In a January blog, Wine Trail Traveler talked about Tim Tam Slams and Port. At the time the Tim Tam cookies made by Pepperidge Farm were sold in Target stores until March. As we traveled to wineries, if they produced Port we usually mentioned the Australian experience of Tim Tam Slams. The idea is to take a small bite off diagonal corners of the chocolate covered cookie. Insert the cookie into milk, coffee or in the case of wineries Port. Using the cookie as a straw, draw the liquid into the cookie. The porous texture of the cookie absorbs the liquid and the cookie is even better.

I learned yesterday that Pepperidge Farm is bringing back Tim Tams to stores and in addition will sell dark chocolate Tim Tams at Target stores. For some reason, the cookies will only be available between October and March each year. You may want to think of stocking up – I wonder if they can be frozen?

For more information, visit the Tim Tam website.

Cheers! Kathy

This weekend we discovered a great wine education opportunity in Maryland. Those who have visited wineries in Maryland know that Maryland does produce some great wines. However, Maryland has been somewhat limited in terms of wine education. It seems for most wine education people must travel to Virginia, Philadelphia or New York.

Tin Lizzie Wineworks is a unique wine education experience offered to Maryland residents. Located in the beautiful countryside of Clarksville, between Washington, DC and Baltimore, Tin Lizzie Wineworks is setup to teach participants how to make a barrel of wine. Those participating will take part in four scheduled sessions. Customers can also choose to participate in the punch down of the must and learn the chemical process of producing wine.

Participants can choose to participate in producing a ¼, ½, or whole barrel of wine. Prices result in high-end wines being produced for $20 a bottle. This is a great deal for a high-end wine.

Anyone choosing to participate in making a barrel of wine this fall should contact David Zuchero at Tin Lizzie Wineworks.

Cheers! Kathy

Why use glass wine bottles when plastic bottles are available? Proponents of plastic bottles point to the fact that they are less expensive. The use of plastic will allow wine to be less expensive. Considering the expense that goes into producing a bottle of wine, consumers already have access to some very good wines that are relatively inexpensive. Another pro that proponents talk about is that since plastic is lighter, it costs less to ship the wine. This reduces the carbon footprint for wine.

As Jerry Hirsch mentions in his Los Angeles Times article, Plastic bottles aim to remold wine industry, “The ubiquitous 750-milliliter glass wine bottle is starting to get competition from a plastic upstart, both on retail shelves and at a few restaurants.” But concerns and questions abound. Although plastic may be a great choice for wines intended to be drunk immediately, what about wines that are aged? To some consumers wine and romance are not separable. Many will believe that wine in a plastic bottle doesn’t have the charm as wine in glass. For wine collectors, many will prefer to continue using glass that is better protection for long time storage of wine.

Would you buy wine in a plastic bottle?

Cheers, Kathy

For many wine enthusiasts, it may come as a surprise that Texas can boast that it ranks 5^th in the nation for wine production. Texas has come a long way since vineyards were re-established in the late 20^th century. In the book Vineyard Cuisine: Meals & Memories from Messina Hof by Merrill & Paul Bonarrigo?founders of Messina Hof Winery & Resort in Bryan, Texas, Merrill writes about planting their first acre vineyard that was experimental. “Day after day, kindly farmers would drive by and stop to ask me what I was doing. Inevitably they’d say something like, ‘Honey, don’t you know that grapes don’t grow in Texas?’” Today Messina Hof has 42 acres of grapes and produces award winning wines.

When Messina Hof started there were only three wineries in Texas. Today Texas has 177 wineries with more being added every year. A new website for Texas wineries has been started. To discover more about wine trails, wineries and events visit the new website. Reviews of several Texas wineries are available on the Wine Trail Traveler website.

Cheers, Kathy