Wine Compass Blog

13th annual Washington DC International Wine & Food Festival Is One Week Away

2012-02-03T06:00:00.006-05:00

We always look forward to the Washington DC International Wine & Food Festival and its just around the corner. The Grand Tasting is held at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center (1300 Pennsylvania Avenue) on February 11^th and 12^th 2012 from 2-6PM. There will be over 500 wines from all over the globe to sample including those from the Finger Lakes Wine Country, Spain, South Africa, Rhône Valley, and New Zealand. Tickets for the the Grand Tasting are $80-85 a person. See you there.

The 4th annual DrinkLocalWine Conference Steams into Colorado

2012-02-01T13:53:00.004-05:00

After stops in Texas, Virginia, and Missouri; the DrinkLocalWine train steams into Denver, Colorado for a day of seminars and local wine. That means cool-climate grape varieties such as Riesling, Gewürztraminer and Cabernet Franc. Here is the official announcement:

DENVER (February 1, 2012) - Wine enthusiasts who want to explore Colorado terroir and learn more about the state's signature grape varieties are invited to attend the fourth annual DrinkLocalWine Conference on April 28 at the Metropolitan State College of Denver.

Open to the public, the conference attracts top national and regional wine writers who regularly cover local wines and “locapour” trends. Colorado’s approximately 100 wineries that grow European-style, cool-climate varieties, such as Riesling, Gewürztraminer and Cabernet Franc, will be center stage showcasing their wines during the all-day conference, which includes sessions, tastings and competitions.

The Colorado Wine Industry Development Board is the conference’s primary sponsor; the conference kicks off at 9 a.m. with three seminars: Colorado’s Terroir and the Challenges of High Altitude; Local Food, Local Wine and Why They Don’t Like Each Other; and Consumer Perception of Colorado and Regional Wine. At lunch, guests will participate in the Colorado Blind Challenge, a blind tasting between Colorado and California wines.

Confirmed speakers include Wayne Belding, Master Sommelier; Horst Caspari, Colorado state viticulturalist; Rene Chazotte, Pacific Club; Dave McIntyre, Washington Post; Richard Leahy, East Coast wine consultant; Stephen Menke, Colorado state enologist; Jeff Siegel, freelance wine writer and the Wine Curmudgeon; and Kyle Schlachter, Colorado Wine Press.

After lunch, more than two dozen Colorado wineries will pour wines during the Colorado Twitter Taste-Off, where guests will taste and share their thoughts on Twitter, eventually selecting their favorite wines in various categories.

The conference costs $35 for the seminars and lunch, and $35 for the Colorado Twitter Taste-Off, or $65 for both.

Colorado’s modern wine history dates to the late 1970s, when the forerunner of Colorado Cellars opened. The number of wineries has increased 20-fold since 1990, reflecting the surge in enthusiasm for regional wine in the state. Colorado’s two AVAs include the Grand Valley, in and around Grand Junction, and the West Elks, along the North Fork of the Gunnison. However, the largest concentration of wineries is along the Front Range in and around Denver, expanding to many other parts of the state.

DLW 2012 follows the success of the first three conferences -- in Dallas featuring Texas wine in 2009, in Loudoun County featuring Virginia wine in 2010, and in St. Louis featuring Missouri wine in 2011. DLW also holds an annual Regional Wine Week in October, in which more than 40 wine bloggers, writers and columnists from the U.S. and Canada write about their favorite regional wines, ranging from Ontario to New York to Florida to Texas to Colorado.

DrinkLocalWine.com's goal is to spotlight wine made in the 47 states and Canada that aren't California, Washington, and Oregon. It's the brainchild of Washington Post wine columnist Dave McIntyre and wine blogger Jeff Siegel, the Wine Curmudgeon.

Other conference sponsors include the Colorado Association for Viticulture and Enology, Metropolitan State College, Westword, Colorado Tourism, Amtrak, Visit Grand Junction, and Delta County, Colo.

Registration for the conference opens February 1. Go to DrinkLocalWine.com to buy tickets.

To reserve a room in the DrinkLocalWine.com hotel block, contact the Sheraton Denver Downtown at (303) 893-3333.
For information, call (469) 554-9463 or go to DrinkLocalWine.com.

Media Contact:
Denise Clarke
512.899.0004

MyJoogTV Episode 13 features Starr Hill Brewery's Monticello Reserve Ale

2012-01-26T05:00:00.000-05:00

MyJoogTV.com just released a video featuring Starr Hill Brewing's Monticello Reserve Ale. This is the official beer of Monticello and brewed using ingredients Thomas Jefferson likely used two centuries ago. Whereas Jefferson is well known for his attempts to cultivate wine grapes, he was also an avid brewer. However he never used a preset recipe and instead, each year brewed beer based on that year's harvest. He also didn't grow barley, but grew wheat and corn instead. These are the main ingredients to the Monticello Reserve Ale as well as East Kent Goldings hops, which may have been available during Colonial times. We highly recommend this beer - nice citrus flavors with a touch of sweetness balanced with smooth mellow finish. Cheers.

#WineChat Talking Viognier

2012-01-24T10:15:00.020-05:00

Viognier - the grape of Condrieu. Or perhaps Languedoc. Definitely Virginia. Arguably Texas. Maybe California & Washington. Then there's Australia. Yes, this sensitive grape has found a home in many places, from its ascendency in Northern Rhone to its expansion into the New World. Despite this expansion, the grape variety is still relatively unknown to the general public? It was for me, until a few years ago. If you need some insight into Viognier, then check out these articles by Debra Meiburg MW & Jancis Robinson.

But don't delay, because on Wednesday February 8^th, we will be discussing Viognier when we host #winechat, the weekly Twitter conversation originated by Marie Payton (@mariepayton) at Life of Vines. And we would like you to participate. All it takes is popping a bottle of Viognier and sharing your comments on Twitter using the #winechat hash tag. Simple enough.

Dezel Quillen (@myvinespot) and I (@winecompass) will be joining several Virginia winemakers as we sample and discuss Viognier wines from several regions; but focusing specifically on the Commonwealth. Particularly since the Virginia Wine Board has designated Viognier as that state's Signature Grape. And one of these wines, The Breaux Vineyards Viognier was just selected by Oz Clarke as one of only three U.S. wines to be included in his 250 Best Wines 2012.

Over in Texas Wine Country, Russ Kane (@VintageTexas) and Denise Fraser (@DeniseFraser) will be hosting a similar tasting of Texas Viognier. He has posted a briefing for Texas wine bloggers and they will be sharing several wines, including the Lone Oak Winery 2010 Viognier. This wine just received a Double Gold in the SFO Chronicle wine competition.

For more information on the event check out the Facebook Event page. If you plan on planning a similar locality tasting - say another #vawine tasting or for North Carolina Viognier or even Central Coast Viognier - let us know so that we can update the event. And be sure to use the #winechat Twitter hash tag as well as the #vawine and #txwine tags when commenting on those wines.

Virginia

Paradise Springs @paradisesprings
Corcoran Vineyards @corcoranwine
Rappahannock Cellars @Rcellars
Potomac Point Winery @PotomacPoint
Breaux Vineyards @breauxVineyards

Texas

A Few Hours in Loudoun: North Gate Vineyards & Hiddencroft Vineyards

2012-01-16T16:44:00.011-05:00

Being a little stuck inside stir crazy, we headed out for a short trip to Loudoun County to visit two wineries: North Gate Vineyards & Hiddencroft Vineyards. North Gate is owned and operated by Mark and Vicki Fedor, who were working the tasting bar on our arrival. They've been tending fines in Loudoun for almost 15 years and were the initial winemakers at Corcoran Vineyards several years ago. At this point in time, the winery is sold out of some wine (Viognier and Petit Verdot), but we sampled their 2010 Chardonnay, 2010 Petit Mensing, 2009 Cabernet Franc, 2009 Merlot, 2009 Meritage, and NV Apple. All the fruit is sourced from Loudoun County and the resulting wines were rather enjoyable. And affordable - all under $20; which makes their Meritage (Cabernet Franc, (47%), Cabernet Sauvignon (26%), Petit Verdot (21%), and Merlot (6%)) a rather nice deal. The Chardonnay was also a favorite, being both fruit forward and slightly creamy after having been fermented and aged in a combination of older (neutral) and new oak. The Apple and Petit Mensing were also very nice - with any residual sugar equally balanced from the wine's acidity. We plan on getting easier access to their wines, since the winery participates in the Winter Falls Church Farmer's Market.

From North Gate we headed through Hillsboro to Hiddencroft Vineyards after not having visited the winery in a number of years. We did get a chance to sample their Gold winning 2009 Cabernet Franc, which was in the running for last year's Governor's Cup. On arriving at the winery we were briefly disorientated because they have expanded into the adjacent property and moved the tasting facilities into a new building, an 1830’s farmhouse they christened "Dutchman’s Creek Tasting House". Clyde and Terry Housel were also both in the tasting room and Terry guided us through the wines. And we really love these wines, not only their quality but also the range in varietals. As Virginia moves into the Vinifera world, many are replacing hybrids with Bordeaux grape varieties. Not at Hiddencroft. Yes they produce a mighty fine Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc and Tannat (one of the few 100% varietal Tannats in the state), but there are few places in Loudoun where you can sample a Vidal Blanc, Traminette, and Chambourcin, as well as a range of fruit wines. The Traminette was a real surprise, produced dry with a powerful floral aroma that seizes your attention, then mellows into the spicy Gewurtz flavor. Very nice. And the fruit wines are delicious - made sweet but with enough acidity for balance. The Blackberry was the bomb: it has the fortified raisin flavor of a port - without the alcohol. And the blackberries are grown on the estate. The Raspberry Chambourcin Vitis Rubus is another fruit wine worth savoring. I think Hiddencroft has it all, dry viniferas for the "serious" wine consumer and flavorful and enjoyable hybrids and fruit wines for the casual wino. Cheers.

Winechat Conversation on Riesling

2012-01-12T06:54:00.012-05:00

For those who missed last night's #winechat on Riesling or, like me, had a difficult time following the many conversation flows, here is a general outline of the chat.

