The History of Virginia and Maryland Wines - from Jefferson and Adlum

I've always been fascinated by history, and the textbook-like A History of Wine in America, Volume 1: From the Beginnings to Prohibition was one of the first books I read when researching early wine making.  This volume allocates several chapters to discussing the role of vineyards and wine making in colonial America and gives the reader a basic introduction to early Mid-Atlantic wine making. My summer reading list has now been augmented by two books that expands this introduction for both Virginia and Maryland respectively:  Beyond Jefferson's Vines: The Evolution of Quality Wine in Virginia and Maryland Wine: A Full-Bodied History Richard Leahy, a former East Coast Editor for Vineyard & Winery Management magazine, has been covering the Virginia wine industry for the past 25 years so is well suited to describe the transition of the Commonwealth's wine industry from a few pioneers to today's vinifera revolution. Best of all, Leahy covers all geographic regions in Virginia, so don't expect just a Monticello-centric dissertation. This summer the author will be conducting book signings at various wineries and festivals starting this weekend at the Vintage Virginia festival. You can also find him at DuCard Vineyards - Father’s Day Celebration June 16, 2012, 12pm to 5pm;  Paradise Springs Winery  - June 22, 2012, 3pm to 5pm; Potomac Point Winery -  July 19, 2012, 6pm to 9pm for Wine Club Members only; Williamsburg Winery  -July 22nd, 2012, 12pm to 4pm; The Winery at Bull Run - August 25th, 2012, 12pm to 4:30 pm; and the Reston Grape Grape Festival - September 8th & 9th 2012 (all day). Regina McCarthy is currently the marketing coordinator for the Maryland Wineries Association and researched the evolution of the Maryland wine industry from the first plantings in 1648 to the 50 or so wineries today. Everyone should be particularly interested in the role of Philip Wagner, founder of Boordy Vineyards, in igniting the post-Prohibition wine industry in the Mid-Atlantic through the adoption of hybrid grapes. Regina might have a few book signings planned during Maryland Wine Week but you can catch her this weekend at the Hunt Valley Great Grapes. On June 9th 2012 she will also be signing books at Nicks of Calvert from 1–4 p.m.; then June 23: Barnes & Noble, Bel Air from 2–4 p.m.; and finally, June 23: Barnes & Noble, Power Plant, Baltimore from 5–7 p.m.

Wine Blogging Wednesday #77: “A Glass (of cider) After A Bad Day At Work”

Our friend, Alleigh at A Glass After Work hosts Wine Blogging Wednesday #wbw77 this month and the topic, “A Glass After A Bad Day At Work”. Normally, after a particularly bad day at work I hit the whiskey or rum when I return home. But since the weather has warmed and I've been commuting by bicycle, the hard stuff isn't as satisfying. I tried beer and yes that can be a thirst quencher - but it doesn't alleviate the tensions from a tough day.  Then, one day I reached for a Foggy Ridge Cider First Fruit cider. Immediately the apple flavors calmed my nerves, while the acidity was as refreshing as a malt beverage. I instantly relaxed - who cares about work? The next week I tried the Foggy Ridge Cider Serious Cider. This cider is lighter than the First Fruit but produced similar results.  I'm now stocking up on ciders: Albemarle CiderWorks and Applewood Winery now in the fridge; and will be adding cider from Castle Hill Cider, Distillery Lane Ciderworks, Great Shoals Winery, and planning trips into New York and Pennsylvania. Any suggestions?

Virginia Wine at The Tribute to the Wounded Warrior

If you have to pick one fundraiser to attend this year, then choose the Beethovenfound Memorial Day Tribute to Wounded Warriors held this May 27th 2012 at the Great Meadow Event Center (5089 Old Tavern Rd, The Plains VA). This event will be the largest event ever staged in this country for Wounded Warriors. Members of the New York Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony, and National Symphony and other professional symphony musicians will come together to create a 200 member orchestra with a 500 strong chorus conducted by Maestro Ulysses James. More than 6 Major bands will perform on a specially constructed stage surrounded by risers for the chorus and 2 Jumbotrons will show the action and carry messages from our sponsors, patrons, and performers. There will also be an air show, polo show, classic car show and a Childrens area with moonbounces, rock climbing, pony rides and more!  Plus there will be cigars (CigarVolante), beer and Virginia wine courtesy of Mattaponi Winery, Horton Vineyards, Unicorn Winery, Miracle Valley Vineyard and Winery, Lost Creek Winery, Goose Creek Farms and Winery, & Potomac Point Winery. The cost is $45 per person (children Under 12 are admitted free!). 


Here is an interview with H. David Meyers and General Bugsy Forsythe for Memorial Day Tribute to Wounded Warriors

 

More Opportunities to Drink Local Wine: Maryland Wine Week

Opportunities to Drink Local Wine continue next month as the Maryland Wineries Association announces Maryland Wine Week, running June 8-17. During this week several Maryland restaurants and wine shops will "celebrate local wine and produce by hosting a range of events themed around Maryland wine, including wine maker dinners, tastings, wine flights, and more!"

Never tried a Maryland wine? Don't know much about the industry? Then check out a few videos featuring Maryland wineries (Black Ankle Vineyards, Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard, and Old Westminster Winery. Or better yet, check out the 20th Wine in the Woods festival this weekend (5/19-20) in Columbia and sample wines from over thirty Maryland wineries. That will prepare you for the Annapolis Arts & Crafts Festival held June 9th and 10th. Here are the restaurants and wine shops participating in Maryland Wine Week. Hope to see you at one of their events or follow along on Twitter and Facebook.

Wine Shops
Annebeth’s Specialty Shop • Annapolis
College Square Liquors • Carroll County
Frederick Basket Company • Frederick
Friendship Wine & Liquor • Abingdon
Mill’s Fine Wine & Spirits • Annapolis
Nick’s of Calvert • Calvert County
Wine Loft • Baltimore County

Restaurants
Alexandra’s Restaurant • Ellicott City
Beans in the Belfry • Brunswick
Clementine • Baltimore
Drovers Grill & Wine Co. • Mount Airy
Patrick’s Retaurant & Pub • Cockeysville
The County Cork Wine Pub • Eldersburg
The Gourmet Goat & GG’s Restaurant & Martini Bar • Hagerstown
RANAZUL Tapas Wine Bistro • Howard County

The #DLW12 Nomacorc Twitter Taste-Off: "Where's the Gewürztraminer?"

