This is TravelTuesday, as Twitters like to call it, so here are some wine festival/events to consider traveling to in the U.S. Enjoy planning a trip to a wine festival. Many wine festivals offer an array of other activities including live music, arts & crafts to browse and perhaps buy, food to enjoy, short wine classes and camaraderie.

States included in this selection are New York, Ohio, Missouri, Florida and Michigan. Also, check out the wine events in “your own backyard.”

Finger Lakes Wine Festival http://www.flwinefest.com/ July 16-18, 2010

Hudson Wine Festival, Hudson, Ohiohttp://www.hudsonwinefestival.com/ July 16-18, 2010

Missouri Wine Festival http://www.visitesprings.com/Missouri_Wine_Festival.html Excelsior Springs, Missouri July 17, 2010

A Taste of the Space Coast, Food & Wine Fest http://www.atasteofevents.com/ Melbourne, Florida July 17

Sunrise Side Wine and Food Festival, at Harrisville Harbor, Huron Shores, Michigan http://huronshorescc.com/events/winefoodfest.htm July 17

Terry and I have an ongoing debate. He prefers the Riesling wines that we discovered on Leelanau and Old Mission Peninsulas in Michigan, while I favor Rieslings from around Seneca and Cayuga Lakes in the Finger Lakes region of New York. The Riesling wines from Michigan tend to have a hint of minerality on them. The Rieslings from Seneca and Cayuga Lake regions tend towards being fruity without the minerality.

Now researchers at Cornell University are hoping to make the Riesling variety grown in the Finger Lake better known. According to the Democrat and Chronicle online issue, the Riesling Terroir Project, “seeks to determine the defining characteristics of what’s bottled in the Finger Lakes and precisely how Riesling grown on various Finger Lakes differ from each other.”

By discovering the characteristics and the similarities of the Finger Lakes Rieslings, the Finger Lakes wineries will be able to use this information to better define these Rieslings and emphasize their uniqueness in comparison to Rieslings from other wine regions in the world.

For the article with more information, “Cornell studying how to improve Finger Lakes Rieslings” visit the Democrat and Chronicle website.

Cheers! Kathy

Most wineries are intent upon producing a quality wine consistently. That is a great goal. To do this they concentrate on the vineyards where the grapes are from, whether they are their own vineyards or are sourced. After obtaining the grapes, the next step is for the winemaker to take over and using his talents, equipment and grapes produce wines that are quality wines.

Of least concern are the leftover parts of the grape – seeds, skins, jacks and MOG (Materials Other than Grapes.) Many wineries use these as compost for their vineyards. A few others have looked at ways to use grape seeds and skins to produce other products.

During a visit to Duplin Winery in North Carolina, we discovered the winery uses 98 percent of the Muscadine grape. The grape byproducts are used for cosmetics and nutritional supplements. At Joseph’s Estate in Canada, we found that in addition to producing wine, grape seeds are used to make grape seed oil. Grape skins are used to make gluten free flour.

So it was with interest that I read an online article, in the Democrat and Chronicle, about a small company in Geneva, New York. Seneca BioEnergy is focusing on producing grape seed oil. Originally intending to produce biodiesel fuel from grape seeds and other farm products, they discovered that producing grape seed oil is more profitable. According to the article, “Startup Finds Multiple Uses for Remains of the Grape” by Diana Louise Carter, “Grapeseed oil from Europe sells for more than $45 a gallon, though home chefs typically buy it in smaller quantities, prizing the product for its ability to fry at higher temperatures than other oils, and the way it coats more evenly, ensuring a little goes a long way.”

For the Finger Lakes region this company will be offering grape seed oil produced from Finger Lakes grapes. I am looking forward to seeing this grape seed oil in winery gift shops.

Cheers! Kathy

You may want to consider visiting wineries in the Finger Lakes area of New York State. It’s almost the end of June. Have you made your summer vacation plans yet? The region has a lot to offer. A couple of days ago Terry wrote an article about wineries in this popular vacation area of New York. The article has been reviewed by numerous online visitors. In case you are interested in visiting the Finger Lakes region of New York State, you may want to read this article online.

More information and photos  about New York wineries is available on the Wine Trail Traveler website.

Hope you are enjoying your summer!

Cheers! Kathy

Wine Country Inn in Palisade, Colorado is featuring a Mardi Gras celebration on February 21, the Saturday before Mardi Gras 2009. Live music will feature Influx Jazz Quartet. Enjoy listening or dancing to this instrumental jazz. The event is slated to run from 8pm to 11pm on the 21^st.

