About     FAQ     Contact      Advertise With Us      Press   

How Do You Research Wineries/Vineyards to Visit?

August 17, 2010 – 6:24 am

Heading to any destination, you wonder if there are wineries in the area to visit. How do you research to find wineries or vineyards in the area? There are some simple quick ways to find wineries/vineyards.

Use Google maps and type the city and state or country your travels will take you to. For example, type “Auckland, New Zealand” in the search maps box. A map of Auckland will appear in the map box. Next delete the city and type “wineries.” You should probably scroll out a few times to cover a larger geographical area. Several balloons and dots appear on the map. You can hover the cursor over a balloon or dot and click on it for more details. Often there is a link to the winery/vineyard website in the more information box. Notice that you will have balloons and dots that give you false positives. Rather then a location for a winery or vineyard it may give a location for a business such as a wine tour company or church, some churches use the word vineyard in their name.

Another method is to search for a wine growers association website in the region you are visiting. For example if you were to type “Temecula wine growers association” into the Google search box, the Temecula Valley Winegrowers Association will be the first listed item. There is a direct link to the wineries and vineyards in the area. Note that not all destinations have a winegrowers association.

If you are really pressed for time, you can view the trip itineraries on the Wine Trail Traveler site. More than fifty itineraries can be used to help you plan wineries and vineyards to visit. Lodging facilities are also suggested on the trip itineraries.

As part of you research, discover the list of wineries/vineyards you’d like to visit. Note the times they are open to the public and if you need to make an appointment. With thousands of wineries in the United States and tens of thousands of wineries and vineyards in other countries, hopefully you will find some to visit close to your destination.

Happy Travels
Terry

By Terry | Posted in Wine News/Commentary | Tagged , , , , | Comments (1)

Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc

August 16, 2010 – 11:20 am

As the father of the groom, it seems my role in my son’s upcoming wedding is to write checks. Other than that I don’t have many decisions to make. However I did find a nice spot for the rehearsal dinner. They have a preset wine list for a rehearsal diner that includes a Chardonnay, White Zinfandel and a Merlot. Wanting to make at least some wine decision, I asked the Coho Grill in Columbia, Maryland if they would substitute a Sauvignon Blanc for the Chardonnay. They were very accommodating.

It’s not that I have anything against Chardonnay. I am not a member of the ABC (anything but Chardonnay) group. But I do find that Chardonnay, either oaked or not oaked, is a varietal wine that I cannot drink on a daily basis. I do enjoy Chardonnay whenever I haven’t had it for a while. This isn’t the case for Cabernet Sauvignon, a wine that I don’t mind drinking daily. If not Chardonnay, then what white wine?

I’ve come to appreciate white wine this summer. With temperatures in the 90’s and 100’s and humidity above 60 to 70 percent, I almost prefer a white wine over a Cabernet Sauvignon. It may be that summertime food is lighter and a lighter wine pairs well with lighter food. The white wine that will go well with our menu for the rehearsal dinner is a Sauvignon Blanc.

Kathy and I took Kevin and Brittany to the Coho Grill last week and we tried the Brancott Sauvignon Blanc?from New Zealand. The aroma was tropical with hints of citrus. Pineapple was the predominant fruit on the taste but yielded to other tropical fruits and then finally citrus on the finish. The crisp finish was palate cleansing and this wine should be a pleasing wine for the rehearsal dinner guests.

What white wines do you like during the hut humid summer assuming you have a hot humid summer?

Cheers,
Terry

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

Humanitas: Profits Donated to Charity

August 15, 2010 – 7:22 am

Humanitas is a winery that is dedicated to producing wines and using the profits to donate to charity. The donations focus on ways to solve hunger, housing and illiteracy in local communities throughout the US.

Wine enthusiasts can choose between different wine clubs. These include  ‘CHARITY CASE’! Wine club, ‘PHILANTRHOPIC 6-PACK’ Wine club and ‘CARE PACKAGE’! Wine Club.

Unique to the concept of donating to national organizations, the donations are regionally distributed and wine buyers have a choice of what local charity they can direct the donation.

For detailed information, visit the Humanitas website.

Cheers,

Kathy

By Kathy | Posted in Wine News/Commentary | Tagged , | Comments (0)

Laurello Vineyards this Weekend

August 13, 2010 – 8:47 am

Laurello Vineyards is a delightfully, friendly winery to visit with friends and family. Food, music and wine all play a large part of the visitor’s experience.

