Deep Creek Cellars

On Saturday, May 19th, I decided to avoid the crowds congregating in Front Royal and Columbia and venture out to Maryland’s most western winery, Deep Creek Cellars. Located on the extreme panhandle, the winery is minutes from West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Deep Creek Lake, the later which drives most traffic to the winery from its spring through autumn visitors. Deep Creek Cellars is owned and operated by Paul Roberts, who started the first vineyard in Garrett County in 1997, by planting Cabernet Franc and Vidal grapes. He also helps manage a second Garrett County vineyard grow Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay and Vidal. Mr. Roberts first started making home wine in the early 1990s after planting Cynthiana grapes in a leased plot in western Pennsylvania. He started from scratch, researching not only how to grow grapes, but how to operate a tractor, post a trellis, etc. After a few years making home wine, he searched for land to purchase to establish his own vineyard\winery. The result - Deep Creek Cellars. Over years, the winery has slowly gained a strong following and reputation and recently Baltimore Magazine selected it as the best Maryland winery. And now several Baltimore retail outlets carry large quantities of their wines.

Mr. Roberts is not only a self-taught expert on wine-making and grape growing, but he is also a self taught expert on grape varietals. This is evident from reading his blog and his book, From This Hill, My Hand, Cynthiana's Wine. Published in 1999, the book describes his early experiences growing wine – up to - the creation of Deep Creek Cellars.

Deep Creek Cellars offers two white wines, the Seyval-Chardonnay based Yellow Jacket White and the White Linen Reserve. Of the two, I preferred the later, which is a blend of estate & northern Virginia Vidal Blanc, southeastern Pennsylvania Seyval, and estate & California Chardonnay: three grapes from four appellations. The wine is dry, with a slight earthy flavor, the body and texture of a chardonnay and the slightly sweet-spiciness of a Vidal. This is a great blend, each grape complimenting the wine but not dominating it. On the other hand, while finishing the tasting, a patron entered specifically to purchase the Yellow Jacket White, describing it as her favorite wine.

For reds, Deep Creek Cellars offers three very good, dry wines. The Artisan Red is your everyday value wine. It is predominately Grenache and Carignan, lightly oaked, and unfiltered. It is very fruit forward with berry flavors with a smooth finish. Priced at less than 10 dollars, this is a bargain. The next wine is the winery’s best seller and my favorite, the Watershed Red Reserve. Made from Cabernet France and small amounts of Zinfandel and Petit Verdot, this wine is a home run. The aromas are amazing, often I didn’t bother sipping, and I just wanted to smell the wine. Once I did try the wine, it was great; full-bodied and dry, yet soft and smooth. It has a fruit forward cherry flavor and a smooth, slightly vanilla-ish finish. Excellent. The next red was the Ursa Major, and equal blend of Virginia Cynthiana, California Zinfandel, and California Grenache. Mr. Roberts prefers blending Cynthiana instead of making a vintage Cynthiana wine, so he chose to use two American classic grapes with the Grenache. This blend is very interesting; bold cherry flavors with a spicy finish. As much as I love each of these grape varieties, I somehow think it’s overshadowed by the Watershed Red Reserve. Finally, Mr. Roberts offered me a glass of his upcoming Cabernet Franc Rose, which he plans to bottle this summer. The wine is an excellent dry rose; dry, but soft and refreshing. This wine will be versatile, drinkable alone or with a meal. Look for it this summer.

The only downside to visiting Deep Creek Cellars is the distance, 2-3 hours from the Washington metro area. Once you reach western Maryland, there are plenty of other attractions from historic Cumberland, to Deep Creek Lake and the Youghiogheny River. Or, you could continue into West Virginia….

Today’s Bordeaux

On Thursday, May 10th, we participated in the Bordeaux Wine Bureau’s second annual Today’s Bordeaux tasting of 100 “classic, contemporary, affordable wines”. This was a trade-only tasting designed to introduce distributors, retailers, and wine writers to 100 of the best Bordeaux wines that retail for less than $25. An independent jury selected the wines from over 300 wines entered. In addition, several of the winemakers were present to represent their wines and the region on behalf of the Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux (CIVB).

Before attending this event, we were familiar with the high priced Bordeaux red wines that are often featured in Wine Spectator and other sources. We were a little skeptical that there were even Bordeaux wines available for less then $25. Were we ever wrong. In fact 80% of the wines produced in Bordeaux fall within this price range. Not only were the wines fantastic, but the majority were less than $15. Complete bargains - particularly when locally produced wines now cost more than $20. It was also fascinating listening to the winemakers discuss Bordeaux – the terrior: from the appellations to how elevation and location affects not only which grapes to grow, but what percentages to use in the blend. Fascinating stuff.

The white wines were blends of Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon, and sometimes Muscadelle. This grape has a similar aroma as the Muscat family of grapes, but is unrelated. And this aroma led us to prefer the blends with higher percentages of Muscadelle. Our favorite was the Chateau Lamothe De Haux 2006 – a blend of 40% Sémillon, 40% Sauvignon Blanc, and 20% Muscadelle from the Bordeaux appellation. The winemaker, Damien Chombart, explained that the Muscadelle is used for its excellent aroma, but it is a very fragile grape – prone to noble rot. The finished wine has flavors of kiwi and grapefruit. This wine retails between $12 and $14. Another white that we enjoyed was the Chateau Villa Bel-Air Blanc 2004 ($20), a blend of 45% Sémillon, 40% Sauvignon Blanc, and 5% Muscadelle. The best non-Muscadelle blends were the Saint Savin 2005 (60% Sémillon - 40% Sauvignon Blanc); the La Vigne D’Argent 2005 (75% Sauvignon Blanc - 25% Sémillon); and the Vieux Chateaux Gaubert 2005 (50% Sauvignon Blanc - 50% Sémillon). Fortunately, there was also dessert wine, an incredible Sauternes – the Castelnau de Suduiraut 2003 (90% Sémillon -10% Sauvignon Blanc). This wine just melted in your mouth and at $20 it is more affordable than ice wines or many late harvest wines.

The red wines were either vintage Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, or a blend of the three. In a few cases, a small percent of Petit Verdot or Malbec were added to the blend. Our favorite was the Chateau Taffard 2005, a 50-50 blend of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon from the Médoc appellation. Chateau Tafford has been operating for 163 years and ages this wine in stainless steel. The result: a full-bodied, dry wine, but the low tannins provide a long soft finish – very smooth. And at $12-$14, this is a bargain. Another excellent wine that is aged in stainless steel was the Roc de Jean Lys 2005 and blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc. Aging in steel allows the grapes to speak for themselves; this wine is full of berry flavors and a balanced smooth finish. And its only $15. Another great wine was the Chateau Robin 2003 a blend of 60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Cabernet Franc from the Cotes de Castillon appellation. This wine is aged one year in oak and is a balanced full-bodied wine. Jerome Caille, the wine maker, informed us that his goal is to produce a drinkable wine with low sulfates. If the wine is made carefully with quality fruit, sulfites are unnecessary.

Although I’d like to discuss all the wines, the last I must mention was the 2005 FreeRange Red Bordeaux another 60% Merlot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Cabernet Franc blend. Produced by the JuiceBox Wine Company, the Red Bordeaux is one of seven Bordeaux wines available, by; yes; a 3-liter box. First, the wine is excellent; otherwise it would not have been selected to participate in the tasting. Second, it is incredibly affordable – priced at $27 a box – this converts to $6.75 a bottle. Finally, the process is simple. Eric Delong, a fifth generation Bordeaux winemaker searches the area for outstanding wines from small producers. The wines are blended and packaged in France, then shipped to the states. We will have several available at our next family cookout.

We left the Today’s Bordeaux tasting completely infatuated with the wines and winemakers. Bordeaux is not the home of stuffy, high priced wines; but friendly and affordable ones. We strongly recommend visiting the Bordeaux Wine Bureau and trying one of the 100.