One of the highlights of all DrinkLocalWine.com conferences is the Twitter taste-off, where participates sample wines from the host state and immediately share their impressions online. This year was no exception with the Nomacorc-Colorado Twitter Taste-off where we tasted and tweeted using the #colwines and #drinklocal hash tags. And at the end of the tasting the media and general public voted on their favorites.

This is actually a grueling affair, speeding drinking (spitting) 42 wines from 21 Colorado wineries. Initially I tried to stick with just whites, then roses, then reds; but eventually I felt like a novice festival attendee and just stuck out my glass and asked "what do you got?"  My first impressions were that there were several very good wines, and conversely, several not so good wines exuding volatile acidity or shrouded in oak. My second impression, "Where's the Gewürztraminer?". For all the talk we heard previously that this may be Colorado's - or at least the Western Slope's - signature grape variety - not a single winery chose to pour a Gewürz.

Oh well, here are my favorites of the day. Not surprisingly, I enjoyed both offerings from Canyon Wind Cellars, the Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon, perhaps influenced from our pre-tour visit. Boulder based Settembre Cellars was pouring the identical varietal wines and continued to impress. Another winery that I really enjoyed both offerings was Snowy Peaks Winery, who were pouring a Petite Sirah and the Elevee Blanc (60% Viognier & 40% Roussanne). Once again, kudos for evening producing this Rhone blend. Finally, another favorite were the wines from Denver based The Infinite Monkey Theorem. Their white was a local alcohol refreshing IMT Riesling whereas their red, the IMT 100th Monkey is a unique blend of 40% Petit Verdot, 20% Cabernet Franc, 20% Syrah and 20% Petit Sirah. The catch, $42 - now I know why some locals complain about price points.

Now for the winners. For whites, not only was the Four Corners based Guy Drew Vineyards Pinot Gris voted best White Wine, but also the Media's favorite wine. Wrong. How could my colleagues completely mess this up. In fact, the best White Wine, was the Guy Drew Vineyards No Oak Chardonnay. Seriously, Guy can make some quality wine. And with both of these wines priced at $16, this shows why I think Colorado has several excellent value wines. For reds, the Ruby Trust Cellars Smuggler, a Cabernet Franc blend, was voted Best Red; but I preferred the 100% varietal Cabernet Franc from Creekside Cellars. I mean, this was Cabernet Franc - it smelled like CF, it tasted like CF, and the peppery finish lingered like CF.  And it was better than most Virginia Cabernet Francs I've tasted. The downside, need to get over the $35 retail price. Finally, I agreed whole-heartedly with the People's Choice Award - the best wine - wasn't even a wine; but a dry-hopped mead from Redstone Meadery: "Nectar of the Hops". No longer called a Braggot since there's no malt, this style makes a a fun, refreshing beer-ish beverage that contains the clean finish of many dry-hopped IPAs with the sweetness of honey instead of malt. Nicely done. And it may be available in the DC area.

There you have it. Looking forward to next year's DLW Twitter taste-off; wonder where it will be???

Colorade Wine - Made from grapes with altitude and attitude

That's the slogan for the Canyon Wind Cellars 47-TEN series which, after spending four days in the Centennial state for the 2012 DrinkLocalWine.com Conference, we learned is applicable to the entire Colorado industry. Not only was I fortunate to attend the conference, but the folks at the Colorado Wine Industry Development Board included me on a pre-tour of the state's two American Viticultural Areas (AVA): the West Elks and Grand Valley. These AVAs are located on the Western Slope of Colorado with the former lying south of the Grand Mesa and the latter to the west.

We started our tour in the West Elks AVA and quickly learned about altitude - this AVA hosts the highest vineyard in the Northern Hemisphere, Terror Creek Winery, which sits at 6,417 feet above sea level. You would think this is the land of cold climate hybrids, but no, vinifera is the norm - specifically Alsatian grapes such as Gewürztraminer and Riesling as well as Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The high altitude induces higher acidity in the grapes and less sugar - resulting in lower alcohol wines. And most interesting, phylloxera is basically non-existent so that vines are not grafted to rootstock.

Located just below Terror Creek is Stone Cottage Cellars, the 2nd highest vineyard and our first stop of the tour. Proprietors Karen and Brent Helleckson explained to us the hazards and difficulties in cultivating grapes at this altitude. The growing season is extremely short, 150 days, which can be shortened - as frost sometimes occurs as late as June. Since bud break normally occurs in early May (late April this year), a late season frost can decimate a vineyard. Another hazard is pests, all American vineyards battle birds and deer, but for Colorado, include Elk, Raccoons, and wild Turkeys.  Because of these weather and animal hazards, Helleckson prunes to 6 buds, because any less could result in zero fruit.

During our visit, Stone Cottage Cellars was pouring a dry Gewürztraminer, a Chardonnay, a Grand Valley Syrah, and a dessert wine - the Alpine - a  Gewürztraminer based wine fortified with grape spirit. We were also able to sample two wines in the tank, the soon to be released 2011Gewürztraminer and the 2009 Pinot Noir. Ironically, my favorites were these last two. Their dry Gewürz was good, but the extra residual sugar (.6%) in the 2011 vintage lifted the aromatics and exuded stronger flavors - all balanced by the grape's natural acidity. This 2011 Gewürztraminer will be a very good wine. As for the Pinot, it is a very fruit forward red with somewhat of a silky mid-palette leading to the smooth finish. That evening we revisited their Chardonnay during a dinner hosted by the Smith Fort Ranch. The Burgundy styled wine - really held its own during the initial course (of course I can't recall the actual pairing).  I also enjoyed the Alfred Eames Cellars Collage (Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot blend) at the ranch. Eames was one of Colorado's earliest winemakers - and seems to specialize in red wines. One day I want to sample his local favorite - Carmena (a blend based on the Carmine grape with some Merlot and Cabernet Franc.

