Friday, March 30, 2012

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.




Wednesday, March 28, 2012

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.

Friday, March 23, 2012

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.

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

#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.

Friday, March 16, 2012

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.

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Tasting the Wines of America

Last night we were invited to the joint WineAmerica & Winegrape Growers of America reception on Capital Hill called "Taste the Wines of America". The event was to recognize the Congressional Wine Caucus, which is bipartisan group of lawmakers aiming to "educate and engage colleagues in legislative and regulatory matters pertaining to the wine community." The reception also coincides with meetings within the wine industry on matters affecting the entire community. But the highlight for most was the reception which featured wines from every region of the country. Most impressive was the large selection of wines from the Other 46. Yes, California, Oregon, Washington, and New York were well represented, but how many times do you get to sample wines from Massachusetts, Iowa, Nebraska, Georgia, Indiana, Arizona....... You get the picture.


We walked in to immediately see the three B's of Virginia representing the Southeast: Barboursville Vineyards, Boxwood Winery, and Breaux Vineyards. Plenty of Viognier and Bordeaux blends available at that table, as well, as wines from Tennessee, Georgia and North Caroline, with Biltmore Estate Winery representing the Tar Heels. We learned that their estate NC wines are made from grapes grown in Polk County, south of Asheville.

We moved next to this year's DrinkLocalWine.com hosts, Colorado Wines, which were part of the Rocky Mountain contingent. Also representing Colorado was Guy Drew from Guy Drew Vineyards in Cortez Colorado who was pouring several of his wines: Viognier, Rose, Riesling, and a very nice Meritage. Another Colorado wine we really enjoyed was the Rhone blend made from Snowy Peaks Winery from Estes Park. Their Grand Valley "Eleve" consists of Syrah, Mourvedre, Cinsault, and Viognier. Incredible that these grapes can flourish in the Grand Valley. Finally, we met Dr. Ron Bitner, one of the first growers in Idaho and owner of Bitner Vineyards in Caldwell. We enjoyed his Snake River Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve where the grapes are harvested around Thanksgiving. Yes, that late. Frost is obviously a concern, but the vineyards steep slopes allow the cold air to pass easily down the mountain. And we finally got to sample a wine from the famed Arizona Stronghold Vineyards - this the 2009 "Site Archive" Merlot. Hope to follow up with a visit to Arizona wine country this summer. And check out the DLW12 Conference being held April 28th at the Metro State College in Denver. The Twitter tasting of Colorado wines should be very, very interesting.

The next table was the wines from the Northeast, handled by Maryland Wine. We started with the flexible Chambourcin, sampling the Rose from Port of Leonardtown Winery Leonardtown Maryland and the Knob Hall Winery (Clear Spring MD) Cumberland Valley "Le Reve Rouge". This was an interesting take of a Rhone wine, substituting Chambourcin for Syrah and Vidal for Viognier. After tasting some wines from Massachusetts, we found our favorite from North East Pennsylvania: Presque Isle Wine Cellars Dornfelder. There's a nice little micro-climate near Lake Erie which allows vinferia grapes such as Dornfelder, Riesling, Pinot Noir, and even Cabernet Sauvignon to survive.

The Great Lakes were next, featuring wines from Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin. We were reminded why Traminette is the state grape of Indiana through Wildcat Creek Winery. Wisconsin was represented by Wollersheim Winery and there were several Michigan wines; yet we couldn't find the L. Mawby Vineyards Cremant Classic sparkling wine. Painful. Someone was monopolizing the goods. But not the ice wine. The Breitenbach Wine Cellar Vidal Blanc Ice Wine is a true ice wine, where the frozen grapes are harvested during the middle of the night to maintain the condensed sugars. Nice.

