BostonZest

We Toast October 2023 with a Great Holiday Wine, Dibon Cava Brut Rosé

Penny was selecting a bottle of Dibon Cava Brut Rosé from our wine rack to give as a thank-you gift to a friend when she suggested we write about Dibon for our October 2023 toast. 

We've been enjoying and recommending this wine for more than a decade. We like to call it a budget sparkler with a high-end taste. Back then, it was about $10.00 a bottle. Our latest purchase from Gordon’s Fine Wines was still just $11.99 with the case discount.  

We’re not the only ones who recognize the quality of this wine. First, the importer is a company we trust, Oz Wines. Over the years, we’ve enjoyed many wines selected by this team. Seeing the Oz name on a bottle is reason enough for us to try it.

The Winery Bodegas Pinord winemakers describe this rosé cava. They recommend its tiny, delicate bubbles, gentle red fruit aroma, full mouth-feel, and elegant finish. You’ll also notice on their site that it's made from organically grown grapes and is only 11.5% ABV. 

Dibon Rosé would be a great toasting wine for a Thanksgiving meal. It has a palate-cleansing freshness we enjoy with food. It also makes an excellent mixer for drinks that call for adding sparkling wine like a mimosa, Aperol spritz, or bellini. One of our favorite wine mentors kept this brand behind the bar for precisely that purpose!

Bonus Recommendation! Dibon also makes an excellent Brut Reserve Cava if that's your toasting preference.

Dibon Cavas are great value wines for toasting, gifting, as mixers, or to have on hand for last-moment celebrations. We regularly add a few bottles to our orders to have on hand all year round,

However, this time of year, consider ordering it by the case. Some shops will offer a discount for as little as six bottles. We suggest calling your favorite wine merchant to ask if they have Dibon Rosé in stock. If they don’t, they can order what you need in time for the holiday season.

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 purchased our bottle from Gordon’s Fine Wines for $11.99 with the case discount.

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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2012-2023 Penny & Ed Cherubino 

We'll Toast September 2023 with Massachusetts' Own Sparkler, Westport Rivers RJR Brut Cruvée

Westport Rivers Vineyard and Winery was founded by the Russell family in 1986. Our first visit to this lovely destination in Westport, Massachusetts was in the year 2000. We'll raise a glass and remember our past enjoyment of this place and this wine with a glass of 2012 Westport Rivers RJR Brut Cuvée.

Here's a quote from our first BostonZest post on this wine that was published in 2010.

In it Ed wrote, 

"I can remember a trip to Westport Rivers Vineyard 10-years ago, after Penny and I had discovered their wines. Carol & Bob Russell showed us around their operation with a passion that continues to shine through in every bottle they produce.

We've been fans of their artistry ever since that visit and never miss the chance to show-off RJR to our out-of-state visitors. RJR's price has varied through the years. We picked up this bottle, on sale, for around $20.

To me it has a fresh, bright, appley quality and rivals some much costlier and more well-known champagnes. We love to slip it into blind tastings, just to see the "I can't believe it" looks from our guests."

This is a great time of the year for day trips, and Westport is an easy and enjoyable day trip from Boston. The Vineyard website contains information on tastings, tours, and special events. Be sure to click on the Contact/FAQ tab for more details. The photos below are courtesy of Westport Vineyard and Winery.

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 purchased our bottle at Gordon's Fine Wines for $28.79 with a case discount. 

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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©2010 to 2023 Penny & Ed Cherubino 

Our August 2023 Toast Will Be Filled with Nino Franco Rustico Memories

On August 1, 2023, we'll raise a glass of Nino Franco Rustico and recall all the times this sparkler has been part of great moments and quiet times. This Prosecco is our house wine, one we always have on hand and ready to pop open and enjoy. And, after all these years, we still love it.

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!

When we sip Rustico, we often think of Provincetown. We would bring it with us from our home stash in the early years. We were overjoyed when a new wine shop carried this favorite, and we could support one more local business.

Here are a few views of Nino Franco Rustico in Provincetown.

We will always smile when we remember meeting the charming Silvia Franco here in Boston.

 

We hope you find a great wine as your house wine and enjoy many beautiful moments with the people you love and the wine you can always rely upon to make you smile with each sip.

 

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Photos: ©2020 Penny & Ed Cherubino 

We'll Toast July 2023 with Dr. Konstantin Frank's 2018 Brut Rosé

We're staying near home with our choice of an American wine for July 2023. This month we'll toast with and enjoy the memories brought to us by Dr. Konstantin Frank's 2018 Brut Rosé. This groundbreaking vineyard is in the Finger Lakes region of New York.

Wines usually remind us of the people we have shared them with or the wine mentors who taught us about them. In this case, that would be our friends David and Peter. The first time we heard about Dr. Konstantin Frank and his wonderful wines was soon after we met them and discovered we shared a love of food, wine, and sharing great food experiences.

