2011 Governor's Cup Red Wine Medal Winners

This Friday night, February 25th, Virginia Governor Robert McDonnell and his wife Maureen will unveil the winner of the 2001 Governor’s Cup for red wines at the Virginia Wine Expo. We will be on hand filming the awards ceremony for Virginia Wine TV and interviewing the finalists. In total, 196 wines were submitted from 60 wineries, with six of these receiving Gold medals. These gold medal winners are the finalists for the Governor’s Cup. Let's see, three cabernet varietals, a Meritage, a Norton, and a Petit Verdot. All food groups represented. We've tasted almost all of these - except for the Fox Meadow. Sad, we were just in their neighborhood last weekend. Time to return.

Keswick Vineyards 2009 Cabernet Franc
Hiddencroft Vineyards 2008 Cabernet Franc
Afton Mountain Vineyards Estate Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
Fox Meadow Winery Le Renard Rouge 2008
Cooper Vineyards 2008 Norton
Barboursville Winery 2008 Petit Verdot

Support HB777 for reduced taxes for craft distillers!

Join Catoctin Creek Distilling Company and lobby Congress to support HB777 a bill introduced by Congressman Hinchey (NY) that would reduce the federal distilled spirits excise tax rate to $2.70 per proof gallon for distillers that produce fewer than 65,000 gallons annually. This discounted tier structure mirrors what the small beer and wine producers have enjoyed for decades and how that's helped micro brewers and small wineries to flourish throughout the country. This tax reduction will enable these small distilleries to invest in new equipment and provide new, high-quality and sustainable jobs in communities across the United States.
If you are interested in joining in this effort to provide needed tax relief to these new American enterprises or if you would like additional background information, please contact Kristin Cook at Congressman Hinchey's Office: Kristin.cook@mail.house.gov

"Tokaj and Beyond" - The Best Wines of Hungary

On the heels of tasting some fabulous eastern European wines at the Washington D.C. Int'l Wine Festival, we were invited to attend a special trade tasting of just Hungarian wines held at that country's embassy. There was an expanded selection from those presented at the festival which gave a fuller picture of the styles of wines produced primarily from Tokaji and Villány. Tokaji is located in the northeastern section of the country and is known for making sweet dessert fines from Furmint, the Tokaji Aszú . And there were plenty of the highest quality - 5 and 6 puttonyos - available. These wines are sweet, with generally strong apricot flavors. But they are balanced - with no gritty or syrupy finish. Two we really enjoyed were from Alana-Tokaj and Béres Vineyard and Winery. Both these wineries also had examples of dry Furmint as well as semi-dry Hárslevelü - which along with orange muscat are the only grapes authorized to be grown in the region. And Béres also provided a bonus - two versions of Hungarian palinka - these made in a grappa style. Excellent.

Villány is located in the southern region of Hungary is is known as "Little Bordeaux" for its ability to grow Cabernet and Merlot grapes. And wines from these grapes are made in the old world earthy style as opposed to the new world fruit bombs. We started with the wines imported by the Blue Danube Wine Company which culminated into the Attila - a blend of grapes that would give many premier or second crus a battle. Blue Danube also presented wines from native grapes - Kékfrankos and Kardaka which we profiled in our previous post. We then tasted several dry reds produced by the Château Teleki. They were pouring several single varietal Bordeaux style wines which were all representative of the old world miner-ally wines and tasty. But we were more pleased with their Pinot Noir, which shows that Burgundy also has a presence in Villány. This wine is velvety smooth and full bodied - very nice. The final set of reds were offered by Heumann Winery, which is owned and operated by Evelyne & Erhard Heumann. The couple found a suitable Villányi vineyard over 15 years ago and have been producing wines from native and Bordeaux grapes since. And, Mr. Heumann was present to showcase the wines personally. He offers several single varietals - including a Kékfrankos - but its his two blends, Terra Tartaro and Heumann which will remain in our memory. These are smooth classic Bordeaux cuvees, with light tannins and balanced acidity. And priced to sell - we start searching this week. As a bonus, we tasted the Heumann Chardonnay - a very impressive wine - full bodied with apricot flavors and a slight nutty finish. Perhaps the only version of Hungarian Chardonnay available.