According to the Wine Country Inn blog,  “Mardi Gras 777 will offer a cash bar, bar menu, and those famous Hurricanes, which are amazing concoctions of lime juice, passion fruit syrup and rum. There is a $5 cover charge. Everyone 21 and over is welcome.”

Consider visiting Wine Country Inn and taking part in the festivities. Standard rooms are available that evening at a very reasonable cost – $77.70 per couple. This includes a complimentary ticket for the Mardi Gras Jazz 777. Check for availability of rooms ahead of time.

For more details, visit the Wine Country Inn website at http://www.coloradowinecountryinn.com.

Cayuga Wine Trail in the New York Finger Lakes region is celebrating Mardi Gras in grand style with its 7^th Annual Mardi Gras festivities on February 21 and 22. This event includes receiving Mardi Gras beads at each winery, a wineglass and prizes. Each winery will provide a wine and food pairing. Three grand prizes will be awarded.  Tickets at the door are $25, $20 advance purchase, or $15 for a designated driver.

For more details: https://www.cayugawinetrail.com/cwt_register.taf

Enjoy Mardi Gras!

Cheers, Kathy

Wine Report 2009, published earlier this month, has named Dr. Konstantin Frank Vinifera Wine Cellars as the “Greatest Wine Producer in the Atlantic Northeast.” This should not be a surprise but a continuing honor as Wine Report, published annually, has awarded Dr. Frank’s the same prestigious award since 2005. Another honor bestowed upon the winery was the selection of Dr. Frank’s 2006 Rkatsiteli as #1 in Most Exciting or Unusual Finds. In addition, Dr. Frank’s 2006 Dry Riesling was selected as one of the Greatest-Quality Wines.

Wine Trail Traveler had the opportunity to visit Dr. Konstantin Frank Vinifera Wine Cellars in 2007 where we were fortunate to be able to talk with Frederick Konstantin, Dr. Konstantin’s grandson. View the resulting article and photos about Dr. Frank’s on the Wine Trail Traveler website.

Dr. Frank’s is located in Hammondsport, New York amidst the beautiful New York Finger Lakes. The Finger Lakes offer visitors beautiful scenery, swimming, boating and hiking as well as numerous friendly wineries to visit. Plan to stay in the Finger Lakes area for several days to take advantage of all it has to offer.

Are you influenced by terroir when you purchase a bottle of wine? I really like the idea of tasting at wineries in different areas and noticing the difference between the wines despite the same grape used in producing the wine. The concept of terroir includes many items that can affect grapes as they grow. Some of these include soil composition, climate, longitude, placement of the vineyard, and amount of water available. Even in the area of the Finger Lakes especially known for producing great Riesling wines, there is a difference between the wines. Riesling tends to have floral, mineral or fruity nuances. Riesling is a very versatile grape and reflects different characteristics depending on the soil in which it is grown.

At Félsina winery, in Tuscany a single lane road separates a vineyard. According to our guide, despite the fact that the same grapes are growing on each side, there is a noticeable difference in the wines produced from each part of the vineyard. Closer to home, Coyote’s Run Estate Winery in Niagara, Canada has two types of clay soil – red and black, in the vineyard. Using the same varietal grapes, different wines are produced from each area. It is interesting to taste and note the difference.

If you believe in the concept of terroir as I do, remember wine is also influenced by the winemaker’s wine style, once the grapes arrive at the winery. Where have you noticed terroir making a difference in wines?

Cheers!
Kathy

Winemakers and vineyardists are taking notice of the Finger Lakes as an increasing number of wineries open every year. For the benefit of visitors to the area, more tasting rooms are also offering bistros or restaurants. What better way to show off your wines than have food with which to pair it. According to Joseph Gober at Americana Vineyards & Winery, he put in the Crystal Lake Café in response to people asking, “Where can we go to eat?”  At Americana , the culinary focus is on daily specials paired with wines from the winery. At Sheldrake Point Winery, the Simply Red Lakeside Bistro focuses on using foods seasonally and locally available. Check them out when you are in the area.

I just finished a fiction book that takes place in a fictitious town in the beautiful Finger Lakes area of New York State. The economy is depressed and the owners of an upscale inn are desperate to make ends meet. The owners of a non-existent winery and a group of senior citizens, “Crafty Ladies,” are involved in this mystery. It is a surprise until the end of the book as to “Who did it?”If you don’t want to read a serious  fact-filled wine book this week, and you just want to relax by a warm fire,  you may like A Touch of the Grape by Claudia Bishop.