Showing posts with label Festivals\Events. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Festivals\Events. Show all posts

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Win A Chance to Attend the 2011 NYC Food and Wine Festival, Courtesy of Chef Rocco DiSpirito

One of our favorite annual wine festivals is the Food Network's South Beach Food & Wine Festival. And why not, wine, food, rum - all in the tropical air of Miami. Our next favorite. Why the Food Network's NYC Food & Wine Festival.Usually, the same venders, but this time based in the newly renovated Meatpacking District of that city. Check out our last visit to the festival here. The 2011 Festival runs from September 29 through October 2nd. Tickets for individual events may be affordable, but not for the Grand Tasting presented by ShopRite & KitchenAid. We are talking $195.

But here comes Celebrity Chef Rocco DiSpirito to help. In celebration of his new television series, Rocco's Dinner Party, he is launching the "Watch & Win" contest giving wine enthusiasts the opportunity to win a trip for two to meet him and assist him at the 2011 NYC Food and Wine Festival! The prize includes round-trip airfare for two, a two-night stay at an NYC hotel along with free tickets to the festival! Viewers can tune-in to Rocco's Dinner Party Wednesdays, 10PM ET/9C on Bravo to answer three weekly questions pertaining to each week's episode. Submission form stays open until Saturday at midnight! After answering all three questions, submit your information to be entered to win. Enter every week to increase your chances of winning - every weekly submission counts as another entry!

The next "Watch & Win" will air this Wednesday, June 29th at 10PM/9c on Bravo! That's today. Good luck.

Thursday, May 19, 2011

National Harbor Wine & Food Festival

Under overcast skies and threatening rain we attended the 2011 National Harbor Wine & Food Festival. What makes this event different than most festivals at National Harbor is that it utilizes the piers in addition to the parking lot so it has a more marina feel. And those with VIP tickets were able to enjoy the Belgium beer tent surrounded by water. This year we didn't have the time to hone our cooking skills; but had plenty of time to sample new bourbons and beer. The Jim Beam Bourbon tent was surprisingly sparse so we were able to quickly sample some excellent scotch from Laphroaig and Ardmore and distinguish the difference between whisky crafted in the highlands and those by the sea. The Laphraoig was smokey and salty while the Ardmore was more subtle. For the first time in 52 years Maker's Mark has released a new product, the Maker’s 46. Compared to the original Makers this bourbon is 96 proof, instead of 90 proof, fuller and sweeter at the finish. I didn't care much for this extra sweetness and definitely prefer the standard bearer. As in added attraction in the tent we watched cigars being rolled by Cortez Handmade Cigars.



As for beer, there were several nice options. The Belgiums (Stella Artois, Leffe Blonde, Hoegaarden) were at the forefront and always a good option. There was also a new Canadian entry, Alexander Keiths, from Nova Scotia. The brewery is over 190 years old but for the U.S. market it looks like production is location in St. Louis (aka Budweiser). For the domestics, we stuck with Kona Brewing Company and Chicago's Goose Island. We paired their ales with oysters from Pepper Creek Shellfish Farm. A nice combination.



Since our palettes were consumed with beer and bourbon, we didn't bother sampling the wine - but there was plenty available. Maryland wines were represented as well as some Oregon Pinot Noir, the same from Burgundy, Italian Soave, and many more. Besides the lack of bathrooms, this was an entertaining festival. Particularly when grabbing a rum concoction and sitting at the "beach" listening to Steel Dynamics.

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

2011 Wine and Food Festival at National Harbor

Besides the South Beach Wine and Food Festival, perhaps our favorite festival is the Wine and Food Festival at National Harbor, which occurs this coming weekend, May 14th & 15th. First, the event is held in a really cool location - on the docks at National Harbor - not even in the parking lot. Then there's the 150+ different wines, beers, & spirits in an ALL-YOU-CARE-TO-TASTE affair. Care for a BIER GARTEN serving Stella Artois, Lefe, Hoegaarden, Kona, Redhook, Heavy Seas, Starr Hill, & Magic Hat. I personally am looking forward to the The Jim Bean sponsored Whiskey-Bourbon Experience offering whiskeys and bourbons from some of the greatest distilleries around. How about a beach party with a steel drum band. Or the local musicians performing at the Live Music stage. Plus there's a kid's area with moon bounces and activities. Oh yea, I almost forgot you foodies out there. Yes, there will be plenty of cooking demonstrations and seminars by Chefs Katsuya Fukushima, Elizabeth Falkner, Billy Strynkowski, Dave Zino and many more. What's the price? Just $35 for general admission or $75 for a VIP package. Plus other affordable options. Like I said, this is one of our favorite annual events. And while you are at National Harbor, check out Boxwood Winery's new satellite tasting room.

Monday, May 9, 2011

WineCompass Event Engine

This morning we noticed that there are over 1,450 upcoming events listed at WineCompass. More half of these are occurring in Virginia. So for those in other regions and states, go ahead and add your wine, beer, or spirits event. Its free and goes out to 10,000 monthly visitors.

