Tag: Boston

We’ll Toast April 1, 2024 and Women in Wine with a Glass of NV Camille Savés “Carte Blanche” Grand Cru Brut
Our April 1, 2024 toast will salute the women who have and still are paving the way for women to make their way into the world of wine from workers, winemakers, and vineyard owners. In addition, there all the women teaching others about wine in shops, restaurants, and media. This is our year of recognizing wine heroes and the women who have fought for, made a place for themselves in the wine business, and then reached a helping hand back to other women who are HEROS!

We raise a glass of NV Camille Savés "Carte Blanche" Grand Cru Brut for all women in wine, past and present. The New York Times wine expert Eric Asimov's article "The Wine Heiresses Apparent" is recommended reading on this topic. Here is an article on Women Who Influence Wine today. Finally, a piece about Notable First Women in Wine History

This is a fantastic half bottle of Champagne that we've enjoyed locally while dining out. We also love the Camille Savés N.V. Brut Rose Grand Cru Champagne.

Here's what we learned about this wine and this wine family.
- This is a Pinot-forward Champagne blend with 75% Pinot Noir and 25% Chardonnay both from Bouzy Grand Cru vineyards. This represents the Camille Savés house style.
- The Urban Grape description is, "The wine offers up a superb nose of apple, quince, bread dough, a complex base of chalky soil tones and a nice top note of spring flowers. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and beautifully delineated, with a fine core, crisp acids, lovely focus and balance, delicate mousse and fine grip on the long and classy finish."
"THE SAVÈS FAMILY has lived in the heart of Bouzy since 1894, as indicated in some registers that still exist today."

"…over the years, Louis, Camille and Hervé have followed in their father’s footsteps as head of the House, perpetuating the family values that established its reputation."

Trying wines from different places, made with different grapes and produced by various methods, adds spice to our monthly ritual.

Since 2007, we've raised a glass of sparkling wine to greet each new month!

We purchased our half bottle at The Urban Grape for $40.00. We ordered our bottle online and picked it up at our convenience. As always, this excellent wine store provides great service.

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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2020 Penny & Ed Cherubino
April 1, 2024
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.

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.

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.

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!

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

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

April 1, 2023
On March 1, 2023 We’ll Raise a Glass of Raventos i Blanc de Nit Cava

This month we'll raise a glass of Raventos i Blanc de Nit cava. This sparkler certainly qualifies for inclusion in our year of choosing wines associated with great memories and great people. We have a scrapbook of photos of this wine in some of our favorite places. Moreover, we are grateful to four wine mentors for sharing their knowledge of this cava and its history with us.

This is one of many wines we discovered thanks to recommendations from Thomas Fielding and Scott O’Connor, one time owners of Perry's Wine and Spirits in Provincetown. These former restaurateurs chose the selection at their shop like a well-curated wine list.

Perry's was always a stop on our initial shopping trip when we arrived for a week or two. We also loved their clever "OPEN" and "NOPE" signs. The last we heard, these gentlemen were headed for retirement in Mexico.

Thanks to them, we enjoyed many bottles of this great value wine as we made memories in one of our very special places. We'll think of those times with every sip this month.

Back in Boston

Penny ordered Raventos so often at Select Oyster Bar that the staff would often just ask, "The usual?" Select owner, and another wine mentor, Michael Serpa, told us more about the winery and its history.

On the other side of town, we learned even more from Alcove Boston owner and long-time wine educator Tom Schlesinger-Guidelli. He likes this wine so much that he offers it in half bottles, 750s, and magnums. We've followed Tom around since his early years as a bartender at Craigie on Main.

Raventos says, "Five centuries of winegrowing, tradition and family."

Raventós i Blanc is a winery with one of the longest documented winegrowing traditions in the world. The family farm where our wines are now produced has belonged to the Raventós family since 1497. Five centuries working 90 hectares of vines and forest, a dynasty closely associated with the land from one generation to the next. Today, Pepe Raventós, who represents the twenty-first generation of the family, farms 44 plots using biodynamic winegrowing methods and is committed to maintaining the estate of vines, wood and lake as a complete entity. Raventós i Blanc is faithful to tradition and upholds the relationship between man and nature at the very core of its production philosophy."

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!

We purchase our bottle at Gordon's Wine and Spirits for $24.99.

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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: © 2014-2023 Penny Cherubino

March 1, 2023
We’ll Toast Friends with a Dr. Konstantin Frank 2019 Sparkling Riesling Nature

This month we’ll raise of glass of Dr. Konstantin Frank Vineyard’s 2019 Sparkling Riesling. We can thank our friends David and Peter for introducing us to this family vineyard from the Finger Lakes region of New York. We also have to thank them for educating Penny about dry Rieslings. She had always avoided this varietal after trying a few versions that were too sweet for her taste. You can learn a lot about wine by sharing it with friends.