Introducing Virginia Wine TV

The creators of MyJoogTV - who pair musicians with makers of fine wines, brews, spirits - have released a new series called Virginia Wine TV. This new series focuses exclusively on the wines and winemakers in the Commonwealth.

Eastern European Wines Shine at the Washington D.C. International Wine & Food Festival

This weekend we attended the 12th Annual Washington D.C. International Wine & Food Festival and spent the majority of time tasting wine produced in Eastern Europe and the Finger Lakes. Yes, other wine regions were well represented, but on the heels of our article, Blue Frankish - A Great Wine By Any Name, we decided to taste the wines we described in the article. Our day started comparing Hungarian Kékfrankos and Finger Lakes Lemberger; although they weren't exact comparisons because the Finger Lakes versions were 50/50 blends with Cabernet Franc. On the Hungarian side we tasted the Heumann Villany Kékfrankos and the Pfneisxl Sopron Kékfrankos. The latter is lighter, made organically, but with the same smoothness and cherry flavors as the Heumann. On the Finger Lakes side, Fox Run Vineyards and Anthony Road Wine Company were both pouring Lemberger\Cabernet Franc blends. These wines reflect the natural balance that occurs with blending these two grapes - the fruit forwardness and spiciness of the Lemberger and the green fullness of the Cab Franc. We actually experimented, creating our own 50/50 blend of
Heumann Kékfrankos and Heumann Cabernet Franc - and this mixture was easily more enjoyable than each as a single varietal. Just remember, whether Hungarian Kékfrankos or Finger Lakes Lemberger, all are very good, affordable, every day drinking wines.

We also tried several other Hungarian wines, from dry reds and whites to the famous Tokaji Aszu. We tasted the Eszterbauer Szekszárd Kardaka Nagyapám, a dry, medium bodied wine with some similar characteristics as the Kékfrankos - without the complexity. Kardaka is a traditional Hungarian grape that was once the dominate grape in the famous Egri Bikaver - Bull's Blood. Its nice to see a single varietal Kardaka make the journey West. There was also plenty of dry Furmint available, another traditional Hungarian wine grape that is normally vinified into Aszu. Made dry, it is a refreshing wine, balanced between fruit and mineral characters. And we had to sample the sweet Furmint displayed in two wines: Tokaji Aszú 5 Puttonyos and the 6 Puttonyos Aszu. Both had the powerful apricot flavors - definitely strong - but not gritty or syrupy. The "Dessert Wine of Kings". Check out the Blue Danube Wine Company more more information about these wines.

After tasting the various Hungarian wines, we moved to neighboring wines produced in Croatia and Slovenia. We are more familiar with Croatian wines, particularly those made from Crljenak Kastelanski - better known as Primitivo and Zinfandel. Another familiar grape is the indigenous Babić as well as its parent Placac Mali. Both of these were available today: Babić Piližota and the Lirica Plavac Mali Peljesac Dalmatia. Both these wines are produced in the warmer climates in the Dalmatia coast. The Babić was smooth and silky, balanced between fruit and earthiness. The Plavac Mali featured more red fruits and seemed more tannic and spicy. Both were very good and extremely affordable. Check out Fine Croatian Wines for more information.

Even with a visit to Slovenia, we are not very familiar with Slovenian wines, but after tasting the wines made by Ptujska Klet, that will change. This winery is the oldest in Slovenia with its cellars dating back to 1239. We started with the Pullus Pinot Grigio Ptuj. Normally not fans of wines made from this grape, this wine was more than drinkable - fuller than most of its kin with an actual tail. Not bad. But the second we tasted was the bomb; the
Pullus Sauvignon Blanc. This wine had everything you would expect from that variety - refreshing acidity, tropical flavors - this wine just exploded in the mouth. Will definitely give some New Zealanders a run. Wow. Once again, check out Fine Croatian Wines for more information.