Friday, April 22, 2011

Great Grapes Wine, Arts & Food Festival

Its not often that a wine festival pops up in virtually your back yard, but that is the case next weekend when the Great Grapes Wine, Arts & Food Festival pops the cork in the Reston Town Center. There will be over 200 Virginia wines being poured, representing each region of the commonwealth:
There will also be plenty of music and live food demonstrations. Music will be provided by The School of Rock,Junkyard Saints, The Jack Diamond - Jim Steed Band, & The Broadcast on Saturday and The School of Rock (again), 8 Ohms Band, & Bull City Syndicate on Sunday. Need culinary help? Come see Chef Bo Palker, Diane Eblin, Maria Liberati, Lauren DeSantis, Laurie Bell, and Jim Benson.

Friday, April 8, 2011

Rockin' Out at Wineries

As the weather warms, it's time for our annual sermon on hidden gems that host live music - our ever expanding collection of wineries. Farm wineries are unique in that they perform three different types of economic activity. They are agricultural entities, growing and harvesting grapes and other fruit. They engage in manufacturing by turning the juice from these fruit into wine and bottling the fermented beverage. And finally, farm wineries participate in the service economy, by hosting events in their tasting rooms in order to attract consumers. And it seems one of the most popular events is hosting live music.

The style and facilities differ among region and winery. Some may offer local musicians; other regional artists or national touring acts. Right here in Northern Virginia it seems that almost every winery in Loudoun County and along the Route 66 corridor provide regular live music. Last year we filmed our inaugural episode of MyJoogTV at the summer concert series at Tarara Vineyard & Winery and filmed more sessions at three other wineries that host local and regional acts: Adams County Winery, Black Ankle Vineyards, and Veritas Vineyards. But basically, for those living near Washington D.C. and Baltimore, there is a plethora of musical opportunities within a short drive in Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania.

This phenomenon is not limited to the Mid-Atlantic. Wineries exist in every state of this country, and the same holds for live music hosted at these establishments. Some are full fledged concert halls such as Mountain Winery or Wente Vineyards in California. Others, such as Pend d'Oreille Winery, La Vina Winery, Schnebly Redland's Winery, and McLaughlin Vineyards may seem remote - but they provide plenty of music. And as expected, wineries near music meccas like Nashville and Austin, leverage those musical communities. Check out Arrington Vineyards, Pedernales Cellars, and Landon Winery as examples.

We and the wineries are constantly adding these events to the Wine-Compass and MyJoog event listings - with the later providing more information on the musicians. Regardless on how you find these events; go out and support local wine and local music. That's a great combination.

Thursday, March 31, 2011

The Discover Virginia Food and Wine Festival

The Discover Virginia Food and Wine Festival is Greene County’s spring party and kick off of the Virginia Wine Festival season. The 6th annual festival will offer its unique atmosphere of family friendly festival entertainment, food vendors and wine tastings. For the first time, the Discover Virginia Wine festival will partner with Buy Fresh, Buy Local which helps consumers find local products while building relationships between growers, food artisans, farmers’ markets retailers, restaurants, and institutions. The festival will spotlight Virginia Wineries as well as many local restaurants and artisans. Whether you are there to taste wine, enjoy the bounty or fresh food, purchase unique local merchandise – the Virginia Food and Wine festival is a fun family environment – including the family dog!

Aside from raising money for Greene Co. public schools, there will also be a donation to the nursing scholarship fund of Adriane Neumeister, widow of Dan Neumeister, former winemaker at Sugar Leaf Vineyards who was tragically killed last fall by a drunk driver, and had no life insurance.

The event will feature wine and food matching seminars as well as bands and a variety of food vendors, as well as children-dedicated activities.

Monday, February 14, 2011

Eastern European Wines Shine at the Washington D.C. International Wine & Food Festival

This weekend we attended the 12th Annual Washington D.C. International Wine & Food Festival and spent the majority of time tasting wine produced in Eastern Europe and the Finger Lakes. Yes, other wine regions were well represented, but on the heels of our article, Blue Frankish - A Great Wine By Any Name, we decided to taste the wines we described in the article. Our day started comparing Hungarian Kékfrankos and Finger Lakes Lemberger; although they weren't exact comparisons because the Finger Lakes versions were 50/50 blends with Cabernet Franc. On the Hungarian side we tasted the Heumann Villany Kékfrankos and the Pfneisxl Sopron Kékfrankos. The latter is lighter, made organically, but with the same smoothness and cherry flavors as the Heumann. On the Finger Lakes side, Fox Run Vineyards and Anthony Road Wine Company were both pouring Lemberger\Cabernet Franc blends. These wines reflect the natural balance that occurs with blending these two grapes - the fruit forwardness and spiciness of the Lemberger and the green fullness of the Cab Franc. We actually experimented, creating our own 50/50 blend of
Heumann Kékfrankos and Heumann Cabernet Franc - and this mixture was easily more enjoyable than each as a single varietal. Just remember, whether Hungarian Kékfrankos or Finger Lakes Lemberger, all are very good, affordable, every day drinking wines.

