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Auxerrois Grape Variety: Not Well Known

January 4, 2016 – 1:17 pm

The Auxerrois grape variety is an interesting grape for winemakers. The white grape variety is frequently found in Alsace, France. The grape is frequently used for blending but occasionally is used as a single varietal wine. The Auxerrois name is also confusing. Consider that some writers have noted that Auxerrois is the name of a city. Others have determined that the name refers to a red grape or a white grape.

In The Wine Bible,  Karen MacNeil describes the Auxerrois white grape. “Auxerrois (AUCHS-AIR-WAA: Fairly common in Alsace, France, where it originated as a progeny of pinot noir and gouais blanc, making auxerrois a sibling of chardonnay. Usually blended into pinot blanc in Alsace. Confusingly, in southwest France, auxerrois is a synonym for the red variety côt, or malbec.”

It was in 1999 that the University of California, Davis used DNA testing to prove that Auxerrois is a cross between Gouais Blanc and Pinot Noir.

In Jancis Robinson’s Wine Grapes: A complete guide to 1,368 vine varieties, including their origins and flavours,  she describes Auxerrois as early ripening with small berries and small grape bunches. The grape bunches are also compact. Perhaps this is one reason the grape is susceptible to rot.

Auxerrois is primarily grown in Alsace, Lorraine and Luxembourg.  This variety is also grown in Germany. Auxerrois vines prefer cool climates. A small amount of Auxerrois is available in Ohio, Michigan and Oregon. Still Auxerrois is a relatively unknown grape for many wine drinkers.

Adelsheim's Auxerrois

Adelsheim’s Auxerrois

David Adelsheim of Adelsheim Winery, is a well-known winery owner who brought this variety to his vineyard in Oregon’s Willamette Valley from Alsace in 1977. Today Adelsheim is growing just over two acres of Auxerrois.

During our wine travels in an earlier year we visited Bel Lago Vineyards & Winery in Michigan. We described the Bel Lago Auxerrois as, “Auxerrois 2009 was a light yellow color. The aroma and taste offered fruit salad notes including pear, melons and a hint of citrus. The finish was crisp and fruity.

Synonyms for Auxerrois include: Auxera, Auxerrois de Laquenexy, Auxerrois gris, Auzerrois blanc, Blanc de Kienzheim, Ericey de la Montee, Okseroa and Pinot Auxerrois.

As you travel, keep an eye out for wines produced with Auxerrois. The wines can be either stand alone or blends. It should be noted that occasionally Auxerrois is mistaken for Pinot Blanc or Chardonnay. When visiting a winery and tasting Auxerrois, be sure to ask about the vineyards and the wine.

Auxerrois

Appearance: small bunches, small berries
Attributes: Look for notes of pear, melon, citrus
Pairing: Serve with salmon, scallops, sushi, crab salad

We are interested in discovering more sources for Auxerrois, if you know of other US wineries producing Auxerrois, please contact us. What is your opinion of Auxxerrois?

Cheers!
Kathy

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

Sun WineFest 2016 Coming Soon!

January 3, 2016 – 1:06 pm

The 13th Annual Sun WineFest takes place January 29, 30 and 31. Beverage lovers will have the opportunity to enjoy wine, beer and spirits along with a variety of dishes. Tickets are available on Ticketmaster.

A range of sponsors are supporting this year’s Sun WineFest in Connecticut. Many people will find the numerous exhibitors interesting. To name just a few, wine exhibitors include: Barefoot: Wine & Bubbly, Brancott Estate, Bogle Vineyards, Gallo Family Vineyards, Francis Ford Coppola, Pernod Ricard USA, Parducci, J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines and Paul Dolan Vineyards. Many beer exhibitors will also be exhibiting their beers. Lifestyle and restaurants are also exhibitors.

If you enjoy bourbon, be sure to check out the Friday night Bourbon Tasting event which is to be presented by Jim Beam.

