“Field to Flask”™ with Heritage Distilling

I recently received the good fortune of having five spirits shipped to me from Heritage Distilling, a craft distiller located in Gig Harbor, Washington. Jack-pot. And just as importantly. I learned about the Washington State's craft distilling designations and this distiller's unique “Field to Flask”™ ethos.  First, in order to be classified as a Craft Distillery in Washington State, a distillery must certify on a monthly basis, that fifty percent of their non water raw materials are grown in the state. Heritage extends this further by establishing their “Field to Flask”™ program where they manage every part of the process. They work directly with the family farmers providing grain and fruit, mill this grain themselves, cooking the mash, distilling the wort, and so on and so on.


The distilleries main brand is the Elk Rider series which pays tribute to their Western heritage - particularly the pioneer families who resided in what is now Olympic National Park.  I sampled the Elk Rider Blended Whiskey, which is - simply - fantastic. The aroma is a sweet leathery texture, the mid-palette toasted grain - the the finish, sweet, clean and smooth. Don't waste mixing in a cocktail - neat or on the rocks is where this whiskey belongs. This bottle failed to live though the weekend.

The next whiskey was oh so cool, particularly for history buffs like me: the Commander’s Rye Whiskey - based on our Founding Father's original 1797 recipe. Heritage pays tribute to their state's namesake by recreating this rye whiskey using a combination of rye, corn and malted barley. They result is a raw, petrol aroma followed by a very pleasant mid-palette ending with a sweet, almost powdery sugar finish. Very interesting finish. Once again, consumer neat or on the rocks.


It appears that Heritage is leveraging the apple-moonshine popularity by creating the Fall Classic Apple Cider Flavored Whiskey.  This is made in the moon-shine tradition, by mixing corn whiskey and apple cider and sold in a jug. I was at first hesitant since I normally avoid these types of "flavored" spirits - but the Fall Classic won me over starting with the nutmeg- apple aroma. The flavor is then all apple with tail a mouthful of dry spices.  This one will be going into a Josie Russell.

The final two spirits where a first, vodka and gin distilled from Washington grapes - many different grapes to be precise. Apparently after the second distillation, all varietal characteristics of the grape disappears. The HDC Vodka is triple distilled - leaving no recognition of grapes or brandy -  just a pure clean spirit from the sweet start to the  smooth even finish. The HDC Soft Gin is basically the HDC Vodka infused with several botanicals. It is more citrus than most gins, with a lively spicy finish. The distiller recommends as a base for a Bloody Mary and with the citrus and spice - you may only need tomato juice and Worcestershire.  Also a spirit with pedigree - 2013 “DOUBLE GOLD-BEST GIN” medal winner at FiftyBest.com Int’l Tasting (New York). Nice.


Heritage Distilling epitomizes the renaissance in the craft distillery market. They produce a broad and unique portfolio of locally sourced, hand held spirits. Cheers to that - and pair with the American outlaw blues of the JD Hobson Band.

Virtual Wines with Old York Cellars: Malbec & Riesling

This past Thursday was another quarterly installment of Virtual Wines, hosted by Old York Cellars, an online video tasting of two wines with wine maker Scott Gares and Sommelier Laurin Dorman.This episode featured their newly released 2012 Malbec ($18) and 2012 Sweet Riesling ($17).

Being recently bottled, the Malbec needed some time to breathe and was quite tight when first opened.  It is a light Malbec, 12% alcohol, but exuded a dark cherry aroma. On the palette, the flavor was light and smooth - decent acidity - wouldn't recognize as that varietal wine - but a very drinkable wine.

The Sweet Riesling was more semi-sweet than sweet at 3% R.S. with plenty of acidity to bite through the sugar. This time the flavor profile was to spec; easily recognizable as a Riesling - this one with  pear aromas and green apple flavor.  I'm sure this will become a tasting room favorite.

