Afternoon in Tuscany to benefit HART

HART, Homeless Animal Rescue Team, is a no-kill animal rescue/support group that takes in and rehomes stray, abused, and unwanted dogs and cats. To raise funds for their efforts, HART is hosting "A Day In Tuscany" at Three Fox Vineyards in Delaplane, VA on July 12, 2009. 

Enjoy the beautiful property, remarkable wines, and the company of animal lovers. A $25 donation ($35 at the door) includes a tasting of 11 wines and an array of Italian-inspired food and desserts. Visit HART's website for further details and to purchase tickets. 

2009 Wine in the Woods

On May 17th I attended the 2009 Wine in the Woods festival held in Columbia Maryland. I had two motives, one to try wines produced by the half dozen and more new wineries and two, to volunteer for one of these new wineries: Terrapin Station Winery.

Terrapin Station is located just north of Elkton, close to the Delaware and Pennsylvania borders. Morris and Janet Zwick first planted grapes years ago to supply his home winemaking obsession - why use a kit. While planning to go commercial, they planted a larger vineyard in 2003 at Janet's family farm, which is now the estate vineyard for the winery. In late 2007, the first commercial wines were ready for sale. Terrapin Station Winery is unique in that proceeds from wine sales are donated to support the Diamondback Terrapin. In fact Morris and Janet Zwick bring several of these turtles to these events in order to education the public how their environment is threatened. Another negative consequence from factory farming. The other factor that makes this winery unique is that they sell their wine in 1.5 liter boxes. They skipped entirely over the closure debate (cork or twist off) and went right to the box. And this delivery vessel has its benefits. The wine stays fresher much longer after opening as compared to the traditional bottle and the box is easy to transport on boats, picnics, the beach - you name it. Plus it holds the equivalent of two bottles of wine. The downside: overcoming the stigma associated with box wines and having to constantly explain to consumers that the price is equivalent to purchasing two bottles of wine.

I started the day by helping the Zwick's setup their tent - primarily by hanging the banners. Fortunately I'm comfortable on a swaying ladder. Since my shift didn't start until 2:00, I was able to listen a little to Charles "Big Daddy" Stallings before venturing to the tasting area. The first winery I stopped at was Serpent Ridge Vineyard after reading a blog post that morning raving about their wines. The winery is located near Westminster and produces vinifera wines including an estate Vintner's Cabernet and Basilisk - both Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon blends. They were nice full bodied wines, very smooth at the tail - drinkable now. However, my favorite was their Albarino; maybe because its a variety you don't see very often.

I then hit several in row, Far Eastern Shore Winery, Legends Vineyard, Bordeleau Winery, Perigeaux Vineyards and Winery, Dove Valley Vineyard & Winery, and Mount Felix Vineyards & Winery. Far Eastern Shore Winery was interesting since they produce grape based wine, blended with fruit. I was expecting a selection of sicking sweet wines, but that wasn't the case. Even though the wines were made with about 5% residual sugar, they didn't taste that sweet. I learned that Legends Vineyard has made a home in Cal Ripkin's neighboring ballpark and even has a special brand served only at the stadium. This winery makes wine in a range of styles, but I liked their dry reds (Meritage and Cabernet Sauvignon) and their Chardonnay and Vidal Blanc. Bordeleau Winery was a nice surprise; they have two good dry reds in their Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot and a nice Chardonnay. With a few exceptions, I never really cared much for Maryland Cab, but that's slowly changing. Perigeaux Vineyards and Winery also produces a decent Cab as well as a several Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Interesting that they don't produce a Meritage blend. I also liked their semi-sweet Muscato - always a sucker for the muscat grape. When I visit Terrapin Station, a side trip to Dove Valley Vineyard & Winery will be added to the itinerary. Maybe during their Dog Days festival. They make a nice Vignoles and I liked their Dove Valley Red. The final winery I visited was Mount Felix Vineyards & Winery and I'm sure they had a good day. This winery produces mostly semi-sweet to sweet wines and of course I liked the Concord in their Annapolis Red. I guess it reminds me of my son's infancy; but there's a place for the concord and niagra grapes in my taste buds. In sum, nice wines, but they have a ways to go before reaching two of the best: Black Ankle Vineyards and Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard.

