tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3924717882990729032024-02-06T21:03:24.061-08:00WineBizNewsObservations on the wine industry, centering on its business aspects.
AND, check out the blog specific to the Sierra Foothills wine region: http://sierrafoothillswineries.blogspot.com/
Contact: barbara (at)winebizpr.comBarbara Keck (mountainhighwines at gmail dot com)http://www.blogger.com/profile/10904356674364163038noreply@blogger.comBlogger302125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-392471788299072903.post-20148057928524255192015-10-29T10:57:00.000-07:002015-10-29T10:57:17.017-07:00Online or In Person - 2016 is the Year to Improve your Wine-Industry Spanish
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Online or In Person,
2016 is the Year <br />
to Improve Your Wine-Industry Spanish<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<o:p> </o:p></div>
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<span lang="ES" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: ES;">Napa, CA --<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Primero moleremos las uvas para vino
blanco.”</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Effective
communications with your Spanish-speaking workers in the vineyard and winery is
the goal of a new series of Spanish For The Wine Industry classes that begin
online and on-site in Northern California in January 2016. Taught by Josefina K
Adriance in Napa, the classes are also now available online via VESTA, the
Viniculture Enology Science and Technology Alliance program created by Missouri
State University for the grape and wine industry in the USA.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Detailed information on both online and
on-site classes is available at </span><span lang="ES" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: ES;"><a href="http://www.spanishforwine.com/"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: blue;">www.SpanishForWine.com</span></span></a></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">The
VESTA online classes offer students the convenience of learning at home or in
the office rather than a classroom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Over
the course of 15 weeks, self-paced weekly video lectures are supplemented with
a live online class. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This VESTA course,
VIN108, can also count as college credit toward a variety of VESTA technical
certificates, two year Associate degrees, and Bachelors and Masters
programs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Classroom
instruction offered in Napa features four-students-only evening classes of 90
minutes that meet once a week for 10 weeks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Small class size assures rapid and individualized learning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are two levels of classes available: a
beginning class, Spanish for the Wine Industry 1, and an intermediate level
class, Spanish for the Wine Industry 2.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
goal is to gain confidence with language skills need to work effectively with
Spanish-speaking employees in the vineyard and winery.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Adriance
also offers classes on-site at wineries. Over the course of 10 weeks, up to ten
students meet on winery premises for instruction for two hours weekly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">In
her classes, Adriance covers basic grammar, as well as vocabulary pertinent to
topics including soil preparation, irrigation, planting, pruning, canopy
management, disease and pest control, harvesting, crushing and pressing the
fruit, winery sanitation, filling out paperwork, safety, and awareness of
cultural differences.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">"<span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">In
a profession such as winemaking there are a multitude of technical terms</span>,"
said Peter Luthi, a Napa Valley winemaker who has taken Adriance's classes.
"<span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Finding the proper
translation is not easy. Adriance's Spanish classes, books and dictionary
specifically developed for the wine industry, provide an invaluable resource
for anybody involved in viticulture or enology where Spanish is used</span>."</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">For
more information, contact Adriance at </span><span lang="ES" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: ES;"><a href="mailto:Info@SpanishForWine.com"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: blue;">Info@SpanishForWine.com</span></span></a></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"> or visit the website </span><span lang="ES" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: ES;"><a href="http://www.spanishforwine.com/"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><span style="color: blue;">www.SpanishForWine.com</span></span></a></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;">##