Besides sending me the two wines to sample, the best part of the tasting is that Dorman and Gares suggest food pairings for each wine. For the Malbec, they suggested leaner red meats, pork, and light tomato based pasta; for the Riesling, spicy Thai chicken, chile, pumpkin ravioli, and even cheesecake. Fortunately we had just brought home pumpkin ravioli and indeed the Riesling was a suitable match. Thanks. The next Virtual Vines tasting is planned for January 30th and will feature their 2011 Vidal Blanc and 2012 Syrah. Cheers and plenty of live music at the winery to pair with these wines. 

Cider, Wine, and Sparkling - Great Shoals Winery

We heard recently that Maryland cider maker, Great Shoals Winery, opened a tasting room in my old neighborhood, so on my next trip home, I headed a few miles away to Heyser Farms. This is the orchard that grows the tasty Spencerville Red apples which Great Shoals has developed into one of my favorite hard ciders.  But there are more reasons to visit - several other hard ciders, including the Black Twig; still wines such as Chardonnay and Chambourcin; and many Champagne-styled sparkling wines - either grape or fruit. These last are made in the true traditional méthode champenoise and are nice interpretations of local fruit. Visitors have a choice of many tasting routes and I choose the Champagne-styled fruit sparkling wines which included Apple, Peach, Pomme Aronia (Aronia berries), and Elderberry. The last two were my favorites, I think from their uniqueness which balances the many apple profiles in their portfolio. The one objection: sample sizes were very small - even after paying a tasting fee.  I couldn't leave without stocking up on some hard cider - now that biking season is ending - time for more Hemingway Josie Russell.  Pairing all with Maryland based O.A.R.. Cheers

Who's #5 - Trying to Unscramble State Wine Production Statistics

Recently I read an article titled Pa. wine production ranks 5th in the nation, which surprising since for the past few years I was under the impression that either Virginia or Texas ranked 5th - both behind the usual suspects: California, Washington, Oregon, and New York. The article did not site any data to support their claim, and no response from author Karissa Shatzer, so I decided to research myself. There are basically two appropriate sources of data, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), which regulates the wine industry at the Federal level, and the National Agricultural Statistics Service, which, as their name implies, collects agricultural data.  We could also use  unofficial data from winecompass.com for ranking states by the number of wineries operating in each state (Figure 1).  In this scenario, the figures aligned to conventional wisdom (at least mine) with Virginia and Texas competing for #5. 

State	Wineries
California	2,667
Washington	556
Oregon	475
New York	311
Virginia	241
Texas	234
Pennsylvania	203
Ohio	141
Missouri	134
Michigan	128

Figure 1. Number of wineries operating by state - includes meaderies and cideries

However, I don't think winecompass.com was the source that Ms. Shatzer used. She stated 5th largest wine producer and the best source for that data is the TTB's Statistical Report by State - Wine. (See Figure 2.) The data for 2012 reveals some mighty unexpected results. New York leaps out as the #2 overall wine producer - perhaps a legacy of Canandaigua Brands. (Is Manischewitz that popular?) In any case, besides New York overtaking Washington, the other surprises are the unlikely inclusion of Vermont, Kentucky, Florida, and New Jersey. The TTB data includes cider production which most likely accounts for Vermont's high stature as well as non-grape fruit wine (New Jersey) - but how that explains Kentucky and Florida - I have no idea. According to the TTB, Pennsylvania is the 6th largest wine producer with Virginia (16th) and Texas (11th) out of the top 10. 

State	2012 Production
California	667,552,032
New York	26,404,066
Washington	24,506,226
Oregon	6,829,808
Vermont	4,205,258
Pennsylvania	3,589,603
Ohio	3,048,054
Kentucky	2,379,512
Florida	1,946,162
New Jersey	1,561,365

Figure 2. Top 10 Wine Production by State

I mentioned that the TTB data includes cider and wine made from non-grape fruit, so what about limiting the data to just grape wine production. For this type of data, we need the National Agricultural Statistics Service and their Noncitrus Fruits and Nuts 2012 Preliminary Summary. The first chart I noticed was on page 48 titled Grape Bearing Acreage, Yield, Production, Price, and Value - States and United States: 2010-2012 data (Figure 3).  Displaying the top ten shows Pennsylvania and Michigan high on the list at the expense of Oregon, Texas, and Virginia. Now, this data includes all grapes, whether used for wine, table, or raisins; and thus needs to be limited further.