The tasting room is also part of a bistro type facility with menu available. This summer they are offering a new appetizer, Lucy’s Caponata. The recipe includes eggplant, celery, olives, capers, tomatoes and onions served on toasted bread.

This weekend at the winery the pizza special is pizza topped with Italian sausage, homemade chunky tomato sauce, mozzarella and Romano cheeses.

Live music will be performed at 7pm – Friday night Light of Day Band and Saturday night All 4 One.

Laurello Vineyards is located in Harpersfield Township, Geneva, Ohio. A  Laurello review is available on the Wine Trail Traveler website.

Cheers! Kathy

By Kathy | Posted in Winery Events | Tagged , , , , , | Comments (0)

Winery Events for the Weekend of August 13-15

August 12, 2010 – 12:04 pm

Winery events this weekend from Wine Trail Traveler’s featured partner wineries are listed below. Be sure to check a winery website for changes and additional information.

Lorimar Winery  and Vineyards, Temecula Californi
John Foltz Key Board
August 14th, 28th; 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm Live @ Lorimar Live @ Lorimar- offers an intimate and fun location for musical performances. Overlooking Main Street, Lorimar has a unique and ‘edgy’ feel perfect for innovative musicians. The venue offers an acoustic setting like no other, and is the perfect place to hear great music from some of Southern California’s best up and coming musicians.

Tesoro Winery, Temecula, California
Friday, August 13th – 7-10 p.m. Hot Summer Nights in Old Town – Swift Pony Join in the fun at our tasting room in Old Town on Front at Sixth Street for some great rock n roll — get your seat on our outdoor patio (one drink minimum per person 6:30 – 10 p.m.) — have a glass of wine and enjoy the concert!

Thornton Winery, Temecula, California
August 14th; 7:00 pm Gentlemen of the Night Meadows, Taylor and Lington General Admission $60.00; Gourmet Supper Package 3 Course Meal $135.00

Vezér Family Vineyards, Suisun Valley, California
Summer Concert Series at the Mankas Corner Gardens Tickets can be purchased right at the tasting Vezer Tasting Room at Mankas. $17.50 Tables service available from Vintage Cafe.
August 15th: The Rhythem Method

Chateau Chantal, Traverse City, Michigan
Daily: Jun 15th – end of August; 12:30 pm – 2:30 pm
Tapas Tour A Tapas Tour experience consists of a tour of the winery that winds through the vineyard and cellar as the winemaking process is explained from vine to wine. It concludes with our tapas-style exploration of wine and food pairing. We aim to satisfy your appetite for wine knowledge as well as for tapas! Please bring an eager palate, an inquisitive mind, and a light jacket to wear as we venture through the cool cellar.

Where: Chateau Chantal Vineyard~Winery~Inn Cost: $25 per person Reservations are required at least one day in advance, and may be made by calling (800) 969-4009 or booking through our online web store at www.chateauchantal.com

Jun 16th through September 4th; Wednesdays and Saturdays; 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Wine Dinners at Chateau Chantal Our Wine Dinners are the perfect way to experience the best of Northern Michigan. Our delicious local wines are paired with a 6 course meal prepared by Chef Les Hagaman, owner of neighboring B&B, Tesoro Inn. Learn from our knowledgeable staff about food and wine pairings while enjoying this beautiful meal and making new friends. Please bring an eager palate, an inquisitive mind, and an empty stomach!
Where: Chateau Chantal?Time: Optional Winery Tour at 6:00pm; Dinner Seating at 6:30pm Cost: $50 per person, plus tax and gratuity Reservations are required at least one day in advance, and may be made by calling us at (800) 969-4009 or by booking online at www.chateauchantal.com

Ferrante Winery & Ristorante, Harpersfield Township, Ohio
Entertainment

Times for entertainment Friday and Saturday evenings from 6:30pm to 9:30pm-Sunday afternoons from 2:00pm to 5:00pm
08-13-10 Friday Ramon 08-14-10 Saturday Afternoon Dave Sterner 08-14-10 Saturday Evening Blues Highway 08-15-10 Sunday Dennis Ford

Messina Hof Winery and Resort, Bryan, Texas
August 13th – Lights, Camera, Murder! Murder Mystery Dinner at 6:30pm
August 14th – Grande Finale Vintner Dinner – Palm Bay Imports at 6:30pm
August 14th – 15th – Harvest Weekend #5 at 8:00am

Barrel Oak Winery, Delaplane Virginia
August 13th; 5;30 PM
The Steve Warner Trio will be playing at BOW BOW’s Patio Ticket: Free