Although lower in elevation and more temperate, wineries in the Grand Valley AVA - and in our case the wineries within Palisades - face constant weather challenges. For over 30 years, Carlson Vineyards has been producing wine from Colorado grown fruit, but with cold-weather induced low yields the past two years, the winery had to source fruit from Washington State this year. And these were my favorite wines, wines that I've ordered online in the past: Riesling, Gewürztraminer, and Lemberger. Since Carlson possesses a large portfolio, there were about a dozen of Colorado wines that we were able to sample, including a few rather nice fruit wines. But the biggest surprise was their version of a White Zinfandel or Blush wine, the Prairie Dog Blush - a kitchen sink blend of Lemberger, Gewürztraminer,  Seyval, Muscat Canelli, and Orange Muscat. This is a fun wine, particular when hanging out - listening to Parker Carlson describe his operation. Another bonus, all Carlson wines are priced under $13.

Located near Carlson is High Country Orchards and Vineyards, a new winery which augmented their famous peach orchard into producing wine from Bordeaux grapes: the Colterris (from the Colorado land) series. After a short orchard and vineyard tour we sampled their two wines - the varietal Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. These were both decent wines, particularly from such a young winery and I would love to revisit to see how the wines mature over time. 

Canyon Wind Cellars and Garfield Estates Vineyard & Winery are situated not far from Carlson and High Country, but because of the multiple mesoclimates within Palisades, they might as well be in different AVAs. The vineyards at Canyon Wind Cellars receive frequent and larger bursts of wind (hence the name) and even at similar altitudes, bud break normally occurs first at Canyon Wind than at Garfield Estates. Regardless both of these wineries produce very solid wines. Canyon Wind offers three brands, the lower end - but nicely done 47-TEN series, a varietal series, and a newly launched high end label Anemoi. The Anemoi wines are blends named after the mythological Greek Gods of wind, and my favorite was the Boreas - 100% estate grown comprised of 43% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Franc, and 15% Petit Verdot. The 47-TEN wines are excellent values at the common $13 price point as are the varietal wines, priced from $15 (whites) up to $25.

As much as I liked the wines from Canyon Wind Cellars, the wines from Garfield Estates Vineyard & Winery proved that wineries in the Grand Valley can produce elegant wines. This outlook started with their S² (S-squared) a white Bordeaux blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon. I mean, major kudos for just creating this blend. Even better, its all fruit - no oak as in the companion Fumé Blanc - with the grapefruit flavors evolving into a refreshingly acidic mouth bath. We then tasted a barrel sample of their soon to be released Vin Rose - made from Cabernet Franc. This wine had more texture than most roses perhaps resulting from 5-6 months aging in neutral oak. I will be buying this wine online when released. Then there's the 2009 Estate Syrah, a creamy and silky wine with a slight white pepper finish. This may be my favorite wine of the entire trip - and priced at $18 - a super bargain. It was also a hit a couple nights later at Row 14’
during a dinner hosted by our friends at Nomacorc.

I think what makes Garfield so special, is that proprietor Jeff Carr understands that Colorado has an infant wine industry. He acknowledges he doesn't yet know what grapes grow best. But he doesn't plan on forcing grape varieties that may be recognizable, but not acclimated to the soil or climate. And even with the better known grapes, such as Cabernet Franc, he doesn't want to manipulate it into a big Bordeaux styled red - but rather allow the grapes to produce a softer Chinon style.

Despite the excellent wines that we tasted, we noticed a few deficiencies within theses two AVAs. First, there appears to be an absence of cooperation and critiquing among the wineries. Yes the wineries encourage visitors to seek out neighboring wineries and there are shared events - there doesn't seem to be regular meetings to discuss common issues and to sample and critique each others wines. In Northern Virginia, winemakers meet monthly to share wines and all must be prepared for Jim Law's analysis. This elevates each winemaker's game which in turn improves the wines made in the entire region.

Second, there appears to be a trend to plant grapes that are popular and not what may grow as best in the environment. Yes, they plant grapes associated to that elevation, but not once did we hear, "Before establishing the vineyard, I consulted a viticulturist to determine which grapes to plant in the vineyard and in which specific plot". Where are the Lucie Morton's of Colorado. Just take a look at Maryland's two best wineries, Black Ankle Vineyards and Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard, both who consulted with Morton before planting their respective vineyards. Give Horst Caspari a call.

Despite these trends and the altitude, wineries in the Grand Valley and West Elks are producing wines with attitude. The many excellent wines elevate Colorado into a respectable position in the drink local movement. Thanks again to the great hospitality provided by Colorado Wine Industry Development Board, the Smith Fort Ranch, Delta County, Grand Junction VCB, and the host wineries. Now on to the Front Range and Four Corners.....

Update:
I should have noted that Colorado winemakers in the Front Range Winemakers Association do meet to discuss issues and critique wines. As far as I know, winemakers in the Grand Valley and West Elks AVAs so not.

2012 Finger Lakes Wine Virtual Tasting Series for Finger Lakes - Gewurztraminer

On Wednesday April 18th, I participated in the first 2012 Finger Lakes Wine Virtual Tasting Series for Finger Lakes white wines, sponsored by the Finger Lakes Wine Alliance. And not Riesling white wines, but a mixture dominated by Gewurztraminer but including other grape varieties that demonstrate they diversity of the Finger Lakes region.   There was the Austrian Gruner Veltliner, Alsace Pinot Blanc, and staples such as Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio. The samples were also representative of the three largest lakes: Cayuga, Seneca, and Keuka. And, most importantly, all the wines sampled are low in alcohol and priced until $20. Earlier in the week, I discussed the non-gewurztraminers here - so now its time for the Gewurz.

Apparently this is a popular grape among the Finger Lakes wineries and is becoming just as prevalent as Riesling. This is perhaps a bit of an over-statement, but a guess of 50 producers in the region was thrown out. It is produced in all lakes, and I asked the winemakers if there are any lake-induced differences. The consensus was that there is a difference between wineries - as is the case with Riesling - but this difference results more from production methods and not "terrior". And these production methods create both dry and semi-dry versions.