After chowing on some Jamaican cabbage and beans\rice I headed back to Terrapin Station for my scheduled shift. Since the wines are sold in boxes, they have an interesting pouring methods. The wine is first poured into a small plastic cup attached to each box, then poured into the wine glass. It took several spilt pours until I became accustomed to the routine - pour into cup, then into glass. At today's festival the winery was pouring their complete portfolio, two dry reds, a dry white and an array of semi-sweet wines. I liked the dry wines, the Vidal Blanc, Syrah, and Cecil Red (Cabernet Franc \ Syrah blend). In fact the Vidal Blanc was one of the nicest dry versions of this varietal I've tasted in a while. However, other than the other volunteers, I was practically the only one this day. It was a sweet wine crowd. The first words out of 90% of the attendees was "What do you have that's sweet?" Fortunately Terrapin Station makes wine targeted to this audience. Of the semi-sweet wines, their Traminette Reserve was my favorite. It has the aroma and spicy finish associated with its parent, Gerwurztraminer and this version was made at about 2% R.S. I made every sweet wine drinker start with this wine. Then it was the semi-sweet Vidal, the Cayuga White, and for a closer the Five Rivers Rosé. These last three were the big sellers of the day; although my lectures on the pleasing aspects of Traminette and Gerwurztraminer won over a few souls. The frustrating part of pouring was listening to, but not being able to watch jazz guitarist Carl Filipiak and the apparent apathy of the attendees. This later may be just a result of my anal obsession with grape varieties, but no one seemed to care that the Five Rivers Rosé was produced from St. Vincent and that Terrapin Station was one of the few east coast wineries to plant this grape. No one seemed to care that the Cayuga grape was developed at Cornell or the lineage of Vidal Blanc. Instead, they just wanted to see how the wine tasted; I guess I need to get back to basics.

Volunteering for Terrapin Station was a great experience. I really appreciate the planning and level of effort that the winery proprietors must undertake in order to stock a tent. I had really started to take this for granted. I encourage everyone to contact your favorite wineries to volunteer your services. My only suggestion is to schedule an early shift; breaking down a tent is much more difficult than setting it up. More photos of this event are located at the WineCompass Facebook page or at Compass Tours.

Kinkead Ridge Estate Winery

We received a press release from Kinkead Ridge Estate Winery stating that the winery plans to re-open this Memorial Weekend and it reminded us of the devastation inflicted by the 2008 Easter frost. The frost damaged vineyards from North Carolina through the Midwest into Missouri. During that weekend, Kinkead Ridge lost 90% of their white grapes. For a winery that produces wine from primarily estate grown fruit, its no surprise that they had to close the winery last summer. This press release is also a helpful reminder to support our local wineries - so, go out and drink local wine.

Full press release:

"Owners Ron Barrett and Nancy Bentley will re-open Kinkead Ridge winery to the public on Memorial Day weekend, May 23 and May 25, for the release of the 2008 white wines: Viognier/Roussanne, Revelation, Riesling and Traminette. The winery will also be open on summer Saturdays through Labor Day weekend, when Kinkead Ridge will release its 2007 red wines. The winery was closed last summer due to an Easter frost that decimated 90% of the white wine grapes. Also available is the 2006 River Village Cellars Cabernet Franc, which won a silver medal at the Finger Lakes International Wine Competition.

Kinkead Ridge recently purchased a building in downtown Ripley, with the hope of turning it into a tasting room when Ohio passes the necessary legislation. Until then, the winery will continue to welcome the public to the winery at 904 Hamburg Street, 3 blocks behind McDonalds, east of downtown. See www.KinkeadRidge.com for details.

