St. Michaels Wine & Food Festival

On Saturday, April 26th we attended perhaps the best wine festival in terms of location and presenters, the St. Michaels Wine & Food Festival. Held in the small harbor village of St. Michaels, the festival encompasses several days of wine dinners, cooking demonstrations, wine and spirits presentations, and of course, three days of tasting. The festival’s organizers are congratulated for inviting several winemakers and wine growers such as Jim Bernau from Willamette Valley Vineyards, Hank & Linda Wetzel from Alexander Valley Vineyards, and Margo Van Staaveren from Chateau St. Jean. Then there was Even Cattanach, Master Distiller Emeritus, discussing Scotch, Lynne Tolley discussing Jack Daniels, and Robert Kacher discussing Burgundy. Not to mention the dozen of chefs giving cooking demonstrations. We stumbled upon one of these demonstrations when we walked over to a local farmers market before the main tasting event. While tasting pastries, a cooking presentation broke out in the park’s small pavilion. Similar events were planned throughout the town.

The grand tasting was located at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum. Besides the wine and presentation tents, attendees could climb the lighthouse, tour the museum exhibits, or as we saw throughout the day, picnic with the family among the grounds. Our first stop was to the Biltmore Estate booth. Located near Ashville, North Carolina, the Biltmore estate was built by George Vanderbilt, grandson of Cornelius, and although still family owned, is now a resort – and winery. The wines are made through the talents of Bernard Delille and Sharon Fenchak from estate grown grapes or grapes sourced from several Californian appellations. We had tasted several of their wines previously, but never their sparklers, which were quite good. The Château Reserve Méthode Champenoise Blanc de Blancs – 2004 North Carolina – Brut is made from locally grown chardonnay - aged three years on lees - and is awesome – dry, citrus flavors, and subtle carbonation. Then we tried the sweeter, Méthode Champenoise Pas de Deux – Sec, made from Muscat Canelli grapes. The aromas stood out, then blended with the unique muscat flavor. In 2007 both these sparkling wines received Gold medals at California wine competitions.

We turned next to Alexander Valley Vineyards, where we met owners Hank & Linda Wetzel. The Wetzels are in the middle of a three week tour across the United States which you can follow at their blog. Hank Wetzel started Alexander Valley Vineyards over three decades ago, and along with their family, makes several of our favorite Zinfandel and Bordeaux styled red wines – particularly their CYRUS. The Sin Zin and Redemption Zinfandel brands are jammier and less spicy than the Lodi – made versions. We had never tasted their whites so we tried their New Gewurz (Gewürztraminer) and Viognier as well as their dry Rosé of Sangiovese. These are three excellent summer choices, the dry Rosé our favorite. The Wetzels were also conducting a seminar later that day, discussing Old World Grapes - New World Style.

We wanted to make sure we said hello to Jim Bernau, owner of Willamette Valley Vineyards, who besides pouring his wines was presenting a seminar on Terroir Influence, the Dirt in Oregon. His booth was located in the Navy Point tent, which was the most scenic surrounded on three sides by water. Mr. Bernau was pouring several brands of Pinot Noir as well as Pinot Gris and Riesling. The winery had just released its 2006 Estate Vineyard Pinot Noir which is awesome – full of raspberry texture and a smooth finish. We couldn’t think of another wine to sip in the evening sitting on the docks. He also mentioned that their Whole Cluster Fermented Pinot Noir was very popular the previous day. For whites, their Riesling is by far one of our favorites.

Turning around from Willamette Valley’s booth, we noticed Even Cattanach, kilt in all, standing alone behind several bottle of Scotch. We did not want to waste this opportunity. During the next 20 minutes, Mr. Cattanach poured us several Scotch brands while explaining the difference between highland and lowland scotch (the water) and the influences of the wind and sea on west coast scotch. He also suggested cutting the scotch with a few drops of water in order to enhance aromas and sweeten the whiskey. We also learned where he was the master distiller when each of his children was born and how to actually drink scotch. Don't "chew" the whiskey by swirling it in your mouth like wine; instead let it move from the lips to the tongue on its own, then swallow. We tried several single malt Scotch brands and all which were remarkable. The 14 year old Oban is distilled on the west coast and the influence of the seas create a sweet citrus flavor; yet the finish is long & dry. The 10 year old Talisker, from the Isle of Skye, was smokier with a more peaty flavor. The two Dalwhinnie 15 year old brands were our favorite. These highland whiskeys - actually the highest water source in Scotland - were aged 15 years in used bourbon casks with the black label getting another 6-9 months in sherry casks. This produces flavor similar to a fruit cake - and once again, a smooth finish.

Sticking to whiskey, we stopped at the Jack Daniels booth and met Lynne Tolley, who not only works as an official taster at the distillery, but is also the great grand niece of Jack Daniels. After meeting her, we decided to attend her afternoon presentation on "A History of Tasting at Jack Daniels". Ms. Tolley is one of twenty or so tasters for the traditional black label brand and one of only five for the single barrel brand. She has also just written a cook book, Cooking With Jack The New Jack Daniel's Cookbook, and based on the long lines waiting for her to sign it, was hugely popular among the attendees. Basically, Jack Daniels can be used in most recipes, particularly as a replacement for vanilla. The book is also filled with stories about the nation's oldest registered distillery and Jack Daniels himself. Ms. Tolley’s presentation was fascinated, not only the stories and myths concerning the distillery, but also because she brought alone samples of whiskey to show us the affects of their unique charcoal filtering process. Jack Daniels is a Tennessee whiskey and not bourbon and their Black Label is now the largest selling whiskey in the world. The distillation and aging process is exactly the same as bourbon – they use over 51% corn (actually 80% corn, 12% barley and 8% rye) and the corn liquor is aged in new charred oak barrels. The reason Jack Daniels is a whiskey is that the distilled product is filtered through layers of charcoal 12 feet deep. This process mellows the whiskey even before aging. For this presentation we sampled the corn whiskey just after distillation and then after filtering. The transformation was amazing. The original corn whiskey tasted like the locally produced Virginia Lightening – sweet, but a rough finish. The filtered product was more like vodka – smooth at the finish. Then the liquor is aged usually 4 years, sometimes longer in the new charred oak barrels. We next sampled the Gentleman Jack, which is filtered twice, so you can imagine the smoothness of this product. Then we tasted the traditional Black Label brand – old No 7. This whiskey is spicier and is ready to mix - either as the popular Jack and Coke or in a Lynchburg Lemonade. Finally we tasted the Single Barrel made from whiskey stored in barrels in the upper floors in the warehouse. Each bottle tasted slightly different, but in general this whiskey is slightly bolder, but smoother than the Black Label. Ms. Tolley also informed us how they dispose of the used barrels. Some are sent to Jamaica to age Appleton rum, some to Scotland to age Scotch, and some to Louisiana to age and store Tabasco. Consumers can purchase the barrels for planters or if you are willing, you can purchase a single barrel of whiskey and have the bottles plated with your name or organization. Nice, if you have $9,000 to spend.

Switching back to wine, we visited with Chateau St. Jean Winery, whose winemaker, Margo Van Staaveren was tasked to present Cinq Cepages Cabernet Sauvignon Blending
Merlot. Their Fume Blanc is a very refreshing sauvignon Blanc, but our favorite was their Sonoma Merlot. This wine is full of fruit flavors – blackberry and cherry – with low tannins at the tail. And close by was the Robert Kacher Selections of South American and French wines. These were awesome wines. The Domaine Du Tariquet Classic - Ugni Blanc-Colombard was a refreshing citrus flavored white wine whereas La Font Du Vent Notre Passion is a light, earthy red wine. An interesting wine was the Inacayal Carmenere - possibly the best Carmenere we've tasted with a big cherry flavor. Inacayal also produces a Malbec which is even better with an interesting vanilla and chocolate finish. The best wine in this collection was the Domaine Font de Michelle Chateauneuf-du-Pape. This is an earthy full bodied red wine with raspberry flavors and a smooth-smooth finish.