AustrianwineUSA	Fun stats from @GermanWineUSA We have <1% of world's wine & are proud to have almost 5% of world's #Riesling #winechat http://t.co/VTqVsY0i
mariepayton	Loving the Riesling slogans! @myvinespot: @kahunteroma @winingways #winechat
dvinewinetime	@myvinespot < Thnx 4 the follow! See you on #winechat this evening! Salute!
dvinewinetime	Bring this one to #winechat this evening - sounds "yummy"! < “@1WineDude: 10 Dashe Cellars Dry Riesling McFadden Farm (Potter Valley)
TylerOnWine	T minus 20 to #winechat. We're talking #Riesling 2nite. Check out the new schedule while u wait ~> http://t.co/Ka2Xmre6
RickGriffin	Looking for my corkscrew - #Winechat is about to begin!
RickGriffin	@MarkVogler #winechat last 1 hour ... must longer than the contents of my wineglass:)
TylerOnWine	Can’t drink 2nite but I had this stunning Riesling the other day -- http://t.co/MB6srUqx #winechat
ScrappyOldGuys	Looking forward to #winechat
mariepayton	Welcome to #winechat! Tonight we’re talking about Riesling!
BostonWino	@mariepayton are you popping anything else instead? #winechat
mariepayton	@BostonWino Yes a Cercius Cote du Rhone; enjoyed with dinner! #winechat
mariepayton	What's in everyone's glass? #winechat
TylerOnWine	@mariepayton Hi there Marie! Riesling on #winechat right now what a great topic! #wine
VinoCC	http://t.co/9yIScBAm have some austrians in the house tonight #winechat
jacswineblog	#winechat missed the memo on Riesling tonight, I’m sipping the 2010 Domaine du Salvard Chevery (Loire)
TylerOnWine	An older German Spatlese for me 1999er ... deep yellow in the glass and oh so complex. #winechat
ElinSilveous	Hi everyone. Just coming out of #s4pm chat on participatory medicine. A toast "To Your Health" #WineChat
mariepayton	Evening to @ElinSilveous @TylerOnWine @jacswineblog @VinoCC #winechat
mariepayton	Hey, you like what you like, no judging! RT @VintageLucero: @mariepayton Two Buck Chuck, as usu! I'm a cheap ass... I know it! #winechat
mariepayton	@997Dave is at a beach location tonight with limited access to the internet but full access to Margaritas #winechat
mmWine	@mariepayton Im sorry i cant follow #winechat tonight - but i'm happy to answer questions about anything if someone's got something
TylerOnWine	Riesling aka. the ‘other’ white grape. Thoughts? #winechat
mariepayton	Riesling may be made in many styles from bone dry to sweet #winechat
HennArtOnline	RT @RickGriffin: Looking for my corkscrew - #Winechat is about to begin!
ElinSilveous	A 2010 Dry Riesling from Troon Vineyard in the Applegate Valley (Southern Oregon) #winechat
mariepayton	RT @myvinespot: @mariepayton At the moment ... a splash of Dr. Loosen Riesling Kabinett Erdener Treppchen. #winechat
AustrianwineUSA	or is it THE white grape? ;) RT @tyleronwine: Riesling aka. the ‘other’ white grape. Thoughts? #winechat
myvinespot	Curious, Rogue Valley area? RT @ElinSilveous: A 2010 Dry Riesling from Troon Vineyard in the Applegate Valley (Southern Oregon) #winechat
TylerOnWine	The Riesling we are most familiar with is called ‘White Riesling’. #winechat
mariepayton	The Riesling grape is most likely a descendant of Vitis vinifera sylvestris, native to Germany #winechat
WineHouseLA	RT @mariepayton: Riesling may be made in many styles from bone dry to sweet #winechat
jacswineblog	#winechat perhaps my favorite Riesling right now, was a rock star at our Thanksgiving table this year! Zind-Humbrecht http://t.co/SfMkrmpS
TylerOnWine	@AustrianwineUSA Apple and Orange but both fantastic IMO #winechat
RickGriffin	I'm drinking a Ponzi Pinot Nior - all out of riesling #winechat
mariepayton	Ach - me too : ( RT @RickGriffin: I'm drinking a Ponzi Pinot Nior - all out of riesling #winechat
ElinSilveous	@myvinespot Applegate Valley is west/southwest of the Rogue Valley #WineChat
AustrianwineUSA	True it's about #terroir here bone dry &mineral is norm RT @mariepayton Riesling ... a grape that really reflects where it's grown #winechat
mariepayton	@AustrianwineUSA As early as 1976 Australian producer Pewsey Vale bottled Riesling under screwcap #winechat
dvinewinetime	Any recommends for a good Dry Riesling for $10 or so? Is one out there? #winechat
happyhourmary	@jacswineblog lots of people recommended riesling to go with Thanksgiving. We had some #winechat
mariepayton	Welcome! What's in your glass tonight? RT @SMCBarros: Hi #winechat!
pja477	@jacswineblog I have to try that one #winechat
myvinespot	Try Dr. Loosen Riesling RT @dvinewinetime: Any recommends for a good Dry Riesling for $10 or so? Is one out there? #winechat
KenTruffen	@mariepayton As Riesling ages, its most famous trait is the aroma of petroleum #winechat
rorymadstudios	RT @RickGriffin: I'm drinking a Ponzi Pinot Nior - all out of riesling #winechat. Sound like a scheme to me. Lol
ElinSilveous	RT @mariepayton: @AustrianwineUSA As early as 1976 Australian producer Pewsey Vale bottled Riesling under screwcap #winechat
pja477	some of my favorites...Rosemount, Chateau St Michelle, & Pacific Rim #winechat
mariepayton	@jacswineblog Sounds like a great Alsatian Riesling! #winechat
TylerOnWine	Try Pierre Sparr from Alsace RT @dvinewinetime: recommends for a good Dry Riesling #winechat
RickGriffin	Dr. Loosen makes some awesome rieslings. #Winechat
VinoCC	Have to admit, took me a while to warm up to #Riesling. Largely did b/c of @summerrriesling & @austrianwine #winechat
mmWine	With all due respect to the US, I prefer Riesling from Germany. @mariepayton #winechat
myvinespot	#Riesling -- One of the most versatile and food-friendly wines in the world. (Just my 2 corks) #winechat
TylerOnWine	I'll second that! RT @mmWine: With all due respect to the US, I prefer Riesling from Germany. @mariepayton #winechat
mmWine	Dr Loosen Blue Slate is an amazing riesling - about $20, great minerality, great stone fruit, great acidity #winechat
winecompass	#GoTerps wine 1st ACC game so its time to join #winechat
EsterlinaWine	RT @myvinespot: #Riesling -- One of the most versatile and food-friendly wines in the world. (Just my 2 corks) #winechat
AydinOdyakmaz	RT @mariepayton: @AustrianwineUSA As early as 1976 Australian producer Pewsey Vale bottled Riesling under screwcap #winechat
happyhourmary	@KenTruffen @mariepayton I have totally tasted that petroleum in one! #winechat funny how it could smell like that and be delicious
mariepayton	@SMCBarros How about Australian Riesling, aging, and petroleum aroma? #winechat
WineWallcom	Only 4 days left in our facebook promo #freebies giveaway. Check it out at www.facebook.com/WineWall. #winechat #giveaways
mariepayton	Excellent! RT @winecompass: #GoTerps wine 1st ACC game so its time to join #winechat
RickGriffin	@mariepayton Glad I'm not alone - Ill get some good recommendations onight and enjoy a riesling tomorrow night:) #winechat
myvinespot	Agree. RT @mmWine: Dr Loosen Blue Slate is an amazing riesling - about $20, great minerality, great stone fruit, great acidity #winechat
mmWine	Rick & I did a tv seg on it RT @mariepayton: RT @RickGriffin: Dr. Loosen makes some awesome rieslings. #Winechat
ElinSilveous	Riesling seems good for fishing & summer concerts (in addition to Thanksgiving) #WineChat
mariepayton	Riesling’s crisp acidity cuts through the richness of meats and sauces #winechat
happyhourmary	@jacswineblog I have to get more excited about white wine!! #winechat
AydinOdyakmaz	#Winechat just joining in for a few minutes. Riesling is one of my wife's fans. The #Washington & #BC areas do it nice.
dvinewinetime	me too! Too many sweet ones < “@VinoCC: took me a while to warm to #Riesling. Lrgly b/c of @summerrriesling & @austrianwine #winechat”
VinoCC	I think of Riesling for cool weather RT @elinsilveous: Riesling seems good for fishing & summer concerts (+ Thanksgiving) #WineChat
RickGriffin	@mariepayton I didn't even like rieslings before @mmWine turned me on to Dr. Loosen #winechat
TylerOnWine	Grey Riesling, Missouri Riesling, and Welschriesling are all imposters of the real thing. #winechat
dryncwine	RT @mariepayton: Riesling’s crisp acidity cuts through the richness of meats and sauces #winechat
AydinOdyakmaz	RT @jacswineblog: @pja477 @mariepayton #winechat Zind-Humbrecht very serious Alsace Riesling, smooth fruit, ginger, & waxy characteristics, very food friendly
myvinespot	RT @dryncwine: RT @mariepayton: Riesling’s crisp acidity cuts through the richness of meats and sauces #winechat
RickGriffin	@rorymadstudios LOL - not a scheme - just forgot to pick up a riesling:) #winechat
jacswineblog	@happyhourmary #winechat You’ve got to get excited about white! I’ve been focusing on oddballs like Erbaluce, Petite Arvine & Petit Manseng
ElinSilveous	@VinoCC What do you recommend for fishing & summer concerts? #WineChat
WineHouseLA	Great topic. We do love Riesling. Unfortunately so often its misunderstand. Here are our choices 4 tonight. #winechat http://t.co/VzW9u7uH
myvinespot	Most Australian produces? RT @SMCBarros: #winechat the petroleum question is touchy, most producers do not find this desirable in any way
pierrecarafe	RT @TylerOnWine: The Riesling we are most familiar with is called ‘White Riesling’. #winechat
mmWine	haha! Rock on! RT @RickGriffin: @mariepayton I didn't even like rieslings before @mmWine turned me on to Dr. Loosen #winechat
mmWine	Remember Riesling goes from dry to sweet based on harvest time. Trokken, Kabinett, Spatslese, Auslese and Beerenausleese #winechat
happyhourmary	@RickGriffin @mariepayton @mmWine writing down Dr. Loosen, which is why I love #winechat!!
mariepayton	@mmWine Great point - later harvest --> sweeter, yes? #winechat
happyhourmary	@jacswineblog I have only heard of Erbaluce. Will have to look into the others. #winechat
ElinSilveous	Troon's is dry, slightly fruity RT @myvinespot: A common misconception is that #Riesling only produces sweet wine. #NotTrue #winechat
mariepayton	Let's talk about the major regions producing Riesling #winechat
mmWine	yes. Longer hangtime, water dries, sugars concentrate! RT @mariepayton: @mmWine Great point - later harvest --> sweeter, yes? #winechat
MsCB83	RT @myvinespot: A common misconception is that #Riesling only produces sweet wine. #NotTrue #winechat
jacswineblog	Anyone like Dr. Hans Von Muller Auslese Riesling (Mosel) as much as I do? Golden, apricot, underlying acidity, great w/ dessert #winechat
myvinespot	Tip: Don't pigeon-hole yourself w/ just liking sweet or dry #Riesling -- let the mood and/or food guide you and enjoy them all! #winechat
kahunteroma	How long can you age an Auslese? Spatlese? #winechat
dvinewinetime	@winecompass - thnx 4 info - good stuff! #winechat
mariepayton	Germany is the ancestral homeland for Riesling #winechat
pja477	@WineHouseLA Ill have to make a note of all 4 and pick them up #winechat
ElinSilveous	Hear hear RT @winecompass @mmWine Agreed, but don't discount the Pacific NW, @FingerLakesPR or even Colorado's Grand Valley #winechat
mmWine	@happyhourmary in inexpensive Dr loosen is the "Dr L" - it's about $13 and great. The Blue Slate is a bit more complex and my fav #winechat
myvinespot	Some important #Riesling regions: Germany (Mosel), France (Alsace), USA (CV, Washington State & Finger Lakes, NY) #winechat
mariepayton	The Mosel, Rheingau and Rheinhessen are the most important German regions for growing Riesling #winechat
jacswineblog	@dirksomm #winechat Can’t go wrong with Zind-Humbrecht!
happyhourmary	@mmWine say trokkenbeerenauslesse 5 times real fast! #winechat
VinoCC	#SauvBlanc & #Gruner :) RT @elinsilveous: @VinoCC What do you recommend for fishing & summer concerts? #WineChat
mariepayton	@SMCBarros Are all Australian Rieslings under screwcap? #winechat
pja477	@mariepayton I feel like I am learning so much already tonight #winechat
winecompass	@jacswineblog I'll have to check tht one out - thanks for the tip #winechat
AustrianwineUSA	& us! ;) RT @myvinespot: imp #Riesling regions: Germany (Mosel), France (Alsace), USA (CV, Washington State & Finger Lakes, NY) #winechat
mariepayton	Lots of good recommendations tonight! RT @pja477: @mariepayton I feel like I am learning so much already tonight #winechat
happyhourmary	@mmWine thanks, good to know! RT "Dr L" - it's about $13 and great. The Blue Slate is a bit more complex and my fav #winechat
mmWine	How about i just drink it ... :) RT @happyhourmary: @mmWine say trokkenbeerenauslesse 5 times real fast! #winechat
TylerOnWine	10 years+ the sugar acts as a preservative RT @kahunteroma: How long can you age an Auslese? Spatlese? #winechat
RickGriffin	@happyhourmary Dr. Loosen has a wide variety of rieslings from sweet to very dry (which I prefer) #winechat
cono_sur	Running a little late. I'm here now for #winechat on #Riesling - which just happens to be my fav white grape. Join the conversation! #wine
mariepayton	Riesling is on record as being planted in Alsace France since 1477 #winechat
winecompass	I never thought of Australia as a big #Riesling producer. Isn't it a cold weather grape @myvinespot ? #winechat
RickGriffin	@kahunteroma Thanks - will definitely try Wachau! #winechat
ElinSilveous	TY! RT @VinoCC: #SauvBlanc & #Gruner :) RT @ElinSilveous: @VinoCC What do you recommend for fishing & summer concerts? #WineChat
TylerOnWine	? 4 the grp ~> What is Edelfäule and what wines does it produce? #winechat
cono_sur	I don't doubt it. Their Rieslings are fab! RT @mariepayton: #Germany is the ancestral homeland for Riesling #winechat
mariepayton	New York was one of the earliest US producers of Riesling #winechat
mmWine	RT @TylerOnWine: 10 years+ the sugar acts as a preservative RT @kahunteroma: How long can you age an Auslese? Spatlese? #winechat
ElinSilveous	RT @TylerOnWine: 10 years+ the sugar acts as a preservative RT @kahunteroma: How long can you age an Auslese? Spatlese? #winechat
myvinespot	@SMCBarros Australian Riesling I've had have typically been dry, racy, soft citrus character, w/ laser-focused acidity. #winechat
happyhourmary	@RickGriffin don't think I have ever tried a very dry riesling. Aren't most riesling drinkers looking for sugar? #winechat
winecompass	RT @mariepayton: Riesling is on record as being planted in Alsace France since 1477 #winechat
ElinSilveous	Wow! RT @mariepayton: Riesling is on record as being planted in Alsace France since 1477 #winechat
mmWine	the folks at @drloosenwines also bring in Robert Weil wines into the US - very good as well #winechat
mariepayton	Noble rot? TBA? RT @TylerOnWine: ? 4 the grp ~> What is Edelfäule and what wines does it produce? #winechat
VinoCC	Anyone ever have a NZ Riesling? #winechat Kind of rare here, but they're yummy. Had some recently thanks to @rieslingAC
pullthatcork	.@winecompass @myvinespot The Clare Valley in Australia is quite cool and has some very nice Rieslings. #winechat
myvinespot	The #Riesling grape grows best in relatively cool climates. #winechat #Factoid
myvinespot	Agree! RT @pullthatcork: .@winecompass @myvinespot The Clare Valley in Australia is quite cool and has some very nice Rieslings. #winechat
winecompass	@AustrianwineUSA Where is #Riesling grown in Austria? #winechat
dvinewinetime	LOL! & while drinking....:) < “@happyhourmary: @mmWine say trokkenbeerenauslesse 5 times real fast! #winechat”
ElinSilveous	@myvinespot Does Virginia have any Rieslings? Lake Anna Winery maybe? #WineChat
SandyWasserman	Smith Madrone Riesling frm St Helena. Vyd on Spring Mtn. Not much produced. 1 of the best on planet. Jim Barry & Loosen gr8 too. #winechat
AustrianwineUSA	I don't think so - Austria's always been dry RT @happyhourmary: @RickGriffin Aren't most riesling drinkers looking for sugar? #winechat
myvinespot	Q: What do you like best about #Riesling? For me: Lovely acidity, complexity, minerality, alluring aromas, versatility. #winechat
jacswineblog	@winecompass #winechat Dr. Hans Von Muller - great for the price point ($11ish here in NY) poured it for a dessert pairing party, was a hit!
winecompass	@SMCBarros Thanks - I'll have to start checking out the CV #winechat
RickGriffin	@ColleenHawk No, but I do recommend Relaxing with a Riesling:) #Winechat
mariepayton	@SMCBarros What Australian Rieslings would you recommend to introduce someone to Australian Riesling? #winechat
MatthewLiberty	RT @RickGriffin: @ColleenHawk No, but I do recommend Relaxing with a Riesling:) #Winechat
AustrianwineUSA	Mostly in Lower Austria, most famously in the #Wachau RT @winecompass: @AustrianwineUSA Where is #Riesling grown in Austria? #winechat
happyhourmary	in my quest to become a wine expert, it is apparent I must drink a lot more wine/wines #winechat
mmWine	@happyhourmary @RickGriffin Trokken Rieslings arent very popular in the US - but they're awesome (trokken = most dry) #winechat
mariepayton	New tagline for Riesling: RT @RickGriffin: @ColleenHawk No, but I do recommend Relaxing with a Riesling:) #Winechat
mariepayton	Oh yes! RT @happyhourmary: in my quest to become a wine expert, it is apparent I must drink a lot more wine/wines #winechat
mariepayton	Alsace is the only wine region in France allowed to grow Riesling grapes #winechat
AustrianwineUSA	same! RT @myvinespot: Q: What do u like about #Riesling? For me: acidity,complexity, minerality, aromas, versatility. #winechat
winecompass	@corkysfarm @corcoranwine How's your 2010 #Riesling #vawine coming alone? #winechat
mmWine	@happyhourmary When studying for 1st level Sommelier exam, i probably had 3-4 diff wines a night for several months #winechat
cono_sur	@happyhourmary I don't know about that. I like my Rieslings anywhere from dry to sweet, depending on my mood. :D #winechat @RickGriffin
ElinSilveous	RT @mariepayton: Alsace is the only wine region in France allowed to grow Riesling grapes #winechat
happyhourmary	@jacswineblog @winecompass pairing with dessert. sounds delightful and possibly hard! #winechat
SandyWasserman	I also like Dr. Konstatine Frank from Finger Lakes N.Y. Good riesling too #winechat
ColleenHawk	RT @RickGriffin @ColleenHawk No, but I do recommend Relaxing with a Riesling:) #Winechat // Ah yes, there is that, too.
mmWine	@happyhourmary and now studying for 2nd level of Sommelier, i'm doing a weekly tasting w a group of 4+ of specific varieties #winechat
myvinespot	Very well-done [usually more expensive] #Riesling wines are long lived – can age well & gain wonderful complexities over time. #winechat
SimplyGrapes	Every Somm I have worked with always dies over dry Rieslings as favorite food pairings. #winechat
mariepayton	Riesling is the Finger Lake’s most widely planted Vinifera variety #winechat
myvinespot	Great w/ seafood! RT @SimplyGrapes: Every Somm I have worked with always dies over dry Rieslings as favorite food pairings. #winechat
myvinespot	#Riesling is a native of Germany where it has been cultivated anywhere from 500 to 2000 years. #winechat
happyhourmary	@mmWine am reading Zraly's book and one on pairing. He says the same=taste a lot of wine!!! #winechat
VinoCC	What's everyone's fav #Riesling memory? #WineChat honestly mine is drinking @jacobscreek at #Steingarten overlooking Barossa Valley
SimplyGrapes	@mmWine Good luck with the Somm Exam! Lots of info but the tasting aspect makes that easier ;) #winechat
SandyWasserman	@SMCBarros I saw that. It brings back memories of my time at Jim Barry. Great juice & great people. #winechat
jacswineblog	#winechat Anyone try St. Urbans Hof Riesling? Love it w/ Asian cuisine & spicy foods, clean & lovely, great example of Mosel, good price too
mariepayton	RT @myvinespot: #Riesling is a native of Germany where it has been cultivated anywhere from 500 to 2000 years. #winechat
VinoCC	words to live by! RT @winecompass: @happyhourmary And according to @EricAsimov at #wbc11 - don't always spit #winechat
happyhourmary	@winecompass @EricAsimov I only spit if I am tasting more than 6 wines in class. I married my designated driver! #winechat
mariepayton	RT @SandyWasserman: I also like Dr. Konstatine Frank from Finger Lakes N.Y. Good riesling too #winechat
myvinespot	Solid producer IMO. RT @mariepayton: RT @SandyWasserman: I also like Dr. Konstatine Frank from Finger Lakes N.Y. Good riesling too #winechat
dvinewinetime	I don't know much at all about Rieslings / being a Nor Cal girl, so this is all great info! #winechat
mariepayton	Riesling is a darling of sommeliers but still not on everyone's radar; how to change that? #winechat
myvinespot	Just my opinion, but #Riesling has an abundant of charming characteristics on its own (naked) – OAK need not apply. #winechat
cono_sur	RT @mariepayton: @TylerOnWine: Edelfäule is a German term for 'noble rot'. It tends to produce sweeter wines. #winechat
MishasVineyard	Didn't realise that! Wow T @mariepayton: Alsace is the only wine region in France allowed to grow Riesling grapes #winechat
mmWine	Important to realize riesling from different parts of the world will taste different @myvinespot @mariepayton @SandyWasserman #winechat
RickGriffin	RT @mmWine: @SimplyGrapes Thank you. I've already passed the 1st level. I'm working on certified for August. #winechat << You ROCK!
happyhourmary	@mmWine I am planning on a Level 3 class at International Wine Guild here on Food and Wine pairing. will put on 5 pounds! #winechat
Barossadirt	RT @VinoCC: What's everyone's fav #Riesling memory? #WineChat honestly mine is drinking @jacobscreek at #Steingarten overlooking Barossa Valley
ChefChrisMartin	@mariepayton @mmWine @TylerOnWine just cleaning up dinner...how's #winechat? Im not a Riesling fan but can you recommend good one?
WineEveryday	RT @mariepayton: RT @SandyWasserman: I also like Dr. Konstatine Frank from Finger Lakes N.Y. Good riesling too #winechat
MishasVineyard	V. smart people those New Yorkers! :) RT @mariepayton: New York was one of the earliest US producers of Riesling #winechat
ElinSilveous	Showing my ignorance, is Riesling a type of grape? #WineChat
mariepayton	@ChefChrisMartin Lots of good recommendations tonight from around the world #winechat
jacswineblog	@happyhourmary @winecompass #winechat paired Auslese w/ Poire Williams spice cake & blood orange vanilla cake, did very nicely that night!
WineEveryday	RT @myvinespot: #Riesling is a native of Germany where it has been cultivated anywhere from 500 to 2000 years. #winechat
myvinespot	They drive the wine list RT @mariepayton Riesling is a darling of sommeliers but still not on everyones radar; how to change that? #winechat
HennArtOnline	RT @myvinespot Just my opinion, but #Riesling has an abundant of charming characteristics on its own (naked) – OAK need not apply. #winechat
abryksa	We like the bone dry, lemony style for Riesling from the Clare Valley in Australia. Petaluma Hanlin Hill is a special example #winechat
HennArtOnline	RT @mariepayton: Riesling is a darling of sommeliers but still not on everyone's radar; how to change that? #winechat
MishasVineyard	@mariepayton So have you talked about New Zealand Riesling as yet - we make some fab ones! #winechat #nzsummerofriesling #nzwine
mariepayton	Yes - but no need to fear, #winechat is w/o judgement! RT @ElinSilveous: Showing my ignorance, is Riesling a type of grape? #WineChat
winecompass	The flavor RT @myvinespot: Q: What do u like about #Riesling? For me: acidity, complexity, minerality, aromas, versatility. #winechat
HennArtOnline	RT @dvinewinetime: I don't know much at all about Rieslings / being a NorCal girl, so this is all great info! #winechat
MarkVogler	Happy #winewednesday, Greetings from #Sonoma! Sorry I"m late #winechat
WineEveryday	2010 Rooster Hill Vineyards Medium Sweet #Riesling ~ Try to order this wine~ very nice #WineChat
SchlossiWines	RT @myvinespot: #Riesling is a native of Germany where it has been cultivated anywhere from 500 to 2000 years. #winechat
SandyWasserman	Got a btl of Karl Kaspar, Gustav Adolf Schmitt & Von Der Leyn Rieslings 2day frm importr Anybody no anything about any of them? #winechat
myvinespot	#Riesling makes for a nice dessert wine … it’s naturally high acid levels gives balance to the residual sugars. #winechat
cono_sur	@vinocc Sitting on the patio at @VinelandEstates sipping a #Riesling on a Sunday afternoon. Aaah...the #memories. #winechat
HennArtOnline	RT @SimplyGrapes: @mmWine Good luck with the Somm Exam! Lots of info but the tasting aspect makes that easier ;) #winechat
akarosis	#Riesling from the Finger Lakes is completely underrated! Racy lime, expressive minerality... #winechat
mariepayton	@MishasVineyard Tell us about NZ Rieslings! #winechat
happyhourmary	@jacswineblog @winecompass drooling! (spice cake, etc.) #winechat
WineHouseLA	@MishasVineyard @mariepayton. We are opening up the Felton Rd one right now. #winechat
mariepayton	Cheers! RT @BernadetteDavis: reading through #winechat for the first time and seeing all the Riesling chatter. pours a glass
SimplyGrapes	RT @HennArtOnline: RT @mariepayton: Alsace is the only wine region in France allowed to grow Riesling grapes #winechat
BernadetteDavis	RT @HennArtOnline: RT @mariepayton: Alsace is the only wine region in France allowed to grow Riesling grapes #winechat
AustrianwineUSA	#Riesling in Austria makes up a 4% , but it something they're very proud of #winechat #EliteRiesling
HennArtOnline	RT @myvinespot: #Riesling is a native of Germany where it has been cultivated anywhere from 500 to 2000 years. #winechat
mariepayton	@SMCBarros How do you educate people to not think of Riesling as only sweet? #winechat
francoeiphilc2	@mariepayton @winecompass and it's some of of the best Riesling in the world. It's realitivly cheap right now #winechat
mariepayton	Lots of minerals! RT @akarosis: #Riesling from the Finger Lakes is completely underrated! Racy lime, expressive minerality... #winechat
TylerOnWine	@ChefChrisMartin Studert-Prum,Riesling Spatlese $24 - is really good. #winechat
mariepayton	Riesling is rarely placed in new oak - would overwhelm it #winechat
