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POSTED: April 4th, 2009 |
CATEGORIES: Anything Wine
Living here on the east coast can be hard if you are not a fan of winter, which I am surely not. You might ask, why not move? The answer is income, the north east is an area where until lately jobs were plentiful and the pay is great. That is not the point of my writing though, it is all about spring which has arrived and begun teasing us with some nice warm weather. There are occasional steps backwards to some cold days, and rain is plentiful in the 10 day forecast. No matter, this time of year for me is always exciting as the flowers and trees begin to bloom and the grass greens up. I can dig out the shorts and tee shirts. It also reminds me the time has come to dust off some warm weather white wine favorites. I won’t deny my love of red wines, especially the big bold Cabernets and when winter rolls in they are always my first choice, but I do look forward to some crisp fresh whites. In the colder season there will be some Chardonnay with a certain dish or special friends, but for the most part winter for me is all red wine. Much like the comfort foods we also trend towards during winter months, hot soups, chowders, chili, and stew, all dishes one would not normally make on a hot summer day, you get the point. Well, when the warm weather breaks I check out the cellar inventory of what I call my summer wines such as Rose, Sauvignon Blanc, and Riesling, just to name a few. I am sure there are some that will read this and say, we drink these wines all year, and that is fine. Although, I will bet that sales for these types of wine increase quite a bit in the summer season. Just like lemonade is associated with summer and I am sure ice cream sales go way up! I know on a hot summer day when I don’t wish to fill up on beer, a nice cool glass of Sauvignon Blanc just hits the spot. So, if you get the spring bug like I did stock up on some nice light whites, sit back and enjoy the warm days.
POSTED: March 29th, 2009 |
CATEGORIES: Anything Wine
We all know that wine is such a huge industry these days that it is a real easy gift to buy for almost anyone. I know some folks may be intimated to purchase wine for others because they feel they don’t understand, or aren’t confident in what they are purchasing. That is understandable, but you can also have fun with it. For example, take a look the next time you are in the store, how about Fat Ass Cab? Or Old Fart wine? If it is a 40, 50 or 60 year old birthday party, how about gifting a bottle of Old Fart? Hey, it may not be the best tasting wine, but who knows, it could be and regardless, it is a unique gift for a wine lover. My husband recently got a bottle of an Australian wine called Ball Busters accompanied by a card that showed a guy kicking around baseballs, soccer balls, basketballs and footballs, so along with the wine it was all about balls! Now, that is fun. There are also wines that popular sports figures lend their names to that the proceeds are donated to youth organizations. How about a Yankee such as Jorge Posada on the label, or a Met fan might like a Jose Reyes Cabernet cleverly called Jose Cabareyes. There is also the Mommy’s time out wines, a line of wines geared towards the mothers of young children who put their children into the popular punishment “time out” for a few minutes. The Mommy’s time wine is the opposite, it is her reward, not her punishment. Check it out, you can purchase a wine to go along with almost any theme and have fun with it.
POSTED: March 21st, 2009 |
CATEGORIES: Anything Wine
I have been thinking a lot about the economy lately as I am sure most of us are. I mean just about everyone worldwide has been effected in some way or another. Every newspaper, magazine, or internet page has an article about how bad times are. Each day we wake up not knowing where the stock market is headed, my retirement plan has been devastated, and I now wonder if at my age (53) I will ever retire. Surely we all wonder what the future holds. I do have a job for now, although we have been cut to a four day work week twice a month which in effect is a 10% pay cut, I do need to be thankful that I am employed, far too many people have been fired or laid off. I don’t know about you but I find I tend to be more careful spending money now, save more, and look for sales and discounts in just about everything I purchase. This includes the wine purchases of late. My price range is $20.00 and below with an occasional treat of a $25.00 bottle, down from the $50.00 to $75.00 treats I used to bring home. I had to drop down to only one wine club and pass on the many wine tasting events I would have attended in the past, while our wine cellar is being raided far more often looking for a special treat. Almost all of the wine related periodicals contain articles on how the economy is affecting the wine industry and offering ratings on lower priced wines. In fact, much of Wine Spectator magazine for the month of April is dedicated to this topic with the cover reading “Stretch Your Wine Buying Dollars” “Delicious Wines for $20.00 Or Less”. I know I am going to try many of the selections and if you are looking to stretch your wine dollars I recommend you pick up this edition of Wine Spectator magazine. I firmly believe we will get through these troubled times, and it will get better. Until that time I am continuing to try far more reasonably priced wines, and opening up to different regions and selections I may not have tried in the past. Yes, sort of a forced expansion of my wine tastes and knowledge, and you know what? There are some very good wines in my new price range that I will continue to enjoy even when the economy rebounds.