• Dr. Frank's Vinifera Wine Cellars 2011 Gruner Veltliner
• Glenora Wine Cellars 2011 Pinot Blanc
• King Ferry Winery 2010 Reserve Chardonnay Cayuga Lake
• Goose Watch Winery 2011 Pinot Grigio  
• Sheldrake Point Winery 2011 Gewurztraminer  
• Seneca Shore Wine Cellars 2010 Dry Gewurztraminer 
• Rooster Hill Vineyards 2010 Estate Gewurztraminer  
• Wagner Vineyards 2010 Gewurztraminer Semi-Dry  

Started with the dry, the grapes for the Sheldrake Point Winery 2011 Gewurztraminer were not harvested until mid-October. This allowed the fruit to gain traction and the final product is balanced with nice acidity. The aroma falsely imply sweetness, but there's actually only 0.4% rs.

Vibrant yellow gold in color, with a sensuous and silky weave of acid and mineral on the palate. Flowered perfume of rose and passion fruit flow to silky red grapefruit on the finish. – Winemaker’s Notes

The grapes for the Seneca Shore Wine Cellars 2010 Dry Gewurztraminer were harvested a full month earlier and made to a similar 0.43% rs; but is a completely different wine. It portrays more of the grape's inherent spiciness.

This big, unctuous and full bodied white wine has a thick, creamy texture and fruit galore. The nose is reminiscent of fresh tea roses with a palate filled with juicy lycee fruit, finished with spicy pepper. – Winemaker’s Notes

Moving to the semi-dry styles, Gewurztraminer contains enough acids to balance this style. The Rooster Hill Vineyards 2010 Estate Gewurztraminer was my favorite gewurz for the evening. It is produced from a single vineyard - Catherine Vineyard - on the east side of Keuka Lake. Even with 1.8% rs, this is a refreshing wine, lycee flavors and spice. Very nice.

This single vineyard Gewurztraminer from the Catherine Vineyard is aromatic with soft, pretty rose petal, accented by hints of citrus, grass and Asian spice. A bright and refreshing wine with a delicate spicy finish. – Winemaker’s Notes 

The Wagner Vineyards 2010 Gewurztraminer Semi-Dry contains similar sugar levels (1.75%) and the grapes were grown surrounding Seneca Lake.  This wine also portrays how extra sweetness imparts more flavors than the dry versions; with enough acid to generate a balanced mouth feel. 

A mouthfilling wine, full of spicy fruit flavors & an orange blossom bouquet. – Winemaker’s Notes 

It's time to plan a trip to the Finger Lakes Wine Country. There is a diverse wine world that we need to check out. And here's the link to the recorded live stream. Cheers.
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/finger-lakes-wine-virtual-tasting-series

2012 Finger Lakes Wine Virtual Tasting Series for Finger Lakes Whites

On Wednesday April 18th, I participated in the first 2012 Finger Lakes Wine Virtual Tasting Series for Finger Lakes white wines, sponsored by the Finger Lakes Wine Alliance. And not Riesling white wines, but a mixture dominated by Gewurztraminer but including other grape varieties that demonstrate they diversity of the Finger Lakes region.   There was the Austrian Gruner Veltliner, Alsace Pinot Blanc, and staples such as Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio. The samples were also representative of the three largest lakes: Cayuga, Seneca, and Keuka. And, most importantly, all the wines sampled are low in alcohol and priced until $20. 

• Dr. Frank's Vinifera Wine Cellars 2011 Gruner Veltliner
• Glenora Wine Cellars 2011 Pinot Blanc
• King Ferry Winery 2010 Reserve Chardonnay Cayuga Lake
• Goose Watch Winery 2011 Pinot Grigio  
• Sheldrake Point Winery 2011 Gewurztraminer  
• Seneca Shore Wine Cellars 2010 Dry Gewurztraminer 
• Rooster Hill Vineyards 2010 Estate Gewurztraminer  
• Wagner Vineyards 2010 Gewurztraminer Semi-Dry  

We started the tasting with the non-gewurztraminers, appropriately with the Dr. Frank's Vinifera Wine Cellars 2011 Gruner Veltliner. Dr. Frank's pioneered the growing of vinifera grapes in the Finger Lakes and the GV is the latest in their portfolio. This was an enjoyable wine, balanced between fruit and acids, plus a nice texture that guides you from the head to the tail.

The 2010 Grüner Veltliner fits perfectly within the Dr. Frank family of wines. The wonderful nose is a treat of floral, melon and honeysuckle while the mouth has subtle herbal notes and balanced layered textures in the background that finish off with the typical Grüner Veltliner white pepper heat. It is food friendly wine and pairs well with everything from scallops and roasted vegetables to grilled pork tenderloin.” – Winemaker’s Notes

The Glenora Wine Cellars 2011 Pinot Blanc was lighter, but had a similar balance and hits home when paired with food. The wine was barrel fermented, but the oak adds texture and doesn't overshadow the fruit.

Pinot Blanc shows finesse and elegance, with a full, lingering finish. Barrel fermentation allows a balance of oak and fruit on the palate. – Winemaker’s Notes

The King Ferry Winery 2010 Reserve Chardonnay Cayuga Lake was produced in true Burgundian style, inoculated with yeast and malolatic cultures, then barrel fermented, and finally aged "sur lees". For my palate, this processed introduced too much oak and butter into the wine which seemed to overwhelm the fruit. I know its a style many enjoy, just not my taste

Aromas of fresh-baked bread, cheese, and honey, followed by a smooth yet substantially oaked body with a creamy texture and hints of vanilla. Finishes long with toasted almond and a tahini tang.  – Winemaker’s Notes 

I normally avoid Pinot Grigio as much as possible, basically being extremely indifferent to this varietal wine. Why drink it when there are so many other more interesting whites available? That thought process was shaken by the Goose Watch Winery 2011 Pinot Grigio. There was nothing boring about this wine, it had flavor, texture, and yes, some creaminess. The secret may be that the wine is not 100% Pinot Grigio, but 75% - enough to label the wine as a single varietal. In addition, it contains 10% Riesling and Chardonnay as well as 5% Vignoles. Maybe this 25% adds the necessary attributes to elevate the Pinot Grigio above dullness.

Ripe yellow apple and pear aromas with a hint of dried fruit and clove. Broad mid palate with hint of cream in the finish.  – Winemaker’s Notes 

I will follow up later with my thoughts on the Gewurztraminer, but in the meantime, here's the link to the recorded live stream. Cheers.
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/finger-lakes-wine-virtual-tasting-series

Are You Ready for Some Colorado Wines During DLW12?

