BostonZest

Spring Is in Bloom with Gran Sarao Cava Rosé

Now that spring is in full bloom, we’re toasting the arrival of May with a Gran Sarao Cava Rosé! This was an easy choice. Because we’ve been cava fans for years and rosé lovers for as long as I can remember, combining the two just heightens the entire experience.



As you approach this sparkler, your eye is teased by its intense red currant hue. The frothy top from a generous pour draws you closer for the scent of red fruit with a hint of plum and fig preserve. But, even if your description isn’t as precise (and mine seldom is), the joy of this wine is that it’s appealing on many level.

Gran Sarao Cave Rosé not only goes well with food but is also sipable all by itself, and wins our praise for its nice, light 11.5 % alcohol. 

The winery has set goals to ensure great quality of the cava they import that include: ageing, family owned company, and disgorged to order.

We’re always impressed by a good bottle of sparkling wine at an attractive price that seems to fit almost any occasion and any glass. Make it a cava rosé and we’re sold.

Here's More About:

Our Sparkling Resolution

Our Sparkling Resolution Winner’s List

Happy Summer: We Declare Rosé Wine Season Open!

Want to learn more about wine? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site! Here are three of our favorite wine books.

The Food Lover's Guide to Wine

The New Wine Lover's Companion

The Wine Bible

 

 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.

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Toast April with Nino Franco Prosecco – an 11% Sparkler!

Another month means another sparkling toast from us to the future. This time, we raise a glass of Nino Franco Rustico Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG. Not only does this wonderful Italian sparkler add light and life to our day, but it also does it with a low 11% alcohol so that we can have a glass for lunch and then go back to work.

(Note: We're not recommending that you drink and drive or do critical tasks after a glass of wine. We walk to our home office and only operate keyboards and cameras.)

This wine is 100% Glera, the traditional grape for Prosecco. In fact, the grape was called Prosecco for most of its history until recently. According to Wikipedia, the book "Il roccolo Ditirambo," written by Aureliano Acanti in 1754 says, "And now I would like to wet my mouth with that Prosecco with its apple bouquet."

This sparkler is also a great value when you can find it around the $15.99 price at retail. We bought ours at Bauer Wine & Spirits on Newbury Street.

It is straw colored with persistent bubbles and a crisp, pleasant flavor and, yes, an apple note that makes you understand how a host in the Veneto or Friuli regions of Italy might greet evey guest with a glass of this as a sparkling welcome.

You'll also find it on wine lists across the area. While it is about to rotate off the list at Island Creek Oyster Bar in Kenmore Square, we did enjoy a glass for lunch last week and could return to work and accomplish something post Nino! (Island Creek also has a reserve offering from Nino Franco on the current list that you may want to try.)

 

We're on the hunt for more wines in the 12% alcohol or less category. We'll also be posing this topic to some of our wine mentors and reporting back on their recommendations.

If you find a good one, let us know. 

Here's more about Our Sparkling Resolution      

And, 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 are three of our favorite wine books.

The Food Lover's Guide to Wine

The New Wine Lover's Companion

The Wine Bible

  

Details:
Words: Penny 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 great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.

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March Sparkles with Argyle’s 2001 Extended Tirage Brut – It’s a Sure Thing!

Unlike the often unpredictable month of March (heat waves, Ides of March, sequestration … ), Argyle’s 2001 Extended Tirage Brut is a sure thing! While we’re always looking for a worthy sparkler that’s capable of wowing us as we celebrate the arrival of a new month, this astonishing bottle of wine actually is the celebration. 

52% Chardonnay, 45% Pinot Noir, 3% Pinot Meunier

As longtime Argyle fans, we’ve come to expect greatness, but this sparkler gets an extra star.
Penny thinks it, ”makes its Argyle pinot roots very apparent! Not only do you taste pinot, but Argyle pinot! This must have made Rollin smile.” (The man behind Argyle, Rollin Soles, told us about his love of pinot noir and sparkling wine in this 2011 Video Interview.)

We both say, “Don’t over-chill this gem.” While we loved the cold bubbles, it doesn’t need cold. Drink through the temperatures. This wine deserves the respect you’d give a Krug!"   

Ed tasted, “Vanilla ... butter” and suggested, “rolling it around in your mouth for maximum flavor.”



Argyle Wines 2001 Extended Tirage Brut Tasting Notes include:

• Nose - “honey drizzled chevre on warm toasted artisan bread” … “brioche”
• “delicate, tiny bubbles”
• “creamy yet … clean acidity”
• Flavors, “vanilla bean, creme brulee, baked pear”...“hints of licorice, peach, spun sugar.”

Although the 2001 Extended Tirage is officially Sold Out, you still might be able to find a bottle, or you could simply move on to the 2002 version. Judging from its stellar reviews, you will not be disappointed.

Here’s to March! We’re ready for whatever it brings!


Argyle’s Rollin Soles Talks Wine with BostonZest (VIDEO)

Featured bottle of Aryle’s 2001 Extended Tirage Brut from Gordon’s Fine Wines & Liquors  

Our Sparkling Resolution 

Sparkling Resolution Winner’s List

Want to learn more about wine? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site! Here are three of our favorite wine books.

