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5th Annual Drink Local Wine Week for the “Other 47” States

November 6, 2012 – 9:12 am

Drink Local Wine Week starts November 12 and ends November 16. Drink Local Wine Week takes place in 47 states and everyone can participate – all you need is a bottle of wine from your region.

When visiting your local wine shop this week, ask where the local wine is stocked. Sometimes local wines can be a little difficult to find. Why? Perhaps sometimes consumers do not appreciate what they have in their own backyard. The best place to buy local wines is at the wineries, festivals and some farmers markets.

This is the week to discover what grapes grow well in your region and what types of wines your local wineries are producing. In addition to enjoying local wines, wine enthusiasts are encouraged to enjoy visiting local wineries and writing about their experiences.

“During wine week, writers from across the United States are asked to post stories to their blogs, Web sites, magazines, and newspapers about their favorite regional and local wines, wineries and events.” Send links to your articles and blogs to drinklocalwine@gmail.com.

If you enjoy buying local food, then why not buy local wine? If you have time next week visit your local wineries or attend a local wine event.

Note: Drink Local Wine website does not include California, Oregon and Washington since they are already well known for their wines.

Cheers! Kathy

By Kathy | Posted in Wine Notes | Comments (0)

Turkey Trot Progressive Wine Tasting

November 5, 2012 – 9:20 am

Ferrante Winery & Ristorante

Celebrate the beginning of the holiday season with the annual Turkey Trot Progressive Wine Tasting event sponsored by the Winegrowers of the Grand River Valley in Ohio. This special yearly event is a progressive wine tasting paired with a special Thanksgiving sample at each winery.

The event takes place Saturday, November 17 from 12 to 5pm. Reservations are not needed. The cost is $5 at each winery. Choose to go to one winery or all the wineries to explore the wines and holiday specials.

This is the perfect time to discover the wines you want to use during the holidays.

Participating Wineries

Debonne Vineyards: Turkey Sliders
Ferrante Winery & Ristorante: Turkey & Cranberry Roulade Drizzled with Cranberry Franc Reduction
Grand River Cellars & Restaurant: Pumpkin Cheesecake Bread Pudding
Laurello Vineyards: Cranberry Meatballs
St. Joseph Vineyards – Walnut Cranberry Stuffing

Cheers! Kathy

By Kathy | Posted in Wine Notes | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

Taste of the World Wine & Beer Festival to Benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

November 4, 2012 – 4:04 pm

The 9th Annual Taste of the World Wine & Beer Festival features “fish and sips” and benefits the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. The LLS receives the proceeds from the festival.

The Taste of the World Wine & Beer Festival takes place November 10, 2012 at the Newport Aquarium in Cincinnati. In addition to beverages and food, distillers, brew masters and winemakers will be attending to answer questions.

Participants can enjoy wine, beer, spirits and taste food from the restaurants in the Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky regions. A silent auction will also take place.  Items include wine, beer, spirits, destination and restaurants packages.

Tickets for the general festival are $100. Tickets include a commemorative wine glass, a plate to hold food and a wine glass, and a photo.

For those who would like to contribute more, tickets are $150 and include all of the above plus a unique wine glass, separate entry, upscale beverages and cuisine plus a first look at the auction.

Ticket information is available online.

This coming Saturday, November 10, enjoy yourself at the Taste of the World Wine & Beer Festival while helping the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Cheers! Kathy

 

 

By Kathy | Posted in Wine Notes | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

Start Searching for Thanksgiving Recipes Now and Spice-Rubbed Turkey Recipe

November 3, 2012 – 9:27 am

Thanksgiving 2012 is earlier than usual this year, only three weeks away on November 22. Rather than procrastinating until a few days before to begin desperately searching for recipes to cook before the crowd arrives, start your search now. Perhaps you may want to add this recipe for Spice-Rubbed Turkey with Garlic-Pear Puree (from Butterball) to your Thanksgiving recipe collection.

Cheers, Kathy

Spice-Rubbed Turkey with Garlic-Pear Puree

 Ingredients 

2 tablespoons dry mustard
2 teaspoons ground sage
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried marjoram leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 teaspoon paprika
1 1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 (12 pounds) Butterball® Frozen Whole Turkey, thawed if frozen
6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
6 ripe Bosc pears, peeled, cut in 1/2- inch pieces
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup dry white wine
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary

Directions 

  1. Preheat oven to 325°F.
  2. Combine mustard, sage, garlic powder, marjoram, thyme, paprika, 1 teaspoon of the salt, 1 teaspoon of the pepper and nutmeg; set aside.
  3. Remove neck and giblets from body and neck cavities of turkey. Refrigerate for other use or discard. Drain juices from turkey. Pat dry with paper towels. Turn wings back to hold neck skin against back of turkey. Place turkey, breast up, on flat roasting rack in shallow roasting pan. Brush turkey with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil; sprinkle with seasoning mixture.
  4. Bake 3-1/2 hours, or until meat thermometer reaches 180°F when inserted in deepest part of thigh. Cover breast and top of drumsticks with aluminum foil after 2 hours to prevent overcooking of breast. Let stand 15 minutes before carving.
  5. Meanwhile, combine pears, garlic, wine and brown sugar in medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer on medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cook 25 minutes, or until pears are very tender and most of wine has evaporated. Place pear mixture into food processor container fitted with steel blade; process until smooth. With machine running, slowly add remaining 1/4 cup olive oil through feed tube to make a smooth and creamy puree. Pour into medium bowl. Stir in lemon juice, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Serve at room temperature or refrigerate until ready to serve.
  6. Carve turkey. Serve with Garlic-Pear Puree.