POSTED: February 28th, 2009 |
CATEGORIES: Anything Wine
With another California grape growing season beginning will the controversy over “hang time” come up again. Hang time, or extended hang time is a relatively new term referring to the amount of time growers allow the grapes to hang on the vine before they harvest. This issue was big in recent years mainly for two reasons. The first being grape growers felt they were being cheated by the longer hang time. Ed Weber, the Napa County viticulture advisor for the University of California Cooperative Extension, conducted a study on Cabernet grapes. Weber concluded that for each degree of brix, or sugar over 26 degrees, a Cabernet grower’s tonnage would decline by 5% due to dehydration. Since most growers are paid by the ton for their grapes they are obviously not happy. For those who don’t know, brix is the measurement sugar in the grapes. A common standard around for years was for red grapes to be harvested at 24 degrees brix, so you can understand growers concerns about the trend of pushing grapes to 26 degrees and beyond. The second part of the controversy relates to alcohol in the wine. Winemakers can predict that about 50-60% of the grapes sugar, (which cannot be added in California) will convert to alcohol. So if you do the math on a grape with 24 degrees brix you can see that after fermentation your wine will have about 12.5-13% alcohol. Take it a step further, a grape that comes in with 28 degrees brix can produce as much as 16-17% alcohol, a pretty potent wine. Anyone who knows wine is aware of the ongoing discussion on the good and bad of higher alcohol, a subject for a whole other story. If you watch labels you are aware of a gradual increase in alcohol levels of California wines and recently many European wines too. Some reports say California grapes are being picked at as much as 4 degrees higher brix then those harvested over 30 years ago, raising average alcohol levels from 12.5 to 14.8%. Higher alcohol levels can give the wine more body and a feel of richness. There is a down side to higher alcohol levels in America that hurts profit margins. A wine above 14% alcohol is taxed at a rate 30% higher than those under 14%. There are some high tech methods for reducing alcohol though, a process that is controversial, yet widely used and not a subject winemakers like to discuss. So as a consumer how should we feel about this controversy? I can say that especially in light of our recent economy I agree with the growers in regards to compensation for longer hang time grapes. A standard needs to be agreed on, and one example already in use by some, is paying for grapes by the acre, which just may be the answer. As for the wine and higher alcohol, I am all for it. As a long time lover of big bold California reds, I can assure you longer hang time gets my vote. Good winemakers strive to make a well balanced wine and I think that is the key, as long as alcohol does not hurt the taste, or aroma. So for my part I hope the growers and winemakers, if they have not done so already, work it out and continue to make those fantastic big California reds.
POSTED: February 15th, 2009 |
CATEGORIES: Anything Wine
For all you wine lovers that missed the movie Bottle Shock when it was out in theaters, it has now been released on DVD. Being a wine lover and Napa Valley dreamer I knew I had to see the movie and seeing it in the theater on an Imax screen was incredible. I remember the opening scenes as you cut across the Napa Valley in a helicopter flying low over the vineyards and trees, I actually lifted my feet as it appeared you were about to clip the top of a tree. I can tell you it felt like I was right there in that helicopter. The views were breathtaking and for just a moment in time, I was back in Napa. Well, as Bottle Shock went to DVD my wife ran out and purchased it. We again watched it and while there was some minor disappointment without the Imax screen, I was once again back in Napa. Bottle Shock is based on the events that led up to the Judgment in Paris. For those who don’t know, the Judgment in Paris held in 1976, was when California wine beat French wine in a blind taste test. For a California wine to win forever changed the fortunes of Napa Valley wineries and moved California wines to a prominent position in the global wine industry. While not an Academy Award winning movie, a great story with a little comedy, some fantastic Napa Valley history and beautiful scenery. I strongly recommend it to anyone interested in wine.
