Forks of Cheat Winery - Black Jewel Port

Forks of Cheat is located in Morgantown, West Virginia and specializes in making wine from hybrid and labrusca grapes. One of these is a port-styled wine made from Marechal Foch: Black Jewel Port. Forks of Cheat justly advertises that this wine won a bronze medal at the 2000 San Diego National Wine Competition and also a gold medal and best of show at the 2000 West Virginia Wineries Competition.

We opened a bottle this weekend and what a surprise. The wine is sweet, but not sugary - with a great cherry flavor. We drank it in the glass and over ice cream. And at around $17, this wine is a great value.

South Beach Wine & Food Festival Preview - Gnarly Head Zinfandel

During last year’s Washington D.C. International Wine Festival, we spend a considerable amount of time tasting various Zinfandel wines at the Lodi-Woodbridge Winegrape Commission exhibit. These wines were full-bodied reds, full of fruit flavors with a smooth-spicy finish. One of our favorites was the Gnarly Head Zinfandel, produced by the Delicato Family Vineyards and this wine will be available at the 6th Annual South Beach Wine & Food Festival.

Wine was first produced commercially in the Lodi region in the mid 1850’s with the opening of the El Pinal Winery. At the time, grape growing was a smaller industry as compared to the farming of melons and grains. However, in the 1880’s the prices for grains and melons fell dramatically and farmers looked to grapes as an alternative source of revenue. Although many varietals prospered, Zinfandel and Tokay flourished in the Lodi environment, with its sandy soils and warm summer days followed by cooling night-time breezes. At the turn of the century, grape growers in Lodi were thriving and some even prospered during prohibition by selling grapes to home wine makers which was still legal) instead of making their own wine. With the rise of the seedless table grape, the farming of Tokay disappeared and more vines were allocated to Zinfandel and other wine-making varietals. In 1986, the stature of the Lodi wine grapes were elevated with the designation of the Lodi Appellation (American Viticulture Area). Winemakers in Lodi could now label their wines: "Lodi" labeled wine. Today close two dozen wineries produce hundreds of "Lodi" labeled wines from thousands of acres of premium wine grapes.

In the early 1920’s Gasparé Indelicato immigrated to California from the small village of Campobello in Italy. He planted the first grapes for Delicato Family Vineyards in 1924, just as his father, grandfather and several generations did before him. Within a few years, winemakers across the country knew of the quality of Gasparé's California grapes. After Prohibition Mr. Indelicato allocated a portion of his grapes to wine production and “in the old hay barn by the vineyard, Gasparé, his brother-in-law, and their twin wives took turns with a hand driven press to produce their first vintage consisting of 3,451 gallons of wine (that's just under 1,500 cases of wine).” Over time, his winemaking reputation grew and “other producers in the budding California wine industry approached Gasparé and his family for custom-made wines. To meet the demand, the family acquired additional vineyard land. Gasparé's three sons, Vincent, Frank and Anthony, joined the family winery as the business grew. Today, Chris and Jay Indelicato, third generation family members and Anthony's sons, are leading the business into the future under the name DFV Wines.”

DFV Wines recognized the excellence of Lodi grown Zinfandel and began forming partnerships with local growers in order to add a Zinfandel to their offerings. DFV hand-selects their grapes from some of the oldest and most respected vineyards in the region. The vines are 35-80 years old and produce fewer grape clusters, but the small berries yield intense, concentrated fruit. The result: a full bodied red wine with plum, pepper and chocolate flavors and a lingering and spicy finish. And why the name, Gnarly Head? According to the DFV, “the old Zinfandel vines were grown as free standing “head trained” vines. They resemble wild bushes with twisted old trunks and branches that spread out in all directions sprouting leaves like unruly umbrellas – truly gnarly heads. “

