Warm weather brings with it the urge to be outside enjoying the sunshine and gentle, warm breezes. Wineries like to make a showing at a wine festival that they see as an opportunity to let the public know about them. As in any industry, marketing is of prime importance. This also benefits wine enthusiasts, as a number of wineries are all available at the same spot. While there is most likely a fee for entering the festival grounds, tastings are free. This enables visitors to taste wines they may not be familiar with but will enjoy. The downside to attending a wine festival is that one does not get the experience of actually visiting a winery and perhaps missing a tour of the facility. However, by visiting wine festivals you have the advantage of tasting different wines from different wineries without traveling to them. If you enjoy wine or want to learn more about it, consider visiting wine festivals and wineries. Below are some tips for attending wine festivals.
- Consider purchasing your tickets in advance, prices are usually reduced.
- Wear sunscreen whether it is sunny or cloudy.
- Take a bottle of water or plan to purchase it at the festival. For every ounce of wine you drink, you should drink one ounce of water.
- Wear comfortable clothing and shoes. You never know what type of surface you will be walking on and this should be a fun day.
- Eat before you leave for the festival and take a picnic lunch or purchase food at the festival. As always, don’t drink on an empty stomach.
- Remember sunglasses.
- A small canvas bag always comes in handy.
Once you are at the festival, you will realize that you cannot taste every wine available. You may want to choose only a certain variety to taste, or you may want try tasting only reds at one festival and whites at another festival.
Drink responsibly and have a great time!
Cheers! Kathy
It surprises me that corporate hotel chains with restaurants do not do more to promote the “eat and drink local” movement. While at the restaurant in the Hilton at the Austin airport, I asked about local Texas wines. They didn’t have any Texas wines available, even though there are many wineries in the Texas Hill Country. This is rather a common experience at hotels. The reason often given is that their guests are from around the country and world and are looking for a wine with which they are familiar. Although at first this reasoning may make sense, it lacks community support and is not insightful. When I went to Italy, I didn’t want to drink and eat French or American wine and food. I wanted to “taste the place.” Chianti pairs well with wild boar, which seems fitting since the wild boar feast on Sangiovese grapes before reaching your dinner plate.
Some hotels promote the “eat and drink local” movement. The Hilton Garden Inn, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario has a wine list with 75 percent local wines. If visitors want to eat and drink local they can do so at that hotel. When I travel to Texas I want to experience the local cuisine and drink the local wines. Hotels need to get out of a rut with their thinking and promote drink and eat local. What better way to introduce their guests to the local wines than serving them? If hotel managers are worried that a bottle of local wine might not sell once opened, there is equipment available by using argon to preserve the wine for several weeks. Local wines could also be served at manager’s receptions.
Kudos to those hotels that support the “eat and drink local” movement!
Even though Vint Hill Craft Winery is not currently open to the public, we had the opportunity to visit Vint Hill and meet with Chris Pearmund from Pearmund Cellars. After visiting the site, we are even more excited about Vint Hill Craft Winery. This winery is filling a need for wine enthusiasts who want to learn more about wine and winemaking.
Chris gave us a tour of the building that is under renovation to becoming the first winery in the D.C. area to offer people the opportunity to participate in making their own barrel of wine.
Chris believes that with extra steps taken during winemaking, the quality of wine that participants will be producing will be high. For example, when the grapes arrive at the winery they will go to a sorting table to remove the MOG (Matter Other than Grapes). The next step will be the grapes going through the destemmer. Chris is adding another step to the process by having a second sorting table available. After the grapes leave the destemmer, they will go on to the second sorting table. It is here that the jacks – small green pieces that attach grapes to the bunch – will be removed. According to Chris if the jacks are not removed, they will leave harsh flavors in the finished wine.
While workers were busy with hammers and saws, Chris gave us a brief history of the building and enthusiastically pointed out the different areas where the equipment will be located on the first floor. The tasting room will be located on the second floor and visitors will be able to see the work taking place below. The tasting room will also serve as a classroom for participants who will learn what they are to do before actually working on each step of creating their wine.
