 |
|
|
Wines
Winemaker
Amy LaBelle of LaBelle Winery in Amherst,
New Hampshire makes gorgeous wines full of nuanced flavors. Her LaBelle
Winery Americus is a dry red, medium body wine that is a
delectable blend of 50% Cabernet Franc, and 50% of the
French hybrid grape Noiret. The result is stunning with dark fruit and
red berries on the aromatic nose with lushness that follows through on the
palate with a slightly spicy lingering peppery finish. Although bold on
flavors, Labelle Winery Americus has only 12.9% alcohol, which is another plus
in its favor. Although great to pair with grilled meats and heavier dishes, we
paired it with Luxury Experience - Seared Scallops with Fig Butter and
Candied Bacon, and the result was a fabulous pairing. The recipe works
well as a passed hors d'oeuvre at parties, as an appetizer, or main course. Cheers
and Bon Appetit!
|
|
Read more...
|
|
The Russian
River Valley is noted for producing great wines, and 90+ Cellars Russian River Valley Chardonnay 2021 Lot 130 is gorgeous. Richly aromatic with heady aromas of green apple, lemony
citrus, tropical fruit, and a light toasty oak finish on the palate, make it
delicious to drink on its own or to pair with food. We paired it with Luxury
Experience - Salmon in a Beurre Blanc Sauce with Mushroom Wild Rice
which brought out the lushness and complex nuances of the wine. Cheers and Bon
Appetit!
|
|
Read more...
|
|
Autumn is
on its way, and our thoughts turn to enjoying heavier-bodied red wines bursting
with flavor. Poggio Rosso Chianti Classico Gran Selezione DOCG 2018 San Felice, Italy is a sensational
dry, red wine from the Tuscan region that embodies
a great wine. Made from 100% Sangiovese grapes, aged for 20
months in French oak barrels, followed by 15 months in the bottle,
this wine has a cellaring capability of 20-25 years. We opened a bottle 5 years
into its aging capability from bottling in 2018 and it was phenomenal, and it
should only get even better in a few more years. We paired it with our recipe
for Luxury Experience - Beef Wellington and it was old-school perfect. Salud
and Mangia Bene!
|
|
Read more...
|
|
When we
think of pairing Tempranillo, our thoughts turn to tapas, and Monteabellón 5 meses en barrica Tempranillo 2021 D.O. Ribera Del
Duero, Spain is not only
delectable, it also pairs well with a variety of food. Aged for 5 months in oak
barrels, 50% French oak and 50% American oak, this deep red wine
is gorgeously aromatic with blackberries, blueberries, and black cherries on
the nose and on the palate and layered oak notes. Salud!
|
|
Read more...
|
|
Red wine lovers are in for a treat with the San
Felice Chianti Classico DOCG 2021. This
traditional, elegant Chianti Classico delivers cherries, raspberries, and hints
of violets on the nose and palate and pairs well with a diverse variety of
food. We paired it with our recipe for Luxury Experience - Swordfish with
Tomatoes, Shitake Mushrooms, and Red Peppers and it was a delicious
pairing.
|
|
Read more...
|
|
LaBelle
Winery winemaker and owner Amy LaBelle has
crafted a very delicious, elegant, and very special dry white wine with her LaBelle Winery Amherst Vineyard Estate White. Made in Amherst, New Hampshire, LaBelle Winery Amherst Vineyard
Estate White sings the praises of New England and the New Hampshire terroir.
This is a delectable wine to drink on its own to pair with a variety of food.
We paired it with Luxury Experience - Artichoke and Green Chile Mousse
and it was a hands-down favorite. Cheers!
|
|
Read more...
|
|
When friends
invited us over for a spontaneous al fresco dinner, what did we bring? Ninety Plus Cellars Reserve
Series Lot 132 Côtes de Provence, Rosé, A.O.P France 2022 paired with our
easy to make, easy to love, Shrimp and Scallop Seafood Salad,
because summertime is all about having fun and leisurely, easy dining. Ninety
Plus Cellars Reserve Series Lot 132 Côtes de Provence, Rosé, A.O.P France 2022
is the essence of summer! Enjoy every moment! Santé and Bon Appetit!
|
|
Read more...