We did try other wines, in particular several Pinotages from the large contingent of South African wines. The best trend was that most lacked the strong tobacco - smokey characteristic that repelled us from consuming more of wine varietal. In fact, most resembled its parent, Pinot Noir, with silky bodies and creamy texture. These were nicely done and very affordable. Time to re-evaluate these wines.

Then, of course, we had to sample the Finger Lakes dry Rieslings and the Rhatiselli from Dr. Konstantin Frank's Vinifera Wine Cellars. Combined with the reds we tasted earlier - we must include a trip north this summer. Too much good wine being made in that region to miss.

And finally, there were a few spirits. It was nice to see our friends from St Lucia Distillers Group, producers of Castries Crème, rolling out a new line of rum under the Chairman's Reserve brand - Chairman’s Reserve and Chairman’s Reserve Spiced. The spiced rum was very interesting - with the spices and botanicals contributing like a fine gin rather than a chemical additive as with many spiced rums. And Philadelphia Distilling returned, pouring their Vieux Carré Absinthe and Bluecoat American Gin. We didn't sample today, but expect a future episode featuring these spirits from MyJoogTV.com.

In sum, another enjoyable wine festival with enough diversity to keep us interested. Until next time....

Reminder - Weekend Wine Festivals in D.C. Area

Just a reminder that this weekend brings two major wine festivals to the Washington D.C. metro area. At the Ronald Reagan Building & International Trade Center, over 100 domestic and international wineries will be pouring more than 600 wines during the Washington D.C. International Wine & Food Festival. Hours are from 2:00pm-6:00pm both days.

And out west, the Virginia Wine Showcase is being held at the Westfields Marriott in Chantilly where 37 Virginia wineries will be pouring wine. Tickets are very reasonable $45 for a tasting; $20 for non-tasting; and children under 11 are free.

Blue Frankish – A Great Wine By Any Name

Many years ago, my wife and I traveled through the back roads of northwestern Hungary, just exploring new territory. Yet in each village and especially the regional city of Sopron, we tasted several full bodied – but silky smooth red wines. Many just melted in the mouth. These wines shared several characteristics – dark cherry flavors, soft tannins, some acidity, slightly spicy, as well as the same grape: Kékfrankos – which translates to “Blue Frankish”. And why not; this area borders the Austrian wine region of Burgenland where Blue Frankish, known as Blaufränkisch, has been grown for 1,000 years. The grape continues to be cultivated in many regions of Eastern Europe that were once part of the Austria-Hungarian Empire: Croatia, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia. It even migrated south into Bulgaria. Yet, Blue Frankish is possibly most known in its German form, Lemberger after it was imported into that country, not from neighboring Austria, but from the Lemberg region in lower Styra, Slovenia.

When returning home, we found that the grape was basically ignored; both from wine retailers and the general public. This despairing situation resulting from two forces: a lack of brand identification (the confusion in multiple names) and, I believe, the inability of wine consumers two decades ago to sample wines beyond their comfort zones. Slowly over time we found an influx of nice Blaufränkisch from Austria and even more pleasing – the best source has been the rising domestic production of the grape. Whereas, overseas cultivation of the grape is concentrated in Central Europe, Blue Frankish is now cultivated throughout the United States; from the Pacific Northwest to the Rockies, through the Midwest into the New York and the mid-Atlantic.

Washington state wineries after been producing wines from Lemberger since 1980 (too bad none were available in our Virginia hometown back then). One of the largest growers is Chateau Champoux – located in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA. Besides crafting their own Lemberger wines, their grapes are sourced to Olympic Cellars and FairWind Winery who have used these grapes to produce award winning wines for the past decade. In fact, many in that state think Lemberger will be to Washington what Pinot Noir has become to its southern neighbor, Oregon.

