what separates this area from other prosecco producing regions in a 5 minute video from the producer's site.

We were pleased to have the refinement of this Prosecco D.O.C.G clearly explained and are looking forward to pop-in' the cork on our bottle tonight.

Ordinarily we'd say search for this label, but since the bottle is part of a limited production run and distribution, you may not find it. In that case, grab any sparkler you like and join us in toasting February. Since we know so little about this particular wine, we're including a photo of the hang tag which tells all of us a bit more.

We loved this quote from the producer, "Prosecco Venti22due should be served at the ideal temperature of 45 degrees F (4-5 degrees C). At this temperature you can almost taste the aroma of the apple and cherry trees that grow on the top and bottom edges of the vineyard, Vinicollina Tesini."

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.

Because we did not buy this bottle, we can't tell you the exact price or where to find it. From what we've seen online, it will cost around $40.

UPDATE: (02.01.19) We just toasted February with Prosecco Venti22due. It's everything described above and more! We chilled the bottle to about 40º F, served in a large wine glass (great for swirling), and sipped our way through the slowly rising temperatures.

Snacking on sliced bits of Cheddar and cubes of a Braeburn apple made for a very special late afternoon interlude. Un delizioso prosecco!

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: Courtesy of Vinicollina Tesini ©2019 Penny & Ed Cherubino

February 1, 2019
Bollinger Special Cuvée Champagne Wraps Up Our Year of Monthly Toasts with Favorite Sparkling Wines

As our year of monthly toasts with old favorites comes to an end, we will enjoy a bottle of Bollinger Special Cuvée Champagne. It ticks all the boxes for what we love in a Champagne.

We often will compare Pinot-forward sparkling wines to Bollinger when judging what we like or don't like about them. This outstanding cuvée is the perfect choice to complete our goal of toasting each month in 2018 with an old favorite instead of auditioning twelve new contenders. Besides, enjoying time with old friends is always a good idea.

Trying wines from different places, made with different grapes, and produced by different methods adds spice to our monthly ritual. Since 2007 we've raised a glass of sparkling wine to greet each new month. We invite you to join our Sparkling Resolution and raise a glass of something sparkling on the first of each month in 2019!

Here's what the winemakers tell us about Bollinger Special Cuvée Champagne.

For people like us who just buy a bottle of wine and enjoy it because we know we love it, taking a fresh look at the official notes can actually give us different nuances to look for and enjoy.

Details

"Blend: 60% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay, 15% Meunier. Over 85% Grands and Premiers crus.

Maturation: cellar aged for more than twice the time required by the appellation.

Dosage: moderate, 8 to 9 grams per liter."

Tasting Notes

"To the eye: a golden colour, distinctive of black grape varieties; very fine bubbles.

To the nose: a beautiful aromatic complexity ; ripe fruit and spicy aromas ; hints of roasted apples, apple compote and peaches.

On the palate: a subtle combination of structure, length and vivacity ; bubbles like velvet ; pear, brioche and spicy aromas, notes of fresh walnut."

Bollinger is a Champagne to share with special friends to celebrate life's special moments or to pop open when the wine itself is to be the occasion.

We purchased our bottle at Federal Wine and Spirits, but it is widely available and can occasionally be found at bargain prices. Expect to see it in the $60 to $70 range.

Here's to 2019. Cheers!

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

December 31, 2018
Bollinger Special Cuvée Champagne Wraps Up Our Year of Monthly Toasts with Favorite Sparkling Wines

As our year of monthly toasts with old favorites comes to an end, we will enjoy a bottle of Bollinger Special Cuvée Champagne. It ticks all the boxes for what we love in a Champagne.

We often will compare Pinot-forward sparkling wines to Bollinger when judging what we like or don't like about them. This outstanding cuvée is the perfect choice to complete our goal of toasting each month in 2018 with an old favorite instead of auditioning twelve new contenders. Besides, enjoying time with old friends is always a good idea.

Trying wines from different places, made with different grapes, and produced by different methods adds spice to our monthly ritual. Since 2007 we've raised a glass of sparkling wine to greet each new month. We invite you to join our Sparkling Resolution and raise a glass of something sparkling on the first of each month in 2019!