WineEveryday	#Riesling: Sweetness classification has to do with sugar levels in the grapes at time of harvest. #WineChat
VinoCC	@cono_sur that sounds lovely! #winechat tasted some of @vinelandestates ice wines in Sept. Delicious!
happyhourmary	@mariepayton @MishasVineyard I always think: Sauv. Blanc when I think New Zealand, oh, and Hobbits #winechat
TylerOnWine	Try a few btls from Alsace... RT @mariepayton: @SMCBarros How do you educate people to not think of Riesling as only sweet? #winechat
myvinespot	RT @mariepayton: Riesling is rarely placed in new oak - would overwhelm it #winechat
RickGriffin	RT @mariepayton: @SMCBarros How do you educate people to not think of Riesling as only sweet? #winechat <<Buy them a glass of a dry riesling
mariepayton	RT @myvinespot: Ever try Poet's Leap? RT @kahunteroma: Anyone have any fav US rieslings that cost under $20? @myvinespot @mmWine #winechat
RonMcFarland	@SMCBarros best to be firm & really encourage people to taste Riesling - a gentle force yields big smiles of Wow - #winechat
dvinewinetime	“@1WineDude: 10 Dashe Cellars Dry Riesling McFadden Farm: Funny, coulda sworn this peachy, lemony, lush beauty hailed from WA #winechat
WineEveryday	RT @mariepayton @SMCBarros How do you educate people to not think of Riesling as only sweet?<--- Have them try Several 2prove it! #winechat
mariepayton	Slate is the classic Riesling soil #winechat
GreystoneEstate	RT @WineEveryday #Riesling: Sweetness classification has to do with sugar levels in the grapes at time of harvest. #WineChat
WineHouseLA	@mariepayton @SMCBarros . We find tastings are the best options, its great to see people having that wow moment. #winechat
HennArtOnline	RT @mariepayton: RT @SandyWasserman: I also like Dr. Konstatine Frank from Finger Lakes N.Y. Good riesling too #winechat
VinoCC	that would be sacrilegious RT @mariepayton: Riesling is rarely placed in new oak - would overwhelm it #winechat
LatinoCellar	RT @mariepayton: @SMCBarros Are all Australian Rieslings under screwcap? #winechat
happyhourmary	headed to Vegas next week. Stopping in Colorado Wine Country. Then Napa and Sonoma in Feb. EXCITED #winechat
myvinespot	Q. Market seems saturated w/ under $10, clean/simple/satisfying #Riesling. How often do you pay over $20 for a Riesling? #winechat
MarkVogler	Hey where's @winekate ? She can tell us a thing or two about Rieslings! #winechat
GreystoneEstate	RT @mariepayton RT @MarkVogler: Yup or share a bottle! RT @RickGriffin: RT @mariepayton: @SMCBarros How do you educate people... #winechat
mariepayton	Great Q: RT @myvinespot: How often do you pay over $20 for a Riesling? #winechat
abryksa	The wines of Grosset are also stunning too. For Cdn examples, we like Tantalus from BC #winechat
mariepayton	German Riesling fetched prices on par with the great French crus of Bordeaux & Burgundy in the 19th century #winechat
mariepayton	What's everyone pairing their Riesling with tonight? #winechat
happyhourmary	@winecompass Carlson is on our list. Already looked up their hours!! #winechat
myvinespot	Thai food. How about you? RT @mariepayton: What's everyone pairing their Riesling with tonight? #winechat
VinoCC	I think Riesling is worth the $$ RT @myvinespot: Market saturated w/ under $10 #Riesling. How often do you pay > $20 for Riesling? #winechat
WineEveryday	RT @HennArtOnline: RT @mariepayton: RT @SandyWasserman: I also like Dr. Konstatine Frank from Finger Lakes N.Y. Good riesling too #winechat
WineHouseLA	@myvinespot @SMCBarros We do carry a few. Try from Clare & Eden Valley as well as stuff from Western Australia. @australiaplus. #winechat
abryksa	Wondering if anyone views Citronella or Kerosene aromas in Riesling as faults? #winechat
HennArtOnline	RT @winecompass: @happyhourmary Highly recommend Palisades in Colorado Carlson Vineyards is a nice stop #winechat
VinoCC	Ceviche - it's yummy ;) What WOULD you have paired? RT @mariepayton: What's everyone pairing their Riesling with tonight? #winechat
cono_sur	or Australia. RT @tyleronwine: Try a few btls from Alsace. RT @mariepayton: @SMCBarros Edu ppl 2 not think of Riesling only sweet? #winechat
RonMcFarland	RT @RickGriffin: RT @mariepayton: @SMCBarros How do you educate people to not think of Riesling as only sweet? #winechat <<Buy them a glass of a dry riesling
mariepayton	@myvinespot Shame tonight - thought I had a Riesling in the fridge - #fail! #winechat
winecompass	@happyhourmary Nice, I beleive they also produce a Dry Gewurztraminer; plus a Lemberger #winechat
mariepayton	RT @abryksa: Wondering if anyone views Citronella or Kerosene aromas in Riesling as faults? #winechat
kahunteroma	@myvinespot @mariepayton Samosas and chicken tikka masala, for sure. #winechat
ElinSilveous	Garden of Eatin' Wrap RT @myvinespot: Thai food. How about you? @mariepayton: What's everyone pairing their Riesling with tonight? #winechat
WineHouseLA	@myvinespot @mariepayton . Indian food here #winechat
WineEveryday	Harvesting later than norm result in grapes having higher sugar levels-Conversely harvesting earlier results in dry wine #WineChat #Riesling
TylerOnWine	Time to pull out the big guns! I'm drinking Bernkasteler Doctor this weekend w. a few wine blogger over dinner. Coool! #winechat
Hokuboku	@myvinespot @mariepayton Mmm.. thai good and Riesling sounds divine. #winechat
GreystoneEstate	RT @mariepayton Great Q: RT @myvinespot: How often do you pay over $20 for a Riesling? #winechat
mariepayton	Seems like most folks are enjoying their Rieslings with spicy foods tonight #winechat
kahunteroma	@abryksa I don't view it as a fault since I know it doesn't affect taste...but I can see how kerosene aroma is offputting #winechat
RickGriffin	I'm pairing my empty riesling glass with a full glass of pinot noir:) #winechat #AllOutOfRiesling
WineEveryday	RT @mariepayton @abryksa Q) Citronella or Kerosene aromas in Riesling as faults? #winechat <- A) Not faults, Riesling can have Petrol aroma
ericawinetrips	@winecompass @myvinespot I love when I get a lot of petroleum in my #riesling #winechat
pja477	@myvinespot I try not, but after tonight will def go over buy a few $ #winechat
HennArtOnline	RT @Hokuboku: @myvinespot @mariepayton Mmm.. thai good and Riesling sounds divine. #winechat
cono_sur	@vinocc It was! Later moved indoors in the cool evening. :) Icewine Festival begins this weekend. U'll find #Riesling Icewines. #winechat
mariepayton	Trying Riesling over summer I noticed that wine glass shape had big effect on mineral aromas/flavors #winechat
MarkVogler	I'm a big fan of the @WolfBlassWines Gold Label Riesling - mineral and citrus #yumm #winechat
TylerOnWine	Yes, the sweetness will cut thru the spice nicely RT @mariepayton can enjoying Rieslings with spicy foods #winechat
HennArtOnline	RT @mariepayton: Seems like most folks are enjoying their Rieslings with spicy foods tonight #winechat
myvinespot	@MishasVineyard I don't see a lot of selection here, but have had a few nice #Riesling wines from Canterbury #nzwine #winechat
ericawinetrips	@winecompass @myvinespot think Eden valley does well re: #riesling #winechat
KenTruffen	@abryksa: anyone view Citronella or Kerosene aromas in Riesling as faults? #winechat RT I'd say no, its the nature of riesling, not fault.
AydinOdyakmaz	@mariepayton #winechat, Riesling spicy food and easy sipping comes to mind. Give me top food pairing with it.
mariepayton	RT @KatValentini: @myvinespot @kahunteroma @mmWine-Really enjoy Wash's Chateau St. Michelle, not too sweet! Biggest bargain by WS #winechat
winecompass	@myvinespot Just stumpled upon a Laški Rizling (Welschriesling) from Slovenia in my cabinet. Should have opened last week. #winechat
GreystoneEstate	RT @HennArtOnline RT @mariepayton: Seems like most folks are enjoying their Rieslings with spicy foods tonight #winechat
kahunteroma	How so? RT @mariepayton Trying Riesling over summer I noticed that wine glass shape had big effect on mineral aromas/flavors #winechat
cono_sur	Birthday cake. :) RT @mariepayton: What's everyone pairing their #Riesling with tonight? #winechat
ElinSilveous	At wine tastings, I usually skip over the whites. Because of tonight's #WineChat I'll try the whites & learn. Thank you.
mmWine	RT @RickGriffin: I'm pairing my empty riesling glass with a full glass of pinot noir:) #winechat #AllOutOfRiesling
WineEveryday	RT @KenTruffen: "@abryksa: anyone view Citronella or Kerosene aromas in Riesling as faults? #winechat" RT I'd say no, its the nature of riesling, not fault.
MatthewLiberty	RT @mmWine: RT @RickGriffin: I'm pairing my empty riesling glass with a full glass of pinot noir:) #winechat #AllOutOfRiesling
jacswineblog	@mariepayton #winechat love Rieslings with spicy foods, esp. Thai! Probably my go-to w/ Thai is Pierre Sparr Alsace Riesling.
ericawinetrips	I agree with @myvinespot , one of #riesling s charms is the food friendliness thanks to the acid #winechat
mariepayton	@SMCBarros Larger Bordeaux glass --> more slate compared to smaller glass #winechat
abryksa	Interesting, as one winemaker says it is. http://t.co/mXesN99b #winechat
mariepayton	Happy bday! RT @cono_sur: Birthday cake. :) RT @mariepayton: What's everyone pairing their #Riesling with tonight? #winechat
winterthur	RT @RickGriffin: I'm pairing my empty riesling glass with a full glass of pinot noir:) #winechat #AllOutOfRiesling \| Pass the Chardonnay!
HennArtOnline	RT @abryksa: Wondering if anyone views Citronella or Kerosene aromas in Riesling as faults? #winechat
kahunteroma	Lol yours? Happy bday if so! RT @cono_sur Birthday cake. :) RT @mariepayton: What's everyone pairing their #Riesling with tonight? #winechat
SandyWasserman	Normal, especially when from Alsace RT @abryksa Wondering if anyone views Citronella or Kerosene aromas in Riesling as faults? #winechat
WineEveryday	RT @ericawinetrips: I agree with @myvinespot , one of #riesling s charms is the food friendliness thanks to the acid #winechat
MikesMRwineguy	@swirlgirldenver "@mariepayton: Tryin Riesling ovr summer I noticed tht wine glass shape had big effect on mineral aromas/flavors #winechat"
SimplyGrapes	All this #winechat is making me hungry for Thai food and more Riesling of course.
WineHouseLA	In talking about #Riesling, cant forget the ones from Alto Adige Italy. #winechat.
mariepayton	@KenTruffen Recommend trying Rieslings with different glasses - they were all Riedel, just different shapes #winechat
GrapeBelt	I promise to start with some riesling if Barlata has one by the glass. Promise. And a full report to follow! #winechat
ericawinetrips	I find a LOT of it (petroleum in aged #riesling) wonderful :) @myvinespot #winechat
mariepayton	Not familiar - tell us more! RT @WineHouseLA: In talking about #Riesling, cant forget the ones from Alto Adige Italy. #winechat.
myvinespot	@mmWine @KatValentini @kahunteroma @mariepayton It's good to be a fan of a certain region, but never stop trying new things. #winechat
kimgraziano	Cheers #winechat ~ Enjoyed Rieslings from @DrFrankWine @Glenorawine on my trip to #flxwine this week. Wonderful wines all under $20 :)
ElinSilveous	Me too! RT @SimplyGrapes: All this #winechat is making me hungry for Thai food and more Riesling of course.
UncorkOntario	Where were all the #riesling fans during #marcmad last year? 2012 version coming soon. #winechat
GreystoneEstate	RT @WineHouseLA In talking about #Riesling, cant forget the ones from Alto Adige Italy. #winechat.
ericawinetrips	Yes, glass shape have had HUGE impact on #riesling freshness @mariepayton @KenTruffen #winechat
myvinespot	Ha! Very nice :-) RT @ericawinetrips: I find a LOT of it (petroleum in aged #riesling) wonderful :) @myvinespot #winechat
smasnecellars	RT @myvinespot: #Riesling is a native of Germany where it has been cultivated anywhere from 500 to 2000 years. #winechat
mariepayton	Riesling requires a long growing season to ripen properly #winechat
myvinespot	RT @SMCBarros: #winechat styles of Riesling from all the great regions are so distinctive, it's truly my fave white variety
VinoCC	partially b/c winemakers respect it's natural character! RT @mariepayton: Riesling reflects terroir more than other grapes #winechat
MarkVogler	In Sonoma Valley @chateaustjean makes a nice Riesling too. #winechat
mmWine	Begs the Q if NY and WA get too cold too fast... ??? RT @mariepayton: Riesling requires a long growing season to ripen properly #winechat
dvinewinetime	Thanks to everyone on #winechat 2nite for knowledge & recommends on Rieslings! gotta call it a evening! Cheers!
GreystoneEstate	RT @kimgraziano Cheers #winechat Enjoyed Rieslings from @DrFrankWine @Glenorawine on my trip2 #flxwine this wk Wondrful wines all under $20
pja477	@ElinSilveous @SimplyGrapes and I wanted Thai for dinner too #winechat
mariepayton	Germany, Alsace, Austria, Finger Lakes and Australia - top Riesling producers - did I miss any? #winechat
kimgraziano	RT @myvinespot: #Riesling is a native of Germany where it has been cultivated anywhere from 500 to 2000 years. #winechat
HennArtOnline	RT @dvinewinetime: Thanks to everyone on #winechat 2nite for knowledge & recommends on Rieslings! gotta call it a evening! Cheers!
UncorkOntario	Long and somewhat cool... RT @mariepayton: Riesling requires a long growing season to ripen properly #winechat
mmWine	I probably drink the least riesling of any grape. Most are too sweet, and ones that are my palate are $ :) #winechat
mariepayton	Thaks for stopping ny! RT @dvinewinetime: Thanks to everyone on #winechat 2nite for knowledge & recommends on Rieslings!
cono_sur	So true! @mariepayton: Tryin Riesling over summer I noticed that wine glass shape had big effect on mineral aromas/flavours #winechat
mariepayton	Food friendly --> RT @VinoCC: #Riesling is one of the grapes w/ the best reputation among somms agreed? disagreed? #winechat
GreystoneEstate	RT @dvinewinetime: Thanks to everyone on #winechat 2nite for knowledge & recommends on Rieslings! gotta call it a evening! Cheers!
winecompass	@ericawinetrips @drloosenwines @myvinespot @ColoradoWine @happyhourmary I've been tied to the FL, but going intl soon #riesling #winechat
mariepayton	@mmWine What dry Rieslings do you like? #winechat
VinoCC	nooo, think of Germany! RT @mmwine: Begs the Q if NY and WA get too cold too fast RT @mariepayton: Riesling= long growing season #winechat
WineHouseLA	@mariepayton Alto Adige aka Sudtirol by its German-speaking population, is a wine producing region in northern Italy. #winechat
AuthenticCoast	@mariepayton Canada is a top Riesling producer. #winechat
ElinSilveous	RT @VinoCC: #Riesling is one of the grapes w/ the best reputation among somms agreed? disagreed? #winechat
TylerOnWine	Absolutely! RT @mariepayton: Food friendly --> RT @VinoCC: #Riesling good reputation among somms agreed? disagreed? #winechat
mariepayton	Yes - used in ice wine too! Thanks! RT @AuthenticCoast: @mariepayton Canada is a top Riesling producer. #winechat
SimplyGrapes	@mariepayton @VinoCC Agreed very versatile RT: #Riesling is 1 of the grapes w/ the best reputation among somms agreed? disagreed? #winechat
ElinSilveous	RT @mariepayton: Germany, Alsace, Austria, Finger Lakes and Australia - top Riesling producers - did I miss any? #winechat
mmWine	@VinoCC @mariepayton i believe the growing season in germany is longer, #winechat
mariepayton	@SMCBarros Tell us about the growing season in Australia for Riesling #winechat
pja477	I shouldve tired a new #Riesling for tonight instead of ones I had before #winechat..thx for everything tonight!
mmWine	I stick with Loosen and Weil, because I know them. I have others tho... RT @mariepayton: @mmWine What dry Rieslings do you like? #winechat
mmWine	@mariepayton i just dont have the names handy right now :( #winechat
myvinespot	How was it? RT @winecompass: Just stumpled upon a Laški Rizling (Welschriesling) from Slovenia in my cabinet. #winechat
AuthenticCoast	@mariepayton Yes, it's icewine season in Canada! #winechat
MarkVogler	RT @AuthenticCoast: @mariepayton Yes, it's icewine season in Canada! #winechat
mariepayton	Last thoughts on Riesling before another #winechat wraps up?
myvinespot	@pja477 Let me know what you find and how you like it. Cheers! RE: #Riesling over $20 #winechat
mariepayton	RT @VinoCC: maybe, though trad'l Mosel Riesling is sweet partly b/c it got too cold to ferment all the sugars #winechat
mariepayton	RT @Smallotsbigwine: @mariepayton I think Smith-Madrone makes the best Riesling in Napa. #winechat
jacswineblog	@winecompass #winechat I’ve had a sparkling Riesling, the Deinhard Lila German Sekt, lovely with crispness laced w/ honey notes.
mariepayton	So much great knowledge shared about Riesling tonight! #winechat
kahunteroma	Riesling: It's what's for dinner ;) #winechat
WineHouseLA	@mariepayton #winechat. One of favorites is the Koferhof #Riesling. Bone dry, steely , clean and mineral with lemon zest and petrol.
mariepayton	Thanks for checking in! RT @kahunteroma: thanks for organizing! Great, informative chat and it's nice to meet some new wine folks #winechat
TylerOnWine	The honeyed aspect sounds nice RT @jacswineblog: @winecompass #winechat Deinhard German Sekt, lovely with crispness laced w/ honey notes.
WineHouseLA	#winechat. Thanks all for another great evening. See you next week.
AustrianwineUSA	There is some in Austria try #Steininger RT @winecompass: Anyone ever had a sparkling #Riesling? Producers? #winechat
WineEveryday	2010 Sheldrake Point Riesling For a medium-dry Riesling about $15 #WineChat
mariepayton	RT @1educatedpalate: @vinocc many German winemakers add add'l sugar to their wines #chapitalization try Mosella Wines #winechat
AydinOdyakmaz	Was nice checking out those drinking tonight on #winechat getting off the weekday drink . Saving it for the weekend .
mariepayton	RT @DrinkerX: @mmwine @mariepayton love Trimbach for my dry riesling...have yet to explore few German options I see #winechat
mariepayton	Next week on #winechat we’ll be talking about Rhone reds with @drinkwhatulike
WineEveryday	@mariepayton @997Dave ~~ Thanks for another #WineChat Marie & Dave Cheers!
cono_sur	Don't forget about #Riesling Icewine - also quite nice. #winechat
winecompass	@AustrianwineUSA Thanks #Steininger #Riesling #winechat
mariepayton	@ElinSilveous Thanks for joining us! #winechat
AuthenticCoast	Nova Scotia's Gaspereau Vineyards makes a great Riesling, took home Bronze at the 2011 Finger Lakes International Wine Competition #winechat
mariepayton	Have a great night everyone! #winechat #teamriesling
UCBeau	RT @SMCBarros: #winechat what's the oldest Riesling anyone has had? I've had back to the 70's... - a TBA from 1949 or 1950, stunning.
myvinespot	Time to fill your glass & enjoy another splash of #Riesling! Very good discussion this evening. Thanks. Cheers! #winechat
ElinSilveous	@997dave We missed you at #WineChat Hope you're having a great time.
TylerOnWine	#eTaste the 2010 Louis Jadot Beaujolais-Villages with us Sat at 2pm - join us if u can ~> http://t.co/WcHoBRWe #winechat @TheVirtualTaste
RickGriffin	#Winechat was sooo much fun! Thanks! #GroupHug
myvinespot	One of my faves :-) RT @WineHouseLA: @myvinespot @mariepayton . Indian food here #winechat
UncorkOntario	Ontario does have great variety of #Riesling - dry, off-dry, suss reserve, sweet, late harvest, ice wine. #winechat
SimplyGrapes	Thank you to @mariepayton for #winechat. Great to connect as well: @pja477 @myvinespot @HennArtOnline @VinoCC @ElinSilveous Cheers!
WriteforWine	@mariepayton Sorry I missed #winechat - what time does it start on the west coast each week?
myvinespot	@mariepayton Nice job tonight, Marie -- I enjoyed the tweets, tweeps, and sips. #winechat
mariepayton	6pm PST! RT @WriteforWine: @mariepayton Sorry I missed #winechat - what time does it start on the west coast each week?
SimplyGrapes	@UCBeau @SMCBarros wow! I would LOVE to try a #Riesling from the 70's. It is the only white that I feel has true aging ability. #winechat
mariepayton	@myvinespot Thanks for joining! I always learn so much #winechat
jacswineblog	@TylerOnWine @winecompass #winechat had the Deinhard Lila Sekt after a few bottles of Taittinger at a party, honey notes were perfect then.
GreystoneEstate	RT @HennArtOnline Hope to jump in next time:-) RT @RickGriffin: #Winechat was sooo much fun! Thanks! #GroupHug
Jimbarrywines	Freshly caught lobster #holidays RT “@mariepayton: What's everyone pairing their Riesling with tonight? #winechat”
mmWine	#winechat RT @DrinkerX: @mmwine @KVintners the 2010 Kung Fu Girl is really quite tasty. Great tangy finish. I highly recommend it.
WineKate	“@MarkVogler: Hey where's @winekate ? She can tell us a thing or two about Rieslings! #winechat” only 1 of the best white varietals!
mariepayton	Love group hugs! RT @RickGriffin: #Winechat was sooo much fun! Thanks! #GroupHug
ErickaAARP	@ElinSilveous I'm not a white drinker, but now and again I'll find something outstanding and be glad I left my comfort zone! #winechat
voxinferior	@mariepayton did anyone else have sparkling #Riesling for tonight's #winechat? (extra bottle left from New Year's Eve!) http://t.co/sP39xzAw
familyfoodie	Interesting RT @wineeveryday: #Riesling: Sweetness classification has to do with sugar levels in the grapes at time of harvest. #WineChat
familyfoodie	You always have great recommendations! RT @mmwine: @mariepayton I loved this Groebe Aulerde Trokken Riesling http://t.co/qs6ctMG4 #winechat
MarkVogler	RT @WineKate: “@MarkVogler: Hey where's @winekate ? She can tell us a thing or two about Rieslings! #winechat” only 1 of the best white varietals!
mariepayton	RT @myvinespot: Weekend homework wine assignment :-) RT @grapefriend: @WineHouseLA @australiaplus never had an Australian Riesling #winechat
BeckyKramerWine	RT @mariepayton: Great #winechat tonight: check out upcoming schedule: http://t.co/4mELXGBU and keep up on facebook: http://t.co/5biMWfEZ
SchlossiWines	RT @familyfoodie @WineEveryday: #Riesling: Sweetness classification has to do with sugar levels in the grapes @ time of harvest. #WineChat
uskayaks	RT @MarkVogler: In Sonoma Valley @chateaustjean makes a nice Riesling too. #winechat
CinziaRolling	#winechat help? RT @wingspouse: Any suggestions on where wine lovers can go for a great anniversary weekend? My sister's 25th is coming up..
HelloVino	@MatthewLiberty Dude. Thanks for mentioning the #wine shipping blog post during #winechat - You most certainly rock.
mariepayton	City? RT @CinziaRolling: #winechat help? RT @wingspouse: Any suggestions on where wine lovers can go for a great anniversary weekend?
jacswineblog	Such a fun #winechat tonight re: Riesling...great topic, great discussion!
2ndferment	@mariepayton I'm too late for the #winechat, but Ontario does great Riesling too!
mariepayton	Thx for sharing! RT @2ndferment: @mariepayton I'm too late for the #winechat, but Ontario does great Riesling too!
AustrianwineUSA	Happy #Riesling to all and to all a goodnight! #winechat
MatthewLiberty	@HelloVino No worries man, that's a cool product #wine #winechat
MishasVineyard	They are! RT @happyhourmary: @MishasVineyard @mariepayton Those French are so into their wine laws!!! #winechat
MishasVineyard	NZ does some amazing Rieslings - mostly from Sth Island T @mariepayton: @MishasVineyard Tell us about NZ Rieslings! #winechat
AlsaceFest	RT @jacswineblog: Such a fun #winechat tonight re: Riesling...great topic, great discussion!
thatjohn	@MishasVineyard @mariepayton It's absolutely true -- NZ Riesling is amazingly varied, with some fantastic aromatic specialists. #winechat
FGJ1013	#winechat sometimes you have to grab the @Barrel27Wines #wine. http://t.co/YNJ6F60s
thewinemuse	Great #winechat topic #riesling! Australia makes so much great Riesling - very much an unsung varietal hero! #summerofriesling
thewinemuse	I really enjoyed the Framington 2010 Select #Riesling when I was over in NZ @MishasVineyard @mariepayton #winechat #summerofriesling
MishasVineyard	@mariepayton Marlborough, Central Otago & Waipara are Sth Island regions for Riesling @MishasVineyard Tell us about NZ Rieslings! #winechat
MishasVineyard	Nice! Their dry style right? RT @WineHouseLA: @MishasVineyard @mariepayton. We are opening up the Felton Rd one right now. #winechat
MishasVineyard	We do more than Savvy! :) RT @happyhourmary: @mariepayton @MishasVineyard I always think: Sauv. Blanc when I think NZ - & Hobbits #winechat
SAuerswald	I think this turned into #winechat along the way... RT @xoj9: @DesireeEaglin @MomsLA #momslachat always wine available here - come on over!
thewinemuse	There are some very fine Australian #riesling that still show no developmt at 7 yr old & older -no petrol @myvinespot @SMCBarros #winechat
DesireeEaglin	RT @SAuerswald: I think this turned into #winechat along the way... RT @xoj9: @DesireeEaglin @MomsLA #momslachat always wine available here - come on over!
MishasVineyard	:) RT @thatjohn: @mariepayton It's absolutely true -- NZ Riesling is amazingly varied, ..some fantastic aromatic specialists. #winechat
brigittaLA	RT @SAuerswald: I think this turned into #winechat along the way... RT @xoj9: @DesireeEaglin @MomsLA #momslachat always wine available here - come on over!
MishasVineyard	Good wine! RT @thewinemuse: I renjoyed Framington 10 Select #Riesling when in NZ @MishasVineyard @mariepayton #winechat #summerofriesling
DesireeEaglin	I did...but not on purpose! ha! RT @MomsLA Since it's turned into #winechat Did anyone give up alcohol? #momslachat
MishasVineyard	We do small portion of natural ferment in old French oakRT @mariepayton: Riesling is rarely placed in new oak - would overwhelm it #winechat
Jimbarrywines	RT @thewinemuse: Great #winechat topic #riesling! Australia makes so much great Riesling - very much an unsung varietal hero! #summerofriesling