While searching for food, we noticed an interested product, potato vodka from Maine. Not normally interested in vodka, but intrigued about its origin, we discovered an amazing spirit: Cold River Vodka. The ingredients are simple, Maine grown potatoes and water - nothing else. John Arsenault, the distiller's representative first had us try the vodka neat - where it tasted similar to other potato vodkas - but nothing special. Then he added a splash of water and ice and the spirit transformed into one with an amazing aroma - how many vodkas even have an aroma - with a smooth sweet tail. Don't bother mixing, this vodka is fine with just a little water and ice. Don't just take our opinion. This product won a double gold at the 8th annual San Francisco World Spirits Competition and was listed as the 47th Best Spirit in the World and Best North American Vodka of 2008 by F. Paul Pacult in his book Kindred Spirits 2. What a find.

In total, there were hundreds of wines to sample from and obviously we couldn't try all. We skipped over several that we normally flock to, such as Trefethen Vineyards, Lockwood Vineyard, Tablas Creek Vineyard, JanKris Winery, Beaulieu Vineyard, and J. Lohr Winery. Some new ones we recommend you exploring are Zaca Mesa Winery Syrah, Anton Bauer's Gmork (Gruner Veltliner); Cline Cellars Rhone styled wines: Cashmere, Carignane, and Mourvèdre, plus their nice Zinfandel; Sipp Mack Pinot Blanc and Sylvaner; Silverado Vinyards Cabernet Sauvignon; Girard Winery Artistry; Firesteed Cellars Cayalla; and Zinfandel from Bonterra Vineyards and Mariah Vineyards.

We finished the day, feet dangling in the water, drinking a glass of Willamette Valley Vineyards Riesling – which we confiscated when Mr. Bernau left for the day - with some Kerrygold cheese and a sweet olive oil cake from Cakewalk Confections. We couldn’t think of anything better, relaxing on the pier, watching the boats come in for the evening.

Wine 101 - Madeleine Angevine

Can you guess the flagship white grape for the Puget Sound region in Washington? Chardonnay? No. Pinot Gris? No. Gewürztraminer? Close, but no again. The correct answer: Madeleine Angevine. This is a Riesling-type vinifera from the Loire Valley in France that is also popular in the United Kingdom and Germany. The early-ripening grape is a cross between Madeleine Royale and Précoce de Malingre grapes and grows well in cooler climates - much like the Puget Sound AVA.

One Puget Sound winery, Bainbridge Island Vineyards & Winery, produces a dry Madeleine Angevine wine, with a trace of sweetness, and a sweeter "Ferryboat White" blend. The winery decided to cultivate this grape after the winery’s winemaker, Gerard Bentryn, worked in vineyards in England where Madeleine Angevine thrives. Since Seattle is actually dryer than the Isle of Wight and the Devon areas in England, Mr. Bentryn thought that the grape would do even better in the Puget Sound AVA than in England. Ironically, they were able to purchase vines close to home on Vashon Island, but the vines were sold as "Early Muller Thurgau" because the nursery did not know the true nature of the vines. After vinifying the grape, the winery has had no problems gaining public acceptance. The Madeleine Angevine wines sell out every year and the Ferryboat White is their best seller. They have a far more difficult time getting wine shops in the Seattle area to stock these wines. Mr. Bentryn also comments that wine writers and judges like to dwell on the endless repetitions of Chardonnay, Cabernet, and Merlot. “They seem to be cognitively unable to enjoy the almost endless "uncommon" grape varieties out there.” Once again it appears that the general wine public is in the forefront. Finally Mr. Bentryn believes that “Madeleine Angevine is truly a wine for the Puget Sound region. For those discerning few who seek the full spectrum of the "qualities" of wine, landscape, culture, spirituality of time and place; wine grown where you live, not just manufactured where you live; Madeleine Angevine and all of the wines that are grown here are the keys to becoming an integral part of this wonderful place we live”.

Another Puget Sound winery, San Juan Vineyards, also cultivates Madeleine Angevine and in their case, produce a dry wine that they market as oyster wine. The winery opened in 1999 after planting the Madeleine Angevine and Siegerrebe vines three years previously. The winery’s tasting room is situated in a historic one-room schoolhouse built in 1896. According to Yvonne Swanberg, the winery’s General Manager, their estate Madeleine Angevine wine has a devoted following from visitors to their tasting room or other public tasting. The wine sells out every year and the winery announces the release of their latest vintage to their Wine Club members so that they get first crack. The wine’s peach and apple flavor apparently goes very well with oysters; considering there is an oyster farm on San Juan Island - San Juan Vineyards has become a destination spot for wine and shellfish.

Lopez Island is one of the many islands in the Puget Sound and is home to Lopez Island Vineyards. This is a small family owned and operated winery that produces wines from organically grown grapes. Brent Charnley, the wine maker, became interested in Madeleine Angevine, while working as the wine maker for Mount Baker Vineyards in the 1980s. Mount Baker Vineyards grew 30 different varieties so Mr. Charnley was able to see firsthand which varieties ripened well and what kind of wine they made. When planning which grapes to plant for the Lopez Island Vineyards, the grapes had to meet two criteria: (1) early ripening and (2) match well with food – especially seafood. Not only did Mr. Charnley feel strongly that Madeleine Angevine met these requirements based on his past experience with the grape, but also it is a wine he personally enjoys to drink. The Lopez Island Vineyard Madeleine Angevine is a complex, dry, estate grown wine that is 100% barrel fermented and according to the tasting notes, “complement the flavors of grapefruit, tropical fruit and herbal qualities that are the characteristics of this grape.” Mr. Charnley recommends serving the wine with seafood and shellfish, in particular Dungeness crab and raw oysters “due to its sharp acidity and citrus (grapefruit) character, but it is a great match for oysters with a mango and grapefruit salsa on top!” Even though this wine has won numerous awards since the winery’s inception (at the San Diego National Wine Competition, Enological Society of the NW, Indiana International Wine Competition, Riverside CA International Competition - among others), people are reluctant to try the wine unless it can be compared to one of the 2-3 best known white wine grapes. Once people taste the wine, they are generally pleased with it.

Finally, Greenbank Cellars, located on Whidbey Island, cultivates Madeleine Angevine because the grape thrives and produces larger yields in their climate. The winery resides in a 100+ year old barn – which is the featured on their wine labels. Madeleine Angevine, as well as all their other white wines, are vinified in the Alsatian style, meaning dry, fresh, crisp, citric flavors, and no oak. The result is a food-friendly wine that the winery recommends with seafood. The winery is very proud of their Madeleine Angevine and has compared it favorably to other white varieties vinified in warmer regions. Like the other wineries mentioned, Greenbank Cellars must struggle with the general public’s lack of familiarity with the grape.

Beer, Bourbon & BBQ Festival - Beer

While half the team sample the various bourbons at the 2nd Annual Beer, Bourbon & BBQ Festival, the other half focused on the large array of craft and imported beers being served. There were almost 60 different brands to choose from, so we started at an unusual booth that was serving local favorite National Bohemian along side German Warsteiner Dunkle and Belgium Chimay. The latter is rather pricey, so anytime the opportunity presents itself for a free tasting, take advantage. Chimay is also one of only 6 beers able to carry the title 'Trappist" - since it is brewed within a Trappist monastery, completely under the monastery's control. What a beer - powerful but with subdued bitterness.