Vint Hill Craft Winery is scheduled to open July 2009. If you are interested in producing a barrel of your own wine, you can find more detailed information on the Vint Hill Craft Winery website. Participants can sign up now.
Cheers, Kathy
Thirteen wineries in northeast Ohio are celebrating Spring on May 1-2 and May 8-9. Participants will receive a wine glass by Schott Zwiesel and a spring garden pail at a selected winery. By traveling to the participating wineries, visitors will collect a gladiola bulb. Included at each winery is an appetizer and one or two wine samples. The cost is $35 per person or $45 per couple.
Wineries involved include: Biscotti Winery, Buccia Vineyards, Debonne Vineyards, Grand River Cellars, Maple Ridge Vineyards, Ferrante Winery and Ristorante, Old Mill Winery, Virant Family Winery, Old Firehouse Winery, Lakehouse Inn and Winery, Laleure Vineyards and Emerine Estates.
What’s particularly nice about this spring celebration is that it continues for two weekends. Rather than trying to collect all the bulbs in one or two days, participants have four days to visit 13 wineries and taste wines. To make reservations call 800-227-6972 or go to the Wine N Bloom Weekends website.
Enjoy your visit to Ohio wineries!
Cheers, Kathy
Recently I learned about Bodhichitta Winery, a unique winery in Oregon that launched this month. It is the first winery in Oregon to be non- profit. The motto at the winery is “Passion for wine, compassion for others.” Not only do they sell wine online and in stores, they also sell lavender products.
Beginning with its name, Bodhichetta winery is an unusual winery that that combines many unusual characteristics. According to the Bodihichitta website, Bodhichitta is Sanskrit for “inner self or soul.”
In keeping with its motto, Bodhichitta Winery donates all of its profits to charity. These charities include Central Asian Institute, Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, Autism Society of America, The Humane Society, The Nature Conservancy and Oregon Trout. If you are not familiar with Central Asian Institute, perhaps you have read Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson. It is the phenomenal story of Mortenson who has dedicated his life to establishing schools in central Asia where illiteracy is rampant. In January, before the winery opened, they donated $12,000 dollars to build one school. In the future they hope to be able to donate more funding for schools.
Bodhichitta Winery is located in the famed Willamette Valley. While they are not open to the public purchases can be made in person or online. Products are also available in stores and wine shops.
Congratulations to everyone involved at Bodhichitta Winery where “compassion for others” is of prime importance.
Cheers! Kathy
PS: On May 7, 2009, the University of Oregon will be hosting Greg Mortenson, author of Three Cups of Tea. Tickets are free. Visit the university’s website for tickets.
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Just a few days ago the evening temperatures dropped to the mid thirties and the day struggled to reach the fifties. The wood stove had a fire burning all day. The rain continued for the third day and I wondered if Spring would put in a showing this year. My grape vines were reluctant to spring forth, they’d rather stay in a tight bud. Then all of a sudden the weather changed, which isn’t uncommon. But this change was dramatic. From the ten to fifteen degrees below average temperatures for months, we soared to the nineties for days. Trees in the region responded with a showcase of leaves while flowering trees exploded with colors. My Dornfelder, who just days ago was more interested in sleeping, now began to reach for sunlight.
Visiting Wineries
I love visiting wineries. Whether they are the established goliaths in the industry or tiny, boutique wineries, every winery offers a different experience. Numerous variations of wineries include: size, use of sustainable farming techniques, biodynamics, organic, elevation of vineyards, equipment variations, filtering and much more. This is what makes our work a fun job. Every day we spend visiting a winery is a unique experience. We discover new landscapes and a great opportunity to meet wonderful people in the industry. I enjoy the enthusiasm and the “can do” attitude of winery owners and winemakers. Whether they are dealing with the whims of Mother Nature in the vineyards, Phylloxera or Pierce’s disease, they persist in their desire to produce quality wines. Those involved in the industry are excited about the possibilities of increasing the quality of wine.
The more we learn, the more we know there is to learn. We finally have learned enough to realize that not everyone knows everything there is to know about wine. Even if you do not know anything about wine, one can always start with the first step. My suggestion is to begin by visiting a winery in your local area.
Cheers! Kathy