by John Hagarty
The grapes are now wine and the search begins for gold medalsMost Virginia winemakers live by the adage, “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” During the winter and early spring months, vintners across the Old Dominion are auditioning their individual wines to see which ones will star---and which ones will play supporting roles---in the production of their ultimate cuvees. It’s a great time to hang around a winery. The test samples never stop emerging from the cellar.Recently, a group of a dozen wine and food professionals gathered at Jefferson Vineyards in Charlottesville to join winemaker Andy Reagan in the elusive hunt for the perfect wine. The event, billed as a Master Class in Wine Blending, is held annually for both consumers and trade folks and provides a unique...
by Richard Frisbie
Last fall, I attended the Hudson Valley Wine and Food Fest in the oldest wine making region of the country - New York's Hudson Valley. The festival, now in it's seventh year, draws wineries from throughout the Northeast. I went to taste the wines of more than twenty Finger Lakes vintners collected together under one roof, and to learn about Ice Wine. With all those wonderful wines available, I was only tasting the ice wines. One vintner told me, "Don't start with this sweet wine, start with the dry wines and work up. This will only blow your palate." Well, my palate was blown with the first sip! And what an expensive sip it was. True 'ice wine' is made of grapes frozen on the vine. Those have Ice Wine on the bottle. Some growers harvest the grapes before the weather and the wildlife ...
by Elizabeth Floderus Prp Wine Consultant
Someone I know, who has not consumed red wine in years because it gave her headaches, has joyfully started drinking red wine once again. The cure, she said, was organic wine. But when she explained to me that the wine contained no sulfites, and, thus, was the reason for her pain-free sipping, I had to politely correct her just a little. Organic wines technically still contain some sulfites, however, at much lower levels than non-organic wines. In organic wine, there are no additional sulfites beyond what occurs naturally during normal fermentation of grapes. However, in the vast majority of wines, more sulfites are added because they are necessary to preserve the flavor and integrity of the wine throughout its shelf life. But there was still another correction that I had to make after I re...
by Marisa Folse
They say a wine is only as good as the grape it comes from, but of course the land, air, water and the winemaker have a little something to do with it. But, let's give the wine grape its' due. With over 600 different kinds of grapes each with its own combination of characteristics such as color, size, skin thickness and acidity, only a select few are distinguished enough to produce fine quality wine. Of course, the art of the winemaker is to bring out the character of the grape, the soil, and the climate, but what these few and proud wine grapes bring to the table are noble enough to stand alone.Cabernet Sauvignon: Calling warmer climates home, this small but very thick-skinned and hearty grape variety delivers big time. Its' versatility helps to create such complex varietals that can...
by Marisa Folse
I often get asked to suggest a good wine to people or to share my favorite. It actually isn’t that simple, because “my favorite” changes depending on what food it is being paired with or what occasion is being celebrated. I’ve had $100 bottles of wine and I’ve had $10 bottles of wine and each were favorites for that particular scenario. I have many wines that I come to again and again and can certainly make suggestions, but to be honest, “a good wine” is the one that you enjoy. It really just comes down to your personal preference. You may have to taste many different wine varietals from many different regions on your journey to finding your favorite one, but that is half the fun.Tasting is defined as the sensory examination and evaluation of wine, and in the professional are...
by Marisa Folse
Almost every past-time has a premier competition. That list includes the Super Bowl, the World Series, the Stanley Cup, and for wine lovers, especially here in Houston is the International Wine Competition, which has been a vital part of the festivities surrounding the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo for the past six years.Wineries from Texas, the United States and across the globe, showcase their best of the best in hopes of receiving the highly esteemed title of Grand Champion Best of Show and Reserve Grand Champion Best of Show as well as other valued awards and medals for top entries in the Texas wine, the red wine, the white wine, and other all-around wine categories.On November 12 and 15, 2009 15 panels of judges, consisting of local, national, and international wine experts., taste...
by Marisa Folse
Wine producers have been looking for glass bottle alternatives for years, but most often than not the wine-in-a-box concept falls short and eco-friendliness gets set aside, when a wine lovers' palate is at stake.But one company cleverly titled Yellow+Blue (get it .. equals green) is offering an option to consumers where quality of wine does not have to be compromised in lieu of a healthier planet.For about $12, wine lovers can go green and still enjoy their red, with an unoaked Argentinean Malbec that is not only certified organic, but is delivered in environment friendly packaging. Now, that is affordable and responsible, and with the complexity of this Malbec boasting ripe plum and blueberry flavors, it is surprisingly delicious!Now just enjoy and recycle!...
by Marisa Folse
It is easy to get overwhelmed when trying to determine which wine goes with which food and it becomes a burden rather than pleasure. But it doesn't have to be, think about these key tips when matching flavors of wine and food. It's that simple because the best match for wine is the good conversation that follows.Although the old adage of serving “white wine with white meat and red wine with red meat” is a pretty good starting point, it is a rule that can certainly be broken. Another approach to think about is balancing the flavor characteristics of the wine such as sweet, acidic, or fruity to the flavors and characteristics of the food it is being served with. Think about the strongest flavor or spice in the food, and choose a wine that compliments the flavors, not competes with it, t...
by Ron Saikowski
What type of Texas winery owner would dare to pit his Texas wines against great wines from all over the world. Obviously, that winemaker is confident his Texas wines would compare favorably with those well known wines. Paul Bonarrigo with Messina Hof Winery in Bryan decided he would compare twelve of his wines with higher priced, better known wines last Sunday January 10th. Those twelve flights of wines with suggested retail prices included:• Messina Hof Gewürztraminer 2008 ($9) v. Darting Gewürztraminer 2007 ($20)• Messina Hof Merrill’s Vineyard Riesling 2008 ($10) v. Escher Riesling 2007 ($13) • Messina Hof Chenin Blanc 2009 ($6) v. Sebeka Chenin Blanc 2008 ($11) • Messina Hof Barrel Res. Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 ($9) v. Robert Mondavi Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2006 ($28...
by Frank Mangio
For as long as I have known about wine, I have known that the Mondavi Family of Napa Valley was the standard by which all others aspired, in making great Cabernet Sauvignon. So it was with high expectation and a twinge of nervous energy that I sat down with a family member, Peter Mondavi Jr. He has a major role in the family-owned Charles Krug Winery near St. Helena.Charles Krug has a long history of winemaking in Napa Valley, being the first winery to open its doors in 1861. Fast-forward to 1943 when the Mondavi Family purchased the property, with Peter Sr. and Robert Mondavi jointly building the brand, with Cabernet as its signature wine.In 1966, Robert opened his own winery in nearby Oakville, and Peter Sr. turned to his sons Peter Jr.and Marc to carry the load of quality winemaking ...