Recipe provided by Butterball

By Kathy | Posted in Wine Notes | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)

Did You Miss the Recent Wine Trail Traveler Quarterly?

November 2, 2012 – 8:46 am

Wine Trail Traveler Quarterly Fall Edition

If you haven’t had the opportunity to view the latest edition of the Wine Trail Traveler Quarterly, it is available at http://winetrailtraveler.com/newsletter/magfall12.pdf.

The fall edition is filled with numerous photos of views at Ontario wineries and wineries in the Lake Erie wine region. Discover what might be the largest fork in the world at an Ontario winery.

Recipes include Shepherds Pie with Scallion-Cheese Crust, Oyster Mushroom Crème Risotto and Mushroom Tarts.

Discover November’s  Beaujolais Nouveau Day.

If you are looking for wine festivals to attend, this issue includes several festivals for November.

The Wine Trail Traveler Quarterly is for anyone interested in the world of wine.

Cheers, Kathy

By Kathy | Posted in Wine Notes | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)

Recent Wine News

November 1, 2012 – 7:20 am

Recently in the world of wine two items were mentioned. 1)The man behind the French Paradox has passed away. 2)And while 2013 is still two months away, a list of  food and wine buzz words  for 2013 has already been announced.

1) According to an article in Vitisphere, the renowned Serge Renaud recently passed away. Professor Serge Renaud at the University of Lyon worked with a team of researchers who were able to show that the United States had a higher risk factor for cardiovascular disease than the French. This resulted in the French Paradox concept. The French Paradox deals with the idea that moderate consumption of wine can reduce cardiovascular risk factors. The research pointed to polyphenols in wine as the explanation. Serge Renaud became well known for the concept of the French Paradox.

 

2) A short article in Wine Industry Insight is already looking forward to 2013 with the new Buzz words for food and wine. The 2013: Buzz Words article, includes fermented, craft bourbon, a couple of Japanese foods, and a Korean food item.

The list also has references to wine. Lillet is described as a French apértif. The author also notes that other apértif wines are making a comeback. These include Dubonnet, Chartreuse and Benedictine. Dubonnet dates back to the 1800s when it was developed to help French Foreign Legionnaires tolerate the bitter tasting quinine. It is a mix of fortified wine, herbs, spices and peels plus quinine. The story behind the Benedictine aperitif is longer and even more interesting. According to an article on the website Samcooks.com, the recipe is a secret. In the event of a catastrophe a copy of the recipe is kept in three different locations in the world.

For more information about the Buzz words for 2013 be sure to read the article on Wine Industry Insight.

Cheers! Kathy

By Kathy | Posted in Wine Notes | Tagged , | Comments (0)

Jaegerschnitzel (Hunter’s Steak) Recipe Paired with Huber Pinot Noir

October 31, 2012 – 12:02 am

This recipe is from Huber Vineyard and Cellars, a winery Lompoc, California. They received a Silver Medal at the 2012 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition for their 2009 Pinot Noir.

Cheers! Kathy

Jaegerschnitzel
(Hunter’s Steak)

Serves 4

Suggested Pairing: Huber Pinot Noir 2005

Ingredients

4 pork steaks
1 medium onion, sliced
1 cup water
1 Bouillon cube (beef or vegetable)
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
4-6 oz sliced fresh mushrooms, any/all variety!
About 4 Tablespoons olive oil
1 cup sour cream (low fat is ok)
Salt and Pepper

Directions

  1. Rub salt and pepper into the steaks and brown in olive oil in a large skillet.
  2. Remove the steaks, add the onion to the drippings and brown.
  3. Then add the water and the bouillon, put the steaks back into the skillet and cover and simmer for about 15 minutes.
  4. Add the mushrooms and simmer for about 5 more minutes. Remove the meat to a platter.
  5. Mix the cornstarch with the sour cream and stir into the gravy.
  6. Heat, but do not let the mixture boil.
  7. Season to taste.
  8. Pour mushroom gravy over the pork steaks and serve with a potato or pasta dish and a bottle of 2005 Huber Pinot Noir!
Recipe provided by Huber Cellars in California

 

 

By Kathy | Posted in Wine Notes | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)

A Wine Pairing for Hurricane Sandy: Pepi Chenin Blanc/Viognier

October 29, 2012 – 5:30 pm

As we are watching the rains continue and wind blow, we decided to celebrate Hurricane Sandy’s arrival with a Chenin Blanc /Viognier blend by Pepi. We were first introduced to Pepi at the Wine Bloggers Conference in Portland during August. Pepi is a California winery that specializes in white wines. The Chenin Blanc/Viognier is a winner. As the trees with leaves still on are rocking back in forth in the wine gusts, we are enjoying a delicious blend. The light yellow wine has a floral aroma. We noticed honeysuckle, pineapple and peaches on the taste and there is a crisp finish with lingering fruit. Virginia Viognier is a favorite of ours and this California blend with Viognier is also very tasty. The wine would pair well with a salad, but we are enjoying it in the late afternoon as the hurricane is showing its punch.