POSTED: January 1st, 2009 |
CATEGORIES: Anything Wine
Another Christmas season is behind us as 2008 has ended and new fresh year is before us. This past year was very trying for us all to say the least. So much went on adding more stress to already hectic lives. Think back about the constant attention on the presidential election, the mortgage meltdown which led to the banking crisis, then a total financial collapse, which helped push the big three automakers over the edge. Add this to the already ongoing conflicts and problems around the world, and it makes you wonder how much we can take. We had some big wine stories this year also. Early spring saw the big freeze that wreaked havoc on the California vineyards. The most severe frost in 30 years estimated to have caused $80 million in lost revenues. In May we lost wine great Robert Mondavi known to many as the grandfather of Napa Valley, a pioneer wine maker who left behind a remarkable legacy. Then in December news broke that the feuding Sebastiani Family, long rumored to disagree on the direction of the family business, would sell their brand, vineyard holdings, and facilities to the Foley Wine group. A deal which would end an era of wine making which began for the Sebastiani’s in Sonoma in 1904. The financial crisis also had a significant effect on the wine industry, softening demand for all wines except those retailing below $10.00. Restaurants were hard hit causing wineries that rely on those sales to scramble for other sales outlets. Yes 2008 was one of those years that comes and goes leaving behind probably more bad news than good. So we can only hope and pray that 2009 will bring new beginnings and good news to a world in need of just that. With that in mind, we wish everyone who spends time with us. A new year that provides good health, new and happy memories, granted wishes, financial security, and success in all you do. We hope for a kinder gentler world with leaders who work towards peace, human rights and stability, throughout the world. Thanks for all your support in 2008.
POSTED: December 6th, 2008 |
CATEGORIES: Anything Wine
It is hard to imagine another year has passed and the Christmas season is here again. While this time of year is filled with joy, good times and memories, it can also be very stressful to many. Gathering presents, gift giving, planning and hosting holiday parties and dinners can all take a toll. That is why it is so important to set aside some down time to unwind. A relaxing evening at home with a good glass of wine and maybe a small cheese platter sure can help. Sit back light up that Christmas tree, put on some holiday tunes and enjoy the wine and cheese, feel better already? The season from Thanksgiving to New Years is the largest wine buying time of the year. If you are a wine lover you know wine buying can also be stressful, there are just so many wines out there anymore. Did you know that by 2010 America will become the world’s number one wine drinking nation? This leads to wine producers wanting us to buy and drink more wine, and the result is the options are unlimited. Just go to any big wine store and check out the selection. You like Chardonnay or Cabernet? There will be literally hundreds of bottles to choose from. You have to decide between price, vintage, region, producer, blends, cuvees, reserves and the list goes on. The point is it can be mind boggling to just about anyone and this is true of any wine you pick. While we can expect the vast selection of wines to continue even in these hard economic times, you can make the selection process easier. Most people tend to focus on the grape name and region when purchasing. Try focusing on style instead, you know light, soft, crisp, heavy, bold and so on. You may like a big bold full bodied Napa Cabernet which really says you like big heavy full bodied reds. So you may also enjoy some high end French Bordeaux, Australian Cabernet, Shiraz or blends, Italian Super Tuscans, Brunello di Montalecino or Barbaresco. The same holds true with a Napa Chardonnay most of which are full bodied rich and oaky. Try high-end French white Bordeaux, Chardonnay, or maybe an Australian Chardonnay. Grapes are important, but focusing on wine style can help make your selection process easier, just do some research prior to your purchase. Another bonus is that you will be expanding your wine knowledge in the process. Happy Holidays!
