Greetings!
As the calendar draws ever closer to December 25th, so do all the holiday parties, get-togethers and family events. We have found in our family that: 1. Wine makes the holiday family gatherings much more pleasant and 2. There are many of us in our clan that enjoy a little sparkle in our vino.
And as many of you know,I need no excuse to open a bottle of bubbles and they are rapidly becoming my drink of choice. While some may think that bubbly is just for toasts or special occasions, I would beg to differ.
If you're having a great day, a glass or two sparkling wine is a great way to celebrate. If you're having a bad day, then there's something cheerful and uplifting about seeing all those tiny bubbles floating their way to the top of the glass. Plus, they're great to have on hand should friends or family drop by!
Unfortunately, many people's first experience with sparkling wine or champagne was either when they first started drinking or at a wedding or other party that served something way too dry or just poor quality.
Now granted, for a long time the only good bubbles were expensive bubbles, but I am happy to report that for quite a while that is no longer the case. And many of the $10 bottles are great just by themselves, just because!
I've listed below a few of my favorites:
(if you click on the name of the wine it will take you to a site to provide more information)
Don't let the price fool you - these are excellent
Freixenet Cordon Negro Extra Dry - This is one of my all-time year-round favorites. It's not as dry as brut, but not as sweet as their Carta Nevada Semi-dry, yet it yields wonderful stone fruit and green apple flavors with a touch of creaminess. Normally around $10 to $12 a bottle. Everything from Freixenet is quite tasty and affordable.
Segura Viudas Brut Reserva - Again, one of my all-time favs. Their brut is great alone or mixed as part of a champagne cocktail. When I worked at Great Wines and Spirits, this was always a staff favorite and our standard recommendation if you need to buy it in quantity. Normally around $9 to $12 a bottle. All their veriations are awesome!
NOTE: if you are looking for a great gift for a wine drinker, they make a Reserva Heridad that's about $24 that comes in a beautiful bottle!
So pretty in pink!
Aria Pinot Noir - Not all bubbly has to be white - and if you want to add an extra festive flair, serve pink bubbles! Even my most macho of male friends won't turn this down!
If you like Pinot Noir, then this is for you - light, fruity and fabulous! About $11 a bottle and so worth it. And great to take to a party - you'll be sure to stand out!
Pierre Sparr AOC Alsace Cremant Brut Rose - This one comes in at about $20 a bottle, but again, a great price for AOC brut rose. A lovely salmon pink color and a silky, creamy backbone make this one a real treat. Seriously. So good.
Good at any price
Domaine Chandon - When I went to Napa in May 2011, I was very lucky to get to visit this most excellent winery and sample some tremendous bubbles. While they do make some still wines, their sparkling wines cannot be beat at any price. From their regular brut to their etoile line, anything Chandon makes is great! And it should be as their founders are from the world famous and highly regarded Moet & Chandon in France - the winery whose name is synonymous with high excellence in champagne.
Next time - champagne cocktails!
Votre Santi!
Dee
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Monday, June 18, 2012
Day 3 - El Romeral - muy bonita!
Hola!
Tenga un bien dia! (I hope you are having a good day!)
After visiting two sights near Cotacachi and two in Otavalo, it was time to head to our final stop, El Romeral. We spent about two hours here and every minute was a treasure!
The rooms and the cabanas are individually decorated and truly represent the best that Ecuador has to offer in hotels/hosterias. It's a beatific pastoral setting, complete with cows, horses and alpacas!
The hosteria and cabanas are truly elegant and warm. You don't feel intimidated by any of the property but rather welcomed by it's warm colors and attention to detail. Warm shades of terra cota, yellow, blue and green compliment the lush lemon trees and wide variety of flowering plants. It's as if every last detail has been heavily contemplated and decided with the utmost care. Rooms are quite reasonable, the restaurant offers outstanding cuisine; you immediately feel at home and at ease!
Ricardo, the owner, is Chilean by birth and a kind and honest person with bright blue eyes and somewhat long gray hair that neatly frames his face. While his English is limited, his passion is clear. He loves El Romeral and wants to see its ownership transferred to someone who shares his passion and vision for the property.
I've included several pictures and I hope they do the place the justice it so richly deserves!
So enjoy folks!