Wine 101 - Blanc Du Bois

Traditionally, grapes are cultivated in each region based on geographic conditions, and not necessarily on which wine is is most popular in the market. In this regard, American winemakers in the southeast and Gulf states have been limited in the grapes that they can cultivate because the humid conditions of their terrior promote the development of Pierce's disease. Vitis Viniferia grapes are particularly susceptible to this disease, in which bacteria attacks the "water conducting" elements of the vines (xylem). Thus wine growers in this region were primarily dependent on growing native Muscadine grapes, which were mostly resistant to the disease. Researchers at the University of Florida’s Leesburg Research Station, began a program to create a new grape that was fully resistant to Pierce's disease. Led by Dr. John Mortenson, in 1968, the team was able to develop a complex hybrid grape from crossing a Florida-developed muscadine hybrid with the Cardinal (a Vinifera hybrid) table grape. They called this new white grape Blanc Du Bois, and claimed that is was completely resistant to the destructive disease. For the past two decades, southern winemakers have validated this claim by producing dry, fruity Blanc Du Bois wines, many which have won medals in international competitions. Although Florida was it's original birthplace, this grape has flourished in other humid regions in the United States, particularly in Texas.

One Texas winery, Haak Vineyards & Winery, was one of the first wineries in the country to cultivate Blanc du Bois. In the early 1970’s Raymand Haak contacted the University in Florida after reading about their efforts to create a grape resistant to Pierce's Disease. He ordered a few Blanc du Bois vines and began experimenting with the grapes he grew. He believed that it had great potential to produce premium wines and encouraged other local vineyards to plant the variety. His foresight has proven correct since his winery has produced numerous medal winning dry and off-dry Blanc du Bois wines. The winery’s best wine comes from the two acres of 24 year old vines growing in his vineyard. In addition, the winery is able to purchase tons of quality Blanc du Bois grapes from commercial growers in his region. From these grapes, Haak Winery produces two distinct styles of wine. The first style is finished off-dry with 3% residual sugar. If exhibits a flavor profile similar to a nice clean crisp Riesling with flavors of peach, pear, pineapple and other tropical fruit. The second style is finished dry. It exhibits citrus flavors with grapefruit being predominant and finishing with slight hints of lemon, banana, and honey – similar to a clean crisp New Zealand style Sauvignon Blanc. However, Mr. Haak explains, “make no mistake about it, Blanc du Bois is its own grape variety and is winning loyal consumers every day”. These “loyal consumers” purchase the entire stock of each year’s vintage and even includes wine judges, who have awarded Haak Winery medals for its Blanc du Bois, since the first vintage. Among the many medals awarded in 2005, were Silver at the Indiana International Wine Competition, Bronze at the Finger Lakes International Wine Competition, and Silver and Bronze at the Texas Best Wine Competition. In addition, the dry Blanc du Bois was awarded Best of Show at the Texas Best Wine Competition. The primary hindrance that Mr. Haak experiences is the lack of name recognition that encumbers several of the varieties reported in this Vitis Labrusca section. Blanc du Bois is sold primarily through the tasting room, where the general public overwhelmingly enjoys the unique characteristics of this grape. However, he does not expect the wine buyer to purchase this wine at a retail outlet, when they probably have never heard of the fruit. He has even had name recognition problems with wine judges, where one was reported to ask “What grape is this wine made from?”

Two other Texas wineries, Los Pinos Ranch Vineyards and Tehuacana Creek Vineyards and Winery, started cultivating Blanc Du Bois after looking for a vine that is resistant to Pierce disease and as a bonus, found that this grape makes world class wine. Los Pinos Ranch is a small family-owned winery located in east Texas almost half way between Dallas and Shreveport. The winery’s philosophy is to encourage people to be adventurous in your wine tasting, and to meet this goal, they are producing three versions of Blanc Du Bois. The first is a dry white wine - similar to Viognier; the second is a semi-sweet wine in a Riesling style; and the third will be a malolactic barrel fermented dry wine that will taste like peaches. As with many non-vinifera grapes, many “wine critics/experts” have preconceived notions about what grapes and regions will produce good wine and thus give Blanc Du Bois scant notice. Jeff Sneed, the winery’s winemaker, is firmly convinced that given a blind taste test, Blanc Du Bois can compete with any “French” grape. We completely agree with Mr. Sneed when he advises, “Don’t listen to wine ‘experts’. Most people know what tastes good when they put it in their mouth.”

Tehuacana Creek Vineyards and Winery is a family owned and operated vineyard located in Waco, Texas. They are pleased to be able to produce a unique and premium white wine such as Blanc du Bois without having to produce “yet another Chardonnay”. Their Blanc du Bois is aged in stainless steel which gives the wine a crisper and livelier fruit taste which further distinguishes it from classic American whites. According to the winery, their Blanc du Bois combines the crisp fruit of a Riesling with the aromatic flavors of a Muscato and a touch of spiciness reminiscent of a Gewürtztraminer. It has also received a welcome reception from the Texan wine public by earning accolades at this year's Annual Heart of Texas Wine and Food Festival. Ulf Westblom, the winery’s Winemaker, also recommends aging the wine for several years – unlike other white wines, Blanc du Bois will further develop in the bottle.

Traveling east into Louisiana, Landry Vineyards has been cultivating Blanc Du Bois since the vineyards were first planted in 1999. Located in the town of Folsom, in St. Tammany Parish, the winery seeks to produce quality Louisiana wines that are distinctive to the region and Blanc Du Bois meets this criteria based on its resistance to Pierce disease, its tolerance to heat and its ability to produce quality wine. Landry Vineyards produces three versions of the wine: Blanc Du Bois Dry, Blanc Du Bois Oak Aged, and Blanc Du Bois Semi-Sweet. According to the winery’s tasting notes, “each version possesses clean crisp flavors of fruit including peach, pear, tropical fruit with hints of wood character and honey-suckle aromas”. Jeff Landry, the owner/winemaker, believes this grape produces a nice wine and is excited about their current success producing Blanc Du Bois.

Blanc du Bois will never receive the public exposure as Chardonnay or Riesling. But its worth a try.

Results of the 2006 Jefferson Cup Invitational

We are quite a bit behind schedule posting competition results, one of which was the 2006 Jefferson Cup. "The Jefferson Cup Invitational, a seven-year-old wine competition, is the only competition that honors the best of the best among US wineries from all of America’s wine regions. Each year we select great wines from across America. This year, at the end of the second day of tasting, December 1 st, 2006, wines from seven different states had captured top honors. Just as the event’s namesake would have it, democracy reigned at this year’s Jefferson Cup Wine Competition. The Jefferson Cup Invitational does not award golds, silvers and the like. Rather, the invited wines have all proven their excellence in competitions and tastings throughout the last year. We believe and try to publicize our belief that these are wines that are extremely deserving of the nation’s attention.

This year, out of four hundred ninety-nine chosen wines, the judges chose just over two hundred thirty-six wines to receive the “Certificate of American Merit”, which respects wines exemplary of their regions and varieties. Next the judges chose ninety wines (there was no pre-ordained number or percentage) that they believed were truly great examples. Those will receive certificates announcing them as “American Examples of Greatness”.

This year, sixty-seven wines were selected as Jefferson Cup honorees; these wines were nominated by the four judging committees to receive Jefferson Cups. Out of those sixty-seven honored wines, the judges picked nineteen wines to be awarded the Jefferson Cups. By selecting both vinifera and non-vinifera wines for the Jefferson Cup each year, the hope is to respect the diversity of American viticulture and Jefferson's own acceptance of native varieties and hybrids. For the first time, the judges chose to honor three of the Jefferson Cup nominees with a new, top award called THE JEFFERSON TROPHY." Courtesy of the 2006 Jefferson Cup.
The 2006 JEFFERSON TROPHY winners were:
White Hall Vineyards Petit Manseng 2005 Monticello
Jade Mountain La Provencale 2004 California
Stone Hill Winery Late Harvest Vignoles 2005 Missouri

The 2006 JEFFERSON CUP winners were:

For Non-Vinifera White Wine:
Augusta Winery Seyval Blanc 2005 Missouri
Chalet Debonne’ Vidal Blanc 2005 Ohio
Montelle Winery Vignoles Dry 2005 Missouri

For Vinifera Red Wine:
Trespass Vineyards Cabernet Franc 2003 St. Helena
Snoqualmie Vineyards Merlot Reserve 2003 Columbia Valley
Andrew Will Winery Syrah Annie Camarda 2002 Red Mountain/Horse Heaven Hills
Michael David Earthquake Syrah 2004 Lodi
Ridge Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Montebello 2003
Columbia Crest Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2004 Columbia Valley
Clos du Bois Marlstone 2003 Sonoma
Cosentino Winery The Poet 2003
Concannon Vineyards Petite Sirah Limited Release 2004 Central Coast
Rancho Zabaco Zinfandel Heritage Vines 2004 Sonoma County

For Non-Vinifera Red Wine:
St. Julian Vineyards Red Heron nv Michigan

For Dessert Wine:
Flat Creek Estate Moscato Blanco 2005 Texas Hill Country
St. James Winery Late Harvest Chardonel 2004 Missouri
Stone Hill Winery Cream Sherry nv Missouri
Rotta Winery Black Monukka 2003 California

Wine in the Woods Preview

The first Maryland wine festival of the year will take place May 19th and 20th in Columbia's Symphony Woods, adjacent to Merriweather Post Pavilion. Last year's festival was attended by record crowds whcih lead to long lines at the tasting tents. We recommend arriving early and once the lines form, select a few wineries that you haven't experienced before.