Thanks to the efforts of the Zinfandel Advocates and Producers (ZAP) and the Lodi-Woodbridge Winegrape Commission, wine consumers are beginning to recognize and appreciate Zinfandel wines. And for those for believe that many high-alcoholic cabs are beginning to taste the same, Zinfandel is a great alternative. Today, Gnarly Head Zinfandel is the fastest-growing zinfandel in its price category, wine selling for under $15. But what makes Gnarly Head unique? It is the only Zinfandel wine in this price range that is made from 100% Lodi-appellation Zinfandel grapes. The other big name Zinfandel wines are all California appellation. Even if you can not attend the South Beach Wine & Food Festival, we strongly recommend trying a Lodi produced Zinfandel, and in particular the Gnarly Head. And in the future, look out for a Dry Creek reserve wine called Gnarlier Head.

Stone Hill Winery - Hermannsberger

If you are looking for an excellent value wine, we suggest Stone Hill Winery's Hermannsberger. This is a dry, medium-bodied blend of Norton, Vincent, and Chambourcin. It has a strong, fruity aroma with a smooth finish. Whereas the Hermannsberger can't complete in overall quality with Stone Hill's vintage Norton, at $10 a bottle, its a great everyday table wine. And in the wine's defense, it did win a Silver medal at the 2006 Missouri State Fair. The winery recommends drinking with pizza, pasta, steaks or burgers. We also recommend letting the bottle breathe a few minutes. If your on a budget and can't afford their Norton, the Hermannsberger is the best alternative.

South Beach Wine & Food Festival Preview - Mission Hill Family Estate Winery

The second winery we preview that is participating in the 6th Annual South Beach Wine & Food Festival is Mission Hill Family Estate Winery, located in British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley.

Many American wine consumers are surprised to learn about the vibrant wine industry operating in our northern neighbors. Some may have tried an occasional Canadian Ice Wine, but few have discovered the vinifera wine produced in Canada’s wine “breadbasket”, the Okanagan Valley. This appellation is the northern extension of the Pacific Northwest wine region, nestled between the Coast Mountains to the west and the Monashee Mountains to the east. The valley is approximately 200 miles east of Vancouver, in south central British Columbia, about the same distance as Walla Walla is from Seattle and receives less than 10 inches of annual precipitation. Thus the environment that enables Washington wineries to produce excellent wines also exists in British Columbia.

In the early 1980’s Anthony von Mandl recognized the wine-making potential of this area and purchased a small winery producing hard apple cider. He transformed the new winery in the mold of Robert Mondavi’s Napa Valley winery and all the while increasing the quality of the vines and wines. In 1992 Mr. von Mandl hired John Simes, a person that shared his vision of producing quality wine, as the new winemaker. According to Ingo Grady, Mission Hill’s Director of Wine Education, Mr. Simes has “has increased the winery's estate holdings to take advantage of the valley's diverse growing conditions. And he has assembled an enviable arsenal of state-of-the-art wine making equipment to ensure gentle handling of grapes and optimum conditions for young, evolving wines.” In total, Mission Hill Family Estate farms about 900 acres in five distinct growing regions throughout the Okanagan Valley. This is about 15% of the total acreage of vinifera plantings in the valley. While the region’s vine planting is increasing, it is still less than 20% of Washington State's grape production.

Mr. von Mandl also encouraged the creation of the Vintners' Quality Alliance (VQA) to boost the quality and prestige of all wines produced in British Columbia. On January 1st, 1989 wine tariffs were eliminated on wine produced in the United States and Canada as a result of the Canada-United States Free Trade Agreement. Vintners in British Columbia recognized that their wine was not competitive in the Canadian market because of its pooper quality as compared to wines produced in the United States. They painstaking agreed to a set of guidelines that wineries must follow in order to be classified with the Vintners’ Quality Alliance (VQA) designation. In essence a in order to be designated VQA a wine must be made from 100% British Columbia-grown grapes using optimum growing standards and a VQA tasting panel tests and approves each wine, twice (on in the tank or barrel, then again when the wine is bottled, but before it is sold).

