Miles Wine Cellars along Seneca Lake in New York’s Finger Lakes’ wine region has a ghostly story to tell. The white table wine is in a silk screened bottle. The transparent image of a young married woman (the ghost) is on the front of the bottle. One can see through the image to the image of the house on the back where this young woman died and haunts today.

I’ve had a bottle of this table wine for a few years and do not have the heart to open it even though the compelling statement, “Experience the spirits within!” are written on the back label.

Have you come across any ghostly bottles of wine?

Cheers,
Terry

An event, Taste of the Beach, sponsored by the Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation will take place November 4-7.

Thursday, November 4, Taste of the Destin Harbor
Friday, November 5, “Taste of Bay” Food & Wine Experience
Friday, November 5, AL Fresco Reserve Tasting
Saturday, November 6, See Red Wine Festival
Saturday, November 6, “Winemaker & Shakers” Dinner
Sunday, November 7, Taste of the Beach & Charity Auction

For details about the event visit the Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation website.

The profits that are obtained from events are used for at-risk children including children who have health issues.

Destin Charity Wine Auction Foundation is located in The Panhandle of Northwest Florida. The purpose of this organization is to help charities focused on helping children. Some of the charities that benefit include Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast, Children in Crisis, Inc., Emerald Coast Children’s Advocacy Center, Children’s Volunteer Health Network, Emerald Coast Autism Center, Big Brother Big Sisters of Northwest Florida, Horizons, The Shelter House, Youth Village, Eleanor J. Johnson Youth Center and Pathways for Change.

A poem, “I Thought”, on the website begins with

I thought no once could see me, standing by the wall;

I knew no one would help me, should I ever stumble and fall.

Later on in the poem

But I’m glad you say my helpless face-you made certain I would thrive.

Take a moment to read the poem in its entirety.

Cheers, Kathy

On Monday, Arizona’s Governor Jan Brewer will proclaim this week to be Arizona Wine Week. Today there will be a 5K race in the Great Arizona Grape Stomp series.

During the week wine lovers visiting the Phoenix Public Market will discover wine tastings and area restaurants will provide the opportunity to pair wine with menu items.

On Friday, November 5 guests to the Celebration of the Arizona Grape Growers can visit with winemakers at the Quiessence Restaurant at The Farm at South Mountain.

Arizona Wine Week ends on Saturday, November 6 the Festival at The Farm.  There will be live music, lunch, an auction, wine tasting, outdoor activities and educational seminars. Tickets are available at Festival at the Farm website.

For more information about Arizona Wine Week, visit the Arizona Wine Growers website.

Cheers, Kathy

Need something to make that dish of ice cream special? The recipe below for Port Wine Sauce can also be used for topping cheesecake and pound cake. This recipe is from the historic Galleano Winery in Cucamonga Valley, California. If you don’t have Port you can substitute a sweet wine. Enjoy.

Cheers! Kathy

Port Wine Sauce

Ingredients

¼ c sugar
1T cornstarch
1 c Galleano Port
1 t lemon juice
2 t grated orange rind

Directions

1. Mix sugar and cornstarch, add to Port in saucepan on medium heat.
2. Stir frequently until thickened and clear, about 5-10 minutes.
3. Add lemon juice and orange rind.
4. Taste, more sugar can be added to taste, remember to cook for another few minutes if added.
5. Chill.
6. Pour over ice cream, cheesecake or pound cake.

Note: you can substitute any sweet wine in this recipe.

Recipe provided by Galleano Winery, California

In Temecula, California Thornton Winery is celebrating Halloween with a mystery dinner on Saturday, October 30. The Halloween Murder Mystery Dinner will include three gourmet courses each paired with a different Thornton wine. Prizes will be awarded for the Best Costume, Funniest, Most Original and Scariest. Reservations can be made at 951-699-0099. More information is available on the Thornton Winery website.

In Geneva, Ohio at Laurello Vineyards, visitors tonight can enjoy listening to Jim Volk on guitar. Tomorrow enjoy jazz saxophonist Stan Miller with vocalist, Adina. The Laurello pizza for the weekend will have grilled chicken breast marinated in a pesto sauce, onions, sun dried tomatoes and mozzarella. The suggested pairing for this pizza is Laurello’s Josephine wine. Remember while you are at Laurello, they are supporting Breast Cancer Awareness month by selling raffle tickets for a basket that includes wine, jellies, coffee and so much more. Read more about Laurello Vineyards on their website.

Enjoy a wonderful weekend and visit a winery!

Cheers! Kathy

There are lots of Halloween and regular winery events this weekend! This list also includes winery events for the weekend that may not be related to Halloween but may be just what you are looking for.

Check them out to verify the event and time. If you’re not able to visit one of these wineries, check out a winery in your own backyard.