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nov 2015<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>##<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">About
Josefina K Adriance:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></u></i></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe5Hs9X-QtrBHuxonow3mjzq6AHvl4h2gdqvQkk_Lc_KdWDlfyavdNqUCGNR8mN02hcXBEX5S2Q_thXCwahaXN6d7vGiv6Qwm5Xvs495gTJMLvbgcX8Njr8DxL4ECEKermFk9DXlGt40RO/s1600/Josefina+K+Adriance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe5Hs9X-QtrBHuxonow3mjzq6AHvl4h2gdqvQkk_Lc_KdWDlfyavdNqUCGNR8mN02hcXBEX5S2Q_thXCwahaXN6d7vGiv6Qwm5Xvs495gTJMLvbgcX8Njr8DxL4ECEKermFk9DXlGt40RO/s200/Josefina+K+Adriance.jpg" width="163" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">A
native of Madrid, Adriance earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in
Spanish. For almost 30 years, she has taught Spanish for the Wine Industry; her
clients include some of the most prestigious wineries and vineyards in
California.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She provides customized
classes as well as interpretation and translation services.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Adriance is the author of several books and
manuals:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Spanish for the Wine Industry,
English for the Wine Industry, the English-Spanish Dictionary for the Wine
Industry, and Spanish for the Hospitality Industry.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Barbara Keck (mountainhighwines at gmail dot com)http://www.blogger.com/profile/10904356674364163038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-392471788299072903.post-79988350557355890882015-05-19T20:34:00.001-07:002015-05-19T20:34:58.625-07:00Wine Walking in Tahoe City - Put on Your Calendar for June 20th<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-C-aOquhbS4okZ_QMgYGa0HN9loBCMtPJYFDEHqmUV6cm4_fcVVySnE8UA93UEIuFNBnCENU7s6wz2PhmK5jzsygejIZ75H5ZY4jj3wlgQQSPRCsq-dn9F-UjSPrGZJzaM6gMxgreM5a4/s1600/TCWW_logo10yrs_final.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-C-aOquhbS4okZ_QMgYGa0HN9loBCMtPJYFDEHqmUV6cm4_fcVVySnE8UA93UEIuFNBnCENU7s6wz2PhmK5jzsygejIZ75H5ZY4jj3wlgQQSPRCsq-dn9F-UjSPrGZJzaM6gMxgreM5a4/s200/TCWW_logo10yrs_final.png" width="186" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">One of the nicest ways to enjoy the breeze off Lake Tahoe in late June is to stroll the streets of Tahoe City during the annual Wine Walk.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">This year's line-up of wineries is really terrific, and my tasting glass is ready already! If you want to attend, you can get tickets in advance at </span><a href="http://www.tahoecitywinewalk.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">www.TahoeCityWineWalk.com</span></a><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdsxstN89KUKqH8SFv7MnJJ82O10v18ESabsmMe3F6oaV6IfF429uhf2Sw7cATsLFY90K8guW7xsWY9X5YRJmD-09gytxlazte5FfjEuCf_0mOokHA8-npSMUJipUD6aQr1HJHWq-4UJF0/s1600/downtown+tahoe+city.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdsxstN89KUKqH8SFv7MnJJ82O10v18ESabsmMe3F6oaV6IfF429uhf2Sw7cATsLFY90K8guW7xsWY9X5YRJmD-09gytxlazte5FfjEuCf_0mOokHA8-npSMUJipUD6aQr1HJHWq-4UJF0/s1600/downtown+tahoe+city.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Downtown Tahoe City</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Here are the wineries you'll have a chance to experience, all in a tidy 6 block walk:</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">A to Z Wineworks, formerly REX HILL Vineyards, a 25 year old
legacy winery in the northern Willamette Valley, is known for their Pinot Noir<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Arbios/Praxis Cellars, a small Sonoma County family wine business,
is known for their Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Bent Metal Winery, located in nearby Grass Valley, features
Barbera, Primitivo, and wonderful blends<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Charlyn Zin is showcasing its Old
Vine Zinfandel, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lodi appellation, from a
limited production of 10 barrels<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">NEW TO THE EVENT!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cline
Cellars, a family-owned vineyard and winery in the Carneros region of Sonoma
County, sustainably farms and crafts Single Vineyard, Sonoma County, Ancient
Vine and California wines.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">NEW TO THE EVENT!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>CrossBarn
by Paul Hobbs, is featuring its Sonoma Coast Chardonnay and its Sonoma Coast
Pinot Noir<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Fawnridge Winery is a small, family-run winery and tasting room
located in the heart of the Placer and Nevada County wine trails,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">HaGafen Cellars brings together the elements of “Old Napa” style
so often missing from today’s world of wine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They produce wines that they themselves drink and enjoy: Cabernet
Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Syrah, White
Riesling, and Zinfandel as well as Sparklig Wines. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">NEW TO THE EVENT!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Handley
Cellars, established by Milla Handley in 1982 in the Anderson Valley of
Mendocino County, produces award winning Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">NEW TO THE EVENT!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>J
Vineyards & Winery is an independently-owned Sonoma County winery that
focuses on Brut and Brut Rosé sparkling wines, as well as Pinot Noir,
Chardonnay, and Pinot Gris primarily from the Russian River Valley
appellation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Madroña Vinyards, located near Placerville in El Dorado County,
makes wines that are a pure and balanced expression of the land.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They have produced a Lake Tahoe Red
(Zinfandel) and a<br />
Lake Tahoe White (Chardonnay) for your enjoyment!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(for more information, search this blog for “Madrona”)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Nevada City Winery is a small production high-quality boutique
winery located in historic downtown Nevada City, in Nevada County, CA<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(for more information, search this blog for “Nevada
City Winery”)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Pedroncelli Winery is a family winery that has been making wine in
Sonoma County for nearly 90 years. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Enjoy
their Zinfandel, white wines, and Rose’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Renwood Winery, located in Amador County, is one of the most respected
wine producers in the Sierra Foothills, specializing in Zinfandel, Rhone and
Italian varietals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(for more
information, search this blog for “Renwood”)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Single Leaf Winery is the oldest continuously owned family winery
in the Fair Play region for over 2 decades!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Enjoy their Chardonnay, Zinfandel and Barbera<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">NEW TO THE EVENT!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Skinner
Vineyards and Winery produces hand-crafted Rhone-inspired wines in El Dorado,
in the Sierra Foothills of California. (for more information, search this blog
for “Skinner”)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Smith Vineyard produces exquisite wines from a 10 acre estate
vineyard is in the Sierra Foothills near Grass Valley. (for more information,
search this blog for “Smith Vineyard”)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Sobon Estate and Shenandoah Vineyards are a family owned and
operated winery in the Shenandoah Valley of Amador County, specializing in
award winning wines that include Zinfandels, Cabernet Sauvignon, Viognier,
Sauvignon Blanc, Primitivo, and Zinfandel Port. (for more information, search
this blog for “Sobon”)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p><span style="color: black; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Tank House Winery is a two generation family
winery located in Gilroy, Santa Clara County, CA., <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>with a tradition of creating premium wines,
each with their own distinctive varietal character.<o:p></o:p></span></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Twisted
Rivers Wines is a winery created by th<span style="color: black;">e Heringer
Family which has been farming the Clarksburg Delta for over 145 years. After
selling wine grapes through the decades to many of the great wineries in
California, they now produce a full range of wines from their grapes.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Vino Noceto is a small, family-run vineyard and winery, renowned
for our premium Sangiovese wines and located in the Shenandoah Valley of Amador
County.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(for more information, search
this blog for “Vino Noceto”)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">Wilderotter
Vineyard is a premier grower and producer of fine wines in the Shenandoah
Valley of Amador County, CA.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are
pouring Sauvignon Blanc, Roussanne, Mourvedre and Zinfandel<o:p></o:p></span><br />