We also tried several other Hungarian wines, from dry reds and whites to the famous Tokaji Aszu. We tasted the Eszterbauer Szekszárd Kardaka Nagyapám, a dry, medium bodied wine with some similar characteristics as the Kékfrankos - without the complexity. Kardaka is a traditional Hungarian grape that was once the dominate grape in the famous Egri Bikaver - Bull's Blood. Its nice to see a single varietal Kardaka make the journey West. There was also plenty of dry Furmint available, another traditional Hungarian wine grape that is normally vinified into Aszu. Made dry, it is a refreshing wine, balanced between fruit and mineral characters. And we had to sample the sweet Furmint displayed in two wines: Tokaji Aszú 5 Puttonyos and the 6 Puttonyos Aszu. Both had the powerful apricot flavors - definitely strong - but not gritty or syrupy. The "Dessert Wine of Kings". Check out the Blue Danube Wine Company more more information about these wines.

After tasting the various Hungarian wines, we moved to neighboring wines produced in Croatia and Slovenia. We are more familiar with Croatian wines, particularly those made from Crljenak Kastelanski - better known as Primitivo and Zinfandel. Another familiar grape is the indigenous Babić as well as its parent Placac Mali. Both of these were available today: Babić Piližota and the Lirica Plavac Mali Peljesac Dalmatia. Both these wines are produced in the warmer climates in the Dalmatia coast. The Babić was smooth and silky, balanced between fruit and earthiness. The Plavac Mali featured more red fruits and seemed more tannic and spicy. Both were very good and extremely affordable. Check out Fine Croatian Wines for more information.

Even with a visit to Slovenia, we are not very familiar with Slovenian wines, but after tasting the wines made by Ptujska Klet, that will change. This winery is the oldest in Slovenia with its cellars dating back to 1239. We started with the Pullus Pinot Grigio Ptuj. Normally not fans of wines made from this grape, this wine was more than drinkable - fuller than most of its kin with an actual tail. Not bad. But the second we tasted was the bomb; the
Pullus Sauvignon Blanc. This wine had everything you would expect from that variety - refreshing acidity, tropical flavors - this wine just exploded in the mouth. Will definitely give some New Zealanders a run. Wow. Once again, check out Fine Croatian Wines for more information.

We did try other wines, in particular several Pinotages from the large contingent of South African wines. The best trend was that most lacked the strong tobacco - smokey characteristic that repelled us from consuming more of wine varietal. In fact, most resembled its parent, Pinot Noir, with silky bodies and creamy texture. These were nicely done and very affordable. Time to re-evaluate these wines.

Then, of course, we had to sample the Finger Lakes dry Rieslings and the Rhatiselli from Dr. Konstantin Frank's Vinifera Wine Cellars. Combined with the reds we tasted earlier - we must include a trip north this summer. Too much good wine being made in that region to miss.

And finally, there were a few spirits. It was nice to see our friends from St Lucia Distillers Group, producers of Castries Crème, rolling out a new line of rum under the Chairman's Reserve brand - Chairman’s Reserve and Chairman’s Reserve Spiced. The spiced rum was very interesting - with the spices and botanicals contributing like a fine gin rather than a chemical additive as with many spiced rums. And Philadelphia Distilling returned, pouring their Vieux Carré Absinthe and Bluecoat American Gin. We didn't sample today, but expect a future episode featuring these spirits from MyJoogTV.com.

In sum, another enjoyable wine festival with enough diversity to keep us interested. Until next time....

Friday, February 11, 2011

Reminder - Weekend Wine Festivals in D.C. Area

Just a reminder that this weekend brings two major wine festivals to the Washington D.C. metro area. At the Ronald Reagan Building & International Trade Center, over 100 domestic and international wineries will be pouring more than 600 wines during the Washington D.C. International Wine & Food Festival. Hours are from 2:00pm-6:00pm both days.

And out west, the Virginia Wine Showcase is being held at the Westfields Marriott in Chantilly where 37 Virginia wineries will be pouring wine. Tickets are very reasonable $45 for a tasting; $20 for non-tasting; and children under 11 are free.

Friday, January 28, 2011

The Virginia Wine Showcase - Another Festival During Valentines Weekend

We were miffed that not many Virginia wineries were participating in the Washington D.C. Wine & Food Festival and think we've discovered a clue. During the same weekend of February 12th-13th; the Virginia Wine Showcase is being held at the Westfields Marriott in Chantilly. Tickets are very reasonable $45 for a tasting; $20 for non-tasting; and children under 11 are free. Why not bring the kids and get a hotel room.

What to expect at the festival? There are currently 37 Virginia wineries planning to pour their wares - including a couple infants: Rosemont Vineyards and Winery and Annefield Vineyards. The wineries represent a large array of regional and grape variety that is making Virginia a popular wine region. There will also be plenty or wine and food seminars for foodies so you won't spend all your time at the tasting booths. And unlike the event in DC; all these seminars are included with the purchase of a ticket. Here's who's presenting:
  • Richard Rosendale, Executive Chef, Greenbrier Resort
  • Mamma Agata: Simple and Genuine Book Tour
  • Warren Brown of CakeLove and Love Café
  • Andrew Stover, Vino50 Selections
  • Executive Chef John Emerson, Wegmans Food Markets Inc.
  • Mary Schellhammer, Spice Rack Chocolates
  • Brandon Walsh, Hosted Wine Tasting, LLC
  • Chef Bernard Henry
  • Dorit Paz, Sababa Market
  • Chef Patrick Wilson, Culinary Institute of America
  • Jeffrey Mitchell, Frenchman's Cellar
  • James Ricciuti, Ricciuti's Restaurant
  • Carl Henrickson, Farm Wineries Council
  • Joe David, Author