Dee
Tenga un bien dia! (I hope you are having a good day!)
After visiting two sights near Cotacachi and two in Otavalo, it was time to head to our final stop, El Romeral. We spent about two hours here and every minute was a treasure!
The rooms and the cabanas are individually decorated and truly represent the best that Ecuador has to offer in hotels/hosterias. It's a beatific pastoral setting, complete with cows, horses and alpacas!
The hosteria and cabanas are truly elegant and warm. You don't feel intimidated by any of the property but rather welcomed by it's warm colors and attention to detail. Warm shades of terra cota, yellow, blue and green compliment the lush lemon trees and wide variety of flowering plants. It's as if every last detail has been heavily contemplated and decided with the utmost care. Rooms are quite reasonable, the restaurant offers outstanding cuisine; you immediately feel at home and at ease!
Ricardo, the owner, is Chilean by birth and a kind and honest person with bright blue eyes and somewhat long gray hair that neatly frames his face. While his English is limited, his passion is clear. He loves El Romeral and wants to see its ownership transferred to someone who shares his passion and vision for the property.
I've included several pictures and I hope they do the place the justice it so richly deserves!
So enjoy folks!
Dee
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| from the back of the property - houses are going in here |
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| A mother Alpaca and her baby |
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| the newest edition to Romeral's herd - born just before we arrived! |
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| the blue room at Romeral |
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| The dog that watches the herd at Romeral |
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| the restaurant at Romeral |
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| Love this tapestry! |
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| One of the villas at Romeral |
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| The roof of a villa - made from a local plant stronger than bamboo |
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| Roses and other flowers grow easily here in Ecuador |
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| the green room - love the hummingbird tapestry |
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| Two of the horses at Romeral |
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| An exquisite tapestry hanging in the yellow room |
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| The terrace at Romeral - cocktails anyone? |
Day 3 in Cotacachi and Otavalo - Part 1
Como estas mi amigos y amigas? Muy bien?
See, it's coming back to me, slowly but surely! I was able to order my lunch today in Spanish and I actually got what I wanted! LOL!
Ecuador es muy bonita! The people here are just as warm and welcoming as the sunshine. Everything here is bright and colorful and lush and delicious! A true feast for the eyes, the nose, the mouth and the soul.
So, the search for the perfect property continues!
And let me tell you, today was probably the best day so far! Omar, our fantastic guide and realtor, picked us up at 8 a.m. and we were off to see the best that Cotacachi and Otovalo has to offer.
First Stop: Omar's sister's property and Hotel Primotivo. The two are right next to each other and let me tell you, the photos don't do it justice. These are some selected shots from both. Also included are a few shots from Rancho Santa Fe - the president of Ecuador stays at Rancho Santa Fe!
Second Stop: An apartment complex in Otovalo. Carved out of the side of the mountain, it offered a spectacular view of the town!
Our last stop for the day deserves it's own post, so stay tuned!
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| staring down the gorge from Omar's sister's property |
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| the view from hotel primotivo |
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| A native fortress-Hotel Primotivo |
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| vicious guard dogs at Primotivo (kidding!) |
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| red cow chairs from Rancho Santa Fe |
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| the entrance to Rancho Santa Fe - the president of Ecuador stays here folks! |
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| another view of the valley and the gorge at Primotivo |
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| A view from high up in Otavalo |
Day Two in Cotacachi - getting to know the flora
Glenn came down here to look at some hosterias in Cotacachi and Ecuador, so I went along for the ride! These photos are from various places we visited on Sunday.
A bit about Cotacachi - it's 8600 feet above sea level and it sits in a valley. So there are mountains (volcanoes actually) that surround the town.
Everything grows down here, probably due to the rich volcanic soil. So I tried to capture some of the beauty of the land surrounding Cotacachi, in both big and small ways.
Poinsettias grow as tall bushes, everything here is alive with color!
Enjoy!
Dee
PS - if you are wondering why there's a picture of guinea pigs in this post, it's because they are considered a delicacy here in Ecuador! And no, I didn't eat one! So don't call PETA on me!
A bit about Cotacachi - it's 8600 feet above sea level and it sits in a valley. So there are mountains (volcanoes actually) that surround the town.
Everything grows down here, probably due to the rich volcanic soil. So I tried to capture some of the beauty of the land surrounding Cotacachi, in both big and small ways.