</span><br /></span><br />Barbara Keck (mountainhighwines at gmail dot com)http://www.blogger.com/profile/10904356674364163038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-392471788299072903.post-1308547396281156952015-05-19T13:13:00.001-07:002015-05-19T13:13:43.712-07:00A summer treat near Tahoe: the fabulous Wine Dinners at Atlantis Spa Casino in RenoIt is impossible to resist the lure of a wine dinner at the Atlantis Spa Casino in Reno. One of the outstanding events of my summers at Lake Tahoe has always been to attend one of these dinners. At only $125 per person, it is one of the best values in wining and dining around -- particularly as a wine lover when you consider the wonderful high quality wines that are served.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9OxT-8UwD3_DeoYHOafHjiMfiOkfMRBKzxfU29cxG8u02jyomKhEyZF1Kb8nqK2nL4dBVqb4bkacav6WBLWCyAVULj9mHuB7BcsLynC_R6ONRig01kfVPoggaEVWmQYXjKNblRS05pOCy/s1600/atlantis-steakhouse-dining.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9OxT-8UwD3_DeoYHOafHjiMfiOkfMRBKzxfU29cxG8u02jyomKhEyZF1Kb8nqK2nL4dBVqb4bkacav6WBLWCyAVULj9mHuB7BcsLynC_R6ONRig01kfVPoggaEVWmQYXjKNblRS05pOCy/s320/atlantis-steakhouse-dining.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
In addition to the food and wine, these dinners are a SPECTACLE not to be missed! The service is exceptional, and I may have mentioned this before in past blogposts. It is like a well-choreographed ballet, and the servers are as graceful and orchestrated as any performers can be. All together, it's a treat.<br />
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Here's what is ahead for you, if you go. And if you do go, you will see me there! Thanks to Tracie Barnthouse, who does a great job with PR for the Atlantis, for the sneak preview below"<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>Atlantis Casino Resort Spa welcomes Paul Hobbs wines to Atlantis Steakhouse on Tuesday, June 30 at 6 p.m.</strong></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijD2HB4le_suonDcoy1yNmvHC_lKKcSzTHkB2YfypN1sy8NCDh5OLC_6-D36EYsiC0wjQ2t9nUyF_oVKnEA1Uqo4sd8szvkjOrZTxCG0QemexFMIwVB_bKsv5bh2nlK1yM2glXliPZ4HEv/s1600/paul-hobbs-winemaker-dinner-2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="96" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijD2HB4le_suonDcoy1yNmvHC_lKKcSzTHkB2YfypN1sy8NCDh5OLC_6-D36EYsiC0wjQ2t9nUyF_oVKnEA1Uqo4sd8szvkjOrZTxCG0QemexFMIwVB_bKsv5bh2nlK1yM2glXliPZ4HEv/s320/paul-hobbs-winemaker-dinner-2015.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><u></u><u></u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">The second oldest of 11 children, Paul Hobbs grew up on a farm near Lake Ontario in western New York, but moved west to study winemaking at the University of California, Davis. After working at and consulting for a number of prominent California producers, he started his own label with the 1911 vintage, eventually adding his own winery and vineyard in the Russian River Valley. Paul Hobbs wines produces around 23,000 cases a year of top-notch, vineyard-designated Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir and Merlot from sites around Napa and Sonoma. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"><u></u><u></u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">To complement the wines, Atlantis Steakhouse will be serving the following:</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Amuse Bouche<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"><u></u> <u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Diver Scallop Crudo<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Roasted Pear, Pickled Pumpkin, Honey-Almond Coulis, Micro Celery<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Paul Hobbs, Chardonnay, Russian River Valley<u></u><u></u></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"><u></u> <u></u></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">First Course<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Pan-Roasted Alaskan Halibut Cheek<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Citrus-Scented Blue Potato Spatzle, Roasted White Peach Compote, Fleur de Sel<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Paul Hobbs “CrossBarn”, Rose of Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast<u></u><u></u></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Second Course<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"><u></u> <u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Earl Grey Tea-Smoked Arctic Char<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Hazelnut-Quinoa Salad, Cranberry Gastrique<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Paul Hobbs, Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley<u></u><u></u></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Third Course<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"><u></u> <u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Lavender-Pepper Crusted American Kobe Strip Loin<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Olive-Strewn Couscous, Wood-Grilled Black Fig, Natural Jus<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Paul Hobbs, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley<u></u><u></u></span></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Fourth Course<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Carpaccio of Bison Loin<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Cocoa Oil, Smoked Walnut Salad, Flash-Roasted Wild Berries<u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Vina Cobos “Bramare”, Malbec, Lujan de Cuyo, Argentina<u></u><u></u></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"><u></u> <u></u></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Dessert<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Strawberry Tiramisu<u></u><u></u></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Grand Marnier Soaked Lady Fingers</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;">Dinner is $125 all-inclusive. Reservations are recommended and can be made at <a href="tel:775.824.4411" target="_blank" value="+17758244411">775.824.4411</a>.<br /><br /><u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"><u></u> <u></u></span></div>