And then there the wines of the Midwest containing bottles and bottles of unique grapes: Blanc du Bois, Vermentino, Tempranillo, Marquette, Brianna, St. Croix, Norton, Edelweiss, and Vignoles. The table was represented by Missouri Wines, James Arthur Vineyards from Raymond Nebraska, and Fredericksburg Winery from Fredericksburg, Texas. The later was pouring a savory Muscat Canelli and started a trend of nice whites including the McPherson Cellars Rousanne and the Duchman Family Winery Vermentino. These are two clean, food friendly wines. We've mentioned the Stone Hill Winery Norton many times over the years and this night reinforced why that grape should not be overlooked. And then there were the hybrids - many manufactured from the University of Minnesota specifically for cold weather climates. There were the Tassel Ridge Winery Brianna, Marquette, and St. Croix and the James Arthur Vineyards Edelweiss, a sweet wine with a balanced acidity. Yet the easy favorite was the JAV Vignoles - an off dry wine with strong apple flavors and nice acidity. This is one wine I always want to have available; suitable for dry and sweet drinkers.

As for the big four (California, Oregon, Washington, and New York), we were able to sample a little from these tables. For New York, Anthony Road Wine Company stood out with their Cabernet Franc\Lemberger and Pinot Noir; lovely wines. We stuck to Pinot in Oregon and California, first the Willamette Valley Vineyards and King Estate Winery, then the La Crema 2009 Sonoma Coast. Merlot and Viognier were the choices from Washington - from Three Rivers Winery and Novelty Hill Winery respectively. Then there was the leathery wine - the Red Tail Winery SP 2007 Ventura County Syrah - which Andrew Stover recommended. Total earth and leather - so interesting....

Thanks WineAmerica and the Winegrape Growers of America for a nice tasting from across the states. Cheers.

Friday, March 9, 2012

Wine 101: Carmine

We recently learned that one of the founders of the post-Prohibition east coast wine industry was Philip Wagner, founder of Boordy Vineyards. Wagner and his wife Jocelyn began planting grape vines in the early 1930's specializing in French Hybrids and propagated these to vineyards throughout the East and Midwest. "Vidal Blanc, for example, was first found by the Wagners in a backyard vineyard in Poitier, France, a town southwest of Paris about half way to Bordeaux, and cuttings were 'smuggled' into the U.S. wrapped in a damp towel in Jocelyn’s purse." Other grapes the Wagners championed were Chambourcin and Baco Noir.

Apparently these grapes were not enough. Rumor has it that Wagner contacted Dr. Harold Olmos, of UC-Davis, to develop a tannic, "hearty grape that could translate into a marketable wine for colder climates". After 20 years of cross breeding, Olmos finally publicized this cold climate grape: Carmine - a cross of Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignane, and Merlot. What? A cross of three grapes. How is that possible? Well, with a lot of time and patience. First, Olmos crossed Cabernet Sauvignon and Carignane. The progeny was then crossed with Merlot - so in reality Cabernet Sauvignon and Carignane are the grandparents. The result is a late budding and ripening grape, slightly larger than Cabernet Sauvignon, with loose clusters. Perfect for most American wine growing regions. Yet, despite Olmos' efforts, Carmine never really gained traction. Today, the grape is grown in only a handful of vineyards in the United States.

