Tipsy·Wine
(55) Italy｜Veneto｜Prosecco rosé sparkling wine
(56) Argentina｜Calchachi Valley｜Torrentes dry white
(57) Italy｜Sardinia｜Grenache dry red
(58) United States | Napa Valley, California | Cabernet Sauvignon dry red
(59) Germany | Rheinhessen | Chardonnay ice wine
(60) France | Burgundy | Sparkling wine
Tipsy·Repertoire
Tchaikovs "The Nutcracker" (Snowflake Waltz)
Piazzolla "Four Seasons - Winter"
Vivaldi "Lute Concerto in D major" (second movement)
Tchaikovsky " Serenade for Strings in C major " (second movement)
Schubert " Winter Journey " (Good Night)
Joseph Strauss "Winter Fun" Quick Polka
(55) Watch the ballet "The Nutcracker" and open a bottle of Italian rosé sparkling wine
Brilla Prosecco Rosé 2021
Burilla Winery Prosecco Rosé Sparkling Wine 2021
Winery: Brilla
Production area: Italy Veneto
Level: DOC (legal production area)
Type: Sparkling
Grape varieties: Guerrera, Pinot Noir
Grape picking year: 2021
Alcohol content: 11%
Elegant pink-orange color, rich bubbles, with citrus, peach, strawberry and light floral aroma. The mouth is refreshing and smooth, with lively acidity and a soft and pleasant finish.
Prosecco is a famous sparkling wine made from Glera in northeastern Italy. It is also the most exported wine from Italy, but in the past it was only made in white. In 2020, Italy officially launched a pink version of Prosecco - Prosecco Rosé. In addition to the white grape variety Grella, 10-15% Pinot Noir was added. Pinot Noir adds a pink color and more floral and fruity aroma to Prosecco.
Good-looking wine bottles are suitable for decorating the Christmas table
When it comes to music related to winter or Christmas, Tchaikovsky's ballet "The Nutcracker" cannot be avoided. This is a dance drama loved by adults and children. Because it is set on Christmas Eve, it is especially popular during the Christmas period. I have shared the classic songs from "The Nutcracker" many times in previous articles. This time let's enjoy the "Snowflake Waltz" at the end of the first act. Watching the snowflake elves dancing in the wind and the rising and dancing bubbles in the wine glass, my heart is spinning...
(56) Listen to Piazzolla tango music and open a bottle of Argentinian Torrentes dry white
Michel Torino Select Reserve Torrontés 2021
Esdeco Winery Michel Dolin Selection Torrentes 2021
Winery: Bodega El Esteco
Region: Argentina·Calchachi Valley
Type: Dry white
Grape variety: 100% Torrentes
Grape picking year: 2021
Alcohol content: 13.5%
Light golden yellow wine with a very fragrant and charming aroma, with rich citrus, nectarine, honeydew and nut flavors, and delicate floral aroma. The entrance has rich and concentrated floral and fruity flavors, high acidity, and a long-lasting aftertaste.
The winery is located in Cafayate, in the heart of Valles Calchaquíes in northern Argentina. This is one of the highest altitude wine-producing areas in the world. The vineyards are located in valleys with an altitude of more than 1,500 to 3,000 meters. Torrontés (Torrontés) is the most distinctive aromatic white grape variety in the area. The dry continental climate, high altitude, low latitude (26 degrees south latitude), and the huge temperature difference between day and night give the wine pure fruit aroma, high concentration and balanced acidity.The Michel Torino series of wines is named after the surnames of the winery’s founders, David Michel and his wife Gabriela Torino.
Bodega El Esteco Winery｜A century-old building left over from the Spanish colonial period
Many composers have written the "Four Seasons" series of suites, such as Vivaldi's Violin Concerto, Tchaikovsky's Piano Collection, Haydn's Oratorio, etc. The famous Argentinian tango composer Piazzolla also wrote a set of "Four Seasons", the full name is "Four Seasons of Buenos Aires", which is divided into four tango music: summer, winter, spring and autumn. Among them, the melody and rhythm of "Winter" are extremely varied, sometimes lyrical and elegant, sometimes passionate, leaving people with no time to think. You can also hear that some passages pay tribute to the predecessor Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons". The whole piece of music slowly ends in Bahaber's beautiful and lyrical "Canon" theme, which seems to be the endless alternation and reincarnation of the four seasons of the year.