<b>About <em>Atlantis Casino Resort Spa<u></u><u></u></em></b><br />
<em>Atlantis Casino Resort Spa is a world-class AAA Four Diamond resort destination, nestled at the base of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, and ideally located in the heart of Reno’s restaurant, shopping and entertainment district. Atlantis is the only resort connected by a Sky Bridge to the Reno-Sparks Convention Center, and boasts Reno’s only Concierge Hotel Tower. Atlantis is just minutes away from the Reno-Tahoe International Airport, downtown Reno, pristine area golf courses and is a half-hour away from Lake Tahoe. Guests enjoy complimentary airport shuttle service, free valet parking and acres of convenient self-parking. Recognized for luxurious accommodations, eight award-winning restaurants, 10 captivating bars and lounges, a world-class spa and casino-wide action, Atlantis has all the options and amenities to suit your needs. For more information please visit </em><a href="http://www.atlantiscasino.com/" target="_blank"><em>www.atlantiscasino.com</em></a><em> or call </em><a href="tel:800.723.6500" target="_blank" value="+18007236500"><em>800.723.6500</em></a><em>. </em><br />
<u></u><u></u></span><br />Barbara Keck (mountainhighwines at gmail dot com)http://www.blogger.com/profile/10904356674364163038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-392471788299072903.post-46746670434520944142015-05-19T13:05:00.001-07:002015-05-19T13:06:09.587-07:00STILL THE KING: Steve Bjerklie writes about Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGeKt65_8DAiyZomiDyv0o9GFTBrB_5iVRuFVxxRbH2_crpyOg8_2C7LDWOvYBC-dXVJv9waa-hRSxLUCcoy7Mm27U3oD6_6GLJftHr9a3n3szsrjgd6EiAKeVwjlAmHYhKGYoGuEwj30V/s1600/cab+sauv+grapes.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGeKt65_8DAiyZomiDyv0o9GFTBrB_5iVRuFVxxRbH2_crpyOg8_2C7LDWOvYBC-dXVJv9waa-hRSxLUCcoy7Mm27U3oD6_6GLJftHr9a3n3szsrjgd6EiAKeVwjlAmHYhKGYoGuEwj30V/s1600/cab+sauv+grapes.png" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Name a specific region and a specific wine that sum up what quality American winemaking is all about. If you say “Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon,” you will be in agreement with most people, I’ll bet. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-9H1G5lIXTGb-EjuwVRKrYO3fIBMCdVW3ZewSgvd62CamWUlEE7z_00H4A5qdNLWcKD2R3RCz9adsDDBLs3t2UuU1umu460te05ZLbK-53sgXgiJAZFf8qh6O_Jb15YpvVJzKauPN6aZx/s1600/napa+valley.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-9H1G5lIXTGb-EjuwVRKrYO3fIBMCdVW3ZewSgvd62CamWUlEE7z_00H4A5qdNLWcKD2R3RCz9adsDDBLs3t2UuU1umu460te05ZLbK-53sgXgiJAZFf8qh6O_Jb15YpvVJzKauPN6aZx/s1600/napa+valley.png" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />Other areas and wines are making a claim to be definitive for American wine — the elegant Pinot Noir produced in Oregon’s Willamette Valley; Washington state’s rich, luscious Syrah from the Walla Walla region; and the delicious Riesling from New York’s Finger Lakes — but California’s Napa Valley remains the most famous winemaking region in the United States, and its primary wine, Cabernet Sauvignon, is still king. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />This is due in large part to the marketing genius of the late Robert Mondavi. Napa had produced great Cabernet in the distant past, notably from the Inglenook and Beaulieu wineries, but when Mondavi opened his own namesake winery in Oakville, Calif., in 1966 after a tumultuous partnership with his brother Peter at the Charles Krug winery, he sought to give the Napa Valley the same cachet as held by France’s famous Bordeux appellations. And to a great extent, he succeeded. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfa_u4ANIm4vLIwl0GwStabd_5tD6phaaW1V5docHeAK78DHAbFUhWu4YeswnYRflzDUsJ4Ar9wFoCWRmaTvEtaHO1oPpOlqre1jWvDnSir8s3diTtuNw4lQlSpQuOxP892YHBXbBpjsVv/s1600/robert+mondavi.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfa_u4ANIm4vLIwl0GwStabd_5tD6phaaW1V5docHeAK78DHAbFUhWu4YeswnYRflzDUsJ4Ar9wFoCWRmaTvEtaHO1oPpOlqre1jWvDnSir8s3diTtuNw4lQlSpQuOxP892YHBXbBpjsVv/s1600/robert+mondavi.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Robert Mondavi<br />