Southern Ohio is now home to several wineries, including Harmony Hill in Bethel, and other wineries will open within the next year, including Renascent Vineyards in Georgetown."

Book Review: "California Wine for Dummies"

We recently received a copy of California Wine For Dummies and after reading it, found that it is a great resource for both novices and self proclaimed experts. Part I introduces California wines to the reader by briefly describing the history of wine making in the state, the wine regions, the grape varieties used, and how to decipher the label. These topics are worthwhile for the reader particularly during the discussion regarding the differences between "varieties" and "varietals" as well as "estate bottled"and "estate grown".

However, parts II through IV were the useful for us. Instead of focusing on the wine region, the authors focus on each grape variety and then discuss in which regions they are grown and how they differ depending upon that region. Particularly why wines made from the same grape may differ depending on the temperature variation between regions. They also list their favorite wines made from each variety as well as why wineries may blend certain grapes. Great information.

In between they offer interesting information such as Wente Vineyards Estate Winery being the first vineyard to plant Chardonnay in California and why Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon are blended. And not only do they discuss the major grapes (Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinot Noir, and Zinfandel), but they discuss other grapes such as Petite Sirah, all the Rhone varieties, the other Bordeaux grapes, Tempranillo, Tannat, and even Napa Gamay (Valdiguie). Sparkling and dessert wines are also included. It was nice to see that
Ridge Vineyards was noted a few times particularly how they blend their Zinfandel as well as our favorite Petite Sirah from Foppiano Vineyards.

This book would also serve as a nice companion on a wine touring trip to California. The authors discuss some of the towns in the major regions, suggest places to stay and wineries to visit. The final chapters actually discuss what to expect when visiting a California tasting room and special attractions and excursions.

Like we said previously, we highly recommend this book from novices to self proclaimed experts. Its also an easy read. One of us finished the book during a 2 1/2 hour plane ride and the other during a short afternoon on the beach. We will also be seeking out the earlier release: Wine For Dummies

Perigeaux Vineyards & Winery, St. Leonard, MD

Last week we received this press release that Perigeaux Vineyards & Winery is now open to the public and selling their wines:

In 2001, business partners Mark Flemming and John Behun purchased 22 acres of farmland in St. Leonard, Maryland, with the goal of establishing the first commercial vineyards in the scenic Calvert County countryside. At the time, there were fewer than 30 wineries in the state, and only five in Southern Maryland. With the help of their families and friends, these new entrepreneurs put their love of wine to good use, planting Perigeaux Vineyards & Winery's first vinifera vines in 2002. The name Perigeaux refers to the ancient walled town in the Dordogne region of Southwest France near Bordeaux. The town is famous for its pate and flocks of geese, hence the origin of the white goose on the Perigeaux label. The Dordogne region is known for its idyllic countryside and famous vin-de-pays (wine of the country.) After leaving the active duty Air Force in the early 1990s, Mark spent time at a farm winery in Tocane-St Apres near Perigeaux in the Dordogne.

Perigeaux Vineyards & Winery specializes in making hand-crafted wines in small lots, with production, fermenting, aging, and bottling all carefully supervised by John, the winemaster. All grapes used for Perigeaux's award-winning wines are grown at the St. Leonard vineyards. The winemaster's methods are in the natural vin-de-pays tradition of southwestern France, which leads the owners to take great care of the grapes, and to make the wine as authentic to the Chesapeake Bay and Calvert County areas as possible. When you taste wine from Perigeaux Vineyards & Winery, you experience the ripe fullness of the grapes and power of the sun in Southern Maryland.

Reflecting the range of the winemaster and the tastes of the region, the winery has crafted three distinct styles of wine, under three different labels. "Perigeaux Vineyards" wine is drawn from the premium signature and reserve vintages. The "Mackall Road" label was developed for wines crafted without fining and minimal filtering to be natural and authentic to the grape varietals such as Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. "Patuxent River" wines have a lighter, fresher feel and include specialty and sweeter varieties.