On Saturday events include: the Sun WineFest Grand Tasting, Elite Cru Tasting and the Celebrity Chef Dine Around. Several chef demonstrations are scheduled:

  • 12:15pm – 12:45pm: Kevin Des Chenes
  • 1:00pm – 1:30pm: William Kovel
  • 1:45pm – 2:15pm: Rocco DiSpirito
  • 2:30pm – 3:00pm: Michele Ragussis
  • 3:15pm – 3:45pm: Todd English
  • 4:00pm – 4:30pm: Betty Fraser & Manouschka Guerrier

Sunday will showcase chef demonstrations that include:

  • 1:15pm – 1:45pm: Sara Moulton
  • 2:00pm – 2:30pm: Brian Duffy
  • 2:45pm – 3:15pm: Dante de Magistris
  • 3:30pm – 4:00pm: Chris Coombs

Special events include:

  • The Black Label Lunch – Chacewater Vineyards
  • Donelan Family Wine Tasting & Tuscany’s Tapas Platter
  • Fulcrum Winery Tasting & Tuscany Antipasti
  • The  Wither’s Winery Tasting
Chacewater in Lake County, CA

Chacewater in Lake County, CA

Chacewater logo

Chacewater logo

Check out the article we wrote about a visit to  Chacewater on Wine Trail Traveler. Notice the special logo for the winery.

 

 

 

 

Sun Winefest location:

Mohegan Sun
1 Mohegan Sun Boulevard
Uncasville, CT 06382

For more details about the Sun Winefest in Connecticut visit the Mohegan Sun website.

The about page for Mohegan Sun provides some fascinating information about this large enterprise. “A world at play and a world to its own, Mohegan Sun, created in 1996 by the Mohegan Tribe of Connecticut, is one of the world’s most amazing destinations with some of New England’s finest dining, hotel accommodations, retail shopping, live entertainment and sporting events.” In addition Mohegan Sun has casinos for those interested in casino playing and perhaps those with a bit of luck.

Hope everyone is off to a great New Year in 2016!

Cheers!
Kathy

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California: Rose Bowl, Parade and Wineries

December 31, 2015 – 1:04 pm

Tomorrow, January 1, many people will have their eyes on Pasadena, California where the Rose Parade and the Rose Bowl take place every year. This is the 127th year for the tournament. The source of the excitement includes the important college football game and the large parade that features flowers, music and horses. For football fans, this year the game is between Iowa and Stanford. Do you have a favorite?

The Rose Parade starts at 8am PST. The theme for the 2016 parade is “Find Your Adventure.”  The parade features 44 beautful, flower laden floats, music and equestrian units. The large floats take many months to create. Be sure to check out the Miracle-Gro float that will feature flowers and a large, unusual bee hive. Miracle-Geo’s float is certified CA Grown.

Southern California is home to many wineries. If your future plans include visiting southern California, be sure to check out the wineries in the region. In the past we have visited and written about more than 30 of the wineries in the region. We enjoyed the wineries, vineyards and wines. We hope to return again to discover more wineries and vineyards.

When planning your visit to southern California, be sure to check out the wineries we have visited for an overview of what you may find. The Wine Trail Traveler articles are online.

If you have time on the first day of 2016, watch the Rose Parade from the comfort of your home and begin making plans for your visit to southern California.

Check out these photos of wineries in southern California.

Wilson Creek Winery & Vineyards

Wilson Creek Winery & Vineyards

Baily Vineyard & Winery

Baily Vineyard & Winery

Cougar Vineyard & Winery

Cougar Vineyard & Winery

Briar Rose Winery

Briar Rose Winery

Cheers!
Kathy

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

New Year’s Day Dinner Ideas

December 29, 2015 – 11:40 am
Willowcroft Farm Vineyards

Willowcroft Farm Vineyards, Virginia

New Year’s Day can be eventful, filled with wonderful memories and hopes for the New Year coming in. Whether you have your New Year’s resolutions ready or not, you can still enjoy a wonderful dinner.