The following wineries will be participating at the event:
Basignani Winery, Boordy Vineyards, Cove Point Winery, Cygnus Wine Cellars, Deep Creek Cellars, Elk Run Vineyards, Fiore Winery, Frederick Cellars, Fridays Creek Winery, Linganore Wine Cellars, Little Ashby Vineyards, Loew Vineyards, Penn Oaks Winery, Solomons Island Winery, Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard, St. Michaels Winery, Tilmon's Island Winery, Woodhall Wine Cellars.

The first winery we plan to visit is Fridays Creek Winery, a new winery located in southern Maryland. We look forward to trying this winery's wide array of wines from Gewürztraminer and Riesling to Syrah and old Vine Zinfandel. Sugar Loaf Mountain is also a relatively new winery that you shouldn't miss. We will then stop by Deep Creek Cellars, the farthest winery from the Washington DC area. This is usually our only chance to taste their wines and we hope their Ursa Major (5% Cynthiana, 35% Zinfandel, 30% Grenache blend) will be available. After that, we will see which tent has the shortest lines. In the last two years Linganore Cellars and Frederick Cellars have won the Governors Cup for their Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon - so they are both worth visits. Fiore Winery makes excellent Chambourcin, Loew Vineyards Chardonnay, Basignani Winery's Marisa (Foch, Chambourcin and Chancelor), Solomons Island Winery's Marytage, and Woodhall Wine Cellars' Cabernet. Plus, Penn Oaks Winery makes several excellent whites from German grapes and all the wines from Elk Run Vineyards are worth trying. You make the call.

As for entertainment, your best bet Saturday is to see the boogie blues of the Daryl Davis Band. He learned the piano from the great Pinetop Perkins and always performs a great show. On Sunday, don't miss Charles 'Big Daddy' Stallings. Stalling's most recent hit "4x4 Woman" reached #1 @ XM Radio (Bluesville).

Besides a wide variety of craft vendors, the festival will provide wine demonstrations each day. At 1:00 pm - Yogi Barrett, Wayne Peppers and Paul Bresson of the Tasters Guild International, will guide you through the wine tasting experience. At 2:00 pm - Maryland’s White Wines will be introduced by Yogi Barrett, Wayne Peppers and Paul Bresson. At 3:00 pm - Maryland’s Red Wines will be introduced by Yogi Barrett, Wayne Peppers and Paul Bresson. And at 4:00 pm - Maryland’s Sweet and Dessert Wines will be introduced by Yogi Barrett, Wayne Peppers and Paul Bresson.

See you there.

Linden Vineyards

Over the past three years we had heard several Virginia wine enthusiasts recommend a visit to Linden Vineyards. We were told that the winery provided excellent views of the surrounding hillsides and that the wine was some of the best produced in the state. We had previously tasted their Hardscrabble Chardonnay – and were instant fans - and were eager to try their other offerings. Linden is located just off Route 66 close to Front Royal – about 40 minutes from the Beltway. Once you exit Route 66 and reach Linden the trip is an enjoyable, twisting ride among cattle and horse farms. The winery, itself, sits on a hill with awesome views of the surrounding hills. The rumors were apparently true.

Over 25 years ago, Jim Law accepted his first job as a Virginian winemaker and eventually purchased the abandoned Hardscrabble Farm on the Blue Ridge Mountains. Through the years he increased his land holding so that currently all grapes used in Linden wines are grown in the mountains surrounding the winery. These vineyards now include the original Hardscrabble Vineyard, plus the Avenius and Boisseau vineyards.

Linden Vineyards provides a free tasting of several wines and a $12 reserve tasting on the weekends. Today we skipped the reserve tasting because of time constraints and participated in tasting their 2005 Seyval, 2006 Rosé, 2005 Cabernet Franc, 2003 Claret, and 2006 Vidal-Riesling. The 2005 Seyval is a dry wine with a strong grapefruit flavor and a slightly acidic finish. The 2006 Rosé is a blend of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Merlot, made with minimal skin contact. This wine is also made dry which is a welcome change from the many sweeter Rosé styled wines on the market. The wine also has a nice berry flavor and a slightly grapefruit flavor finish. Interesting. Moving to their reds, the 2005 Cabernet Franc is outstanding. It is a full-bodied, dry wine with a cherry flavor and spicy finish. This is another example of the excellent Cabernet Franc made in Virginia. Their other red is the softer 2003 Claret, a blend of Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Petit Verdot. The wine is medium bodied with berry flavors and a completely smooth finish. Finally, the 2006 Vidal-Riesling was a bomb – that is – a mouthful of acidity and citrus that moved throughout your mouth. Here is your summer wine; slightly sweet with spicy flavors. This is the one we took home.

It was satisfying to validate the many claims we had received regarding Linden’s wines. And we enjoyed “hanging out” on their deck, talking with other patrons about Linden and the Virginia wine industry. We are looking forward to our return visit and a trip into the reserve cellar.

Wine 101 - Muscat Canelli

The first mention of wine in modern literature occurred in the Book of Genesis’s story of Noah’s Ark. After the Ark landed on Mount Ararat, one of Noah’s first acts was to plant a vineyard. The most likely grape: a Muscat. Muscat is a group of similar grape varieties (200 in all) in which the most familiar are Muscat Ottonel, Muscat of Alexandria, and Muscat Canelli. It is thought that Muscat Canelli probably originated around the Mediterranean and it spread from there. The Greeks brought cuttings with them to the Crimea, the Romans and Phoenicians took it to Europe and event the Egyptians sent cuttings as far south as present day South Africa.

Today Muscat Canelli is cultivated throughout the world; it is known as Muscat Blanc à Petits Grains (‘Muscat with small berries’) in France, Moscato di Canelli in Italy where it is used to make Asti Spumante and semi-sparkling Moscato d'Asti, Muskateller in Germany, and Muscat Lunel in Hungary. In the United States, Muscat Canelli is primarily grown on the west coast.

In Montana, Tom Campbell of Mission Mountain Winery was first introduced to the Muscat family of grapes at U. C. Davis as part of class work in their mother block of grape varieties. He was impressed with the plump sweet fragrant nature of the grapes and knew then that he had to make Muscat wines. While visiting other winery’s he determined that Muscat Canelli was his favorite Muscat varietal because of its flavor profile. And as a winemaker, he experimented with other Muscats such as Muscat of Alexander, Orange Muscat, and Muscat of Hamburg and always returned to Muscat Canelli. Currently Mission Mountain Winery offers two Muscat Canelli wines, a semi-sweet Muscat Canelli with 1.7% residual sugar, the Nouveaux Riche dessert wine with 10% residual sugar, and a Cream Sherry - Muscat Canelli fortified with brandy. For the past 21 years these wines have won medals at many national and international competitions. Since this grape is not a household name, sampling at the winery’s tasting room is the only chance people have to experience the variety; Mr. Campbell has observed that visitors generally love it or reject it.

In California, Mastantuono Winery has been producing Muscat Canelli for over two decades. Located in the Central Coast appellation, the winery is close to halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles and is the 5th oldest winery in San Luis Obispo County. Based on the owner’s Italian heritage, they take pride in their Muscat, calling it the “True Nectar of the Gods”. One of the main reasons the winery gives for producing Muscat Canelli is that it provides an important part of a balanced tasting list. Having several dessert wines is a good way to finish a wine tasting. This dessert wine displays fruity aromas with a slight taste of pears. The winery recommends pairing the wine with cheese and fruit. The only acceptance problem the winery encounters is that some Californian wine drinkers frown on sweet wine – so they ignore the dessert wines. It’s amazing to us how certain attitudes limit people’s enjoyment of some types of wine.

Farther east, in Oklahoma, Muscat Canelli has been a very successful wine for Tres Suenos Vineyards and Winery. They winery cultivates Muscat because it grows well in their climate and produces a fruity wine with honeysuckle characteristics. The winery opened 6 years ago and is located in Luther County – in the central part of the state. They produce a sweet 100% Muscat Canelli, Fiesta Blanca, which is both a Gold medal winner and their leading seller. They also blend with Riesling and Chenin Blanc to create a rose style Blush Delight.