Poinsettias grow as tall bushes, everything here is alive with color!
Enjoy!
Dee
PS - if you are wondering why there's a picture of guinea pigs in this post, it's because they are considered a delicacy here in Ecuador! And no, I didn't eat one! So don't call PETA on me!
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One of the churches in Cotacachi |
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| one of the mountains surrounding Cotacachi |
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| a south american cousin to the pine tree I'm guessing |
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| Avocado tree |
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| Another view of the mountain |
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| Lunch! (just kidding) |
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| have no idea what this is but it's beautiful! |
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| hibiscus |
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| another unusual tree in Ecuador |
Day 1 in Cotacachi - continued
Hello all!
I may have forgotten to mention that we didn't get into Ecuador until Friday. Flights got cancelled on Wednesday. Que lastima!
While walking to Louis' restaurant we ran across Scruffy, a typical Cotacachian street dog. He roams the streets by day but the owner of the pizza and massage parlor next to the hotel (and no, I did not make that up) took him in, gave him a flea bath and a henna rinse.
She was chatting with some of her American friends and asked us to come in for a beer. This was my introduction to the ONLY beer to drink in Ecuador. And that's because they only have technically one beer here! Cerveza Pilsener. It's actually a quite tasty lager. Nice creamy body, clear golden straw color and fluffy white head. Goes down easy and from what I can tell the ABV makes it a great session beer.
Well what else to have with beer but pizza! As I mentioned, this place is a pizza parlor so the large and gentle Argentine chef whipped us up a Pizza Espanola. Ham, peppers, sausage, a delicate tomato sauce and lots of cheese. This was honestly one of the best pizzas I have ever tasted, and I have tasted my fair share. Glenn wholeheartedly agrees!
The place was jumble of artwork and furniture from several different cultures. But here we were, eating Spanish pizza made by an Argentine, chatting with the ex-pats, playing with Scruffy, drinking Ecuadorian lager and listening to classic delta blues! The chef's culinary talents extended to pies of the sweet kind as well, so we split a piece of blueberry pie. But this was no ordinary blueberry pie, but more like a blueberry cream pie with a light and fluffy double crust. Delicioso!
With our bellies full but not quite ready to call it a night, we found a grocery store and bought a bottle of wine and some of the BEST coffee you can get in Ecuador. From the Intag region, this coffee is legendary throughout Ecuador for its aroma and taste. And some of you lucky devils will get some as a gift!
The Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon went down easy and after a glass or two we were ready to say buenos noches!
Stay tuned for Day 2!
Dee
I may have forgotten to mention that we didn't get into Ecuador until Friday. Flights got cancelled on Wednesday. Que lastima!
While walking to Louis' restaurant we ran across Scruffy, a typical Cotacachian street dog. He roams the streets by day but the owner of the pizza and massage parlor next to the hotel (and no, I did not make that up) took him in, gave him a flea bath and a henna rinse.
She was chatting with some of her American friends and asked us to come in for a beer. This was my introduction to the ONLY beer to drink in Ecuador. And that's because they only have technically one beer here! Cerveza Pilsener. It's actually a quite tasty lager. Nice creamy body, clear golden straw color and fluffy white head. Goes down easy and from what I can tell the ABV makes it a great session beer.
Well what else to have with beer but pizza! As I mentioned, this place is a pizza parlor so the large and gentle Argentine chef whipped us up a Pizza Espanola. Ham, peppers, sausage, a delicate tomato sauce and lots of cheese. This was honestly one of the best pizzas I have ever tasted, and I have tasted my fair share. Glenn wholeheartedly agrees!
The place was jumble of artwork and furniture from several different cultures. But here we were, eating Spanish pizza made by an Argentine, chatting with the ex-pats, playing with Scruffy, drinking Ecuadorian lager and listening to classic delta blues! The chef's culinary talents extended to pies of the sweet kind as well, so we split a piece of blueberry pie. But this was no ordinary blueberry pie, but more like a blueberry cream pie with a light and fluffy double crust. Delicioso!
With our bellies full but not quite ready to call it a night, we found a grocery store and bought a bottle of wine and some of the BEST coffee you can get in Ecuador. From the Intag region, this coffee is legendary throughout Ecuador for its aroma and taste. And some of you lucky devils will get some as a gift!
The Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon went down easy and after a glass or two we were ready to say buenos noches!
Stay tuned for Day 2!
Dee
Saturday, June 16, 2012
Day one in Cotacachi
Hello all!
Or actually the hour calls for me to say "Buenos Tardes". Well Glenn and I made it safe and sound to Cotacachi. Got in around midnight last night.
The Inn Land of Sun (formerly Maison des las Flores) is warm, friendly and comfortable. I've included a few pics from the room and the hotel.
The owner greeted us this morning and started us off with some papaya and a frothy drink made from one of the indigenous fruits. That was followed by eggs, bacon and toast. And plenty of great Ecuadorian coffee. They serve it like the French do - cafe au lait style with plenty of cream. Toss in some raw sugar and you've got yourself a cup full of deliciousness!
With our morning meal out of the way, it was time to head to Otovala for some shopping. The open market was a joyful mayhem of bright colors, mouth-watering smells and sounds of shoppers and vendors engaged in heavy negotiations. The trick with the market - and even many of the shops around here in Cotacachi - is to realize that the price the vendor gives you is just the jumping off point for negotiations. Therefore, you rarely if ever pay the listed price. Glenn is an old pro at this. I haven't done it in a while but it came back to me pretty quickly. We both got some great deals on some wonderful gifts for our family and friends.
Cotacachi is the leather capitol of Ecuador and after a tasty and inexpensive lunch at Serendipity, we hit Leather Street. I have no idea what the actual street name is, but for about 8 to 10 blocks on either side of the street you can find just about any kind of leather good or accessory you could want. This gave me the opportunity to find a few gifts I needed and score some good deals for myself. Glenn did well too. The shops will give you one price if you are going to pay with credit and a fairly substantial discount if you pay cash. So a word to the wise, if you come down and want to do some serious shopping - bring plenty of green. Ecuador uses the American Dollar as its currency, so no need to have your Washingtons, Linkcolns and Franklins exchanged.
An acquaintance of Glenn's has arrived and he and Glenn are discussing some business I finish up this blog post. Louis owns a restaurant so we'll probably be dining there tonight.
So, from a cozy room at Inn Land of the Sun, it's time for me to say "Adios Amigos y Amigas!"
More tomorrow!
Dee
Or actually the hour calls for me to say "Buenos Tardes". Well Glenn and I made it safe and sound to Cotacachi. Got in around midnight last night.
The owner greeted us this morning and started us off with some papaya and a frothy drink made from one of the indigenous fruits. That was followed by eggs, bacon and toast. And plenty of great Ecuadorian coffee. They serve it like the French do - cafe au lait style with plenty of cream. Toss in some raw sugar and you've got yourself a cup full of deliciousness!
With our morning meal out of the way, it was time to head to Otovala for some shopping. The open market was a joyful mayhem of bright colors, mouth-watering smells and sounds of shoppers and vendors engaged in heavy negotiations. The trick with the market - and even many of the shops around here in Cotacachi - is to realize that the price the vendor gives you is just the jumping off point for negotiations. Therefore, you rarely if ever pay the listed price. Glenn is an old pro at this. I haven't done it in a while but it came back to me pretty quickly. We both got some great deals on some wonderful gifts for our family and friends.
Cotacachi is the leather capitol of Ecuador and after a tasty and inexpensive lunch at Serendipity, we hit Leather Street. I have no idea what the actual street name is, but for about 8 to 10 blocks on either side of the street you can find just about any kind of leather good or accessory you could want. This gave me the opportunity to find a few gifts I needed and score some good deals for myself. Glenn did well too. The shops will give you one price if you are going to pay with credit and a fairly substantial discount if you pay cash. So a word to the wise, if you come down and want to do some serious shopping - bring plenty of green. Ecuador uses the American Dollar as its currency, so no need to have your Washingtons, Linkcolns and Franklins exchanged.
An acquaintance of Glenn's has arrived and he and Glenn are discussing some business I finish up this blog post. Louis owns a restaurant so we'll probably be dining there tonight.
So, from a cozy room at Inn Land of the Sun, it's time for me to say "Adios Amigos y Amigas!"
More tomorrow!
Dee
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