Check out the recipes below and see which recipes you want to create for that special New Year’s Day dinner. All of the recipes and many more are available on the Wine Trail Traveler website. Foods are filled with many traditions and folklore. Consider that at my house we have always practiced the concept that for New Year’s, one must eat pork. In the opinion of my mother-in-law, this meant a successful New Year. Below you will find several pork entrées. According to a Farmer’s Almanac article, southern foods good to begin the New Year with include cabbage, collard greens and black-eyed peas.

Hint: When guests arrive be ready with a glass of sparkling wine (Champagne, Prosecco or Cava) with a red raspberry or strawberry to add a bit of color.

Appetizers

Rosewood Estates

Rosewood Estates Winery, Ontario

Mini Mushroom Tart (Rosewood Estates Winery)
Mussels in White Wine Broth (Willowcroft Farm Winery)
Smoked Salmon and Cream Cheese Crostini (Terry Sullivan)

 

Entrees

Mill Hill Apple Pulled Pork
Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin with Shrimp (Put Pork on Your Fork)

Inniskillin Wines

Inniskillin Wines, Ontario

Duplin Winery

Duplin Winery, North Carolina

Caramelized Crispin Apple under Smoked Pork Tenderloin and Peppercress (Inn on the Twenty)

Salads

Fruit Salad in Strawberry Wine Syrup (Duplin Winery)
Inniskillin Icewine and Thyme Grilled Fig Salad with Gorgonzola and Sherry Dressing (Inniskillin Wines)

Desserts

Truffle Torte
Port Floats
Port Tim Tam Slams
Ginger & Peach Tart (Steve Pickell, Executive Chef Café Champagne at Thornton Winery)

If you are looking for a special treat, try adding this recipe for California Riesling and Ginger Peached Bartlett Pear to your list of recipes for New Year’s Day.

California Riesling and Ginger Peached Bartlett Pear

Ingredients

1/4 of a lemon
1 750 ml bottle of California Riesling
1 3-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
1 cup granulated sugar
4 tbsp honey
3 ripe but firm Bartlett Pears, peeled, halved and cored

Directions

Squeeze the juice from the lemon into a medium-sized pot and add the Riesling, fresh ginger, sugar and honey. Place on high heat and bring ingredients to a boil, stirring frequently. Peel, halve and core the pears. When the mixture reaches a boil, place the pear halves into the liquid and cover the pot with a piece of parchment paper. Cook just until the pears are tender. To test, poke the pears with a sharp knife. If the knife slides in and out easily, the pears are cooked.

Remove the pot from heat and allow pears to cool in the poaching liquid. If you’re concerned that the pears are too soft, remove them from the liquid and allow the liquid and pears to cool separately. Once the liquid has completely cooled, pour it over the pears. The pears can be stored in their poaching liquid for up to one week in the fridge.

These pears are delicious with a variety of cheeses.

Recipe provided by California Pears.

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Happy Holiday Plants with Spirits

December 21, 2015 – 10:14 am
Paperwhites

Paperwhites

This year I purchased an amaryllis bulb and paperweight bulbs. I haven’t bought either of these holiday flowers in years but decided to splurge this year. Now that my flowers have peaked, what’s next?

All of this led to me wondering, is it possible to keep holiday bulbs like amaryllis and paperwhites over for another year?

Upon searching the internet for insight, I came across a really surprising use of spirits for growing better paperwhites. According to the Miracle-Gro website, if given water with alcohol in it, the height of the paperwhites will be shorter. “Paperwhite bulbs grown in water with a 5% concentration of alcohol bloom beautifully on stems 1/3 shorter than paperwhites grown in unspiked water.”

If you are looking for information about growing paperwhites and amaryllis, check out these two Miracle-Gro pages: paperwhites page and amaryllis page.

The flowers on my paperwhites were delicate and small but the stems were very long and despite using a wood stick for support to help hold them upright, gravity finally forced them down permanently.

Now it’s time to decided what to do with my paperwhite and amaryllis bulbs for this year. If I grow paperweights again next year, I need to remember the water and alcohol solution.