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Chesapeake Crab & Beer Festival

Anyone looking for a great festival at the end of August, take a look at the Chesapeake Crab & Beer Festival. This festival is produced by the same company who brings us Das Best Oktoberfest and The Beer Bourbon & BBQ Festival. The event occurs August 21st from noon-7:00pm at National Harbor. Here's the link for the beer vendors; plenty of Heavy Seas and Brewery Ommegang on tab. And get ready to listen to Looking for Lester and Junk Food. Besides loads of beer and crabs, here's what to expect:

* Lots of Summer Time Fun For The Whole Family
* THOUSANDS of CRABS and other great foods on-hand.
* There will be over 50 beers, wines and a few spirits. All of your favorite craft beers and perfectly paired wines will be served to highlight the seafood on-hand.
* Enjoy The Heavy Seas Beer Experience
* Enjoy The “Soon To Be World Famous” Chilled Tequila Tasting Bar. Margaritas and Wine-A-Ritas available for additional purchase.
* Taste The Great Food. There is Great Crabs and MORE CRABS and MORE CRABS and even MORE CRABS.
* Other great food options will be on-site as well for an additional purchase - summer favorites like hot dogs, hamburgers, sausages, pit beef, barbecue and other options.
* Live Music on The Main Stage! Enjoy the Sounds of local and regional favorite bands as they rock the waterfront.
* Special Kids Area and Family Fun Zone. Come and enjoy the moon bounces, activity centers and other great options so that the little ones can come out and enjoy too.
* Thousands of Tables and Chairs and Huge Tents for crackin’ to your heart’s content undercover with the beautiful summer breezes from the water. We’ve even ordered enough crab paper to stretch all the way across The Potomac and back.
* All the show features are undercover- so Rain or Shine- you should be fine.

Monday, July 26, 2010

FloydFest - Beer & Wine

Since we were camping at this year's FloydFest - actually sleeping in my car - and didn't have to drive an hour to a hotel room - there was greater freedom to indulge in the various wine and beer offered. We consumed more beer than wine, just the nature of an outdoor music festival. Two neighboring wineries were pouring, Villa Appalaccia Winery and Chateau Morrisette. Actually, the two are very active participants, with Villa Appalaccia located within walking distance and Chateau Morrisette offering its concert field for parking. The most popular wines seemed to be Chateau Morrisette's white and red sangria. Whenever we visited their station, representatives couldn't keep up with demand. I liked the white sangria - it had just enough touch of lemon to sooth a thirst. I only tries one of Villa Appalaccia's wines, their Simpatico - pairing with a spicy burrito dinner.

But beer was on the agenda, with three breweries taking most of our action. Crozet's Starr Hill Brewing was the easiest to reach, being situated adjacent to the Garden stage. Its also nice that they were pouring two of our favorites, the Jomo Lager and Pale Ale. The lager satisfies a thirst with a nice balance between malt and hops, whereas the pale ale is much stronger and pairs beautifully while listening to music. Slow drinking.

Another brewery we attended frequently was The River Company Restaurant and Brewery, out of Radford. They were conveniently located at the entrance to the Beer Garden but served two completely different beers (among others) that kept us coming back. Farmhouse Hefeweizen was a refreshing hefe, with the traditional sweet wheat flavor and a smooth balanced tail. This was nice. For something completely different we drank their Dumpster Dog Porter, made from seven different types of malt. This is a big beer, with bits of the chocolate flavor associated with our favorite porters. The beer finished strong as well - a nice ride from start to finish.

The final brewery in the Beer Garden that we frequented often was Foothills Brewing, from Winston Salem. We first "discovered" this brewery at last year's Floydfest and each year come to appreciate their offerings even more. Foothills beers tend to be a tad hoppier than competing brands and even their lightest, Torch Pilsner, had a little more hops than more traditional pilsners. That doesn't mean the beers are bitter, they just exude different characteristics - perhaps a little more spiciness. The Torch Pilsner is your everyday festival beer - smooth and refreshing, and at one point my favorite of their offerings. Their Pilot Mountain Pale Ale is stronger, with two other IPA's rounding out the first day's selections. The IPA's are both hop monsters, more suited to consume with food as they cleanse the palate quickly. But the greatest treat came when brewmaster Jamie Bartholomaus rode up with a keg of Sexual Chocolate, an Imperial Stout, that's the bomb. This beer is strong, creamy; but smooth and drinkable. Not afraid of drinking dark beers during the day, we consumed several of these - it was a hit.

By Saturday night we had discovered the VIP tent, with some beers found in the Beer Garden but a completely new collection from a home brewer from the area. I never made it back to meet the brewer, but his beers were quite good - particularly the Pilsner and Black Lager. Next year I'll have to spend more time in the VIP tent learning more about this mystery brewer.