Since we were planning to attend Hugh Sisson's presentation on "Brews and Barbeques" we heading over to Clipper City's booth where Mr. Sisson is the founder and general partner. The Maryland beer renaissance quickened in 1989 when Hugh Sisson opened Sisson's Pub in the Inner Harbor Baltimore. After a few years he left the brewpub to establish a larger brewery, Clipper City and in 1998 he acquired the Oxford Brewing Company, Maryland's first craft brewery. Before today, this brewery produced two lines of beer, the Clipper City brand - made in classic styles focusing on Maryland traditions (McHeny and BaltoMärzHon) and Heavy Seas, a more robust and heavier style of beer. But, today saw the introduction of a third brand, the Oxford Organic Ales: Oxford Class Organic and Oxford Organic Raspberry Wheat Beer. The amber styled ale Oxford Class Organic was available for tasting and this is a great beer - possible the best we tasted all day. It has caramel flavors with a slight "hoppy" finish - but very refreshing - great for summer. Also on hand was the BaltoMärzHon a Marzen styled beer that is light and smooth with little hops in the finish. In contrast, their Loose Cannon Hop3 Ale is produced using three pounds of hops per barrel and where hops are added in three ways - in the kettle, in the hop back, and dry hopped. The final beer was the Peg Leg Stout, a dry Imperial stout made in the English tradition. In other words, the tail is smooth and milky instead of bitter. Even during the daytime, this is a refreshing dark beer.

Next to Clipper City was another Baltimore brewery, The Baltimore-Washington Beer Works, makers of Raven Lager. This beer is rather unique in that it was first brewed in Germany and competed in the European market before being produced locally. The Raven Lager is another example of a good locally produced beer. The same could be said for Backfin Pale Ale a balanced and refreshing ale made by the Clay Pipe Brewing Company in Westminster. Rounding out the Maryland contingent was Frederick based Wild Goose Brewery and Flying Dog Brewery. Wild Goose beers are well known, from their Cambridge days up to their move the the Frederick facility. Their Wild Goose IPA is a favorite. Flying Dog Brewery originated in Denver, but recently purchased the brewing facility from defunct Frederick Brewing Company, where Wild Goose beers were also brewed. Although we didn't spend too much time at Flying Dog's booth, the Flying Dog Snake Dog, an India Pale Ale was good. I can envision a future trip to Frederick in order to learn more about the Flying Dog beers.

By this time Mr. Sisson's presentation was ready to commence so we headed over to hear why beer is the best choice to pair with BBQ. Besides running Clipper City, Mr. Sisson is extremely interested in the wine industry and hosts a local radio show which focuses on wine. From this background he has immediate credibility in contrasting beer and wine pairings. He started the session by stating the obvious - although not obvious to all - that if you like a pairing then you are right. Eat and drink what you like. But he wanted to introduce us to the three C's to help us choose: Compliment, Contrast (say, a stout with oysters), and Cut - to refresh the palate. For example he served the group a crab quesadilla paired with the BaltoMärzHon in order to compliment the dish. The pairing was scale to scale in that the beer did not over power the quesadilla that would have happened with a hoppier beer. Also, when eating summertime crabs, who wants to drink a bitter beer in 90 degree humidity? He then served the more hoppier - that's an understatement - Loose Cannon Hop3 Ale with a North Carolina styled barbecue where the bitterness stood up to the vinegar flavored sauce. Scale to Scale. Finally he served the Peg Leg Stout with a beef brisket. This was awesome - much better than a Zinfandel or other red wine. The stout both complimented the beef, but also refreshed the palette. Hugh Sisson provided a very strong argument why to choose beer over wine for ant style of BBQ.

After the session we decided to hit three out of state craft brewers starting with the king: Sierra Nevada Brewing. Located in Chico, California, Sierra Nevada are available most everywhere and their Pale Ale is almost becoming a brand name. Besides this beer they had Sierra Nevada Summerfest and the Sierra Nevada Bigfoot available for tasting. The Summerfest is a pilsner-style lager, very light in color - but packed with flavor. This is a refreshing beer. The Bigfoot is even more flavorful - think chewy malt - with a hoppy finish. Sierra Nevada is at the top of their game. We also learned how the current hop crisis is not necessarily harming larger brewers such as Sierra Nevada. Instead, the rising coast of diesel is having a tremendous affect on their transportation costs, moving their produce from one coast to another. San Diego based Stone Brewing Company has the same problem. They were pouring three beers: the IPA, Arrogant Bastard, and Smoked Porter. The latter was really good - you don't find many porters these days and this one had a nice chocolate flavor.

The final brewery we will discuss was very impressive: Erie Brewing Company. This Pennsylvanian brewery had a constant crowd surrounding their booth despite being tucked away in the corner. Out of their beers, the two that stood out, at least to use, were the Pilsner and Railbender Ale. These beers were very similar to Sierra Nevada's; the Erie Brewing Pilsner, light and refreshing like the Sierra Nevada Summerfest and the Erie Brewing Railbender Ale, malty and bitter like the Sierra Nevada Bigfoot. I'd say they're in good company.

There were still dozens of good beers that we tried but didn't take sufficient notes to describe each beer. These omitted beers are from quality producers such as Widmer, Redhook, Magic Hat, Dogfish Head, and Wolaver to name a few. Our suggestion: attend other beer festivals to sample a wide array of beer styles, find your favorite, and pair with the appropriate style of BBQ. This should guarantee a great summer.

Beer, Bourbon & BBQ Festival - Bourbon

On Saturday April 5th 2008, we attended the 2nd Annual Beer, Bourbon & BBQ Festival held at the Timonium Fairgrounds, Maryland. We intended to spend a day away from wine and sample various craft beers and America's native spirit: Bourbon. Our first task was to learn more about this spirit so we headed immediately to the first seminar of the day: "The Wonderful World of Bourbon" - hosted by Wild Turkey Distillery's Master Distiller Jimmy Russell. Mr. Russell has worked at the distillery since 1954 and humorously and honestly guided the audience through the definition of Bourbon - to government regulations - to sampling 5 different Wild Turkey brands.

Bourbon was first distilled in Bourbon County Kentucky in the late 1700s. Elijah Craig is considered the inventor of bourbon, since he was probably the first to age the whiskey in charred oak barrels. Today, this whiskey is the most restricted spirit in the United States in which the government regulates its definition and receives 65% of the retail price in taxes. At one time, Federal Agents even possessed the keys to the distilleries and opened and locked the doors before and after working hours. By definition, a whiskey can be called bourbon when

• It is made in the United States.
• It is made of a grain mixture that is at least 51% corn.
• It is distilled to no more than 160 proof.
• It is aged to no more than 125 proof.
• It is 100% natural (nothing other than water added to the mixture).
• It is aged in new, American White Oak, charred barrels. Once used, the barrels are sold for other uses - primarily whiskey aging.
  

At Wild Turkey, Mr Russell attempts to create a consistent flavor with each batch. This consistency is evident in the Wild Turkey 101 - made from a blend of 6, 8, and 10 year old bourbons. Each bottle has virtually the same caramel and vanilla notes with a sweet tail. We next tried the Russell's Reserve Bourbon made from batch of 100 barrels 10 years to proof. This was good - but there's something about the flagship 101. Mr. Russell fought the idea of producing a single barrel product because it was incompatible with his goals to produce a consistent bourbon. After reluctantly agreeing to work with market forces, every year he designates barrels with a similar taste and uses these for their Single Barrel Bourbon. Their Rare Breed is an interesting bourbon, its made to barrel proof - in that no water is added - from a blend of 6, 8, and 10 year old bourbons. This was our favorite - and since it has a touch of tobacco - would be great with a cigar. Finally we tried their American Honey Liquor, basically the same Wild Turkey 101 with honey and spices added. This aperitif is popular as an after dinner drink or as Mr. Russell uses it: with lemonade or over ice cream.

Upon leaving the seminar we found ourselves at the lone whiskey booth: Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whiskey. While sampling their excellent Single Barrel 94 Whiskey - we learned about sour mash, charcoal filtering, and the historical tradition of America's oldest registered distillery. Jack Daniel's whiskey is unique because the whiskey is filtered - drop-by-drop - through ten feet of hard sugar maple charcoal. Along with the sour mash process (where a portion of the previous batch is added to the next batch) this filtration mellows the whiskey before it is aged in the barrel.