POSTED: October 27th, 2008 |
CATEGORIES: Anything Wine
I’m talking about olive oil when I say the “other” Napa tasting. Well, to be honest it is not just Napa, but it is another popular product from Napa and other parts of California. Olive trees are quite common in California and some of the best olive oils are produced there. Much like wine, olive oil is tasted and rated. The varieties of olive oil available today is huge. Some restaurants even have olive oil menus similar to wine lists. Like wine, olive oil is rated on it’s appearance, aroma, mouthfeel and flavor. Most times a bland or “country” style bread is used for tasting purposes when sampling olive oil. Appearance is the color and clarity. Most olive oils are somewhat cloudy. The color can denote the zone of it’s origin or ripeness of the olives, how long the skins were in contact with the olive. Again refering to how long the skins were in contact with the oil reminds us of the wine making process when it is noted how long the grapes skins were fermented with the juice. Next is Aroma, which olive oils tend to give off scents of artichoke, tomato leaf, green apple, pine nut, basil, sage and even cinnamon or dried chili powder. If the oil smells musty or metallic at all, it is not recommended for consumption, it has become oxidized. Mouthfeel and flavor is a little more complicated and probably only done by true tasters as most folks do not simply take a swig of olive oil. While we may love olive oil, we typically cook with it, blend it for salads, dip it in bread, etc. True olive oil tasters actually take a small sip through a clenched jaw and suck it quickly to the back of the throat. They do not sip oil and allow it to linger as one would with wine tasting. Denser oils are usually from hotter climates, while fluid ones are from the more Northern regions. The olive oil spectrum is huge, there is extra virgin, flavored, mixed with herbs, you name it, you can purchase it.
POSTED: October 2nd, 2008 |
CATEGORIES: Anything Wine
Having arrived home from our wine weekend in Chadds Ford Pennsylvania. I wanted to quickly get down my thoughts on a fun and educational trip. We began our trek on Friday afternoon leaving at around 4:00 PM. The weather report for the entire weekend was for rain heavy at times as a tropical type storm was quickly moving up the east coast. Having already decided rain was not about to dampen our weekend, we were off for a fun time. The drive down was a little on the frustrating side, the newly purchased Maggelin GPS unit was set to a selection of least use of freeways. You know, a nice, easy, stress free drive on less traveled roads. Well… that added about an hour and a half extra to the trip, we hit just about every red light in the state of Pennsylvania (at least it seamed that way) and the rain was coming down pretty heavy for the last hour. Although, I do have to remind myself it was rush hour on a Friday.
After a four hour trip we arrived at the bed and breakfast and were quite surprised to find it was located just inside a large new residential development. It was dark, but from what we could see it was a lovely old farm house on a beautiful piece of property, it just seemed to be in a strange location. We later learned from Shirley (the owner of the B and B) that the original owner had sold off all the farm land surrounding the house to a developer and kept the home intact as a bed and breakfast on the large piece of land. After checking in Shirley showed us to our room and reminded us to come for breakfast in the morning. We rushed out for our dinner reservation as we had called once already while stuck in traffic to get a later time. Dinner was at a local spot called the Sovana Bistro, a rather up scale place with very good seasonally inspired and locally sourced food. The restaurant is a BYOB so we were able to bring our own wine with the choice being a 2004 Silver Oak Alexander Valley, however, they also have a wine list and we were disappointed not to see any local wines on the list. After a nice dinner it was back to the B and B, and being quite tired from the drive we retired for the evening.
The next morning we went down for breakfast early and found Shirley busy making us a full breakfast starting with a fruit plate, pumpkin bread and apple tarts. The presentation of the fruit plate looked like it came from a five star restaurant, we were very impressed. We finished up with a mushroom and cheese omelet, toast, juice and coffee. Shirley also provided some great conversation on her life and local history. A nice start to our day and all included in the room price (which I must add was very reasonable). Shirley goes out of her way to make you feel welcome, so if you ever visit Chadds Ford, check out the Foxcreeks Farm Bed and Breakfast.
After breakfast it was off to check out the Brandywine Valley. We started out at Longwood Gardens, with 1,050 landscaped outdoor acres and 20 indoor gardens including a heated conservatory, the main fountain garden, Italian water garden and an open air theatre, the place is a garden lovers dream. Of course time did not allow for us to see everything, so Longwood is on the list for a return visit. It was then off to our first winery visit of the day, Twin Brook Winery off of Strasburg Rd in the town of Gap about a half hour ride from our B and B. Arriving we learned that our visit coincided with a wine trail festival weekend, meaning you could purchase a pass to taste at all five local winery’s, all were having their own special events and needless to say were pretty busy. Prior to becoming a winery the most recent activity at Twin Brook was dairy farming. Four acres of grape vines were planted in 1985, later growing to 30 acres, and in 1989 Twin Brook became a modern winery. Entering the tasting area we were guided to the barrel cellar first, where we tasted a sample of unfermented grape juice and a sample of the same from a tank fermenting for about a week. After a short question and answer session, it was back to the tasting bar upstairs where we sampled a mix of about a dozen red, white, dry and sweet wines. All good, though none really stood out for me. I would have to say the Cabernet Franc was about the best so we bought a bottle to retry at home. Twin Brook is well worth a visit if you are in the area. The winemaker is a great guy, however, I think my personal taste did not allow me to enjoy as many wines as someone who is partial to sweeter wines. Our next stop was Kruetz Creek Vineyards located off Guernsey Road in West Grove, PA. The tasting room is in the basement of the owners home and was quite crowded with a bus load arriving while we were there tasting. Again we tried about a dozen wines and were not extremely fond of any except the Ruby K Port which was pretty good. We did thoroughly enjoy our host, a woman who normally works at the tasting room located about an hour away according to what she told us.
