This Friday, March 4, both Maryland legislative bodies will be considering wine shipping legislation. Currently, Maryland does NOT allow wineries in state or out-of-state to ship wine directly to consumers. The legislation to change the current law will allow Maryland to join more than 30 other states that allow direct wine shipping to consumers. Don’t wait until Friday to voice your opinions to your legislator. Contact them early this week! Your opinion counts!

The Maryland Wine website includes the following information on their website.

MARYLAND WINERIES NEED YOUR SUPPORT

“After years of gaining support in Maryland’s General Assembly, we are closer than ever to passing a law to allow Maryland citizens to receive wine by mail from wineries and wine-of-the-month clubs.

We are asking you to call or email your legislator before Friday, March 4 (the day both bills will be heard by the respective legislative committees in Annapolis) to show your support for direct-to-consumer shipment of wine.

Even with the overwhelming support of a majority of the legislator, there are interest groups hard at work to cripple the bills, trying to limit WHICH wines can be shipped, and from WHICH sources (wineries/retailers, etc.).

Please let your legislators know that you want:

– a law based on national standards and the Comptroller’s Study on Direct Shipping;

– a law that allows you to receive wine from wineries and retailers;

– a law that lets Maryland wineries ship to other states (like NY, which will only let MD wineries ship in if

MD’s law is based on national standards).

CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATOR. If you want to be able to receive wine by mail from wineries and from wine of the month clubs, please CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATOR now using this form from Free the Grapes. Or call your legislator directly—they need to hear from constituents in support of HB234 and SB248.

Find Your Elected Officials

Visit the Maryland State Board of Elections page to obtain names and contact information for your elected officials.

Maryland State Board of Elections Lookup Page

http://mdelect.net/electedofficials/”

Hoping you support direct wine shipping in Maryland and that you will contact your Maryland legislators. Cheers! Kathy

For this weekend, try this recipe with white wine, blackberries and salmon. Directions include a delightful way to serve this entree.

Cheers!
Kathy

Salmon With Blackberry Hollandaise

Serves 4

Ingredients

For Hollandaise:
4 egg yolks
2 Tbl. fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 sticks sweet butter (12 oz.)
Dash salt, white pepper

For Blackberry Sauce:
2 cups blackberries
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. shallot, minced
1 lemon, juiced
3 Tbl. Madeira wine

For Salmon:
1 lemon, quartered
Fresh mint
2 cups white wine
3 cups fish stock
(4) 6 oz. Salmon fillets

Directions

For Hollandaise:

1. Whisk egg yolks and lemon juice in top pan of double boiler. Place pan onto double boiler. (Water in bottom of double boiler should be simmering, and not touching top pan.)
2. Whisk continuously until sauce just begins to thicken.
3. Remove from heat and slowly pour melted butter in steady stream, continuing to whisk until all butter is incorporated.
4. Add salt and white pepper.
5. Set aside.

For Blackberry Sauce:

1. In small saucepan, combine blackberries (reserving some for garnish), mustard, garlic, shallot, lemon juice and Madeira.
2. Reduce by one-fourth, stirring often to keep from scorching.
3. Puree in a food processor; pass through a fine sieve. Set aside one quarter of the reduction for garnish.
4. Fold the remaining portion into the 4-egg hollandaise.

For Salmon:

1. In a fresh saucepan, combine quartered lemon and one sprig of mint with white wine and fish stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer.
2. Using a spatula, carefully place the salmon fillets in saucepan, and poach for 8-10 minutes.
3. Remove fillets with spatula so that they retain their shape.
4. Spoon some Blackberry Hollandaise into the center of each serving plate, then drizzle a thin circular line of reserved puree. Lightly draw the back of a spoon across it, making a scallop effect toward the outside of the plate.
5. Place a salmon fillet in the circle and garnish with mint flowers or borage flowers and 3-5 whole blackberries.

Recipe provided by the Oregon Raspberry & Blackberry Commission.

I have an unwritten rule that if wineries in a wine region tend to make several wines in their portfolio from the same grape, that grape is the popular grape. For example, it is easy to find multiple Sauvignon Blancs at wineries in the Marlborough wine region of New Zealand. If you are looking Riesling as a popular grape head to Old Mission Peninsula or Leelanau Peninsula in Michigan and the Finger Lakes wine region of New York. Pinot Noir is the popular grape in the Willamette wine region in Oregon.