Top 10 Grape Production in Tons

1. California
2. Washington
3. New York
4. Pennsylvania
5. Michigan
6. Oregon
7. Texas
8. Virginia
9. North Carolina
10. Ohio

Figure 3. Top 10 Grape Harvest Production 

A more appropriate source is page 52 of the Noncitrus Fruits and Nuts report: Grape Processed Utilization and Price by Use - States and United States: 2010-2012. This report encompasses grape  wine production and I've listed the top producers for 2010 and 2012 in Figure 4.  These results align more closer to my preconceived notions on wine production by state; although Michigan has passed Virginia to capture the 6th spot. Using the 2010 data, Pennsylvania is in fact the #5 wine producer. However, wine grape production declined sharply from 2010 -> 2012 which could be explained by changes in methodology in the surveys; moving towards lower yielding, but higher quality grapes; or perhaps moving grape utilization more towards jellies instead of wine. Regardless, according to this table, Pennsylvania is ranked 8th, not far below Texas, Michigan, and Virginia.

State	2010 Production	2012   Production
California	3,589,000	3,700,000
Washington	160,000	185,000
Oregon	31,200	46,000
New York	48,000	40,000
Texas	8,100	7,200
Michigan	3,800	6,950
Virginia	6,450	6,700
Pennsylvania	10,300	6,200
Missouri	5,040	4,550
North Carolina	4,500	4,420

Figure 4. Top 10 Grapes Processed for Wine (tons)

Conclusion
Like most statistical analysis, these results vary by year, by data source, by data inputs - so yes, it is complicated. According to the TTB's total wine production (including non-grape wine and cider) in 2012, Pennsylvania was ranked 6th overall with Virginia and Texas out of the top 10. Yet, restricting our analysis to just grape wine production, Pennsylvania falls to 8th, with Texas, Michigan, and Virginia rising above the Keystone state.  What was more unexpected was the rise in Michigan's grape wine production almost doubling in two years.  I wonder if the number of wineries doubled as well or this results from much larger yields?

In any case, the exact ranking of states probably only matters for bragging rights between government officials or winery associations. For consumers, it shows that there are plenty of local wine regions to explore. Cheers to that.

Sparkling Cyser? Oh yea - Blue Dog Mead Green Collar Cyser Mead

 After a day of cycling I ended with the normal practice of grabbing a beer at my local Wholefood Market. The on tap menu was heavy on heavy beers so I ventured to the singles isle and sighted an interesting green can holding the Blue Dog Mead Green Collar Cyser Mead. Sparkling cyser mead at that. Cyser is a traditional mead made with apples, so I thought, why not.   The apples are sourced from Washington State and fermented with Wildflower Honey. After the injection of CO2, the result is a refreshing beverage, with a surprising vanilla finish and not that laden with R.S.  Quite thirst quenching and a decent pairing with local oysters. Cheers.

Agave Wine or Watery Tequila: La Quinta De Oro Agave Wine

Recently I found this interesting item in the orphaned wine & beer bin at my local Wholefoods and decided to give it a temporary home. The La Quinta De Oro Agave Wine is produced in the Tequila region by the San Gabriel Beverage Group using 100% Blue Agave and fortified with 100% agave spirits. The fortification cuts off at 20% abv so that the beverage maintains its wine status.

The color is a cloudy light yellow and the aroma all agave. In fact you'd think you held a neat tequila in your hands. On the palette, the fresh agave flavor appears and then rapidly dissipates leaving a watery bland finish. Very difficult to get used to - because from the aroma and initial taste, I was expecting the strength of a tequila which obviously was not present. Fortunately we lucked into the appropriate food pairing, spicy chili, where the chili spices reinforced the weak finish. Instead of falling flat, the agave wine and chili combination was quite pleasant. Thus we only recommend paired with Los Lonely Boys and chili. Cheers.