Delfosse Vineyards and Winery, Faber, Virginia
August 15: 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm French Crepe Day Come and celebrate another French Crepe Day. Select from a menu of 5 different crepes. Cost: $5/ crepe

Tarara Winery, Leesburg, Virginia

August 6th through October 1st; 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Friday Evenings at Tarara! Beginning on Friday August 6th, enjoy wine tasting and live music (4-8 PM) on our deck until 8 PM on Friday evenings through October 1st. Wines, cheeses, and salamis will be available for purchase at our deck bar. Come after work and enjoy a beautiful sunset, live music, and of course, Tarara wine!

August 14th Tarara’s Toast to the Tunes

Summer Concert Series: 2U

August 14th Paddle, Wine & Concerts Paddle the Potomac River to Tarara Vineyard. Once there, enjoy the Sounds of Summer Concert Series and an evening full of music performed by legendary musicians. Award-winning wine to taste is included and good food available for purchase…all enjoyed under the summer evening sky. Reservations Required info.

Three Fox Vineyards, Delaplane, Virginia

August 14th; 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm Fauquier SPCA Fundraiser “Paws for Refreshments” We are pleased to host the Fauquier SPCA and their “Paws for Refreshment” event. They will have information on the wonderful work they do in the community to provide loving care to local animals and help them find permanent homes.

Enjoy visiting a winery for a tasting or an event this weekend!

Cheers! Kathy

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

Rationale for Drinking Wine

August 12, 2010 – 6:54 am

I’m often amused by rationale that people develop to drink wine. Bruning’s Clock and Home Accent Store in Beavercreek, Ohio offer one of the best reasons for wine drinking. In addition to clocks, the store also sells wine racks and wine cabinets. Twice a week they hold wine tastings. Bruning’s offers the following rationale for drinking wine and other spirits:

“In a number of carefully controlled trials, ?scientists have demonstrated that if we drink ?1 liter of water each day, at the end of the year we would have absorbed more than 1 kilo of Escherichia coli, (E. Coli) – bacteria found in feces. In other words, we are consuming 1 kilo of poop.

However, we do NOT run that risk when drinking wine & beer (not to mention tequila, rum, whiskey or other liquor) because alcohol has to go through a purification process of boiling, filtering and /or fermenting.

Remember:
Water = Poop,
Wine/beer = Health
Therefore, it’s better to drink wine or beer and talk stupid, than to drink water and be full of crap.”

Do you have a rationale for drinking wine?

Cheers,
Terry

By Terry | Posted in Wine News/Commentary | Tagged , | Comments (0)

Who Should Get the Restaurant Wine List?

August 11, 2010 – 10:42 am

Why is it that at most restaurants men receive the wine list? Is this due to etiquette or to a mistaken assumption that women don’t know much about wine?

It’s interesting to note that slightly more women than men drink wine. Yet particularly in the past in the wine industry, it appears that men predominate in the roles of owner, winemaker and viticulturist.  Yes, there are women winemakers, owners and those interested more in viticulture than enology but the industry seems to be predominantly men. Why?

Women are becoming more involved in the wine industry. Keyways Vineyard & Winery in Temecula, California is owned and operated by Terri Pebley. Sarah at Navarro Vineyards in Mendocino County has a degree in enology but she enjoys working outdoors with the grapevines and sheep that are used to maintain the vineyards.

Which leads me to wonder why at a restaurant is the “wine list” handed to the man at the table? Just perhaps the woman at the table has more experience or more knowledge about wine.

When dining at a restaurant with my husband he receives the wine list 100 percent of the time. What is nice is that he knows I enjoy looking at the wine list and shares it with me. We frequently discuss the wines not only in terms of varieties, but whether we have been to a particular winery. Very important to us is whether the restaurant has local wines available. Together we make the decision about which wine to choose.

How about you? Who do you think should receive the wine list? Hmmm… maybe it would be better to provide two copies of the wine list.

Cheers! Kathy

By Kathy | Posted in Wine News/Commentary | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments (0)

Wine Festivals for the Weekend of August 21/22

August 10, 2010 – 9:07 am

The Wine & Art Festival is taking place in Traverse City, Michigan on August 21 from 3 to 10pm. This is an opportunity to taste wines produced at wineries on Leelanau Peninsula and Old Mission Peninsula in Michigan. This event also features more than 60 artists from the region and food from local restaurants. Information is available at http://traversecitywinefestival.com/. We discovered that the wineries on Leelanau and Old Mission vary from the small, boutique wineries to the large facilities. They all offer friendliness and quality wines to taste. While making plans to visit Traverse City for this festival, plan on staying a few extra days to visit the wineries and tasting rooms on these nearby peninsulas. For reviews of some of these wineries visit http://winetrailtraveler.com/michigan/michigan.php.