In addition I have some questions:

Does the quality of the alcohol change the height of the paperwhites?
Does the amount of the alcohol make a difference, for instance would 10% alcohol water be better?
Will feeding a solution of water and alcohol to amaryllis bulbs be beneficial?
And the final question, what happens if you use a solution with 5% wine?

Cheers,
Kathy

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

Check Your Christmas Grocery List

December 18, 2015 – 8:49 am
Pears in Red Wine

Pears in Red Wine

For many people food is a wonderful part of the Christmas holidays. With Christmas coming upon us so quickly, you may want to be sure to create your grocery list for your Christmas Feast. Consider the possible use of one or more of the recipes below that use wine as an ingredient. All recipes plus many more are available in the Wine Trail Traveler website recipe section. We also created a special page for Christmas recipes. Check it out online.

Appetizers
Steamed Mussels
Sherried Walnuts
Stuffed Mushroom Caps
Spanish Prawns in Garlic Sauce

Salads

Crimson Slaw
Michigan Vineyards Salad
Roasted Beet, Blood Orange and Goat Cheese Salad
with Champagne Vinaigrette
Scuppernong Fruit Salad (Easy but make the night before)

Beef Entrees
Cabernet Sauvignon Pot Roast
Filet Mignon with De Ponte Pinot Noir Sauce
Three Ridges Red London Broil

Fish Entrees
Grilled Rock Lobster
Salmon with Blackberry Hollandaise

Pork Entrees
Strawberry Rhubarb Glazed Pork Loin
Thyme and Honey Baked Glazed Ham
Pork and Plums with Port Wine

Poultry Entrees
Roast Turkey with Madeira Gravy
Marinated Chicken Breasts
Shelton Farms Chicken Duo

Vegetable Dishes

Butternut Squash Risotto
Warm White Asparagus with Truffle Fondue
Mushrooms and Cream

Desserts
Vanilla Bean Cheesecake with Walnut Crust
Chocolate Cabernet Sauvignon Tart
Lakewood Pear & Walnut Crumble
Blackberry Bramble Wine Cake

Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays!

Merry Christmas!
Happy Holidays!

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

Duck Breast Recipe for the Holidays

December 16, 2015 – 4:41 pm

Christmas and other holidays are a time of traditions. However, sometimes it is nice to add something new. How about  Roast Duck Breast for your entrée? Why not try this recipe from Schug Carneros Estate Winery in Sonoma, California?

If you have a moment, check out the interview with Chef Kristine Schug online.

Cheers!
Kathy

Roast duck breast with fried cherry-merlot sauce

Makes 6 servings.

Pairing suggestions: 2012 Merlot Sonoma Valley

Ingredients:

6 boneless duck breasts (with skin)
salt and pepper
½ cup shallots, finely chopped
1 cup Merlot
2 cups chicken stock (preferably homemade)
1 cup dried sour cherries
1 tbsp. Fresh thyme, chopped
2 tbsp. Fresh chives, finely chopped

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  2. Trim excess fat from edges of duck breasts, leaving skin relatively intact. Score skin with a sharp knife in a crosshatch manner, taking care not to slice the breast. (Scoring helps to prevent the skin from shrinking too much during cooking.) Pat breasts dry with a paper towel and sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.
  3. Heat two large heavyweight sauté pans over high heat until very hot. Place three breasts in each pan, skin side down. Sauté approximately 5 minutes or until nicely browned.
  4. Turn breasts over and place sauté pans in oven. Roast in oven another 6 or 7 minutes or until just slightly rarer than you’d like to serve them. Remove them to a serving dish, cover with foil, and set in a warm place while preparing the sauce.
  5. Pour off excess fat from both pans and, using both pans, sauté half the shallots in each over medium high heat.
  6. When shallots are translucent, divide the wine and deglaze both pans with the red wine. When the wine has almost completely reduced combine the two pans into one and add the chicken stock and the cherries. Turn flame to high and allow sauce to reduce by two thirds.
  7. Turn flame to low; add salt and pepper to taste as well as the thyme and chives.
  8. Quickly slice the breasts on the diagonal, place them onto hot serving plates, and ladle warm sauce over them. Serve immediately.