The 2005 harvest produced the vineyard's first vintage of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, and Cabernet Franc wines. In 2008, Perigeaux's first commercial vintage (from the 2006 harvest) was released, and the winery also added Pinot Gris and Muscato to its offerings. The winery plans to release its Zinfandel and an Italian-style blend of Montepulciano, Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon in the Fall of 2009.

All of the attention to detail and hard work recently paid off with several regional and national awards. In 2008, Perigeaux Vineyards & Winery was recognized by the American Wine Society with three bronze medals for its Cabernet Sauvignon, under all three of the vineyard's labels. The Best of Appellation tastings in Napa, California recognized the vineyard's Chardonnay and Merlot with silver medals. Also in 2008, the Maryland Governor's Cup and Winemaster's Choice Competitions resulted in silver and bronze medals for the vineyard's Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, and Merlot.

Perigeaux Vineyard & Winery, which is located off of Route 4 in St. Leonard, MD (about 45 minutes south of Washington, DC and 15 minutes north of Solomons Island), is open for visitors from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturdays and from noon-5 p.m. on Sundays, by appointment. They will be represented at several upcoming wine festivals and events: "Wine in the Woods" (May 16-17); "Great Grapes" (June 13-14), the "Maryland Wine Festival" (September 19-20), and the "Riverside Wine Festival" (October 3-4). Please visit www.Perigeaux.com or call 410-586-2710 for more information on the vineyard's wines, upcoming events, directions, or to contact the owners.

Laurel Gray Vineyards

During our drive down to Merlefest we visited our first Yadkin Valley winery: Laurel Gray Vineyards. The Yadkin Valley is situated between the Blue Ridge and Brushy Mountains and is slowly becoming an important wine producing area on the east coast. There are over 25 wineries in the valley with some being old tobacco farms converted to vineyards. This practice is not as common as we thought since most tobacco farmers who received settlement money, simply retired - why even think about the strenuous labor associated with growing grapes. However, one such converted tobacco farm was Laurel Gray Vineyards.

We selected Laurel Gray Vineyards simply because it was the closest to route 421. We learned that it resides in a new sub-appellation - Swan Creek Appellation along with five other wineries. The winery is owned and operated by Benny and Kim Myers, who first planted the vineyards in 2001 on the former dairy and tobacco farm. Interestingly Myers can trace his ancestors to when they arrived in the valley in 1773. That's 10 generations. The next generation also helps with the winery, and is who the winery is named after, Ashley Laurel and Taylor Gray. In fact Ashley is the resident grape expert having earned a M.S. in Plant Pathology and by working in Virginia as a Grape Pathology Extension Specialist.

Kim Myer met us in the tasting room and we learned that Laurel Gray specialized in French styled wines. To date the region does not have a clear specialty since the industry is so new. Some wineries specialize in Italian varieties, whereas the Myers believe that French varieties have the most potential - particularly Chardonnay. Their Chardonnay is fermented and aged in French oak for 12 months which provides a soft creamy texture. The wine possessed the nice chardonnay flavor with a slightly vanilla finish. We preferred their Viognier more since it was made in a more acidic style - plus it had a nice apricot flavor.

The winery makes several different red styles from dry and full bodied to a semi-dry summer red. We started with the Sultry a blend of Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine is aged in three different types of oak which helps produce a slightly spicy finish. I guess the Syrah would have a hand in that as well. Their Cabernet Sauvignon is produced in the same fashion, just aged slightly longer to 18 months. We liked this more than the Sultry - it was more full bodied and just seemed to have more jolt. They also produce an Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, which not surprisingly, we liked the most. The nose contained aromas of figs, the middle full bodied, while the tail was slightly tannic. A nice wine, except for the price tag. Is it worth $29? The final red wine was one of their top sellers, the Scarlet Mountain, made from traditional Bordeaux varieties. However, that's where the similarity ends. Some Chardonnay is added to the blend making this wine a little off dry - designed for summer days. We liked it and it contains the strong cherry flavors that were advertised.