Directly across was a display of several well known Jim Bean brands: Knob Creek, Bookers, Bakers, and Basil Hayden. The Basil Hayden bourbon is unique in that it consists of just over 51% corn, whereas most distillers use over 70% corn. Basil Hayden uses more rye to offset the lower amount of corn which produces a lighter bodied bourbon. This profile was popular among the beer drinkers at the event. The Basil Hayden bourbon also has a tie to the state of Maryland because the brand is named after Basil Hayden, a Maryland Catholic who, in the late 1780s, led a group of pioneers from Maryland into what is now Nelson County, Kentucky (near Bardstown). There Hayden founded the first Catholic church west of the Allegheny Mountains.

We made sure we visited Maker's Mark next, and while waiting for our souvenir baseball dipped in wax, learned what makes this bourbon popular, besides the distinctive red wax seal and drip marks. Maker's Mark is made without rye. Instead barley and winter wheat is combined with corn to produce a smoother spirit - even before aging. The barrels are rotated from top to bottom in the warehouse, which helps create a different flavor profile. As a result, this spirit does not require a long aging process and can be bottled by taste, not age.

At this point in the day, after two hours of not spitting, we decided to be a little more discriminatory in our tasting. We skipped the Buffalo Trace booth since we are very familiar with their Blantons, Ancient Age, and Buffalo Trace brands and headed to the small batch booths. To our surprise the first we tried was a Buffalo Trace brand: Rock Hill Farms Single Barrel Bourbon. This is a great bourbon - somewhat nutty - almost chewy - but still smooth throughout. The next was the Ridgemont Reserve 1792 Small Batch Bourbon. This is a lighter bourbon with a honey and vanilla aroma and soft finish. Coming after the Rock Hill Farms Single Barrel probably didn't help its cause. The final table contained small patch brands from Kentucky Bourbon Distillers. These were all excellent bourbons and we recommend trying all. Our favorite was the Kentucky Vintage and this may become our everyday bourbon. Sorry Ancient Age 10 Year. It is made in the Sour Mash fashion (although I guess almost all straight bourbons are made in this fashion) and has a medium body with caramel flavors. Those who prefer a more potent drink, try their Pure Kentucky XO aged to 107 proof or their Noahs Mill aged to 114 proof. After the initial burn, these bourbons are loaded with the usual vanilla and caramel flavors and a long-long sweet finish. It may even be advisable to add a touch of water to these last two brands to reduce the tannins. The final bourbon tasted for the day was their Rowan’s Creek, a 100 proof bourbon that is a little more fruitier than its cousins. It also has the most flavorful aroma. Why did I prefer the Kentucky Vintage?

For bourbon lovers, this was a great opportunity to sample various styles without having to pay for the entire bottle. Our hope for next year is that more corporate representatives will be available to discuss their brands - but thanks to Jimmy Russell and the reps from Makers Mark and Jack Daniels for spending time with us. Bourbon truly is "America's Native Spirit".

International Rum Championship

On March 27-29, almost 148 sugar-cane based spirits were judged at the 3rd Annual Polished Palate International Rum Festival. Held at the Don Vicente Inn, in the heart of Ybor City, Tampa, this event is the only only such recognized competition for sugar cane-based spirits in the United States. Besides the rum competition, the festival included a dinner and rum tasting on the 27th, the Rum on the Bar B (Q) dinner on the 28th, and the grand tasting on the 29th.

The rums were divided into several categories whereas the cachacas where divided into three categories. Several spirits that we tasted at this year's South Beach Food & Wine Festival did quite well. The Moleca Double Distilled Cachaca won Gold in the Unaged Cachaca category and the Moleca Double Distilled Gold Cachaca won a Silver in the Aged Cacahaca category. The Vizcaya VXOP Cask 21 Rum won Gold in the Dark Rum category; the Ron Barcelo Imperial Rum won Best in Category for Rum Aged Less Than 8 Years, and the Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva Rum won Best in Category in the Rum Aged 9-15 Years. Here are the results for categories that included a Best of Category:

• White Rum: Mount Gay Eclipse Silver Rum
• Dark Rum: Temptryst Reserve Rum
• Rum Aged Up To 8 Years: Ron Barcelo Imperial Rum
• Rum Aged Up To 9-15 Years: Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva Rum & Pyrat XO Reserve Rum
• Rum Aged +15 Years: Ron Millonario Solera Reserva Especial & Ron Zacapa 23
• Rum Liqueres/Cream: Santa Teresa Rhum Orange Liqueur & Santa Teresa Araku Ron Y Coffee Liquer
• Spiced Rum: Montecristo Spiced Rum
• Aged Rhum Agricole: J.M. V.S.O.P Rhum & Madras Rhum
• Rhum Agricole Liqueur: Madreas Prune Liquer
• Flavored Cachaca: Ypioca Red Fruit Cachaca

Beer, Bourbon & BBQ Festival - Timonium Fairgrounds, Maryland

On Saturday we will be venturing out to the Beer, Bourbon & BBQ Festival at Timonium Fairgrounds, Maryland. This is a very unique event which includes bourbon and beer seminars, unlimited tasting of over 60 brews and 40 bourbons,and barbecue provided by local establishments. Plus, semi-local rock band - Mr. Greengenes - will provide musical entertainment from 2:00 PM-6:00 PM. What more do you need.....

The bourbon and beer exhibitors are extraordinary. Our bar is always stocked with staples such as Booker's, Baker's, or Blanton's Single Barrel, but also attending are several I've never tasted such as Parker's Heritage, Kentucky Tavern, Jefferson's Reserve, Rock Hill Farm Single Barrel, and Raven's Run. For a truly unique experience stick to the single barrel bourbons and see why bourbon is as much a sipping drink as Scotch.

For beers, there are a wide array of styles. Vermont's Magic Hat, California's Stone Brewing Company, as well as Pennsylvannia's Erie Brewing Company have several good varieties. Watch out for the Belgium Chimay. Whereas this is an amazing beer- it's potent. Then there's National Bohemian. This often maligned Pilsner beer was once brewed locally in Baltimore but is now owned by Pabst - and brewed by Miller in North Carolina. An interesting arrangement. "Natty Boh" is underestimated and along with Schlitz is a great summer time beer that I'm convinced will compliment barbecue.

Finally, the Beer, Bourbon & BBQ Festival provides several interesting seminars. Jimmy Russell, the Master Distiller at Wild Turkey Distillery will describe "The Wonderful World of Bourbon" and then see Kirk and Mark of the WHFS Morning Show will sample and educate from their favorite bourbons. Hugh Sisson, Founder and General Partner of Clipper City will discuss his brewery's operation and will pair several Clipper City brews with barbecue. Finally, Monyka Berrocosa, Food & Wine Journalist & Educator, will discuss several styles of beer - from light lagers to porters.

Land Rover America’s Polo Cup Wine Competition

In early May the American Polo team will host Italy in the The Land Rover America’s Polo Cup held at Historic Morven Park in Leesburg, Virginia. As part of the event, the Virginia Wine Lover Magazine will coordinate a wine competition among Virginia wineries which will occur Wednesday, April 9th at the Virginia Beach Resort Hotel & Conference Center. Eight judges will evaluate the wines based on Appearance/Clarity, Color, Aroma/Bouquet, Total acidity, Sweetness, Body, Flavor, Bitterness, Astringency, and Overall quality. The winners will be announced Friday May 9th at the The Land Rover America’s Polo Cup Black Tie Cocktail Party. This "party" will also include a Fashion Show hosted by Paul Wharton and a culinary challenge between each country’s best chefs. The evening concludes with a live concert from the always entertaining Gipsy Kings.

On Saturday May 10th the festivities include military demonstrations, followed by a competitive polo match featuring the Italy challenging the United States for the America’s Polo Cup. In the evening expect live performances by Huey Lewis & the News, the Gipsy Kings, and Italian sensation Vittorio Grigolo. Proceeds from the America’s Cup of Polo will benefit the Journey for the Cure Foundation, a not for profit public charity foundation. Tickets for both Friday and Saturday's events are available here.

Over the next month we will post interviews with officials coordinating the wine challenge as well as a preview of the initial release of the Virginia Wine Lover Magazine.