Mad Fox Brewing - Now Hosting Live Music

2012-01-10T10:01:00.003-05:00

Do you live in northern Virginia and like live music and craft beer? Well check out our friends at Mad Fox Brewing Company in Falls Church who are now hosting live music on Thursday and Saturday nights. The artists should be familiar to those who regularly attend local music shows such as Shane Gamble, Buster Brown, Patty Reese, and Andy Bopp.We plan on catching Gamble this Thursday the 12th, as well as, the brewery's latest release: Saison. Cheers.

North Carolina Brewing News: Foothills Brewing Aquires Carolina Blonde and Cottonwood Ales Brands

2012-01-07T07:00:00.000-05:00

Lost in the New Years celebrations, we learned this week that our favorite Carolina brewer, Foothills Brewing, just expanded its offering by purchasing the Carolina Blonde and Cottonwood Ales brands from Carolina Beer & Beverage. Click here to read the press release.

Winechat Transcript Discussing Eastern European Wines

2012-01-05T14:16:00.006-05:00

For those who missed last night's #winechat or who had a difficult time following because of the server interruptions, here is a general outline of the conversation. Thanks again to Cliff Rames: Wines of Croatia - @WinesofCroatia and Erhard Heumann: Heumann Wines - @wine_h for participating.

997dave Tonight on #winechat /w @mariepayton & I...Wines of Eastern Europe /w guests @winecompass & @WinesofCroatia Gonna be fun!...
wineTT Looking forward to opening some Georgian, Macedonian, Serbian and Bulgarian wine tonight for #winechat.
winecompass Our #winechat wines @wine_h @WinesofBosnia @WinesofCroatia @WinesofBulgaria @WinesofHungary http://t.co/DnglSDs8
hvwinegoddess My selection or #winechat. A Pinot Noir from Hungary. http://t.co/hcwh7C7I
TylerOnWine Some good Croatian pre #winechat theory to get you started ~> http://t.co/MOZVxl7a . Join the discussion 2nite at 9pm
997dave tweetdeck has bee crapping out and performing poorly! Made the switch #winechat @StephenCaggiano @TylerOnWine
WineHouseLA Here are our wines for tonight a red from Hungary and a white from Croatia #winechat http://t.co/3UrsEp6a
vtwinemedia @trouty @DomaineSelect Quattro Mani Toh-Kai is one om my selections for #winechat tonight! And I know how good it is!
WinesofCroatia Tonight's Twitter #winechat line-up. Starting in 5 minutes. Join us if you can! :) http://t.co/oXVXbzI8
997dave Welcome to #winechat /w @mariepayton & I... tonight...Wines of Eastern Europe /w guests @winecompass & @WinesofCroatia Please say hi
WinesofCroatia @997dave @mariepayton @winecompass Cheers! or as they say in Croatia, "Zivjeli"! #winechat
winecompass #winechat Grapes are grown in all areas of Hungary west of the Tiszla River, leaving only the dry Alfold plains in the east untouched
winecompass Joining us tonight is Erhard Heumann (@wine_h) from Heumann Wines Hungary? Welcome Erhard - please tell us a...
winecompass #winechat The Carpathian Mountains protect east Hungary from the cold winds which would otherwise blow in from Poland and western Ukraine.
wineTT The Bull's Blood story is one of my favorite in all of winedom #winechat
pja477 @WinesofCroatia it was really hard to find a bottle by me #winechat
winecompass #winechat We are sipping the U & I Heumann Heimann Kekfrankos from Villany; a region known for Burgundy and Bordeaux styled wines
winecompass #winechat The most famous Hungarian wines are the Tokaji Aszu made from furmint. “vinum regorum, rex vinorum” says King Louis XIV of France
wine_h The U&I is a joint venture Kékfrankos from 2 wineries Heumann & Heimann. Won gold at the DWWA. #winechat
WineHouseLA Oh, I just found a 1990 #Tokaji Aszu 6 Puttonyos, The color is like maple syrup. #winechat
myvinespot First wine up for #winechat ... Enjingi Welschriesling Croatia 2009 ($15) http://t.co/a1W6oHzM
hungarian_girl #winechat here's a article I wrote for Reuters about Tokaji wine if anyone is interested http://t.co/QoGWP4Fh
WinesofCroatia @demilove @997dave // There are several labels in Chicago! Matosevic Malvazija; Tomic Plavac; Saints Hills Dingac to start. #winechat
winecompass #winechat Slovakia also has a Tokaj region since that area was once part of Hungary
mariepayton During the Renaissance, wines such as the Hungarian Tokaji became popular with royalty #winechat
winecompass #winechat the eastern area of Slovakia and Hungary near Sopron - closest to Austria - grows a lot of Gruner and BlauFrankish
TLColson Egri Bikaver Bulls Blood 2006 - Hungarian #winechat #easterneurope
WinesofCroatia @myvinespot // Enjingi is an organic and practicing biodynamic producer from the Kutjevo sub-region of Slavonia. #winechat
wine_h For somebody that has not yet tasted Kékfrankos I compare it with Sangiovese or Barbera. Fruity style. #winechat
myvinespot Enjingi Welschriesling Croatia 09 ($15): Lychee, (slightly bitter) floral, citrus, damp earth, round mouth-feel, decent acidity #winechat
mariepayton @WinesofCroatia’s Cliff Rames is known as the “Champion of Croatian wines” #winechat
WinesofCroatia Croatia borders the Adriatic Sea to the west, Slovenia to north, Hungary to the northeast, & Montenegro to the south #winechat
winecompass Croatia has two main wine regions: Continental (Kontinetalna) and Coastal (Primorska), which includes the islands. #winechat
myvinespot Second wine tonight: Nyakas Budai Müller 2008 Thurgau ($14) #winechat http://t.co/WasOvIhE
WinesofCroatia @myvinespot // In Croatia Welschriesling is known as Grasevina ("Grah-sheh-vee-na") #winechat
mariepayton Croatia's frankovka is Hunagary's Kékfrankos and Austria's Blaufränkisch, right? #winechat
winecompass RT @wine_h: @winecompass The Kékfrankos made in Villany is more powerful but elegant due to its fine fruity acidity. #winechat
997dave RT @mariepayton: Croatia's frankovka is Hunagary's Kékfrankos and Austria's Blaufränkisch, right? #winechat
WinesofCroatia @winecompass // Continental Croatia has seven sub-regions. Coastal Croatia has 5 sub-regions, including the islands. #winechat
winecompass #winechat Crljenak Kštelanski is a Croatian grape variety that is genetically identical to Californian Zinfandel and Italian Primitivo.
winecompass #winechat Who's drinking a Croatian wine tonight? We have the PZ Svirce Winery Ivan Dolac 2006 & Enjingi Winery Grasevina
myvinespot @WinesofCroatia Curious, who are some of your main export markets? Thank You #winechat
winecompass RT @BlueDanubeWine: @winecompass Tokaj is a god example of a border-crossing appellation. #winechat
myvinespot Third wine up is the Brkic Citlucka 2009 Zilavka ($14) #winechat http://t.co/FRze1qJV
winecompass #winechat The red Plavac Mali is king in Dalmatia. Anyone have this wine? At the #wbc11 in #room606 we had some nice samples
WinesofCroatia #winechat @winecompass // Svirce is the producer. Ivan Dolac is the protected vineyard area on the island of Hvar. Plavac Mali is variety
WinesofCroatia #winechat @winecompass // Plavac mali is the offspring of Crljenak Kštelanski
BlueDanubeWine AKA Olaszrizling in Hungary RT @WinesofCroatia: @myvinespot // In Croatia Welschriesling is known as Grasevina #winechat
WinesofCroatia @myvinespot // main export markets are US (NYC; Chicago; California) and the U.K. #winechat
winecompass #winechat Continental Croatia also supplies the winemaking world with Slavonian oak for barrels.
winecompass #winechat RT @hungarian_girl: Here's an interview by Gergely Somogyi from The Tokaji Journal, - http://t.co/lETLh9Ch
myvinespot Brkic Citlucka 09 Zilavka ($14) Loads of earth/funk, citrus fruit, medicinal streaks & interestingly enough, a dusting of tannins. #winechat
mariepayton Croatia exports about 5 percent of its production #winechat
BlueDanubeWine @WinesofCroatia @mariepayton There are many border-crossing grape varieties in Eastern Europe #winechat
winecompass @wine_h Where are your wines available in the United States? #winechat
myvinespot Fourth wine up is the 2007 Corten Pinot Noir (Moldova) ($12) #winechat http://t.co/BJ5hmoQU
mbadrov @winecompass @WinesofCroatia Some of the best Oak in the word #winechat
P3vins @winecompass Kekfrankos is similar to Italian Barbera @wine_h (Heumann) produces food friendly Kek.. In general most HU vins r #winechat
WineHouseLA #winechat. Ok because of all this talk on Palvac Mali, I will just have to go open the 2006 Milos "Plavac" Plavac Mali that we carry
wine_h Our wines are available at JW Sieg, Charlotteville VA - http://t.co/Qb3T8zY5. U&I, Merlot, Cab Franc! #winechat
hungarian_girl #winechat here's some photos from my last trip to Villány & Villánykövesd (southern Hungary). http://t.co/pDOI6Xzb
demilove What non-Croatian wines do Croatians and your neighbors crave the most? #winechat
winecompass Bulgaria is the second largest exporter of wine, second only to France and it has 4 times the Cab Sauv planted than California #winechat
myvinespot @TLColson @WineCompass found all of these at small local wine shops in Virginia ... a nice one came from @UNWINEDyourself #winechat
WinesofCroatia @WineHouseLA // Love Milos Plavac Mali from Peljesac peninsula on Croatia's sun-baked coast. Sunshine, white stones & herbs! #winechat
wine_h @winecompass And great to hear. But also try the Cab Franc. This grape has perfectly addapted to the Villany terroir. #winechat
BlueDanubeWine @mariepayton go native: Plavac & Posip, Malvasia & Teran, Kekfrankos & Portugieser, Refosk & Pinela ... #winechat
hungarian_girl @BlueDanubeWine @winecompass #winechat Furmint is gaining ground in Hungary. But its pretty much not known outside the country.
UCBeau RT @BlueDanubeWine: @mariepayton go native: Plavac & Posip, Malvasia & Teran, Kekfrankos & Portugieser, Refosk & Pinela -- Yes!! #winechat
KenTruffen The medium price of Tokay is between 60 and 70 ducats. It is sometimes sold in the streets for more than 100. #winechat
BlueDanubeWine @hungarian_girl @winecompass Dry Furmint is less than 10 years old since it was 1sr produced. Already a success story! #winechat
winecompass #winechat Romania has the same latitude as France; with micro-climates created by the Black Sea and the Carpathian...
mariepayton Bulgaria has a longer ripening period than Romania and Hungary #winechat
WinesofCroatia @hvwinegoddess // Croatian wine distributors in NY are @BlueDanubeWine, Oneocentric, & @VinumUSA. @MurrayHillWines retails in NYC. #winechat
winecompass #winechat Dealu Mare is considered to be the best area of Romania for red grapes, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Pinot
myvinespot Total Wine carries this Tokaji furmint dry white #wine ... IMO, very good sip for the buck! http://t.co/bqo1JxqF #winechat
P3vins At the moment Heumann wines are only available in the DC/VA/MD and soon to be Pennsylvania #winechat
WinesofCroatia The 3 most widely planted grapes in Croatia are 1) Graševina, 2) Malvasija Istriana, 3) Plavac Mali #winechat
wine_h Even Jancis Robinson MW regards Villany as the region with the best single varietal CF worldwide. #winechat
myvinespot Edoardo Miroglio 07 Cabernet Franc ($15): Blackberry, cherry, forest floor, briar, spice, tar, coffee bean, ripe tannins. #winechat
mariepayton @WinesofCroatia Can you tell us the relationship between Plavac Mali and Zinfandel? #winechat
BlueDanubeWine RT @mariepayton: @winecompass @myvinespot Nice spread of Eastern European wines tonight! #winechat << Shows us how large this region is!!!
winecompass #winechat Grape growing and winemaking in the territory of modern day Moldova began 4,000 to 5,000 years ago
winecompass #winechat The southern region of Moldova shares the same latitude as Bordeaux & Burgundy, France, intersected by the 47° parallel.
mariepayton I'm using my iphone #sad RT @997dave: Now I have no Hootsuite #winechat
BlueDanubeWine RT @winecompass: #winechat Grape growing & winemaking in modern day Moldova began 4,000 to 5,000 years ago < EE is on the trail from Georgia
WinesofCroatia @mariepayton // Crljenak Kaštelanski is the original Zin. It crossed w/ Dobricic (a local grape) & the offspring is Plavac Mali. #winechat
WinesofCroatia @mariepayton // Plavac Mali ("Little Blue") is now the most planted red grape variety in Croatia. #winechat
997dave RT @WinesofCroatia: @mariepayton // Plavac Mali ("Little Blue") is now the most planted red grape variety in Croatia. #winechat
WinesofCroatia @mariepayton // yes, but Croatia's 33K hectares under vine comprise less than 1% of total surface area. #winechat
JulesVine @happyhourmary @winecompass Not sure about rom but Moldova has at least 200 yrs & every village family produces at home #winechat
winecompass #winechat Heading into our last region - Bosnia-Herzegovina\Serbia\Macedonian\Kosovo\Montenegro. Anyone drinking these wines?
myvinespot Next up ... a partnership ... Heumann / Heimann 2008 Kékfrankos ($35) #winechat http://t.co/X2ryJ0ar
RoGo81 #winechat Rubin Rizling 2006 nice citrus flavors, slight vanilla age character
mariepayton Legendary California winemaker Mike Grgich played a leading role in raising awareness of Croatian wines #winechat
winecompass #winechat These last regions have over 2 thousand years of wine history: Illyrian period, and the Thracians
wineTT Chateua Pomije 2005 Pinot Noir, Macedonia. Still bright fruit, peppery, tangy finish. Not bad. #winechat
myvinespot @WinesofCroatia How much of the local juice is consumed locally? And ... who's [region] the biggest importer? Thanks #winechat
winecompass #winechat The two most popular grape varieties in Bosnia are Zilavka (white) & Blatina (red)
P3vins RT @myvinespot: Next up ... a partnership ... Heumann / Heimann 2008 Kékfrankos ($35) #winechat http://t.co/X2ryJ0ar
JulesVine Moldova makes 1 of my favorites I call "welches wine" smells just like the juice tastes like chamborcin & turns ur teeth purple! #winechat
myvinespot Heumann/Heimann 08 Kékfrankos ($35): Inviting aromas of anise, eucalyptus, warm black berry, cherry flavors, nice texture #winechat
WinesofCroatia @myvinespot // Check out @BlueDanubeWine's portfolio - best selection of Croatian wines in US! http://t.co/dUT26ZgA #winechat
BlueDanubeWine @winecompass That's what the Zilavka is made for: sausage & Cevapcici #winechat. The Brkic Greda is a more ambitious organic Zilavka.
happyhourmary @JulesVine this makes me think I could make wine in Colorado, given 200 years! #winechat
WineHouseLA @winecompass Its good. Very light and elegent, great acidity and complexity. A bit of cherry, mushroom, spice. #winechat
winecompass #winechat The most important indigenous grape in @WinesofSerbia and surrounding regions is Vranac
winecompass #winechat Vranac berries are large and deeply colored, with its dark berries growing on moderately vigorous and very productive vines.
myvinespot Last but not least ... the 2006 PZ Svirce Ivan Dolac [Hvar] ($25) #winechat http://t.co/HPqB72HB
WinesofCroatia @mariepayton @myvinespot Local consumption is great but declining due to increased imports. All importers r small but passionate! #winechat
happyhourmary @winecompass @WinesofSerbia I love all these cool grape names I have never heard of. Are they related at all to something i know? #winechat
winecompass #winechat Kosovo wines are now available in the U.S. by www.llyrianimport.com
myvinespot 06 PZ Svirce Ivan Dolac [Hvar] ($25): Red fruit, pepper, a touch of mint, grippy tannins ..nice, but need to let this one breathe #winechat
WinesofCroatia @winecompass @WinesofSerbia // watch out for Serbia's Prokupac grape. Showing good potential! #winechat
winecompass Kratosija (Zinfandel) is also popular in the Tikveš wine-growing region of The Republic of Macedonia. #winechat
BlueDanubeWine RT @winecompass: #winechat The most important indigenous grape in @WinesofSerbia & surrounding regions is Vranac < another Plavac relative
vtwinemedia @mariepayton #winechat chaotic as an east european border map tonight!
wineTT Four great imports from Bulgaria. Miroslav and wines from BMV Imports #winechat http://t.co/Z0kzYOP6
BlueDanubeWine @myvinespot Mike Grgich even went back to Croatia to make Posip & Plavac, the most distinguished grapes in Dalmatia #winechat
winecompass #winechat Your thoughts about the wines you tasted tonight? Will you revisit these wines again?
cvn111 Romanian wine: 2200 yrs, easy. Beside the gold in Apuseni, another reason the Roman Legions crossed the Danube. Dacian red wine. #winechat
vtwinemedia TOLD 2 get more dry furmint! RT @winecompass #winechat Your thoughts about the wines you tasted tonight? Will you revisit these wines again?
ElinSilveous :) RT @cvn111: RT @vtwinemedia: @mariepayton #winechat chaotic as an east european border map tonight!
WinesofCroatia @myvinespot @winecompass // Thanks to all for sharing the #winechat love and for your interest in Croatian wines!
wineTT Targovishte Traminer Dry White from Bulgaria east side of Black Sea, candied citrus nose, lychee, light finsih and a bit flabby. #winechat
cvn111 @ElinSilveous @vtwinemedia @mariepayton. What do you mean? Big blue water: Danube one side + Black Sea. It's easy. Good luck. #winechat
P3vins Absolutely ! Hungarian wines are the next big thing to be discovered by Sommelier's...HU reds is all I drink !#winechat
cvn111 @ElinSilveous @vtwinemedia @mariepayton. Alternatively: follow 45th and 47th parallel from France, go East. Good wine all across. #winechat
vtwinemedia #winechat Furmint straight up snappy Tocai & Harslevalu both vino di meditazione. carob & mint tea nose fomer, lemon melon latter. minerals
vtwinemedia #winechat in each case, a lot of wine for the $. Furmint 10, Tocai 12, Harslevalu, 18. Each has long evolution & shine @ room temp.
winecompass @BlueDanubeWine Vranac < another Plavac relative -> I did not know that. Thanks #winechat
TastyWineCo I have five wines from #Aleksandrovic wines of #Serbia open for tonight's #winechat Leftovers..
mariepayton @winecompass Thanks for being such a great guest host! #winechat
winecompass This PZ Svirce - Ivan Dolac - 2006 Plavac Mali is a fine wine. @WinesofCroatia @BlueDanubeWine #winechat
TastyWineCo #Croatia wine experts, whats the consensus on aging of #Grasevina wines? I swear the Belje Grasevina 2009 is so much better now. #winechat
winecompass RT @mariepayton: Definitely see a deeper dive into Central/Eastern Europe on future #winechat with functional technology!
mariepayton It is, isn't it???? RT @winecompass: @mariepayton I'm exhausted. This is hard work. #winechat
winecompass RT @vtwinemedia -> Where did you get a $10 Furmint ? #winechat
WinesofCroatia @TastyWineCo // A few months ago a drank a 1963 Grasevina from Kutjevo Cellars. Utterly amazing! Definite aging potential! #winechat
WinesofCroatia We still have copies available of the Croatian Wine Story DVD for folks who want to know more. http://t.co/L1tzBznK #winechat
ElinSilveous Thanks everyone. Once again #WineChat was fun and informative.
mariepayton Another exciting #winechat coming to a close!

Today is #winechat - Focusing on Eastern European Wines

2012-01-04T13:22:00.004-05:00

Tonight at 9:00 PM, join us on #winechat as we discuss the wines of Eastern Europe with Cliff Rames: Wines of Croatia - @WinesofCroatia and Erhard Heumann: Heumann Wines - @wine_h. We will discuss indigenous wine grapes, regions, and history from Hungary, through Croatia, Slovakia, Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova, Serbia, Macedonia, Kosovo, and Bosnia.For more information check out our previous post or Facebook event.

It's a #VAWine New Year's Eve

2011-12-31T07:37:00.006-05:00

I feel like I've strayed a little off the farm lately, by consuming a great share of French, Austrian, and Eastern European wines, so to celebrate 2012, I decided upon an all Virginia New Year's Eve. For whites, you can't go wrong with the Glen Manor Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc and the Paradise Springs Winery Chardonnay. For reds, we are turning to the Mountfair Vineyards Engagement and the Gabriele Rausse Winery Cabernet Franc. And for the sparkling, the Barboursville Vineyards Brut and the Thibaut-Janisson Winery Millesime 2008 Blanc de Blancs Cuvee D'Etat. Thanks to Vienna Vintner for providing this gem. So as we close out 2011 and enter 2012, we look forward to a new year of DrinkingLocalWine.com. Have a safe, healthy, and happy New Year.

Bordeaux's Finest Sparkler - Jaillance Cremant de Bordeaux "Cuvee de l'Abbaye"

2011-12-28T19:27:00.010-05:00

This week's topic on #winechat was Champagne and unfortunately I was delinquent in purchasing a bottle. Fortunately I did have a sparkling wine available, and one from Bordeaux at that: the Cremant de Bordeaux "Cuvee de l'Abbaye". I never anticipated this region as a source of sparkling wine, but the wine cooperative Jaillance has impressed this family. Not only is the wine affordable ($18.99), made from two uncommon sparkling grapes (70% Semillon, 30% Cabernet Franc), but it completely fits our tastes in a sparkling wine. It's dry, yet fruity - mostly strawberry, with a slight creamy finish. Beautiful. Don't trust us? Well, all Jaillance wines are designated Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) and Appellation d’Origine Protégée (AOP) - so they have the French stamp of approval.

