May 28 thru June 5, 2011 is English Wine Week focusing on celebrating English wines with vineyard tours, wine tastings and food. EnglishWineProducers, The Marketing Association of the English Wine Industry, is featuring this week of English wine.

Numerous vineyards will be open for tours. Restaurants and hotels will also feature English wines. Look for special wine tastings, special events and food pairings.

For anyone living outside of England, consider stopping by your local wine shop and ask for a bottle of English wine. (Do not ask for British wine. British wine is usually made with grape juice from anywhere in the world.)

Try an English wine this week, and comment about it. If you are comparing wines, try to keep within the same price range for each bottle of wine.

We visited several wineries in England and also Parva Farm Vineyards in Wales. Reviews of these wineries can be found on the Wine Trail Traveler website.

When traveling in England, at restaurants ask for English wine. Taste the terroir and discover the quality table wines and sparkling wines that are being produced in England.

Cheers! Kathy

Two great reasons to visit Barrel Oak Winery in Virginia today:

1. Help a retired couple save their home, which has been in their family for generations. The couple needs help to repair their home and help to pay off about $5,000 in order to keep Wells Fargo from foreclosing on it.  Barrel Oak Winery is becoming known as a great venue for supporting non-profit organizations and helping those in need.
2. Celebrate Barrel Oak’s 3^rd Anniversary today and throughout the weekend!

Barrel Oak Winery is becoming recognized for hosting a variety of fundraising events to help nonprofit organizations. The owners, Brian and Sharon Roeder, are very supportive of their community. To discover the plight of the couple who face a foreclosure over $5,000 read the Washington Post article.

Barrel Oak Winery is located at 3623 Grove Ln in Delaplane, Virginia.

Cheers! Kathy

Within a matter of hours, Memorial Day Weekend will be here. Perhaps celebrations have already begun for those who are able to extend the weekend by a few days.  If you are fortunate to have good weather, this is the weekend to start your summertime barbecuing. Below is a recipe for barbecued back ribs. The recipe calls for sherry or rice wine.

When I prepare this recipe I will use Sherry as I find rice wine to be an acquired taste – perhaps because I like fruit tastes in my wines not rice. Do you like rice wine? Why or why not?

More entree recipes are available on the Wine Trail Traveler website recipe section. Discover Grilled Marinated Beef Tenderloin with Peperonata, Grilled Rock Lobster, and Shish Kabob.

Enjoy! Kathy

Barbecued Asian Back Ribs

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 racks Canadian Pork back ribs
3 c (750 mL) hot water
1/2 c (125 mL) hoisin sauce
1/4 c (50 mL) soy sauce
1/4 c (50 mL) rice or cider vinegar
1/2 c (50 mL) dry sherry or rice wine
2 T (25 mL) Dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 T (15 mL) minced fresh ginger

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 325°F (160°C).
2. Remove thin, translucent membrane from the non-meaty (concave) side of ribs. This will allow flavours to penetrate more effectively, and give a more tender end product. The best way to do this is to loosen a little of the membrane at one corner using your fingernail. Then, with a paper towel, grasp the membrane firmly and pull it away from the ribs.
3. Combine all remaining ingredients, except ribs and water, to make the barbecue sauce.
4. Place ribs in a 2-inch (5 cm) deep baking sheet or dish with water and cover with foil. Bake in oven for about 1 1/2 hours, or until meat begins to shrink away from the bone tip, and meat is easily pierced with a knife point. At this stage, ribs can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
5. On medium-high heat, grill ribs for about 20 minutes, turning and basting ribs frequently. Be careful that sauce does not caramelize and burn. If not watching ribs throughout, reduce heat to medium, and lengthen cooking time to 30 minutes.
6. When ribs have a deep, mahogany glaze, remove, slice, and serve.

The Wine Century Club marks its 6^th anniversary today. The club is free to join and worldwide membership has climbed to 1,023 members up from the 635 members when Kathy and I joined a couple years ago. Joining the club is easier said than done. Applicants have to complete the application form where they identify 100 different grape varieties in the wines they have tasted. The first 40 or so varietal grapes are easy. Then it becomes harder.

As always the Wine Century Club, created by Steve DeLong, celebrates its anniversary with a global challenge. Last year the club members collectively tasted 314 different grape varieties across the world in one day. This year’s challenge is a bit different. Members are challenged to taste wines from different wine regions. In just the United States there are over 300 wine regions. I added a Tennessee Muscadine wine to the list. Apple Barn’s Muscadine is a blend of Carlos and Magnolia. It had a yellow color, floral aroma and taste. The crisp finish was sweet making this a perfect wine for hot summer days.