Vermont will be hosting its first Vermont Winery and Vineyard Open House Weekend on August 21/22. Participating wineries will vary in their activities, so it is suggested that visitors check ahead with the wineries. Website Info: http://www.vermontgrapeandwinecouncil.com/

Enjoy planning to visit a wine festival in Michigan or Vermont for the third weekend of August.

Cheers! Kathy

By Kathy | Posted in Winery Events | Tagged , , , , , | Comments (0)

Enomatic Machines Versus Archaic Wine Laws

August 9, 2010 – 8:40 am

I like the Enomatic-type wine  machines and believe they are a wonderful boon to the wine industry as well as wine shops. What’s not to like? The Enomatic-type machines come in all sizes. They are handy to have in tasting rooms where winemakers know that the wine opened one day will be good several days later. There is less wine to dispose of and less loss for the winery.

Apparently, not only in British Columbia but also in Washington State and Oregon, the laws are not keeping up with technology. According to an article in Wines and Vines, Government Limits Wine Dispenser by Peter Mitham, “Enomatic wine dispensing systems may be growing in popularity, but purchasers face closer scrutiny from regulators who see the machines as a challenge to liquor control regulations.”

In the article Mitham cites concerns from those opposed to the use of Enomatic-type machines. These include a state law requiring unused wine samples to be disposed of 30 minutes before closing. Interesting, I wonder what the rationale is behind that law.

Other concerns include that some laws require that consumers may not self-serve themselves wine, identification cannot be checked by a machine and that consumers may become intoxicated if they do not have a human server.

Solutions to Enomatic Concerns

Perhaps a solution is to follow the example of Tastings, a Wine Experience, a wine bar and bistro in Mystic, Connecticut. Tastings has two walls of wines from which to choose for tasting. Visitors purchase a card with a certain amount of money on it. The system was designed so that an individual can read a description and select their tasting. However when we visited in 2009, Connecticut did not allow consumers to self- serve wine. The Tastings wine bar and bistro in Mystic worked around this by having consumers select the wines they wanted to taste.  A server pours the selection from the machine and takes it to the table. With a hundred wines available to taste it was an ideal situation. We were able to taste high end (expensive wines) for a fraction of the price that a wine bottle would have cost. It was a win-win situation for the wine bistro, wineries and consumers.

Regarding the so-called inability of a machine to check ID and levels of intoxication, are Oregon and Washington unaware of Pennsylvania’s new system where consumers can purchase wine from a machine. It checks ID by having the purchaser swipe a driver’s license, smile for a camera and use a breath sensor. While the system is cumbersome, it does provide the idea that machines can provide control including identification and breath analysis. Hopefully, before this is needed, some of the archaic wine laws the northwest area has will change. After all, wine is not evil. It’s a beverage and should be treated as beverage that pairs well with food.

Cheers! Kathy

By Kathy | Posted in Wine News/Commentary | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments (1)

Mutt Lynch Winery Donates to Dog Charities

August 8, 2010 – 4:45 pm

Mutt Lynch Winery located in Healdsburg, California is open by appointment only and for special events.  Wine varieties available include Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Merlot, Zinfandel, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Sirah. Visitors are encouraged to bring their dogs.

This winery is centered on dogs; even the wine club is named Club Mutt. Visitors are encouraged to bring their dogs to the winery.  A big part the winery includes labels featuring dogs and donations to dog organizations. Mutt Lynch Winery donates to local organizations like animal rescue organizations. Adopt-a-Pet, a North American large pet adoption web service, is also a recipient of the winery’s donations. According to the Mutt Lynch Winery website, “In 2009, we supported over 50 nonprofit animal organizations and attended over 30 fundraising events.”

Wine and pet lovers may enjoy checking out this winery and their wines. Watch for special events on the Mutt Lynch Winery website. The next scheduled event is The Dog Days of Summer on August 14th.

Cheers! Kathy

By Kathy | Posted in Wine News/Commentary | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (0)

info@winetrailtraveler.com            Sitemap                      Privacy Policy

Copyright: Terry and Kathy Sullivan 2006-2013