Reston Great Grapes

On Saturday April 14th several Virginia wineries participated in the inaugural Reston Great Grapes wine festival. The day was overcast with scattered showers which, although a little nuisance, kept the crowd lighter than expected. This allowed attendees to sample wines without waiting in long lines – the usual case at these events. The organizers of Great Grapes arranged quality musical acts that performed throughout the day. The Martha Bassett Band was a real surprise and the Kelly Bell Band, although late, gave their usual outstanding performance. This year we started a new policy, where we only taste only one type of wine at these festivals. In the past, many of the wines seemed to blend together and it was difficult to appraise a wine after going from dry->sweet or white->red for each winery.

Today we decided upon dry reds (once again) and there were many excellent offerings. The first tent we visited was for Cave Ridge Vineyard, a new winery located near Woodstock in the Shenandoah Valley. At today’s event they were pouring a Riesling, Viognier, Traminette, and luckily, one red wine: Chambourcin. This is a dry medium bodied wine with nice cherry flavors; light tannins provide a smooth finish. A good start to the day. Next we proceeded to Veramar’s tent, hoping beyond expectations that their Norton would be available. Nope. Instead, they were pouring their Chianti-style Rooster Red and a new release, Red Chicken. I’ll have to contact the winery to determine what grapes produced the wine, but this was another nice medium bodied wine – full of berry flavors and a slight spicy finish. At $14, this is a reasonably priced wine.

From Veramar, we moved to the upper level and found the star of the day, Lake Anna Winery. Located in Spotsylvania County, a few miles away from Lake Anna, the winery has been operating for over twenty years making wine primarily from traditional vinifera grapes. We were informed by Will, one of their charismatic volunteers, that Lake Anna either grows all their grapes or sources from surrounding vineyards. And in most cases, these vineyards grow solely for Lake Anna. Today we tasted their Spotsylvania Claret, Totally Red, 2003 Merlot, and 2003 Cabernet Franc. Each of these wines was awarded medals at the 2006 Virginia Governor’s Cup competition, with the Spotsylvania Claret winning a Gold medal. This wine is a blend of Cabernet Franc, Tannat, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chambourcin, Touriga, and Petite Verdot. It is made slightly dry with a little acidity at the finish and is the winery’s most popular wine. The Totally Red is similar (Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Tannat, Touriga, and Chambourcin) - a littler drier and fuller. The Merlot and Cabernet Franc were even drier and fuller, both had strong berry flavors and smooth finishes. Of the two, I preferred the Cab Franc; this is an excellent wine and if not for Horton’s Tannat, my favorite of the festival. We decided to setup camp next to Lake Anna’s tent on a hill overlooking the lower section and stage. Throughout the day we couldn’t notice that the largest crowds surrounded Lake Anna’s tent. Was it the perfect location or good wine? Probably a little of both, but we returned for the wines.

After watching the Martha Bassett Band perform their last few songs, we moved on to the rest of the wineries encamped on the upper level. We liked North Mountain Vineyard’s Chambourcin which is a full-bodied red which won a Silver medal at the 2006 Virginia Governor’s Cup competition. We didn’t stay long, attracted by the thought of tasting Horton Vineyard’s wines in the next tent. Horton was pouring a few red wines, and we overlooked their Norton (see a description of this wine in the Wine 101 section) in order to concentrate on their Cabernet Franc and Tannat. The Cabernet Franc is a gold medal wine, with a full cherry flavor and slightly spicy finish. It was very comparable to Lake Anna’s version. The Tannat was amazing. It is as dry as the Cab Franc, but with a much spicier finish. It also has a uniqueness that you won’t find in the standard Virginian red wine. It wasn’t until I was home and researched the wine did I find that it is a star. In the 2006 Virginia Governor’s Cup competition, it was not only awarded a Gold medal, but it won the Best of Red award; i.e. in 2006 it is considered Virginia’s best red wine. No kidding. We also tried Horton’s port offerings since it’s hard to resist dessert wines, and at least they were red. We preferred the Jamestown Commerative Courage port styled wine, a blend of Tourica Nacional, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot. It is full bodied and seems to have more flavor than their Vintage Port.

We decided to have a little fun and try our luck at Peaks of Otter Winery, which specializes in fruit wine and other interesting concoctions. We started with our favorite, the slightly sweet Plumlicous. We were then talked into trying the “Chili Dawg” - 97% apple 3% chili pepper wine, plus a shot of cheese wiz. Then, peer pressure forced us to “Kiss the Devil” or in order words, try their super hot – pepper wine made from 30 varieties of peppers. I needed a chaser of the Mountain Grape sweet concord to wash away the burn. It was readily apparent that Peaks of Otter is a fun group to hang with.

Before settling in to watch the Kelly Bell Band, we stopped to try Le Mousseux, a sparkling Virginia cider from La Provençale Cellars. The cider is a blend of several types of apples including Macintosh, Jonathan, and Granny Smith. Not only is the cider awesome, but is a great idea to provide a non-alcoholic beverage so that children can feel like they are participating in the tasting. We hope to see Le Mousseux offered at future festivals.

In sum, despite the weather this was a great event. Not only were there excellent wines, food and music, but it was located minutes from our back door. Hopefully the low turnout will not discourage the organizers from producing a similar event next year.

Warm Lake Estate

This week we received our quarterly newsletter from New York's Warm Lake Estate. This winery is located in the Niagara Escarpment, a new AVA which borders the southern coast of Lake Ontario. Warm Lake Estate produces Pinot Noir, and only Pinot Noir, from the largest pinot planting east of the Rockies. We were pleasantly surprised to read that their 2003 Pinot Noir was named "Best in Show" at the 16th Annual Boston Wine Expo. This trade event is the largest of its kind in the United States and trade representatives chose the 2003 Warm Lake Estate Pinot Noir over thousands of other wines poured at the event. Congratulations.

Wine 101 - Steuben

Grape juice with a kick. That is a common description of Steuben wine, a native hybrid labrusca. Similar to the Concord grape, Steuben produces mild, grapey, red wine with a light “foxy” feel. Created at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva, New York and released in 1947, Steuben is a cross between the Wayne and Sheridan grapes. This grape is very popular in the Eastern and Midwestern regions of the United States, and in particular: Indiana.

The Indiana wine industry was started by John James Dufour, a Swiss immigrant who immigrated to the United States after fleeing Napoleon's armies. After failing to grow vinferia grapes in Lexington, Kentucky; in the early 1800s, he took cuttings of a hybrid labrusca grape, Cape, and moved to an area in the Indiana Territory now known as Vevay. This hardy grape flourished and was the basis for the first successful wine production in the United States. For the next 15 years, Indiana was at the forefront of the U.S. wine industry, marketing “Vevay” wine to the remainder of the country. However, as quickly as the Indiana wine industry emerged, it crashed due to falling land values and agriculture prices. The focus of wine-making soon shifted to Cincinnati (see Catawba article.) From this period until Prohibition, Indiana was still the 10 largest wine producer in the country, with small family owned wineries throughout the countryside. Prohibition nearly terminated the Indiana wine industry and the industry did not revitalize until the Small Winery Act of 1971. This legislation allowed small wineries to sell directly to the public rather than strictly through distributors. With the help of the Indiana Wine Grape Council, over thirty wineries now operate in the state with the number of gallons produced increasing 15% annually.

Several Indiana wineries produce Steuben wine. French Lick Winery started growing this grape because it had trouble procuring grapes when the winery started 10 years ago. Steuben grapes were available and other wineries appeared not to want it. French Lick Winery turned this apparent outcast into a Gold winner at the Great Lakes competition by producing a fruity alternative to White Zinfandel. The 2% residual sugar balances very nicely with the high acidity in the Steuben grape. They sell most of their Steuben through the tasting room since most people have not heard of the variety, but are willing to try it within the confines of the winery. French Lick Winery recommends pairing with wine with Italian dishes and poultry, especially during the upcoming Thanksgiving season. The winery warns however, that the wine does suffer from the bottling process and requires about six months to recover. In addition, the wine’s color may change to an orange color over time, but this does not affect the wines flavor.