April 2008 Wine Events

The Wine-Compass.com event database currently shows over 1,500 upcoming wine\beer events in the United States and Canada. For those looking for wine festivals in April 2008, here is a short list of events in several states:

Aizona
Litchfield Park Fine Art & Wine Festival – Mill Avenue and 7th Street, Tempe: April 4th-5th

California
Passport Weekend - El Dorado Wineries: April 4th-5th
Passport to the East Bay Wine Trail - Dashe Cellars: April 5th
Festival of Wines - Calaveras Winegrape Alliance : April 19th
Passport To South West California Wineries 2008 - Southwest California Vintners: April 26th-27th

Colorado
Taste of Vail - Vail: April 2nd-5th
Barrel Into Spring - Grand Valley Winery Association: April 26th-27th

Florida
13th annual Miami Wine and Food Festival - Miami: April 3rd-5th
Ocean Boulevard Art and Wine Fair in Siesta Key - Siesta Key (Sarasota): April 5th-6th
The Florida Wine Festival - The Mary Brogan Museum of Art and Science, Tallahassee: April 10th-13th
Tiburon Wine Festival - SideBern’s & Bern’s Fine Wines & Spirit's, Tampa: April 11th-13th

Georgia
Atlanta Toast of the Town 2008 - Georgia Aquarium, Atlanta: April 17th

Indiana
Toast To Spring - Indiana Uplands Wine Trail: April 19th-20th

Iowa
Go Grilling with Iowa Wines - Iowa Wine Trail: April 26th-27th

Maryland
Beer, Bourbon & BBQ Festival – Timonium Fairgrounds, 4H Building, Timonium: April 5th
St. Michaels Food and Wine Festival – St. Michaels: April 24th-27th

Massachusettes
Taste of the Nation – LHynes Convention Center, Boston: April 10th

Michigan
Spring into Summer Wine Trail Event – Lake Michigan Shore Wineries: April 19th-20th
Michigan Wine Celebration – Pioneer Wine Trail Wineries: April 19th-20th

New Mexico
La Vina 2008 Blues and Jazz Festival - La Vina Winery: April 26th-27th

New York
The Greater New York Wine & Food Expo – Westchester County: April 4th-6th
World Tour of Food and Wine II – Keuka Lake Wine Trail: April 19th-20th
Spring Wine & Cheese – Seneca Lake Wine Trail: April 26th-27th
Wine & Herb Festival – Cayuga Lake Wine Trail: April 26th-27th

North Carolina
Blue Ridge Wine Festival – Blowing Rock: April 10th-13th
Great Grapes - Wine Arts & Food Festival – Koka Booth Amphitheatre at Regency Park, Cary: April 19th
Beaufort Wine and Food Festival – Beaufort: April 23rd-27th
Taste Carolina Wine Festival – Piedmont Triad Farmers Market, Greensboro: April 26th
World Beer Festival Raleigh – Moore Square, Raleigh: April 26th

Ohio
Spring Fling – Canal Country Wine Trail: April 4th-5th

Oklahoma
Bartlesville Spring Wine Festival - LaQuinta Inn in Bartlesville: April 26th

South Carolina
April Music & Wine Festival - La Belle Amie Vineyard: April 5th
Blues & Jazz Festival - La Belle Amie Vineyard: April 19th

Texas
Highland Lakes Fine Art & Wine Festival – Marble Falls: April 4th-6th
Texas Hill Country Wine and Food Festival – Austin: April 10th-13th
New Vintage Jazz Wine Train – Grapevine Cotton Belt Depot, Grapevine: April 18th-19th
New Vintage Wine Trail – Grapevine: April 19th
Dallas Wine and Food Festival – Dallas: April 23rd-27th
Grand Wine and Food Affair – Sugar Land, Houston: April 23rd-27th

Virginia
2008 Monticello Wine & Food Festival – Monticello Wine Trail: April19th-20th
Northern Neck Wine Festival – Rice's Hotel - Hughlett's Tavern,Heathsville: April 19th
Great Grapes Wine, Arts & Food Festival – Reston Town Center: April 26th-27th
17th Annual James River Wine Festival – Pavilion at Innsbrook, Glen Allen: April 26th-27th

Washington
Taste Washington - Qwest Field, Seattle: April 4th-5th
"Chelan Nouveau" New Wine Release Tour – Lake Chelan Wineries: April 18th-27th
Pre-Barrel Tasting – Rattlesnake Hills Wine Trail: April 19th-20th
Pre-Barrel Tasting – Rattlesnake Hills Wine Trail: April 25th-27th

Live Music @ Wineries

One of the most overlooked venues to listen to live music is usually in one's backyard; there is an increasing trend for wineries to include live music in their events, whether through annual concert series, Sunday jazz parties, or incorporated into a grape stomp. The wineries book national acts or promote local artists - either way when you combine good wine and good music - you can't go wrong. Close to our headquarters, Tarara Vineyard & Winery in Leesburg Virginia hosts a Summer Concert Series from July through September. This summer they've booked rising local artist Shane Hines and the Trance as well as Derek James, Melanie Mason, the Grandsons, and the Junkyard Saints. What a schedule.

Across the river in Mt. Airy Maryland, Linganore Wine Cellars hosts annual Caribbean, Jazz, Blues, and Reggae festivals. Our favorite is usually the Blues festival where for the past two years we've seen the Nighthawks and The Kelly Bell Band on the same stage. Following Route 15 north into Pennsylvania, Adams County Winery, near Gettysburg, hosts free Saturday afternoon concerts and they've been able to book the Skyla Burrell Blues Band twice this summer. And "neighboring" Mount Hope Estate & Winery hosts a few unique festivals this spring where you can hear Gandalf Murphy & the Slambovian Circus of Dreams, Hot Buttered Rum, Gaelic Storm, and Enter the Haggis. These are just a few examples out of the numerous wineries who host music within an hour 1/2 drive from Washington D.C.

There are other excellent examples in other states. La Belle Amie Vineyard in North Myrtle Beach South Carolina provides a music festival every other Saturday throughout the year. In Boonville North Carolina, RagApple Lassie Vineyards hosts a Saturday Shindig. Then there's Lakeridge Winery in Clermont, Florida; Grande River Vineyards in Palisade, Colorado; Holy-Field Vineyard & Winery near Kansas City; Haak Vineyards & Winery in Santa Fe, Texas and Warwick Valley Winery in Warwick, New York. Perhaps the best lineup is at California's The Mountain Winery - located in Saratoga - near San Jose. They have weekly concerts with mostly well known artists. Wine-Compass.com and MyJoog.com have many of these events posted - just take a look there or the winery's websites.

Wine Shops

Over the past few weeks I've been visiting several Northern Virginia wine stores to inform them of the new Virginia Wine Lover Magazine, that will debut in May. These visits introduced me to a new world of wine events, the weekend public tasting. Each wine shop had different versions, perhaps a distributer was pouring various wines from a region or just a sample of wines from their inventory. Or representatives from a winery would pour their wines. No matter the forum, the opportunity is present to sample wines that you would not normally be able to taste. And since almost every town has a boutique wine store, the opportunities are plentiful. In my hometown of Vienna, Virginia there are four wine shops - all that provide weekend tastings.

In nearby McLean Virginia, there are two stores which I visited today. Ceciles Finewine was hosting Chalie Hoppes, owner and winemaker from Washington's Fidelitas wines. Fidelitas makes a wide array of Bordeaux styled wines from grapes sourced from several preeminent vineyards throughout Washington. Today Mr. Hoppes was pouring their 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley, 2005 Syrah Columbia Valley, and 2006 Semillon Columbia Valley. These were three good wines that I normally would have looked at, but maybe not purchased if not for the tasting opportunity. The Syrah was my favorite; it had a jammy cherry flavor with a smooth, slightly spicy finish. However, I returned home with the Semillon since we had a low inventory of food friendly white wines.

