I just read an interesting editorial in the Erie Times-News. The editor quoted the owner of Massa Vineyards in Pennsylvania in regard to shipping laws for wine.  ”What is best for consumers? That should be everyone’s concern here.” The winetrailtravler.com team had the opportunity to visit wineries in North Carolina and they make a muscadine wine that is considered to have more antioxidants than a typical red wine. Although the wineries can’t post that information in the winery, studies have verified that information. I believe it should be my right to order that wine or any other wine online from inside or outside my state. By the way, I live in Maryland which has a very strict law. At least it’s not confusing: no wineries- in state or out of state can ship wine to consumers living in the state. Let’s try working together and then everyone can benefit.

Congratulations to the state of Georgia, where consumers will be able to order wine online. I wish all states would understand the importance of consumers being able to purchase wine online. For those who are afraid teenagers will abuse this availability, I don’t believe that’s true. For wine stores who are afraid that it will take business away from them, again I’m not convinced. What’s important for teenagers to learn is that it is important to drink wine or any alcohol responsibly such as with dinner. Wine shops will most likely have an increase in sales as the result of consumers learning about the various types of wine available. Surely not everyone is going to buy wine online. State governments should realize that if they allow internet sales the wineries in the state will be providing more tax dollars.

Recently Pillitteri Estates Winery located in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Canada received a Gold Medal from “Syrah du Monde,” for their 2006 Shiraz Icewine. This competition is devoted to Syrah or Shiraz wines. Quality and stiff requirements make this competition highly competitive. The competition itself takes place over two days with wines from 23 countries. This year 128 medals were awarded.

This month I had the opportunity to taste icewines produced from red wines and really enjoyed them. For me there seemed to be more fruit flavors compared to white icewines.

If you enjoy icewines, which would you rather drink?

I have just returned from a delightful trip to Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada. Vineyard after vineyard were along the roads. Large, majestic winetasting rooms are frequently seen as well as smaller wineries creating fine wine. As we discovered while having dinner with friends and family, enjoying wine is all about the wine, food and friends. Several of the articles about Canadian winery experiences are online at www.winetrailtraveler.com and more are coming soon. Canadian wineries are definitely competitive with other new world wineries. Technorati Profile

Robert Mondavi, a national and world leader of the wine, passed away on May 16, 2008 leaving a legacy behind him that will forever have an influence on wine produced in California. It was Robert Mondavi who believed that California wine could compete on an international level. So convinced was he of this that Mondavi started the Robert Mondavi Winery in Napa Valley, in 1966. By 1976 when the Judgment of Paris took place with a blind tasting, California came through with flying colors. Mondavi sought to continually improve the technology behind winemaking while maintaining a wine’s quality. Over the years, Mondavi received many awards including “Man of the Year,” from Decanter Magazine, Winemaker of the Year from American Wine Society, and honored as the first “pioneer” inductee by the Culinary Institute of America’s Vintners Hall of Fame. Thank you Robert Mondavi for all of your contributions towards producing quality wine. 

Icewine was first produced in Germany. Today Canada is the major producer of a true icewine. Other areas that do not have cold enough temperatures to create icewine use intervention methods to create a wine that mimics icewine. For the consumer, this wine may be identified as “iced wine.” Grapes for icewine must be picked while the grapes are frozen on the vine at a certain temperature or lower and then pressed while still frozen. To make an “iced wine” the grapes are frozen in a deep freeze and processed. What is the difference? According to one winemaker, the difference is in the nuances of the icewine. The icewine will have flavors that are achieved from the grapes hanging on the vine. For the consumer if you are only looking for a very sweet wine then the iced wine will do but if you are seeking a wine with more nuances you will want an icewine.

Have you ever been offered a wine glass of red wine filled almost to the top? Isn’t it annoying as you spend more time concentrating on not spilling it than on the conversation? Needless to say wine glasses should not be filled to the top. So what’s right? Today the standard is to fill a glass with wine 1/3 to 1/2 full. Since white wine glasses tend to be smaller than red, this means that the glass will hold less white wine. By filling wine glasses only half full, it allows one to swirl the wine allowing molecules of aromas to enhance your taste of the wine. The nose can smell many more aromas than the mouth can taste. The nose and mouth work together in the tasting. There is one exception to the red and white guidelines, that is Champagne or sparkling wine. When using the flute stemware, pour the Champagne or sparkling wine to within 1/2 to 1 inch from the rim. Most of all, remember to sip your wine and enjoy the taste and the occasion.

What do you do with that cork after you open a bottle of wine? More likely than not you may just toss it into the trash. Stop! Cork is a unique nature made material. Portugal is well known for cork protection and it is in Portugal that  cork trees are protected. The cork forests are host a wide variety of wildlife. A tree needs to be 25 years old before the cork can be cut from it and another nine years must pass before cork can be harvested again. Cork is a phenomenal material that can be used to make an assortment of items. Just a brief list begins with flooring, insulation, soundproofing, hockey balls, coasters, boat decking and so much more. Better yet wine bottle corks can be recycled into these products. Don’t throw out your corks, find a use for them. The reuse of corks is so important that ReCork America is beginning a recycling program in California.

I am a fan of restaurants serving local wine. At the same time, they should also have an assortment of other wines. For those who are visiting the area and want to taste wine from that terroir, the local wines provide a reason for stopping at that particular restaurant. For instance, if you are visiting Tuscany, do you want to be drinking French or Australian wine? How do you find restaurants that serve the local wine? The Maryland Association for Wineries is on the right start to help. Each month the website for Maryland wineries gives awards to two restaurants who provide local wines on their wine list and two retailers who carry local wines. Previous months winners stay on the website, making it easy to locate a selection of restaurants and retailers supporting Maryland wineries. To check this out go to http://www.marylandwine.com/mwa/retailer/pastpicks.shtml. Wouldn’t it be great if more restaurants and retailers supported their local wineries?