The final two wines were sweet wines, starting with the Rose’ 1773, a blend of Chardonnay, Viognier and Syrah. It isn't really as sweet as advertised and has a nice strawberry flavor - the wine that compliments spicy foods. The final wine is made from 100% Niagara, the grape we came to like while visiting wineries when our son was an infant. He always wanted us to drink the same fruit that was in his white grape juice. In any case, the Nectar is really good - if you are like us and enjoy the fruity aroma and flavor of the grape. And it is not as concentrated as most dessert wines. Others were purchasing it rather quickly during our visit.

This was a nice spot to break our drive to Wilkesboro. We can see why the winery receives frequent visitors from Charlotte - its a nice location to hang out during the day. And since all the wines are sold strictly from the tasting room; that's the only method people have to purchase these wines. See you again before next year's Merlefest.

Burgundy Wine Expo - French Embassy

On Thursday April 23 we were invited to a Burgundy Wine Tasting held at the French Embassy and hosted by the Burgundy Wine Board (BIVB). As expected, the expo provided fabulous Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines as well as a nice overview of the Burgundy region. Wine has been produced in this region for over 2,000 years, which is remarkable since many the the ancient wine growing regions are no longer producing wine. We also learned about the five vignobles within Burgundy, from Chablis in the north, through Côte de Nuits to Côte de Beaune and finally to Côte Chalonnaise and Mâconnais in the south.

We started with the Pinot Noirs and we found a common trait among most of these wines in that the nose was peppery, but on the palate the wine was full cherry flavors with little or no spiciness. Not even a lot of earthiness. Maybe the winemakers are succumbing to the American palate. With over 30 exhibitors we didn't taste wine from every company or even the entire portfolio within an exhibit; with that said, of the wines we tasted, we found some keepers starting the 2005 Clos des Langres Monopole from Domaine d'Ardhuy. Evidently 2005 was an excellent vintage in Burgundy, and this wine reflects that. It is smooth and creamy even with the aforementioned peppery nose. But the tail, no tannins - completely smooth. Located in the Côte de Beaune this winery also produces an excellent Grand Cru from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Beaune was also the region that produced our other two favorites, the Domaine Chanson Pere & Fils, 2005 Clos des Feves and the creamy Bourgogne Parent, 2002 Les Epenottes. There were other outstanding reds. Starting with Maison Louis Latour, Clavelier & Fils, Domaine Tortochot, and Chateau de Melin.

In many cases the actual winemaker was pouring the wines so we were able to meet the families and learn about their history. Many of these wineries have been in the same family for over 5 or 6 generations. One overlooked benefit is that their is an immediate library of facts and history that the winemaker can resource when weather conditions make winemaking difficult. In most situations, there is a documented history to suggest alterations duing the winemaking and evidence how the wine matures in these years. This is difinately somthing missing in the states.

Because of time constraints, we did not sample many chardonnay wines. The Chateau Beru was one of our favorites, producing only whites. Another winery that just produced chardonnay was Cave de Vire. And we can't forget the Closerie des Alisiers - Stephane Brocard. We started with their red Gevrey-Chambertin, but really liked their chardonnay - particularly the 2007 Meursault.

Another benefit of this expo was the booklet of reading material we were able to take home. We will be studying this region, learning more bout its history, regions, wines, and wine-making families.

More photos are available at the Compass Tours section.