Saturday, June 5, 2010

Vote on 2011 Wine Bloggers Conference Location

We prefer you select Virginia, but vote for your favored destination for the 2011 Wine Bloggers Conference. Voting closes June 10th. The 2010 Wine Bloggers Conference is being held in Walla Walla from June 25-27th.

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

DrinkLocalWine.com: DLW conference registration open

We are interrupting our coverage of the South Beach Wine & Food Festival to inform you of the DrinkLocalWine Conference scheduled for April 25th. Here is the press release:

Registration is open for the second annual 2010 DrinkLocalWine.com conference, set for Loudoun County, Va. on April 25. We've got panels! We've got seminars! We've got lunch! And we've got the second annual DLW Twitter Taste-off -- and we're working on a a big surprise for the Taste-off. Note to the slow of registration: We've doubled the the number of people we can register, but we sold out two weeks before last year's conference in Dallas.

Go to DrinkLocalWine.com and click the blue button to register. Price is $65, which includes three seminars, lunch, and the Twitter Taste-off. Taste-off participants must be 21 or older. Questions? Call (978) 276-9463 or send an email.

Sunday, February 14, 2010

11th Annual International Wine & Food Festival

Saturday the 13th, we attended the 11th Annual International Wine & Food Festival held at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center and quite frankly it was a it disappointed. The primary deficiency was that there was not nearly as many participants as previous years; there was so much open space where wine vendors should have been. I guess the economy has taken its toll.

The main attraction were wines from the Kingdom of Navarre and while decent, they weren't anything to knock your socks off. Their best quality was their affordability - most brands were under $15. In contrast there was one Spanish collection that peaked our interest - the wines from Galicia. Both the red and white wines from this region had character - probably because winegrowers there were still using mostly indigenous grapes in which history has suggested flourish in that geography. In particular the Coto de Gomariz have been in the forefront using these indigenous grapes, most which we had never heard of. Yes, of course, Albarino; but not, Treixadura, Loureira, Godello and Sousón, Ferrol, Mencía, Brancellao and Caiño Longo. We were most intriqued with Treixadura - both in blends and as a 100% varietal. For reds, the Cuvée Primo - a blend of Sousón and Caiño Longo - was very nice. Wines from Galicia will be on our horizon for quite sometime.

As in years past, the festival included wines from Maryland, Virginia, and New York through the Monticello Wine Trail, DC Wine Country, Maryland Wine, and Finger Lakes Wine Country.We didn't spend to much time sampling their products since we regularly have chances. However, what is notable is that this year saw a larger contingent of Maryland wineries and the promotion of several new wine trails: Chesapeake Wine Trail , Patuxent Wine Trail, and Piedmont Wine Trail. The proprietors of Thanksgiving Farm were on hand pouring their excellent Meritage as well as wines from Bordeleau Winery. Bordeaux wine styles were also available through Black Ankle Vineyards and a couple from Elk Run Vineyards. The former is one of our favorite Maryland wineries - they provide great wine and music.

There were a few California wineries in attendance, but the main focus was on international producers. the Côtes-du-Rhône graced us with their presence once again and we sampled several affordable Syrah, Grenache, Cinsault, and Mourvedre blends. Love these grapes. France was also represented by Alsace Wines; although known for their Reisling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, our favorites were their Pinot Blanc - the Dopff & Irion and Jean Baptiste Adam. In years past, there would be several eastern Europe wineries, but this year the sole brand was Alana-Tokaj from Hungary. They of course were pouring some Tokaji Aszú and similar late harvest wine made from Furmint, but I've always liked the dry Furmint by itself. They also were pouring a dry Hárslevelü which was nice. We tried several New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir which were quite nice. Tarras Vineyard poured two Pinot Noirs which were completely different even though the vineyard was the same. They showed the difference that just one year can have on the grape's character. Oyster Bay also poured an excellent Pinot Noir as well as Sauvignon Blanc and a Chardonnay. The Sauvignon Blanc was not your standard version - it had a mid palette not just the typical grapefruit acidic explosion at the first sip. Finally, we learned about the International Society of Africans in Wine which sells South African wine owned and operated by black South Africans. The organization will return to Washington D.C. on May 14th and 15th for their "Drink Well, Do Good" tour. Dates for other cities are available on their website. Looking forward to tasting wine made from the Bukettraube grape.

Usually this festival provides a few beers or spirits, but this year saw just one entry - Philadelphia Distilling. I'm glad they came - their appearance made our visit. Master Distiller Robert John Cassell crafts three spirits: Penn 1681 Rye Vodka, Bluecoat American Dry Gin, and Vieux Carre Absinthe. Now, we have never been fans of absinthe - although we love the paraphernalia associated with dispensing the beverage. However, their vodka and gin are outstanding. Funny how we can drink practically anything, but like absinthe, gin is usually not in that list. There are always a few that force us to adjust our preferences and the Bluecoat American Dry Gin is one of these. It's probably the citrus peels that are added to the juniper berries and the other organic botanicals. Or maybe that it is distilled five times in a custom-built, hand-hammered copper pot still. Whatever, this gin is excellent neat or with the grapefruit juice - as they were providing this day. Their vodka is even better. It may be the first we tasted using rye and distilled four times using a column still. But what makes it so smooth - absolutely zero burn must be the charcoal filtering. Penn 1681 Rye Vodka may have supplanted Maine's Cold River Vodka as our favorite American vodka.