The largest grower is perhaps Kramer Vineyards, located in Gaston, Oregon. Trudy Kramer related to us why Carmine.
"Every wine has a story. We were amateur winemakers and found out about Jim Leyden at Courting Hill Vineyard who had a nice selection of different varieties. So it was one place to go many times throughout the vintage to pick grapes to make our wine. One grape he had was Carmine. He had brought it into the state—not sure if it was legal or not. But he was intrigued with it and was trying to get people to plant it. When he found out that we were planting, he talked Keith into planting it, but I wasn’t sold on it. My take on it was that none of the grapes it was from, Cabernet, Carignane, or Merlot, did well in the Willamette Valley so why would we even think of planting it? So he pleaded with me and I said, “So, if it doesn’t sell, out it goes!” Deer were ravaging it for a few years until Keith finally put a good deer fence up so we make our first in 1998. It wasn’t until 2000 that we figured out how to craft a good wine out of the grape. The issue is ripening and the presence of the green bell pepper notes that I don’t like at all. Carmine was supposed to be for the “cool” central California coast. We are a lot cooler than the Central California Coast! But Jim knew they were growing it successfully in New York and Pennsylvania in cooler regions there. People made regular red wine, rose, and sparkling out of it."
And Kramer has experienced how versatile the grape is - from crafting a big red tannic wine to a soft rose.
"When have a vintage warm enough to give us riper flavors, then we make a red wine ferment in bins, press out before fermentation is totally done, settle, and put into barrels to finish fermentation. We also inoculate with malolactic. The acids are pretty high so we often have to adjust those in the beginning. Sugars are low so we have to add that every vintage. In 2010, the fruit had a lot of unripe flavors in the skins, just green as it could be. Since it was the latest vintage ever, we decided to wait into November and pick it as late as we could. We took a sample of the juice to the lab and we just couldn’t see how it could be made into a red wine. As we were reading the lab report, Kim tweeted about our dilemma on-line. A local wine writer suggested doing a rose. So she runs out and takes a juice sample and tastes it. Just delicious with no green! We were shocked. So two days after harvest, we pressed it out for a rose. The color was unbelievable—so dark it almost looked like a Pinot Noir. Turned out just great! In 2011, it was even later, so we again decided from the start to do a rose again, but this time it was very cold outside and we had to wait until day 5 to press because the color and flavors weren’t right. This wine has not yet been bottled, but it's even better than 2010! So is it appropriate for the climate? Probably not., but with inventive winemaking, cluster thinning, late picking, and attention to detail, we can make a very good wine out of it."
Educated consumers is an issue with Carmine, because, let's face it, how many of us wine geeks has heard of it. Not us until a couple weeks back. Here's Kramer again relating their experience.
"Yes, we do have to educate people who are new to our winery. We do have a following for it now which is why we have planted more. It is so different from Pinot Noir and people are curious about it. They often confuse it with Carmenere. Dr. Olmos is rolling in his grave! The work on it was done at UC Davis back in the 1950’s and only a few California vineyards have it. It is nice to have something unique for people to taste when they visit us."
So there you have it. A relatively new wine grape that perhaps you will be able to experience one day. Here is a list of the other Carmine producers that we are aware:
Sources:
  1. Winemakermag
  2. UC-Davis
  3. Boordy Vineyards

Friday, March 2, 2012

Wine 101: Isabella

The origins of Isabella grape, a native Vitis Labrusca, are still unknown. Perhaps it originated in the Carolinas by random pollination of a labrusca grape and an unknown vinifera. Others have claimed that the grape was cultivated by the Cherokee Indians or that it is a cross between an unknown vinifera and muscadine grapes. Regardless of its origin, it was quickly adopted in New York and New England. In 1824, Deacon Elizah Fry successfully planted the first grapes in New York State – Catawba and Isabella. William Prince of Flushing, Long Island also acquired the grape, purchasing vines from Mrs. Isabella Gibbs, the wife of George Gibbs, a Brooklyn merchant; hence the name, Isabella. Originally the grape displayed the standard "grapey/foxy" taste and flavor associated with Labrusca grapes, but modern winemaking techniques have succeeded in removing this characteristic, resulting in a strawberry/boysenberry-like flavored wine.

Over time, Isabella began to be replaced by Concord or other hardier and more productive vinifera varieties, but has survived in a few eastern vineyards. Ironically, while production of the grape is virtually non-existent in the United States, it remains very popular in the rest of the world, where it has over 50 aliases. In Hungary and Georgia it is known as Izabella, Seksarda in Croatia, Fragola in Italy and Australia, and Albany Surprise in New Zealand. Large acreages of this grape are grown in Brazil, Russia, and in Columbia where it is that country’s most widely planted variety.