Moving east, our first sampling of domestically produced Blue Frankish came in Palisade, Colorado – at Carlson Vineyards. Carlson is one of Colorado’s oldest wineries and is most known for their Riesling. But their popular Tyrannosaurus Red is 100% Lemberger made from grapes grown in their estate vineyard as well as two other local vineyards. They have discovered that this is a hardy grape that can survive the brutal Rocky Mountain winters. During the winter of 2009-2010, temperatures fell to 15 degrees below zero and yet they were still able to harvest 1/2 their crop. About five years ago we visited the Grand Valley and Carlson Vineyards. It was a great surprise to see the Lemberger and although this wine was more a medium bodied wine – it had the same dark cherry flavor, light tannins, and silky texture that make it an easy drinking wine.

Another area where the grape is cultivated because of it cold hardiness is in the Midwest, where it was first planted in 2002 by Viking Vineyards & Winery. Their Lemberger grapes have survived temperatures of 5 to 10 below zero and with its early ripening behavior – flavors are more consistent. The proprietors decided to cultivate the grape because they enjoyed the wine’s characteristics as they describe it as “rather like a Pinot Noir with attitude (darker, more fruity and less tannic then Pinot)”. Another Ohio winemaker, Ken Tarsitano of Tarsitano Winery, is also attracted to the grape because of its Pinot Noir style. He feels that if a vineyard can grow Chardonnay then it can grow Lemberger and the grape fits into the winery’s organic spray program. And because of geography and personal tastes, the Tarsitano Winery Lemberger is similar in style to the Viking – medium bodied, dark fruit flavors and soft tannins – an easy drinking wine.

Closer to home, in the Finger Lakes, Fox Run Vineyards originally started growing Lemberger as a blending additive to enhance the color of other wines. They find in cooler years, adding 3% Lemberger brings the color of other varietal wines to their proper level. However about 10 years after our first venture to Hungary, President Scott Osborn and winemaker Peter Bell were invited to that Hungary as part of a USAID program. That trip provided the same opportunity to taste several versions of Hungarian Kékfrankos and Austrian Blaufränkisch – many which they thought “fantastic”. At that moment Bell notified Osborn that “I can make wines like this with our Lemberger “. Thus, beginning with the 1997 vintage, Fox Run Vineyards started crafting a single varietal Lemberger. And since that time they have experienced the same results as the other vineyards – a cold hearty grape with consistent annual yields. In addition Osborn says that “because of the larger loose clusters and thicker skin is very disease resistant”. The larger clusters also allow for the moisture to evaporate during humid and raining conditions. We have been fortunate to be able to taste Fox Run’s vinification of Lemberger and like the best – it is a full bodied flavorful wine but with soft tannins that enables easy drinking. The winery also produces a Cabernet FranceLemberger blend that they believe is more flavorful and balanced than either as a single varietal. This is one of our everyday table wines, not only because it is delicious; but also extremely affordable – priced under $15.

Over the years we have purchased some of these wines online, or lately, at local retailers; but this past Autumn we discovered a local source for Blue Frankish from 8 Chains North Winery. The winery produces the Otium Cellars Blaufränkisch – a wine crafted from grapes sourced from Gerhard Bauer, a native of Franconia, Germany. In his Purcelleville, Virginia vineyard, Bauer cultivates grapes native to his homeland. At the time of our visit to the 8 Chains North tasting room, the Blaufränkisch had just been bottled, so the wine was still in “shock” and a little too tart. However, a month later we opened the bottle we purchased and wow, what a transformation. The wine had mellowed into the familiar characteristics that we expect: a full flavored smooth wine. Nice to have a source next door in Loudoun County. And despite the unfamiliar brand name, consumer demand has been overwhelming and the winery is doubling their planting of the grape. Here’s hoping there’s still some available during our next visit.

As the number of domestic wineries producing Blue Frankish increase and as consumers continue their willingness to sample “obscure” grapes – the fortunes for Lemberger and Blaufränkisch wines look strong. Some grape varieties fade in and out of fashion; but with the full flavors and soft tannins delivered by Blue Frankish, we feel, by any name – it will be around for the long-term.

Blue Frankish - A Great Wine By Any Name

We were guests on at the Michael Green blog writing about one of our favorite wine grapes: Blaufränkisch.

