December 9, 2009 – 11:38 am
How much are you willing to spend on a gift of a bottle of wine?
What do you consider to be a good reasonably priced wine? A couple of years ago, I was at a grocery store and saw Yellow Tail on sale for $4.99 a bottle. Many consumers consider Yellow Tail to be a good wine. Yesterday, my daughter called and said she found an Icewine for $20. My immediate response was, “Oh, that must be an ice wine style wine.” But it turned out that it was a true Icewine imported from Canada. Twenty dollars for a bottle of Icewine from a renowned winery is a good deal. However, in most cases, consumers are not able to taste imported wines in advance of purchase.
As we have traveled from one winery to another in the past several years, we’ve noticed that many domestic wines tend to be a bit more expensive than many imported wines. However, consumers will discover many domestic wines that are in the $10 and $20 range. Visit your local wineries and taste the wines before you buy. We visited with Roy Cecchetti from the Cecchetti Wine Company and he is producing domestic wines with a price average of $10 each. We had the opportunity to taste his Line 39 wines and enjoyed them.
The overriding advantage of purchasing a wine at a winery is that most likely you will have the opportunity to taste the wine before purchasing a bottle of it.
Enjoy your search for a good, but reasonably priced wine. Wine is the perfect gift and can be purchased economically.
Cheers! Kathy
December 7, 2009 – 8:24 am
Although many have their Holiday shopping completed, there are others who haven’t started yet. Buying gifts for you wine lover friends is not a daunting task. This week we’ll feature some ideas of gifts that won’t break the bank.
If you are no stranger to a kitchen, consider making wine jelly. You will need two bottles of wine or one magnum. Since you’re making jelly, you do not need expensive wine. The recipe works well with any white wine or red wine. It calls for 3 ½ cups of wine, so there will be some left over wine for you to enjoy our use in cooking. It also calls for one box of SureJell. I haven’t tried other powdered pectins such as Ball; the SureJell does work. You will also need a ½ cup of lemon juice and sugar.
With just four ingredients, you can make a unique personal gift for the wine lover on your list. The recipe takes about an hour including the time to process the canning jars. You can can six half-pint jars or three-pint jars. The jelly is perfect for toast but is also great over softened cream cheese or brie as an appetizer with crackers.
Read the wine jelly recipe on the Wine Trail Traveler site.
December 4, 2009 – 8:14 am
Palisade, Colorado is a delightful wine region to visit any time of the year. Just remember to dress for the weather.
Palisade will be celebrating an Olde Fashioned Christmas the weekend of December 11 to December 13. The events begin on Friday with the Art & Chocolate Walk. This is followed by the Annual Christmas Tree Lighting. Saturday events will include the Annual Gingerbread House Contest, kid’s train rides and a kid’s craft tent. Tours of eight Victorian homes will also be available. Other events include the Soup Challenge and the Chili Cook-off.
On Sunday, December 13 from 12 Noon until 2pm, the Wine Country Inn will be hosting a Christmas Tea as part of the Palisade Old Fashioned Christmas weekend.
Three courses will be included as part of the Christmas Tea. Scones with Devonshire cream and jam, special selections including miniature quiches and followed by cookies, sweet breads and strawberries dipped in chocolate.
Phone for reservations. Wine Country Inn: 970-464-5777 or Palisade Chamber of Commerce: 970-464-7458.
While staying in Palisade, consider visiting some of the region’s wineries.
Note: Wine Country Inn is located close to Interstate 70 and is a delightful inn to stay at while visiting Palisade, Colorado. The inn is within walking distance to wineries and a short drive to other wineries in the area. We had the opportunity to have a complimentary stay at the Wine Country Inn and enjoyed the room, atmosphere and friendliness of the hosts and staff. Read the Wine Trail Traveler review. We would enjoy returning to this inn anytime.
December 3, 2009 – 8:24 am
Enjoy a visit to four Virginia wineries located on the Heart of Virginia Wine Trail. The “Heart of Virginia Jingle Bell Wine Trail takes place Saturday and Sunday (December 5 & 6) from 11 to 5. Cost is $10 per person. The event includes wine tastings, a souvenir glass and a gift for completing the trail. For more information about the Heart of Virginia Wine Trail and events, visit their website at http://www.hovawinetrail.com/index.html.
