Happy Early Mother’s Day!

May 9, 2018May 11, 2018Leave a comment

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As we approach Mother’s Day, I notice the sentimentality grows with my peers. Mom’s of all kinds (of pets as well as kid! yay!) should be celebrated as much as possible. Having a special day to commemorate everyone, everything, and all the good in between is what makes the world go round.

There’s so many ways to go about it, but as long as the intent is good and to make others happy, then I’m all for it.

Previous Mother’s Day stories can be found here.

It doesn’t take an expert of any kind to know that Mother’s Day and Rosé are synonymous with each other. Any kind of sweet beverage and sweet treat can and should be used for this and many other festive occasions.

Seeing all the Rosé display cases in the local wine shoppes is one of those thing I now look forward to, and you can see them as early as before that other holiday in February. I like to think of it as one of those post Christmas things that represents the days getting longer, the outdoor festivities and invitations picking up, and that means more chilled wines. That’s exactly right.

Part of the fun, and sometimes part of the angst, is picking the right wine. There is no right or wrong, unless you do something catastrophic. And using that word is a stretch, but you know what I mean.

Most of our peers are just grateful that wine is available, at reasonable prices, and with so many wines, grapes, varietals, whatever to choose from. It’s the kid in a candy store, the kid at Christmas, and the kid in (fill in the blank). But for this one, it’s for mom.

The 2017 L’Oliveto Rosé of Pinot Noir from Brack Mountain Wine Company is along the lines of any solid Rosé that you could sip now, with mama, or whenever. There’s nothing pretentious about it.

It’s a colorful wine with hints of fruit on the nose and on your palate. But more importantly, at under $15, it’s not going to hurt you in the money department, and even feels like a bit of a splurge.

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Just like a Pinot Noir, it’s easy to drink, easy to share, and has the right amount of acidity that it will go down smoothly.

That’s all that most folks ask for. The day itself might be stressful enough. If you want a wine that’ll make it easy on your mind, heart, and soul, this is just as good as any.

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I say this realizing that Rosé is still not a wine I can compare with others. I just can’t always tell you what’s good, great, or lackluster. As I’ve stated in the past, so many factors go into how a wine is going to feel to you…

Were you in the right frame of mind? Was the present company spiritually and harmoniously making you feel good? Were you feeling good?

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How about the food? Good food makes mama, and everyone else happy too! This plate of fish, and healthy veggies pairs perfectly with this Rosé.

I’m asking the same questions with different wording, but it all connects. You can have the same wine, the same food, and the same anything under different circumstances, and if one thing gets thrown off, then you may lose your center.

Part of my statements are projecting, as I’ve encountered this many times, lately. No experience is ever the same. I’ve had the same wine many times and it doesn’t exactly the same. I find that so fascinating. And it’s more than just your palate changing, it’s just symbolic of life and the experiences we go through in this journey.

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The journey is to be enjoyed. So whatever wine you share with mom, family, friends, and anyone else, always know that it’s meant to be fun, and you want to feel good as much as possible.

It’s not always easier said than one. Sometimes it just is.

Peace Be With You.

Ideen

…From This Exceptional Place

November 1, 2017November 1, 20171 Comment

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There’s a full moon coming this Saturday (November 4th), and if you’re superstitious like me, you look for signs of the crazies leading up to the full moon. Maybe the day before or the day before that bookend the day the moon is at its fullest each month is where you might things seem out of sorts. And before I start pointing fingers, I also look at myself. Have I been acting goofy? Have I not been myself? I can attribute it to the moon, the starts, the universe, and everything that’s beyond my control.

Some things are beyond our comprehension. Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on who you talk to) we also just take things at face value, and not seeing that their might be something bigger than us. This is how I go about drinking wine and writing about it. This is also how I go about a lot of things.

This whole week and these past couple of months have seen majors changes in me, my life, my peers, but overall the life around me is evolving. It’s a new normal which just becomes normal after a while. It’s fight or flight, or go into hiding.