Leaving there we headed back to Kennetts Square to find a place for lunch. We had some time to kill before the reason for our trip, an appointment with wine maker/owner Eric Miller of Chaddsford Winery. Lunch was at Newton’s on State Street, a pub and casual dining restaurant. I think you know the type I am referring to, a bar along with dining room seating. We chose the bar side so we could watch some college football. A quick lunch of sirloin burgers and we were more than satisfied, and off to Chaddsford.
We arrived at winery which sits back off the Baltimore Pike about halfway between Longwood Gardens and the Brandywine River Museum, and met up with Eric Miller. Chaddsford is recognized as the largest and most respected winery in Pennsylvania, and the crowd confirmed that. Recent reviews in prestigious publications such as Food and Wine, Gourmet Magazine, The Robb Report, and New York Times, have helped the winery achieve a national reputation for excellent wines.
We spent just about two hours with Eric who I know is a very busy man. Our visit was both educational and fun as we tasted numerous barrel samples of his wines and toured the lab, barrel room and bottling line. My opinion of Eric is he has a strong passion for making wine, absolutely loves what he is doing and is just as happy to share that passion and knowledge with other wine lovers, not to mention that he is a fun guy. I believe he realizes the responsibility of being the states largest winery and has a clear vision of how the wine he makes will help to shape Pennsylvania’s status as a premier wine region.
Brandywine Valley is a stop you have to make if you love wine and make sure Chaddsford Winery is on your list.
POSTED: September 14th, 2008 |
CATEGORIES: Anything Wine
The end of another great summer, yes, the fall season has arrived. Not officially though, that occurs on September 22nd, yet the return to school and college always tends to announce the end of summer. The weather may not agree with my thoughts as hot humid days are still upon us, but there is a feeling of finality to summer when the new school year begins.
As I get older, I love the fall season almost as much as I do the summer. We love sitting outside on cool nights by our fireplace listening to sounds and enjoy the crisp smells that fall has to offer. We live close to our local high school and many evenings we are serenaded by the school marching band practice. Football is another favorite and we have a television set up to view from the patio by our fireplace, what more can you ask for….. some good wine? Everything just tends to slow down a little from the hectic summer schedule of vacations, barbeques, yard work and such. Fall is really a time to relax and enjoy the outdoors. It is also harvest season and as wine lovers we always look forward to and anticipate the arrival of a new vintage. Although we enjoy a lot of different wines our hearts are really with the Napa Valley wines and this year I find myself wondering what the 2008 vintage will bring. After all this was a really troubling year for the Napa area weather wise. Remember back to early spring, Napa experienced some of the worst frost since back in 1972. Some growers lost their entire crops while others lost a high percentage. Most agree now that the overall crop will likely be down about 10 percent. A very hot summer arrived, with very little rainfall, not at all good growing conditions. Many vineyards had water shortages and had to truck in water. From what I have read some growers and wine makers are optimistic that the lower yield caused by frost will actually be a good thing. Lower production and smaller berry clusters could lead to exceptional wines. No one will really know until the finished product is ready. The other unknown is the effect of the many wild fires in the area this summer which caused heavy smoke and soot conditions. This may have affected the grapes negatively, or a positive spin by some is that the invisible cover of soot over the vines may have protected them from harsh conditions and diffused scorching sun. I guess we can only sit back and wait for the 2008 vintage reports. I am sure there are some very concerned winemakers in the Napa Valley this year praying for the best.