The 2013 World Series of Wine, Craft Beer, & Craft Distillers

Besides being two great baseball cities, St. Louis and Boston are also great craft beer, wine, and craft spritis cities.  Budweiser and Sam Adams are easily recognizable; but there are several new rising stars in these competitors. Starting with wine, St. Louis is the base camp for journeys into Missouri Wine Country - particularly west into the Hermann and Augusta AVAs and south along the Mississippi River. The Norton grape rules here and Missourians recognize its virtues along with Vignoles, Chardonnel, Chambourcin, and other hybrid grapes.  There are fewer local wineries surrounding Boston, but you just got to find them - usually south through the Coastal Wine Trail. One surprising good find is Westport Rivers Vineyard & Winery. In Massachusetts the trail also includes Coastal Vineyards, Running Brook Vineyards, Travessia Winery, and Truro Vineyards of Cape Cod.

As for spirits, both cities are deeply involved in the craft distillers market. In Cardinal country, Square One Distillery, Still 630 and a little west, Pinckney Bend Distillery are producing various whiskeys, vodka, gin, and even rum for the local market. In Red Sox territory, Bully Boy Distillery and Nashoba Valley Distillery are distilling on Boston proper while Turkey Shore Distilleries and Ryan and Wood Distilleries are operating slightly north.  Rum is a bigger player in New England, more reflective of the colonial experience; but there is also plenty of locally produced whiskey, vodka, gin, and brandy.

Finally, St. Louis and Boston are quite obviously associated with beer.  Obviously there's Anheuser-Busch; but Cardinal fans drink plenty of local craft beer with over a dozen operating in the region. My personal favorite is Schlafly Bottleworks and their canned line of Session beers.  Boston and beer are practically synonymous and as the documentary How Beer Saved the World suggests, the Revolutionary War was argued over a few pints.  And the contemporary east coast craft beer revival originated in Red Sox land with the Boston Beer Company, Harpoon Brewery, & Ipswich Ale Brewery. There's plenty more craft brewers who have followed in their footsteps Trillium Brewing, John Harvards Brew House, Cambridge Brewing Company, Somerville Brewing Company, and others.

And as always information concerning these establishments are listed at WineCompass and theCompass mobile app.

My Belated and Redundant - "What Are The Best Pumpkin Beer" Post

I know it's already late in the pumpkin beer season and am sure people have tired of pumpkin beer reviews; but I'll beat a dead horse and release mine. And mine tastes are definitely skewed towards less spices and more pumpkin. During the last month I've tasted about 15 different pumpkin beverages and found almost all tilted to the spicy-sweet side - sort of like biting into a store brought pumpkin pie with loads of nutmeg or clove.  Instead I prefer a beer with either a balanced ratio between spices and pumpkin or one that leans completely towards pumpkin.

That being said, my habitual favorite is the King of pumpkin beers, the Dogfish Head Craft Brewery Punkin Ale. Probably the first I ever sampled and ever since I've counted on this beer to deliver a consistent and equal balance between spices and meat. And every year Dogfish Head delivers. Another beer I crave during the Fall is the Epic Brewing Company - DC Brau Brewing collaboration -- Fermentation Without Representation Imperial Pumpkin Porter. This is another balanced composition of coffee, chocolate, pumpkin, and spices blended to form a perfect morning brew. The newest surprise was the Uinta Brewing Punk'n, a beer that displays very little spicy character, but instead a strong and tasty pumpkin flavor. There is no doubt I could consume many of these in our sitting. Finally, the one beverage that breaks my profile generalization is the Ace Cider Hard Pumpkin Cider. This is a sweeter cider with plenty of spices and it does taste exactly like apple pumpkin pie. Treat it like a slice of pie - I could only consume one pint at a time, but those with a sweater tooth - go for it.