Discovering the wines from Galicia and tasting the spirits from Philadelphia Distilling made it worth attending this event - even with the reduced number of wineries pouring. Let's hope next year is back to normal.

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

11th Annual International Wine & Food Festival

For those in the Washington D.C. area who want to dig out of the blizzard, the 11th Annual International Wine & Food Festival is being held from Thursday February 11th through Sunday the 14th. We will be attending the Grand Tasting held from 2:00-6:00 Saturday and Sunday at
the The Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center. It looks like the tasting theme revolves around Spanish wines. You can also always count on local wines from Maryland, Virginia, and the Finger Lakes.

Participating Wineries

KINGDOM OF NAVARRA REGION

BODEGA 1877 www.swd.es
BODEGA OTAZU (GABARBIDE) www.otazu.com
BODEGAS ARTAJONA www.bodegasartajona.com
BODEGAS CAMILO CASTILLA www.bodegascamilocastilla.com
BODEGAS CAMPOS DE ENANZO www.enanzo.com
BODEGAS CASTILLO DE MONJARDIN www.monjardin.es
BODEGAS CHIVITE www.bodegaschivite.com
BODEGAS OCHOA www.bodegasochoa.com
BODEGAS PRINCIPE DE VIANA www.principedeviana.com
BODEGAS Y VIÑEDOS ALZANIA www.alzania.es
HACIENDA QUEILES www.haciendaqueiles.com
INURRIETA www.bodegainurrieta.com
LICORES BAINES www.licoresbaines.com
ROMERO & MILLER www.romeromiller.com
BODEGAS PAGO DE LARRAINZAR www.pagodelarrainzar.com

A Cellar Full of Noise
Alexander Valley Vineyards
Alsace Wines www.justaddfood.com
Barboursville Vineyards
Bodegas del Palacio de los Frontaura y Victoria
Bodegas Ramirez SL
Cape Wine Ventures,LLC
DC’s Wine Country
Ethica Wines
Côtes du Rhône Wines www.rhone-wines.com
Finger Lakes Wine Country Tourism
First Vine Wine Imports & Sales
Four Vines Winery
Fulcrum Wines
GP Imports
Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards
Hentley Farms
Horton Vineyards
Interprofesion Del Consejo Regulador D.O. La Mancha
Joseph Carr, Napa Valley
Kluge Estate Winery & Vineyard
La Face Cachee de la Pomme Inc.
Maryland Wineries Association
Michael-David Winery
New Zealand Winegrowers
Oyster Bay Wines USA Limited
Piera Martellozzo S.P.A.
Red Ink Imports
Rias Baiexas Albarifio
Seven Hills Trading Company
Tarras Vineyards
Tricana Imports
Underdog Wine Merchants
Value Trading Network
Washington Wine Academy
Weingut Fritz Windisch Gmbh & Co. KG
Wineinc
Wines of Hungary
ZenZen Wines

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Old Town Food & Wine Festival

On October 11th we attended The Old Town Food & Wine Festival, held at various locations in historic Alexandria Virginia. For two days visitors were able to attend wine seminars and dinners as well as sample Virginia wine at several stations throughout the city and at two grand tasting locations. This is a great concept, were people can grab a glass of wine and stroll the streets as long as they entered a neighboring establishment. Plus having two tasting rooms spread the tasters - although we heard Saturday was extremely crowded nevertheless. Fortunately for our friend Dezel, from My Virginia Vine Spot, he had allocated two days for the festival.

Our purpose for attending Sunday was to sample wines from two newer wineries and one that doesn't have a tasting room - as of yet. These are Narmada Winery, Democracy Vineyards, and DuCard Vineyards. Narmada is located in Amissville, off 211 West, about 13 west of Warrenton. Sudha and Pandit Patil first planted vines on their property in 2004, increasing the acreage every year. Eventually the developed plans to build a winery and hired Rob Cox, formerly of the Winery at La Grange and Pearmund Cellars as their winemaker. This year saw the first vintage. The wines they produce consist of about 50/50 from grapes grown on the estate and those sourced elsewhere - included Cabernet Franc from Benevino Vineyards. This ratio will change more in favor to their estate as the vineyard matures. They produce traditional Virginian wines - Chardonnay, Viognier, Cabernet Franc, and Chambourcin as well as a Chardonel. What I liked most about these wines is what they were not. Cox doesn't try to mask characteristics by over-oaking or try to make a grape into something it's not suitable for. For instance, their dry Chambourcin is exactly what you would expect from the grape - a medium bodied smooth wine. The Viognier was nice - but a little light - yet Cox throws it out there without playing gimmicks. Narmada is probably the only northern Virginia winery to vinify Chardonel - and is good. They plan to pair this wine as well as an off dry Chambourcin with spicy Indian dished favored by the owners. From our taste, the winery is off to a good start. Like any new establishment, they have room to grow, and it will be interesting to see how the character of their wines change as they start using more estate grown fruit. Narmada is also planning a Grand Opening Celebration sometime in November. Check their website for details.