(57) Listen to Vivaldi’s Lute Concerto and open a bottle of Italian Sardegna Grenache
Atzei Saragat Cannonau di Sardegna 2020
Atzei Winery Saragat Sardegna Grenache 2020
Winery: Tenuta Atzei
Production area: Italy Sardinia
Level: DOC (legal production area)
Type: Dry red
Grape variety: 100 % Grenache
Grape picking year: 2020
Alcohol content: 13.5%
Bright ruby red, full of rich cherry, blackberry , and red berry aroma. The taste is sweet and smooth, with pleasant chocolate and spice notes.
Sardinia (Sardegna) is a very ancient Mediterranean island in the west of the Italian peninsula. Since it was historically ruled by the Aragonese-Spanish for nearly 400 years, many of the grape varieties on the island come from Spain. This red grape variety, known locally as "Cannonau", is actually Spanish Grenache, which is the protagonist on Sardinia. The Atzei winery is located in the village of Mogoro in southwestern Sardinia, surrounded by granite . Due to the poor soil, the grapevine roots can extend downward deeper, absorb more water and nutrients, and at the same time have relatively stable temperature and humidity, producing high-quality grapes.
Saragat series wine labels show the traditional costumes of Sardinian women
Vivaldi is one of the most famous composers in the Baroque period. The most well-known work is probably his violin concerto "The Four Seasons". Vivaldi's "Four Seasons" is now regarded as an early example of title music . Of course, Vivaldi's works go far beyond this. He also wrote a large number of operas, religious music, and hundreds of concertos. Vivaldi's "D Major Lute Concerto " is also very classic. Nowadays, more people hear the version played on guitar. The Largo in the second movement is reminiscent of the sun-drenched winter land, comfortable, warm and romantic.
(58) Listen to Tchaikovsky Serenade and open a bottle of California Cabernet Sauvignon dry red
Les Belles Collines "Les Sommets" CabernetSauvignon 2014
Beautiful Hill Winery "Peak" Cabernet Sauvignon2014
Winery: Les Belles Collines
Production area: Napa Valley, California, United States
Level: AVA (legal grape growing area)
Type: Dry red
Grape varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot
Grape picking year: 2014
Alcohol content: 14.6%
The wine is deep purple-red, with rich and fresh black berries, violet , cream aroma, and some tobacco and cedar flavor, which is reminiscent of a winter forest. The entrance is rich and juicy, with delicate and soft high tannins and balanced acidity, achieving a balance between richness and elegance.
The grapes for this wine all come from the Rutherford production area in Napa Valley, California. The local area has well-drained gravel soil, which is very suitable for the growth of Cabernet Sauvignon. In order to avoid over-ripening of grapes caused by the local high temperature, Chinese winemaker David Pan chooses to harvest grapes manually during the coolest period of the day - from night to early morning. After screening, the free-flow juice of the grapes is fermented together with part of the grape stems, and aged for 24 months in 100% new French oak barrels. It not only reflects the style of Napa, but also shows unique delicacy and elegance. The French word "Les Sommets" stands for pinnacle, and is used to refer to the winery's flagship wine.
Originally I wanted to use Tchaikovsky "Symphony No. 1", which is a mixture of sorrow and joy, to match this delicate and soft, yet structured Cabernet Sauvignon red wine . This symphony is also known as "Winter Dreams". It is said to depict the Russian winter scenery that Chai saw during his journey. However, the tone of the first movement sounds a bit melancholy, which does not suit the mood when drinking this wine, so I chose Lao Chai's more famous and better-sounding "C Major String Serenade ", especially its second movement, which sounds like dancing and carnival on a snowy day, and the mood is as bright as the sun.