Well I’m not ready to go into hiding. There’s plenty of great wine to be had and it’s November, the official start of holiday month, which actually lasts two months. It’s one of the most beautiful times of the year and a great time to be alive. The wine is going to hopefully match the sentiments of the time of year and the gathering that are to come.

But first, I need one for me and and only me. And this goes for all of us, the best time to appreciate wine is any time and way you want.

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I received a most intriguing Christmas gift last year, in the form of the 2012 Carneros Pinot Noir from Valley Of The Moon Winery of the Sonoma Valley.

It was sitting in the most beautiful of decorative bags all these months just waiting to be opened. Well it was worth the wait. It had the look and feel of a bottle over $20. And I don’t just mean the label. I had a sense that this isn’t an everyday wine to just crack open for no good reason.

Well today I did just crack it open, and the reasons are whatever I want them to be.

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I absolutely adore this wine. It has a presence and energy that just begs to be awesome. And it’s so awesome. I love a good Pinot Noir and this to me has more of a medium bodied feel than the lighter ones we’re used to. The oak along with hints of fall make it feel a little bolder than what a Pinot Noir may traditionally be.

And a huge thanks to my pals for this most charming of wine glasses.

When I say hints of fall, it could be the fact that the temperatures continue to drop and the days are getting shorter.

Along with the full moon, daylight savings time ends this weekend. That could be a double dose of chaos, or it could just be nothing. But in researching their 2014 Pinot that is available for purcahse, the notes mention toasted oak and cinnamon sticks. Yes, this is fall ladies and gentlemen!

The 2012 Notes mention aromas of cherry, honeysuckle, and currant. Cherry is easy to recognize, along with cranberry but the the additions of ginger, nutmeg, and vanilla confirm everything. This is the perfect wine for this time of year. I’m enjoying my bottle slowly as I write this to you. Yes I took plenty of time to appreciate this without photos and without writing, and will do so upon completion. It’s too good not to take your sweet time with.

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I want to thank another dear friend for providing me the yummy food that is featured with my vino. The meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and cabbage is a hearty meal that pairs perfectly. And this is a wine that can be had with just about anything. It’s that versatile.

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This is why sometimes it pays to go outside of the $10 range of wines and splurge a little bit. This is a gem and I’m so grateful to receive it as a gift and the timing to share it with everyone sounds about right.

Funny thing is I’ve never seen this wine in stores. Since I received this gift I still have yet to see it in nearly a year. I wonder with this celebration of my first Valley Of The Moon wine, will I start seeing it in wine shoppes somewhere along the way.

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I can only hope.

For more on Valley Of The Moon, here is their story, their list of wines, and options for purchase online.

Happy Full Moon and End Of Daylight Savings Time to you this weekend. I guess that’s something to celebrate, I think. But there’s no question this is a wine to be celebrated and appreciated.

I appreciate and celebrate this one so much.

Ideen

Good Friends Gathering

September 6, 2017September 6, 20171 Comment

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You don’t need wine to have an awesome gathering. But it certainly helps. So does good food. I mean when was the last time you were with friends, either inside or dining (see!) out, which didn’t involve one or the other, or both. And you can substitute wine for your favorite adult beverage. I mean it happens. Even the most serious of meetings involve something of sustenance.

And so it goes on. I was invited to a quite gathering of friends recently, and had no idea what I was getting myself into. I mean I’m close with the hosts, friends with many of the attendees, and I like a peaceful gathering. The difference is that this was a get together for a show that so many people adore, and up until this event, I had only seen once. Earlier in the season, I was invited to the premiere of this party, but chose to sit that one out. For the finale, I think I just wanted to be around friends.

And with friends means food, it means wine, it and it means good times.

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I didn’t do any intense research on what wind to bring. I was told stew was being served, so a medium bodied red wine is what came to mind. No it’s not quite time to completely switch over to reds, but I will be mixing up the whites, reds, and hopefully a few more Rosé as well.

In hindsight I’m glad the awkward change of the season lead to an awkward choice of wine.