The 4th annual Drink Local Wine Conference is almost upon us, scheduled for Saturday April 27th at the Metropolitan State College of Denver. After stops in Texas, Virginia, and Missouri the conference will focus on the wines produced by the 100 wineries in The Centennial State. Not familiar with Colorado wines, then check out the Colorado Wine Industry Development Board as well as this historical briefing on the industry.

The Drink Local Wine conferences and the associated Regional Wine Week results arose in order to compensate for the lack of coverage by the larger wine media outlets on locally produced wine. We all have access to local wine - even those living in Florida. And the goal isn't to encourage people into drinking local wine exclusively. No, the goal, is to encourage everyone to educate themselves about the wines made in their own backyard and at a minimum include local wine in your overall wine consumption. So, how are they doing?

DENVER (February 1, 2012) - Wine enthusiasts who want to explore Colorado terroir and learn more about the state's signature grape varieties are invited to attend the fourth annual DrinkLocalWine Conference on April 28 at the Metropolitan State College of Denver.

Open to the public, the conference attracts top national and regional wine writers who regularly cover local wines and “locapour” trends. Colorado’s approximately 100 wineries that grow European-style, cool-climate varieties, such as Riesling, Gewürztraminer and Cabernet Franc, will be center stage showcasing their wines during the all-day conference, which includes sessions, tastings and competitions.

The Colorado Wine Industry Development Board is the conference’s primary sponsor; the conference kicks off at 9 a.m. with three seminars: Colorado’s Terroir and the Challenges of High Altitude; Local Food, Local Wine and Why They Don’t Like Each Other; and Consumer Perception of Colorado and Regional Wine. At lunch, guests will participate in the Colorado Blind Challenge, a blind tasting between Colorado and California wines.

Confirmed speakers include Wayne Belding, Master Sommelier; Horst Caspari, Colorado state viticulturalist; Rene Chazotte, Pacific Club; Dave McIntyre, Washington Post; Richard Leahy, East Coast wine consultant; Stephen Menke, Colorado state enologist; Jeff Siegel, freelance wine writer and the Wine Curmudgeon; and Kyle Schlachter, Colorado Wine Press.

After lunch, more than two dozen Colorado wineries will pour wines during the Colorado Twitter Taste-Off, where guests will taste and share their thoughts on Twitter, eventually selecting their favorite wines in various categories.

The conference costs $35 for the seminars and lunch, and $35 for the Colorado Twitter Taste-Off, or $65 for both.

Colorado’s modern wine history dates to the late 1970s, when the forerunner of Colorado Cellars opened. The number of wineries has increased 20-fold since 1990, reflecting the surge in enthusiasm for regional wine in the state. Colorado’s two AVAs include the Grand Valley, in and around Grand Junction, and the West Elks, along the North Fork of the Gunnison. However, the largest concentration of wineries is along the Front Range in and around Denver, expanding to many other parts of the state.

DLW 2012 follows the success of the first three conferences -- in Dallas featuring Texas wine in 2009, in Loudoun County featuring Virginia wine in 2010, and in St. Louis featuring Missouri wine in 2011. DLW also holds an annual Regional Wine Week in October, in which more than 40 wine bloggers, writers and columnists from the U.S. and Canada write about their favorite regional wines, ranging from Ontario to New York to Florida to Texas to Colorado.

DrinkLocalWine.com's goal is to spotlight wine made in the 47 states and Canada that aren't California, Washington, and Oregon. It's the brainchild of Washington Post wine columnist Dave McIntyre and wine blogger Jeff Siegel, the Wine Curmudgeon.

Other conference sponsors include the Colorado Association for Viticulture and Enology, Metropolitan State College, Westword, Colorado Tourism, Amtrak, Visit Grand Junction, and Delta County, Colo.

Registration for the conference opens February 1. Go to DrinkLocalWine.com to buy tickets.

To reserve a room in the DrinkLocalWine.com hotel block, contact the Sheraton Denver Downtown at (303) 893-3333.
For information, call (469) 554-9463 or go to DrinkLocalWine.com.

Media Contact:
Denise Clarke
512.899.0004

Provence in the City 2012

In late March, 17 producers from Provence descending on Washington, D.C. (as well as other U.S. cities) to present their signature dry rosé wines. I was fortunate to be on the invite list and sampled almost all of these, as well as a few white and red wines produced in southern France. For those who have followed our coverage of Languedoc and Rhone, Provence is located east of the former and south of the later. Just look for Marseille and Toulon on the map. It is a classic Mediterranean climate with on average 2,900 hours of sunshine per year, mild winters, and little rainfall. Prevailing winds and cooler night time temperatures cool the grapes - with more pronounced cooling at higher elevations.

Provence is an ancient wine growing region. Although the region was the first Roman province outside of Italy (Provincia Romana); it was Greek sailors who introduced viticulture and wine making to Provence. The "birthplace of the French vineyard". The Greeks at the time specialized in pale rosé wines which continued even when the Romans introduced red wines. Today Provence is the only wine region worldwide that specializes in rosé - a 2,600 year old tradition.

In France, rosé wines are generally created using one of two processes. In the first, rosé wines are produced by the Saignée method or bleeding of red wine grapes. During maceration, the crushed grapes soak on their skins, which impart color into the juice. After maceration or when enough color has been imparted, some of the juice is bled off in order to add concentration to the reds. The run-off juice is then fermented into a separate rosé wine. Two wine styles for the cost of one. The second method is direct pressing of the grapes. This technique results in a lighter colored wine because the grapes have less contact with the skins.

In Provence, the grapes used to produce rosé wine are usually Grenache, assembled with other varieties into the final wine. At this tasting the blends included usually Grenache with Cinsault, Carignan, Syrah, or Mouvedre; and sometimes Cabernet Sauvignon, Tibouren, and Rolle (Vermentino). The later two add fragrance and aromatics to the final blend "lending rosé a particularly rich bouquet".

