About     FAQ     Contact      Advertise With Us      Press   

The Birthplace of Wine Presentation at a Maryland Senior Center

November 4, 2014 – 6:28 am
Georgia, Sakartvelo: The Birthplace of Wine

Georgia, Sakartvelo: The Birthplace of Wine

On Friday, November 7, a presentation on the birthplace of wine will be held at a senior center in Catonsville.  Discover the country Georgia which has been making wine continuously since 6,000 BC. Find out how a qvevri wine is made in Georgia.

We (Terry and Kathy Sullivan) are presenting at the Catonsville Senior Center in Catonsville, Maryland on Friday, November 7 at 12:45pm. Our presentation is based on the book we wrote Georgia, Sakartvelo: The Birthplace of Wine.

We traveled to the country Georgia for two weeks in the fall of 2013. We returned to Georgia for an additional two weeks in the spring of 2014.

Discover a Georgia, a country that offers a unique culture, qvevri winemaking and a look at the Caucasus Mountains. We will share with you numerous scenes that we photographed from Eastern and Western Georgia.

Find out why the country Georgia has been recognized by UNESCO.

Copies of the book, Georgia, Sakartvelo: The Birthplace of Wine will be available for purchase.

Catonsville Senior Center
501 N. Rolling Road
Catonsville, MD 21228

Hope to see you there!
Kathy

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

Burgundy Wine Auction: Hospices de Beaune

November 2, 2014 – 3:19 pm

 

 

Hospices de Beaune, Burgundy, France

Hospices de Beaune, Burgundy, France

Hospices de Beaune in the Burgundy region of France offers an annual wine auction focused on charity. CHRISTIE’S HOUSE also participates with Hospices de Beaune. This year, the 154th auction of the wines, will take place on Sunday, November 16.

The Hospices de Beaune was built in 1843 when the people in the area were suffering from the 100 Years War. Nicolas Rolin and his wife Guigone de Salins built the large complex to help the suffering.

Eventually vineyards in the Beaune area were donated to the Hospices de Beaune. Other vineyards  farther north in Côte de Nuits have also been donated. Currently Hospices de Beaune owns close to 60 hectares of vineyards. Today they have about 50 hectares of Pinot Noir and the rest is Chardonnay. These vineyards are classified as Premier and Grand Crus.

In 1851 the Hospices de Beaune began to auction the wines from these vineyards. Thereafter the auction has taken place on the 3rd Sunday of November.

Those interested in the auction can attend the event in person. Bidders who cannot attend the auction can bid by phone or internet.

According to the Hospices de Beaune website (translated): “The funds raised from the sale are intended to charity Hospices de Beaune: improving care equipment, modernization of infrastructure and preservation of historical monuments, including the Hôtel-Dieu de Beaune. Moreover, since 1945, the annual Hospices support one or more charities.”

Last year we visited the famed Hospices de Beaune, once a home for the indigent but now a historic property. The current building has a collection of dioramas that show how people were treated while in the facility.

Cheers,
Kathy

 

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

Still a Thirst for Cavas

November 1, 2014 – 6:33 am

110114aUpon returning home from the Penedés wine region of Catalonia, I still had a thirst for cavas. Kathy and I had many cavas while visiting wineries in the Penedés and while staying in Barcelona. Back in Maryland there is less of a selection of cavas. Imagine my surprise last evening, when at a French restaurant, the only sparkling wine on the menu was a cava. I had to try it.

The restaurant served the cava in a 187 ml bottle with a screw cap. Freixenet Carta Nevada Brut delivered on taste, but was disappointing on the stream of bubbles. The cava was a light yellow with 11.5% alcohol. I noticed apple and yellow stone fruit with a hint of citrus and minerality. Disappointing was the almost non-existent stream of bubbles, so few you could count them and have to wait to count a couple more. One of the reasons I enjoy sparkling wines is because of the fizz. I also enjoy watching the columns of bubbles. While in the Penedés we visited the Cava Regulatory Organization (Consejo Regulador del Cava). While attending a lecture about cava regulations, we were served cavas, each in individual glasses. The first cava served had a steady stream of bubbles a half hour later. This was our experience with the cavas we had while in Spain.

Why was the Freixenet Carta Nevada Brut almost bubble less? Perhaps I just had a bottle that didn’t deliver. Perhaps it was the screw cap. On the positive side the cava did pair well with the sole that I had for dinner. It was light and refreshing. The cava was a blend of Macabeo, Xarel-lo and Parellada. It also paired perfectly with the house salad. My thirst for cavas will continue.