DC's Wine Country - Food & Wine Festival 2009

Our friends at the Virginia Food and Wine Foundation have just announced the dates for the first annual DC's Wine Country - Food and Wine Festival. This festival will occur during the evenings of July 10-12, 2009 at the historic Whitehall Manor in Bluemont, Virginia and will highlight the fabulous wines being produced by twenty wineries in Loudoun County. Besides the $30 general admission, there are a few dining packages available. All proceeds will benefit the Virginia Food & Wine Foundation general scholarship fund which supports culinary arts and wine studies. Attendance is limited so we recommend ordering early.

Participating wineries:

Bluemont Vineyard	Lost Creek Winery
Boxwood Winery	Loudoun Valley Vineyards
Breaux Vineyards	North Gate Vineyard
Casanel Vineyards	Quattro Goomba's Winery
Chrysalis Vineyards	Sunset Hills Vineyard
Corcoran Vineyards	Swedenburg Estate Vineyard
Dry Mill Vineyards & Winery	Tarara Winery
Fabbioli Cellars	Village Winery & Vineyards
Hidden Brook Winery	Willowcroft Farm Vineyards
Hiddencroft Vineyards	Zephaniah Farm Vineyard

Leblon Cachaça

While spending time in south Florida, we haven't drunken much wine, and as for beer, PBR and Schlitz seem to be the most satisfying while under the sun. But what we can't restock quickly enough is Leblon Cachaça. We had received a sample a few months ago and never opened under now. What a waste. This Cachaça is fine on the rocks and a perfect in a Caipirinha. Move over Mohitos.

According to their website, "Leblon, is distilled at a state-of-the-art distillery, Maison Leblon, in the fertile Minas Gerais region. Gilles Merlet, the master distiller, approaches the fermentation, distillation, and finishing of Cachaça like a fine wine. Using techniques from his native land of France, Gilles manages every detail of the creation - from the hand-selection of the cane and his proprietary fermentation approach, to the Alambique batch-distillation and light-casking, triple-filtering, and master-blending. Gilles rests the final distillate in XO Cognac casks from France, giving Leblon an extra-special touch. As a result, Leblon Cachaça has a delicate, fruity nose, combined with an ultra smooth finish."

We have tasted several excellent cachaças over the past two years and Leblon is easily the best. Don't trust our opinion? For the past 4 years, Leblon has been awarded gold medals at the 2009 San Francisco World Spirits Competition; a first for any cachaça. Now that's quality.

Creating the Perfect Wine Cellar

Guest Author, Jamie Sward

If there’s one thing that can bring a group of close friends or family together, it would be done with a bottle of wine. Seeing as how giving the gift of wine is such a popular choice around the holidays, for housewarming parties, or for casual dinners throughout the week, the idea of creating your own wine cellar with your existing collection of wine is always a great idea. Not only will you be able to properly store your bottles on a set of sturdy wine racks so that they may age over time but it will also allow you to be prepared for a last minute event at your home.

It’s important to keep in mind the temperature, amount of light, and humidity of the room you choose. Many people choose to use their basement to store their wine collection as this is one of the darkest, coolest areas of their home where dehumidifiers can be stored as well. The humidity of a wine cellar should be stay around 65-70% so as not to let the corks from drying out or cracking and this will also allow them to stay airtight in the wine bottle. Your wine cellar should stay at a constant temperature between 45-65°F and the optimal temperature for maturing wine is anywhere from 50-55°F. Wine should be in the darkest space you can find as natural light can potentially ruin the aging process and taste of the wine when you finally decide to use it.

When choosing the perfect wine rack for your collection, find a reliable model that allows the bottles to lie flat on their sides so as to keep the cork moist. Place more expensive aged wines in the back rows of the racks so as to keep them out of the way for special occasions in the future as this will provide a space for wine you plan on using soon in the front for easy access. If you don’t have a cool, dark space in the home for wine storage, you can always look into purchasing a wine cabinet that will provide proper temperature and light conditions for you. This option allows you to hold anywhere from five to a few hundred bottles of wine and can be used as a decorative piece of furniture in your formal dining room or bar area.