Tag: bubbly

We’ll Toast August with 2013 Iron Horse Classic Vintage Brut, a Gift from West Coast Friends

This month's choice for a Happy New Month toast is a bottle of 2013 Iron Horse Classic Vintage Brut that arrived at our wine rack thanks to our friends David and Peter. We will raise a glass to them and the fun we had over July 4th eating, drinking, catching up, and enjoying the fact that they have stayed friends despite the miles.

We have enjoyed many a bottle of wine with these guys and by sharing favorites and new discoveries we've all expanded all our knowledge and tastes. This one comes from one of their favorite vacation spots which makes it extra special to us. As King Solomon is quoted as having said, "As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend."

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 from the Iron Horse Vineyard:

This is their flagship wine.

Tasting Notes

"By nose – rising dough, orange marmalade and baked apple. By mouth – ripe red apple, mandarin orange and hazelnut."

Food Pairing Notes

"A perfect wine with poached eggs, smoked salmon and toast, salade Niçoise, hard cheeses, classic roast chicken with Yukon gold potatoes, harvest pear crisp with candied ginger."

The salade Niçoise is one of Ed's favorite meals and is a perfect summer supper. That will go on the menu!

Happy Update!!

Peter & David know our taste well. This is a lovely pinot forward sparkler with the flavor profile like many of the very traditional Champagnes we love. We had asked one of our favorite wine mentors his thoughts on it a few days ago and he said, "Big, traditional, you'll love it."

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

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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2019 Penny Cherubino

August 1, 2019
Toasting July with Szigeti Grüner Veltliner Brut

On a recent check of our wine rack, we remembered enjoying a few bottles of Szigeti Grüner Veltliner Brut over the years. We first toasted with this back in 2011. It's time to share the remaining bottle with friends at our July 1st toast to a Happy New Month.

This wine is from Austria and is made from 100% Grüner Veltliner grapes. This is a grape we turn to when we're eating foods that are difficult to pair with wine, like salads, asparagus, or artichokes. It's a food-friendly wine, also perfect with seafood, oysters, fried, salty, fatty dishes. As a grape we just enjoy, we often try any bottle we spot by a new producer on a wine list.

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 is another wine from a trusted importer, Winebow. If you ever see us shopping for wine, you'll notice us reading the back labels to see who selected this wine to import or distribute. When in doubt, we opt for someone who has introduced us to wonderful wines in the past.

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

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

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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2019 Penny Cherubino

July 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.

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

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

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2019 Penny & Ed Cherubino

March 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…

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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: ©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…

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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: ©2018 Penny & Ed Cherubino

December 31, 2018
Here’s to April with a Glass of Dibon Cava Brut Reserve, a Can’t Miss Favorite!

When we set out to make 2018 a year of celebrating some of the best, most memorable sparkling wines we’ve tasted during the years of keeping Our Sparking Resolution, Dibon Cava Brut Reserve immediately came to mind.

Not only is this a perfect, everyday bubbly that’s very reasonably priced, but it’s also extremely versatile and an exceptionally handy sparkler to have on hand at all times. We’ve seen Dibon used as a mixer at some top restaurant bars. And, when one prestigious eatery first came to Boston a few years ago, it charged more for a glass of Debon than for the entire bottle! (Perhaps an oversight, however it did give us some idea of the markup they were using on wines.)

It’s a wine we often recommend to anyone who likes bubbly whether a lifelong aficionado or someone just beginning to explore sparklers. It’s a great way to share with friends (Our Westie Poppy gifted a bottle to her favorite butcher and he is now a Dibon fan.) It's also a great way to make new friends as you share not only a bottle, but also show them how delicious a value wine can be.

Another plus, in this year of old friends, is that Dibon comes from another favorite, trusted, and local importer, OZ Wine Company of Haverhill, MA. Our many OZ experiences make up happy to choose any wine from this line when we explore a shop or wine list. (We do wish wine lists included categories for some of the great importers.)

Here's some of what we said in our first post about this outstanding cava:

"If 'balance' is a fault, then it’s this wine’s only fault! It will please a wide range of tastes …"

"It's light, refreshing, and inviting. Very food-friendly …"

"Dibon Cava would be a perfect opener for a party, at a restaurant with friends, to begin a meal or an evening. And, a special way to celebrate the start of a new month. Salud!"