Cheers,
Terry

By Terry | Posted in Wine News/Commentary | Tagged , | Comments (0)

Halloween, Wine and Ghost Stories

October 30, 2014 – 3:02 pm

Halloween is celebrated in the US, not so much in the Piedmont region of Italy. On the other hand, several castles in the Piedmont region offer some scary tales to tell.

In Virginia, Pearmund Cellars is offering some Halloween fun.

Stop by for a SPELL on Halloween Weekend. (Friday & Saturday)
Pick your poison, red or white.
Don’t forget to dress up to give a fright!

Halloween candy and wine pairing is an additional $2.

Cast your vote for the best employee costume. Attend in your scariest attire for a chance to win Chris’ Witches Brew – a bottle of delicious Pearmund Cellars wine.

While visiting Pearmund Cellars be sure to ask about The Beast Feast, an adventurous pairing of beast and wine that takes place November 15.

 Piedmont, Italy

In an article by Diana Zahuranec,  In Piemonte (Piedmont), Every Castle has Its Ghost she writes that in Italy Halloween is not widely celebrated. She goes on to write, “And yet, around the same time the grape harvest and truffle festivals are in high form, trailing tendrils of mist wrap around grapevines and shroud castles hundreds of years old, setting the perfect spooky mood.”

The article looks at several castles accompanied by photos and ghost stories. These stories might be perfect for reading on a dark, gloomy Halloween night. By the way, she suggests having a glass of hot mulled wine on hand “to calm your shaking nerves.”

The Piedmont region of Italy where these castles are located is home to numerous DOCG and DOC wines.

The main red grape varieties  growing in the Piemonte region include: Nebbiolo, Barbera and Dolcetto. Other reds include Brachette, Freisa, Bonarda, Grignolino, Pelaverga, Vespolina, and Malvasia di Casorzo. White grape varieties include: Moscato Bianco, Cortese, Arneis, Erbaluce and Favorita. 

The region also offers grape varieties more familiar to most of the US population. These include: Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Trebbiano, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Sangiovese, Syrah and Tannat.

I recently checked the website for our local Total Wine shop and found more than 100 wines from the Piedmont region available with a wide range of prices.

Cheers! Kathy

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

Urban Wineries

October 28, 2014 – 12:07 pm

 

The Infinite Monkey Theorem

The Infinite Monkey Theorem

Yesterday, a Colorado news station (9news.com) featured an article “Denver has one of 10 Best Urban Wineries in US.”

The concept of urban wineries has been around for a while but the number of urban wineries is increasing. According to the AAWE paper, “The Global Urban Winery Crush, Model, Forecast and Prospect” by Wilson T. VornDick there are more than 200  wineries.

Last year we discovered that some of the wineries in the Willamette Valley are opening urban wineries in Portland because they want to bring the wine to the people. Anyone who has driven from Portland to wineries in the Willamette Valley realize that the roads are not ideal. Urban sprawl seems to have slowed the traffic down with stoplights and it can take awhile to travel.

Visiting wineries among the vineyards provides visitors and wine lovers with a remembered experience. Connecting wine with the experience may well get wine lovers to continue to search for those wines at home.

However, urban wineries without the vineyards can create a different but great experience for wine enthusiasts. Location is important as it makes it much easier for consumers to purchase wine anytime.

On the list of 10 best urban wineries, we have visited Eight Bells Winery in Seattle and The Infinite Monkey Theorem in Denver.

The list also includes New York Wine & Culinary Center. We have visited the center but do not consider it an urban winery. However, it does offer wonderful tastings, a restaurant and also focuses on the agricultural products of New York State.

Many areas of the country have urban wineries. We have visited many urban wineries around the country. Usually we enjoyed the ambiance of the  winery that might include local foods, local art and lovely wines.

Below are links to some of the urban wineries we visited.

Davenport Cellars

Davenport Cellars is in a business complex with many other types of businesses as well as thirty other wineries. Davenport Cellars’ design of their interior is unique. Upon entering this sparkling clean tasting room one is immediately aware of the spacious high walls. Light is filtered into the room through the front window blinds.

Enso Winery

Enso Winery is located in a residential/urban neighborhood of Portland. The winery is within walking distance of many vintage homes. On our visit to Enso we noted tables and chairs where people could lounge and enjoy a glass of wine with available food options.

Hip Chicks Do Wine

Hip Chicks Do Wine is a winery located in a warehouse area of Portland.

Pentamere Winery

Pentamere Winery is a “boutique urban winery” located in the small and friendly town of Tecumseh, Michigan. Pentamere is a combination of Latin and French meaning Five Lakes.

Watch for urban wineries opening in your region.