*Side dish suggestions: sautéed chard or spinach; wild rice, winter squash, or potato gratin.

Recipe provided by Schug Carneros Estate Winery in Sonoma, California

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Portland’s Festival of Lights and Urban Wineries

December 15, 2015 – 9:46 am

DSC_2100While planning to visit Portland’s urban wineries, add The Grotto to your itinerary. The Grotto is open throughout the year but currently it is filled with music and lights of the Christmas season.

The Grotto in Portland

The Grotto also known as The National Sanctuary of Our Sorrowful Mother, originated in 1924. The Grotto is owned and maintained by The Order of Friar Servants of Mary. Today The Grotto is a botanical garden and a Catholic shrine.

We discovered The Grotto when family members took us to the beautiful site to view DSC_2098 the extraordinary colorful Christmas decorations for their annual Festival of Lights. The Festival of Lights begins at 5pm when it is very dark. Visitors walk a long path with many angels and other religious symbols lighted by numerous lights. Eventually one reaches a colorful, life-size nativity scene.

We visited on one of the first opening days of the 2015 festival. It was unusually cold but we enjoyed our visit which included various local music groups, Grotto carolers and a small petting area with inquisitive and friendly goats. We liked walking into the visitor’s center which had many sculptures.

Check out some of our photos. If you are planning to visit Portland, visit the Grotto’s Festival of Lights. We were first time visitors to The Grotto, the next time we visit Portland we hope to return to the Grotto to see the botanical gardens.

Portland’s Urban Wineries

ENSO Winery in Portland

ENSO Winery in Portland

Of course, as visitors of Portland, I like the idea of urban wineries. While wine enthusiasts will not find vineyards, the proximity to winemaking facilities can make some great experiences. While in Portland we visited and wrote about two urban wineries: ENSO and Hip Chicks Do Wine.

Other urban wineries in the city include:  Angel Vine at Urban Crush, Viola Wine Cellars, Jan-Marc Wine Cellars, Clay Pigeon Winery, Division Winemaking Company at the Southeast Wine Collective, Fullerton Wines at the Southeast Wine Collective, and Helioterra Wines at the Southeast Wine Collective, Fausse Piste, Seven Bridges Winery, Willful Wine at Urban Crush. Details and winery links are available on the PDXUrbanWineries website.

On our next visit to Portland, we hope to visit more of these boutique urban wineries.

Hope you all enjoy Portland, Oregon as much as we do. By the way, so far during our trips to Portland, we have not encountered any of the characters from the show, Grim!

Also, if you are interested in the connection of wine and religion, check out the series of articles written by Meghan Sullivan, called Wine in the Bible.

Cheers,
Kathy

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

What Does the Creative Cook Want for the Holidays?

December 12, 2015 – 1:08 pm
AprèsVin Grape Seed Oils, Gluten-free flour

AprèsVin Grape Seed Oils, Gluten-free flour

What should you buy? Varietal grape seed oil, gluten-free flour or smoked sea salt for the creative cook? Or perhaps a specialty soap?

AprèsVin offers a selection of unique products produced with grape seeds. For the holidays or any time of the year consider the grape seed oils this small family business offers. The grape seed oils are produced in the state of Washington. The oils are obtained from the grape seeds that are the leftover results of wine production at large Washington wineries. Typically grape seeds and skins are used as compost in the vineyards. However, AprèsVin created a use for these seeds rather than composting.

Grape seed oil categories include: Bare Naked Oils,  Citrus Oils, Classic Comfort Oils, Spicy Oils and Exotic Oils. Two of the most recent oils available are the Blood Orange Riesling and the Thaifün Chardonnay.

To make it a little easier for shoppers, AprèsVin offers several gift packages including: Bare Naked Gift Pack, Glassic Gourmet Gift Box, Custom-Design 2-Bottle Gift Pack, Custom- Design 5-Bottle Gift Pack and the Favorites Gift Pack.

