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Wine Cellar
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!
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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!
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Milano Wine Week in New York
City is always a highlight of the wine season. We attended two very
interesting and informative International Wine Masterclasses for
industry professionals at Il Gattopardo restaurant in New York City on October 11, 2023, part of the Milano
Wine Week presentations (October 7-15, 2023). Wine education consisted
of tasting 8 wines per Masterclass, followed by a delicious lunch buffet
featuring Il Gattopardo's Southern Italian cuisine. Bellissimo!
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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!
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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!
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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.
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If you live
in Connecticut, or plan to be visiting, wine lovers will appreciate that the State has
a vibrant Wine Trail, which deserves to be experienced. Chamard
Vineyards and Bistro located in Clinton,
Connecticut is the perfect place to discover the beauty and elegance of
Connecticut wines. Established in 1983, they planted their first vines in 1984,
and released their first wine in 1989. Today, Chamard has 20 acres of established
vines on their 40-acre property, and they also have a Bistro. We always enjoy
visiting Chamard Vineyards and discovering their ever-evolving wines. Cheers!
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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!
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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!
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Celebrating its 14th
year in 2023, Westchester Magazine's Wine
& Food Festival was a true
celebration of amazing wine and spirits, as well as delectable food,
chef demos, and a wine seminar by wine expert
Kevin Zraly, author of
the Windows On The World Complete Wine Course. When we heard that
Kevin Zraly was slated to give two wine seminars on June 10, 2023, we made time
in our festival schedule to attend, as we always learn something new and
interesting about wine from Kevin, and there are always special wines to
sample. Cheers!
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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!
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Its wine
festival season in New York, and Luxury Experience was there to partake of the festivities during
the NYC Spring Crush Wine & Artisanal Food Festival presented
by Crush Wine Experiences. Held in the Grand Hall at St. Mary's in New York City's Lower East
Side, oenophiles gathered to experience wines from Argentina, France, Italy,
Portugal, Spain, and from the United States with wines from California and New
York state. Combined with artisanal tastings, it was a perfect Saturday evening
in New York City.
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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!
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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!
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The 2023 USA Slow Wine Tour
at Eataly NYC
Downtown in New York City brought together Slow Wines
from around the world, including Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Italy, and
Mexico, and from California and Oregon in the United States. Produced by Colangelo
and Partners and presented at Eataly NYC Downtown, it was
a day of education and experiencing Slow Wines combined with excellent cuisine.
Salut et Mangia Bene!
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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.
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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!
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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.
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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!
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It was a
fun-filled Saturday afternoon of wine tasting and wine
education in the Hudson Valley at the gorgeous Revel
32 in Poughkeepsie, New York for the 1st Annual Queen City International Wine
Festival. Built in 1845, expanded in 1895, and renovated in 2019, Revel 32 has
rich architectural details that complement the contemporary appointments.
Produced by Revel 32 and 1915 Wine Cellar with a wine seminar
by renowned wine expert Kevin
Zraly, the 1st Annual Queen City
International Wine Festival was a perfect afternoon of tasting, learning, and
mingling in the Hudson Valley.
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Wine
education is always fun especially when the
seminar is given by wine educator and award-winning author Kevin
Zraly. Held as part of the 1st Annual Queen City International Wine
Festival at Revel
32 in Poughkeepsie, New York, the wine seminar provided participants with the ability to learn to
appreciate and look at wines in a new way. As the class involved tasting four
wines, it was the perfect combination of learning while experiencing. Cheers!
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The Kosher Food & Wine Experience
(KFWE) 2023 held at Chelsea Piers Pier Sixty in New York City
was a sold-out event that took guests' palates on a tasty journey around the
world without the need for a passport with exceptional kosher wines
from Argentina, Australia, France, Israel,
Italy, New Zealand, Spain, South
Africa, and the United States. Produced by Royal
Wine Corp. and celebrating
its 17th anniversary (after a three-year hiatus), KFWE attracted
almost 3,000 guests. Distilleries were also well represented, and there was a
plethora of delicious food to enjoy throughout the evening, which Luxury
Experience happily did!
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Vintage Cru at the Mohegan
Sun - Sun Wine & Food Fest 2023
in Uncasville, Connecticut was a celebration of wine and spirits excellence
and provided wine and spirits lovers with the
opportunity to taste a well-curated offering of 145 wines and spirits. It was a
fantastic bon vivant late afternoon of experiencing exceptional wine and
spirits hosted by Celebrity Chefs Rocco DiSpirito and Christian
Petroni with oysters, shrimp, pairing
cheeses, and live piano music by John Lomartra.
Cheers!
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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!
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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!
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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!
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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!
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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!
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I attended
a wonderful Ottella Italian wine luncheon at the restaurant
Il Fiorista in New York City to have a better appreciation of these outstanding wines from
the Lugana region of Northern Italy. Mariano
Sansone, Wine Consultant at Vias Imports, Ltd. gave an interesting presentation on the history of Ottella
founded in 1905 and the four wines that paired exceptionally well with Chef
Rae Kramer's exciting cuisine. Mangia bene et saluti!
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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!
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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!
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Luigi Bosca De Sangre Cabernet Franc 2018
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City Winery Montgomery Mills Riesling 2019
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Trapiche Gran Medalla Malbec 2019
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Wine and Food Pairing at MADE Hudson Valley Spring 2022 at City Winery
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Malbec World Day by Wines of Argentina in New York 2022
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Medici Ermete Concerto Organic Reggiano Lambrusco DOC 2020
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Benvenuto Brunello 2022, New York City, USA
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Memorable Kosher Wine Dinner at The Fulton by Jean-Georges Vongerichten, NY, USA
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La Gioiosa Et Amorosa Prosecco D.O.C. Treviso
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The American Ports - Red, White, and Blue
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Harvesting the Grapes at Gouveia Vineyards, Wallingford, Connecticut, USA
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Regione Veneto - Prosecco, Soave, Amarone, and Late Harvest Wines
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Marques de Tomares Gran Reserva 1996
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Valdelapinta Verdejo Rueda 2004
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Finest and Rarest Wines Auction at Christie's
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New York (Wine) Cocktail Party
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Wine Tastings to Benefit City Harvest
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� � @luxurypair
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