Cheers, Kathy

 

 

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

Charity Fine Wine Auction in Hawke’s Bay

October 26, 2014 – 11:36 am
Sileni Estates in Hawke's Bay, NZ

Sileni Estates in Hawke’s Bay, NZ

 

Temata Estates, Hawke's Bay

Temata Estates, Hawke’s Bay

On November 8, the wineries of Hawke’s Bay are hosting a Fine Wine Auction for charity. The funds will be donated to Cranford Hospice, a palliative care facility.

The wine auction takes place at Hawke’s Bay Racing Club at 2:30pm. From 2:30 to 4:45 attendees will be tasting auction lot wines. The auction begins at 5pm in the Auction Hall.

This year 41 lots will be up for auction. Most of the wine lots will be the 2013 vintage. Lots other than wine will also be auctioned off. An oil painting on canvas, “Te Mata 2014”  by painter Freeman White will be auctioned. Also included in the auction is a seven nights’ stay at The Reef House Vanuatu. Clearview  Estate Winery is offering an 8-person degustation event.

To find out more about the Hawke’s Bay Charity Wine Auction visit the website.

In 2010 we visited New Zealand wineries. We have very fond memories of New Zealand from Auckland to Christ’s Church. One of our stops was in Hawke’s Bay which is well known for its wineries and wines. Hawke’s Bay is also where I walked at the edge of the bay and ended up getting soaking wet. It was wonderful and an experience I’ll never forget.

We visited several of the wineries participating in the Hawke’s Bay Charity Auction. If you would like to read more about these wineries, click the link.

Mission Estate Winery
Sileni Estates
Te Mata Estate
Vidal Estates
Gimblett Gravels

Traveling from the East of the US to New Zealand takes many numerous hours. In 2010 we flew from the East Coast to San Francisco and then on to Auckland. Would we do it again? Sure we would if we had the opportunity.

Cheers!
Kathy

 

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

Champagne Day Experiment and Food Pairing

October 24, 2014 – 5:47 pm

102414aToday is #ChampagneDay, a day dedicated to the producers and champagne from the Champagne wine region of France. We decided to celebrate the day with a Champagne Jean-Claude Mouzon Brut. Earlier I wrote a blog about different wine glasses for sparkling wines. What is better, a flute, white wine glass or a coupe. As I poured the champagne I grabbed some flutes and a white wine glass. I poured champagne in both a flute and white wine glass to observe the differences. Kathy brought two bowls of different potato chips and a tray of black olives and green olives to pair with the champagne.

Flute vs White Wine Glass

The flute appeared to have more bubbles than the white wine glass. There was constant steady streams of bubbles in the flute for over thirty minutes. The white wine glass also had a stream of bubbles but not as many as were observed in the flute. There were still many bubbles in the flute after 30 minutes while fewer in the white wine glass after 30 minutes. The aroma of the champagne in the flute was predominantly yeast like freshly baked bread. The white wine glass had more nuances of aroma including apple, citrus and freshly baked bread but it was more in the background. Initially there was multiple tastes from the white wine glass; however, after thirty minutes they were similar. In conclusion, if you are tasting the champagne, a white wine glass may be better. Tastings are very short on time. If you are drinking the champagne, you may enjoy the champagne in the flute more

Potato Chips and Olives

All the foods were high in salt. The champagne cut right through the salt and removed it from lingering in the mouth. The saltier green olives and Lays potato chips had the biggest difference after the champagne. Champagne is a great food companion that matches with may different food items.

Cheers,
Terry

By Terry | Posted in Wine News/Commentary | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)

A Wine Journey: An Ideal Holiday Gift

October 23, 2014 – 11:15 am
"A Wine Journey"

A Wine Journey

With the holidays approaching have you started your holiday shopping yet? If you are shopping for a wine lover or a winemaking enthusiast, give a gift of the wine book. A Wine Journey is available on the Wine Trail Traveler website, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Powell’s, and Infinity Publishing. If you purchase directly from Wine Trail Traveler, we can autograph the book to make it an extra special gift.