The success of the VQA can be measured by the growth of the wine industry in British Columbia. When the designation was first implemented, only 14 wineries were operating in the Okanagan valley. Today there are more than 100 “quality-minded“ wineries operating in the valley, with Mission Hill Family Estate Winery at the forefront. Besides conforming to the VQA, Mission Hill wines are frequently recognized in international wine competitions. Specifically, the winery has won trophies or medals at the International Eastern Wine Competition, Selections Mondials, L.A. County Fair, Canada Wine Awards, San Francisco International Wine Summit, Northwest Wine Summit, and Vinitaly.

At the South Beach Wine & Food Festival, consumers will have the chance to taste the large selection of Mission Hill wines. The most famous is the Oculus, a Bordeaux blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. They also produce vintage or reserve versions of Merlot, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Shiraz. For white wines, the winery offers Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Grigio, as well as Riesling and Vidal Ice Wine. If you are unable to attend the festival, the Mission Hill Select Lot Collection (S.L.C.) wines, Oculus, and Riesling Ice wines are available in Washington, Alaska, California, Nevada, Colorado, Arizona, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri, Indiana, Florida, Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Tennessee, and Kentucky.

Naked Mountain Vineyard 2005 Cabernet Franc Rosé

We've been drinking several different types of rosè styled wines lately, first to try something different, then because we like them. One that stands out is Naked Mountain Vineyard's 2005 Cabernet Franc Rosé. Naked Mountain Vineyard is known locally for their outstanding Chardonnay wines and more recently for their Cabernet Franc. Usually their Cabernet Franc is a full bodied wine, with a deep burgundy color; however the grapes from the 2005 harvest did not develop this deep color. As a result, Naked Mountain's owner and winemaker, Bob Harper, applied minimal skin contact to produce a garnet colored wine, but with the full fruit flavor of cabernet franc. The finish is slightly acidic with a hint of oranges. Even though rosè wine are more associated with summer, this wine works with winter.

South Beach Wine & Food Festival Preview - Cubanisimo Vineyards

The first winery we preview that is participating in the 6th Annual South Beach Wine & Food Festival is Cubanisimo Vineyards, located in Oregon’s Eola Hills.

While in his surgical residency, Mauricio Collada, Jr., trained with a French-Lebanese colleague who was raised in a wine producing family. This association expanded his initial interest in wine and according to Mr. Collada, “from that point on my reading, and tasting of wines further developed my palate.” In the early 1980s, now, Dr. Collada settled in Oregon at the same time that the Oregon Pinto Noir industry erupted. At that point his “love affair” with Pinot Noir started and “evolved into a lasting affair”.

For many wine consumers Pinot Noir is mysterious and perhaps too “sophisticated” for their palate. Dr. Collada strongly disagrees; “Pinot Noir is indeed an elegant, complex wine that expresses itself variably, but it has a gentle balance of fruit flavors, acidity, and modest tannins that make it a great, if not the best food wine. I promote it as a wonderful food wine, and encourage people to understand their own tastes in food, and to match the wines accordingly.” Furthermore he encourages people to drink wine because of the health benefits and believes that Pinot Noir is the best wine varietal to “enhance their overall life experience”. I’m sold.

In 1991, Dr. Collada quickly acted on an opportunity to purchase a 21-acre vineyard in the Eola Hills. Over the next ten years he sold the pinot noir fruit to King Estate Winery, Erath, Bishop Cellars, Willamette Valley Vineyards, and Eveshamwood Winery, all the time gaining more experience in the vineyard. Over this time span he received “physical help, wine making advice, and general assistance from different wineries and wine makers”. Apparently the wineries in Oregon enjoy a very collegial relationship. Dr. Collada also received assistance from the Oregon Wine Growers Association as well as its successor, the Oregon Wine Board. In 2003, he decided to withhold half of their production for internal use and by 2005; all wholesale contract obligations were terminated. Cubanisimo Vineyards was now entirely dedicated to produce Cubanisimo Pinot Noir.