|
|
What we
love about LaBelle Winery located in Amherst, New Hampshire
is that Winemaker Amy LaBelle, is crafting delectable, less
well-known wines, like her LaBelle Winery Petit Verdot. This bold,
red wine is richly succulent and redolent with black fruit, floral, violet,
and tobacco notes. It's gorgeous to drink on its own, and pairs well with
grilled steaks, bold food, and dark chocolate. We paired LaBelle Winery
Petit Verdot with Luxury Experience - Grilled Chicken with "PV"
Barbecue Sauce. We not only drank the wine, we also added some Petit
Verdot to our homemade barbecue sauce to bring out the flavors of the wine and
complement the food, and it was a perfect match. Cheers and Bon Appetit!
|
|
Read more...
|
|
Ninety Plus Cellars Lot 197
Prosecco Rosé DOC Extra Dry, Millesimato 2022 from Italy is bellissima to drink all summer long. This medium dry
sparkling wine combines Glera and Pinot Noir grapes that give it structure,
layers of nuanced flavors, its elegant rose color, and lively bubbles. If you
love Prosecco and Rosé wine, this elegant Prosecco Rosé is destined to become a
new summer favorite and is perfect to drink on its own or to pair with food. To
showcase its versatility, we created a Prosecco Rosé cocktail and used it in
our culinary recipe for Strawberry Rhubarb Yogurt Cake. Saluti
and Mangia bene!
|
|
Read more...
|
|
Love white
wine but want to try something different? For summer we like to lighten up and
found LaBelle Winery Seyval Blanc made in Amherst, New Hampshire to not only be
delectable, but it also only has 12% alcohol. This crisp, semi-dry wine
pairs well with seafood, chicken, creamy pasta, or on its own. We paired it
with grilled shrimp with mango and green pepper, and it was delicious, and we
also used it in a wine-based cocktail, and it was also a hit. Cheers and Bon
Appetit!
|
|
Read more...
|
|
For the
past 140 years, Carmel Winery in Israel has
produced quality Kosher wines with layered nuances of flavors.
After experiencing and enjoying their Carmel Signature Single
Vineyards Volcano Merlot 2020, Evyatar Creek, Galilee, Israel we tried their Carmel
Appellation Cabernet Sauvignon 2020, Galilee, Israel, which was also delicious and had aromatic notes of black fruit,
black cherries, cassis, and blackberries, that followed through on the palate
with balanced tannins and acidity. Imported by Royal
Wine Corp., this wine will be a welcome addition to our wine cellar.
|
|
Read more...
|
|
Now that Spring has arrived and
Summer will soon be here, our thoughts and palates start thinking about lower
alcohol wines to enjoy with friends. We found that Ottella Lugana DOC 2021 from the Lugana Region of Northern
Italy to be a very notable choice with only 12.5% alcohol, but with
layers of flavors. This is an elegant wine that is perfect to serve as an
aperitif or to pair with food. Ottella
Lugana DOC 2021 is imported by Vias
Imports, Ltd. Salud!
|
|
Read more...
|
|
We fell in
love with Carmel Signature Single
Vineyards Volcano Merlot 2020, from the Evyatar
Creek in Galilee, Israel since the first sip during Kosher Food
& Wine Experience 2023 in New York hosted by Royal
Wine Corp. Intrigued after speaking with the Chief Winemaker Yiftach Perets,
we later tried this wine at home where we could better appreciate this gorgeous
deep red wine with layered aromatics and dark fruit on the palate. Although
Kosher for Passover, this stunning wine would be a welcome addition to your
wine cellar and enjoyed at any time.
|
|
Read more...
|
|
Pinot Noir
fans are in for a treat with 90 Plus Cellars Reserve Series
2020 Pinot Noir Lot 75 Russian River Valley from Sonoma County, California. Part of the 90
Plus Cellars Reserve Series, this Pinot Noir is big and bold, a powerhouse of
flavor with dark cherries on the nose and on the palate, and 14.5% alcohol.