Another Indiana winery, Satek Winery, is located in Steuben County, Indiana. First operating as a vineyard, Satek’s Steuben grapes have won numerous awards by other wineries. In 2001, the Sateks opened their own winery and have excelled in producing vinifera and labrusca grapes. In 2005 the winery won 17 medals in the Indy International, the third largest international wine competition in the United States. Their 2003 Steuben received a Silver medal in the competition. Like French Lick Winery, Satek’s Steuben is made in the style of a white zinfandel that is a semi-sweet, fruity wine with strawberry and kiwi characteristics.

Steuben is also grown in neighboring Illinois. Vahling Vineyards has been producing Steuben for the past few years, primarily because the Vahlings liked the taste of the grape. They also feel that the Blush characteristics of their Steuben make it a good wine for the beginning wine drinker.

Farther east, Kelly Betz, the owner of Stoney Acres Winery in Nescopeck Pennsylvania, started cultivating Steuben after trying the varietal made from a winemaker friend. He enjoyed the taste and decided to add it to his winery’s selection. Apparently the winery’s customers also like the taste of this semi-sweet wine. Their version is a rose’ style wine with a "pink grapefruit” finish. Acid levels can be high at times and after a rainy growing season the color may be very pale, but in general, Stoney Acres Winery has a faithful, local following for their Steuben.

Steuben is a great alternative for those tiring of the standard White Zinfandel-Blush offerings. It’s semi-sweet and grapey characteristics compliment many meals and it’s a great porch wine. It can also make an interesting beverage when combined with sparkling wine.

Results of the 2007 Finger Lakes International Wine Competition

Thanks to the Finger Lakes Weekend Wino for alerting us that the results of the 2007 Finger Lakes International Wine Competition have been posted. The year the annual event was held March 31st and April 1st in Rochester New York. Just over 1,700 wines were submitted, representing wineries in the United States, Canada, and other other international wine producing regions. Most of the judges reside in New York, but some came as far away as France, Germany, United Kingdom, Argentina, and New Zealand.

Besides awarded traditional medals, this competition bestows a Best Ice Wine and Best Riesling award. The Best Ice Wine was given to Vignoble du Marathonien from Havelock Quebec for their 2004 Vin de Glace Vidal Ice Wine. My limited French translated the wine's description as follows. "The wine is made from 100% Vidal grapes and was harvested in December when temperatures were between -10 and -14 degrees Celsius." The wine is priced at 50 Canadian dollars. The Best Riesling was awarded, not to a New York or Germany winery, but to Washington's Chateau St. Michelle, for their 2005 Columbia Valley Horse Heaven Hills Reserve Ethos Late Harvest White Riesling. That's a mouthful in itself. According to winemaker Bob Bertheau, this is “a complex wine, the Ethos Late Harvest Riesling exudes aromas of honey, apricot and spice. The harmonious balance of sugar and natural acidity results in a smooth and viscous mouth feel and a long-lasting finish.” This wine retails for $39.99.

There were quite a few wines that were awarded Double Gold medals, in which the judges unanimously decided the wine deserved a Gold medal. The list includes:

Vignoble Clos Saint-Denis (QC), 2005 Fine Pomme de Glace Aged in Oak Casks
Cosentino Winery (CA), 2005 California The Franc
Bronco Wine Company, Napa Ridge Winery 2004 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Honeymoon Trail Winery (NY), Lake Erie Pink Catawba
Jacob's Creek Wines (AU), 2006 South Eastern Australia Chardonnay
Galen Glen Vineyard and Winery (PA), 2005 PA Stone Cellar Vidal Blanc Ice Wine
Reif Estate Winery (ON), 2004 Vidal Icewine
Royal DeMaria Winery (ON), 2003 Niagara Peninsula RDW Vineyards Vidal Icewine
Weingut Frey, 2005 Essinger Osterberg Kerner Beerenauslese
Lynfred Winery (IL), 2005 Malbec
North Lake Wines (Chile), Escudo Rojo 2003 Maipo Chile Red (55% Cab Sauv / 27% Carmenere / 8% Cab Franc / 7% Syrah)
Gallo Family Vineyards (CA), Twin Valley California Merlot
WineHaven Winery & Vineyard (MN), Minnesota Raspberry Wine
Wimbledon Wine Company (CA), Hahn Estates Winery 2005 Monterey Pinot Noir
Centarra Wine CO (NZ), Monkey Bay 2006 Hawkes Bay New Zealand Rose (70% Merlot / 17% Malbec / 7% Pinot age / 6% Syrah)
Widmer's Wine Cellars (NY), NV Widmer Solaira Cream Sherry
J. Lohr Winery (CA), 2005 Paso Robles South Ridge Syrah (80% Syrah / 10 % Petite Verdot / 5% Petite Syrah)
Jackson Wine Estates International (AU), Yangarra Estate Vineyard 2005 McLaren Vale Estate Grown Shiraz
Wild Wood Winery (CA), 2003 Syrah Gina
Wimbledon Wine Company (CA), Hahn Estates Winery 2004 Central Coast Syrah
Arbor Hill Grapery (NY), 2005 Finger lakes Classic Traminette
Rappahannock Cellars (VA), 2006 Virginia Viognier
York Mountain Winery (CA), 2005 Paso Robles Viognier

Chamarré Wines

Recently we got our hands on a few French wines distributed in the United States by OWS under the Chamarré label. According to their website, “The Other Wine & Spirits CY is a brand-driven organization dedicated to the development of wine and spirits brands. We are the sister company of OVS, the mastermind behind the Chamarré Brand concept and the creator of the unique association of the largest wine cooperative and producers in France's history.”

Made by winemaker, Renaud Rosari, Chamarré wines fall under three product lines: Grande Réserve, AOC, and Duo Varietal. Chamarré Grande Réserve wines are vertical blends of single grape varietals, picked in France’s best-producing regions. The AOC wines are a blend of traditional French AOC with the most prestigious AOC wines. And the Duo Varietal wines are a blend of two varietals typical of a French wine-producing region, in which a second varietal brings complexity, fruit and depth to the main varietal.

We tried three Chamarré wines: the Grand Reserve Pinot Noir, the AOC Jurançon, and the Duo Varietal Grenache-Shiraz. The later is a rosé-styled wine in which the Shiraz brings “freshness and structure” and the Grenache “its Mediterranean body and elegance”. This is a very dry wine, which at first we did not know how to appraise. We had been drinking many fruit forward semi-dry rosé wines and this one was completely different. After drinking one glass for three successive nights we became fascinated with this wine. The initial taste and nose are soft; I guess that is “the elegance”. However, the beauty is the finish; a long lasting, complex sensation of bubbling fruit. The finish stayed with you longer than any wine I’ve tasted.

The Jurançon wine is a blend of Petit Manseng and Gros Manseng, traditional grape varietals grown in the Jurançon region in southwest France. According to many sources, it is said that Jurançon was used to baptize King Henri IV of France. The Chamarré Jurançon is made sweet with, according to my impression, a pineapple-citrus flavor. However, we served the wine to friends, and received several different interpretations. One person compared it to a good mead wine, whereas another said, no, it just has the aroma and taste of honeysuckle. Others tasted mango, some tasted pineapple, whereas only a few tasted my original pineapple-citrus assessment. Regardless all liked the taste and were disappointed when told we only had one bottle.

Our favorite of the three was the Grand Reserve Pinot Noir. This is particularly surprising since our wine cellar is stocked with Zinfandel, Norton, Chambourcin, and high alcohol, full bodied cabs. We never joined the Pinot bandwagon; although I guess, it’s never too late. This Pinot Noir is a vertical blend of Pinot grapes grown throughout France. It is full-bodied, yet soft – not overwhelming; it compliments meals without overpowering them. The wine is aged 6 months in oak which produces a soft, smooth finish. Well done.

In sum, the Chamarré wines we tasted were very good and very different from most of the “New World” wines we had been drinking. If you have a chance we recommend trying a Chamarré wine. Just look for the butterfly.

Wine 101 - Cayuga

"Science overcomes harsh growing conditions to enable colder climates grow quality grapes." This headline describes Cayuga, a grape that was specifically designed to resist frost in the cold-climate conditions of New York’s Finger Lakes region. Developed at the Cornell University affiliated New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva, New York, Cayuga is a cross between Seyval Blanc and the native Schuyler root stock. Cayuga produces a mild and fruity wine, closely resembling a Riesling. The grape is also very versatile, capable of producing off-dry white wines, sparkling wine and, on occasion, even oak-aged table wines. The quality of the wine can be observed by the number of awards won by Cayuga in New York. In 2005, about 20 New York Cayuga wines won medals in various national competitions. Cayuga wine is successfully vinified, not only in the Finger Lakes region, but also in areas around the Great Lakes region, Canada, and even in Arkansas and Tennessee.