At the Washington DC tasting, I started with an old friend, Caves d'Esclans. Four years ago I tasted my first d'Esclans and have been hooked since. Due to budgetary constraints I stay with their "lower" end wines but today I was able to sample their higher end portfolio such as the $90 Garrus and $70 Les Clans. The grapes for the Garrus were harvested from a single vineyard and 80-year old vines. The two wines consist of both Grenache and Rolle (Vermentino) and show how rosé wines can have texture and creaminess. A little oak goes a long way. Their mid-price Chateau d'Esclans ($35) is just as nice. Hard to move on from here.

As I continued tasting, I learned more about the regions and grape varieties. At Château Gassier, I learned about the long hot growing season (325 days of sun) and what general attributes that the big three (Grenache-grapefruit, Cinsault-strawberry, Syrah-red currant) add to the wines. And their 946 cuvée ($30) was very nice, a multi-grape assembly of Syrah, Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan, and Cinsault. The 946 refers to the vineyards altitude in meters.

I seemed to enjoy the maritime wines such as the Les Maitres Vignerons de la Presqu'ile de Saint-Tropez Château de Pampelonne Rosé ($19). This is a joint venture between nine producers and a blend of Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah, and Tibouren. And the organic shoreline vineyard at Château Léoube was pouring their Rosé de Léoube - a dry, refreshingly acidic blend of Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah, and Mourvèdre that is an amazing value at $11.

Like most wine regions, Provence is populated by historical vineyards. At Mas de Cadenet, the Negre family has been tending vines since 1813, where the seven generations have survived the Phylloxera epidemic and debilitating weather. In 1956 Provence experienced three weeks where the temperature fell below -23C, not many cold climate hybrids could survive those temperatures. Today Matthieu Negrel shares the winemaking duties with his sister and father, who took over the family operation 33 years ago. And at Chateau Roubine, Valeria Rousselle has a domain that was first farmed by the Knights Templar in the 1300s. Today it is a respected Cru Classé and there rosé cuvée is produced from the saignée of their red cuvée. They also were pouring a tasty white wine made from Ungni Blanc, Sémillon, Rolle, and Clairette - grapes that are not very familiar to most U.S. consumers.

Each wine I tasted is worth revisiting and there were too many to describe in one sitting or tasting. Here are a few more wines that I had noted. Mouvedre finally came on my radar with the Saint-André de Figuière Vielles Vignes, a wine with balance from head to tail and texture. The Domaine de la Fouquette was pouring their Rosée d'Aurore that was pure citrus. Château Ferry Lacombe was pouring several wines with all composed of Grenache and Syrah. My favorite was the Cuvée Cascaï ($12) which also contained Cinsault that was harvested from some of the domain's oldest vines. This wine had a texture not found in many rosés and was simply fantastic. As was the Grenache, Cinsault, and Tibouren blend from Rimauresq Classique, Cru Classé ($20).

Make sure you visit the Vins of Provence to learn more about Provence and their incredible wine history.

Keel And Curley Winery - Blueberry Farming to Wine

While the family was enjoying Legoland, in Winter Haven Florida, I snuck out to visit the nearest winery, Keel And Curley Winery. The winery is just outside of Tampa Bay and provides residents and tourists an opportunity to taste local fruit wine as well as live music on occasion. Blueberry farmer, Joe Keel, started the winery in 2003 as a way to utilize unharvested fruit. In the blueberry industry, many blueberries remain on the bush when the cost of picking additional units is equal or less than the wholesale price received. Keel didn't want to mess with jams or pies, so he started making wine at home. As he learned and defined his craft - Keel And Curley Winery was born.

Blueberry wine is still central to their operation as they produce three styles: dry, semi-dry, and sweet. And last year they introduced two blackberry wines, dry and sweet. All these wines are made from 100%. Although the sweeter wines are their best sellers, I preferred the dry versions of both wines. They retained the fruit characters of the blueberry and blackberry and could easily pass for a medium bodied red wine such as Chambourcin.

Keel and Curley Winery also produces a series of fusion wines where grape juice sourced on the open market is co-fermented with different fruit juices. These wines are all semi-sweet to sweet, and to me are basically gimmicks marketed to tourists. And I've fallen and purchased the Key West – Key Lime in the past. Best used as a Margarita base. And my traveling partner fell for the Tangerine Zinfandel. Yes, gimmicks sell. But if you come across their wines at Publix or at the winery - I recommend the dry 100% Blueberry or Blackberry.

MyJoogTV Visits Sugarloaf Mountain Winery

When our jam band friends Dangermuffin agreed to participate on MyJoogTV, they stated they wanted to tour a winery. So we selected Sugarloaf Mountain Vineyard. The winery is the closest winery to Washington D.C. and specializes in Bordeaux varieties as well as Chardonnay and Pinot Gris. They have also been able to leverage many years of east coast wine experience, particularly from viticulture consultant Lucie Morton, to produce several excellent wines. During the filming we tasted their 2010 Chardonnay and 2009 EVOE! - a blend of Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Franc. The Chardonnay is crafted in the Chablis style - no secondary malolactic fermentation - and aged in French Oak. This wine exudes chardonnay - plenty of fruit - no oak residue, and a long tail. The EVOE! is aged 19 months in French Oak and the Merlot dominants for a very drinkable wine with very soft tannins. Both wines display why Maryland Wine should not be avoided, but instead, actively sought.

Old Westminster Winery: Bringing Youthful Vigor to the Old Line State

Maryland Wine is receiving a youthful boost with the entry of Old Westminster Winery into the industry. The winery is owned and operated by the Baker Family, with siblings Drew, Lisa, and Ashli managing the vineyard, wine making, and marketing respectively. And evidently the housing crash of 2008 lead to the creation of the winery. Wanting to sell the winery, and seeing reduced property values, the family investigated alternative uses for the land and decided, why not a vineyard and winery. They then planted seven acres of grapes, some unique to Maryland: Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Merlot, Chardonnay, Albariño, and Sauvignon Blanc. The first harvest from these vines occurred during the Autumn of 2011, so they will need to wait two more years until they can utilize estate fruit. In the meantime, they are sourcing fruit from other Maryland vineyards, Chatham Vineyards in the eastern shore of Virginia, and from California.