Recently the Washington Post featured Dr. Konstantin Frank Vineyard in Dave McIntyre’s article “This 60-year-old winery changed the way America grew grapes.” One of our toasts from this bottle will honor Ukrainian refugee Konstantin Frank for his contributions to winemaking and the education of wine consumers in this country. Another toast will be to the third and fourth generation of his family who operate the winery today.

A second nudge to place an order from this vineyard came when we spotted their dry Riesling on the menu at the Dubliner, where we’ve enjoyed this selection by the glass while lunching with friends.

Here’s what the winemakers say about their Sparkling Riesling Nature 2019.

“Our Riesling Nature is 100% Riesling from our estate vineyards on Keuka Lake. Secondary fermentation took place in bottle for a minimum of 24 months in our historic underground cellar. The wine is finished without any additional dosage creating a very dry wine.”

“Toastiness comes first, with prominent fruit flavors of crisp red apple, lemon curd, and ginger come to meet up. Driven by its freshness and austerity, the creamy mouthfeel balances the dry, crisp, and bright green apple flavors.”

We purchase our bottle directly from the vineyard for $34.99.

We were pleased with every aspect of the transaction. They were offering a quantity discount, so we added three bottles of the dry Riesling and two more of their sparkling wines. The cost of shipping was reasonable. The packaging was sturdy, and our wines arrived promptly as promised.

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

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Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2022 Penny Cherubino

September 1, 2022
We’ll Toast Friends with a Dr. Konstantin Frank 2019 Sparkling Riesling Nature

This month we’ll raise of glass of Dr. Konstantin Frank Vineyard’s 2019 Sparkling Riesling. We can thank our friends David and Peter for introducing us to this family vineyard from the Finger Lakes region of New York. We also have to thank them for educating Penny about dry Rieslings. She had always avoided this varietal after trying a few versions that were too sweet for her taste. You can learn a lot about wine by sharing it with friends.

Recently the Washington Post featured Dr. Konstantin Frank Vineyard in Dave McIntyre’s article “This 60-year-old winery changed the way America grew grapes.” One of our toasts from this bottle will honor Ukrainian refugee Konstantin Frank for his contributions to winemaking and the education of wine consumers in this country. Another toast will be to the third and fourth generation of his family who operate the winery today.

A second nudge to place an order from this vineyard came when we spotted their dry Riesling on the menu at the Dubliner, where we’ve enjoyed this selection by the glass while lunching with friends.

Here’s what the winemakers say about their Sparkling Riesling Nature 2019.

“Our Riesling Nature is 100% Riesling from our estate vineyards on Keuka Lake. Secondary fermentation took place in bottle for a minimum of 24 months in our historic underground cellar. The wine is finished without any additional dosage creating a very dry wine.”

“Toastiness comes first, with prominent fruit flavors of crisp red apple, lemon curd, and ginger come to meet up. Driven by its freshness and austerity, the creamy mouthfeel balances the dry, crisp, and bright green apple flavors.”

We purchase our bottle directly from the vineyard for $34.99.

We were pleased with every aspect of the transaction. They were offering a quantity discount, so we added three bottles of the dry Riesling and two more of their sparkling wines. The cost of shipping was reasonable. The packaging was sturdy, and our wines arrived promptly as promised.

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

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Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2022 Penny Cherubino

September 1, 2022
Our June 2022 Toast Will Be in Praise of Half Bottles

Once upon a time, we were known to friends as the couple who always had a half bottle of something sparkling chilling in the refrigerator if they had a reason to celebrate! We bought cases of the very well-made but relatively inexpensive Gruet Blanc de Blanc and Blanc de Noir to pop open when someone landed a new account, received good news, or simply felt like a quick celebration of a lovely day.

Memories of these spontaneous toasts sent us out to stock up on more half-bottles of great sparkling wines.

At the Urban Grape, we chose three selections: NV Bruno Paillard Premiere Cuvee Extra Brut 375ml (Champagne, FR) at $40, NV Guy Larmandier Cramant Grand Cru Brut Blanc de Blancs 375ml (Champagne, FR) at $42, and just for fun the Hakutsuru "Awa Yuki" Sparkling Sake (Japan) at $8.

We popped open the Bruno Paillard for a quiet anniversary celebration.

It was highly recommended by the Urban Grape staff as a Champagne that would fit our taste. It is a fabulous food wine and stood up to the big flavors of our stinky cheese, salumi, and focaccia. It was a spot-on recommendation and we'll pick up a couple more bottles on our next South End walk.

Here are the labels for a few 375ml bottles of old favorites we'll add to our next Gordon's Wine order!