New York was among the first states to grow grapes and produce wine – a centuries–old tradition which serves as a foundation for today’s strong growth. Brotherhood Winery in the Hudson River Region, established in 1839, is the nation’s oldest continuously operating winery. Great Western Winery, which began in 1860 as the Hammondsport and Pleasant Valley Wine Company, became U.S. Bonded Winery No. 1 and quickly established an international reputation for sparkling wines made in the Finger Lakes. In the 1960’s and early 1970’s, several wineries began operations—but the real boom in New York wineries started with the Farm Winery Act of 1976, which essentially made it more economically feasible to own and operate a winery producing fewer than 50,000 gallons per year. Today, farm wineries may produce up to 150,000 gallons per year.

The first commercial planting of the grape was completed in 1972 by Cayuga Ridge Estate Winery along Cayuga Lake. They continue to produce quality Cayuga: in 2005 their 2002 Cayuga White, NV Cayuga and NV Cayuga Cuvee won medals in various competitions.

Swedish Hill Winery is another very successful producer of Cayuga. In 2005, their 2004 Cayuga White won a Gold medal & the Chairman's Best of Class at the Long Beach Grand Cru competition and Silver medals at the San Francisco International competition and NY Wine & Food Classic competition. This follows their 2003 Cayuga White winning Best in Class at the 2004 Los Angeles Wines of the World competition. In addition, their Blanc de Blanc (sparkling wine made from 100% Cayuga) won a Silver medal at the Tasters Guild Int'l competition and at the San Francisco Intl competition, as well as Bronze medal at the Long Beach Grand Cru competition. There are several reasons why Swedish Hill is very enthusiastic about this grape. One, Cayuga is resistant to disease and possesses the ability to consistently produce quality wine. Second, the grape is extremely versatile so that Swedish Hill can manufacture several types of wine other than the usual Riesling-like flavor. Finally, Cayuga wines can be produced at a very affordable price for the average consumer. These qualities enable Swedish Hill to "sell a wine that was developed in their region – for their region – at a great value for the customer".

Another New York winery, Torrey Ridge Winery, purchases their Cayuga from other vineyards but produces award winning wine: their Cayuga White is a multi-medal winner. According to owner, Esther Earle, “Cayuga is a delightful wine which most any person will find drinkable”.

In Pennsylvania, Cayuga was one of the first grapes planted by Pinnacle Ridge Winery, primarily due to its reputation for ease of growing. Since then it has become a very dependable grape and is now the backbone of their business. From Cayuga, Pinnacle Ridge produces a medium sweet table wine and an extra dry sparkling wine. Both of these wines won numerous medals in 2005. The 2004 Cayuga White won a Silver medal at the 2005 Finger Lakes Competition and a Gold medal at the 2005 Pennsylvania Wine Competition. The Blanc de Blanc sparkling wine won a Silver medal at 2005 Pennsylvania Wine Competition and a Bronze medal at the 2005 PA Farm Show. Pinnacle Ridge has found no problems gaining popular acceptance of Cayuga wine. Most of their wine is sold through tasting, so once customers try the wine, it sells itself.

Cayuga is grown as far south as Virginia and Tennessee. In Virginia, Stonewall Vineyards & Winery produces a very good version and in Tennessee, Tri-Star Vineyards & Winery's Cayuga is a Bronze medal winner. Tri-Star Vineyards began growing Cayuga after reading a description of the grape in a wine brochure. This was a wise decision, since Cayuga is now the winery’s best selling wine and they feature it as their “wedding wine”. According to the winery, “its clean, refreshing, fruit flavor sells itself”.

Cayuga is also successful vinified by our northern neighbors. Vignoble du Marathonien, a small family owned operation in Quebec, produces semi-dry Cayuga wine because of the "excellent quality of the grape". Their Cuvée Spéciale, a blend of Cayuga, Vidal Blanc, Geisenheim, and Seyval has won several quality awards and is their best seller. The main problem they encounter is finding enough Cayuga grape to satisfy the demand.

It must be satisfying for Cayuga producers to see that Cayuga has maintained a large and faithful following in such diverse areas as Canada, the Great Lakes, and Tennessee. As an alternative to Riesling, Cayuga is a great wine to enjoy on summer afternoons or with a light dinner. We look forward to trying these wines.

2006 Wines of the South Results

Recently the results of the 2006 Wines of the South competition were posted online. This competition is open to thirteen southern states from Texas to Virginia and was held at the UT Conference Center in Knoxville, Tennessee on November 11, 2006. Tennessee's Chateau Ross Vineyards & Winery was awarded the Best in Show trophy for their 2003 Big Bitch Red, a Sangiovese/Zinfandel blend. Another hometown winner was Apple Barn Winery, who won Best Fruit wine with their Apple Strawberry wine. Florida's SeaBreeze Winery was awarded Best Dessert wine for their American Port, made from muscadine grapes. And two North Carolina wineries won the Best Red and Best White wines, Childress Vineyards for their Winemakers Meritage and Biltmore Estate Winery for their Biltmore Estate Century (Muscat/Gewürztraminer/Riesling).

Several more wineries won Concordance Gold awards where the judges decided unanimously that a specific wine deserves a Gold medal:

Apple Barn Winery (TN): Apple Raspberry fruit wine
Apple Barn Winery (TN): Muscadine
Beans Creek Winery (TN): Rosey Cheeks (Vidal)
Biltmore Estate Winery (NC): Biltmore Estate House Wine (Chenin Blanc/Chardonnay)
Chateau Elan Winery (GA): Muscadine dessert wine
Chatham Hill Winery (NC): Blackberry fruit wine
Childress Vineyards (NC): 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon
Duplin Winery (NC): Hatteras Red (Muscadine)
Duplin Winery (NC): Scuppernong Blush (Muscadine)
Henscratch Farms Vineyard & Winery (FL): Carlos (Muscadine)
Post Familie Vineyards & Winery (AR): Vignoles "the Dreamer"
Shelton Vineyards (NC): 2005 Estate Chardonnay
Shelton Vineyards (NC): 2005 Riesling

Wine 101 - Elderberry Wine

"The medicine chest of the common people." This is how American Indians and early settlers described the Elderberry - one of the most common fruit-bearing shrubs in North America. Elderberries contain a considerable amount of vitamins A, B and C, as well as flavonoids, carotenoids and amino acids. Warm elderberry wine is a remedy for sore throat, influenza and induces perspiration to reverse the effects of a chill. The juice from the berries is an old fashioned cure for colds, and is also said to relieve asthma and bronchitis. In addition to these health benefits, the elderberry produces a very interesting red wine.

We became interested in Elderberry wine after a Virginia winery recommended that we try Village Winery’s Elderberry wine. Village Winery is a new winery which opened in the summer of 2005 and is located just outside the heart of the village of Waterford, a National Historic Landmark. The winery currently has 5 acres of Elderberry shrubs planted in their vineyard. The recommendation was very accurate. Village Winery’s Elderberry wine is excellent and it compares favorably to their Merlot and Cabernet Franc offerings. The wine is very intense and distinct, with only a slight sweet finish. Others seem to agree with this assessment since approximately 75% of visitors to the winery’s tasting room purchase the wine after tasting.

Also in Virginia, in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Peaks of Otter Winery produces 25 types of fruit wines, including an Elderberry-Apple wine. The winery is located on the Johnson’s Orchards - a five generation family farm, which was established in 1919. The 10 year old winery makes their Elderberry wine from owner Danny Johnson’s great grandmother’s recipe. According to Mr. Johnson, she did not have money to buy sugar so she fermented her elderberries in apple juice – a process that Peaks of Otter Winery uses today. The elderberries are harvested from wild shrubs or purchased if necessary. The Elderberry, as well as their other fruit wines, has been well received by their customers – as it sells out each year.

Traveling north into Pennsylvania, Laurel Mountain Vineyard produces Elderberry wine out of a renovated 100 year-old barn. Although their Elderberry wine has unique flavor, John Nordberg, the winemaker, believes the wine has some characteristics of Cabernet Sauvignon. Residents of central Pennsylvania are very familiar with the Elderberry fruit from making or consuming elderberry jams and pies. Thus, the acceptance of Elderberry wine was not difficult.
In Hammondsport, New York, Chateau Renaissance Wine Cellars is known for producing Méthode Champenoise sparkling wines handcrafted using a 500 year-old family recipe. The winery also makes several fruit wines to accompany their grape and sparkling wines. According to Patrice DeMay, the owner-winemaker, the Elderberry wine happens to be one of the most popular fruit wines they produce. They produce 120 cases a year which sells out quickly because, as Mr. DeMay states, “The wine is an extremely good seller. The taste is wonderful.”