Down the hall, Scott Elliff was pouring his small batch wines courtesy of his vineyards in Madison County. Virginia. Wines from DuCard Vineyards are not available through normal channels, consumers purchase either by mail, farmers markets, or like we did - directly at DuCards home after ordering via email. Yet, the wines have sold out the past two years. DuCard is best known for his Viognier grapes, in which Rappahannock Cellars have produced many award winning wines. His version is fruity with just a slight hint of oak - leaving texture without being overbearing. The Popham Run Red - a blend of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot is one of my favorite Virginia wines and shows why both these grapes excel in the state. And, DuCard produces one of the best Norton wines in the state. As evident on this day, his Norton is full bodied and a bit jammy - but with little affects of abundant acidity found in this variety. His secret, don't let the juice sit too long with the skins and stems; with Norton you never have to worry about not having enough color concentration. Mr. Ducard also informed us that he plans to benefit from the Virginia agri-tourism boom and is building a tasting room overlooking the vineyards. The tasting room will be ready by Spring 2010 - we will be one of the first to visit.

We had to walk a short distance to the other grand tasting room in order to sample the wines from Democracy Vineyards. This small winery is located in Lovingston - centrally located between Charlottesville and Lynchburg - beautiful country. The proprietors are Jim Turpin and Susan Prokop who both have "long histories in local, state and national political circles: - hence Democracy Vineyards. Their two flagship wines are blends, the white Declaration Reserve and red Velvet Revolution Reserve. The later is named after the Czech revolution in honor of Ms. Prokop's heritage. It consists of Cabernet Franc, Chambourcin, Tannat, Petit Verdot, and Merlot; what a combination - almost all our favorite grapes. This is a nice wine - full bodied, smooth, with just a slight tannic finish. This is a wine for drinking now and priced to sell at $15 - a great bargain. The Declaration Reserve contains equal amounts of Chardonnay, Tarminette, and Seyval Blanc and is a nice everyday table wine. Also priced at $15, we couldn't get a feel for this wine, as well as their Cabernet Franc based Rose because it was served too cold. The temperature masked the aroma and flavors and even rubbing the glass for a few seconds failed to warm it. Hopefully these issues will be a distant memory as they become more accustomed to these events; in the meantime we are planning a trip to Nelson county - there are so many excellent wineries and breweries situated in condensed area.

We had to cut short our The Old Town Food & Wine Festival because of family obligations, but this is an event that is sorely needed in this area. We look forward to next year's.

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Old Town Food & Wine Festival

This time of year we attempt to travel to NYC for that city's Wine and Food Festival; but this year we found a similar event closer to home: The Old Town Food & Wine Festival. This two day event (October 10th & 11th) is held in various locations in historic Alexandria Virginia and includes tastings of Virginia made wine as well as food seminars, demonstrations and wine dinners.

The festival provides the all important grand tasting (from 11AM to 6PM both days); but prudently at two different locations: Holiday Inn, 625 First Street, Alexandria, VA 22314 and Crowne Plaza Hotel, 901 North Fairfax, Alexandria VA 22314. This is a great idea, provide two locations to thin out the crowd and give greater access to the wines. And look who's pouring; the list includes some new wineries that we have not had a chance to visit:
There are also plenty of seminars. Each day starts with a Wine 101 seminar at the Grape and Bean Wine Bar. On the 10th, this follows with Joe David, Author of Gourmet Getaways; Andrew Stover on "ABCs-Emerging U.S. Wine Regions & Their Regional Delights" and Lauren DeSantis, "Cooking With Wine". Stover's seminar should be quite interesting since he's bringing wines from across the United States: Oregon, Idaho, Texas, Ohio, Michigan. We will not miss this one. The 11th includes both Joe David and Lauren DeSantis again, as well as Laurie Forster "East vs West: The Smackdown". If that's not enough several area restaurants are pairing Virginia made wine with their entries throughout the entire weekend.

This should be a fun and entertaining event. Thankfully it helps us avoid the hassles of traveling to New York and provides an enjoyable alternative in our own backyard.

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Vintage Virginia & Octoberfest

Although we will most likely not be able to attend either, we wanted to make sure readers were aware of two good local festivals scheduled for the next couple of weeks. This weekend, the 19th & 20th, Across-the-Way Productions hosts the 28th Annual Vintage Virginia held at Bull Run Park in Centreville. Almost 50 wineries will be pouring their products from many established wineries to the newcomers, particularly Democracy Vineyards and New Kent Vineyards. And Keswick Vineyards may be pouring their Governors Cup Cabernet Sauvignon. There will also be plenty of craft vendors and good music (Beleza Brasil, Robert Jospe, Cherry Blossom String Quartet, Lisa Simone, and DJ Williams Projekt).

The following weekend, The Trigger Agency presents Das Best Oktoberfest - held at National Harbor Maryland. Besides the 100+ German produced or styled beers, they will be pouring German wine and schnapps. That means plenty of easy drinking Riesling, Gewurtztraminer, Dornfelder, and Piesporter. For schnapps - try the Black Forest Kirschwasser, Kammer William Pear, and Barenjager Honey Liquer. Actually - blend some wine into the Barenjager for a nice change of pace. As for beer, make sure you try the Schneider Weiss, Bitburger, Erdinger, and the Kostritzer Black Beer. Need more incentive. Kelly Bell provides entertainment - see schedule below. Hopefully next year we can indulge.