In addition to varietal grape seed oils, AprèsVin produces: gluten-free grape seed flours, grape seed soaps and smoked sea salt.

AprèsVin Grape Seed Soap

AprèsVin Grape Seed Soap

The selection of soaps available include: Evergreen Chardonnay, Lavender Merlot, Rose Riesling, and Sage Cabernet.

Eric Leber and Lori Ramonas, owners of AprèsVin,  have created a very informative website including information about the health benefits of grape seed oils and also includes recipes. Check it out when you have a moment.

AprèsVin Online

Anyone interested in purchasing any of these products can do so at the AprèsVin online store.

AprèsVin Products Retail Availability

AprèsVin products are available in many areas of Washington. They are also available in select stores in Alaska, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Louisiana, Maryland, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia.

It should be noted that we have visited and written about AprèsVin. Our article about AprèsVin is available online. AprèsVin also has a small advertisement on our website at: http://winetrailtraveler.com/listings/washington/apresvin.php.

Cheers!
Kathy

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Holiday Recipes for Beverages

December 10, 2015 – 5:29 pm

During Thanksgiving holidays, we visited a bar with a very unusual name for such a venue. The name of the bar is Church. As it turns out, the bar is a popular one in the city of Portland. Since I had been traveling, I decided I wanted a light, fruity drink. The liquid chef suggested one. It turns out that it was a special that night and was perfect for what I wanted. Others at our table wanted a little more kick to their drink and chose stronger drinks.  We had arrived early so that we could enjoy a rather quiet time talking until the karaoke event started. We were assured that when karaoke started the venue would become busier and louder.

I was reminded of Church when I received an email with recipes for the holiday and winter season. These recipes use spirits and wines to create some delicious looking drinks. If you are hosting a holiday party, you may want to consider offering one of these drinks.

Image 1

Vineyard Raspberry Sangria

Vineyard Raspberry Sangria

1 bottle (750ml) Van Gogh raspberry vodka
1 bottle Little Black Dress Chardonnay
12 basil leaves
2 cups fresh orange juice
2 cups pomegranate juice

METHOD: Muddle the basil leaves at the bottom of a large pitcher.  Add remaining ingredients and stir.  Chill in refrigerator until ready to use.  When ready to use, pour over ice in wine glass.

GARNISH: floating orange wheel, raspberries, and 1 basil leaf

Image 2

Winter’s Thaw Cooler

 

Winter’s Thaw Cooler

1 bottle (750ml) Van Gogh acai-blueberry vodka
1 bottle Little Black Dress Pinot Noir
25 raspberries
2 cups good quality lemonade
1 liter club soda

METHOD: In a blender, blend the raspberries with a little bit of water.  Add to a pitcher with other ingredients and stir together with ice to chill and dilute.  When ready to serve, pour over ice into a tall glass, top with a bit extra club soda, and stir briefly.

GARNISH: mint sprig and raspberries

Image 3

Peachy Diva

Peachy Diva

1/2 bottle (750ml) Van Gogh Cool Peach vodka
1 bottle Little Black Dress Chardonnay
1/2 bottle Limoncello di Capri
2 cups freshly made lemonade

METHOD: Add ingredients to a pitcher or other container and stir briefly.  Store in fridge until ready to serve.  When ready, add 3 cups ice and stir again.  Pour into martini glasses.

GARNISH: peach slice

The Heartbreaker

1/2 bottle (750ml) Van Gogh Pomegranate vodka
2 cups POM Wonderful pomegranate juice
1 bottle Little Black Dress Merlot
1 cup honey syrup
1/2 bottle sparkling wine

METHOD: Add all ingredients (except sparkling wine) to a pitcher or other container and stir briefly.  Store in fridge until ready to serve.  When ready to serve, top with sparkling wine and stir briefly with 2 cups of ice.  Pour over ice into a wine glass or champagne flute.

GARNISH: lemon peel and mint leaf inside each glass

Many thanks to Conundrum for providing these recipes and photos.

Cheers!
Kathy

PS. For your health and safety drink in moderation.

 

 

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

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