Close by, in New York’s Finger Lakes region, Cascata Winery produces a sweet dessert Elderberry wine. Cascata is a small boutique winery that, in addition to making quality wines, hosts a bed and breakfast in an old historic house built in the mid 1800's. The winery began making Elderberry wine because of the previously mentioned health benefits and their property contains an abundance of old Elderberry trees. The wine is fermented with fresh elderberries and then blended with another grape to mellow out the flavor. The current vintage was blended with Baco Noir. The winery recommends drinking the wine as an after dinner treat or on ice cream or other desserts. Cascata sells the wine directly from their wine shop and since elderberry is very familiar to the New York population, the wine sells nicely.

Continuing northwest to Woodstock Ontario, Birtch Farms Estate Winery began producing elderberry wine in 2002, primarily because the winery is licensed to only produce fruit wine and the Elderberry fruit grows nicely in Ontario. Their Elderberry is a rich fruit full bodied wine which has won two Gold medals in competitions. Although some “wine snobs” refuse to try fruit wines, in the short span of three years, this wine has won a loyal, regular clientele that has embraced Elderberry and other fruit wines. Because of the wine’s high acidity and fruitiness, Dyann Birtch recommends pairing the wine with cheese or serve as a dinner wine.

Out west, in Idaho, Camas Prairie Winery began producing wine from elderberries after have difficulty one year procuring huckleberries. The winery always has one wild berry wine available to its customers and elderberry was an excellent alternative. The winery is Idaho's oldest independent winery having been established in 1983 as a hobby and home wine making operation. Camas Prairie Winery’s Elderberry wine is a sweet dessert wine gathered from wild elderberries. Apparently this wine is quite good since it won a Bronze medal at the 2005 L.A. Fair.

Cubanisimo Vineyards - South Beach Wine and Food Festival

Cubanisimo Vineyards kindly mentioned our presence at the South Beach Wine and Food Festival on their Cubanisimo Blog. If you get a chance, seek out their Pinot - you won't be disappointed. We look forward to visiting them again at next year's festival.

Great Grapes Preview - Reston Virginia

On Saturday April 14th, several Virginia wineries will be pouring their wines at the Reston Town Center as part of the first Great Grapes festival of 2007. Throughout the year, the organizers of Great Grapes at uncorkthefun.com host several festivals in the mid-Atlantic region. The Reston event is the only Great Grapes festival held in Virginia and runs from 11am-7pm. Onsite tickets cost $25, whereas $20 advanced tickets can be purchased at uncorkthefun.com or by phone 800-830-3976.

The participating wineries create a good representation of the various types of wines made within the state. There will be award winning vinifera wines, excellent Chambourcin and other hybrid wines, fruit wines, and hopefully several types of Norton. The participating Virginia wineries are North Mountain Winery & Vineyards, Rebec Vineyards, Horton Vineyards, Veramar Vineyard, Lake Anna Winery, Rockbridge Vineyards, Stone Mountain Vineyards, Peaks of Otter Winery, Cave Ridge Winery, and Williamsburg Winery. There will also be one out of state winery, Thistle Meadow Winery, from Laurel Springs North Carolina. In addition to wine, several entertainers will be performing throughout the day. Make sure you don't miss the phat blues sound of The Kelly Bell Band - they play from 1:15-3:00. We will be in the front row.

Wine 101 - Muscadine Wine

Muscadine or Vitis rotundifolia is often considered “America’s First Grape” and was consumed by the earliest explorers and settlers. In 1840, North Carolina was the largest wine producing state in the Union and the best selling wine before Prohibition was a muscadine blend called “Virginia Dare”. Today the grape flourishes in the southeast United States, where several types of muscadine are grown: Scuppernong, Carlos, Magnolia and Noble. Muscadine wine can be made either sweet as a dessert wine or sometimes dry.

North Carolina is still the largest producer of muscadine wine and state organizations encourage its production from the North Carolina Grape Council to the North Carolina Muscadine Grape Association. The North Carolina State Fair even has a separate entry for Best Muscadine wine which was won by Old North State Winery’s Starlight White in 2004.

Hinnant Family Vineyards & Winery is the largest muscadine vineyard in North Carolina. The Hinnant family started growing muscadine grapes because of the tremendous health affects noted above. They currently produce 5,000 cases of muscadine wine annually from dry Noble and Carlos to their Muscadine Blush and sweet Tarheel Red. Their wines have won awards through out competitions in the southeast as well as the New York Finger Lakes International Competition. In addition to the muscadine wine, the winery produces thousands of gallons of muscadine juice which is sold to grocery stores. Whereas their sweet muscadine wines have gained customer acceptance in the southeast, Hinnant Family Vineyards is working to convince the wine public that their dry muscadine wines are good alternatives to the more familiar dry red wines. They are looking forward to the day when muscadine wines become a household name.

There are also several muscadine producers distributed throughout South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, Louisiana, Tennessee, and even Texas. One of our favorite wineries, South Carolina’s La Belle Amie Vineyard, provides several opportunities each year to sample their muscadine wine by hosting themed festivals. In Florida, the muscadine grape grows with a slightly thicker skin then its northern neighbors, which produces a slightly sweeter grape. Florida wineries take advantage of this anomaly by creating sweeter versions of muscadine wine. Rosa Fiorelli Winery & Vineyard’s Red Muscatine Dessert is a Gold winning dessert wine and San Sebastian Winery fortifies muscadine to produce an excellent port.

During our Compass Tours we have visited several wineries that specialize in muscadine wine and have become enthusiastic supporters of the grape. In addition to the discussed health benefits we believe muscadine wine should have a spot in your wine cellar.

Frederick Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon 2001

Recently we were able to visit the newly opened Maryland winery, Frederick Cellars. Just before opening, the winery was able to purchase Catoctin Vineyards and hire Robert Lyons as their new winemaker. This was a major coup since Mr. Lyons is noted as being perhaps Maryland's best winemaker. He produced several award winning wines under the Catoctin label - including the 2004 Governors Cup for his 1999 Cabernet Sauvignon. Now, two years later, Lyons and Frederick Cellars repeated this feat with the 2006 Governors Cup for their 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon. Made from grapes grown in the Mountain Creek Vineyards in the Catoctin AVA, this is a full bodied wine with a slight peppery finish. But why the award? The wine's complexity; balance; I don't know. Maybe because this wine has character – a tangible that can’t be described accurately but makes this an excellent wine. The downside; this wine isn't cheap - at least for Maryland wines. Priced at $30, the benefit of being a cup winner has definitely been factored into the price. We thought it worth the price; but you make the call.

Carlson Vineyards - Palisade, Colorado

For quite some time, we've wanted to review one of Carlson Vineyard's wines, but just couldn't decide which one. So instead, we decided to select a few of our favorites from this Grand Valley winery. The Grand Valley is noted for its bountiful fruit production so it’s no surprise that Carlson Vineyards makes several excellent fruit wines. Their Cherry Wine is our favorite and we usually purchase 5 bottles a time – the maximum that Virginia allows for a single shipment. This wine is made from 100% Montmorency Pie cherries and is sweet and tart – sweet up front and tart at the finish. We drink it mixed with seltzer or sometimes as Carlson recommends, in a glass laced with chocolate. They call it “chocolate cherry pie without the crust”.

For white wines, our favorite is their Laughing Cat Riesling. In our trip to the Grand Valley, we were surprised to find that the local Rieslings were very similar to those made in New York’s Finger Lakes. Not surprisingly, Carlson’s 2003 Riesling was the 2004 Riesling Champion at the 2004 International Eastern Wine Competition. Their latest vintage is a semi-sweet wine full of apricot flavor. The finish is nicely acidic and tart which is a perfect balance to the fruit.

Finally, we can’t forget their T-Red Lemberger. This wine is made from 100% Coloradan grown Lemberger grapes and is made with a light body from aging just lightly in oak. This process creates a full berry flavor, with a surprising spicy finish – reminiscent of a Syrah. The low tannins also provide a very smooth finish.