Goose Watch Winery is one New York winery that continues to utilize Isabella. The winery decided to cultivate Isabella because of the grape’s long history in New York and the fact that the variety creates a distinctive Boysenberry-like aroma which separates it from other native varieties that are just “grapey”. As a bonus, the Isabella grape retains strong name recognition in the Finger Lakes region, so visitors to the winery do not need to be cajoled to taste the wine as with other non-mainstream grapes. The winery produces a semi-sweet style Rosé of Isabella wine named after a popular wine that used to be produced by the Great Western Winery (now the Pleasant Valley Wine Company). Every vintage of this wine has won at least one gold medal and the 2004 vintage won Gold and was named “Best Native American Varietal” at the 2005 NY Wine Classic.

Isabella is also produced at a few other American wineries that specialize in producing wine from labrusca grapes. Also in New York, Barrington Cellars produces a semi-sweet rosé wine and an Ice wine from Isabella. And a little southwest in North East Pennsylvania, Heritage Wine Cellars produces several labrusca wines which include Isabella.

Monday, February 27, 2012

Win Two Tickets to the 7th annual Discover Virginia Food and Wine Festival

Who's interested in winning two free tickets to the 7th Annual Discover Virginia Food & Wine Festival, held April 21-22 in Ruckersville, Virginia? To enter, just Like the Virginia Wine TV Facebook page by April 15th. On the 16th we will select a name at random that will receive the two free wine tasting tickets.

According to the sponsors, the annual festival will offer its unique atmosphere of family friendly festival entertainment, food vendors and wine tastings. The festival will spotlight Virginia Wineries as well as many local restaurants and artisans including Burnley Vineyards, Ducard Vineyards, Mountain Cove Vineyards, and Saude Creek Vineyard. Ticket prices are reasonable with an advanced ticket priced at $14.00 and $20.00 the day of. But why not try for the two free tickets.

Monday, February 20, 2012

Finding the Finger Lakes at the Washington DC International Wine & Food Festival

Last week we attended the 13th annual Washington DC International Wine & Food Festival primarily because friends from the Finger Lakes Wine Country were pouring. In addition, this is always an opportunity to find interesting and unique wines and spirits from regions throughout the globe.

But let's start in New York. The Finger Lakes is home to Riesling and each winery usually had samples of both dry and off dry styles. Each have their place and the off-dry is usually balanced by refreshing acidity. The flavors differed amongst each winery - some apple, some peach - but all solid representations of the grape. Two of the wineries, Anthony Road and Fox Run, were also pouring Lemberger, one of our favorite wine grapes - probably because they traditionally exude blackberry flavors. The first was pouring a 50/50 blend of Lemberger and Cabernet Franc where the latter adds a little green pepper to the mix. Fox Run's was a 100% varietal Lemberger - that blackberry smoothness with with a slight peppery finish. Finally a few wines to mention were the Dr. Franks Rkatsiteli, Ravine Pinot Noir, Glenora Pinot Blanc, and Wagner Niagara. These represent the diverse grape plantings in this region. Please take a look at these wineries:
I also spent a considerable amount of time with a Pisco producer. Pisco Portón was concocting a few tasty cocktails like their Portonero, Mohito, and Peruvian Strawberry Margarita - but this spirit is worthy consuming neat. It is fermented from grape must (partially fermented grape juice) and distilled to proof. That means no water is added to the distilled spirit to bring the percent alcohol down to the regulated amount. And since it is fermented using the must, the spirit contains more grape sugars and flavors. Fifteen pounds of grapes go into every bottle. Ever wonder which grapes are used in Pisco? The Pisco Portón uses three. Cheers to Pisco
  • Quebranta is a non-aromatic varietal that evolved on the Peruvian coast. It is the most popular pisco grape in Peru and gives body and fullness of flavor to Pisco Portón.
  • Albilla is a fragrant green grape with a soft and fruity taste structure. It is prized for its smooth finish in pisco.
  • Torontel grapes have a strong citrus and peach aroma that lingers on the hands and clothing of workers who handle them. Its expression in the glass is alive with heady aromatic complexity.
There were several other spirits we enjoyed tasting. Philadelphia Distilling was pouring a new 100% corn whiskey - straight spirit - no oak aging. The sweetness from the corn was prevalent with no noticeable burn. Blue Star Beverages Czarskaya (czars gold) Vodka and completely smooth wheat based vodka distilled 15 times - yes fifteen - and filtered 20 times through a 22 carat gold mesh. Not sure what that process beings to the table - but the end result is a nice vodka. And then there was the iichiko Shochu - a spirit I had never heard of before. iichiko was pouring several styles - all made from Australian grown barley. The barley is polished and then made into a mash which is then distilled into a relatively low alcoholic spirit - starting at just 30%. Each was also extremely smooth. Interesting - but not sure I'm willing to commit to a long term relationship. Need to explore a little more.