If you enjoy wines and like the challenge of trying different varieties check out the Wine Century Club. Membership is free and completing the application is fun as it takes you on a voyage of wine discovery.

Cheers,
Terry

Sometime this long Memorial Day Weekend you will want to enjoy a relaxing and fruity glass of Sangria. The recipes for Sangria are easy to make. Below you’ll find a couple of Sangria recipes provided to us for use on the Wine Trail Traveler website.

A recent Sangria recipe we have is from Narmada Winery in Amissville, Virginia. When you have the opportunity be sure to stop and linger at the winery. Enjoy a glass of wine on the deck or inside the spacious tasting room. A review of Narmada Winery is available.

Narmada’s Midnight Sangria

Ingredients

2 bottles of Midnight Wine (This Narmada Winery wine is produced with Chambourcin and is off-dry.)
1 cup of frozen orange juice
4 cans of Sprite soda
¼ c of sugar
Fruit – oranges, lemons, strawberries
Mint leaves

Directions

Mix and Enjoy!

Another Sangria that is a little more unusual is from Chumeia Vineyards in California and calls for a bottle of Viognier.

Viognier Sangria

Ingredients

One Bottle Chumeia Viognier
½ c each white grape juice, apple juice, orange juice
¼ c Spanish brandy
¼ c Triple Sec
2 shots Gin
1 c Citrus flavored soda (Sprite or 7-up)

For garnish: cut ¼” pieces of red apple, orange rind, green apple and lemon rind.

Directions

1. Mix wine, fruit juices, brandy, triple sec and gin together. Chill mixture.
2. Add citrus soda and garnish just before serving.

Provided by Chumeia Vineyards, Paso Robles, California.

More Sangria recipes are available on the Wine Trail Traveler recipe section. Enjoy creating a Sangria recipe for this weekend!
Cheers! Kathy

If you haven’t made your plans for this Memorial Day weekend, here are numerous winery events from our featured advertisers. On a long weekend, check out a winery and have an enjoyable day!

Cheers, Kathy

All Memorial Day Weekend

Barrel Oak Winery, Virginia
Event: Celebrate Barrel Oak’s 3rd Anniversary – Friday thru Monday?(Saturday: Music/ENVee)
Web Info

Three Fox Vineyards, Virginia
Special: Celebrate Memorial Day Weekend
Web Info

Pearmund Cellars, Virginia
Event: Enjoy wines, picnics and yard games in the vineyard
Bring military identification to receive special discounts
Web Info

Friday, May 27

Barrel Oak Winery, Virginia
Event: Our Third Anniversary Celebration
Event: Friday, Saturday and Sunday- Pack BBQ
Web Info

Ferrante Winery & Ristorante, Ohio
Entertainment:Trevor
Web Info

Winery at LaGrange, Virginia
Event: Friday Night Evenings Under the Stars/George Carlin; George’s Best Stuff
Web Info

Saturday, May 28

Barrel Oak Winery, Virginia Event: Pack BBQ
Event: Our Third Anniversary Celebration/eNVee Classic Rock ‘n Roll
Event: Saturday TGI Sunsets
Web Info

Ferrante Winery & Ristorante, Ohio
Entertainment: Larry Smith
Web Info

Tarara Winery, Virginia
Event: Memorial Day at the Winery/Live Music?Event: Pizzeria Moto
Web Info

Lorimar Winery, California
Event: Sister Speak/Classic Rock
Web Info

Winery at LaGrange, Virginia
Event: Live Music All Summer Long/Jason Dean
Web Info

Sunday, May 29

Barrel Oak Winery, Virginia
Event: This Friday, Saturday & Sunday Pack BBQ
Event: Our Third Anniversary Celebration
Event: The inimitable Steve Hudson on guitar
Web Info

Chateau Chantal, Michigan
Event: Sunday Jazz Session
Web Info

DelFosse Winery, Virginia
Event: Memorial Day Weekend BBQ
Web Info

Ferrante Winery & Ristorante, Ohio
Entertainment: 4-Kings
Web Info

Tarara Winery, Virginia
Event: Memorial Day at the Winery/Live Music
Web Info

Monday, May 30

Barrel Oak Winery, Virginia
Event: Our Third Anniversary Celebration
Web Info

Tarara Winery, Virginia
Event: Memorial Day at the Winery/Live Music
Web Info

Yesterday Kathy commented on the collection of wine bottle natural corks by ReCORK by Amorin. Give them a call when you have 15 pounds of corks; that’s 1650 corks. The problem for the general consumer is saving 1650 corks. They may be willing to save a couple, even several but won’t want hundreds of corks laying around their house or apartment. The ReCORK program works well for winery tasting rooms, wine shops, even restaurants. Consumers can take their corks to those places.