A short distance away, The Vineyard of McLean VA was hosting the wine distributer Nice Legs for their Saturday tasting. They were also pouring wines from the Columbia Valley, and also from Oregon's Willamette Valley and Sonoma. The 2004 Sonoma Coast Vineyards Pinot Noir was awesome; silky smooth without the overly fruity flavor and high alcohol that my Oregon friends warn about California Pinots. But at $60, you pay for quality. My next favorite was the 2005 Russell Creek Tributary Red a blend of Cabernet Sauvigon and Merlot. This wine has cherry flavors with a slight spicy finish - but soft tannins that produce a smooth tail. At $22, this wine falls within my price range.

Wine-Compass.com has a listing of wine retailers by state. To search for wine events, click the Wine Map tab, click a state on the map, then click the Festivals & Events button. To view the retailers click the Retailers button. If your favorite wine shop is not listed, just send us its name, address, and url. In the coming months we plan on attending a few wine shop events including Klaus Wittauer and "Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Austrian Wines, But Were Afraid to Ask" on May 1st at Out of Site Wines and Ceciles Finewine's Spring Wine Festival May 17th and 18th. See you there.

Mediterranean Cellars Rechina

We are always looking for the unusual wine and we recently noticed a bottle of Mediterranean Cellars 2004 Rechina in our cellar. We had visited this local northern Virginia winery about 2 years ago (see Compass Tours) and the bottle had finally resurfaced. This wine is made in the Greek wine making tradition inherited by the Papadopoulos family. Before the use of barrels, wine was stored in containers which quickly became oxidized. Around the 13th century B.C., the Greeks discovered that adding a trace of resin from Aleppo pine trees preserved the wine as well as providing a unique piney flavor. Even after the use of barrels became routine, which also preserved the wine, the resin was still added to some Greek wines because the flavor was so popular. This tradition continues today.

According to Mr. Papadopoulos, his version is similar to the Greek style - but has been Americanized - meaning it is milder and smoother than the current counterparts. However the piney flavor is still apparent which makes this a very versatile wine. The piney flavor is not oaky or buttery as an oaked Chardonnay; the initial flavor is similar to taking a whiff of pine sol, but the pine aroma and flavor mellows in the mouth. I tried it in many circumstances and in all cases I loved it. It works well alone - as a sipping wine - think of a light scotch. I drank it with beef and the pine flavor melted into the meat. Think of it as a white wine drinker's red wine. It also complimented mesquite chicken where the spiciness from the marinade blended harmoniously with the wine. I even liked it with Belmont Peanuts. There is no doubt that we will be making another trip out to Mediterranean Cellars to resupply. And the next will be a comparative tasting of this winery's Americanized style and the authenticate Greek Retsina wine.

New NBC restaurant show seeks DC wine lovers & foodies

We were notified today that the producers of NBC's Nanny 911, Hell’s Kitchen and Kitchen Nightmares are planning a new restaurant competition show. They are looking for "outgoing and enthusiastic" pairs (couples, relatives, friends, co-workers, etc.) who have the "drive, determination and dream to open their own restaurant". If you are interested there is an open call on Saturday, March 22nd, at the Sofitel Lafayette Square from 10am - 4pm. For more information E-mail or call: NBCteamsDC@yahoo.com or (646) 961-3991.

Washington D.C. Wine & Food Festival

On Saturday and Sunday, March 1^st and 2^nd we attended the 2008 Washington D.C. Wine & Food Festival held at the Ronald Reagan Int’l Trade Building. The organizers of this event do a tremendous job presenting wines from across the globe. In the past three years we have tasting wines from Napa, Sonoma, Lodi, Paso Robles, South America, South Africa, the Finger Lakes, Long Island, and Virginia; and wineries from these regions were again represented. The organizers also featured two local wine trails, the Loudoun County Wine Trail and Frederick Wine Trail, as well as wines from Cote du Rhone and Oregon. There were also several complimentary food and wine seminars in the tasting areas as well as private seminars at reasonable prices. On Sunday I took the A Beginner's Blind Tasting with the Master/Master seminar presented by Doug Frost. But on Saturday, the day was spent sampling the wines, beers, and spirits.

Upon entering the festival, we preceded immediately to the Oregon Wine Board section where we were able to sample excellent Pinot Noirs and Rieslings from this area. We found it odd that the same region excelled in making a Burgundy wine (Pinot Noir) and Alsace\German wines in Riesling. In fact, some of our favorites were Anne Amie Vineyards soon to be released Muller Thurgau, Sokol Blosser Vineyards Evolution (9 varietals including Riesling, Muller Thurgau, Gewurztraminer, and Sylvaner) and Amity Vineyards’ 2002 Late Harvest Riesling – a true 100% botrytis wine. But Pinot Noir was what we were interested in and each of the nine Oregon wineries had excellent samples, with the 2006 vintages being outstanding. It was also interested that the wines came from several appellations - the Willamette Valley, the Eola Amity Hills, the Chehalem Mountains, Carlton, Dundee Hills – and since I hadn’t taking Doug Frost’s couse yet- I could not discern a difference in terrior. It’s difficult to designate one over the others without doing justice to the rest, but one unique bottle was Willamette Valley Vineyards’ Whole Cluster Fermented Pinot Noir. This wine is fruitier than the other’s and I can see serving chilled in the summer. A second unique wine is Coelho Winery’s 2006 Divertimento Pinot Noir Rosé - another nice summer wine.

We also had several good conversations with Jim Bernau, founder of Willamette Valley Vineyards about the history of Oregon wine making. He should know, he’s been growing grapes in the Willamette Valley since 1983 and was keen enough to see the enormous potential of the region by naming his winery after the future appellation. Instant brand recognition. He informed us how Pinot Noir is well suited to the region because of the clay soils, long growing season, and cool climate. We also learned that Pinot Gris was grown first in Oregon before any other state. Finally we learned of Jim’s fondness for chocolate as we either bumped into him sampling the wares or spied him bringing bars back for his neighbors.

Finally, we learned from Jim, the Redford’s from Amity Vineyards, and the other winemakers how Oregon is leading the nation in sustainable viticulture. Amity’s estate vineyard is certified by Low Input Viticulture and Enology, Inc. (LIVE) and produces the region’s first Organic, Sulfite-Free Pinot Noir. Willamette Valley Vineyard is the first winery in the world to use cork certified through the Rainforest Alliance to Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) standards – and we kept one to show others the FSC label. Resonance Vineyard was Biodynamic® certified in 2006 certified. We found, humorously, that sustainability is an everyday vocabulary word, as in, "Kim, you’re so sustainable". And here are a list of the sustainable Oregon wineries that poured this day: Adelsheim Vineyard, Amity Vineyards, Anne Amie Vineyards, A to Z Wineworks, Coelho Winery, Olsen Family Vineyards, Resonance Vineyard, Rex Hill Vineyards, Sokol Blosser Vineyards, Willamette Valley Vineyards.

We next moved east to the contingent from New York where we wanted to try this year’s vintage of Finger Lake Riesling. To our surprise and pleasure we found that Rob, Finger Lakes Weekend Wino, was representing the region. We read his column regularly and suggest anyone traveling to this region do so as well before you leave. While tasting the New York made Riesling it was interesting to note the differences between the Oregon versions. The latter versions were slightly sweeter and more acidic, whereas the New York Riesling being poured seemed drier. This was probably more a result of the specific wines being poured and not anything resulting from the different appellations. Dr. Frank's consistently pours a great Reisling and Standing Stone Vineyards was also available to pour their Reisling and Gewurztraminer. We also tried for the first time Standing Stone’s Cailloux, a dessert wine made from eight different grapes. Some in our contingent liked it more than their Vidal Ice Wine.