When dining out, we love enjoying great bottles of wine with friends. However, when it's the two of us, we choose from the wines by the glass. We would love to have more half-bottle options on wine lists. That will only happen when more of us order the half-bottles restaurants do offer. We enjoyed this half bottle of Deutz Classic Brut Champagne on the Select Oyster Bar patio!

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

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Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2022 Penny & Ed Cherubino ( Labels courtesy of Gordon's Wine)

June 1, 2022
Our June 2022 Toast Will Be in Praise of Half Bottles

Once upon a time, we were known to friends as the couple who always had a half bottle of something sparkling chilling in the refrigerator if they had a reason to celebrate! We bought cases of the very well-made but relatively inexpensive Gruet Blanc de Blanc and Blanc de Noir to pop open when someone landed a new account, received good news, or simply felt like a quick celebration of a lovely day.

Memories of these spontaneous toasts sent us out to stock up on more half-bottles of great sparkling wines.

At the Urban Grape, we chose three selections: NV Bruno Paillard Premiere Cuvee Extra Brut 375ml (Champagne, FR) at $40, NV Guy Larmandier Cramant Grand Cru Brut Blanc de Blancs 375ml (Champagne, FR) at $42, and just for fun the Hakutsuru "Awa Yuki" Sparkling Sake (Japan) at $8.

We popped open the Bruno Paillard for a quiet anniversary celebration.

It was highly recommended by the Urban Grape staff as a Champagne that would fit our taste. It is a fabulous food wine and stood up to the big flavors of our stinky cheese, salumi, and focaccia. It was a spot-on recommendation and we'll pick up a couple more bottles on our next South End walk.

Here are the labels for a few 375ml bottles of old favorites we'll add to our next Gordon's Wine order!

When dining out, we love enjoying great bottles of wine with friends. However, when it's the two of us, we choose from the wines by the glass. We would love to have more half-bottle options on wine lists. That will only happen when more of us order the half-bottles restaurants do offer. We enjoyed this half bottle of Deutz Classic Brut Champagne on the Select Oyster Bar patio!

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

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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.

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Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2022 Penny & Ed Cherubino ( Labels courtesy of Gordon's Wine)

June 1, 2022
We’ll Toast December 2021 with Cabernet Franc! It’s Louis de Grenelle Saumur Rosé

This month we'll raise a glass to the wonderful people from Cornwall's in Kenmore Square with a glass from the bottle of Louis de Grenelle Saumur Rosé we included in our last take-out order before they closed until March 2022.

While Ed loves going to Cornwall's for their excellent draft beer selection, Penny appreciates a pub where she has a nice selection of wines that match the food. This one is among her favorites, there or at home.

Louis de Grenelle Saumur Rosé is a 100% Cabernet Franc sparkling rosé from the Loire Valley. We've enjoyed this wine in many fine-dining restaurants over the years.

We dined on the patio out front all summer and fall and, last winter, made regular visits for take-out. This year we learned that they were closing for the season. Here is the announcement on their website. We'll miss them but support them in doing what they need to do.

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

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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 – 2020 Penny & Ed Cherubino

December 1, 2021
We’ll Toast December 2021 with Cabernet Franc! It’s Louis de Grenelle Saumur Rosé

This month we'll raise a glass to the wonderful people from Cornwall's in Kenmore Square with a glass from the bottle of Louis de Grenelle Saumur Rosé we included in our last take-out order before they closed until March 2022.

While Ed loves going to Cornwall's for their excellent draft beer selection, Penny appreciates a pub where she has a nice selection of wines that match the food. This one is among her favorites, there or at home.

Louis de Grenelle Saumur Rosé is a 100% Cabernet Franc sparkling rosé from the Loire Valley. We've enjoyed this wine in many fine-dining restaurants over the years.

We dined on the patio out front all summer and fall and, last winter, made regular visits for take-out. This year we learned that they were closing for the season. Here is the announcement on their website. We'll miss them but support them in doing what they need to do.

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!

Related Posts:

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

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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 – 2020 Penny & Ed Cherubino

December 1, 2021
Our Pick to Toast October 2021 Is Camille Saves N.V. Brut Rose Grand Cru Champagne

We have a few things to celebrate in October so we'll begin with a glass of Camille Saves N.V. Brut Rose Grand Cru Champagne. Camille Saves and her brothers are the current generation of stewards on land their family has had since 1894.

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 what we learned:

One of the great wine descriptions of all time was the one from WineCountry.com about this selection,

"Hands down one of the sexiest Brut Roses we have. Made from 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir and a wine I have always called, 'A librarian in fishnet stockings, smart and sexy as hell' and it is doing its thing like crazy right now. Black fruit, pie dough, citrus, sweet cured ham and all with perfect bone structure and curves."

We purchase our bottle at Urban Grape for $72. Another great recommendation from Tray!

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Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2020 Penny & Ed Cherubino

October 1, 2021