by Mary Webb
By Mary WebbOne need only take a visit to Adastra vineyards in the Carneros region of Napa Valley, California to become intoxicated with beautiful views, hospitality and spectacular wine. Having visited Adastra on previous occasions, we were more than thrilled to have the opportunity to stop by again this fall. With pumpkins abounding, the Adastra team was getting ready for the annual “Holiday in Carneros” wine tasting event. We were greeted by owner, Dr. Chris Thorpe, out in the historic Redwood Adastra barn. It is here, sipping the newly released 2009 Syrah, we admired the chronological photos, clippings and artifacts that illuminate the Adastra barn.Dr. Thorpe and his wife, Naomi, purchased the thirty-three acre Carneros property in 1983, and so the farming journey began for the Tho...
by Brenda Cranmer, Csw
Christmas is getting close and, if you haven’t already, it is time to start thinking about the gift shopping. There are many articles out there eager to help you buy the perfect gift. There are even articles out there discussing the conventions of choosing the perfect wine. This year, I say throw convention to the wind and have a good time. The following are my unconventional, or at least non-traditional, ideas for buying wine as a gift:1. Find a great value. A customer recently came into the store looking for a Spanish wine. He was not looking for anything in particular, he just knew it had to be Spanish. I did not ask why. It just so happened that we currently have a great deal on a Priorat normally priced at $34.99 on sale for $26.99. After explaining how the region is trending upward...
by Ron Barker, Cigarvolante Llc
Last week we introduced the Panacea Pairings for the White Wines of Holly Grove including the first pairings for the newly introdued Panacea Azul, our new Cameroon, which showed its versatility and complexity in its abilty to pair with a complex white wine and a slightly dry and flavorful rosé. This week we introduce the Holly Grove Red Wines and another level of complexity as we add the impact of ring gauge on the pairing process.A cigar is made up of three basic parts. The filler or bunch, are the leaves that are in the center of the cigar and make up most of its bulk. Around that, and holding the bunch together is the binder, and all of that is covered by the pretty part, the wrapper. Each part can be made up of different tobaccos, each of which may have a different flavor profile and ...
by Deborah Passin
Does it surprise you that someone who has a good palate for wine also has a good palate for food? I’ve met many great winemakers who are as passionate about food as they are about wine. My conversations with them often stray from the topic of wine to reminiscing about a memorable meal. Many are talented cooks; others delight in dining out or sharing a wonderful meal with friends. Great winemakers understand how flavors work together in balance and harmony, whether they are at the dinner table or among barrels. For this reason, I thought I’d ask some of my favorite winemakers what food I should pair with their wines. These were their answers:Bill Easton, Terre Rouge & Easton Wines, Sierra Foothills2007 Easton Old Vine Zinfandel “Rinaldi-Eschen”Pair with: Spanish Lamb Stew with Chile...
by Carol A. Wilcox
Holiday gatherings and Christmas wines bring excitement to entertaining. With all of the planning that goes into holiday dinners and parties, the wine list should be kept to a small, well chosen selection that will satisfy all guests. Choosing the right wines for Christmas can be a daunting task!Here are guidelines to help navigate through the many wine choices:Wines for Christmas Eve – For many, Christmas Eve is the best part of the holiday. Start the celebration with Champagne or sparkling wine. There are many varieties of bubbly on the market in all price ranges. An alternative to Champagne (which is made in France) is Prosecco which is made in Italy in the Veneto region. There are also many wine varietals that are food-friendly and versatile enough to accompany the variety of foods t...
by Ron Barker, Cigarvolante Llc
Panacea PairingsA cigar is an aesthetic not an addiction. smoked for flavor not the nicotine. As wine enhances the flavors of the food cigars can enhance the flavors of beverages. CigarVolante has partnered with Virginia wineries to introduce Panacea Pairings, the perfect match of a delicious Virginia wine and a premium Old School, Flat Bed Cigar Company Panacea Cigar. The White Wines of Holly Grove VineyardsHolly Grove Winery is a family owned and operated farm Virginia winery located on Holly Grove Cove on the Bayside of Virginia's Eastern Shore in Franktown. Inspired by the natural beauty and resources here, we are committed to producing quality handcrafted wines using locally grown grapes. Capitalizing on our temperate climate moderated by the Atlantic Ocean breezes on this "land betwe...
by Rosie Carbo
You didn’t need to speak French to enjoy Houston’s 28th annual French-American Wine and Food Festival recently. You just had to be aware that tasting Georges Duboeuf’s Beaujolais Nouveau was not the focus. This year’s “Soiree Beaujolais & Beyond” was a signature event, drawing more than 1,000 guests to the JW Marriott. Local French restaurants, bistros and bakeries, together with non-French eateries, handed out savory samples of their best food. A slew of wine samples from the Beaujolais region in France included Beaujolais Villages. Unlike years past, this event featured wines from other French and Americans regions. California shined with generous servings of Cabernet, Merlot and Zinfandel. If you preferred to stay with the Beaujolais array,...
by Sidd Banerji
12th and 13th were two sunny days with lovely spell of early winter coolness at the set of evenings.Bandra Wine Tasting Festival on their 3rd consecutive and successful year had again a glittering,joyous gathering of about a dozen wine producers offering their best to the eager crowd of young and old wine lovers.Gentlemen in their casuals,ladies and young members in their weekend spree loitered around the D'Monte Park,Bandra(W),Mumbai.Colorful stalls presenting their wines for tasting with talks and explanations on their exclusive treatments to vineyards,choice of the soil,aging and their warm invitations to visit their vineyards impressed the wine loving crowds.Organizers,Pune Gourmet Club,in their 7th year of running the mission,to let Indian wine drinkers be well known to Indian wine ma...
by Joseph Mclaughlin
Winthrop Massachusetts is a peninsula that juts out into Boston Harbor and it has the look of a typical New England seaside town. It’s known for beaches, a multitude of piers where fishing and pleasure boats dock, and for being the tightly-packed home for a middle/working class populace. But it’s not known for wine. However, a local merchant and the Winthrop Chamber of Commerce are trying to change that. On Friday evening the annual A Sip of Winthrop was held at the Cottage Park Yacht Club with the proceeds benefitting a business district beautification program.Paul Lucerto, owner of Swett’s Liquors in Winthrop Center, enlisted the distributors he does business with and invited other food businesses to donate and showcase their products. While a jazz quartet entertained the w...
by Sidd Banerji
1st Nov.’11Prize winning wine producer Brancaia from Tuscan region,Italy are comparatively new in the wine world.The Swiss family,if not ‘the only’in the region,started in 1982 and shall thus complete their first 30 years, in next.Die hard commitments to quality, an ingrained element of Swiss, took them to heights of achievements within initial years. They witnessed a vertical take off right in 1983 winning the coveted first place, at Chianti Classico tasting.They did not look back thereafter.The brand has been occupying positions within first 100 all these years at major tasting sessions.Few years,within first 10.A laudable achievement.The owners spared no stones and continued with their identity and strongly held principles of ‘understanding their clients’ and ‘understanding ...