As for the other wines, there were many, many interesting wines. Strong reds from Wild Horse Winery, Charles Krug Winery, and Franciscan Oakville Estate; Pinotage from many South African Wineries; Rhone wines; and plenty of Spanish Tempranillo and Albarino. Explore these wineries and regions. There's plenty for all of us to learn. Cheers.

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Volunteering at the Virginia Wine Showcase

This weekend, the Crystal Gateway Marriott in Arlington Virginia is hosting the 7th Annual Virginia Wine Showcase, two days to explore Virginia Wine Country. There will be 200 wines poured by about 20 Virginia wineries. There are also several interesting seminars such as Wine 101, Cigar Pairing, VA vs the World, and Vino 50. I will be volunteering on Sunday for Annefield Vineyards, a winery from southwest Virginia producing classic wines such as Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and of course, Viognier. Stop by and say hello.

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

#WBW74 Value Sparkling Wine: Yellow Tail Bubbles - Keeps on Bubbling

This month we finally got around to opening a bottle of sparkling wine that we had received late last year - just in time for Wine Blogging Wednesday 74 which is focusing on Value Sparkling Wine. This was the Yellow Tail Bubbles Sparkling White Wine, a very affordable sparkling wine ($10) accompanied by an interesting closure device. This is the Zork, a bottle topper that pops like a cork but can also be used to reseal the bottle, and only available on Yellow Tail sparkling wines. If you don't finish the bottle the first evening, then seal the bottle and in theory, the Zork will maintain the gas pressure. And in fact, it does work. One week ofter opening, we opened the wine - and yes, we wouldn't recommend this length of time, but the wine was still carbonated. Since this wine isn't carbonated using méthode champenoise, I suspect Yellow Tail injects a little extra carbonation to help maintain gas levels over an extended time.

Now to the wine and, really, for a $10 wine - this is a good deal. Its not completely dry, but with decent fruit, low alcohol (11.5%), and a creamy finish complements to a secondary malo-latic fermentation. Don't get too many inexpensive sparklers going through a secondary fermentation - maybe the grapes were picked a little early - holding more acidity. If you are looking for an inexpensive sparkling wine, this one's for you.

Monday, February 13, 2012

What's in the Barrel at Paradise Springs Winery?

During our Wednesday night #winechat featuring Viognier, we tasted and tweeted at Paradise Springs Winery. After the discussion, Kirk Wiles invited us to sample their 2011 vintage aging in barrel. Now, 2011 will be a challenging year - across the United States - even Mediterranean Napa Valley was affected by late season rain. In Virginia, the summer started off hot - with many grapes beginning to ripen on schedule. Then, in September, the weather cooled and the late season rains arrived. The grapes stopped maturing. Even worse, the grapes for one of the wines we tasted during #winechat, the 2011 Keswick Vineyards Les Vents d'Anges, were harvested the day after a hail storm. Can you image the condition of that fruit? Stephen Barnard performed admirably with that wine, and other winemakers will have work just as hard for their 2011 vintage.