Delectable to drink on its own, this gorgeous wine will steal the show when
paired with food. We created a pairing menu, Luxury Experience - Roast
Pork with Cherry Sauce, which features the wine in the sauce to pick up
its layered nuances. Cheers and Bon Appetit!
|
|
Read more...
|
|
Drinking
prosecco always reminds us of fabulous times spent in Italy where we celebrated
the end of each day with an aperitivo and small bites before venturing
out for dinner later in the evening. While we may not be hopping on a plane to
Italy as often as we would like, drinking Ninety Plus Cellars Lot 50 Brut Prosecco DOC from Veneto, Italy brings back those memories each time
we raise a flute glass and toast, Saluti!
|
|
Read more...
|
|
While Makasi
Wine made in the San Francisco Bay area of California
may be a newcomer to the wine market, (the brand launched in April 2022), Winemaker
Danny Sullivan has been making wines for over 10 years for private
label clients, family, and friends. Now the rest of us get to enjoy these
stellar wines from the boutique Makasi label, produced and bottled by Treasure
Island Wines in San Francisco, California. We loved the M-19CH-SLV-CNV,
shorthand for Makasi 2019 Chardonnay Siletto Valley Cienga Valley,
as this stunning, non-buttery Chardonnay was aged to perfection
for 14-months in neutral French oak barrels and stainless-steel tanks. Cheers!
|
|
Read more...
|
|
Since 1905,
Ottella wines from Lugana, Italy have been winning awards. Their Ottella Le
Creete Lugana DOC 2021 received
92 points from Wine Spectator and is a crisp, white wine with luscious
pineapple and grapefruit notes on the nose, and intense minerality from the
white clay of the terroir. This is a wonderful wine to enjoy on its own or to
pair with a variety of food. We paired it with pasta as well as with seafood,
and the wine was delicious. Ottella Le Creete Lugana DOC 2021 is
imported by Vias Imports, Ltd. Salud!
|
|
Read more...
|
|
After the
excitement of the November and December holidays, there is always a bit of a
slide into the January doldrums and the need for a bit of decadence to ease
into the new year. Riserva wines are always special, and we found
that the Il Grigio Da San Felice Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2019 from the San Felice Estate in Siena, Italy
was especially so and just what we needed with its tradition of excellence.
This intense, deep ruby red Tuscan wine is richly
aromatic with layers nuances of ripe red berries on the nose and the palate with
lush tannins and balanced acidity. Il Grigio Da San Felice Chianti Classico Riserva
DOCG 2019 is imported from Italy to the United States by Total Beverage Solution. Saluti!
|
|
Read more...
|
|
Looking for
something different to serve your guests? We recently "discovered" Lustau Manzanilla Papirusa
Sanlúcar de Barrameda and loved how this extra dry sherry
paired with "tapas" making it perfect for easy holiday or anytime entertaining.
While new to us, Bodegas Lustau was founded in Spain in 1896 where
they continue the tradition of crafting world-class, award-winning sherry
expressions. Salud!
|
|
Read more...
|
|
On November
17, 2022, we attended the 31st Edition of Benvenuto Brunello,
the Benvenuto Brunello Anteprima 2022: Tasting the future: Brunello 2018
and Riserva 2017. Held at The Metropolitan Pavilion in New
York City, the unveiling of these incredibly exquisite
future wines also occurred simultaneously in London, Toronto,
and Los Angeles, making it an international grand-scale event
with 68 wineries presenting their wines. Saluti!
|
|
Read more...
|
|
Michele Chiarlo Le Orme Barbera d'Asti DOCG 2020 is a delectable red wine made from 100% Berbera
grapes from the Piedmont region of Italy. This award-winning
vineyard consistently receives high point ratings and their Michele
Chiarlo Le Orme Barbera d'Asti DOCG 2020 is a delectable and versatile wine
that pairs well with a variety of cuisine including Pasta with tomato dishes,
pizza, Livorno-style fish, and white meat. The wine is imported from Italy to
the United States by Kobrand Corporation. Cheers!
|
|
Read more...
|
|
Summer and juicy steaks and the burgers on the grill,
rich tomato-based dishes, and cheeses pair
especially well with Luigi Bosca De Sangre Cabernet Franc 2018. We loved the depth and complexity of this dry red wine
with its deep purple color with dark fruit and spices notes, and lusciously
lingering finish. With 14.4% alcohol, Luigi Bosca De Sangre Cabernet Franc 2018
is a rich, bold and powerhouse of a wine perfect to drink now or cellar for a
few years...that is if you can wait that long. Cheers!
|
|
Read more...
|
|
It is Summer
and if you want to lighten up on your alcohol choices without sacrificing taste,
Poema Pura Cava,
a Brut-style Cava, made from certified organic grapes
from the Penedès region of Spain is perfect. With
only 11.5% alcohol, lively bubbles, and lovely mineral, citrus,
and floral notes, this Cava may become your new favorite beverage to pair with tapas,
seafood, charcuterie, or serve as an aperitif.