MyJoogTV Episode 8: Sarah Siskind & Travis Book @ Devils Backbone Brewing Company

This episode of MyJoogTV features Sarah Siskind and Travis Book, bassist for The Infamous Stringdusters, in a discussion of beer, music, and The Festy with Devils Backbone Brewing Company master brewer Jason Oliver. The episode was filmed during The Festy, The Infamous Stringdusters' signature weekend music festival held on the festival grounds at Devils Backbone. Specifically we discussed Siskind's affection for beer as well as her beer blog; The Festy; and the award winning beers crafted by Oliver. The episode concludes with Sarah Siskind and Travis Book, accompanied by guitarist Andy Falco, performing "Wild Fire" on the Southern Stage; and The Infamous Stringdusters on the Main Stage at The Festy. The video is available to download for iTunes and Windows Media Player. To view more videos filmed at The Festy, visit the MyJoogTV Festy Channel. And a special thanks to Nelson County for sponsoring our trip to the region.

Say It Louder - Sarah Siskind
All Come Together Now - EP - Sarah Siskind

Things That Fly - The Infamous Stringdusters

Opening a New Brewery - A Tale of Two Countries

I found this article interesting after reading about several new breweries that are opening this year in the Washington D.C. area. In the U.S. a new brewery opens regularly; in Greece, Heineken limits start-ups.

What’s Broken in Greece? Ask an Entrepreneur

DEMETRI POLITOPOULOS says he has suffered countless indignities in his 12-year battle to build a microbrewery and wrest a sliver of the Greek beer market from the Dutch colossus, Heineken.

His tires have been slashed and his products vandalized by unknown parties, he says, and his brewery has received threatening phone calls. And he says he has had to endure regular taunts — you left Manhattan to start up a beer factory in northern Greece? — not to mention the pain of losing 5.3 million euros.

Bad as all that has been, nothing prepared him for this reality: He would be breaking the law if he tried to fulfill his latest — and, he thinks, greatest — entrepreneurial dream. It is to have his brewery produce and export bottles of a Snapple-like beverage made from herbal tea, which he is cultivating in the mountains that surround this lush pocket of the country.

An obscure edict requires that brewers in Greece produce beer — and nothing else. Mr. Politopoulos has spent the better part of the last year trying fruitlessly to persuade the Greek government to strike it. “It’s probably a law that goes back to King Otto,” said Mr. Politopoulos with a grim chuckle, referring to the Bavarian-born king of Greece who introduced beer to the country around 1850........read more

The Virginia Wine Showcase - Another Festival During Valentines Weekend

We were miffed that not many Virginia wineries were participating in the Washington D.C. Wine & Food Festival and think we've discovered a clue. During the same weekend of February 12th-13th; the Virginia Wine Showcase is being held at the Westfields Marriott in Chantilly. Tickets are very reasonable $45 for a tasting; $20 for non-tasting; and children under 11 are free. Why not bring the kids and get a hotel room.

What to expect at the festival? There are currently 37 Virginia wineries planning to pour their wares - including a couple infants: Rosemont Vineyards and Winery and Annefield Vineyards. The wineries represent a large array of regional and grape variety that is making Virginia a popular wine region. There will also be plenty or wine and food seminars for foodies so you won't spend all your time at the tasting booths. And unlike the event in DC; all these seminars are included with the purchase of a ticket. Here's who's presenting:

• Richard Rosendale, Executive Chef, Greenbrier Resort
• Mamma Agata: Simple and Genuine Book Tour
• Warren Brown of CakeLove and Love Café
• Andrew Stover, Vino50 Selections
• Executive Chef John Emerson, Wegmans Food Markets Inc.
• Mary Schellhammer, Spice Rack Chocolates
• Brandon Walsh, Hosted Wine Tasting, LLC
• Chef Bernard Henry
• Dorit Paz, Sababa Market
• Chef Patrick Wilson, Culinary Institute of America
• Jeffrey Mitchell, Frenchman's Cellar
• James Ricciuti, Ricciuti's Restaurant
• Carl Henrickson, Farm Wineries Council
• Joe David, Author