After spending some more time saying hello to our friends at the Virginia wineries and planning a trip to Tomahawk Mill Winery, we set out to try some California wines. There is always a large contingent of Lodi based wineries and in the past we had tasting excellent Zinfandel from Jessie's Grove Winery and JanKris Winery – so today we tried some new wines. One of the first were the excellent wines from Vino Con Brio. They had both excellent whites and reds, particularly their Old Vine Zinfandel. We kept hearing about Opolo Vineyards from several attendees so we had to see what the commotion was about. This central coast winery had large crowds around their booth and we saw why since they came with a large selection of wines and the entertaining representative kept the crowd laughing. We liked their reds, particularly the Fusion and Maestro blends. Another central coast winery where we spent a lot of time was Edward Sellers Vineyards, makers of Rhone styled wines. We liked their vintage Grenache and Syrah, but once again our favorites were the blends, the Vertigo (Grenache based) and Cuvee des Cinq (5 varieties of course). It was also interesting to learn how these Rhone grapes thrive in the hot central coast, since the nighttime temperatures plummet, cooling the grapes from the hot day. Other California wines we’d like to remember are Valley of the Moon Winery’s 2006 Pinot Blanc; Lake Sonoma Winery’s 2004 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon; Peltier Station’s Zinfandel; Chateau Julien Wine Estate’s Black Nova; Kiamie Wine Cellars 2005 Kiamie Kuvée; Spring Mountain Vineyard’s 2003 Elivette; and Donati Family Vineyard’s Pinot Blanc. That’s quite a list.

In addition to the spirits that we tasted, Dogfish Brewery was pouring a few styles of beer, with the most interesting being their Chateau Jiahu. We’ll let Dogfish tell the story; but we drank their stand dry. Jiahu is not only unique – but it’s a good beer – similar to a cloudy wheat ale.

For one of the first times we took a break from the drinking and actually browsed the venders. And there were actually some very practical accessories. VineyardFresh has always been one of our favorites since we seem to open many bottles and return a week later to an oxidized wine. Anything to preserve wines is useful. We also liked the Bottleneck Wine Cards – basically cards that fit on the wine’s neck when giving the bottle as a gift. Plus, they are cheaper than Hallmark. And our favorite food – for some reason either it was a great location next to the Dogfish stand or peanuts go with wine, but we returned often to sample and purchase the several styles sold by Belmont Peanuts. These are Virginia grown peanuts – just south of Richmond – and we argued incessantly which was better among their plain, barbecue, honey-roasted, and chocolate. I liked the plain and barbecue, but in any case – these large and meaty peanuts put the ballpark versions to shame.

Even though these festivals seem a little pricy, the wide array of available wines and seminars make it worthwhile. Where else could you try a South African Pinotage, Spanish Muscat, Chilean Carmenere, Rhone Grenache, compare Horton’s and Dr. Frank’s Rhatiselli, not to mention the many wines we didn’t try.

Washington D.C. Wine & Food Festival - Doug Frost

One of the better decisions I've made in the last few weeks was to attend "A Beginner's Blind Tasting with the Master/Master" seminar given by Doug Frost at the Washington D.C. Wine & Food Festival. I had had numerous email exchanges with Doug over the past few years concerning Midwestern wineries and Norton and tried to find a time to say hello during the weekend. Since he was very short on time - giving two seminars each day - I decided to forgo my usual drinking routine and attend a session. What an enlightening and entertaining class. First something about Doug. He is one of only a few individuals who are both a Master Sommelier and Master of Wine. He is also the author of several wine books, notably On Wine: A Master Sommelier and Master of Wine Tells All, is the director of the Jefferson Cup Invitational Wine Competition, judges numerous competitions, etc. Let's just say he's knowledgeable about the subject he teaches.

The purpose of a blind tasting, according to Mr. Frost, is to remove any preconceived opinions about a wine or discriminating preferences toward a wine region. We all have biases and tasting blindly removes these as a factor in evaluating the wine. Then throughout the session, Doug informed us how to reduce the number of possible wines by the deduction method - that is, by analyzing the wine and deciding what it is not. Then, after you've narrowed the possibilities - you have a better chance of guessing the type of wine. Out of the seven wines we tasted we discovered how to notice when a wine's aroma changes with the taste - say, from a red cherry nose to a black cherry flavor. How to distinguish whether a wine has been aged in American or French Oak - or the gotcha when French Oak has a large buildup of tartaric crystals. Is the wine from the old or new world? Is the wine herbal, earthy, dusty; are there fruit or vegetable aromas? Sensations and questions I hadn't really thought about before the session. He also gave us the general characteristic of specific grapes - are they in general floral, spicy, herbal, fruity, etc. With this information we could eliminate most types of wines and narrow to a few possibilities - and at this point in our education - guess.

Mr. Frost is also an outstanding speaker - blending humor and self-deprecation with his knowledge of wines and regions. He also encouraged the audience to evaluate a wine's purpose such as how a generally bland Italian wine comes to life when drunk during a meal. Or similarly, how a wine with a strong tannic finish changes with a meal. We learned that a Shiraz can be made that isn't overbearing and too spicy and that a zinfandel can be made to taste like a merlot or cab. At the end of the session the old adage surfaced - "the more you know, the more you realize you don't know". I have a lot to learn. But, I have an improved basis on how to evaluate a wine - and thus hopefully enjoy the experience a little more. If only I had time for his next presentation on "Rioja: Where Old Meets New - A Reserve Spanish Wine Seminar". Maybe next time.

Washington D.C. Wine & Food Festival - Spirits

In our never ending quest for new and exotic spirits, the Washington D.C. International Wine & Food Festival delivered brilliantly with two spirits from neighboring South American countries. From Peru, we discovered pisco, a brandy made from grapes. If you've never heard of this spirit, don't be disappointed, Pisco Ku is the first pisco sold in the United States and has only been available for the past three weeks. This brandy is made from a blend of several indigenous grapes which means its made in the Acholado (Half-breed) style. Pisco made from a single grape variety is called Pure, whereas pisco made from the muscat grape is called Aromatic. Ten pounds of grapes are used to make a single bottle. The Pisco Ku is similar to grappa but without the tannic finish. That is because only the grape must is fermented; the stems and skins which are included in Italian and Chilean grappa must are removed. The result - a spirit that is extremely smooth like a good Vodka, but with a slight grapey flavor similar to grappa. Another interested note about pisco is that by Peruvian law, pisco must be made to proof in a single distillation - i.e. the fermenting grape juice must be distilled exactly at 40 proof the first time - no second or third distillations are permitted.Plus no additives may be added to the pisco that could alter its flavor, odor, appearance or, of course, alcoholic proof. Pisco Ku is marketing their brand as an alternative to Vodka - suggesting it as a mixer with orange juice, cranberry juice, or lemons. I think it's perfect neat or I plan to try it how I like my grappa, adding it to an espresso.




The second discovery comes from neighboring Ecuador and is a brand of rum: Zhumir Seco Soave and Zhumir Aguardiente. Each brand is made from a different rum making style. The Seco Soave is made in the traditional fashion, by turning the sugar cane into molasses and then distilling the syrup. The Aguardiente is made by distilling the sugar cane juice directly and reminded me a little of cachaca. Even though neither are aged in wood - they are smooth and ready for sipping. The most popular brand on Saturday was their pre-mixed Zhumir Pina Colada and on Sunday their flavored Zhumir Limon - the Aguardiente mixed with lime juice. We went a step further with a few daring souls and mixed the Pina Colada with the neighboring Voyant Chai Cream Liqueur Liquor that we discovered in south beach the previous weekend. Now that was a cocktail.

The next step is to determine if these brands are the best spirits Peru and Ecuador have to offer........possibly the Zhumir Reposado Reserva Especial or Zhumir Reposado.

8th Annual Food Network South Beach Wine and Food Festival - Epilogue

For those interested you can see why we will not be flying Spirit Airlines to next year's festival, click this link to furiocity.com.

8th Annual Food Network South Beach Wine and Food Festival

We were fortunate to count ourselves among the 35,000 attendees to the 8^th Annual Food Network South Beach Wine and Food Festival. We participated in the Friday Trade Tasting and the Saturday General Tasting. There were hundreds of different types of wine, beer, and spirits to taste as well as cooking classes given by the Food Network’s personalities. Even though the festival runs over four days and nights – there is still not enough time to adequately attend each event. This year we once again chose to spend the majority of our time experiencing the amazing wines and spirits; and sadly we did not witness any of the cooking demonstrations. On Friday we allocated our time to tasting red wines from the United States and France and on Saturday, we spent the day tasting white wines, sparkling wine, and spirits. And as a disclaimer, we probably tasted only a third of the wines and spirits poured at the festival and those mentioned below are just a subset of the wines we enjoyed. And remember, in all cases - trust your own palate.