The 2015 Reserva Malbec Petit Verdot from Oveja Negra is one of those wines that I can’t really get excited for. I’ve had previous vintages and thought the same ting. I’ve seen their bottles everywhere, and fortunately have never seen it priced for more than $10, so it does have that going for them.

There’s been gems and beauties that you can find under $10, but I can’t vouch for this one. Yes there’s a lovely sheep on the label, but sometimes that isn’t enough. This is coming from an animal lover. But it’s a different kind of sheep. Hmmm.. But enough about the label.

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This wine is dark. The berries are dark, there’s smoke, there’s pepper, but there might be other things that don’t make this the most welcoming of wines/ It’s simply a wine that you drink, might have it with some food, have another sip, and then you go do something else.

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This makes the goblet all the more apropos.

It’s not terrible but it’s not great. It’s an average wine that won’t offend anyone but I don’t think it will inspire anyone either.

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Being around great company will make any wine that much better. Which tells me that the wine might be even been that much more lackluster when in a much less welcoming or setting of solitude. It’s a medium to full bodied wine that is missing the components that make a wine stellar. There’s no length of boldness to it. I don’t ask for much but this isn’t offering much of anything.

Yet, every now and again I keep seeing this wine and I keep buying it, hoping it’ll inspire and move me in a powerful way. It didn’t happen this time. B

But there will always be a next time.

I love my friends, I love my family, and I love good times. Those mean more to me than any quality of wine. Well, the good food helps.

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That’s pork and some fantastic side items and foods. Oh this is yummy. The stew was incredible too, in case I hadn’t already said that.

For more on Oveja Negra click here. and here is their contact information.

Old Bridge Cellars is the importer, and they have an easy-to-use link to find this wine near you.

Thanks so much, and hopefully the pending change of the season, leads to some more exciting wines. My gut tells me yes.

Ideen

A Rosé By Any Other Name…

August 30, 2017August 30, 2017Leave a comment

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Charles & Charles is a label that stands out and may resonate with you, if you’ve seen it.

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It was only a matter of time, and there’s no time like now, but their 2016 Rosé is everything that you want in the Summer, or any climate that suits you for that matter.

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For my final post of August (how sad does that sound) 2017, it had to be a Rosé, and if this one was a letdown I would be honest about it. However, this is one of the better wines of its kind that you’re going to find. Oh cool that rhymed…

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What will stand out is the American Flags that adorn their labels. That’s always going to bring you in, and that’s before you’ve even had a sip. The patterns and colors will just hit you, and it’s hit me, even in a sea of hundreds of bottles in any aisle of your local wine supplier, their wines I’ve thought about, and I’ve never had one. Until last week.

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I will always be grateful and fortunate to have friends that simply say, stop by or invite me over to say hello. It’s informal, organic, spontaneous, and usually leads to the best of conversations.

The light pink, almost pale like color is another detail that can’t go unnoticed.

I’ve read multiple reviews of this wine, and seen so many different details and those notes you always heard about, expounded upon.

One term I’ve often not used, if ever, because I like to keep it simple, is acidity.

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Acidity is what gives the wine its sour kind of taste, even in those sweeter wines. This wine, with all its citrus and fruit flavors, has the perfect amount of acidity that counterbalances the slight sweetness of Charles and Charles’ gem of a wine.

Taking out any other technical details, this is jut an enjoyable wine. And my friend and I enjoyed this rather swiftly. Like most wines, I believe they all should be savored. But sometimes, and maybe more than sometimes, you’re on a roll. You’re enjoying the conversation, the setting, the weather, and all the other details of the universe that can’t be put into text, that the wine feels like its going down rather quickly, and all of a sudden its gone.

Sometimes it’s like that. Time is a relative thing. When life is good, it feels like time stands still. It also moves literally at the speed of light, or speed of a great Rose.

I would say this bottle was split in about an hour so, but does the time frame really matter? No food was paired with it, but you don’t need any. But at the same time a wine like this is so adaptive and versatile, that it can be paired with all kinds of finger foods and dishes. What you choose is up to you, and that’s all that matters. If it makes you happy, that’s all that matters.