At Paradise Springs, winemaker Rob Cox and assistant winemaker Michael Chang, are paying close attention to the wines in the tank and in the barrel. This evening we tasted Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Tannat, and Norton - all aging in different cooperages. For instance, they are aging Chardonnay in neutral and medium oak and will blend the components together before bottling. Most of the red wines are being aging in a reductive manner - where the wine may not be racked until bottling. The Cabernet Franc displayed this reductive character immediately, but once past the nose, the cherry fruit presents itself nicely. And the reduction will dissipate when racking at bottling. We also saw how the winery is the only Virginia winery to utilize a Chinese barrel. Yes, Chinese, from the Mongolicus forest. I believe it was the Malbec - and so far - so good. Yet, the biggest surprise was their Norton. Sourced from Chrysalis Vineyards, these grapes shrugged off the volatile weather as if laughing at the viniferia outsiders. Heat, humidity, cold, rain - so what. In barrel less than a couple months, the wine is already deep garnet in color with bright fruit flavors with none of the astringent acidity associated with new or poorly made Norton. This wine could be bottled today - it is that good now. And this wine, and how the grape responded to the 2011 season, justifies Jennifer McCloud's passion for Norton.

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Atypical Wine Storage at WineCompass

Several Virginia bloggers have challenged our community to post photos of each of our personal wine storage techniques. Like the folks at Virginia Wine Time, I use two distinct areas for storing wine. The first is a Tex-Mex wine bar that's basically stores items ready to drink now: whether wine, spirits, or growlers ready for beer. There is no organization to the set; just find an open spot. Matters take a turn for the worse, when storing for the long term. Shielded by the abundance of toys in the basement, this secret collection is hidden from the usual suspects wanting to open bottles of Viognier, Norton, and other local wines collected on our journeys. There's wine from North Carolina and Maryland lost in those boxes; several from Kansas and Missouri; a few from California; and even some specialty wines from Florida. Key Lime Wine anyone? Schnebly Redland's Winery has it all. Now you know the secret to wine storage.





Other Blogger Wine Storing Links:

Monday, February 6, 2012

#WineChat Talking Viognier

Viognier - the grape of Condrieu. Or perhaps Languedoc. Definitely Virginia. Arguably Texas. Maybe California & Washington. Then there's Australia. Yes, this sensitive grape has found a home in many places, from its ascendency in Northern Rhone to its expansion into the New World. Despite this expansion, the grape variety is still relatively unknown to the general public? It was for me, until a few years ago. If you need some insight into Viognier, then check out these articles by MyVineSpot, Debra Meiburg MW & Jancis Robinson.

But don't delay, because on Wednesday February 8th, we will be discussing Viognier when we host #winechat, the weekly Twitter conversation originated by Marie Payton (@mariepayton) at Life of Vines. And we would like you to participate. All it takes is popping a bottle of Viognier and sharing your comments on Twitter using the #winechat hash tag. Simple enough.

Dezel Quillen (@myvinespot) and I (@winecompass) will be joining several Virginia winemakers as we sample and discuss Viognier wines from several regions; but focusing specifically on the Commonwealth. Particularly since the Virginia Wine Board has designated Viognier as that state's Signature Grape. And one of these wines, The Breaux Vineyards Viognier was just selected by Oz Clarke as one of only three U.S. wines to be included in his 250 Best Wines 2012.

Over in Texas Wine Country, Russ Kane (@VintageTexas) and Denise Fraser (@DeniseFraser) will be hosting a similar tasting of Texas Viognier. He has posted a briefing for Texas wine bloggers and they will be sharing several wines, including the Lone Oak Winery 2010 Viognier. This wine just received a Double Gold in the SFO Chronicle wine competition.

For more information on the event check out the Facebook Event page. If you plan on planning a similar locality tasting - say another #vawine tasting or for North Carolina Viognier or even Central Coast Viognier - let us know so that we can update the event. And be sure to use the #winechat Twitter hash tag as well as the #vawine and #txwine tags when commenting on those wines.

Virginia
Texas

Colorado

Washington


Updated: Added video and updated wine list.

Friday, February 3, 2012

13th annual Washington DC International Wine & Food Festival Is One Week Away

We always look forward to the Washington DC International Wine & Food Festival and its just around the corner. The Grand Tasting is held at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center (1300 Pennsylvania Avenue) on February 11th and 12th 2012 from 2-6PM. There will be over 500 wines from all over the globe to sample including those from the Finger Lakes Wine Country, Spain, South Africa, Rhône Valley, and New Zealand. Tickets for the the Grand Tasting are $80-85 a person. See you there.