We had a 2008 Duck Pond Cellars Pinot Noir with dinner last evening. Willamette Valley Pinots are among my favorites for that variety. The ruby colored wine was translucent. The fruity aroma and taste had a silky mouth feel. The wine was a great accompaniment to pork tenderloin with an apricot glaze.

We wrote about Duck Pond Cellars when we visited the winery a couple years ago. We also visited several other Willamette Valley wineries. We are looking forward to a late winter visit to other wineries in this region. One of the wines I’ll pay close attention to is the Pinot Noir. The variety is not on my list of favorites, although I do have a soft spot for the wines crafted in this region of Oregon. I’ve never made a wine from Pinot Noir grapes and probably won’t in the future, my skill doesn’t match the skill needed for creating a great Pinot Noir. If there is a grape variety that isn’t on your top list of favorites, visit a wine region that specializes in that varietal grape and discover if that wine travel experience may change your mind.

Cheers,
Terry

If you will be traveling to any of the regions below during the 1st weekend of March check out the wine festival. Meet wine enthusiasts and have a great time!

Cheers, Kathy

Fine Art & Wine Festival 2011
Carefree, Arizona
March 4-6, 2011
Website Information

11^th Annual World of Pinot Noir
Shell Beach, California
March 4-5, 2011
Website Information

World of Wine 2011
Temecula, California
March 5-6, 2011
Website Information

Minnesota Food & Wine Experience
Minneapolis, MN
March 5-6, 2011
Website Information

Charleston Wine & Food Festival
Charleston, South Carolina
March 3,4,5,6, 2011
Website Information

Austin Zinfandel Tasting
Austin, Texas
March 6, 2011
Website Information

Annual Rodeo Uncorked! Champion Wine Auction and Dinner
Houston, Texas
March 5, 2011
Website Information

AUSTRALIA
Melbourne Food & Wine Festival
March 4-14, 2011
Melbourne, Australia
Website Information

There has been a lot of controversy about genetically modified food. Now the University of British Columbia has developed a special modified yeast for wine.

According to an article on Decanter.com, “Canada approves ‘headache-free’ GM wine yeast” by Hazel Macrae, a yeast used for producing wine that is genetically modified has been approved in Canada.

In the article, Macare writes about the various benefits that this modified yeast has over other wine yeasts.  “It also produces fewer allergenic bioamines – chemicals in wine that produce off-flavours and that can trigger headaches and migranes.”

According to Macrae, the US and Canada do not require food producers to identify on labels the genetic modified ingredients used in products. The EU does require labels to list the presence of GM.

However, for those who suffer from headaches due to wine, perhaps it’s good if wines are labeled with the GM information so wine consumers who are susceptible to wine induced headaches may try wines that may not cause headaches or migraines.

What is your opinion about the use of genetically modified wine yeast? Do you want to know if the wine you are drinking is produced with genetically modified yeast?

Cheers Kathy

It was just three months ago that we traveled to New Zealand to tour wineries. Our last few days there were in Christchurch.  By the end of November, much of the destruction from a September earthquake had been cleaned up. We only noticed some open space where a building once stood and a building or two under renovations. We walked the streets in the downtown area not worrying about earthquakes. Then the news of today revealed massive damage in the area close to where we stayed and walked.

A 6.3 magnitude earthquake shook buildings, trapped people and destroyed property. The death toll rose to above 60. The photo shows the tower and spire of Christchurch Cathedral, the spire no longer exists and rubble covers the walkways below the tower. Google has a map of Christchurch. They have blue balloons identifying buildings that have major damage. We stayed at the Crowne Plaza, just blocks away from several damaged buildings. Photos detailing more destruction are available on various news websites.

Decanter.com ran an article titled “Earthquake spares Canterbury wine industry.” The wineries and vineyards contacted were not reporting damage, although they felt the quake.

We are glad that the wineries have been spared but our hearts go out to all those in New Zealand who we met during our travels and all those we were unable to meet. We wish them all the best and our prayers.