Imported from Spain by Kobrand Corporation. Cheers!
|
|
Read more...
|
|
City Winery Montgomery Mills Riesling 2019 is a dry, crisp white wine with lovely citrus, floral,
and mineral notes made in the Hudson Valley, in Montgomery,
New York. Made from Uvas Blancas grapes from the Finger Lakes, this
delectable wine has a lower alcohol level of 12.5% and is a perfect summertime
wine to drink on its own or pair with food.
|
|
Read more...
|
|
Warm
weather, steaks on the grill, and Trapiche Gran Medalla Malbec 2019 are the perfect combination. This dark purple, big, and bold
red made from 100% malbec grapes, with 14.5% alcohol, pairs
exceptionally well with grilled steaks and does Mendoza, Argentina
proud. Created to celebrate Bodega Trapiche's 125th anniversary, they
selected the best grapes from the Uco Valley to commemorate their heritage for
their Medalla wines. Cheers!
|
|
Read more...
|
|
The
Medici family-owned winery has been making high-quality Lambrusco wines
since 1890 and their Medici Ermete Concerto Organic Reggiano Lambrusco
is the world's first single vineyard vintage Lambrusco. Interesting to note
is that the Medici family has been farmed sustainably for decades, and their
Concerto is now farmed organically. Their Medici Ermete Concerto Organic Reggiano
Lambrusco DOC 2020 is a delicious,
dry red semi-sparkling wine at natural fermentation that is "green certified"
and has achieved 93 points from the Sommelier Journal. Need we say more?
Cheers!
|
|
Read more...
|
|
Bring on the "romance" with Château
de Berne, Romance Rosé 2020, made in Provence,
France and imported by the Provence Rosé Group. This gorgeously presented and elegant rosé has
lovely floral, fresh fruit, and berry notes on the nose and palate that whisper
"romance" so grab a bottle (or two) and celebrate your perfect romance. Sante!
|
|
Read more...
|
|
It's summertime, the perfect time
to "drink pink" although this luscious Inspiration, Château
de Berne, Côtes de Provence, 2020 made in Provence,
France and imported by the Provence Rosé Group, would be
lovely at any time of the year. Winemaker Alexis Cornu has
created a gorgeous rosé with a rich salmon-rose color with an enticing flavor profile
that is perfect to enjoy on its own or to pair with food.
|
|
Read more...
|
|
Rosé
wines are the perfect Summer wine, and Summer in the Hamptons and
the South of France are the makings of dreams, which was the inspiration
for the award-winning Hampton Water Rosé 2020 created
by Rock Musician Jon Bon Jovi, his son Jesse
Bongiovi, and French
Winemaker Gérard Bertrand, that deftly captures the essence of both.
Hampton Water Rosé is a gorgeous rosé made in the South of France
that is perfect to enjoy with friends on a Summer evening or anytime you want
to remember Summer. Look for the tall clear glass bottle with a diver on the
front and "dive in" and enjoy this delicious wine. "Born in France. Raised
in the Hamptons."
|
|
Read more...
|
|
Summer is on its way and our
thoughts turn to farmers markets and organic food and wine. Vento Di Mare
Pinot Grigio made with organic grapes in Sicily and
produced and bottled by Cantine Ermes is perfect to drink on its own, pair with food, or use in
cocktail and culinary recipes. The wine has a crisp minerality with pear and
citrus notes on the palate, and is only 12.5% alcohol, making it a perfect
lighter wine choice for summer. We are getting ready for summer, are you?
|
|
Read more...
|
|
We took our taste buds to Sicily
with Vento
Di Mare Nero d'Avola certified organic wine produced by Cantine Ermes.
Spring is here and it is the perfect opportunity to think, drink, and eat
healthy, so we decided to try organic wine. Nero d'Avola is an indigenous grape
that makes Sicily its home, and the Vento Di Mare Nero d'Avola is a rich, dark
red wine with an aromatic nose and layers of flavors on the palate. Saluti!
|
|
Read more...
|
|
| |
|
|
|
� � @luxurypair
|
|
|
|
|