12th Annual Washington D.C. International Wine & Food Festival

Its time once again for the Washington D.C. International Wine & Food Festival from February 10th through the 13th. And as usual the grand tasting will be held at the Ronald Reagan Building & International Trade Center during Saturday, February 12th and Sunday, February 13th from 2:00pm-6:00pm. There will be over 100 domestic and international wineries exhibiting, pouring more than 600 wines available for sample. Tickets vary and will increase by $10 after February 5th: Saturday only ($85), Sunday Only ($75), Two-Day Pass ($140). There will be plenty of events targeted towards foodies including Gourmet food booths sampling new products; a Food Pavilion at the GRAND TASTING showcases local restaurants; and The Washington Post's Chef Demo Stage features celebrity chefs. We are more interested in the wine selections which include some Virginia and Maryland wineries, as well as a contingent from the Finger Lakes, and several from the left coast. As for international wines, there will exhibits dedicated to New Zealand Winegrowers, Rhone Valley Wines, The Republic of Hungary, Wines of Don Quxiote's Spain, and Wines of South Africa. Let the sampling begin....

Update
Deals For Deeds are offering tickets to the Washington DC International Wine and Food Festival for 33% off. The direct link is: http://dealsfordeeds.com/deals/todays_deal/93

Beer Review Dude - Terrapin Hopzilla Double IPA

We are not the only outfit tasting Double IPAs or making beer videos. Check out Beer Review Dude and their collection of reviews including this one for the Terrapin Hopzilla Double IPA. Also, visit this social networking site over at Craft Beer Network.

Bell's Hopslam Ale - Is It Worth the Hype and Price?

This past Friday, we drank for the first time, several glasses of Bell's Brewery's seasonal cult-classic Hopslam Ale. Most of my associates were very familiar with the beer and the restaurant, Fireworks Pizza, ran out that evening. A nearby music venue, Galaxy Hut, also exhausted their supply in one night. What makes this double-IPA so special? Well, it starts with "six different hop varietals added to the brew kettle & culminating with a massive dry-hop addition of Simcoe hops". Now, you would think this massive dose of hops would result in an overly bitter concoction, but no, it is balanced by sweet malt and a dose of honey. The beer's aroma is the most powerful we've experienced, and the flavor profile complex and spicy - reminiscent of of a Belgium Ale. Truly a great tasting beer; but worth the $20-$25 price per six-pack. Well considering that same evening we spent $7 for average tasting beers at the 9:30 Club; at $4 a beer - its a bargain. Yea, there is still some sticker shock when purchasing a case, but this isn't the type of beer to guzzle in an evening - its one to savior throughout the year - hopefully our case will last that long.

A Forgotten Visit: Crushed Cellars - Purcellville Virginia

This evening while scanning through our wine cellar I came across the Crushed Cellars Seyval which we had purchased at a winery visit a couple weeks back.And sadly, we prompted forgot to publish a winery visit. Fortunately Dezel from MyVineSpot has all the details; I just remember that proprietor Bob Kalok offers one of the best Seyvals that we have tried in quite a while. Its made dry with nice acidity which worked well with the Thai rice and veges this evening. The wine also has flavor, which many Seyval wines lack. The same holds for the other two wines we tasted, a semi-dry Vidal and a Cabernet Sauvignon. We will be back soon - maybe this weekend to stock up on more Seyval and perhaps some farm fresh eggs.

Gov. Robert F. McDonnell Unveils New Plan for Liquor Privatization

According to the Washington Post, Gov. Robert F. McDonnell will unveil a proposal Wednesday to close 332 state-owned liquor stores and replace them with 1,000 private retail outlets - a scaled-back version of a plan he's pushed for months to end Virginia's monopoly on the sale of distilled spirits.

Under McDonnell's liquor proposal, the state will continue to act as the wholesaler of liquor in Virginia, buying thousands of cases directly from distilleries and selling them at a profit to private retailers, who would then set prices for consumers.