A Wine Journey reviews include:

It is fascinating to read about the Sullivans’ journey as they experience many aspects of wine. From the very beginning stages of wine education, to learning to make wine, to visiting a myriad of wineries… it is enjoyable and educational! Thanks for letting me come along! (Amazon review)

I loved this book because it made me realize that I can learn a lot about wine on my own, and it also gave me lots of suggestions and ideas about how to go about developing my own wine journey. I think by next year I will be making my own wine! (Amazon review)

I love your book Kathy & Terry! Its a tough job reviewing wineries all over the world (from Twitter follower)

Good to know! they will make great xmas gifts (from Twitter follower)

“A Wine Journey is a delight.  Terry and Kathy take you on their intimate journey with wine and the craft of wine making.  A beautifully written account of a dedicated and loving couple who desire for a true understanding of everything that goes into creating a perfect glass of wine.  More than just a book about wine, A Wine Journey is an inspirational memoir that is sure to create a movement of true wine enthusiasts looking for a deeper connection with a wine lifestyle.” –Sherrie Wilkolaski, author, IFWTWA Treasurer

“Terry and Kathy’s inspiring book unwinds the story of how their interest in wine tasting turns into a passion for learning about wine in all its aspects, including making it.  Readers will be treated to practical information about winemaking while following along on this fun and educational personal journey of discovery.  This book provides a great starting point for anyone interested in starting their own wine journey!” –Theresa Beaver, Viticulture and Enology Certificate Coordinator, Washington State University

“Terry and Kathy have brought us back to a style of writing about wine that is reminiscent of the original wine journals.” –Regina McCarthy, author 

Cheers!
Kathy

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

Champagne Day, October 24, 2014

October 23, 2014 – 9:43 am
Frédérique pouring their champagne at Champagne Jean-Claude MOUZON in Verzenay

Frédérique pouring their champagne at Champagne Jean-Claude MOUZON in Verzenay

Friday, October 24th is Champagne Day. This is the fifth annual day that wine enthusiasts world-wide will open a bottle of champagne and enjoy with their food. The day is dedicated solely to champagne from the Champagne region in France. Cava, prosecco and sparkling wines do not count. Consumers need to buy the real champagne which is only produced in Champagne, France. Beware of bottle labels that use the word champagne and the wine is produced elsewhere in the world.

The Bureau du Champagne, USA is an organization in Washington DC that promotes the growers and wines of Champagne, France. One of the bureau’s goals is to inform the public about this wine region and the importance of terroir in this region. Another goal of the bureau is to protect the word “champagne” in the United States. US wineries are not permitted to have the word “champagne” on bottles of sparkling wine, although some were grandfathered in and still use the word although it is misleading consumers.

Next April, Champagne will host the annual International Wine Tourism Conference. The media team selected to attend the conference and familiarization tour will spotlight the region and champagnes in blogs and articles in both print and online media outlets.

It happens that I have a bottle of champagne that I purchased at Champagne Jean-Claude MOUZON in Verzenay last year. I enjoyed this small producer and the tour we had of his production house that is in his home. Winemaker, Cédric Lahemade is enthusiastic and passionate about the champagne he makes. I remember that he told us that one of the ways to have a champagne house in Champagne is to marry an owner’s daughter. Frédérique and Cédric are now the owners of Champagne Jean-Claude MOUZON and produce excellent champagnes.

Check out Twitter tomorrow and follow the hashtag #ChampagneDay.

Cheers,
Terry

By Terry | Posted in Wine News/Commentary | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

Wine Just Off the Vine Event – Two Weekends in November

October 22, 2014 – 9:46 am

Each year the Mason-Dixon Wine Trail features two special wine events. The 2014 Wine Just Off the Vine event takes place November 8-9 and November 15-16. The second event, Tour de Tanks, is in March.

Fiore
Fiore
Dejon
Dejon
Boordy
Boordy
Allegro
Allegro
Nissley
Nissley
Fiore Winery
Fiore Winery
Nissley
Nissley
Vineyard at Hershey
Vineyard at Hershey

Tickets can be purchased online until October 27. However, the tickets will be mailed to you. The ticket includes a wine glass, wine tastings, light food, presentations by winemakers and 10% off purchases of wine at participating wineries. Tickets can also be purchased at the wineries.

The Mason-Dixon Wine Trail is a unique wine trail as it has wineries from two states participating in it. Almost two dozen wineries are members of the Wine Trail, many of which we have visited and written articles about.

Current Maryland and Pennsylvania winery members of the wine trail include:

Adams County Winery
Allegro Winery
Boordy Vineyards
DeJon Vineyard
Fiore Winery
Four Springs Winery
Harford Vineyard & Winery
Hauser Estate Winery
High Rock Winery
Logan’s View Winery
Moon Dancer Vineyards & Winery
Mount Hope Winery
Naylor Wine Cellars
Nissley Vineyards & Winery
Old Republic Distillery
Reid’s Orchard & Winery
Royal Rabbit Vineyards
Tamanend Winery
The Vineyard and Brewery at Hershey
The Vineyard at Grandview
Thistle Finch Distilling
West Hanover Winery
Wyndridge Farm

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

info@winetrailtraveler.com            Sitemap                      Privacy Policy

Copyright: Terry and Kathy Sullivan 2006-2013