Last night we enjoyed a Spanish wine while visiting family in Boston.  This wine was produced in Rueda, a region of Spain, using  60% Verdejo and  40% Viura (also called Macabeo) grapes. This wine is similar to a Sauvignon Blanc. Inspiracion Pampano, with 12 percent alcohol, was a crystal yellow color. The aroma was a striking citrus reminding one of fresh cut grapefruit. The taste was of citrus fruits especially lemon and grapefruit. The wine was dry and finished crisp and citrusy.

The wine paired well with the risotto and shrimp dish and a green salad. It reminded us of a Sauvignon Blanc.

The Rueda region of Spain is located northwest of Madrid in Castile and Leon. The region is home to both red and white varieties. Reds include Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Garnacha. White varieties include Verdejo, Viura, Sauvignon Blanc and Palomino Fino.

Enjoy exploring wines from the Rueda region!

Cheers! Kathy

Last night we participated in the Twitter Sauvignon Blanc tasting. We invited friends to join us in tasting five different Sauvignon Blancs and provided three appetizers. The wines included two from Napa Valley, one from New Zealand, one was from France and one from Temecula Valley in California with grapes from Washington.

Conversation was great and varied from wine related comments to any other topic anyone wanted to discuss.

The final wine of the evening was Sweet Surrender, a Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc from Keyways Winery in Temecula California. This is a deliciously sweet wine but not syrupy. The honey tones with summer fruit nuances of the wine was excellent with the paired appetizer – baked brie topped with honey and walnuts. Keyways Winery is a delightful winery to visit. The winery offers frequent events especially on the weekends.

Cheers! Kathy

Snows Lake Vineyard has over 800 acres of vines on their 2300 acres of land in the Lake County AVA. The 2005 Snows Lake One shows what the grapes in their vineyard can do. The aroma and taste were of blackberries with black fruit nuances. The finish offered bold tannins and was fruity. Many wineries purchase grapes from the Snows Lake Vineyards including Rosenblum, Cakebread, Dynamite, Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars and La Famiglia.

The Vezér Family Vineyard 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Special Reserve provided a perfect ending to the hours of shoveling yet another foot of snow to grace the Baltimore area. The snow in the photo is piled seven feet high. This Cabernet Sauvignon is made with grapes from the Suisun Valley AVA. Although there are many vineyards in Suisun Valley that supply fruit to many wineries in Napa and Sonoma, there are some wineries with tasting rooms. Vezér Family operates a tasting room at Mankas Corner and another tasting room about a mile away, Blue Victorian.

This 2007 Cab is a dark purple with a light ruby rim. Noticeable blackberry and plum aromas and tastes have nuances of chocolate and oak. Mild tannins and fruit accentuate the crisp, long finish.

We enjoyed our visit to more than twenty wineries in Temecula. We also had several Cabernet Sauvignons. Baily Vineyards and Winery’s 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon was a dark ruby color with an aroma of blackberries. The taste was very fruity with a silky mouth feel. The finish was long with tannins and there was fruit on the aftertaste. For a more velvety mouthfeel try Briar Rose Winery 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon. It also offers a blackberry aroma and taste with tannins and a fruity finish. At Leonesse Cellars the 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon, Signature Series, offered an aroma of blackberries, spice and eucalyptus. The blackberry taste offered tannins with a fruity aftertaste.

Greetings from the very snowy east coast. In Maryland, it is very unusual to have a snow blizzard but that’s what is predicted for the next few hours. It of course brings back memories of the delightful time we had in Temecula Valley a year ago where the days were sunny and warm enough to have several lunches outdoors at wineries.

Bella Vista in Temecula Valley produces several wines including a Soirée 2007. Most likely you will notice the floral aroma followed by fruit nuances on the taste. Specific fruit notes are pear and peach. The finish was also fruity. Soirée 2007 was produced with 100 percent organically grown grapes. Suggested pairings for this sweet wine are a light dessert or fruit salad.

Have you visited Bella Vista in Temecula Valley? Bella Vista produces red and white wines as well as a Bella Vista Champagne. Enjoy a tasting at the long oval counter or purchase a glass of wine to enjoy at one of the small nearby tables. It is a unique winery with a large assortment of gifts to browse.

Cheers, Kathy

Last night we enjoyed a Merlot with a steak grilled with a Chicago marinade. The wine paired well with the steak. The steak seemed to bring out more nuances of the wine. This particular Merlot was the 2006 Reserve Merlot produced by The Winery at Holy Cross Abbey in Colorado.

The immediate nuances were very fruity with particular notes of dark fruit and cherry. There was also a bit of spiciness. The mouth feel was smooth and the wine finished with tannins.

The Winery at Holy Cross Abbey is located in Cañon City, Colorado. Wine Trail Traveler visited the winery in 2008 and wrote a review about the experience. When visiting the winery also make plans to take a picturesque ride on the Royal Gorge Route Railroad Wine Train and of course, take a camera!

Cheers! Kathy

I recently enjoyed a Messina Hof late harvest wine. This is an easy wine to enjoy. The Messina Hof Angel Riesling Late Harvest 2007 was wonderful. While the wine was sweet, the wine was balanced with acid making it very enjoyable. The aroma was fragrant with nuances of flowers and fruit including pineapple, peach and pear. The mouth feel was very smooth. The colorful label of three cherubs adds a delightful ambiance to the bottle and will be one you may want to keep.

There are many occasions when this wine would be good to serve. If you are hosting a wedding reception or shower this may be one of the wines you wish to consider. Or if you are searching for a gift for a white wine lover this late harvest wine may be well appreciated.

Cheers! Kathy

This weekend we took the opportunity to enjoy a wine produced by Flat Creek Estate. The wine was their Super Texan 2003, produced with the Sangiovese grape. This wine won double gold at the San Francisco International Wine Competition.

We liked the wine for its aroma of leather and the fruity taste. Nuances of black cherries and blackberries were noticeable. The wine was a dark purple and the finish offered dense tannins. This wine would pair well with an Italian style dinner particularly spaghetti with a red sauce and other beef entrees. Super Texan was aged in French oak for 18 months.

Flat Creek Estate is located in Texas Hill Country in the town of Marble Falls. When you have the opportunity to visit, plan to enjoy the delightful bistro. The winery also has a guest room available for rent that is truly unique with a spiral staircase and a lovely view of vineyards and countryside. For more information about Flat Creek Estate, read the Wine Trail Traveler review.

Cheers! Kathy

Last night we enjoyed handmade pizza with toppings of onion, cheese, mushrooms and tomato sauce. The crust was also handmade. It was perfect and we enjoyed the wine, Tre Tenores, from Contessa Wine Cellars.It is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. The wine was a dark purple with a ruby rim and had 12% alcohol. The residual sugar of 0.3% accentuates the fruitiness. The aroma and taste offered lots of fruit nuances especially blackberry and black cherry. The wine had mild tannins. The finish was crisp and fruity.

Contessa Wine Cellars is a delightful winery that we wrote an article about for Wine Trail Traveler. The winery is located in Coloma, Michigan. For more information about the winery, view Contessa’s ad.

Cheers! Kathy