Terry & Kathy

February is ending with a weekend that is full of winery events. Check out the winery events below. If you don’t live near one of these events to be held, then look for events at the wineries in your backyard. Enjoy!
Cheers, Kathy

Friday, February 25

Winery at LaGrange, Virginia
Event: Friday Nights are for Chili and Wine
Web Info

Ferrante Winery & Ristorante, Ohio
Entertainment: Ron Sluga
Web Info

Saturday, February 26

Three Fox Vineyards, Virginia
Event: Cabernet Cabaret Reprises
Web Info

Tesoro Winery, California
Event: Up close magic by Magician/Comedian Rocky Osborn?
Web Info

Ferrante Winery & Ristorante, Ohio
Entertainment: Uncharted Course
Web Info

Sunday, February 27

Three Fox Vineyards, Virginia
Event: Cabernet Cabaret Reprises
Web Info

DelFosse Winery, Virginia
Event: French Crêpe Day
Web Info

Barrel Oak Winery, Virginia
Event: Cindy McConnell
Web Info

Messina Hof Winery & Resort, Texas
Event: Wine Appreciation Class
Web Info

With the science and technology available now, it has been determined that Petite Sirah is the result of cross pollination between Syrah and Peloursin.  “Dr. Francois Durif, a grape nurseryman working in southern France, released a new variety that he named after himself. It grew from a seed he extracted from fruit of the old French variety Peloursin.” (PS I Love You website.) Petite Sirah was not planted in the United States until the late 1800’s. However prior to 1961, Petite Sirah was used as a blending grape. In 1961 Concannon Vineyard bottled the first Petite Sirah varietal. Today there are thousands of acres of Petite Sirah and many wineries are bottling it as a single varietal.

Petite Sirah produces a wine that is dark, rich and full-bodied. Suggested Petite Sirah pairings include chocolate, beef roast and cheese.

To celebrate the 50^th anniversary of this event, Concannon Vineyard in Livermore, California is planning a large celebration in August 2011. On August 13 and 14, the event will include unusual Petite Sirah items including ice cream and chocolates as well as cooking demonstrations. In addition there will be vertical tastings. As fourth generation vintner, John Concannon noted,  ”I’m honored to host retrospective Petite Sirah tastings in over 50 markets across the nation this year to promote awareness of this distinctive grape in celebration of such a significant milestone.”

For more information about Petite Sirah, visit the PS I Love You website and Concannon Vineyard website. Watch for more Petite Sirah celebrations in 2011.

Cheers! Kathy

Alzheimer’s appears to be something that many people are worried will happen to them as they grow older. The Alzheimer’s Association offers a great deal of education about Alzheimer’s, support for researchers and much more. Check out the Alzheimer’s Association website.

The Paso Robles Grand Tasting Tour benefits the Alzheimer’s Association. This Paso Robles Wine Country event will be in Los Angeles from February 26 – March 5.

Forty wineries from Paso Robles will be represented at the events. A Grand Tasting on March 2 features 40 varietals and blends. The list of participating wineries is available online. Appetizers will focus on wine country cuisine.

Other events will include Winemaker Dinners. Events are limited and therefore early ticket purchases are strongly suggested.

For more information check the Paso Robles website.

Cheers! Kathy

Winter isn’t quite over yet so why not head for the kitchen and create a beef stew this weekend?Below are two beef stew recipes – one from the New World and one from the Old World. The first recipe was donated by Pearmund Cellars in Broad Run, Virginia. The second recipe is from Badia a Coltibuono, Gaiole in Chianti (SI) Italy. Enjoy.

Cheers! Kathy

Fauquier Cabernet Franc Stew

Ingredients

2 pkgs stew meat (cut in bite size pieces)
1 small bag carrots (peeled and sliced in 1” pieces)
1 onion (peeled and diced)
3 stalks celery (sliced)
2 cans sliced water chestnuts
2 (15 oz) cans of stewed tomatoes
2 (15 oz) cans Hunt’s Tomato Sauce
5 T Kraft Minute Tapioca
1½ cups Pearmund Cellars Cabernet Franc

Directions

1. Stir all ingredients together and place in an ovenproof dish.
2. Bake 5 – 6 hours at 250-300 degrees.
Serve over “No Yolks” Broad Noodles.

Recipe provided by Pearmund Cellars, Broad Run, Virginia.

Peposo (Beef stew from Impruneta)

Ingredients

2 ¼ lbs stewing beef (preferably a little gristly)
½ head of garlic in cloves, peeled
½ bottle red wine
2 T whole or crushed black peppercorns
2 c tomato sauce
salt to taste

Directions

1. In a large saucepan, place the garlic cloves, the beef, the peppercorns, enough salt to taste and the tomato sauce.
2. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce the heat to simmer. Cook slowly for about 2 hours adding a little water or broth should the stew dry out or start to burn and stirring occasionally.
3. Once the stew has slowly simmered, add the red wine and cook for a further 30 minutes stirring occasionally.
Serves 6

Provided by Badia a Coltibuono, Gaiole in Chianti (SI) Italy.