This wine, not just this Rosé makes me happy, and like any awesome bottle, it will be one that will carry a good memory with me to last a lifetime. I’m glad this is how I had my first wine from Charles & Charles, and I know this won’t be the last.

At a price range from $11-$15, it’s worth more than just the dollar amount. It’s beautiful. And I’ve seen their labels at many a shoppe, so you shouldn’t have any trouble finding one near you.

I would also like to thank my friend for a few of the up-close photos that are displayed prominently throughout this post. I’m grateful.

For more on the wines of Charles & Charles‘ click here. More about them in video form (which is awesome by the way), a link to purchase their wines online, and their contact info.

Here’s my Rosé history lesson.

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Here’s to Summer. I hope to keep it going.

Thanks so much.

Ideen

More Bang For Your Buck

August 16, 2017August 16, 20172 Comments

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I went back to see the last time I did a post exclusively to Vinho Verde. How funny that is one year ago today (or tomorrow depending on where we are) that this happened.

I’m grateful that I did or I would be kicking myself for not supporting and promoting this fantastic wine, that should never be taken for granted. In the context of summer wines this is one that may get lost in the shuffle to some. But I will attempt to not let that happen again.

All you need to know about Vinho Verde is in this link right here, to see how easy it is to drink, understand, and appreciate in many different settings.

Since the wines are traditionally lower in alcohol content, that means they’re much easier to drink, more accessible to people who don’t love wine but are willing to try, and can be complemented with a plethora of meals, snacks, or with nothing at all.

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This most simple and peaceful of experiences takes me back to June, and a return to V-NO Wine Bar in the historic Fells Point neighborhood in Baltimore. Surprisingly to me, I’ve made only one post in regards to this beautiful space, and that can be found here.

That day I was with friends. I’ve been here many times with friends. On this visit, this was for me.

After taking a peaceful stroll around the beautiful rowhomes and remembering how much I need to appreciate these cobblestone streets, I made my way to V-NO on this most gorgeous of Saturday afternoons.

I think I got there as soon as it opened, so there was some level of enthusiasm on top of the spontaneity.

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I was welcomed by Jane, who I wish I had thanked sooner. She could not have been more accommodating. I told he about my blog, and she was happy to help. I took a lot of pictures but also helped her out in setting a few things up, since they just opened. Reciprocation is one of the joys of life, and makes us who we are.

Where is all this going? Well I wanted a wine, and in fact I got to try two. But for this weeks post I will focus on the Vinho Verde from Broadbent Selections.

Under the most peculiar of circumstances I think I would enjoy this wine. It’s so simple, so refreshing, and in many ways irresistible.

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I was outside, alone, yet the entire world around me was moving along at the most endearing of paces. There were walkers, joggers, bicyclists, folks on the nearby pirate cruise, and my favorite friends on four legs (leashed of course) were in abundance.

For a while I forgot where I was. It felt like a utopia. It was a good hour or so of just being. Yes I did take a few pictures but then I put the phone away and just chose to be. That’s not the easiest thing to do in the world we live in, but I think I pulled it off without even trying.

This is what I think… As enjoyable and simplistic as this wine was, it resonates with me much deeper than I or anyone else can explain. Yes it was a simple glass of wine but to me something else was going on here. And that part is just for me eyes and ears. I know you know what I’m talking about. We’ve all been there.

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There’s something about this wine, and not that just that beautiful label that drew me in. And I’ve had this one several times before but not like this. In the past it just was a wine I had and then I moved on and did something else. This could have been any wine in this session but it was this one for a reason. It tasted better than ever.

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Now I may have this again and it just goes back to being a good wine with fruits of summer and that clear color is nice to look at, and then that’s it. But at least for this day, this hour, this place in time it will mean more than even I’ll ever know.

And this wine can be found just about anywhere. I’ve seen at so many stores for under $10. Just another reason to love this.

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