The Food Lover's Guide to Wine

The New Wine Lover's Companion

The Wine Bible

 

 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 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.

How to Survive Wine Expo 2013

The Boston Wine Expo is this weekend, February 16-17, 2013. Back in 2010, working with some smart friends we wrote, Staying Sober at Wine Tasting Events like the Boston Wine Expo. 

Are you going to the Wine Expo this weekend or do you have another big tasting event to attend? Tell us what you're planning to bring, do, and taste? And, check back afterwards to tell us your reactions to the event and if any of our tips helped.

Our tips include:

• What to pack to help you stay sober, collect information, and enjoy large tasting events. 
• How to spit without making a mess of yourself and the event.
• How to plan your approach to the event and...
• How to tell when you've reached your capacity!

Here's the link to: Staying Sober at Wine Tasting Events like the Boston Wine Expo. 

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Here's what we've been writing about wine.

Fine wine glasses that are dishwasher safe? Because Ed insists on washing our stems, I can't swear to it, but the manufacturer says that the Schott Zwiesel Tritan Crystal Forte Collection can go in the dishwasher. We do put our barware from the same line through the dishwaser all the time.

Details:
Words: Penny 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.

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February Sparkles with a Crémant de Bourgogne Rosé

What better way to greet February than with the lovely sparkle of a Crémant de Bourgogne. Whether you’re celebrating love, welcoming a new month, or toasting the promise of an early spring, this gorgeous bottle of bubbles from La Maison du Crémant in eastern France will make you happy.



We selected this Brut Rosé at Bauer Wine & Spirits where they describe the wine as having, “aromas and flavors of sweet strawberries, bread dough, red currants, and a hint of lavender.” The Pinot Noir, Chardonnay blend is “refreshing, bright, fruity, and fresh.”



We enjoyed this sparkler even more as it warmed in our glasses, while we shared an outstanding cheddar, a favorite baguette, and one of Penny's homemade apple/raisin crostatas.



It’s a Crémant that would be comfortable in most any setting – with a meal, hors d’oeuvres, or for simply a toast and conversation. “For the money ($15.99) you won't be disappointed.” A sweetheart of a February sparkler!

And, if you're choosing a special wine for Valentine's Day, here are some of our recommendations.

Sophisticated Pink Sparklers for Valentines' Day

Share Our Sparkling Resolution  

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 are three of our favorite wine books.

The Food Lover's Guide to Wine

The New Wine Lover's Companion

The Wine Bible

  

Details:
Words: 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 great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.

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Planet Oregon Pinot Noir, an Excellent and Very Green, Red Wine

Love Pinot Noir and the environment? Are you a fan of winemaker Tony Soter? Adore a great wine value? Then you'll want to pick up a bottle or two or three of Planet Oregon Pinot Noir.

At about $20 a bottle, this wine will put a smile on your Valentine's face when you match it with a great meal for that special day. What's more, with a wonderful story and impeccable environmental credentials, it will make every sip more satisfying.

This is a winery with a mission statement: 

"Our Purpose is to Produce Persuasively Good Oregon Pinot For People Uninterested in Pomp, Pretense or Posturing.  A Populist Product That is Pure and Positively Progressive. Only Oregon Pinot Noir.  Passionately Produced But Practically Packaged. The Perennial Taste of Planet Oregon at a Palatable Price. " 

We served it on Thanksgiving to rave reviews after Howie Rubin at Bauer Wine & Spirits pointed it out to us. This is a wine that is big on flavor. The notes that Bauer sent out about it said:

"Planet Oregon Pinot noir is a lovely, garnet colored wine. A delectable aroma of fresh raspberries, just picked on a hot summer day, almost takes your breath away. An upfront juiciness follows through with mouthwatering flavors of raspberries, blackberries, and cherries, tinged with a suggestion of sweet baking spices and dried herbs. A pretty, easy to love wine, ready to drink. Close your eyes while drinking it and be taken to an Oregon vineyard on a perfect summer day."

In many fewer words let us say, we loved it from first sniff to final sip.

Yes, this is a great Oregon pinot at a great price. It has earned a reserved spot in our wine rack, welcome there anytime we see it on offer.

Want to learn more about wine? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site! Here are three of our favorite wine books.

The Food Lover's Guide to Wine

The New Wine Lover's Companion

The Wine Bible

 

 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.

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Are You Drinking Wine Too Cold and Coffee Too Hot?

This week a post, "Coffee: Some Like it (Too) Hot" from Liz Clayton over on Serious Eats, hit on a frequent topic of conversation at our place – the perfect temperature for drinking coffee or wine. We experiment with wine, drinking through various temperatures to see where it tastes best. And, Ed swears his morning shot of espresso is perfect after it has cooled for a few minutes.

We're making Liz's post and a corresponding article from New York Times Wine Critic Eric Asimov, "Not So Cold ... Doctor’s Order," our Friday Links today. 

By the way, according to the photo credit over on Serious Eats, there really is a town named, Hot Coffee. 

Want to learn more about wine? Remember to click over to Amazon from here to support this site! Here are three of our favorite wine books.

The Food Lover's Guide to Wine

The New Wine Lover's Companion

The Wine Bible

 

 Details:

Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Screenshot courtesy of Serious Eats.  

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.

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