Related:

Our Sparkling Resolution

Our Sparkling Resolution Winner’s List

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

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2018 Penny & Ed Cherubino (Top) The others are courtesy of Dibon.

April 1, 2018
Here’s to April with a Glass of Dibon Cava Brut Reserve, a Can’t Miss Favorite!

When we set out to make 2018 a year of celebrating some of the best, most memorable sparkling wines we’ve tasted during the years of keeping Our Sparking Resolution, Dibon Cava Brut Reserve immediately came to mind.

Not only is this a perfect, everyday bubbly that’s very reasonably priced, but it’s also extremely versatile and an exceptionally handy sparkler to have on hand at all times. We’ve seen Dibon used as a mixer at some top restaurant bars. And, when one prestigious eatery first came to Boston a few years ago, it charged more for a glass of Debon than for the entire bottle! (Perhaps an oversight, however it did give us some idea of the markup they were using on wines.)

It’s a wine we often recommend to anyone who likes bubbly whether a lifelong aficionado or someone just beginning to explore sparklers. It’s a great way to share with friends (Our Westie Poppy gifted a bottle to her favorite butcher and he is now a Dibon fan.) It's also a great way to make new friends as you share not only a bottle, but also show them how delicious a value wine can be.

Another plus, in this year of old friends, is that Dibon comes from another favorite, trusted, and local importer, OZ Wine Company of Haverhill, MA. Our many OZ experiences make up happy to choose any wine from this line when we explore a shop or wine list. (We do wish wine lists included categories for some of the great importers.)

Here's some of what we said in our first post about this outstanding cava:

"If 'balance' is a fault, then it’s this wine’s only fault! It will please a wide range of tastes …"

"It's light, refreshing, and inviting. Very food-friendly …"

"Dibon Cava would be a perfect opener for a party, at a restaurant with friends, to begin a meal or an evening. And, a special way to celebrate the start of a new month. Salud!"

Related:

Our Sparkling Resolution

Our Sparkling Resolution Winner’s List

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

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2018 Penny & Ed Cherubino (Top) The others are courtesy of Dibon.

April 1, 2018
Toasting March with Bisson Glera Vino Frizzante Trevigiani Imported by Rosenthal Wine Merchant

We are toasting March with a favorite from Italy, Bisson Glera Vino Frizzante Trevigiani Imported by Rosenthal Wine Merchant.

The last time we told you about his wine was back on March 1, 2012, but we've shared this favorite with favorite people many times since then.

About Bisson Glera Vino Frizzante Trevigiani

This delightful, bone dry sparkler checks so many of our favorite aspects. It is light and lively with good fruit balance. It's 11% Alcohol by Volume, so we can sometimes enjoy a second glass.

It's a great value. As one critic said, "Small, delicate bubbles, elegant and balanced, this lovely fizz from Italy cannot be labeled prosecco because it’s got a flip-top cap. Fine. Who cares? It’s the best on the market and it’s under $20."

If you plan to pop a bottle of this beauty with us, reach for your favorite bottle opener because it has a “Spark Cap” also know as a Crown Cap.

The second old friend featured this month is Neal Rosenthal. He is one of our favorite and most dependable importers of wine. We have been following his work and learning from his writing for years.

Penny had the opportunity to meet him when his book, "Reflections of a Wine Merchant: On a Lifetime in the Vineyards and Cellars of France and Italy," was published and found him as charming as his wines.

When a friend asked for a way to deal with wine lists when she was entertaining clients, we suggested she ask, "Do you have anything imported by Rosenthal?"

If you have ever seen the Mondovino series on wine, you may agree with us that Neal Rosenthal is the hero of the world of wine as explored in that documentary.

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 decided to revisit a lot of old friends – wines that are usually in our wine rack, that we often order when we dine out, and that we choose for special occasions.

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

March 1, 2018
Toasting March with Bisson Glera Vino Frizzante Trevigiani Imported by Rosenthal Wine Merchant

We are toasting March with a favorite from Italy, Bisson Glera Vino Frizzante Trevigiani Imported by Rosenthal Wine Merchant.