Here's what the winemakers tell us about Bollinger Special Cuvée Champagne.

For people like us who just buy a bottle of wine and enjoy it because we know we love it, taking a fresh look at the official notes can actually give us different nuances to look for and enjoy.

Details

"Blend: 60% Pinot Noir, 25% Chardonnay, 15% Meunier. Over 85% Grands and Premiers crus.

Maturation: cellar aged for more than twice the time required by the appellation.

Dosage: moderate, 8 to 9 grams per liter."

Tasting Notes

"To the eye: a golden colour, distinctive of black grape varieties; very fine bubbles.

To the nose: a beautiful aromatic complexity ; ripe fruit and spicy aromas ; hints of roasted apples, apple compote and peaches.

On the palate: a subtle combination of structure, length and vivacity ; bubbles like velvet ; pear, brioche and spicy aromas, notes of fresh walnut."

Bollinger is a Champagne to share with special friends to celebrate life's special moments or to pop open when the wine itself is to be the occasion.

We purchased our bottle at Federal Wine and Spirits, but it is widely available and can occasionally be found at bargain prices. Expect to see it in the $60 to $70 range.

Here's to 2019. Cheers!

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

December 31, 2018
Toasting December with Another Fave, Billecart-Salmon Brut Reserve Champagne
In keeping with our Sparkling Resolution to toast each new month of the year, we'll be raising glasses of a lesser know wine from the great Champagne house of Billecart-Salmon. While their Rosé may get the most press, we love the Billecart-Salmon Brut Reserve Champagne.

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! This year we've been drinking down our wine racks, enjoying a different old favorite each month. This is one wine we did not have in reserve but wanted to include. We wrote about it back in 2013 when on a vacation in Provincetown.

Back then we compared it to the house version of an Extra Brut.

"We said, “round … mellow … friendly … magical … drink slowly through the temperatures” (allow to warm in your glass)

Billecart-Salmon said, “harmony … balance … persistent and abounding mousse … freshness … rich bouquet"

Here are a few numbers from the winemakers about this Champagne:
- 30% Pinot Noir from the Montagne de Reims and the Grande Vallée de la Marne
- 30% Chardonnay sourced from the best Crus in the Champagne region
- 40% Pinot Meunier from the Vallée de la Marne and the southern slopes of Epernay
- 50% to 60% reserve wines
- Ageing on lees : 30 months
We purchased our bottle at Bauer Wine & Spirits for ~$60. And, we can't wait to lift a glass of this old friend of a wine.

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: ©2013-2018 Penny & Ed Cherubino
December 1, 2018
Toasting December with Another Fave, Billecart-Salmon Brut Reserve Champagne
In keeping with our Sparkling Resolution to toast each new month of the year, we'll be raising glasses of a lesser know wine from the great Champagne house of Billecart-Salmon. While their Rosé may get the most press, we love the Billecart-Salmon Brut Reserve Champagne.

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! This year we've been drinking down our wine racks, enjoying a different old favorite each month. This is one wine we did not have in reserve but wanted to include. We wrote about it back in 2013 when on a vacation in Provincetown.

Back then we compared it to the house version of an Extra Brut.

"We said, “round … mellow … friendly … magical … drink slowly through the temperatures” (allow to warm in your glass)

Billecart-Salmon said, “harmony … balance … persistent and abounding mousse … freshness … rich bouquet"

Here are a few numbers from the winemakers about this Champagne:
- 30% Pinot Noir from the Montagne de Reims and the Grande Vallée de la Marne
- 30% Chardonnay sourced from the best Crus in the Champagne region
- 40% Pinot Meunier from the Vallée de la Marne and the southern slopes of Epernay
- 50% to 60% reserve wines
- Ageing on lees : 30 months
We purchased our bottle at Bauer Wine & Spirits for ~$60. And, we can't wait to lift a glass of this old friend of a wine.

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: ©2013-2018 Penny & Ed Cherubino
December 1, 2018
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.

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%

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!"

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

October 1, 2018
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.

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%

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!"

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

October 1, 2018