Winechat Conversation on Riesling

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

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

Mad Fox Brewing - Now Hosting Live Music

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

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

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

Winechat Transcript Discussing Eastern European Wines

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

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

Today is #winechat - Focusing on Eastern European Wines

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

It's a #VAWine New Year's Eve

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

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

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

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

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

#WineChat Talking Eastern European Wines

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

We will be pouring and discussing the following wines:

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

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

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

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

Where the Wild Things (Grapes) Are

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

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

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

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

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

Linganore Goes Solar

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

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

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

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

MyJoogTV Episode 12: Donna the Buffalo with Cirrus Vodka

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

MyJoogTV Episode 12: Donna the Buffalo with Cirrus Vodka

Sierra Nevada: Hops vs Malt

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

Corcoran Brewing\Vineyards - My Idea of Disney

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

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

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

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

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

Paradise Springs Winery - Harvest Tour

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

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

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

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

Discovering Spirits in Sin City

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

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

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

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

MyJoogTV Episode 11: The Steel Wheels with Blue Mountain Brewery

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

Grüner Veltliner Finds a Papa

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

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

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

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

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

Villány: Hungary's Bordeaux

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

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

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

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

Harvest Live 2011 - William Hill Estate Winery

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


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Harvest Live 2011 - Robert Mondavi Winery

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


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