If wine consumers frequent a Whole Foods Market, they can deposit their corks (any number) in a CorkReharvest box. There are close to 300 Whole Food Market stores in many communities. On the CorkReharvest.org website I learned that the program was established in 2008 and has already collected billions of natural corks. In addition to Whole Food Market, check grocery stores in your community, restaurants, wine bars and convention and performing arts centers to see if they are collecting corks.

It’s important to note that recycled corks are not used any longer as closures in wine bottles. New cork has to be harvested and made into cork enclosures. The cork industry has improved their manufacturing process and can supply new corks to enclose wine bottles for many decades to come. Meanwhile, used corks can be recycled into a variety of products.

Cheers,
Terry

After opening wine bottles with different types of closures, it can be difficult to decide which one I like the best.

Natural cork, synthetic cork, and screw caps are all commonly found in stores and wine tasting rooms. Less usual to discover are Zorks and plastic/glass push in button-like closures.

For me, I really like the traditional natural cork closure at home or a restaurant. However if picnicking or traveling the screw cap would be easier to use.

One of the great things about natural cork is that the trees from which cork is sourced continue living year after year. In terms of recycling, after you have made use of your corks for various art projects including trivets and frames, there is another option, ReCORK by Amorim.

ReCORK is a program for recycling natural wine bottle corks. The ReCORK website notes, ”The goal is to recycle corks and to educate and inform our audiences about the crucial role cork forests play in curbing climate change.” Products made from recycled cork products include floor tiles, sports equipment, auto gaskets, soil conditoner and more.

How successful has ReCORK been? Visit the website and at the top of the page, the number of corks recycled is provided. Next to that is the number of trees planted. This morning the numbers are at: 16,193,110 corks collected and 5,577 trees planted.

Who can participate in the recycling program at ReCORK?

• Individual consumers
• Winery tasting rooms
• Retail organizations
• Hospitality organizations

Do not send one cork at a time. If you would like to save corks for ReCork, the recommendation is to save 15 pounds of corks. They estimate this amount is about 1,650 corks. Anyone or business with 15 pounds of corks, will be sent a free shipping label from ReCork. Gather together with your friends and neighbors and start collecting corks today!

Tasting rooms, wine shops and grocery stores may want to start a collection center for ReCORK.

To learn more, visit the ReCORK website.

Cheers, Kathy

The Winery at Belle Meade Plantation located in Nashville, Tennessee is having a special event this week on Wednesday, May 25 from 5 to 7 pm.

Lorrie Morgan, a Country Music singer is releasing an American Sangiovese wine that is named for Lorrie’s hit song. “Something in Red.” This release is with Morgan’s partnership with the American Heart Association and The Winery at Belle Meade Plantation

Enjoy this exclusive tasting and have the opportunity to meet and greet Lorrie Morgan. Consider purchasing an autographed wine bottle. These will be limited in number.

The winery is the only winery in Nashville and is a nonprofit winery. All profits from the winery go to Belle Meade Plantation for preservation and education.

For information, visit The Winery at Belle Meade Plantation website.

Cheers, Kathy

Enjoy attending and helping others by attending the 28^th Annual Wine & Roses Charity Wine Tasting.

Attending the Wine & Roses event will help charities in San Diego County. These charities included Camp Oliver in Descanso, Bayside Settlement House and the Campership Council.

This year the event takes place on June 12. Tickets are available on the Wine & Roses website. The event takes place at the Westgate Hotel in San Diego. Opportunities to wine cases of wine and other gifts will be included.

Wineries and restaurants donate their time food, wine and time to help support these charities. A range of wineries will be included. Wines available will be from Argentina, Italy, Chile Australia, and California. In addition numerous restaurants are involved in the Annual Wine & Roses Charity Tasting.

I have to admit I’m a little disappointed that as of now no East Coast or Midwest wineries are represented at this event. It would be a nice to have a few wineries across the United States represented at this charity event.

Enjoy helping others by attending the Wine & Roses Charity Wine Tasting and enjoying wine, food and live music!

Cheers, Kathy