After finishing the "Cuvee de l'Abbaye", we moved on to the Jaillance Clairette de Die Cuvee Imperiale. This wine is produced in Northern Rhone, specifically, in the Drôme Valley, Clairette de Die "appellation d’origine" (AOC). These wines must consist of 75% muscat and the remainder Clairette, then fermented using the "ancestral dioise process". This process was first utilized over 2,000 by the Gallic tribe, Voconces, who left jars of the wine in rivers over the winter and then recovered them in the spring. Today the grapes are cold fermented using modern equipment that more or less replicates a freezing river. Before fermentation ceases, the wines are bottled and the wine continues to ferment at a controlled 12 °C until the percent alcohol falls between 7 and 9%.

The first impression of the Clairette de Die Cuvee Imperiale is its popping floral aroma - made more intense by the 90% muscat. Because the fermentation process is intended to retain as much grape sugar as possible, this wine is slightly sweet. Not our general sugar preference, but in general we were very pleased with this sparkler. Its light, fresh apricot-peach flavors and the bubbles and low alcohol definitely balance the sugar. Still prefer the brut, but the Clairette de Die Cuvee Imperiale is a pleasant alternative.

#WineChat Talking Eastern European Wines

2011-12-21T15:08:00.012-05:00

On Wednesday January 4th at 9:00 PM ET, we will be hosting #winechat, a weekly twitter tasting among a growing community of wine geeks. The topic is very dear to our heart, wines and indigenous grapes from Eastern European. We will start by discussing Hungarian, Slovakia, Croatian, and Slovenian wines, then expand the conversation to wines and grapes from Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova, Serbia, Macedonia, Kosovo, and Bosnia. Remember to use the #winechat hash tag when tweeting.

We will be pouring and discussing the following wines:

Pfneiszl Kekfrankos 2009 Sopron Hungary $15.95
Nyakas Winery Budai Müller-Thurgau; Budajeno Hungary $14.00
Heumann Winery & Heimann Winery U&I Kékfrankos 2008 Villany & Szekszard Hungary $34.99
PZ Svirce Winery Ivan Dolac 2006, Island of Hvar Croatia $24.95
Enjingi Winery Grasevina 2009, Kutjevo Croatia $14.95
Corten Pinot Noir 2007; Acorex Winery, Cahul Moldova $11.99
Edoardo Miroglio 2007 Cabernet Franc, Elenovo Bulgaria $15.00
Brkic Zilavka 2009, Mostar Herzegovina $14.95
Murfatlar Winery Doyna 2008 Merlot, Romania $10.49

Resources:
Hungary | Croatia | Slovenia |Slovakia | Romania | Moldova | Bulgaria | Wine Route of Herzegovina | Serbia | Montenegro

Special Guests:
Cliff Rames: Wines of Croatia - @WinesofCroatia
Erhard Heumann: Heumann Wines - @wine_h
WinesofSerbia - @WinesofSerbia

To find Eastern Europe wines to sample during the tasting, please check you local wine shop, WholeFoods, Blue Danube Wine, Fine Croatian Wines, JW Sieg Wines, Illyrian Import, Inc, Tasty Wine Company

Where the Wild Things (Grapes) Are

2011-12-15T07:05:00.030-05:00

This week Virginia Governor Robert McDonnell announced several changes to the structure of the Virginia Governor's Cup Competition. One change is that eligible wines must be certifiably made from 100% Virginia grown grapes. While we applaud the Virginia Wineries Association (VWA), Virginia Vineyard Association (VVA), the Virginia Wine Board (VWB), Governor McDonnell, and Secretary of Agriculture Todd Haymore - doesn't this new regulation simply codify what we, as consumers, most likely already expected? Isn't it obvious that the wine that is judged to be the best in the state, be made from 100% Virginia grapes? What took so long? And shouldn't a wine labeled "Virginia Wine" be made entirely of Virginia grown fruit? Nope. Make sure you read this article by Frank Morgan in Flavor Magazine that explains why this may not be the case.

Now that wines entered in the Virginia Governor's Cup will consist of solely Virginia grown fruit, we still may not know from where? Was it from estate fruit? A vineyard in a local American Viticultural Area (AVA)? Somewhere else in the state? Just like the locavour movement, wine consumers should start requesting (or demanding) more information about the source of a wine's grapes - whether from inside or outside the state's borders. And this isn't just a Virginia issue, it should resonate with wine consumers in all states.

Recently I visited Linganore Winecellars in Mt. Airy, Maryland. While browsing their wine selection, I was reminded of a Maryland Merlot they crafted which won the Maryland Governor's Cup several years ago. That state's Governor's Cup Competition has always required 100% Maryland grown fruit and this wine was produced from grapes grown in the Maryland Eastern Shore. But the region and vineyard were not publicized? The wine just stated Maryland Merlot. And in a couple weeks, our family will be headed to Seven Springs where we normally visit Glade s Pike Winery, just outside of Somerset Pennsylvania. On the last visit, they were pouring a Norton wine made from grapes sourced from Chrysal is Vineyards in Middleburg Virginia. Knowing that Chrysalis holds the world's largest planting of Norton I surmised this wine's source. But state law allows the winery to print "Pennsylvania" on the label because Middleburg is within a mile radius restriction. Bizarre. Why not publicize the fact that they grapes are sourced from the most trusted grower of Norton. The same holds for eastern wineries that utilize Finger Lakes Reisling or Long Island Merlot or any other grape sourced from a different vineyard.

In Loudoun County Virginia, several wineries (such as Tarara Vineyard & Winery and Corcoran Vineyards) are moving in that direction by creating vineyard designate wines where the vineyard is proudly displayed on the label. And what better way to publicize well known independent vineyards such as Benevino and Honah Lee. There's also another solution implemented by Virginia's Potomac Point Winery and Delaplane Cellars. On their tasting sheet, they note the appellation or vineyard which provided the grapes for each wine. And if the grapes were sourced from multiple vineyards, both note all the appellations or vineyards. The same holds for practically every California winery we have visited. What an easy way to educate consumers when the grapes are sourced from outside the estate. I think as eastern wineries start competing with left coast wines, the source of their wine must be fully disclosed.

One of the beauties of a bottle of wine - as opposed to beer and spirits - is that the wine, itself, is history. The wine directly reflects the weather that affected a geographic region during a specific period of time. If we don't know the wine's source, this sense of history is lost.

Linganore Goes Solar

2011-12-09T06:00:00.002-05:00

Over the years, Linganore Winecellars has been one of our favorite places to visit. What more would you want - an enjoyable ride in the country, good local wine, and entertaining music? As Maryland largest winery, Linganore also leads in employing sustainable practices such as recycling tar-tare, cardboard, grape pulp - all practices which helped the winery win the Green Business of the year award by the Baltimore Business Journal. They are a shoe-in next year as they are now the owners of a solar panel and two Electric Vehicle charging stations partially funded by a grant from the USDA Rural Energy for American Program (REAP). Furthermore, the winery received a second REAP grant to study the feasibility of using geothermal, wind, and/or solar systems to reduce electric consumption from the public grid.

I've read that one of the drawbacks of solar panels is the necessity to clean the panel which results in tremendous water usage. Not so with these panels from Earth & Air Technologies, LLC. Regular rainfall will remove any dust and the panels attract sunlight even when the sun is obscured by clouds. On this day, the panels were operated on 25% capacity, even though the sun barely revealed itself. And when it did, the SolarTracker101 elevated and rotated the panels to the most optimal position. In this way, the panels are able to harvest the the most optimal of the sunshine and enables a 45 degree tracking capability. Much more efficient than just planting some panels on a roof.

Adjacent to the panels sits two Electric Vehicle charging stations, in which a quarter of the cost was supported by the REAP grant. Two of the downfalls of Electric Vehicles are the lack of charging stations and the long time required to recharge. Linganore leveraged this to their benefit by utilizing EVs for winery operations and allowing the public to use their recharge stations free of charge. Not entirely conceivable that drivers will stop into the tasting room to sip or purchase, ya think?

The winery has had an interesting 2011, having survived a tornado and tremendous rain. We hope this ribbon cutting ceremony initiates sunny conditions ahead. Paraphrasing Congressman Roscoe Bartlett "I don't like seeing tax dollars going to Washington, but when they do, it's worthwhile to see them return to rural Maryland for a worthwhile energy project". We agree completely. Watch the video below to hear Anthnony Aellen, Linganore's proprietor, discuss the winery and their environmental practices. Cheers.

MyJoogTV Episode 12: Donna the Buffalo with Cirrus Vodka

2011-12-07T06:00:00.001-05:00

Check out MyJoogTV's latest episode which features Finger Lakes Wine Country musicians, Donna the Buffalo, paired with Cirrus Vodka - a potato vodka distilled in Richmond Virginia.

MyJoogTV Episode 12: Donna the Buffalo with Cirrus Vodka

Sierra Nevada: Hops vs Malt

2011-12-05T20:33:00.006-05:00

This week I seem to have had my fill of Sierra Nevada beers, first at a Steal the Pint Night at Fireworks, Arlington; and then at home comparing two special brews: Celebration Ale and Ovila Dubbel. The goal at Fireworks was to sample the Raiders Of The Lost Hops, brewed during Beer Camp #58. The beer is an Imperial Red Ale - although that style isn't officially recognized - which is basically a maltier version of an American IPA. This beer was brewed using 100% estate Chinook hops (harvested at the brewery's hop farm) and I like the use single hop varieties as with the use of Simcoe. This beer is quite balanced - not overly hoppy. Too bad it won't last long. My second beer was the seasonal Celebration Ale. The beer utilizes Cascade & Centennial hops in for both finishing and dry hopping. The result is as expected - strong aromas and strong tail. I had another Celebration a couple days later which led me to bring some home to pair with a bottle of Oliva Duppel. The Oliva series is a collaboration between Sierra Nevada and the Monks at the Abbey of New Clairvaux, Vina CA. The Dubbel is a copper colored sweet ale with plenty of raisin and caramelized sugar. The problem, after consuming a hoppier Celebration, the Dubbel was too sweet, with no feeling of balance. The remedy - a home blend of 75%\25% Oliva and Celebration - just enough hops to counteract the sugar - but not enough to overwhelm the raisin and other spices. Sometimes, you have to drink outside the box.

Corcoran Brewing\Vineyards - My Idea of Disney

2011-11-27T06:47:00.022-05:00

I have many beer loving friends whose wives and girlfriends love wine but can never drag them out to visit wine country. Now, there's finally a place that will attract both - Corcoran Brewing and Corcoran Vineyards. The latter has been open for almost a decade now, producing some of our favorite Virginia wines - particularly Viognier and Malbec. But the former is a new establishment, having opened late spring 2011, and producing several beer styles available in growlers.

We returned last weekend after visiting the brewery right before its grand opening. Upon reaching the Corcoran grounds (Waterford VA - Loudoun County), the brewery sits on a small plot adjacent to the winery and hop farm. Head straight ahead to the red barn to sample the beer or continue to the historic tasting room further down the road on the right.

The brewery was our first stop - particularly with a few seasonals "still available" on tap. "Still available" is always a relative term when referring to this nano brewery. Their production is so limited (brewer Kevin Bills brews primarily only on Saturday), they regularly run out of their everyday beers - the P'ville Pale, Catoctin Ale, LoCo IPA. It seems this shortage will soon be alleviated as larger fermenting tanks were resting in the tasting area - ready to install. On this Saturday afternoon, many of the brews had run their course from an early rush before the Hokie game. I was able to taste the P'ville Pale and LoCo IPA; preferring the lower IBU of the pale ale as opposed to the hoppier IPA. On this day, the brewery had three seasonals available: the Padawan Pumpkin, Emmanubräu Ale, and Round Hill Root Ale. The latter two are interesting versions of winter ales (i.e. spicy flavors) - but the Pumpkin was easily my favorite. The beer is brewed using pumpkins from local farms (Wegemeyer and Great Country Farms), local honey, and pumpkin pie spices. The latter spices are very subtle - the pumpkin and honey are more prolific - and this is one easy drinking beer. Perhaps my favorite pumpkin ale tasted this season. They may have some left over the next couple weeks - but hurry.

Afterwards, I was also able to spend a little time in the winery with Jim Corcoran discussing the 2010 vintage. The best news - Viognier is back. The 2009 crop from their estate was lost to a late spring frost; but the 2010 juice is promising, particularly since it was harvested before the early fall rain deluge. This wine has always been one of our favorite Viogniers - so we are looking forward to the wine maturing for an early 2012 (?) release. They are also fermenting Riesling - and its always nice to see this variety , particularly when the fruit comes from Benevino Vineyards. Eventually this wine will be off-dry - but the early juice has that savory Riesling aroma and flavor. Nice. Beside the Chambourcin aging in Bowman Bourbon barrels, we tasted a few fermenting reds - the Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Tannat. The CF is light and fruit forward - winemaker Lori Corcoran's preference - whereas the PV and Tannat are stronger with more acidity. The latter two will be balanced by adding a small qualities of other varietals - most likely Merlot.

It looks like 2012 will be a tremendous year for both Corcoran establishments. I think its time to talk the little boy into another birthday party at Corcoran. With beer now onsite, we will have to expect more positive RSVPs. Cheers.

Paradise Springs Winery - Harvest Tour

2011-11-22T06:00:00.000-05:00

This Sunday I found myself very close to Clifton Virginia and free of afternoon chores and took the opportunity to check out the new goods at Paradise Springs Winery. I had heard that the winery had released a Petit Verdot, Petit Mensing, and a sparkling Viognier which I hadn't sampled before, but the best surprise was discovering their weekend Harvest Tours. The tour costs $15 and are available twice on Saturday and once on Sunday. While sampling practically their entire portfolio, participants explore the historical log cabin, estate vineyard, crush pad, and barrel room. We started on the front porch of the tasting room with a glass of Sparkling Viognier. Considering this sparkler isn't available for tasting - tasting it was well worth the price of admission. Paradise Springs and Horton Vineyards have started a trend by fermenting Viognier via "Méthode Champenoise".

The tour then moved to the former tasting room located in the historic log cabin. While sampling the 2010 Chardonnay and Viognier, we learned how the cabin was renovated by Howard Richter, a protégé of the great Frank Lloyd Wright. Both wines seemed "oakier" than the 2009 versions - but were well received. In the basement tasting bar our host Richard poured the 2010 Petit Manseng, which was the driest of this varietal I have tasted in a while. Nice citrus aromas and flavors - this is a wine well worth trying. The tasting continued with a vertical of Sommet Blanc. The 2009 was produced from five grape varieties whereas the 2010 from three. As a consensus, we preferred the 2010 because it had a more floral aroma with less sugar.

Eventually we ventured out of the cabin into the estate to view the dormant grapes and start with the reds - the 2010 Petit Verdot and 2009 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. I definitely preferred the Reserve CS, the wine had flavor, structure, and a finish; whereas the PV seemed a little one dimensional. Onto the crush pad - we sampled their super red - the 2009 Meritage composed of the five Bordeaux grape varieties: Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, and Malbec. Like the Reserve CS, this wine had a balanced profile from head to tail.

We finished the tour in the barrel room - adjacent to the main tasting area. Over a glass of light Norton, we explored the barrels to identify the aging Chambourcin Port (in used Bowman whiskey barrels), Tannat, Cabernet Franc, and various other wines. Needless to say, the Harvest Tour was a lot of fun. We look forward to returning on a Friday night to sample more wine and listen to some live music. Cheers.

Discovering Spirits in Sin City

2011-11-19T13:30:00.008-05:00

We had the fortune to visit Las Vegas for my parents 50th wedding anniversary last weekend and discovered that spirits are alive in Vegas. We are talking distilled spirits - not anything associated with our friendly MyJoog Kokopelli. We first stumbled upon Freakin' Frog when looking for some live music. Located near the university, the bar attracted us by their 1,000 beer cooler and 600 whiskey collection. We are talking Scotch, Irish Whisky, Bourbon, and Canadian Whiskey. Unbelievable. Black Maple Hill, Prichards' Distillery, Tuthilltown Spirits, and other small batch corn whiskeys unavailable in our market - right their in front of us. Didn't see Catoctin Creek Distilling, but we suggested this local rye. Good thing, taxis are the primary mode of transportation.

The next day, we found a Tequila haven, Hussong's Cantina, which only serves 100% Blue Agava Tequila. No cheap blends. The beauty, after hours of sipping half a dozen brands - no hangover the next day. Even after finishing the monster Margarita topped with a Pacifico beer. My favorite tequila was the Fortaleza Anejo - smooth and sweet with zero burn. Here are the tasting notes:

This is a beautiful artisan hand-crafted, stone milled tequila. Tequila Fortaleza is produced entirely within the walls of our estate, using centuries old traditional methods which although are very labor intensive, create a tequila which is unequaled in taste and smoothness. Using our old oven with its meter thick brick walls, we cook our agave for thirty-six hours. Then we crush or mill the agave as my Tatarabuelo did over 135 years ago in our stone mill called the Tahona. The crushed agave is then washed with the pure mountain water from the Volcán de Tequila to separate the pulp from the woody fibers to create an agave juice called mosto. The woody fibers of the agave, called bagazo, are removed at this time and taken to the fields to use as compost. The agave mosto is then fermented naturally for five days in small wood vats, and then double distilled using small, labor-intensive copper pot stills. Our glass bottle is hand-blown in Tonala, Jalisco by artisan glassmakers, and our bottle tops, designed by an artisan to represent the harvested agave, or Piña, and are hand-made by our workers.

Finally, while searching for presents we discovered Nevada Vodka crafted by the newly opened Las Vegas Distillery. Located in nearby Henderson, the distillery produces vodka, gin, and whiskey from two pot stills christened Swan and Rose - the Las Vegas Copper Angels. The Rácz family has distilling in their blood from their Transylvania heritage and palinka - homemade plum brandy. This brandy lead to the recommendation to be weary of liquids served from vessels that do not contain the original substance - usually liter water bottles. If their vodka resembles any of the home made palinka we've tasted over the years - we will be back to Vegas to tour the operation.

MyJoogTV Episode 11: The Steel Wheels with Blue Mountain Brewery

2011-11-07T15:41:00.001-05:00

Episode 11 features The Steel Wheels discussing bike touring, Ocrafolk festival, and their signature brews - the Steel Wheels ESB from Blue Mountain Brewery and the Steel Wheels Oat Malt Stout from The Livery. The episode ends with a rendition of "Nothing You Can't Lose" at the IOTA Club. Also check out Martin Garrish & Lou Castro in Ocracoke, NC; our first video on MyJoogTV. Red Wing - The Steel Wheels

Grüner Veltliner Finds a Papa

2011-10-28T14:25:00.009-04:00

While visiting Budapest & Vienna, we happened to stumble upon several wine bars in each country where they served young, ready to drink white wines. We made it a ritual to start our day at these wine bars having a glass of dry Furmint in Hungary and some type of white grape in Austria. These wines had low alcohol levels, so we indulged a few times during the day and were refreshingly acidic in the summer heat. It wasn't until years later, when my wine knowledge expanded, that I realized that the unknown Austrian grape was most likely Grüner Veltliner - the most popular white wine variety in that country. The grape has an interesting heritage, deriving from a natural cross between the mother Traminer and an unknown father. Unknown, at least, until a few years ago. Apparently in a small hillside in St Georgen (Burgenland) there was a vine known to the village elders that bore no fruit. Local historian, Michael Leberl, was able to locate the vine and have it genetically tested. The surprise result was that it was the predominate parent of Grüner Veltliner and subsequently named St. Georgen-Rebe. Despite surviving phylloxera, war, and cattle; this vine has a precarious future - so please read the story here.

The Weinviertel region, just northeast of Vienna is the oldest agricultural region in central Europe as archaeologists have unearthed artifacts nearly 7,000 years old. Today, vineyards stretch from the Danube and Vienna to the Czech republic to the north and Slovakia to the east. And each sub-region provides distinct wine styles. The northeastern section produces sparkling wine from Grüner Veltliner and Welschriesling; the western, dry reds along side Grüner Veltliner and Riesling. Closer to the Danube and Vienna, Grüner Veltliner dominates. Many of these vines supply the Heurige Inns that we frequented, but lately are being used to make age worthy wines. In early 2003, Austria implemented a DAC standard - which translates to "controlled designation of Austrian origin". The Weinviertel DAC was introduced as Austria´s first DAC Wine, with the quality regulated by “Qualitätswein” (quality wine) definitions; blind tasting; at least 12% alcohol; lean, crisp, peppery-spice character; and no discernible oak characters. And in 2009, Austria introduced the Weinviertel dac Reserve in order to promote fuller wines. These wines share the same characteristics as the dac but can contain subtle traces of Botrytis or oak. Furthermore the minimum alcohol content was increased to 13% and the blind tasters expect a denser structure with a longer finish.

The dac system has proven quite beneficial for both producers and consumers. In the past, small family wineries had trouble marketing their wines to wholesalers or exporters. But with a dac label, these wholesalers and exporters assume less risk in marketing the wines. The same holds for consumers. When searching for a Grüner Veltliner, look for the dac label. You should be assured of a certain level of quality.