Wine 101 - Lemberger/Blaufränkisch/Kékfrankos

Blaufränkisch, Limberger, Kékfrankos, Franconia, Blauer Limberger, Lemberger. Six distinct grapes? No, each is a synonym for the same grape - thought to be related to the Gamay - that produces dry, medium bodied, fruity, red wines. Called Lemberger in many parts of the U.S. (so that it is not associated with the Limberger cheese), this grape is known as Limberger in Germany, Blaufränkisch in Austria, and Kékfrankos in Hungary. Preferring a warmer environment, Lemberger thrives in Burgenland in Austria and around Sopron in Hungary. According to historians, the wine was very popular with both Napoleon Bonaparte and Otto von Bismarck.

In the United States, this grape is vinified primarily in New York and Washington State. Large scale wine making is relatively a recent phenomenon in Washington. Initially European immigrants planted the first vines in the early 1880’s, but it wasn’t until irrigation projects were able to capture the runoff from the melting snowcaps of the Cascade Mountains did wine production expand. The first commercial-scale plantings began in the 1960’s. Since then, the Washington wine industry exploded, where there is currently close to 300 operating wineries, producing award-winning Cabernets and Merlots.

According to Dr. Jim Harbertson, Washington State University Extension Enologist, Lemberger first came to North America in British Columbia and plantings were established in Washington in 1941. The first commercial wines from Lemberger were produced in Washington in 1980. Today only about a dozen Washington wineries produce Lemberger, but the strong aroma of black cherry and just a hint of spiciness make this brilliantly colored wine one of the Northwest's best kept secrets. According to Micheal Cavett of FairWinds Winery, “Lemberger could become to Washington what Pinto Noir is to Oregon”.

FairWinds Winery is a small winery located in Port Townsend, Washington, which is owned and operated by a former Coast Guard couple, Micheal and Judy Cavett. While producing the more mainstream Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot varietals, the winery is in the forefront in producing lesser known wines such as Aligote and Lemberger. FairWinds began making Lemberger wine because they did not want to limit themselves to the standard Cabernet/Chardonnay/Merlot combinations that most tasting rooms offer. They wanted people to be able to experience different wines and decided upon Lemberger as an alternative red. Mr. Cavett believes that Lemberger is an extremely versatile wine that goes with everything from Salmon to pasta to hearty red meat dishes. Even though the general public has been slow to warm to this wine, their Lemberger has been praised by wine connoisseurs, with their 2002 vintage winning a Gold medal at the Central Washington State Fair and double Gold in a judging held by Wine Press Northwest. Sadly, Mr. Cavett sees the name itself as a hindrance to wider acceptance. “I can't imagine anyone who is not familiar with the wine picking up a bottle at their store. Who in their right mind would buy a wine named Lemberger?”

Another Washington winery that has been successful with Lemberger is Olympic Cellars. The winery opened in 1979 as Neuharth Winery and was one of the first 15 commercial vineyards opened in Washington and the first on the Olympic Peninsula. With the passing of Mr. Neuharth in the early 1990’s, the winery changed names to Olympic Cellars and was purchased by Kathy Charlton in 1999. Ms. Charlton continued making the "Dungeness Red" - Lemberger and considers it their Heritage Brand and makes the legacy Rose Lemberger in their Working Girl series. Both wines have won the current and previous owners many awards since the varietals were first released in the early 80s. The Dungeness Red has is very special to the current owners because they won their first Gold Medal with the 2001 vintage and the current 2003 vintage took Gold at the Central Washington State Competition and Silver at the 2005 Dallas Morning News Wine Competition. Olympic Cellars purchases the Lemberger grapes from Champoux Vineyards, which is renowned in Washington for their Lemberger grapes. Olympic Cellars sells Lemberger not only because of its heritage in the winery’s history, but also because they like offering less well known wines to their customers. Lemberger is a great choice because its Beaujolais style is appealing to "white wine" drinkers; it has low tannins, a soft finish and great fruit on the nose and finish. They have even noticed that the cherry finish is noticed even by the novice wine taster. As with other wineries selling Lemberger, Olympic Cellars must first explain to first time visitors that the wine has nothing to do with the cheese, but after describing the grape and wine, most visitors leave with at least one bottle. Ms. Charlton recommends chilling the wine for about 10-15 minutes to enhance the flavor (especially in the summertime) and pairs the wine with most "everyday" meals such as pasta, food off the grill and even fish. The wine can also be served after dinner because Ms. Charlton also strongly recommends drinking the wine with chocolate. Lemberger is an important component of Olympic Cellars wine selection and the winery believes that it may become the next “grape of fashion".

In Colorado, Cottonwood Cellars had been growing Lemberger for many years. The winery opened in 1994 and chose Lemberger initially because of its cold hardiness; it needed to survive annually with our 5600' altitude and cold climate. This is their 6th vintage and they have never lost a complete crop. Cottonwood Cellars also says that Lemberger vines are very happy in Colorado at the higher altitudes and where the days are warm, but not hot, and the nights are cool. “Happy vines produce great wines.” And Cottonwood has produced great Lemberger wines. Their version has a deep raspberry color and lovely fruit flavors and is recommended with most food, especially pork. Each vintage always sells out and the 2003 Cottonwood Cellars Lemberger was awarded a Bronze medal at the 2005 San Francisco International Wine Competition and their 1999 vintage received a Certificate of American Merit from the 2000 Jefferson Davis Invitational. Once again, name recognition seems to be the only hindrance.

In New York State, Lemberger is usually referred to as Blaufränkisch and is vinified in the Finger Lakes region and on Long Island. One Long Island winery, Channing Daughters Winery, has had considerable success growing and selling their Blaufränkisch. They sell out annually of this varietal which is noted for its dark berry fruit, spice, and meaty qualities, which matches with all sorts of game along with a variety of cheeses. In addition they blend Blaufränkisch with their Merlots and Cabernets to add color, spice and fruit. Channing Daughters does not enter contests or submit wines for awards, but the fact that their Blaufränkisch sells out annually validates the quality of this wine.

A little south in Landisville New Jersey, Bellview Winery began growing Lemberger because of its unique characteristics: cold hardiness with a relatively early ripening date. Ironically, before planting their Lemberger vines, the staff had never tasted wine made from Lemberger. They do not regret this decision since according to Lee Quarella, “the vines are growing beautifully and the fruit has been producing very nice wines for us”. What an understatement. Bellview’s Lemberger has been a consistent medal winner and their 2002 vintage was awarded a Gold medal and New Jersey’s award for Best Vinifera. Jack Tomasello from Tomasello Winery gives the greatest compliment; he decided to plant Lemberger vines after tasting this vintage and in his words “I was completely blown away by this wine! “ Mr. Quarella believes their 2004 vintage will be just as good; it possesses soft, smooth tannins, complemented by ripe red berry flavor. As with the other wineries, Bellview must get the first time taster past the standard comment, “Lemberger? You mean like the cheese? Ick.” In addition, Bellview is trying to break wine drinker’s habit of sticking to well known varietals like Chardonnay, Merlot or Cabernets. “Luckily, it is a habit people enjoy breaking when they taste something like Lemberger.”

In Michigan, Domaine Berrien Cellars started growing Lemberger because they felt that the European climate in Germany/Austria where Lemberger is grown was similar to their climate in SW Michigan (the Lake Michigan Shore viticulture area). The winery was established in 2001 and bottles wine from grapes grown completely from their vineyards. One of these wines is a vintage Lemberger that is a medium-bodied oak-aged red wine. According to the wine’s tasting notes it is “rich, toasty overtones and slightly spicy flavors with a dry finish”. The winery encounters similar questions about the wine’s name, but also notes that many customers are surprised to learn that the red wine originated in Austria and Germany. Apparently Riesling is thought to be the only wine produced in these countries – there is a lot of work ahead in order to educate the American public. Much more educated, at times, are wine officials. For the past two years, the winery’s vintage Lemberger has won numerous medals. The 2002 vintage won Gold medals at the Great Lakes Wine Competition & the Indiana International Wine Competition as well as a Silver medal at the Michigan State Wine Competition. The 2003 Lemberger won Silver medals at the Tasters Guild International Wine Competition & the Great Lakes Wine Competition and a Bronze medal at the Indiana International Wine Competition. These facts demonstrate once again that American winemakers can produce quality wine from non-traditional grapes.

Lemberger or Blaufränkisch or Kékfrankos is a wine that we believe, once tried, will become a staple in any wine collection. Thankfully, in the United States, more wineries are choosing to cultivate this grape and this wine should become available to most consumers, regardless of their geographic location. And, when tasting this wine at a winery, please don’t mention the cheese. They’ve heard that comment enough.