One of the first wines we tasted was a new brand from Seven Daughters, their red and white blends. Each wine consists of 7 types of grapes, hence the name, and is marketing to the value consumers –the wine are priced near $15/bottle. The red is majority Merlot with smaller amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Zinfandel, Syrah, Carignane, and Sangiovese. If you think this blend different, the white consists of Chardonnay, Symphony, Riesling, Orange Muscat, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewurztraminer, and French Colombard. These blends are rather unique. We followed that with a few more traditional wines and found great merlots and cabs from Beaulieu Vineyard, Sterling Vineyards, Bedell Cellars, and Trefethen Vineyards. At Sonoma’s Landmark Vineyards we discovered their 2004 Grand Detour Pinot Noir which was very similar to our favorite Oregon pinot, the 2006 Pinot Noir from Cubanisimo Vineyards. Our friends at Cubanisimo were also pouring an excellent rose and we listened to trade customers inform the Collada family how fast their wines fly off the shelf. Cubanisimo is also a favorite on the many cruise ships departing Fort Lauderdale and Miami. Of the Zinfandel wines we tasted the 2003 Geyserville from Ridge Vineyards (Santa Cruz) stood out. This wine is a blend of 76% zinfandel, 18% carignane, and 6% petite sirah. From Washington State we liked the 2002 Col Solare Red Blend made from Woodinville’s Col Solare Wines. This is a Bordeaux styled blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot had was both smooth with texture. Another Bordeaux-styled wine was poured by Walla Walla’s Spring Valley Vineyard, their 2003 Uriah. This wine is predominately merlot and is incredibly smooth and flavorful.

Luckily a few Bordeaux wineries participated in the festival and two of the best were from Chateau Lascombes, their 2004 (50% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Petit Verdot) and 2005 (52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 45% Merlot, and 3% Petit Verdot). Both wines were amazing, but both in their own way. The 2004 was a lighter with more texture while the 2005 was fruitier and spicier. And winemaker, Dominique Befve, was present to inform us how this Margaux winery is becoming one of the regions top wine producers. From the Médoc region, we enjoyed the Chateau Greysac Medoc 2003 and the neighboring Château Larose-Trintaudon Haut-Médoc 2003. Both wines retail for less than $20 and show once again that there are affordable Bordeaux wines. You just got to find them. The final wine we’d like to note came from across and down the river, the Château Simard St. Emilion 1998. This wine is released after having aged 10 years in the bottle after fermenting in stainless steel. With this wine, you don’t need to wait to see how a wine ages, and at $30 you don’t pay for it. We left Friday’s tasting a little early in order to interview barbecue champion Chris Lilly – which is posted below.

We started Saturday by tasting white wines and started with one I noticed the previous day, Maison Trimbach, a winery that has been making wines in Alsace since 1626. The French Alsace region is the home of excellent Riesling that the American public normally associates with Germany. We tasted their Gewurztraminer which is made dry with a slight spicy finish and the Riesling “Reserve” – a classic grand cru wine. Both wines are perfect beach wines. Napa’s Trefethen Vineyards also produces a good riesling, the 2006 Estate Dry Riesling. This wine is very refreshing with a citrus\ green apple flavor with a nice acidic finish. We found two very good chardonnays, the classic Grgich Hills Cellar Napa Valley Estate Grown and Oregon’s Domaine Drouhin’s 2006 Chardonnay Arthur. Both wines are crisp and fruity with slight hints of oak that give texture but not butter. We found a good Sauvignon Blanc with Mendocino’s Parducci Wine Cellars. Their 2006 Sauvignon Blanc has a lemon and pineapple flavor with a very refreshing acidic finish. A similar wine, and perhaps our favorite white, was the classic Bordeaux blend from Yountville’s Cosentino Winery and their 2006 Cosentino The Novelist. This wine is a blend of 80% Sauvignon Blanc and 20% Semillon that is partially fermented is French Oak barrels. This wine is similar to the other Sauvignon Blancs with citrus flavors and an acidic finish, but this wine has a stronger floral aroma and more texture and feeling. The wine is also reasonably priced at under $20.

Of the sparkling wines we tasted two California wineries stood out. Napa Valley’s Mumm Napa was pouring two sparklers, their Blanc de Noirs and Brut Prestige. The rosé Blanc de Noirs is made primarily from Pinot Noir grapes where the grape’s skins are removed quickly to produce the pink color but retain the fruit flavor. The Brut Prestige is primarily Chardonnay and is much drier but with similar structure. Both are great value wines, priced below $20. Sonoma’s Gloria Ferrer Winery was also pouring their Blanc de Noirs as well as their 2000 Gloria Ferrer Royal Cuvée. The cuvee has a little more Chardonnay than the Blanc de Noirs and is aged 6 years on the yeast. We had an interesting conversation with two wine experts while drinking this sparkler that showed that even educated consumers have different tastes. One preferred the Cuvée whereas the other preferred the Spanish Segura Viudas - one was too carbonated – the other too one-dimensional and their exchange was worth videoing – maybe next time.

Turning to spirits, one of the first we tried is one making a comeback in this country, absinthe, this one produced by Lucid. Absinthe was first commercialized in the early 1800's and is made from various herbs such as Green Anise and Sweet Fennel and the Grande Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium). This gives the liquor a black licorice taste. The spirit mixed with water poured over a sugar cube which accents the black licorice taste. Another favorite was the Voyant Chai Cream Liqueur Liquor, made from aged Virgin Island rum, Dutch cream, Black Tea from India, other spirits from Holland, and several Asian spices. This concoction is delicious over ice or used in as in ingredient in the Chai Coloda – basically the Chai Cream, Cream of Coconut and pineapple juice. This is the taste of South Beach. The next spirit was the Cachaça Moleca, think of cachaca as the Brazilian form of rum with a slight tequila flavor. Moleca produces two versions, a Silver which is used as a mixer (simply lime and sugar is our favorite) and the Gold sipping cachaca. The Gold is fabulous - aged three years in oak and extremely smooth with a slight wood flavor. This is as good as any expensive sipping rum and will be a regular at our home bar.

Speaking of rum, we tried several excellent brands and four stand out. The Ron Barceló IMPERIAL has been made in the Dominican Republic since 1929 and is a smooth sipping rum. According to its literature, it was selected as “The Best Rum in the World” by the Beverage Institute of Chicago in both 2000 and 2001. It reached the highest qualification (97/100) never before awarded to a rum by the Institute, after calling it “a superb world-class drink”. Next was the Flor De Caña, a Nicaraguan rum made by the same family since 1937. Our two favorites were the 12 year old Centemario and the Limited Edition Centemario 21 – aged 15 years. One of the best is the Diplomático Reserva Exclusiva, from Venezuela. This dark brown rum has hints of vanilla and a slight toffee finish; and very smooth. Our favorite was Vizcaya, a Dominican Republic rum made from the Cuban tradition where the rum is produced directly from sugar cane juice, instead of converting the sugar first to molasses. The Cuban family responsible for Vizcaya has been making rum in Cuba since the early 1820’s but was forced out after Castro nationalized people’s assets. This rum is smooth and slightly sweet with honey flavors and a vanilla finish.





As you can see from our commentary – the Food Network South Beach Wine and Food Festival provides an excellent opportunity to sample extraordinary wines, spirits, and food. Next year we plan to spend a little more time in the cooking demonstrations and we thank Southern Wine & Spirits of Florida and Robin Insley Associates for giving as an opportunity to cover this event. And to see how much fun you can have next year, watch the video below.

Update: We apologize for the lack of audio for the videos. We tried to imitate our good friend Dezel at My Virginia Vine Spot and interview attendees, but after reading the manual for our cheap digital camera, we learned that it does not record audio. Time for a new camera.