Cheers! Kathy
December 1, 2009 – 12:22 pm
Wine and events are happening throughout this holiday season. If you are looking for fun events to participate in consider some of these activities. More December activities will be listed on the blog so keep watch.
Cayuga Wine Trail, New York
16th Annual Holiday Shopping Spree
December 4-6
Friday 1:00-5:00PM?Saturday & Sunday 10:00AM-6:00PM
Details: http://www.cayugawinetrail.com/cwt_register.taf
Ohio – (northeast Ohio wineries)
Tannenbaum Trail Wineries
“This is a self driving tour. You have three weekends (Fridays & Saturdays-Noon to 6pm) to visit 13 wineries. At a designated winery, you will pick up a boxed 15” miniature Christmas tree, that includes ribbon garland and miniature lights. You also receive a Schott Zwiesel crystal wine glass. As you travel from winery to winery you will receive 1 or 2 samples of wine and an appetizer per person. You also get an Christmas ornament to trim your tree with.?Cost is $45 per couple and $35 per single” (website information)
Pennsylvania, Brandywine Wine Trail
Holiday Open House
December 5 & 6, 12pm to 5pm
Information: http://www.bvwinetrail.com/trail_events.cfm
Cheers! Kathy
November 30, 2009 – 11:16 am
Over the long Thanksgiving weekend, we had the opportunity to enjoy a non-vintage Penn Shore Champagne. The aroma offered apple nuances and the taste was dry and mild. This Champagne with 12% alcohol made a delightful addition to dinner. The Champagne cleansed the palate and offered the opportunity to taste the various flavors of the dinner.
Penn Shore Winery is located in North East, Pennsylvania. While those familiar with Pennsylvania locations will know where North East is, others will be surprised that it is located on the shore Lake Erie in the north western area of PA. North East, Pennsylvania is located in the area often referred to as the “Chimney.”
Cheers! Kathy
November 28, 2009 – 8:42 am
Last night, I enjoyed a glass of Simply Pink, a wine produced by St. Julian Winery in Michigan. It is a blend of Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Seyval Blanc. Simply Pink has a lot of summertime fruit nuances both on the aroma and taste. The wine is labeled as semi-dry… but was sweeter than I anticipated. It paired nicely with cheese and crackers before dinner. The wine is easy to drink and suggested uses include using it as a summer time drink or to enjoy by a fireplace.
According to the St. Julian website, the winery gives a donation to the National Breast Cancer Foundation for each bottle of Simply Pink sold. So do yourself a favor and also support the National Breast Cancer Foundation by purchasing a bottle of Simply Pink. In the event you don’t care about semi-dry or sweet wines, it will make a very nice gift for someone who does like sweeter wines.
Cheers! Kathy
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Gifts for the Wine Lover that Won’t Break the Bank: Grapevine Wreaths
While at this time of year, when one mentions a “wreath” many people immediately think of a Christmas wreath. This is where your creativity can come in and help you create a delightful year round wreath for yourself or to give as a gift.
Grape wreaths are available at craft stores and are relatively inexpensive. Yesterday while browsing the aisles at my local Michael’s store, I discovered grapevine wreaths ready to be decorated for as low as $3.99. Grapevine balls and swags were also available. Add ribbon, a green sprig, an ornament or two and you will have a delightful Christmas gift to give a friend.
If you are looking for a gift that will brighten someone’s day all year long, create an all season grapevine wreath. A couple of years ago, I saw a grapevine wreath decorated with yellow ribbon and picks including yellow flower accents. It was perfect for a front door all year long. Using your imagination, you can create delightful gifts that give joy throughout the year.
Hint: If you like the idea of making the basic grapevine wreath, visit wineries and vineyards during the winter and spring when the pruning of grapevines take place. The wineries may be happy to let you take a few of the prunings.
If you missed the first blog about Gifts for the Wine Lover that Won’t Break the Bank: Wine Jelly, check it out.
Cheers, Kathy