Tag: the urban grape

  • Nigl Brut de Brut – A Gruner with Bubbles!

    DSC_9435 - Version 22013-11-01-Nigl Brut de brut- 2005-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    While on the lookout for a worthy sparkler to ring-in December, as part of our Sparkling Resolution, we discovered a Gruner Veltliner with bubbles – the 2005 Nigl Brut de Brut.

    Since Gruner has been a long-time favorite with us, the addition of fizz, and in this case Chardonnay, seemed like an interesting marriage. Well, we’re here to say, “It’s wedded bliss!”  

    DSC_9541 - Version 22013-11-01-Nigl Brut de brut- 2005-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    These new "wine" glasses were inspired by running out of glasses to share a wine with neighbors on a recent Ptown vacation. We substituted a martini glass that worked well and was fun!

    This Austrian sparkler is definitely food-friendly, but also very enjoyable all by itself. Followers of wine site CellarTracker said it best, tasting “…flavors of tart apple with peach,” calling the Nigl Brut de Brut “…dry, crisp, with racy acidity,” "…quite spirited and fun to drink,” and “…a very nice alternative to Champagne.”

    DSC_9493 - Version 22013-11-01-Nigl Brut de brut- 2005-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    Choosing a sparkling version of a familiar wine might not always be this satisfying, but we’ll try it again. In fact, if you’re looking for a holiday gift for someone who likes wine and has a favorite grape, see if there’s a sparkling version?

    We found our bottle of 2005 Nigl Brut de Brut at The Urban Grape, South End.
       
    Here’s a peek at Our Sparkling Resolution Winner’s List!

    …And, Sunday Dog will return to this spot, next week!

    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: © 2013 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 great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

  • Discovering November Bubbles! Canard-Duchêne Comes to U.S.

    DSC_8673 - Version 22013-09-26-Canard-Duchêne-brut-champagne-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    One sip of Canard-Duchêne Authentic Brut and we knew we had discovered a special Champagne. Toast on the nose and luscious Pinot fruit on the palate – not overwhelming, just right.

    The blend of 45% Pinot Noir, 35% Pinot Meunier, and 20% Chardonnay captured our attention and never let go. Canard-Duchêne Cellar Master Laurent Fédou puts it best with the words “intensity … complexity … and balance” to describe their Champagnes.

    DSC_8701 - Version 22013-09-26-Canard-Duchêne-brut-champagne-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    He characterizes the Authentic Brut as having …

    • “A straw-yellow appearance and delicate mousse."
    • "Intense aromas of fresh fruit typical of the Pinot varietals."
    • "Fruity flavours [that] jostle with pastry notes, a sign of excellent maturity.”

    We always like to taste through the temperatures of our first glass of wine. In this case, moving from the initial chilled sip to that warmer last splash brought out more of the Chardonnay.

    DSC_8661 - Version 32013-09-26-Canard-Duchêne-brut-champagne-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    After lingering over the rest of the bottle, our only question was, “Why haven’t we heard about this Champagne before?” Well, it hasn’t been readily available in the U.S. until recently, but has been well-known and respected for more than a century in other parts of the world.

    We found our bottle of Canard-Duchêne for $38 at The Urban Grape, South End 

    Clinking glasses to toast each new month has never been more enjoyable – à votre santé!

    Watch for a few extra wine posts this month. We'll be telling you about some of our favorite value sparklers that are perfect for holdiay entertaining or as great value gifts.

    Here's more about Our Sparkling Resolution 

    And, Our Sparkling Resolution Winner’s List

    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: © 2013 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 great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

  • Discovering November Bubbles! Canard-Duchêne Comes to U.S.

    DSC_8673 - Version 22013-09-26-Canard-Duchêne-brut-champagne-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    One sip of Canard-Duchêne Authentic Brut and we knew we had discovered a special Champagne. Toast on the nose and luscious Pinot fruit on the palate – not overwhelming, just right.

    The blend of 45% Pinot Noir, 35% Pinot Meunier, and 20% Chardonnay captured our attention and never let go. Canard-Duchêne Cellar Master Laurent Fédou puts it best with the words “intensity … complexity … and balance” to describe their Champagnes.

    DSC_8701 - Version 22013-09-26-Canard-Duchêne-brut-champagne-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    He characterizes the Authentic Brut as having …

    • “A straw-yellow appearance and delicate mousse."
    • "Intense aromas of fresh fruit typical of the Pinot varietals."
    • "Fruity flavours [that] jostle with pastry notes, a sign of excellent maturity.”

    We always like to taste through the temperatures of our first glass of wine. In this case, moving from the initial chilled sip to that warmer last splash brought out more of the Chardonnay.

    DSC_8661 - Version 32013-09-26-Canard-Duchêne-brut-champagne-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    After lingering over the rest of the bottle, our only question was, “Why haven’t we heard about this Champagne before?” Well, it hasn’t been readily available in the U.S. until recently, but has been well-known and respected for more than a century in other parts of the world.

    We found our bottle of Canard-Duchêne for $38 at The Urban Grape, South End 

    Clinking glasses to toast each new month has never been more enjoyable – à votre santé!

    Watch for a few extra wine posts this month. We'll be telling you about some of our favorite value sparklers that are perfect for holdiay entertaining or as great value gifts.

    Here's more about Our Sparkling Resolution 

    And, Our Sparkling Resolution Winner’s List

    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: © 2013 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 great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

  • Discovering November Bubbles! Canard-Duchêne Comes to U.S.

    DSC_8673 - Version 22013-09-26-Canard-Duchêne-brut-champagne-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    One sip of Canard-Duchêne Authentic Brut and we knew we had discovered a special Champagne. Toast on the nose and luscious Pinot fruit on the palate – not overwhelming, just right.

    The blend of 45% Pinot Noir, 35% Pinot Meunier, and 20% Chardonnay captured our attention and never let go. Canard-Duchêne Cellar Master Laurent Fédou puts it best with the words “intensity … complexity … and balance” to describe their Champagnes.

    DSC_8701 - Version 22013-09-26-Canard-Duchêne-brut-champagne-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    He characterizes the Authentic Brut as having …

    • “A straw-yellow appearance and delicate mousse."
    • "Intense aromas of fresh fruit typical of the Pinot varietals."
    • "Fruity flavours [that] jostle with pastry notes, a sign of excellent maturity.”

    We always like to taste through the temperatures of our first glass of wine. In this case, moving from the initial chilled sip to that warmer last splash brought out more of the Chardonnay.

    DSC_8661 - Version 32013-09-26-Canard-Duchêne-brut-champagne-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    After lingering over the rest of the bottle, our only question was, “Why haven’t we heard about this Champagne before?” Well, it hasn’t been readily available in the U.S. until recently, but has been well-known and respected for more than a century in other parts of the world.

    We found our bottle of Canard-Duchêne for $38 at The Urban Grape, South End 

    Clinking glasses to toast each new month has never been more enjoyable – à votre santé!

    Watch for a few extra wine posts this month. We'll be telling you about some of our favorite value sparklers that are perfect for holdiay entertaining or as great value gifts.

    Here's more about Our Sparkling Resolution 

    And, Our Sparkling Resolution Winner’s List

    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: © 2013 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 great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.