Aides to the governor hope prices will fall because the state will cut the markup it applies to liquor prices from 69 percent to 50 percent.

The stores would be be sold off over an 18-month period that would start July 1.

McDonnell hired PFM, a national financial management company, at a cost of more than $75,000 to consider ways to privatize the state's stores without losing money after he did not have enough votes to hold a special session to take up the issue.

Licenses would be sold to the highest bidders and split among big-box stores, such as grocery stores and Wal-Mart; convenience stores and drugstores; package stores and wine stores; and small convenience stores.

A legislative study released in November showed McDonnell's original proposal may have overstated by tens of millions of dollars the amount of money Virginia could make from selling the entire system. His new figures came from PFM.

Wine Making Is as Old as Civilization

Here's another example to give to any temperance believer who thinks alcoholic beverages should be banned from society. And believe me these people are out there. This article describes the discovery of a 6,000 year old wine press - the oldest ever discovered - which shows that alcohol consumption is as old as mankind itself. The press was retrieved from a caveside cemetery in what is now southern Armenia and holds remnants of an ancient red grape. 'The press itself is a shallow clay basin about three feet (one meter) in diameter, surrounded by grape seeds and dried-out grape vines." Wonder if there were wine critics rating these wines, way back then.....

CNN Understates Number of Wineries in Virginia by 13 Dozen

CNN's Jim Boulden needs to join Wine-Compass.com; if he did, he would quickly realize that Virginia contains more than the two dozen he claims in this report regarding U.K. and Virginia sales. Heck, Florida has over two dozen wineries, as does Minnesota, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Iowa, Georgia, and many other states. For the record, Virginia currently contains 190 wineries.

WineCompass & MyJoogTV on Wine & Dine Radio

Earlier this month we participated in an episode of Wine & Dine Radio hosted by Broadcast Journalist, Oral Wine Historian Lynn Krielow Chamberlain. This is a very entertaining broadcast where Ms. Krielow Chamberlain incorporates five 10-minute segments on various topics within the wine and culinary industries. Makes it easy not to lose interest with such short segments.

We participated in a discussion on the evolution of Wine-Compass.com into MyJoogTV.com. Our episode also includes Rollin Soles, Co- Founder and Winemaker, Argyle Winery, Dundee, Oregon, Willamette Valley; Jessie Niewoldt and Kate Connors, Center for Wine Origins; Frederick T. Merwarth, owner-operator, Winemaker, Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard, Dundee, New York, Seneca Lake, Finger Lakes; and Michael Giarraputo, Founder and CEO, Think Tank® Wine Company.

A New Gin Comes to Town: Martin Miller's Gin

We were recently informed of a new Gin introduced to the market by English hotelier and entrepreneur Martin Miller: Martin Miller’s Gin. The spirit is made of "juniper from Tuscany and India, Cassia bark from China, angelica from France and florentine from Florence delicately blended with pure Icelandic spring water, to create a marriage of rare softness, clarity of taste and appearance. Among many awards, Martin Miller’s Gin has taken home two out of three possible gold medals in the blind-tasting 10^th Anniversary Strength gins by the International Spirits Challenge."

According to Miller, the 4 components to make a good gin are: 1.) The ‘Base’ Spirit from which the gin is made by re-distillation; this must be grain spirit of the highest quality and consistency. 2.) The recipe which by strict tradition is always very secret. 3.) The ingredients themselves. Only the richest and finest. Martin Miller’s will consist of dark purple, puckered juniper berries harvested from the hills of Tuscany, India, of Macedonia. 4.) Last but not least, the equipment used to make the Gin. Martin Miller’s consists of a single three story high, balloon bellied, Samovarish pot still named Angela in what is said to be the ‘Rolls Royce’ of Gin Stills. However, not satisfied with the depth of this description, we submitted additional questions which Mr. Miller was kind enough to answer:

1. How long did it take you to produce your first batch - from conceptualizing, to design, to actual implementation?

It took us about 18 months. We started back in 1998, and the gin was finished to my satisfaction by the summer of 1999, when we launched. The idea was formed in a typical London Pub, when I was served what was supposed to be a Gin and Tonic – 75 proof gin, one ice cube, a slice of preserved lemon and dreadful gun tonic. It was that moment when I realized just how far standards for gin had fallen in the face of the relentless march of vodka. I needed to create a gin that would put a smile back on the face of gin drinkers, myself included. It was time for a Gin Renaissance.