A Finger Lakes wine also reminds us of trips to Limerock Speedway in Caledonia, NY. There was a time when we drove a mid-engine sports car and were autocross and auto racing fans and would make the trip to this area to enjoy the schedule of events at this track. If you're planning a trip to this delightful area in the fall-foliage season, consider adding visits to both the Dr. Konstantin Frank Vineyard and Limerock to your itinerary. 

About Dr. Konstantin Frank's 2018 Brut Rosé

The vineyard describes this wine:

"Our Brut Rosé is a blend of 95% Pinot Noir and 5% Pinot Meunier. The grapes are hand harvested and very lightly pressed. Secondary fermentation took place in bottle for a minimum of 30 months in our historic underground cellar. 

Seductive and shimmering, the light rosé color pulls you into its fragrant fruitiness. Strawberries and tart cherries circled by mouthwatering shale minerality completes this sunny and sophisticated wine.

Perfect for celebrations and special occasions. Pair with oysters, lobster, smoked salmon, fried foods, egg dishes, sushi, popcorn, or seafood-based Chinese dishes."

Wine Enthusiast gave this wine a score of 90 saying:
"A perfumed, creamy and silky sparkling rosé with delicate raspberry and strawberry aromas and a hint of candied orange. Flows gracefully over the palate, the mousse very neatly matched with the creaminess from lees contact. The finish is very clean, in spite of a hint of sweetness. Drink now."

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 from the vineyard for $31 after a 6-bottle discount. Sadly, we have to inform you that this wine is currently sold out. 

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Photos: ©2023 Penny  Cherubino 

We'll Toast June 2023 with a Favotive Prosecco Venti22due Superiore Conegliano-Valdobbiadene D.O.C.G.

Venti22due Superiore Conegliano-Valdobbiadene D.O.C.G. has made our list of favorite Proseccos despite the fact that we are yet to purchase a bottle of it ourselves.

That's because a dear friend has made a habit of buying a bottle for us as a gift for many occasions or just because he wants to surprise us with something nice. We're fortunate to have him in our lives for many reasons beyond his lovely gifts.

We have a strong preference for wines that are low in alcohol, and this one is just 11% ABV. It's from the heart of Prosecco country and is eligible to use Superiore Conegliano-Valdobbiadene D.O.C.G. on the label. 

Prosecco is a perfect summer sparkler. The best of them (and this is one) are food-friendly, crisp, and refreshing. There was once a tradition in Italy that a glass of Prosecco would be served to diners as soon as they were seated in a restaurant. While this has faded away, we think that having a bottle of Prosecco chilled and ready to share with unexpected guests is a delightful way to say, "Welcome!"

Here's the information on the label and hang tag.

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 bottle was a gift.

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Photos: © 2019 - 2020 Penny & Ed Cherubino 

On May 1, 2023 We Honor Rollin Soles with a Glass of 2016 RMS Brut from ROCO Winery

This month we'll celebrate the memories of many great wines created by winemaker Rollin Soles at both ROCO and Argyle Wineries in Oregon. We will raise a glass of his 2016 RMS Brut from ROCO Winery. The RMS stands for Rollin Michael Soles, and we decided to enjoy the oldest of the three vintages we have on hand. 

These three (RMS Brut 2016, 2017, and 2018) were part of a special offering we bought directly from the vineyard.

We've been following Rollin Soles and enjoying his wines for decades. He's been making wine in the Willamette Valley since 1986. Our first glass of his wine was an Argyle Sparkler on the wine list at Hamersley's Bistro. We began buying this for home service from Bauer Wine and Spirits and remember when it was available for less than $20 for a magnum.

We recall serving magnums of Argyle at a July 4th fireworks party on our roof deck and having a guest shocked when he learned the low cost of a wine he thought to be extravagant hospitality on our part. 

Above are a few of the wines we have enjoyed over the years from this great winemaker. We met him at a tasting at Bauer Wine years ago and learned that one reason we love his wine is that we love the same things in a wine that he does. He loves pinot noir and great sparkling wine, and we love pinot noir and great sparkling wine.

In an interview with Owen Bargreen, Rollin said, "I’ve been helped along and inspired by large to small producers in Champagne. Everyone has been so very generous with their time, and they’ve not been afraid to open a lot of beautiful wines that should have been enjoyed by a roomful of buyers! During my early days: Bollinger by far and continuing, Billecart Salmon, Roederer, and Dom Perignon Today: Vilmart, Pierre Peters, Geoffroy, Goutourbe, Jean Milan, Pehu Simonet and so many more."

This list includes many of our favorite Champagnes and some we want to try. Bollinger is also at the top of that list for us. We like the same wines!

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 of 2016 ROCO RMS Brut in a special package from the vineyard. To find special offers like this consider signing up for email from your favorite vineyards.

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Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
Photos: ©1995-2020 Penny Cherubino, Photos of Rollin Soles courtesy of ROCO Winery.

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