Now, here in the United States, the acreage planted for Grüner Veltliner is climbing. In Maryland, Black Ankle Vineyards produces an excellent wine and the grape is becoming more popular in the Finger Lakes where Riesling is normally supreme. (See Dr. Konstantin Frank's Vinifera Wine Cellars and Zugibe Vineyards.). And on the left coast, the grape is finding a home in many wine regions - Chien Wines, Darcie Kent Vineyards, Von Strasser Winery, & Niven Family Wines.

We still have plenty to learn about this grape. So join us as our education continues this Wednesday during #winechat where Austria Wine will be discussing Grüner Veltliner from Lower Austria during the Twitter tasting.

Villány: Hungary's Bordeaux

2011-10-25T07:00:00.002-04:00

A recent #winechat session on Cabernet Franc reminded me of several nice wines from this grape that I had tasted from a relatively unknown wine producing area in central Europe. I'm referring to the Villány region in southwestern Hungary, who's climate affords the luxury of growing several well known Bordeaux, Rhone, and Burgundy grape varieties. And why not; the region lies at the same degree of latitude as the northern part of the Bordeaux wine-region. Plus Northern mountains protect the area from cold northerly winds, while the southern ranges help establish a micro-climate where the number of sunny hours is the highest in the country.

Grape cultivation in Villány probably originated with the Celts, and continued with the Romans as an inscription on a Roman-era altar stone discovered in the hillside of Szársomlyó documents 50 hectares of vine stock plantings. The Magyars continued this practice and, in his deed of foundation of the Szársomlyó Castle, King Béla IV mentions vineyards on the outskirts of Harsány. However, during the Turkish wars, the vineyards suffered terribly; and were rehabilitated when Serb and German settlers moved into the area. At the same time these settlers introduced Hungarians to new grape varieties (Kadarka and Portugieser) as well as new winemaking and storage techniques. Villány wines soon were exported throughout Europe and the Americas and the region thrived until the phylloxera arrived in the late 1800s. Just like the rest of Europe, Hungary's vineyards suffered almost complete devastation. As over half the the vineyards perished; a local grower, Zsigmond Teleki, established an experimental stockyard in Villány to test varieties of rootstock - both American and domestic. He eventually created several rootstocks that were used to reconstruction vineyards, in Villány, Hungary, and throughout Europe. With this reconstruction, Bordeaux varieties, as well as Syrah and Pinot Noir, were planted in this temperate climate.

Over the past several years, we have had the opportunity to taste many of these Villány wines, and in particular wines from Zsigmond Teleki's Château Teleki Winery - now made by Csányi Winery. These were single varietal Bordeaux style wines - Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot - seeming to match New World market for single varietals with Old World earthy styles. Besides Bordeaux styled wines, the Vylyan Winery produces an excellent Pinot Noir, which might be our favorite wine from the region. And finally, Heumann Winery, produces two Bordeaux style blends which are smooth classic Bordeaux cuvees, with light tannins and balanced acidity. The winery also produces a very impressive Kékfrankos as well as a Chardonnay (full bodied with apricot flavors and a slight nutty finish). Perhaps the only version of Hungarian Chardonnay available.

Wines from Villány are still scarce in the United States. But check with your local wine shop or Blue Danube Wine, they are worth the search. Photos courtesy of visitbudapest.com.

Harvest Live 2011 - William Hill Estate Winery

2011-10-19T11:04:00.000-04:00

Today's broadcast starts at 9:00 AM PT and features William Hill Estate Winery with Raif Holdenried, winemaker.

Live streaming by Ustream

Harvest Live 2011 - Robert Mondavi Winery

2011-10-17T11:01:00.003-04:00

Today's broadcast starts at 9:00 AM PT and features Robert Mondavi Winery with Keith Horn, director of vineyards and Genevieve Janssens, director of winemaking.

Live streaming by Ustream

Napa Vintners Present Harvest Live 2011 - October 17th-22nd

2011-10-14T06:00:00.003-04:00

A Groundbreaking Six-Day Webcast Combining Harvest with Real Time Q&A:

St Helena, CA--The Napa Valley Vintners (NVV) non-profit trade association is excited to bring "Harvest Live 2011," the Napa Valley's first week-long, live harvest webcast that will allow viewers to interact in real time with winemakers, vineyard managers and special wine industry co-hosts to hear and see all that's news with this year's crush in America’s premier wine region. "These innovative, interactive webcast will be breaking new ground in social media wine education," said Linda Reiff, NVV executive director. "It will be a terrific opportunity to have a conversation with these renowned vintners in real time, all week long."

"Harvest Live provides an opportunity for anyone, anywhere, to experience a Napa Valley harvest--even on their phone via the Ustream mobile application," explained Christophe Smith of Titus Vineyards. "This is a chance for wine lovers to connect with the Napa Valley beyond what they have tasted in the bottle and have a behind the scenes look into the 2011 vintage. We look forward to a great exchange between wine enthusiasts and those of us in the winemaking business during this most exciting and important time of year."

Produced by Christophe Smith along with David Gowdy of Dirt on the Vine, Randy Hall of VOM Productions and the NVV, Harvest Live offers participants a behind the scenes view into the Napa Valley harvest that even many locals don't get a chance to see. During the morning broadcasts viewers will be taken outside into the vineyard to learn about picking decisions and what's current in the field, then during the afternoon journey into the cellars to follow those grapes through the winemaking process. Capitalizing on the real-time webcast, viewers will have the ability to ask questions of winemakers and hosts via the Ustream webcast and receive answers instantly. For Twitter and Facebook users, questions will be monitored and answered via the #HL11 hashtag.

The interactive, one-hour webcasts will occur daily October 17th through 22nd at 9am PDT and 2:30pm PDT, and will be hosted at a different winery each day, showcasing varied winemaking techniques as well as multiple American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) throughout the Napa Valley AVA.

The winery participants by day are as follows:

Monday, October 17: Robert Mondavi Winery with Keith Horn, director of vineyards and Genevieve Janssens, director of winemaking
Tuesday, October 18: Staglin Family Vineyards with Garen Staglin, owner, along with Fredrik Johansson, winemaker and Chris Platt, assistant winemaker
Wednesday, October 19: William Hill Estate Winery with Raif Holdenried, winemaker
Thursday, October 20: Round Pond Estate with Chris Pedemonte, vineyard manager and Brian Brown, winemaker
Friday, October 21: Titus Vineyards with brothers Eric and Phillip Titus
Saturday, October 22: Chappellet Vineyard & Winery with Phillip Titus, winemaker

To access the interactive webcast, visit the NVV's Harvest 2011 website atwww.napavintners.com/harvest . A detailed schedule including on-camera talent and topics can be viewed online in advance of broadcast, and sessions will be archived here as well so viewers can watch and hear all the sessions.

To read and watch all the Napa Valley Harvest 2011 videos, blog posts and photo galleries, and to take the fun and interesting quiz, find out about tasting events in celebration of October's Harvest Napa Valley month, please visit www.napavintners.com/harvest

About the Napa Valley Vintners
The Napa Valley Vintners is the non-profit trade association responsible for promoting and protecting the Napa Valley appellation as the premier winegrowing region. From seven founding members in 1944, today the association represents more than 420 Napa Valley wineries and collectively is a leader in the world-wide wine industry. To learn more about our region and its legendary American wines, visit www.napavintners.com

press release: Contact: Terry Hall Communications Director Napa Valley Vintners 707.968.4217 thall@napavintners.com

Regional Wine Week: How many of the 47 have you visited?

2011-10-12T06:22:00.006-04:00

While smack in the middle of Regional Wine Week I decided to see how many of the 47 states we have visited wineries. And the answer was rather disappointing - I really thought we had visited wineries in more states - but the sum was only 17. That's poor. DrinkLocalWine.com and WineCompass stress the availability of wines from all states and I personally believe the best method to enjoy these wines is to visit the winery. Why? Usually, you get to meet the winemakers, discover new grape varieties, enjoy local terrain, and learn some regional history. We need to get out on the road more often. How about you? I'm sure there are many who have visited wineries in more states than us. Let us know.

Here is the list of wineries we have visited, excluding the 100 or so from Virginia - home field advantage on that one.

Maine
Blacksmiths Winery
Cellardoor Winery
Savage Oakes Vineyard and Winery

New York
Applewood Winery
Brotherhood America's Oldest Winery
Demarest Hill Winery
Loughlin Vineyards
Warwick Valley Winery

New Jersey
Alba Vineyard
Cream Ridge Winery
Silver Decoy Winery
Tomasello Winery

Pennsylvania
Adams County Winery
Glades Pike Winery
Hauser Estate Winery
Reid's Orchard & Winery
Rose Bank Winery
Stone Villa Wine Cellar

Delaware
Nassau Valley Vineyards

Maryland
Black Ankle Vineyards
Cove Point Winery
Deep Creek Cellars
Elk Run Vineyards
Frederick Cellars
Linganore Wine Cellars
Loew Vineyards
Orchid Cellar Winery
Solomons Island Winery
Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard

West Virginia
Forks of Cheat Winery
West-Whitehill Winery

Virginia
....

North Carolina
A Secret Garden Winery
The Biltmore Estate Winery
Chatham Hill Winery
Laurel Gray Vineyards
Moonrise Bay Vineyard
RagApple Lassie Vineyards

Tennessee
Corey Ippolito Winery
Countryside Vineyards & Winery

South Carolina
September Oaks Vineyards

Florida
Eden Vineyards
Rosa Fiorelli Winery & Vineyard
San Sebastian Winery
Schnebly Redland's Winery

Missouri
Bynum Winery
Pirtle Winery
Stonehaus Farms Winery

Kansas
Davenport Winery
Heimhof Winery
Holy-Field Vineyard & Winery
Kugler's Vineyard

Texas
Dry Comal Creek Vineyards & Winery

Colorado
Carlson Vineyards
Minturn Cellars
Plum Creek Cellars

South Dakota
Prairie Berry Winery

Our Regional Wine Week's 47 Word Essay

2011-10-10T20:31:00.003-04:00

We posted earlier about DrinkLocalWine.com's 4th annual Regional Wine Week which started Sunday and continues through October 15th. One of the highlights of the week is the 47 word essay describing the hidden gems among the other 47 wine producing states (California, Washington and Oregon excluded). Here is our entry, which is loosely based on our visit to Hiddencroft Vineyard described in this link.

Returning from hiking and thirsting for wine; we headed to Notaviva but saw a sign;
It pointed to Hiddencroft, a really good bet; with new wines from Chambourcin, Cab Franc, and Traminette;
But then, the little boy made a big mess; that Mr. Clyde cleaned, God bless.

A Tale of Two New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs

2011-10-04T06:00:00.000-04:00

Way back when, in July, we sampled two different New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs. The first was a sample sent to us, the Nine Walks Sauvignon Blanc ($10.99); the second was the Decibel 2009 Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc ($16), poured at the 2011 Wine Bloggers Conference. Each have unique names, the first named for the "9 Great Walks of New Zealand"; the second inspired by owner Daniel Brennan’s prior work with musical artists. That’s where the similarities end. The Nine Walks was made from grapes sourced from Marlborough: the Wairau Valley and Awatere Valley sub-regions to be precise. Malborough, located on the northeastern corner of New Zealand's South Island, is the region that put New Zealand wines in consumer’s vocabulary. It produces about 60% of that country's SB and for some, this region produces the world’s best Sauvignon Blanc. On the other hand, the Decibel was made from grapes sourced from the Mai Mai Creek vineyards in the Brookfields region of Hawkes Bay. Hawkes Bay, located on the North Island, is no slouch itself, being New Zealands second largest wine region and the oldest grape growing area in the country..

Now Sauvignon Blanc often buds late but ripens early, which means the grape thrives in cooler climates with plenty of sunshine. So which region is preferable? In Malborough, “the long narrow geography of the South Island ensures that no vineyard is more than 80 miles (130 km) from the coast. The cool, maritime climate of the area allows for a long and steady growing season in which the grapes can ripen and develop a natural balance of acids and sugars. - wiki” Perfect. Hawkes Bay has some of New Zealands's highest sunshine hours, with long, hot summers and cool winters The warmer maritime climate in Hawke’s Bay allows for a more supple, fruit driven Sauvignon Blanc.

The results? We were very impressed with the Decibel Sauvignon Blanc. It possessed more of a new World character than the Nine Walks – more fruit forward – and finished with a louder bang – in terms of acidity. As I recall, the wine exhibited a creamy texture in the mouthfeel – very different from most New Zealand Sauvignon Blancs we’ve tasted. The Nine Walks had a smaller flavor profile, a little grassy and citrus. Both are excellent values and when Decibel becomes available in DC, we will scoop it up. Even with summer over, clean Sauvignon Blancs are still appreciated.

Great American Beer Festival - The Medal Winners

2011-10-01T18:50:00.008-04:00

Another year, another missed opportunity to attend the greatest beer fetival on the planet: the Great American Beer Festival. Held each year in Denver, the festival sports continuous beer sampling as well as the GABF competition. The winners are listed in this pdf; but here are some of the highlights and results for the #dcbrew. Congrats to PBR - and to the several MyJoogTV participants that are bringing home medals: Mad Fox Brewing Company, Flying Dog Brewery, and Devils Backbone Brewing Company.

-------------------------------------- Brewer of the Year
Small Brewing Company and Small Brewing Company Brewer of the Year
Chuckanut Brewery, Bellingham, WA: Will Kemper

Mid-Size Brewing Company and Mid-Size Brewing Company
Firestone Walker Brewing Co, Paso Robles, CA: Matthew Brynildson

Large Brewing Company and Large Brewing Company
Pabst Brewing Company, Woodridge, IL: Bob Newman

Small Brewpub and Small Brewpub
Pizza Port Ocean Beach, San Diego, CA: Yiga Miyashiro

Large Brewpub and Large Brewpub
Pizza Port Carlsbad, Carlsbad, CA: Pizza Port Brew Guys

Brewpub Group and Brewpub Group
TAPS Fish House & Brewery, Brea, CA: Victor Novak

--------------------------------------

Category: 15 Indigenous Beer - 31 Entries
Silver: Monticello Reserve Ale, Starr Hill Brewery, Crozet, VA

Category: 17 American-Belgo-Style Ale - 43 Entries
Silver: Blue Reserve, Blue Mountain Brewery, Afton, VA

Category: 25 Kellerbier or Zwickelbier - 48 Entries
Gold: Kolsch Kellerbier, Mad Fox Brewing Co., Falls Church, VA

Category: 26 Smoke Beer - 43 Entries
Silver: Smoke Out, Starr Hill Brewery, Crozet, VA

Category: 31 Dortmunder or German-Style Oktoberfest - 20 Entries
Silver: Tommy Two Fists, Devils Backbone Brewing Co., Roseland, VA

Category: 34 Vienna-Style Lager - 32 Entries
Gold: Jomo Lager, Starr Hill Brewery, Crozet, VA

Category: 45 English-Style Summer Ale - 33 Entries
Gold: Summer Lovin’, Blue Mountain Brewery, Afton, VA
Bronze: Mad Fox Brewing Company English Summer Ale, Mad Fox Brewing Co.,
Falls Church, VA

Category: 64 German-Style Sour Ale - 13 Entries
Bronze: Gordon Biersch Goze, Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant (Rockville, MD)

Category: 83 Barley Wine-Style Ale - 42 Entries
Gold: Horn Dog Barleywine, Flying Dog Brewery, Frederick, MD

4th annual Regional Wine Week

2011-09-29T06:04:00.004-04:00

October is Wine Month. Not only in Virginia, but also at DrinkLocalWine.com which has designated October 9 through October 15 as "Regional Wine Week". The site honors "The Other 47" states (excluding California, Washington and Oregon) and has instituted the "DrinkLocalWine 47 Words Contest" where you can submit 47 words describing the hidden gems among the other 47 wine producing states. Entries (drinklocalwine@gmail.com) are due by midnight ET on Sat., Oct. 15; and there are several cool prizes. Thus, during Regional Wine Week, make a concerted effort to sample a local wine from your area - preferably from a winery visit and let DrunkLocalWine.com know about it in 47 words.

On the 9th, we hope to be attending The Festy, so there will be ample opportunities to visit some wineries in Nelson County, Virginia. Actually there's no excuse since Wintergreen Winery is across the street from the venue: Devils Backbone Brewing Company. The following weekend, we should probably head across the Potomac into Maryland to visit some of our favorites in that state: Black Ankle Vineyards or Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard. As an added benefit, each of these wineries host live music. What are your Regional Wine Week plans. I'm thinking of a theme... You can always check out WineCompass for wineries and events in your area.

"Discover Your Local Crush" During Virginia Wine Month

2011-09-24T19:46:00.005-04:00

It's that time of year again; the heat and humidity is slowly dissipating, leaves are dying, summer flowers are exerting one last display of life, and the grape harvest is in full gear. And for the 24th year, the Commonwealth is celebrating Virginia Wine Month. This month's theme is "Discover Your Local Crush", acknowledging the state's numerous and diverse wine regions: Northern Virginia, Shenandoah Valley, Central Virginia, Eastern Virginia, Chesapeake Bay, Blue Ridge Highlands, Hampton Roads, Heart of Appalachia, Southern Virginia, Shenandoah Valley AVA, Monticello AVA, Eastern Shore AVA, Washington Birthplace AVA, North Fork AVA, and the Rocky Knob AVA.

Regardless of the region, there will be ample opportunities to sample excellent wines, listen to music, enjoy the scenery, and meet the winemakers. We plan on starting Virginia Wine Month at Chrysalis Vineyards and their 11th Annual Norton Wine & Bluegrass Festival. And why not, pair some of Virginia's native grape with Jackass Flats, Hickory Ridge, and Good Natured Riot. Then our favorite Charlottesville musician; no, not Dave Matthews; but William Walter performs at Delaplane Cellars. Then we will head back to Visit Loudoun to listen to more music and sample some Viognier. That's our "Discover Your Local Crush". What's yours? To help plan your outing visit WineCompass or Virginia Is For Lovers to find an event in your area.

Today is Riesling Hour, Celebrating 2010 Finger Lakes Rieslings

2011-09-22T07:14:00.011-04:00

Today, September 22nd, Finger Lakes Wine Country & Finger Lakes Wine Alliance host Riesling Hour; a celebration of the 2010 Finger Lakes Riesling vintage. The online social event begins at 6:00PM, EST and will continue through the evening. Everyone can participate, just follow these instructions:

1. Select a few bottles of your favorite Finger Lakes Rieslings.
2. Plan your menu.
3. Invite your friends and family over.
4. Log on to Twitter and post details of your evening using #FLXwine.
5. Post pictures and comments to www.Facebook.com/FingerLakesWineCountry.

MyJoogTV Episode 10: Trent Dabbs and Andrew Belle with Brewery Ommegang

2011-09-19T07:02:00.002-04:00

Andrew Belle & Trent Dabbs

Brewery Ommegang
Hennepin Farmhouse Saison

This episode of MyJoogTV features Trent Dabbs & Andrew Belle discussing the Ten Out Of Tenn tour which was performing at IOTA in Arlington Virginia on September 16th 2011. The musicians discuss the tour and their two respective CDs, Southerner & The Ladder while sipping Brewery Ommegang's Hennepin Farmhouse Saison. The Cooperstown NY brewery specializes in Belgium Ales including an Ommegang Abbey Ale, Ommegang Witte Ale, Three Philosophers Quadrupel, Belgian Pale Ale, & Rare Vos Amber Ale. The Ten Out Of Tenn tour features Amy Stroup, Katie Herzig, Gabe Dixon, Tyler James, Andrew Belle, Matthew Perryman Jones, Trent Dabbs, k.s. Rhoads, Butterfly Boucher, Jeremy Lister, & Will Sayles. The video is available to download for iTunes and Windows Media Player.

Visiting the Shawangunk Wine Trail: Applewood Winery

2011-09-08T06:00:00.000-04:00

Ever since our visit to Foggy Ridge Cider for the MyJoogTV Episode 9: Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band @ Foggy Ridge Cider episode, we've been on a hard cider kick. And what better way to feed that habit, but through a tour of apple country in New York's Hudson Valley and the Shawangunk Wine Trail. The trail consists of eleven wineries, with a few producing hard cider from the regions abundant apple crop. We started out intending to visit Warwick Valley Winery & Disillery, but found the roads blocked because of storm damage from Hurricane Irene. Having a limited time schedule, we reversed course to the next closest winery in Warwick, Applewood Winery. This farm winery is the oldest continually operated farm in the county and still contains a stone that bears an inscription of the first owner's initials ("SGS 1700"). The current operation began in the 1950's when the land was purchased by the Hull family and apple trees planted to create Applewood Orchards. In 1993 Jonathan Hull expanded the apple farm to include a winery and plantings of vinifera, labrusca and hybrid and grape varieties.

On our visit, we were surprised to find a packed parking lot; surprised because of the seclusion of the farm. They have gotten the word out; plus there was live music scheduled for later that afternoon. The winery offers a large selection of wines, from Chardonnay, Reisling, and Cabernet Franc to Traminette and Concord. And plenty of Apple wine and hard cider; actually sparkling hard cider, the semi-dry Stone Fence Cider made from fermented estate apples, honey, and champagne yeast. This was all we needed, purchasing one cold and two to bring home. Even though we prefer dry cider and brut sparklers, this cider was nice and refreshing -on that 90 degree day. The apple flavors bounced through the palette with the honey providing a touch of sweetness at the finish. And at $8.25, what a fair value. We didn't sample the other wines, but enjoyed the bottle of Stone Fence Cider before returning to Greenwood Lake.

On the rise back, we stopped at Friendly Beer & Soda Corporation to grab some local beer and to our surprise, found bottles Warwick Valley Winery & Disillery hard cider proudly displayed on the register counter. We took home bottles of the Doc's Draft Hard Apple Cider and the
Doc's Draft Hard Pear Cider. The pear was wonderful, dry-dry-dry; and with plenty of pear flavors. The apple was made semi-dry and had a similar flavor profile as the Stone Fence Cider minus the CO2. Despite the slight sweetness, it was clean and refreshing. The reason why we love hard cider.