Looking for Lester Pop 12:00 PM
Love Seed Mama Jump Rock 2:00 PM
The Kelly Bell Band Blues 6:00 PM

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Beer Bourbon, and BBQ at National Harbor

The world's best bourbon was on display at the 2009 Beer Bourbon, and BBQ at National Harbor, as well as Tennessee whiskey, rye whiskey, rum, tequila, and cognac. Then there was beer - from local brewers to California and all the way from Thailand. If that wasn't enough, there were informative seminars regarding these products as well as music and an entertaining bean eating contest.

But for us, the focus was bourbon - and what a selection. We started at the Maker's Mark tent where a long line had already formed to have their glasses dipped in the trademark red wax. We had just received our Maker's Mark Ambassador cards in which we will post soon on the perks associated with this membership - plus updates on our personally labeled bourbon barrel. But getting back to the Maker's Mark, the distillery really produces a unique bourbon based on its grain composition and warehouse strategy.

Moving on, most of the major premium brands were represented: Blantons, Bakers, Bookers, Hancock, and Elijah Craig. Our all time favorite, Black Maple Hill was not available - but our next two favorites Pappy Van Winkle and Old Rip Van Winkle were. On a good day, a single Blanton's would be compeltely satisfying, but on this glorious afternoon we went nuts. Many of the brands are hard to find, 1792 Ridgemont Reserve, Noah's Mill, Rowan's Creek, and Rock Hill Farms to name a few. That's the beauty of this festival - if you find a jewel, get your local supplier to order it. Unfortunately - or fortuinately - we didn't even get through the entire selection of bourbons or even to the Jack Daniel premium whiskeys.

But one whiskey we couldn't overlook were the Wasmund brands from
Copper Fox Distillery. Rick Wasmund has been producing an interesting Single Malt Whisky for number of years now out of his Sperryville Virginia distillery. The interesting flavor is partly the result of using apple and cherry wood chips, along with oak, to smoke the malt. We have learned over the years to add at least a drop of water to a glass to enhance the aroma and deaden the alcohol and we learned that Mr. Wasmund explicitly produces the whisky to that affect. For that's how he normally likes his Scotch. As an added bonus, he was pouring his latest creation: Wasmund's Rye Spirit. Basically rye grain alcohol, no barrel aging, but remarkable smooth. However, he recommends using this spirit as a blending agent, as in a Bloody Mary. And look out for a future Single Barrel Whisky - coming in a future release.

One a final note regarding spirits, the promoters organized a series of excellent seminars designed to give attendees a rudimentary understanding of Tequila, Rum, Cognac, and Bourbon. We hope to publish a similar series, starting with Tequila after we have a chance to discuss the topic with Jaime Salas, National Tequila Ambassador. But it was nice to have other spirits represented, particularly the Cruzan Gold - I needed a taste of the tropics.

Because of our fascination with bourbon, we were not able to concentrate adequately on the many outstanding beers. We didn't even bother approaching some of our favorite brands - the Clipper City and Heavy Seas brands; the Sierra Nevada ESB and Summerfest; Dogfish Head Raison D'etre and 90 Min IPA; and the Pyramid Hefeweizen. Instead we sampled brands we had never tasted and found a few worthy to compare to those above. Particularly the Belgium style beers from Brewery Ommegang. The Ommegang Witte Ale is unbelievable; the quality of an import but at a lower price. Our new summer beer. This was by far our favorite and we probably overstayed our welcome sampling over and over and over again. Look out Cooperstown, a road trip is coming.

From out of Thailand we sampled Singha Beer, a lager beer made from barley but with a little hopiness for this style. I, ts a refreshing beer, with a touch of sweetness. Wonder how it pairs with spicy Thai food? That's probably easy to find out since this beer is currently only available in Thai restaurants; but they hope to expand distribution to beer stores in the near future.

Moving closer to home, we found a replacement to our Topper's Hop Pocket that has gone AWOL since the days of Old Dominion Brewpub. Clay Pipe Brewing Company, from Westminster Maryland, produces a hop infested Hop-Ocalypse India Pale Ale. The beauty of this beer is that the hop characteristics are refreshing and not overly bitter. Like the Hop Pocket, this beer is versatile - good with lunch or just to guzzle after mowing the lawn. Another local brewery we discovered was Delaware's Evolution Craft Brewing Company. They brewery is only a few months old but they already have a nice Pale Ale. Plus they are practically on the route to Ocean City - just deviate a little north of Salisbury and purchase tax free beer. Sales tax that is. And finally there was a nice English style brown ale from Lake Placid Brewing, the UBU Ale. This beer was refreshing even with the heat.

All in all, the Beer Bourbon, and BBQ festival series is worth every cent - whether held in Maryland, Virginia, or elsewhere. The only complaints at this event was the result of holding the event in a parking lot, the asphalt gets hot, and the long lines for the bbq. Otherwise, we look forward to next year's sampling of fine bourbon and beer.