Their initial offering was the CUBANISIMO 2003 Pinot Noir, which was soon followed by the CUBANISIMO 2004 Pinot Noir. The wine’s tasting notes state, “Cubanisimo is especially proud to release our 2004 pinot noir, a vintage we believe has all the qualities and flavors of our 2003 pinot, but with a more intense expression; a fuller, more sensual feel in the mouth and a silkier, more delightful after taste. Medium bodied, our wine displays enticing flavors of cranberry, blackberry and cherry, which will perfectly compliment cuisine commonly enjoyed in Cuban and American cuisines. We hope you will enjoy and share our pinot noir on many occasions.”

The winery also produces a rose’ style Rosado de Pinot Noir. According to its tasting notes, the wine is dry, light with cranberry-raspberry flavor and should be served chilled. Dr. Collada reiterates that “it is a wonderful summer wine, and in Florida it probably would make a great everyday wine. I consider it an excellent and elegant picnic wine. ”

After finding success in the Oregon wine market, this Havana native is returning as close to his native Cuba as legally possible to introduce his Pinot Noir to the East Coast. Cubanisimo Vineyards will be participating at several events at the Food & Wine Festival. On Friday February 23rd, they will be pouring wine at the Trade Day and Wine Spectator Grand Tasting from 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm at the Publix Grand Tasting Village, Ocean Drive & 13th Street, Miami Beach. On Saturday and Sunday they will be participating at the Publix Grand Tasting from 11:00 am - 6:00 pm at Ocean Drive & 13th Street, Miami Beach.

If you are unable to attend the South Beach Wine & Food festival, Cubanisimo Vineyards Pinot Noir is available through their online store and through distributors in Arizona and Florida. Better yet, use Wine-Compass.com to plan a trip to Salem, Oregon to visit the winery’s tasting facilities.

Best in State 2006

Every year the wineries in several states participate in competitions to determine the best wines produced in that state. Here are a list of the Governor Cup winners in a few states. We have tried the Frederick Cellars 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon and the Rappahannock Cellars 2005 Reserve Viognier; both are excellent.

Illinois: Owl Creek Vineyard Bald Knob 2005
Maryland: Frederick Cellars 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon
Michigan: Peninsula Cellars 2005 Gewurztraminer - Manigold Vineyard
Missouri: Augusta Winery 2004 Vignoles
New Jersey: Tomasello Atlantic County Vidal Blanc Ice Wine 2005
New York: Hermann J. Wiemer 2005 Reserve Riesling
North Carolina: Childress Vineyards Syrah
Pennsylvania: Pinnacle Ridge Winery 2004 Vidal Blanc Ice Wine
Virginia: Rappahannock Cellars 2005 Reserve Viognier

Winery at La Grange Viognier 2005

Last night we opened a bottle of Chris Pearmund's Winery at La Grange Viognier 2005. What a wine. It has a citrus flavor with a refreshing acidic finish, with a perfect balance betwen dryness and sweetness. I know that sounds a bit silly, but its true. No wonder this wine won a Silver Medal at 2006 2nd Annual Atlantic Seaboard Competition. Actually I'm surprised it didn't win Gold. You can view our visit to the Winery at La Grange at our Compass Tours section.

2007 South Beach Food & Wine Festival

For four days starting Thursday, February 22nd, some of the world’s finest wines will be accessible to the public at the 6th Annual South Beach Wine & Food Festival. Hosted by Southern Wine & Spirits of Florida and Florida International University (FIU) the festival benefits the Teaching Restaurant and the Southern Wine & Spirits Beverage Management Center, both located at FIU. Representatives from Wine-Compass will be attending several events: tasting the wines and interviewing both exhibiters and attendees. We'll post a wrap-up of the events as well as the pictures on the Compass Tours section of Wine-Compass.com. Over the next few days we will be posting a preview of a few wineries that will be attending the festival. The first winery featured will be Cubanisimo Vineyards, located in Oregon’s Eola Hills.