Visiting the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail: Vynecrest Winery

2011-09-06T06:00:00.013-04:00

While visiting family in New York, we took a slight detour on our travels to visit Vynecrest Winery, located in Breinigsville Pennsylvania, just outside of Allentown in the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail. Why Vynecrest? Well, the winery is one of the few East Coast producers of Lemberger\Blaufränkisch; we had to check that out. The winery is located just off Route 78 and is being encroached by the suburbs - yet you still get that Pennsylvania farm feeling when pulling up to the 19th century Swiss barn that houses the tasting room. The operation began almost 40 years ago when John and Jan Landis purchased the initial 5 acre estate and the first vines were planted in 1974. The winery itself did not open until 1989 and soon expanded with 23 additional acres of a mix of vinifera, labrusca, and hybrid grapes. Today their son Sam manages the business, as well as the current president of the Pennsylvania Wine Association, and John still operates as the winemaker. It's nice to see a business have a succession strategy.

When we arrived, we immediately noticed the advertisements for the winery's latest medal winner, the 2009 Chardonnay which was a Double Gold winner at the 2011 Indianapolis International Medal Competition. A three pack for $30; shows how affordable these wines are priced. Back in Virginia, an equivalent medal winner would be marked up to $30 a bottle. We sampled a double tasting of 12 wines which gave us a good representation of their portfolio. Starting with whites, the aforementioned Chardonnay was okay, but for us, nothing really special - no noticeable mouthfeel of Chardonnay flavor. Yet the Traminette and Riesling (Both dry and semi-dry) where exactly what you would expect from these grapes. And the biggest surprise was the Vynecrest White, a blend of labrusca and hybrids such as Cayuga and Vidal. Made semi-dry, the acidity balanced the sweetness and this was one we enjoyed out on the lake the following day.

Moving to reds, the vinifera were mostly medium bodied wines that I've found are common in Pennsylvania red wines. The Pinot Noir and Lemberger were both medium bodied, smooth, but not much complexity. On the other hand, the Chambourcin was our favorite red, full bodied with strong cherry flavor, yet a smooth silky finish. This was nicely done. The "house" red, Vynecrest Red, was also appealing for what it is, a semi-dry blend of several grapes - yet not overly sweet and quite tasty.

Finally, the winery offers a small selection of fruit and sparkling wines. The Blueberry and Cherry DiVine are made sweet and are full of their respective flavors. And for those who like semi-sweet sparklers, we prefer brut, the Sparkling Chambourcin is for you.

All in all, Vynecrest produces several wines we really enjoyed. And with all the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail events planned throughout the year, we shall return to the area. And we will revisit the Lemberger in a later varietal tasting. Got to love that they planted this grape variety.

2nd Annual #CabernetDay: Frederick Cellars 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon

2011-08-30T15:14:00.009-04:00

Rick Bakas has scheduled this Thursday September 1st as 2011 #CabernetDay, where all are encouraged to consume and tweet about one or more Cabernet Franc or Cabernet Sauvignon wines. After perusing the cellar, we will open our last bottle of the Frederick Cellars 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon. This wine was crafted by Robert Lyons just before his Catoctin Vineyards was purchased by Frederick Cellars. Mr. Lyons has a long history of crafting award winning wines as his 1999 Cabernet Sauvignon joined the 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon as winners of the Maryland Governors Cup. The grapes for all their Cabernet is local, from Mountain Creek Vineyards in the Catoctin AVA. You can follow our feed on Thursday using the #CabernetDay and #mdwine hash tags. Cheers.

2011 Wine Bloggers Conference Pre-Tour: Loudoun County (DC's Wine Country)

2011-08-25T20:30:00.003-04:00

One of the best kept secrets of the 2011 Wine Bloggers Conference was the Loudoun County Pre-Tour sponsored by Visit Loudoun. This two day tour was available to the first 25 bloggers who registered and consisted of visits to four wineries: Tarara Vineyard & Winery, Breaux Vineyards, Chrysalis Vineyards, and Boxwood Winery. Each winery rolled out the red carpet with the winemaker greeting the participants and providing tours and tastings of their regular offerings as well as reserve and barrel wines. These were very intimate engagements where the participants were able to discuss Norton or Albarino with Jenni McCloud and Alan Kinne at Chrysalis; Bordeaux with Rachel Martin and Adam McTaggart at Boxwood, Terroir with Jordan Harris at Tarara; and Nebbiolo with the Breaux crew. These wineries may be familiar to the larger group of conference attendees since they participated in many of the WBC11 events in Charlottesville, either as sponsors, the twitter tastings, the Other 46 tasting, and the Monticello dinner.

Check out the video below, which includes audio from Stacey Sheetz of Visit Loudoun discussing the wine region, to see why this area is one of the top wine destinations in Virginia and considered DC's Wine Country. The video also features Tara Nevins (Donna the Buffalo) "Beauty of Days Gone By" from her new solo release: Wood & Stone. And below is a list of blog posts concerning the Loudoun pre-tour and WBC11.

Dallas Wine Chick: Loudoun County Wine Pre-Trip
Tarara Winery: WineBloggers
Wine Biz Radio: X Does WBC ’11
The Wine Hub: Why Terroir Matters – Blog by: Jordan Harris – Tarara Winery Winemaker

2011 Wine Bloggers Conference: Ignite Wine Presentations

2011-08-22T11:43:00.022-04:00

The last session of the 2011 Wine Bloggers Conference (July 22-24; Charlottesville, Virginia) was the Ignite Wine presentations where nine presenters had five minutes to talk about anything of interest to wine bloggers. The catch: each presenter had to show 20 slides auto-tuned to advance every 15 seconds. This was very entertaining; too bad not many attendees stayed around to witness.

Elle Potter: Wine Bloggers Conference: What It Takes
Zephyr Adventures | Wine Bloggers Conference

Amy Hoopes and Susan Stockton: entwine
entwine | Wente Vineyards |Food Network

Matthew Parnell: East Coast Wines
E Coast Wines

Su Birch: South Africa: Why Our Wine Lands Are Wild
Wines of South Africa

Patrick Spencer: Wine Closures: Fact, Fiction and Sustainability
CorkReharvest

Kelly Medler & Emily Knutson: The Evolution of a Wine Drinker
Naked Winery | The Naked Truth

Jason Mancebo: A Picture is Worth 1000 Words – Visual Storytelling
$20 Dollar Wine Blog

Mary Cressler: Pairing Wine and Food
Vindulge Wine Education & Consulting

Jason Phelps: Savoring Similarities & Celebrating Differences - Blogging the Diverse World of Wine
Ancient Fire Wine Blog

2011 Wine Bloggers Conference Highlights

2011-08-20T07:08:00.000-04:00

The 2011 North American Wine Bloggers Conference was held July 21-24 in Charlottesville Virginia. Here are the highlights from the various events, tours, seminars, and tastings during the weekend from the International Tasting Thursday night to the Ignite sessions Sunday morning. The video also includes footage from the vineyard tour of Virginia Wineworks, First Colony Winery, and Blenheim Vineyards. The musical theme features Tony Trischka performing at the Floydfest Front Porch courtesy of the Virginia Folklife Program. And one note, the Traminette shown in the International Tasting was from the Other 46 Tasting. Cheers.

Wishing We Were Headed to Sonoma Wine Country Weekend 2011

2011-08-18T20:18:00.000-04:00

Its been a couple years since our last venture to California wine country and reading about the Sonoma Wine Country Weekend (September 2 - 4, 2011) really gets the juices flowing for another trip. Just think about it, wineries from Alexander Valley, Russian River Valley, Sonoma Valley, and Dry Creek Valley all at 32nd Annual Taste of Sonoma at MacMurray Ranch on the 3rd. Then there's several Winemaker lunches, BBQs, and dinners. Ticket prices vary, but if you are a Visa Signature card holder, you can receive steep discounts on all tickets. Plus these card holders can participate in special Visa Signature Tours. Maybe a trip West, maybe....

Thanks WBC11 - Georgia Wines Are on My Mind - Again

2011-08-17T08:45:00.000-04:00

Another wine we found interesting during the WBC11 Speed Tasting was the 07 Chateau Mukhrani Saperavi - which resurrected our fascination with Georgian wines. For, the Republic of Georgia is the cradle of wine making, as evident by the 4,000 to even 8,000 year old wine making equipment unearthed by archaeologists in the country. We are talking Stone Age winos. Many etymologists even consider the modern generic word “wine” to be derived from the ancient Georgian word “gvino”. And what is equally fascinating is that contemporary wineries are using the same indigenous grapes as these early winemakers. We are talking Saperavi, Rkatsiteli, Mtsvani, Ojaleshi - wine grapes tasted by Jason and the Argonauts, Homer, Alexander the Great, Apollonius of Rhodes, St. Nino - thus when tasting Georgian wines - you're tasting history.

And its no wonder that the Republic of Georgia is the birthplace of wine civilization. It's geography is well suited for grape viticulture. Extreme weather is rare; winters are frost free; summers are sunny; and the Black Sea provides a beneficial micro-climate. The largest grape producing region is Kakheti located in the eastern end of the country. This region produces 70% of the country's wine and, understandably, houses some of the largest wineries: Teliani Valley, Telavis Marani, Tbilvino, Kindzmarauli Marani, Badagoni and Chateau Mukhrani. Other noteworthy wine regions are Racha-Lechkhumi, Kartli, and Imereti. Racha-Lechkhumi is currently home to semi-sweet wines such as Khvanchkara, Usakhelouri and Tvishi. The Kartli region is also termed "The Heart of Georgia" because of its central location and the home of the ancient and modern capitals - Mtskheta and Tbilisi. Both Kartli and Imereti are known for their sparkling wines and the later also producing the red wines Oihanuri, Sapere and Saperavi.

The country is home to over a dozen indigenous wine grapes. Rkatsiteli is the most important white variety and at one time was the third most planted varietal in the world. Mtsvani is the next most important white and is usually blended with Rkatsiteli. Saperavi is the most popular red variety and produces full bodied, somewhat tannic wines suitable for aging.

Like the French, Georgian wines represent the name of the source region, district, or village. And many of these wines are blends, such as Tsinandali, which is a blend of Rkatsiteli and Mtsvane. Yet some 100% varietal wines are available -- including the aforementioned 07 Chateau Mukhrani Saperavi. And like most Eastern European wine styles, many of the red wines are produced semi sweet - even Saperavi. (No wine snobs permitted in the South Caucasus.) And fortified wines are very popular.

Rkatsiteli seems to be my favorite of the Georgian grape varieties and at one time was the third most planted varietal in the world. Thanks to Dr. Konstantin Frank, Dennis Horton, and Jack and Charlie Tomasello, it has migrated to the United States and is now available at Dr. Konstantin Frank's Vinifera Wine Cellars, Horton Vineyards, and Tomasello Winery. The wines possess a recognizable spicy character that is balanced by citrus flavors and refreshing acidity.

But what about the 07 Chateau Mukhrani Saperavi? I really can't recall - even after 2nd, 3rd, and 4th sips at #606. I did note, however, that the vineyards were once owned by a major Royal Dynasty - The Princes of Mukhrani. History and Georgian wine are intertwined.

For further research visit any of the linked wineries or check out the Georgian Wine House. Georgian wines will remain in my mind for quite some time.

Abouriou - It's a bird, It's a ... - No, it's a Red Wine Grape

2011-08-15T06:00:00.000-04:00

One of the more interesting wines poured during the Red Wine Speed Tasting during WBC11 was the Abourious 2009 Red Wine from Old World Winery (Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, California). Now, even with a room full of wine bloggers, most of us had never heard of - and obviously tasted - a wine made from the Abouriou grape. According to the esteemed Jancis Robinson The Oxford Companion to Wine, 3rd Edition, Abouriou is grown primarily in South West France, bordering Bordeaux to the north and the Pyrénées to the south. This region is includes the ACOs Jurançon, Cahors, Bergerac, and Côtes du Marmandais - home to Abouriou, where the grape is used in blends with Bordeaux varieties, Syrah, Fer, and Gamay.

It is obviously also grown in California, with Old World Winery the only producer - at least as listed at WineCompass. Two acres of the grapes are grown organically at the Sheri Martinelli Ranch with these being harvested in October 2009 and bottled in June 2011. That's translates to approximately 18 months of aging. During the Twitter tasting, my colleague immediately designated the Abourious 2009 Red Wine as The Seducer - with its full body, high acidity; but sweet berry flavor profile. Other bloggers had similar comments as show below. But don't get too excited just yet about this wine. For #wbc11 was its unveiling; the release date is set for Spring 2012 with a $55 price point and only 109 cases available. Mark this on our calendar and visit the winery's online store.

melanie0 @oldworldwinery Tasting Abourious. A very big meaty wine #wbc11
hesipsshesips Abourious made from Abouriou grape from Old World Winery super different, jammy, hint of sweetness #WBC11 #shesips
1WineDude 09 Old World Winery Abourious red. Abouriou is the variety (yes, really). Like your licorice with pepper? Then this is your wine. #wbc11
icjamie Abourious 2009 Russian River Valley. Old World Winery. Abouriou is the grape. Huge acidity in this red, sweet notes. $55 #wbc11
winecompass #wbc11 the seducer wine Abourious
krischislett Abourious made from the Abouriou grape in the Russian River Valley. Only vyd in the U.S. growing it. http://t.co/NEk1y19 #wbc11
KarinMcKercher The most fantastic new discovery for me, #Abourious. Really digging this. Sort of sweet, but good pepper finish. Must. Get. More. #WBC11
indievinos Been "hearing" about #Abourious. Cane berry-candy nose, really smooth, but also a little "sour." In a really, really good way. LOVE. #WBC11
mutineermag Abourious 2009 Red Wine from the Russian River Valley. Its natural fermentation has excited my tablemate. #WBC11
norcalwine 09 @oldworldwinery Abourious RRV red wine from Abouriou variety planted 1950 by Martinellis below Jack Ass Hill: Concordish #WBC11 #wine
KatieDrinksWine @OldWorldWinery So excited to finally try your wine! A new varietal for me, too - Abouriou - the only one to be found in the States #wbc11
WineSoiree The only 2 acres of Abouriou in CA. Some may even say Foxy or deeeLish. @OldWorldWinery #wbc11 http://twitpic.com/5urk00
foodandwine365 #wbc11 another first abouriou French grape by way of rrv. Thanks @oldworldwinery
RedWineDiva @OldWorldWinery up with a unique wine for the US - Abouriou Grapes from the south of France. #wbc11
BrixChick_Liza #wbc11 #speedtasting Old WOrld Arbourious new grape to me: Arbouriou. Flippy fruity aromas like raspberry danish
genevelyn: 09 Abourious REd, should be a martini float #wbc11 from us. enjoy!

MyJoogTV Episode 9: Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band @ Foggy Ridge Cider

2011-08-05T06:00:00.005-04:00

This episode of MyJoogTV features the Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band in a discussion of cider, country blues, and Charley Patton with Foggy Ridge Cider proprietor Diane Flynt. The episode was filmed during Floydfest X, the celebrated music festival located right on the Blue Ridge Parkway and minutes from Foggy Ridge. Specifically, we discussed cider and apple varieties as well as the band's latest CD: Peyton on Patton. This is the first ever compilation to honor the man who is arguably the father of Delta Blues. In fact, most modern rock music follows a lineage from Patton through Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf to Elvis, the Beatles, and the Rolling Stones. To paraphrase the Reverend, "if it wasn't for Patton, we'd be listening to Tony Bennett - all the time". The video is available to download for iTunes and Windows Media Player. To view more videos filmed at Floydfest, visit the MyJoogTV YouTube Channel.

WBC11 - Wine Bloggers: Who Are We?

2011-07-28T14:17:00.031-04:00

While attending the 2011 Wine Bloggers Conference in Charlottesville Virginia, we met many friendly, fun, and fascinating bloggers. Here are a few:

WBC11 Videos - From Loudoun to Ignite

2011-07-27T19:33:00.009-04:00

One of our responsibilities at the 2011 Wine Bloggers Conference was to video as much of the happenings as possible in association with Virginia Wine TV. Many of you probably saw me (or my assistant Laszlo or Aaron) camera in hand through the Loudoun County pre-tour, the tour of UVA, the seminars, keynote speeches, Other 46, Monticello, the winery tours, and the Ignite sessions. Except for the Siips gathering, the camera was usually put to bed as early as possible in order to accommodate @RichardPF request of no late night footage. Thus nothing from #606 or #235 or the Saturday night dance party. In any case, thanks to all the attendees who participated on camera and I'm looking forward to continuing our discussions online and seeing everyone at WBC12 in Portland - sans camera.

Over the next two weeks we will be releasing several videos that will be available from a few outlets: VirginiaWineTV YouTube Channel, Wine Bloggers Conference YouTube Channel, and VirginiaWineTV Podcast. The Loudoun County pre-tour will also be available at Visit Loudoun, who's financial assistance made the filming of that segment possible. Anyone we tasted the wonderful wines from Breaux Vineyards, Tarara Winery, Boxwood Vineyards, and Chrysalis Vineyards, Catoctin Creek Vineyards, and 8 Chains North Winery understand that this region produces exceptional wines.

Here are the list of videos and the links as they come live:

And as time and funding allows:

WBC11 - Ignite Presentations
WBC11 - The Other 46
WBC11 - Winery Tours
WBC11 - The Conference (long version)

Live Wine Blogging at the WBC11

2011-07-26T11:52:00.011-04:00

One of the coolest sessions at the 2011 Wine Bloggers Conference was the Live Wine Blogging. Two sessions were held, one for whites and roses; the other for reds. The basic idea is that each winery has five minutes to pour and market their wines to a table of about seven participants. During that five minutes, each participant blogs or tweets their thoughts on the wine, presentation, packaging - whatever comes to mind. Once the five minutes have past, the winery rep moves to the next table to repeat the process. Organized chaos - and tons of fun. During these sessions I was able to capture a partial twitter feed and used one tweet from each participant to create the videos below.

WBC11 Live Wine Blogging - White & Rose Wine
Music for the video is provided by Nat Reese courtesy of the Virginia Folklife Program

WBC11 Live Wine Blogging - Red Wine
Music for the video is provided by Jason Webley and The Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band.

A Wonderful World of Wine at the Wine Bloggers Conference

2011-07-24T07:24:00.004-04:00

Just stirring from dehydration and a hangover Sunday morning after four days (including Loudoun County pre-tour) of the 2011 Wine Bloggers Conference and am overwhelmed by all the out of state bloggers who made the effort to travel to Charlottesville. Pretty damn awesome. Plus all the Virginia wine folks who shared their stories and wines to us. But it just wasn't Virginia wine, particularly in the after parties. There was Rioja, Chilian wine, Saperavi from the Republic of Georgia, Ohio Reisling, Texas Viognier, Missouri Vignoles, Rodney Strong single vineyard Cab, Austrian Blaufrankish (and Virginia Blaufrankish), Frontenec Gris from Vermont, Malbec from New Zealand, and plenty of Croatian Plavac Mali. The point is, there is a wonderful world of wine available out there. Think outside the box and try different varieties or even familiar wines, but from other regions. Cheers and thanks to all the attendees for sharing their experiences. WBC11 was way too cool.

Kyle's Brew Fest Presented by Kyle Hollingsworth, Boulder Beer, & Odell Brewing

2011-07-19T11:59:00.003-04:00

After selling-out 2010’s inaugural Kyle’s Brew Fest, Kyle Hollingsworth, keyboardist of The String Cheese Incident, will host his second annual charity beer festival and concert on Saturday, July 23, benefiting Conscious Alliance. For year two the festival moves to a new location Boulder Beer Company in Boulder, CO. Kyle’s 2011 Brew Fest will be bigger and better, featuring over 25 breweries, over 50 craft beers (including Kyle’s brand new brew Hoopla Pale Ale) and an extra hour on a Saturday afternoon to enjoy it all!

$25 ticket includes:
-Exclusive performance from Kyle Hollingsworth Band
-Limited edition Kyle’s Brew Fest logo pint glass
-Drinks
-Delicious grilled food
-An opportunity to bid at the Silent Auction (which features rock memorabilia from the scene’s favorite artists, among other items)

TICKETS ON SALE NOW - CLICK HERE

WBC11 Preview: Drinking Local Breakout Session

2011-07-15T21:00:00.007-04:00

One of the many sessions that we are looking forward to at the 2011 Wine Bloggers Conference is the Friday Breakout Session: Drinking Local. The session is moderated by Frank Morgan of Drink What You Like - a Virginia based wine blog. The panelists consist of Dave McIntyre, wine writer for the Washington Post and founding member of DrinkLocalWine.com; Lenn Thompson, founder of New York Cork Report; and Rémy Charest, blogger at The Wine Case in Canada. The topic is the virtues and challenges of drinking local - an issue close to our hearts.

I love local wine; and not only the wine but the personalities, the stories, the trips to wine country. I loved hearing the story how Steve and Shannon Mackey started Notaviva Vineyards. I can hear Jenni McCloud (Chrysalis Vineyards) repeat her passionate speech about Norton wine - a thousand times. I've been known to travel 125 for an evening concert at Veritas Vineyards. I loved seeing Jim Corcoran (Corcoran Vineyards) proudly show off their new Bourbon barrel aged Chambourcin or their Lemoncello based Petit Mensing. My son gets a kick of seeing the photo from Hiddencroft Vineyards where owner Clyde Housel is hosing him down after an accident. Memories. These experiences is what lead us to start the WineCompass.com directory and the WineCompass blog. A history, I'm sure, shared by most attendees to the conference.