Cheers, Kathy

Friday, October 29

Pearmund Cellars, Virginia
Event: Relax & Thank God It’s Friday (TGIF)
Web Info

Barrel Oak Winery, Virginia
Event: Music/Deer Creek , 5:30pm
Web Info

Ferrante Winery & Ristorante
Event: Music/Ramone , 6pm-9:30pm
Web Info

Messina Hof Winery & Resort,TX
Events:”Murder at Baths” Toga MurderMystery Dinner, 6:30pm
Trick or Treat Wine Tour, 7pm
Tailgate Specials at the Restaurant
Web Info

The Winery at LaGrange, Virginia
Event: Rocky Horror Picture Show, 7pm-9:30pm
Web Info

Saturday, October 30
Tesoro Winery, California
Event: Rocky Osborn, Comedy Magician, 4pm
Web Info

Lorimar Winery, California
Events:Halloween Party at the Tasting Room
Nathan James/Acoustic Guitar
Web Info

Three Fox Vineyards, Virginia
Event: Food and Wine Pairings
Web Info

Barrel Oak Winery, Virginia
Event: Pack BBQ, 12pm
Benefit for Domestic Violence Shelter, 6pm
Web Info

The Winery at LaGrange, Virginia
Event: What’s for Dinner, 6:30-9:30pm
Web Info

Messina Hof Winery & Resort, TX
Event: Terrifying Trivia, 7pm-9pm
Web Info

Tesoro Winery, California
Event: 3rd Annual Halloween Costume Party, 7pm
Web Info

Sunday, October 31

Tarara Winery
Event: Music on the Deck, 1pm-5pm
Web Info

Barrel Oak Winery, Virginia
Event: Farmers’ Market
Event: Music/Pamela, Pam and Terry
Web Info

Messina Hof Winery & Resort, TX
Events: Halloween Movies in the Vineyard, at dark
Wine Appreciation Class, 3pm
Winemaster’s Halloween Party, 7pm
Trick or Treat Wine Tour, 7pm
Web Info

We enjoyed a bottle of wine over the weekend that our daughter Erin’s boyfriend gave to us. It was a Chateau Mio La Foret Bordeaux Superieur 2007. This wine offered ripe dark fruit with a hint of leather on the nose. The wine was full bodied; as it sat in the wineglass it softened and became jammy with dark fruit. The wine had a sweet cherry finish.

This wine is very food friendly. Dinner that night happened to be grilled chicken, potatoes and salad. The wine paired well with the dinner.

What has been your favorite French wine this month?

We also enjoyed the Cab Tennat blend that we bottled in August. The wine kept changing throughout the evening. When first opened it was fruity but as it opened up it offered notes of spice and oak. Over the weekend Erin had a glass of the Cab Tennat and thought it was very good. She also enjoyed the Cab Merlot that we bottled in August at Tin Lizzie Wineworks.

What wine have you enjoyed recently?

Cheers! Kathy

According to Wines & Vines the sales of table wines has increased this summer despite the recession. Looking at data from the three major summerish holidays (Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day) one sees increases in the sales of table wines. On each of these holidays there has been increased sales for the past four years including 2010. Labor Day table wine sales out paced both Memorial Day and Fourth of July sales this year.

Data was also collected that showed sales of $20 wines. This category of wines has at least a one million dollar increase compared to sales over the past three years. Data was shown for the first nine months of this year compared to the past three years.

What conclusions can one come up with from the data presented? It looks like table wines are on the increase for summer months especially for summertime holidays. It also shows wines in the $20 range are popular. It will be interesting to see if patterns continue for 2011.

Cheers
Terry

Check out these wine related activities for this Halloween weekend! You can go to the links provided to get the detailed information you need. Enjoy a great weekend at a wine festival!

Cheers! Kathy

8th Annual Tucson Culinary Festival
October 28 – 31, 2010
Tucson, Arizona
http://www.tucsonculinaryfestival.com/

Food, Wine and all that Jazz
October 29, 2010
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Website

Philadelphia Food and Wine Festival
October 29-31, 2010
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Valley Forge Convention Center
Website

2^nd Annual Stagecoach Village Fine Art & Wine Festival
October 20-31, 2010
Cave Creek, Arizona
Website

While in California we had an opportunity to visit a couple of San Diego County’s wineries with Linda Kissam of Kissam Consulting. We enjoyed our visit and the wines we tasted at wineries including Fallbrook Winery and Orfila Vineyards & Winery.

So I was interested in reading an editorial by the Union-Tribune Editorial Board posted on October 21, 2010. The editorial, “Nurturing a wine industry in San Diego” referred to the San Diego County as a “cottage industry.” However considering the number of wineries reaching 60, it seems to be more than a cottage industry. Yes some of the wineries are boutique but others are considerably larger than boutique.

The article makes a statement that can be applied to many areas of the country. “If San Diego County winemakers prosper, the agricultural way of life in our backcountry may be preserved instead of falling victim to hopscotch housing tracts.”

What better way to protect the land from too much development than planting vineyards that can survive for decades?

Cheers! Kathy