At the Wine Bloggers Conference we tasted the Pepi Sauvignon Blanc. We recall the wine had citrus aroma and taste especially grapefruit. A week ago we tasted the Pepi 2011 Pinot Grigio. Citrus was the predominant aroma and taste.

Cheers,
Terry

By Terry | Posted in Wine Notes | Tagged , | Comments (0)

Events this Weekend at Wineries Include Halloween Fun

October 26, 2012 – 10:27 am

The Vineyard at Hershey

Update: The Hershey Harrisburg Wine Country is celebrating with a Fall Festival this weekend. Information is available on their website.

Those of us on the East Coast are waiting the approach of Hurricane Sandy also referred to as Frankenstorm. Plan your weekend carefully.

Watch the weather and if you are in a region expected to receive the brunt of the storm, call the winery to see if the winery is open and if the event is still on. You may want to purchase a bottle of wine, cheese and crackers to enjoy at home while waiting out the storm.

Some wineries are hosting Halloween events this weekend. Check out the wineries in your region for any festivities!

 

Cheers! Kathy

Friday, October 26

Chateau Chantal, Michigan
Event: Wine Dinner
Website Information

Ferrante Winery & Ristorante, Ohio
Music: Dennis Ford
Website Information

Lorimar Vineyards and Winery, California
Event: Live Music at Sunset
Website Information

Reid’s Orchard Winery, Pennsylvania
Event: Harvest Celebration
Website Information

The Winery at Perennial Vineyards, Ohio
Music: Ren
Website

Saturday, October 27

DelFosse Vineyards & Winery, Virginia
Event: Harvest Dinner
Website Information

Ferrante Winery & Ristorante, Ohio
Music: Larry Smith
Website Information

Grand River Cellars, Ohio
Event: Halloween Party
Website Information

Hinterbrook Estate Winery, Canada
Event: Oyster & Wine Seminar Lunch
Website Information

Reid’s Orchard Winery, Pennsylvania
Event: Harvest Celebration
Website Information

Three Fox Vineyards, Virginia
Event: Annual Halloween Celebration
Website Information

Tomahawk Mill Winery, Virginia
Event: Halloween  Party for Adults Only
Reservations Required (434-432-1063)
Information at http://www.facebook.com/TomahawkMillWinery

Sunday, October 28

Cava Winery, New Jersey
Event: Live Music-Burgundy Watch
Website Information

Chateau Chantal, Michigan
Event: Jazz at Sunset
Website Information

Ferrante Winery & Ristorante, Ohio
Music: Mike Woytilla
Website Information

Lorimar Vineyards and Winery, California
Event: Sippin’ Sundays-Live Music
Website Information

Reid’s Orchard Winery, Pennsylvania
Event: Harvest Celebration
Event: Living History at Jennie’s House
Website Information

Three Fox Vineyards, VA
Event: Annual Halloween Celebration
Event: Haunted Halloween 5K Race
Website Information

Cheers! Kathy

By Kathy | Posted in Wine Notes | Comments (0)

Governmental Wine Regulation Hurts Canadian Charities

October 24, 2012 – 3:47 pm

I enjoy discovering and writing about charity events especially those that may be hosted by wineries or perhaps wine auctions where the proceeds go to a charity or nonprofit organization.

Too many government entities want to control the wine industry with such a heavy hand that they make it almost impossible for wine enthusiasts and wineries to help others. The majority of winery owners are wonderful people who want to help others whether it is to loan a piece of winery equipment or to help a winery that is going through tough times. (For specific examples, you can read a chapter of A Wine Journey, where we write about some of these extraordinary stories.)

More to the point I was shocked to read that in Canada, a wine auction to support Belfry Theatre has been stopped because a change was made this summer to a document. Crush is a fundraising event that has been held in previous years to provide funds for the theatre. Now the LCLB refuses to allow wine to be auctioned if it has not been purchased through the LCLB. The 2012 auction was to have occurred October 28 and has now been cancelled since many of the bottles to be auctioned had been privately donated. According to a news release from Belfry Theatre, General Manager Mr. Habel said,

“The legislation that restricts this type of donation is out of touch with current practice. It (the legislation) demonstrates a lack of understanding of the realities of the needs of non-profits, small and large charities throughout the province. We have polled other charities and this will have an enormous impact. Action is required by the government to bring into line legislation and enforcement, with the needs of charities across the province.”

Giving to worthy charities should be encouraged. Governments need to understand the wine industry rather than judging it with taxation and prohibition stances. What laws in your region are detrimental to charities?

If you know of wineries and wine events that focus on helping a charity or nonprofit, please email me at kathy (at) winetrailtraveler.com.

Cheers! Kathy

By Kathy | Posted in Wine Notes | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)

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