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

The 4th annual DrinkLocalWine Conference Steams into Colorado

After stops in Texas, Virginia, and Missouri; the DrinkLocalWine train steams into Denver, Colorado for a day of seminars and local wine. That means cool-climate grape varieties such as Riesling, Gewürztraminer and Cabernet Franc. Here is the official announcement:

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


Thursday, January 26, 2012

MyJoogTV Episode 13 features Starr Hill Brewery's Monticello Reserve Ale

MyJoogTV.com just released a video featuring Starr Hill Brewing's Monticello Reserve Ale. This is the official beer of Monticello and brewed using ingredients Thomas Jefferson likely used two centuries ago. Whereas Jefferson is well known for his attempts to cultivate wine grapes, he was also an avid brewer. However he never used a preset recipe and instead, each year brewed beer based on that year's harvest. He also didn't grow barley, but grew wheat and corn instead. These are the main ingredients to the Monticello Reserve Ale as well as East Kent Goldings hops, which may have been available during Colonial times. We highly recommend this beer - nice citrus flavors with a touch of sweetness balanced with smooth mellow finish. Cheers.

Monday, January 16, 2012

A Few Hours in Loudoun: North Gate Vineyards & Hiddencroft Vineyards

Being a little stuck inside stir crazy, we headed out for a short trip to Loudoun County to visit two wineries: North Gate Vineyards & Hiddencroft Vineyards. North Gate is owned and operated by Mark and Vicki Fedor, who were working the tasting bar on our arrival. They've been tending fines in Loudoun for almost 15 years and were the initial winemakers at Corcoran Vineyards several years ago. At this point in time, the winery is sold out of some wine (Viognier and Petit Verdot), but we sampled their 2010 Chardonnay, 2010 Petit Mensing, 2009 Cabernet Franc, 2009 Merlot, 2009 Meritage, and NV Apple. All the fruit is sourced from Loudoun County and the resulting wines were rather enjoyable. And affordable - all under $20; which makes their Meritage (Cabernet Franc, (47%), Cabernet Sauvignon (26%), Petit Verdot (21%), and Merlot (6%)) a rather nice deal. The Chardonnay was also a favorite, being both fruit forward and slightly creamy after having been fermented and aged in a combination of older (neutral) and new oak. The Apple and Petit Mensing were also very nice - with any residual sugar equally balanced from the wine's acidity. We plan on getting easier access to their wines, since the winery participates in the Winter Falls Church Farmer's Market.

From North Gate we headed through Hillsboro to Hiddencroft Vineyards after not having visited the winery in a number of years. We did get a chance to sample their Gold winning 2009 Cabernet Franc, which was in the running for last year's Governor's Cup. On arriving at the winery we were briefly disorientated because they have expanded into the adjacent property and moved the tasting facilities into a new building, an 1830’s farmhouse they christened "Dutchman’s Creek Tasting House". Clyde and Terry Housel were also both in the tasting room and Terry guided us through the wines. And we really love these wines, not only their quality but also the range in varietals. As Virginia moves into the Vinifera world, many are replacing hybrids with Bordeaux grape varieties. Not at Hiddencroft. Yes they produce a mighty fine Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc and Tannat (one of the few 100% varietal Tannats in the state), but there are few places in Loudoun where you can sample a Vidal Blanc, Traminette, and Chambourcin, as well as a range of fruit wines. The Traminette was a real surprise, produced dry with a powerful floral aroma that seizes your attention, then mellows into the spicy Gewurtz flavor. Very nice. And the fruit wines are delicious - made sweet but with enough acidity for balance. The Blackberry was the bomb: it has the fortified raisin flavor of a port - without the alcohol. And the blackberries are grown on the estate. The Raspberry Chambourcin Vitis Rubus is another fruit wine worth savoring. I think Hiddencroft has it all, dry viniferas for the "serious" wine consumer and flavorful and enjoyable hybrids and fruit wines for the casual wino. Cheers.

Thursday, January 12, 2012

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