As their name suggests, the winery is located just outside of Westminster, Maryland and expects wine sales to be driven through their tasting room. They are located only twenty miles from the Baltimore Beltway. They also plan to follow the wine style modeled by neighboring Black Ankle Vineyards and eschew the sweet wine market and concentrate on premium dry wines. Currently the winery is not open to the public (expect a Spring 2013 opening) but are allowing 100 Century Club members to receive lifetime access to the facility in order to taste the wines as they progress from barrel to bottle.

Lisa Baker invited me to visit the winery and sample the wines from barrel. While planning the trip I realized their story may be interesting to viewers of VirginiaWineTV, so we also filmed an episode which will be available in early April. How interesting? Well, how often to 20-something year old siblings start a winery. Drew, the elder, is 26 and could not join us since he is on sabbatical in New Zealand, learning from the southern harvest. Ashli, the youngest, will graduation college this year take over all marketing functionality. And Lisa, 23, is the full time wine maker. Her Chemistry degree is an obvious advantage in her new vocation and there are plenty of consultants available to instruct through each phase of wine making. However, my initial skepticism was how has she developed a palette for noticing the nuances in different wines. She acknowledges this potential handicap and described to me how she and Drew have tasted hundreds of wines trying to identify missing structure or imperfections. They will continue this crash course in order to improve both their palettes. And Lisa is getting plenty of practice in the winery. Last year the Maryland Assembly passed a law legalizing the equivalent of a custom crush. So this year, Old Westminster Winery became such a facility and Lisa assisted consultant John Levenberg in making wine for two other Maryland start-ups, Crow Vineyard and Winery and Vineyards At Dodon.

I arrived at the winery to find their first bottled wine, the 2011 Maryland Rosé, produced from the bleeding of their Maryland sourced Merlot. The also bottled a Rosé from the Chatham grapes, keeping that juice separate so they could enter the Maryland Rosé into state competitions. Since their red wines will remain in barrel for another 12-14 months, the saignée rosés provide the Bakers with quick proof that there infant enterprise is truly a functioning winery.

Before we sampled the wines, Lisa described how each stage in the wine making process is dictated by their core philosophy: producing high quality wines. These include hand sorting the grapes, separate heating and cooling systems built into the fermentation tanks, and close oversight with the winery's consultants (initially John Levenberg, now Carl DiManno).

We started our tasting with the Merlot from Chatham and it was quickly evident that another to creating quality wine was obtaining quality fruit. And this lot contained solid fruit. After only two months in new French oak, the wine retaining a fruit forward character and a little harsh tannins from the stems and skin. Over time these tannins will mellow and change as tannins from the wood are imparted into the wine. Yet this wine is really drinkable now - a solid wine that hopefully will retain its fruit during the next 14 months in barrel.

The next two wines were sourced from California and will be used to supplement the Maryland and Virginia lots. The fruit from both barrels, one Merlot, the other Syrah, were lighter than the Chatham Merlot and will need more time in barrel to generate more body and structure. The wines will also benefit from barrel aging to introduce more tannins. Ironically, these batches will test Lisa's wine making skills.

The final wine was a Maryland Cabernet Franc, where they grapes were sourced from a vineyard in Thurmont Maryland. In general, this wine is coming along nicely. It had as much fruit flavor as the Chatham Merlot, but with less tannins. Evidently the tannins are mellowing quickly because Lisa noticed a change since the last taste a week ago. And paired with a proprietary chocolate, the tannins disappeared completely. Maybe that's how they will market dry wines to a sweet wine market.

I look forward to returning to Old Westminster in six or seven months when they start crushing and fermenting their white wine. And hopefully at that time Drew will be available to navigate us through their second year of harvest. Check out their Century Club video below and I'll be adding the link to the Virginia Wine TV episode soon. Cheers.

Wine 101: Carmenère

Most of you are probably already aware of the phylloxera epidemic that ransacked Europe vineyards starting in 1867. One Bordeaux grape, Carmenère was particularly susceptible to the louse. The epidemic was finally alleviated when viniferia vines were grafted to phylloxera-resistant American rootstocks. Once again Carmenère suffered because the vine didn't take to the new grafts and growers felt the grape was too difficult even when conditions were favorable. Thus Carmenère was eventually replaced with more familiar vines, such as Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, and was soon thought to be extinct. Once a major player in Médoc and Graves and then gone....at least until 1994. That is when Professor Jean-Michel Boursiquot from the Montpellier's school of Oenology conducted DNA analyze and determined that a Chilean Merlot clone was actually Carmenère. How was that possible?

Before the phylloxera epidemic, Chilean vignerons had been importing the vines from France thinking they were receiving Merlot grapes or a clone of Merlot. Apparently, their leaves are very similar. They had no clue it was a distinct grape variety. And in fact, it was a general practice to combine the Merlot grapes and this "clone" which lead Chilean Merlot to differ from Merlot wines produced elsewhere. Then came Professor Boursiquot's DNA analysis and a few years later Carmenère was categorized as a distinct Chilean grape variety. And today, Carmenère is Chile’s signature grape.

Carmenère is dark-skinned grape variety and requires a long growing season to reach its prime potential. These conditions can be found in the Colchagua Valley in Chile, the southernmost portion of the Rapel Valley - and located about 80 miles southwest of Santiago. The Colchagua Valley was named 2005 Wine Region of the Year by Wine Enthusiast and the warm Mediterranean climate has been compared to Napa Valley. Humidity is low, frost is unknown, and breezes from the Pacific cool the valley at night creating a potential 40°F diurnal temperature variation. A perfect vine growing environment; particularly for Cabernet Sauvignon (11,186 hectares; but Carmenère is well represented at 2,344 hectares.

The grape is also gaining traction in other regions. It has returned home to Bordeaux and crossed into Italy where it owes its existence to a similar story. Italian growers that were importing Cabernet Franc from France realized these grapes differed with traditional Cabernet Franc in many aspects. Yes, it was Carmenère. The grape has become so popular in Italy that it is now legal to include Carmenère in DOC wines. It's also been planted in Australia and New Zealand (once again masquerading as Cabernet Franc) and has found a home in a few vineyards in the United States. One of these is Seven Hills Winery in Walla Walla, Washington. Winemaker Casey McClellan explains why:

It has a unique sensory profile that runs to red raspberry, dried herb and white pepper in good years. Adds to complexity in blends too.