2.Where is the actual distilling facility?

The gin distillery is situated in the Black Country, just west of Birmingham.

3. Which grains to you use to create the base spirit and where are they grown?

The grain we use is barley, which is grown in East Anglia, for the most part.

4. Our readers are becoming interested in organically made spirits. Does Martin Miller's Gin qualify?

When I first conceived the idea for Martin Miller’s, the idea was not a commercial consideration, rather, it was to simply make the best gin possible, without considering the cost or time involved. Organic or not, our first and only consideration was whether or not this process or ingredient takes us closer to making the perfect gin. Personally speaking, I am suspicious of spirits claiming to be organic. Take for example, Juniper Berries. Their quality varies enormously year to year in a wide variety locations, be that Tuscany, Macedonia or India. We always source the best available berries from whatever location is delivering the highest quality that year. If we were to apply for organic status, this would compromise our ability to switch and change our sources as quality varied. Gin is not a product of ‘terroir’. In the case of wines, I can see a strong case for organic but with gin and other white spirits, I see it as more of a marketing claim, no more, no less.

5. What is your water supply for creating the mash?

The water used for the mash is from a spring within the distillery, but what’s more important to Martin Miller’s is the water that we use for blending; after all, this water is anything from 50 to 60% of the liquid in the bottle.

For blending, we use Icelandic Spring Water, which is simply the purest and softest naturally occurring water to be found on the planet. Its super softness and purity give us a very gentle and ordered delivery of the botanicals and aromatics, making it the perfect water for blending gin. It’s very expensive for us to do this, but the usual de-mineralised water used to blend most spirits simply doesn’t measure up.

6. How many times is the base spirit distilled - do you use just the heart, or also re-distill the head and tail?

Martin Miller’s is pot distilled in small batches; each batch is a single distillation. We use only the heart of the spirit, as the heads and tails are discarded. The copper still is over a hundred years old, and we use the traditional method of maceration and direct distillation rather than the ‘tea bag’ steaming process. Most importantly, Martin Miller’s is the only gin to employ two separate and distinct distillations; one for the Juniper and one for the ‘earthier’ botanicals, the dried citrus peels,. The two distillates are then ‘married’ to create the final distillate. This gives us a clarity to the citrus notes without them overpowering the juniper.

7. How did you determine which juniper berries to use?

Simply from the quality of the oils they produce, and nothing more. Provenance and cost are not a consideration.

8.What other botanicals are infused into the Gin that you can reveal?

From the beginning, I wanted to improve on the classic recipe for gin. The fashion these days is to add all manner of exotic and increasingly outlandish ‘botanicals’ to gin, though what they all bring to the party baffles me. Our fashion was to stick to the traditional ‘pallette’ of botanicals; juniper, cassia, angelica, coriander, Florentine iris, with, of course, the addition of bitter orange and lemon peel. I wanted to create a gin that tasted like a good gin should – only more so! So, the brief was to be creative with the traditional botanicals.

9. What is a "Samovarish" still and what advantages does it give compared to other pot stills? - Sounds very Russian.

Well, the still that we use looks pretty Russian too! As a matter of fact, the still shape has quite an influence on the final spirit. We tried spirit from several different stills before settling on ‘Angela’, the still we use to this day.

10. What are the retail price points?

I’m the wrong person to ask! That’s a question for the whizz kid marketing boys to answer. All I know is that they constantly complain about what they call the ‘high cost of goods’ and I simply tell them that it’s not my problem. In the US, I believe that we sell the 80 proof product for around $25 and my beloved Westbourne Strength Martin Millers for around $35. At those prices, I think we’re practically giving it away!