(59) Listen to Schubert lieder , open a bottle of German Chardonnay ice wine
Kessler-Zink Chardonnay Eiswein 2018
Kessler Winery Chardonnay Ice Wine 2018
Winery: Kessler-Zink
Region: Rheinhessen, Germany
Level: PDO (Protected Designation of Origin)
Type: Ice Wine
Grape variety: 100% Chardonnay
Grape picking year: 2018
Alcohol content: 9.5%
Bright amber wine exudes rich aroma of orange peel, honey, dried longan. The taste is round and full, with complex flavor and high acidity. It is sweet but not greasy, leaving a long aftertaste in the mouth. It is an excellent after-dinner dessert wine.
Kessler-Zink Winery is located in the small town of Flonheim in the midwestern part of Rheinhessen (Rheinhessen). The winery was originally an old mill. In the 1990s, it was bought by the Stütz family and converted into a modern winery. Rheinhessen is the largest and oldest wine-producing region in Germany. The grape varieties here are relatively diverse, including Riesling, Miller-Thurgau, Sylvaner, Pinot Noir, Danfeld, Portuguese, etc. Rheinhessen used to be often underestimated and ignored for its large-scale production of cheap "Mother's Milk" semi-sweet white wine . Nowadays, there are more and more dynamic and enthusiastic new winemakers here, who produce purer and higher-quality grape wines on this ancient land.
Kessler-Zink Winery
Schubert is known as the "King of Art Songs". Many people must have listened to or studied Schubert's music in their childhood, such as " Lullaby ", " Musical Moment ", " Trout ", etc. Therefore, some people compare Schubert to "Andersen of the music world". Many unknown poets and poems have been handed down in Schubert's art songs. For example, the lyrics of the vocal suite "Winter Journey" come from the collection of poems by the German poet William Miller, describing the extremely desolate inner world of a lonely man. Even sadness is so beautiful. In Schubert's art songs, a balance is reached between lyrics, melody and accompaniment, just like ice wine that makes people forget their worries for a second, it reaches a balance between acidity and sweetness, and a warm winter sun rises in everyone's heart.
(60) Listen to Strauss polka and open a bottle of French Burgundy sparkling wine
Domaine Anne Gros Crémant de Bourgogne LaFun en Bulles Brut
Domaine Anne Gros Crémant de Bourgogne LaFun en Bulles Brut
Winery: Domaine Anne Gros
Region: France Burgundy
Level: AOC (Authorized Origin)
Type: Sparkling
Grape variety : 50% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir, 20% Arigot
Grape picking year: NV
Alcohol content: 12%
Charming light golden yellow, rich and delicate bubbles. There's apple, pear, biscuit cream and some honey. There are more floral and fruity aromas in the mouth, exquisite high acidity, elegant and soft, and endless aftertaste.
Like most wineries in Burgundy, Domaine Anne Gros is also a family winery passed down from generation to generation. The winery is located in the village of Vosne-Romanée in Côte de Nuits, Burgundy. The winery is named after current owner and winemaker Anne Gros. This sparkling wine is produced in exactly the same way as Champagne, while developing a refined flavor that is characteristic of the region. This wine is a blend of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and some Aligoté. The grapes come from the winery's several limestone-based vineyards in the Côte de Nuits and Côte Chalonnaise. Rully in the Chalonnaise is the centerpiece of Burgundy sparkling wine production. Anne has adopted organic farming methods to manage the vineyards since she took over the winery, maintaining the ecological balance of the vineyards to the greatest extent possible.
Legendary Burgundy winemaker Anne Gros
What could be more suitable for all kinds of celebrations than sparkling wine? Whether it’s Christmas or the upcoming New Year, sparkling wine can create a happy, festive atmosphere. "La Fun en Bulles" means "the fun of bubbles" in French. This is a delightful and delicious sparkling wine. The bubbles that continue to rise in the glass until it explodes at the top symbolizes celebration and saying goodbye to the old and welcoming the new. Open a bottle of sparkling wine, enjoy the fun brought by bubbles, and bid farewell to the past year in Strauss 's relaxing and cheerful " Winter Fun "!
Discover the joy of music
and wine
The End
