October 21, 2009 – 7:35 am
For me the wine of the week was the Wildhurst Sauvignon Blanc 2008. Wow it was great. Fruity, crisp and refreshing.
One of my nieces is sending me information when she discovers a wine she really likes. Below are the two that she recently sent to me.
Conte Di Bregonzo Amarone della Valpolicella 2006. This wine was designated “denominazione di origine controllata.” She found this Italian wine at Trader Joes for $16.99. She wrote, “I tried this at Trader Joes today and my palate was overwhelmed….in a good way!”
Earlier she had emailed me about a Merlot that she thought was terrific. This was a Tangley Oaks Merlot 2006 Lot #8 from Napa Valley. She said the restaurant wine list described it as medium-bodied, earthy, red and black fruit flavors and smooth textured. She wrote that she asked “for a dry red and he served me his favorite. I like it because it was dry of course, full body, a tiny bit of smoky/woody flavor, and no aftertaste. And, it was strong too but in just the right way.”
Thanks Sounia for letting me know about these wines!
Cheers! Kathy
October 20, 2009 – 8:34 am
With frost in the air and fall foliage in varying degrees of red, yellow and orange, it’s time to consider visiting wineries in the countryside. Call your favorite winery and see what they have to offer. While perusing events for the weekend of October 31 and November 1, I came across a couple of events that sound like fun. One is even in Hong Kong. Below are just a few suggestions.
Hong Kong has food and wine events from October 30 thru November 8, 2009. For the specific days of October 31 and November 1, the event is the Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival. For details visit the website.
Back here in the US, on October 29, the Reagan Library in Simi Valley, California is hosting its first annual wine and food pairing. This event will feature California wine and gourmet food. For more information, visit the Reagan Library website. Reservations are required.
On the east coast on October 31, visitors arriving in costume to Three Fox Vineyards will receive discounts. The Three Fox Vineyards will open their Haunted Trail. For more information about Three Fox Vineyards, be sure to visit their website.
As always be sure to check with the official event site, before making your plans.
What wine and Halloween weekend events have you discovered?
Cheers! Kathy
October 19, 2009 – 8:52 am
Over the weekend, we had the opportunity to visit family a couple of hours away. During the afternoon we opened a bottle of Wildhurst Vineyards 2008 Sauvignon Blanc and enjoyed it with appetizers. Everyone remarked how good this wine was with its layers of fruit. The aroma was bold and fruity with orange blossom and peach nuances. There was also a hint of minerality. The taste was like a tropical fruit salad with layers of fruit notes. The finish was crisp and fruity.
This wine was in a gift basket from the Lake County Wine Commission. Back at home I decided to check on the Wildhurst website and discovered that the wine is available for $12 and that seems to be a great deal for such a good wine. I may just want to check out other wines by Wildhurst. The winery is located in the increasingly popular Lake County area of California-just north of Napa Valley. For more information, check out the Wildhurst website.
Cheers! Kathy
October 17, 2009 – 9:49 am
To celebrate the Drink Local Wine Region Wine Week, we visited Black Ankle Vineyards yesterday. The drive to the winery was very pleasant. After leaving Interstate 70 most of the drive was along shady, country roads. We passed by many farms with goats, sheep, cattle and llamas. Upon reaching Black Ankle, we saw acres of vines, many of which had been picked. The deep purple Syrah grapes were still hanging on this cold, rainy day. Judging by the weather it will be several days before these grapes can be harvested.
This relatively new winery opened in 2008. However, planning for the winery was done years in advance. Black Ankle is an environmentally friendly winery. The walls of the tasting room are filled with straw baled from the property. Straw provides excellent insulation. A small window in the tasting room shows a view of the straw inside the walls. The owners planted the vineyards years before building the tasting room. Part of the facility has a “living roof” which provides insulation during the summer and winter.
The wines at Black Ankle are predominantly dry. White wines offered include Bedlam, Chardonnay, Grüner Veltliner and Viognier. Bedlam 2008, a white blend of Viognier, Chardonnay, Grüner Veltliner, Albarino and Muscat offered a sweet aroma that was floral and fruity with hints of orange blossoms. This refreshing wine had a dry taste with a crisp finish. Red wines include Passeggiata, a friendly red wine that white wine enthusiasts may enjoy. Other red wines were Syrah, Rolling Hills (a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Petit Verdot and Pinot Noir), and Crumbling Rock. The winery received the Governor’s Cup for the last two years for Crumbling Rock 2006 and Crumbling Rock 2007.
It is important to note that Black Ankle Vineyards is supporting National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The winery has joined with Mount Airy’s Team Hope. On October 24 from 12 to 6pm the winery is donating a portion of its sales towards helping to find the cure.
Enjoy a visit to Maryland’s Black Ankle Vineyards. For more information about Black Ankle Vineyards visit the Wine Trail Traveler article.
Cheers! Kathy
October 15, 2009 – 9:45 am
With wineries increasing throughout the states of Maryland and Virginia, there is also an increase in the number of wineries using old buildings for “adaptive reuse.” Many wineries feature environmentally friendly tasting rooms and winery facilities. There is a group of these Maryland and Virginia wineries that have successfully used “adaptive reuse.” This is the concept of taking a building and changing its use.
As you travel to wineries to taste and enjoy their wines, observe the facilities. Are the buildings sparkling new with every imaginable feature or do they appear old and possibly renovated? Be sure to ask if the building had another prior use.
Several of Maryland and Virginia wineries have accomplished this feat of reusing old buildings. In Maryland we have discovered several wineries that have been created using “adaptive reuse.” Frederick Cellars in Frederick was an ice warehouse built in 1904. In Manchester, Maryland, Cygnus Wine Cellars renovated and uses a building that was originally a slaughterhouse. Linganore Wine Cellars is located in a 120 plus year old barn. Terrapin Station Winery is also making use of an aged barn. Visitors to southern Maryland will discover that Friday’s Creek Winery is located in a restored tobacco barn.
In Virginia, Vint Hill Craft Winery is located in what was first a barn built in the early 20th century and by 1942 was part of a military base. Near the Chesapeake in Virginia, the Hague Winery has several buildings dating back to 1835. Miracle Valley Vineyard’s tasting room is located on the first floor of a house built most likely in the 1880’s. Likewise, the Winery at LaGrange’s tasting room is in a historic house.
While it may or may not pay off in terms of the cost of renovating and adapting, it is environmentally friendly. Kudos to Maryland and Virginia wineries for protecting the past and looking to the future.
Discover other wineries on the east coast that are creating wineries and tasting rooms out of old buildings.
(Check out Regional Wine Week hosted by the Drink Local Wine website.)
Cheers! Kathy
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Winemaking – Sorting Grapes – Vint Hill Craft Winery
Yesterday was a glorious day despite the occasional down pours of rain. We spent several hours at Vint Hill Craft Winery where we sorted and destemmed Cabernet Sauvignon from California. It’s not easy work. Backs began hurting and it does become somewhat monotonous. Sorting grapes is about equivalent to being at a potato chip factory watching the conveyor belt passing by and watching for the defective potato chip. But these were the grapes that were going to be in our own bottles of Cabernet Sauvignon and that just made it seem worth it. Somehow that made all the difference and we kept at it until we were called to the lab to check the brix, ph and tartaric acid levels of the resulting must. To see a video of the October 10th experience of sorting Merlot and Cabernet Franc, visit Wine Trail Traveler winemaking blog.