The last time we told you about his wine was back on March 1, 2012, but we've shared this favorite with favorite people many times since then.

About Bisson Glera Vino Frizzante Trevigiani

This delightful, bone dry sparkler checks so many of our favorite aspects. It is light and lively with good fruit balance. It's 11% Alcohol by Volume, so we can sometimes enjoy a second glass.

It's a great value. As one critic said, "Small, delicate bubbles, elegant and balanced, this lovely fizz from Italy cannot be labeled prosecco because it’s got a flip-top cap. Fine. Who cares? It’s the best on the market and it’s under $20."

If you plan to pop a bottle of this beauty with us, reach for your favorite bottle opener because it has a “Spark Cap” also know as a Crown Cap.

The second old friend featured this month is Neal Rosenthal. He is one of our favorite and most dependable importers of wine. We have been following his work and learning from his writing for years.

Penny had the opportunity to meet him when his book, "Reflections of a Wine Merchant: On a Lifetime in the Vineyards and Cellars of France and Italy," was published and found him as charming as his wines.

When a friend asked for a way to deal with wine lists when she was entertaining clients, we suggested she ask, "Do you have anything imported by Rosenthal?"

If you have ever seen the Mondovino series on wine, you may agree with us that Neal Rosenthal is the hero of the world of wine as explored in that documentary.

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 decided to revisit a lot of old friends – wines that are usually in our wine rack, that we often order when we dine out, and that we choose for special occasions.

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

March 1, 2018
Cuvée Rosé from Laurent-Perrier Is Our Choice for a 2018 New Year’s Toast

Some years we do a long search for a special sparkling wine, finding a rare bottle that we will experience for the first time. This year, at our first shopping stop, we ran into an old favorite that brought back great memories of past toasts, so we went with it – a bottle of Cuvée Rosé from Laurent-Perrier!

This is a year when we want to think about past wines as we celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the Sparkling Resolution we made back in 2007 and have kept ever since. We said New Years was not often enough to toast to the good things we had experienced in the past and what we looked forward to in the future, so we should raise a glass of sparkling wine for the first of every month. For 10 years we have happily kept that resolution and many of those wines have been featured here.

By the way, while some of our featured wines are hard to find, this one is widely distributed. If you are thinking of bringing this bubbly to someone special as a New Years gift, see if you can find a bottle in the impressive copper box with a magnetic cover. It will cost $70 – $95 but is definitely worth it!

We discovered this Cuvée Rosé from Laurent-Perrier years ago at Upstairs on the Square. (Sadly now gone from the great restaurant scene.) It was on the wine list at a price that was so reasonable that we asked one of our favorite bartenders to check that it was right. It was and we enjoyed this on a number of visits over the years. It will be great to toast 2018 and our memories of the great staff and collection of regulars who shared that bar with us.

About this wine from the winemaker:

Grape varietal: Pinot Noir 100%

Crus: 10 different crus located mainly in the South and North areas of the Montagne de Reims – including the famous Côte de Bouzy – notably from the finest crus of Ambonnay, Bouzy, Louvois and Tours-sur-Marne.

The grapes from carefully selected plots are sorted and destemmed before vatting. The maceration – lasting from 48h to 72h depending on the harvest – helps the extraction of the colour and the development of the full aromatic richness of the Pinot Noir.

Ageing: 5 years minimum.

What the reviewers say about Cuvée Rosé from Laurent-Perrier:

K&L Wines

"Made from 100% Pinot Noir grapes from a total of ten 100%-rated grands crus villages, this Champagne gets its glorious pink color and rounded red fruit flavors from a process known as "saigneé," in which the skins of the grapes are left in contact with the juice for three days. Laurent-Perrier's Cuvée Rosé not only makes a delicious apéritif, but is also a good match for a variety of different dishes. (Gary Westby, K&L Champagne Buyer)"

Wine Enthusiast

"Orange-pink in color, this dry wine has some good bottle age that has rounded the corners and allowed toast to join the red fruits and orange zest flavors. A complex background of acidity, structure and final tautness makes this wine ready to drink now."

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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.

UpStairs On The Square Still A Well Rounded Favorite

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

Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: Top photo ©2017 Penny Cherubino, Others courtesy of Laurent-Perrier

December 29, 2017