We use it in blends more often than as a 100% varietal, but I will have released three vintages varietally. French Oak 30-40% new. 18 months or so in cellar. Nice, medium bodied red that is more dynamic than Merlot but not as heavy as Cabernet.

This is still a niche varietal that arouses interest and curiosity. It does require education of the customer, but we are not thinking of getting into Carmenère in a big way…just something fun to show people that is new and rare.

Want to know what to expect with a Carmenère wine? Our friend, Todd Trzaskos from Vermont Wine Media, is a student of Chilean wines and explains, "Carmenère has the fruit of Merlot but plummier, tannins of Cabernet Sauvignon, but softer. I'll drink to that.

#WBW75 - Tarara Winery 2010 Honah Lee White

One of the most recognized vineyards in the Commonwealth of Virginia is Honah Lee Vineyard. The property is owned by Wayne and Vera Preddy and sits at 1000 feet elevation on a steep South-West facing slope in central Virginia (Orange). This means that the grapes are exposed to an abundance of sunlight during the hot summer months; but the elevation provides suitable diurnal temperature variation through night-time cooling. The soil is hard clay which limit deep root growth and leads to more fruit character over minerality.

The vineyard was first planted by Jim and Sharon Horton from Horton Vineyards when they leased the property from the Preddy's. The vineyard provided the foundation for Horton to quickly become one of the premier wineries in the state and showcased their Rhone and Portuguese varieties. However Horton was eventually evicted from the property after a dispute with the landlords. Horton's loss quickly became other winery's gain as the vineyard's sourced the fruit to several Virginia wineries.

And many of these wineries choose to create single vineyard wines from the grapes. Delaplane Cellars, for example, has or continues to produce a Honah Lee single varietal Viognier, Syrah, and Tannat. Our feature winery today, Tarara Winery, has created an interesting take on the single vineyard theme by creating a single vineyard blend: the 2010 Honah Lee White. The blend consists of Virginia's signature grape Viognier (40%), Petit Manseng (40%), and Roussanne (20%). This is a dry wine with peach and apricot flavors - thanks to the Viognier - and plenty of balanced acidity thanks to the petit manseng. Winemaker Jordan Harris writes that "Honah Lee Vineyard is one of our favorite partners....the fruit from Honah Lee is some of the most enticing and exotic fruit we get each year." And one of Jordan's goals is to recognize and highlight the best vineyard sites in Virginia as evident by the Tranquility, Nevaeh, and Honah Lee labels.

This year the 2010 Honah Lee White was the only Viognier based wine to receive a Gold medal in the newly revamped 2012 Governor's Cup competition. Revamped in the sense that, among other changes, now all wines submitted into the Governor's Cup must consist of 100% Virginia grown fruit - reversing the previous policy of allowing 25% outside fruit. We concurred with the award and after sampling a few at the Governor's Cup reception, "borrowed" a bottle to use in our toast during our interview with Governor McDonnell below. Cheers.

Barrel Tasting with Delaplane Cellars

Last Saturday night (March 10th) we were invited, along with several other wine bloggers, to Delaplane Cellars where owners Jim and Betsy Dolphin were showcasing their soon to be released red wines. The winery focuses on single vineyard wines, whether single varietal or blends. And the winery excels in showcasing these vineyards on the wine's labels - a practice we wish more wineries would follow. But before heading downstairs into the barrel room, we were first offered a palate cleansing white, the 2010 Mélange Blanc, a blend of Chardonnay (62%), Honah lee Viognier (27%) and Petit Manseng (11%). Even with the petit manseng, this is a dry blend - fruity with refreshing acidity. For those of us who usually enjoy the winery's 100% Honah Lee Viognier, this wine will have to substitute, since they did not receive enough fruit to produce a single varietal.

Once downstairs we started with the first estate wine bottled at the winery, the 2011 Delaplane. The vines were planted in 2008, and thus, three years later bearing suitable fruit. The blend is predominately Merlot (50%), followed by Cabernet Sauvignon (33%) and Cabernet Franc (16%). The wine is fruity with low tannins making this an easy drinking wine. The only deficiency was a lack of mid-palette - but that will probably go unnoticed by most consumers.

The next stop was at a Slavokian oak barrel filled with their Williams Gap 2010 using grapes sourced from Williams Gap Vineyard - located in Loudoun County near Round Hill, Virginia. The wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (31%), Merlot (30%), Cabernet Franc (27%), and Petite Verdot (12%). This is a bigger wine than the Delaplane- with bold flavors and more tannins on the tail, even though the wine went through extended masceration to soften the tannin structure. This will be a fine wine, possibly my favorite blend of the evening.

The final blend was the 2010 Springlot, sourced from grapes grown on the top of Naked Mountain by John Everson. The proportion of grapes was directly related to amount of grapes sourced which corresponded to a semi-Right Bank wine: Cabernet Franc (40%), Cabernet Sauvignon (30%), Merlot (17%), and PV (14%).

We then moved to two single varietal red wines starting with the 2010 Shirland Syrah aging in a new American Oak barrel. For those who are interested, the vineyard is located near Middleburg. The wine will be located in the people's cellars rather quickly since Delaplane has a history of crafting mighty fine Syrah. I don't see this as an exception.

The other single varietal red was the 2010 Honah Lee Tannat and as many are aware, this Orange, VA vineyard is the source of many different grape varieties. Whereas their 2009 Tannat needed to lay down because of the high tannins - the 2010 version is ready to drink now. The juice was pressed quickly at dryness so as not to add even more tannins. Tannat is quickly becoming a favorite wine of ours and this is another example of an underrated grape that excels in the Commonwealth.

Finally, we sampled what we consider Virginia's other signature white grape, Petit Manseng. For the first time Delaplane is producing an estate Late Harvest Petit Manseng which comes in at 10.5% RS but with typical acidity to balance the sugar. This pineapple flavored wine will satisfy their consumer's demands for a sweet offering.

This was a special evening where I was fortunate enough to be invited to the barrel sampling, but also a chance to meet or catch up with fellow bloggers My Vine Spot, Wine About Virginia, Virginia Wine In My Pocket, and Craig's Grape Adventure. Cheers to Delaplane Cellars.