So naturally, we are advocates for promoting local wineries, especially through VirginiaWineTV.com and by participating in DrinkLocal.com activities. We all can agree on the virtues of local wineries: preserve open spaces, jobs, tourism, the wines..... Numerous reasons. As well as the locavore\locapour movement, which I follow to a certain degree, particularly when eloquently articulated by Jenni McCloud in our VirginiaWineTV video on Talking Norton and DLW with Jennifer McCloud. To paraphrase: "If you eat locally, its natural to also drink locally."

Yet, I am not a complete convert to the Drink Local movement. Why? Price is one factor. Local wine is expensive, at least in Virginia. I would love to be able to budget a Virginia wine on a regular basis, but the average price is approximately $20-$25 a bottle (my best guess). I understand the economicsand the tourism influences that lead to higher prices. I just can't afford them on a regular basis. And from what I've seen, Maryland, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania are heading in the same direction.

But my biggest complaint with the Drink Local movement, is that proponents are throwing out multiple definitions of drink local. I've heard it used in a sustainability context with the locavore movement that you should only drink locally crafted wines and these wines must be produced using 100% estate grown grapes. No exceptions; minimal footprint. What's up with that? That is way too draconian. And with this definition, forget about someone from Florida purchasing a Virginia wine and having it shipped. Winemakers would never think of following that maxim (I've heard about Jenni McCloud's wine cellar), why should consumers?

Others have generously expanded this definition to say, "no the grapes can be sourced from anywhere within the state and yes, you can ship the wine to other states". Yet, I have a problem with that definition as well. Tarara Vineyard & Winery (Leesburg Virginia) produces an excellent NoVa series using grapes sourced from the Mountainview Vineyard in southwestern Virginia, over 200 miles away. Glades Pike Winery (Sommerset, Pennsylvania) produces a Norton wine from grapes grown at Chrysalis Vineyards (Middleburg, Virginia) - 170 miles and two states away. Tarara is approved, but Glades Pike is put on the naughty list. Why? Should we set distance boundaries to define a local wine? Who then, becomes the drink local policeman?

What does Drink Local mean to you? I don't really have a preferred definition, because I drink anything, from anywhere - wherever the winery is located: Virginia, Maryland, New York, Texas, California, Oregon, Washington, Hungary, Austria, Croatia, Slovenia, Italy, Spain, Germany, France, Turkey.... And I don't really have a problem if a winery sources fruit from California; as long as the wine is labelled as such. Case in point, the Biltmore Estate Winery; if you care, just purchase their North Carolina wines.

As I step off my soapbox, I look forward to this session. Maybe the panelists will attempt to define Drink Local, maybe not. But we all agree on one concept. Local wine is being produced in every state of this country and there are valid reasons to purchase locally. So, get out there and try some; you will enjoy the experience. The WineCompass.com directory can help you locate wineries in your state and if you want to visit a Virginia winery check out the Virginia Wine in My Pocket iPhone application. And attendees of the Wine Bloggers Conference will receive a free download of the app. Cheers.

WBC11 Preview: Viognier Night: A Virtual Tasting of Virginia Viogniers

2011-07-12T06:42:00.008-04:00

For those attending the 2011 Wine Bloggers Conference or for wine fans anywhere, there is a unique opportunity this Thursday July 14th (7 to 9 pm) to learn about Virginia's signature grape, Viognier. The Virginia Wine Board is hosting Viognier Night: A Virtual Tasting of Virginia Viogniers. See below for the participating wines and take a look at the tasting notes here. But most importantly, the winemakers themselves will be available to answer questions about their wines or the Virginia wine industry. Remember to use the #VaViognier hash tag. See you online.
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Join Virginia Winemakers for the first ever Virtual Tasting of Virginia Viogniers!

It is easy to participate! Just pick up a bottle of Viognier from one of the participating wineries: Barboursville Vineyards & Winery, Blenheim Vineyards, Cooper Vineyards, Delaplane Cellars, Horton Vineyards and King Family Vineyards. OR just grab your favorite VA Viognier...

Then grab some friends and food, and tune into the #VAWine #VaViognier conversation on Twitter! It is the perfect way to experience Virginia Viogniers in varying styles, from dry to off-dry, still and sparkling.

Winemakers will tune in on Twitter Thursday, July 14th from 7-9pm to answer any and all questions pertaining to these Virginia Viogniers. Most of these Viogniers can be found at your local Kroger, specialty retailers, or ordered directly through the wineries.

Participating wineries:
Barboursville: 2009 Viognier Reserve
Blenheim: 2010 Viognier
Cooper: 2010 Viognier
Delaplane: 2010 Maggie's Vineyard Viognier
Horton: NV Sparkling Viognier
King Family: 2010 Viognier

Also, please post pictures of your local VA Viognier tasting on Twitter during the event! We look forward to having you join us for this first ever Virtual Tasting of Virginia Viogniers!

WBC11 Preview: The Other 46 Tasting

2011-07-09T06:00:00.005-04:00

One of the sessions at the 2011 Wine Bloggers Conference that we are really looking forward to is the The Other 46 tasting Friday night. Yes, no California, Oregon, Washington, or New York wines allowed. Instead, expect wines from Loudoun County Virginia (courtesy of Breaux Vineyards and Tarara Winery); Maryland, Missouri, Texas, Indiana, and Ohio. For a refresher course on why grape growing is so difficult in the East Coast and Midwest, check out A History of Wine in America, Volume 1: From the Beginnings to Prohibition. This book also describes the painful ordeal Thomas Jefferson and Philip Mazzei experienced when attempting to sustain grapes in Albemarle County. Good background for the conference in general and the Monticello dinner.

Back to The Other 46 tasting, what wines should you expect? There better be some Viognier from Loudoun County because Texas Viognier will be in the house. Vintage Texas is also expected to pour some Blanc Du Bois, Tempranillo, and Roussanne. From Breaux and Tarara, we also hope to be tasting some Merlot and Long Bomb respectively. The Indiana Wine Grape Council will be pouring plenty of Traminette (that state's signature grape) whereas the Missouri Wine and Grape Board: I would guess Vignoles and Norton. This would be an interesting time to compare Midwestern Norton and native Virginia Norton. Jenni, where are you? Now, Ohio has moved beyond Catawba, but it would be very interesting to sample some sparkling Catawba. Or perhaps some Lemberger or Riesling. We shall see what Southern Wine Trails decides to pour. That leaves Maryland, and the Maryland Wineries Association is still determining which wines to showcase. There's no doubt that its time to unveil the Free State as the next producer of quality vinifera wines - just sample those from Black Ankle Vineyards, or Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard, or some Sangiovese from Fiore Winery. Virginia's northern neighbor is moving closer to the Commonwealth.

For now, that's the latest. Can't believe North Carolina or Pennsylvania or even Michigan or Colorado wines will not be presented. That's a real shame. For any impromptu tastings, we are coming prepared with a few wines from our assorted collection of Other 46 wines. Looking forward to a fun and rewarding weekend. Thanks #wbc11.

Nassau Valley Vineyards Indian River Red (Delaware)
Schnebly Redland's Winery Dry Avocado Wine (Florida)
Keel And Curley Winery Key West Key Lime Wine (Florida)
Frederick Cellars 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon (Maryland)
Orchid Cellar Winery Monk Mead (Maryland)
RagApple Lassie Vineyards Hobson"s Choice (North Carolina)
Hinnant Family Vineyard 2004 Norton (North Carolina)
Valhalla Vineyards 2001 Alicante Bouschet (Virginia)
Corcoran Vineyards 2008 Malbec (Virginia)
8 Chains North Winery 2009 Blaufrankish (Virginia)

Mead & Music in Maryland

2011-07-01T06:45:00.013-04:00

We've been neglecting our northern brethren for a while so we scheduled a trip near Frederick to restock our mead collection. Yes, we are fans of honey wine and decided to sample the wines from Orchid Cellar Winery, located a little northeast of Frederick in Middletown. The winery has been operating for 4 years, the last two in the current location. The honey is sourced from local and regional apiarists accentuated by their own bees. The Wilk's family base their mead on Eastern European\Polish recipes in honor of their heritage. And what's fascinating about these meads, is the diversity in styles. The Ambrosia is a Pyment made from honey and Chardonnay grapes; the Blacksmith a Melomel made from honey, raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries. I'd never heard of or tasted a Capsicumel which is mead made with chili peppers. And Orchid Cellar offers two: the Hunter and the Big Game Hunter which has three times the peppers. The Hunter was balanced between heat, spice, and sweetness and is surprisingly, their best cellar. The other, too much heat for me. My favorites were two traditional Metheglin (honey and spices): the Knight and the Monk, The former is based on recipes attributed to Capuchin monks; the latter from a recipe attributed to Bernardine monks and includes spices and rose petals. Both were slightly sweet, and full of flavor, nicely balanced between the honey and spice. In the future the winery will start offering traditional grape wine, but for me - I'm content with the honey wine.

From Orchid Cella r Winery, we migrated a little closer to home in order to hear some local music at Sugarlo af Mountain Vineyard. This winery offers live music on a constant basis and we had neglected them for too long. On this day, Rob Thorworth was entertaining an overflowed patio of wine drinkers with a collection of originals and eclectic covers. We rushed to sit down when hearing Little Feat's Spanish Moon, followed by Lyle Lovett, The Beatles, and Warren Zevon. Good music paired with a merlot based Rose. Nice. Two videos are available at the MyJoogTV YouTube channel. Cheers.

Win A Chance to Attend the 2011 NYC Food and Wine Festival, Courtesy of Chef Rocco DiSpirito

2011-06-29T06:00:00.000-04:00

One of our favorite annual wine festivals is the Food Network's South Beach Food & Wine Festival. And why not, wine, food, rum - all in the tropical air of Miami. Our next favorite. Why the Food Network's NYC Food & Wine Festival.Usually, the same venders, but this time based in the newly renovated Meatpacking District of that city. Check out our last visit to the festival here. The 2011 Festival runs from September 29 through October 2nd. Tickets for individual events may be affordable, but not for the Grand Tasting presented by ShopRite & KitchenAid. We are talking $195.

But here comes Celebrity Chef Rocco DiSpirito to help. In celebration of his new television series, Rocco's Dinner Party, he is launching the "Watch & Win" contest giving wine enthusiasts the opportunity to win a trip for two to meet him and assist him at the 2011 NYC Food and Wine Festival! The prize includes round-trip airfare for two, a two-night stay at an NYC hotel along with free tickets to the festival! Viewers can tune-in to Rocco's Dinner Party Wednesdays, 10PM ET/9C on Bravo to answer three weekly questions pertaining to each week's episode. Submission form stays open until Saturday at midnight! After answering all three questions, submit your information to be entered to win. Enter every week to increase your chances of winning - every weekly submission counts as another entry!

The next "Watch & Win" will air this Wednesday, June 29th at 10PM/9c on Bravo! That's today. Good luck.

WBC11 Preview: The Wine Grapes of Virginia

2011-06-27T05:04:00.000-04:00

We recently saw a Twitter tweet from the Rhone Rangers regarding the Wine Bloggers Conference 2011 (#VAWine producers at #WBC11 - We will be present, love to meet with any interested in becoming a @RhoneRangers). The Rhone Rangers is "America's leading non-profit organization dedicated to promoting American Rhone varietal wines". Now, its widely known - or becoming widely known - that Virginia's new signature grape is the Rhone varietal Viognier. And please check out the interesting commentary regarding that decision at DrinkWhatYouLike: Viognier – Virginia’s Signature Grape?. But what about other Rhone varietals. Syrah is relatively popular with about 20 wineries crafting that varietal. And several are quite good: Delaplane Cellars, Tarara Vineyard & Winery, and Fox Meadow Winery among others. Viognier and Syrah are basically it for Rhone grapes, although Horton Vineyards and Hillsborough Vineyards do craft wines using Rousanne.

Yet, even with Viognier being Virginia's signature grape, Bordeaux and Burgundy varietals are still the most popular. In fact, Meritage and Chardonnay wines have won the last few Governors Cup and at one point in recent history some observers where predicting that Cabernet Franc may become the Commonwealth's signature grape. Here's an interesting post and commentary at MyVineSpot: Making a case for Chardonnay and Merlot. Yet the future for red wine in Virginia may be the Bordeaux blending grapes: Petit Verdot and Malbec. Crafted as single varietals, these are full bodied, tannic wines. And let's not forget grapes from South West France, where Tannat and Petit Menseng wines do quite well in Virginia. Interestingly, the later was first introduced into the United States by Alan Kinne, of Chrysalis Vineyards.

Speaking of Chrysalis Vineyards, the vineyard holds the world's largest planting of Virginia's native grape: Norton. Many winemakers choose to avoid Norton, considering it less than a noble grape, but Jennifer McCloud thinks otherwise and is the grape's most vocal proponent. Please check out this VirginiaWineTV episode featuring McCloud in Talking Norton and DLW with Jennifer McCloud.

Finally, there's the hybrids, which remain quite popular and are the wine grapes that grow best in many mountainous and arid regions of the state. Vidal Blanc is the most popular and is used primarily as a dessert wine. Next popular is Chambourcin which has the versatility to be crafted into a range of styles from dry to sweet. Our friends at Corcoran Vineyards have now aged their Chambourcin in used bourbon barrels to create a port styled wine that tastes pure Virginia - as in Virginia Gentlemen.

For more information on a compendium of wine grapes used in Virginia please visit our post at The Wine Grapes of Virginia. See you at the Wine Bloggers Conference 2011 in Charlottesville Virginia.

Wit Beer - A Toast to Pierre Celis

2011-06-22T09:56:00.009-04:00

Ever since Port City Brewing Company opened this year we have become converts to their flagship beer, the Belgium wheat beer Optimal Wit, and have been sampling versions from craft breweries throughout the U.S. At the same time, we have been constant evangelists spreading the word on the virtues of this beer style. Sadly, at the time of our conversion, the modern day "founder" of Wit beer, Pierre Celis, passed away. And it seems, many Wit beer drinkers are unfamiliar with the roll Celis played in reviving this style.

We recommend reading the entire article by Roger Protz, Pierre Celis, Maestro of White Beer.

It was Pierre who saved and revived a noble beer style: the spiced wheat or "white" beers of East Brabant. The region has rich, dark soil ideal for growing barley, oats and wheat. Brewing in the area has been traced back to 1318, when it was in the hands of farmers and monks. By the 1500s Hoegaarden had a brewers' guild and in the 19th century there were some 30 breweries in the small town. Right: Pierre and his wife, Juliette.

The special character of the white beers of Brabant was due to the use not only of wheat and oats alongside barley malt but also exotic spices and fruits brought to the Low Countries by Dutch and Flemish traders. Spiced white beers from Hoegaarden were widely distributed throughout Brabant and the neighbouring province of Liege.

But in the 20th century the breweries started to close, unable to compete with the mass-marketed Pilsner lagers produced in the city of Leuven, home of Stella Artois.

The last brewery in Hoegaarden, Tomsin, pulled down the shutters in the late 1950s. It was mourned by many in the town, including Pierre Celis, who had done some part-time work there as a schoolboy.

Pierre's father ran a dairy and Pierre delivered milk. He was drinking in a bar with some friends one evening and they began to reminisce about the much-missed beers of Hoegaarden. Encouraged by his friends, who jokingly said he should move from one cloudy white drink to another, Pierre said he would attempt to brew some beer. He made a batch in his wife's copper in the family home alongside the dairy. There was no written-down recipe from Tomsin's, but Pierre remembered the ingredients from his work there. Grain and hops were easily available and he added milled coriander seeds and Curacao orange peel.

His beer was so well received that he decided to make it commercially. In 1966, he bought a small 25-hectolitre plant from a brewery in Limburg and installed it in the stables next to the house. The kit is still there today, but the success of the beer forced him to move to a derelict lemonade factory in the town to cope with demand.

The cloudy, unfiltered beer had taken Leuven by storm, where university students considered it to be more natural than lager. Pierre broke into the important Antwerp market and then into the Netherlands and France. The beer's fortunes were aided by the unique eight-sided glass: by chance, Pierre had found the Italian prototype in a local shop (shown below, right).

Production grew rapidly to 300,000 hectos a year by 1985. Pierre had just started to export to the United States when fire devastated the brewery. He was seriously under-insured.

"I needed 280 million Belgian francs to rebuild but I only got 40 million from the insurers," he says. "The banks wouldn't help but then Stella Artois offered to invest in return for 45 per cent of the shares."

At first the relationship with Stella was a good one. But things changed dramatically in 1988 when Stella merged with Piedboeuf of Jupille near Liege.

Interbrew was born and, according to Pierre, "the bankers took over". The fact that they were French-speaking bankers probably didn't help.

"People came from Jupille, looked around the brewery and told me how to make my beer cheaper. They said they used high-gravity brewing at Jupille to reduce costs and I should do the same," he says.

Pierre refused. High-gravity brewing means making one strong wort and watering it down to make different beers. Pierre, who had added to the range at Hoegaarden, said it would give his beers different aromas and flavours. He declared he would stick to his old recipes and ways of brewing.

As the pressure mounted, and Interbrew began to close breweries in Belgium to concentrate production at Leuven and Jupille, Pierre decided to retire at 65, selling the company to the Belgian giant.

But that wasn't the end of the story. American interest in Hoegaarden prompted him to build a brewery in Austin, Texas. Celis White was an overnight success and sales boomed. But Pierre found that his American backers wanted a quick return on their investment and, in order to buy them out, he signed another Faustian pact, this time with Miller, America's second-biggest brewer.

"I'd been brewing 22,000 barrels a year," he says, "but that rapidly fell to 15,000 barrels when Miller arrived. They spent a fortune on administration and we lost money and production. They cheapened the beer and cut out imported Czech hops."

Pierre sold his share of the company and came home to the family house in Hoegaarden with his wife Juliette. Miller eventually closed the Austin brewery and now Pierre finds that InBev, the successor to Interbrew and the world's biggest brewer, plans to close the Hoegaarden plant in October.

Now for the rest of the story....

In 1995, the Coors Brewing Company launched a Belgium Wit called Blue Moon.
In 2002, Miller Brewing sold the recipe and naming rights for the Celis brand to the Michigan Brewing Company.
In 2007, Miller Brewing reunited with a Wit brand when the company merged with Coors.
In 2009, InBev, the successor to Interbrew merged with Anheuser-Busch opening the U.S. market to Hoegaarden beer.

Yes, the two leading mass produced beer companies in the U.S. now offer a Wit from their global portfolio.

For a Father's day cookout, I decided to sample several Wit styles which included the Michigan Brewing Company Celis White, the Port City Brewing Company Optimal Wit, the Victory Brewing Whirlwind Wit, and the Flying Dog Brewery Woody Creek White. This wasn't a blind tasting to determine a favorite - just a day to celebrate the style. Yet the Celis White seemed to have the strongest profile of the style - the wheat flavors balanced with coriander and orange peel. The most unexpected result was after 5 or 6 beers, I became fatigued with the style and craved a beer with a hoppier finish. Variety in style does matter - at least for this palette.

But as summer moves along, grab a Wit, and raise a toast to Pierre Celis - a modern day pioneer.

Eastern Winegrowers Face Weird Weather via Wines & Vines

2011-06-20T13:38:00.003-04:00

Here is an interesting story from Wines & Vines on how Eastern Winegrowers Face Weird Weather. Blamed on La Niña, this weather pattern has made many eastern vineyards susceptible to disease such as phomopsis, anthracnose, and powdery mildew. Early botrytis is also a concern. For those attending the 2011 Wine Bloggers Conference, this is a clear illustration of the difficulties encountered annually by Eastern growers as opposed to their Western counterparts, who may not get much annual variations in weather conditions.

WBC11 Preview: East Coast Wineries on MyJoogTV

2011-06-15T05:00:00.000-04:00

For our third installment of our preview of the 2011 Wine Bloggers Conference (July 22-24 in Charlottesville Virginia) we invite readers to watch the three episodes of MyJoogTV featuring East Coast Wineries. These episodes feature Adams County Winery (Orrtanna, Pennsylvania), Black Ankle Vineyards (Mt. Airy, Maryland) , and Tarara Vineyard & Winery (Leesburg, Virginia).

Previous Previews:
WBC11 Preview: The Foreign Invasion
WBC11 Preview: Reno Walsh of Zephyr Adventures

MyJoogTV Episode 1: Cadillac Sky at Tarara Vineyard & Winery

MyJoogTV Episode 3: Uncle Dave Huber @ Black Ankle Vineyards

MyJoogTV Episode 5: Skyla Burrell Blues Band at Adams County Winery

2011 SAVOR: An American Craft Beer & Food Experience

2011-06-13T07:12:00.018-04:00

SAVOR, what an experience. Great beer, food, personalities.... Below is a list of links that will provide photos and commentary on the event, but for a musical odyssey and comments from the brewer's themselves, take a look at the video below. The music is provided by Larry Keel & Natural Bridge. "Bohemian Reel" - dedicated to one of our new favorites: Bohemian Brewery.

WineCompass Photos
DCBeer
CraftBeerRadio
Richmond Beermeister
Road Trips for Beer
Brewbound
Dallas Beer Snobs
DCFüd
On Beer and Brewing

Virginia Welcomes the 2011 Wine Bloggers Conference

2011-06-10T05:00:00.001-04:00

Virginia Wine TV has produced a short video featuring all the Virginia wineries in anticipation for the 2011 Wine Bloggers Conference (July 22-24 in Charlottesville Virginia).