looking pretty determined!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />Indeed, the argument can be made that Mondavi succeeded too well. Even before the advent of so-called “cult” Cabernets in the 1990s, prices for upper-end Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon were generally higher than for any other American wine, and a good portion of those prices was generated by the Napa Valley mystique Mondavi had created and so effectively marketed. (Interesting trivia sidebar: Did you know that Robert Mondavi and Bob Dylan were both young children in the same town? It’s true, and that town is Hibbing, Minnesota, not exactly the heart of rock and roll or the wine industry!) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />But the cult wines took things to a new level. After capturing the hearts, minds, taste buds and flowery pens of influential critics, including Robert Parker, these wines competed with the most expensive French Bordeaux. They still do. A quick Internet check finds a single bottle of 2012 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon from Screaming Eagle, which Parker’s Wine Advocate publication awarded with a perfect 100-point score, available at Shopwinedirect.com for a bargain $2,399.95. A 2011 Pritchard Hill Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon from Bryant Family Vineyards is available at the Mister Wright wine shop in Manhattan for $600. Vinfolio, another online wine retailer, offers a bottle of 2011 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon from Colgin Cellars for $495 and a 2010 Madrona Ranch Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon from Abreu for $575. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />I’ve had an occasion or two to taste a couple of these cult wines, and personally I find them overdone, overblown and most definitely over-priced. They remind me of blockbuster superhero movies: take away all the flash and special effects, and you don’t have much of a story, really. To my taste, these ultra-high-end Napa Valley wines fail in wine’s most basic job, which is to accompany food. They are just too rich and dense, and generally have way too much alcohol (15%, even higher, isn’t uncommon for these wines) to accompany anything but themselves. No thanks. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />But that’s me. Cult wines have cults for a reason. I just don’t belong to any. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />Fortunately, there are plenty of less expensive Napa Valley Cabernets from numerous producers that are complex and balanced and will deliciously accompany steak and other Cabernet-friendly goods. I love the Cabernet made by Randy Dunn at Dunn Vineyards. Not only are Randy’s wines as graceful and beautiful as Ingrid Bergman, they don’t carry the high alcohol that the cult wines generally do. <br />
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Silver Oak is another reliable Napa Valley producer of wonderful Cabernet. Same with Stag’s Leap, Cakebread and Spottswoode. You won’t go wrong with a Robert Mondavi Private Reserve Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, either. And good old Beaulieu Vineyards still makes a superlative Cabernet under its Georges de Latour designation. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />None of these wines cost anything close to the cult wines, but they’re not cheap. A bottle of Dunn, if you can find one online, runs $80 or more. The Mondavi will be in the neighborhood of $120 and a Stag’s Leap will be in the same territory — but then, it was a Stag’s Leap Cabernet that knocked the priciest French Bordeaux on its butt at the famous Paris Tasting of 1976, so they’ve earned extra cred. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgjA2gggqUamLzz167jlZDMEtgShOL59daOmLKQnw2FCeRyPNx_ARNv-HSOU92FCG15lzDmWGbqFYGBIz4sJ93AHKsKX5HfHyVO_6GMB1-yxsiYesIRooGIFji4o3WYAPFy3BBN3e0QE_X/s1600/Silver+Oak.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgjA2gggqUamLzz167jlZDMEtgShOL59daOmLKQnw2FCeRyPNx_ARNv-HSOU92FCG15lzDmWGbqFYGBIz4sJ93AHKsKX5HfHyVO_6GMB1-yxsiYesIRooGIFji4o3WYAPFy3BBN3e0QE_X/s320/Silver+Oak.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steak and Caesar and Napa Cab: Yum!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /><br /><br /><br />For me, a good Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is a special occasion wine. I’ll buy one every once in a while and put it away in the cellar to forget about for several years. When the occasion’s right I’ll bring a dusty bottle back up into the light, pull the cork and share it with people I love over a <strong>good steak</strong> or simple <strong>Caesar salad</strong>. (Try it: Cabernet matches wonderfully with a Caesar.) It’s like bringing a work of art to the table for everyone to admire and be inspired by. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />There may still be a lot of marketing razzmatazz driving Napa Valley’s reputation, but there’s a lot of good wine behind it, too. Robert Mondavi was not wrong about that. At its balanced and well-aged best, Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is still the definitive American wine. I would never pass up a glass. Would you?</span> <br />
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<u>Guest Blogger Steve Bjerklie notes this about his love of wine:</u><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGKCPrOsfuHC6rT4NN4cLsBZPf9ZMcopH3LavXtNZn42unLKUkiR1RahqcSErsucl6gENCIM2RDmdvVDtZcKPde8qvkka3_EUXQY23B3A5f9qXiwyys0_u2cZJGsfXxTMzlaWC7fGOvd1l/s1600/Steve-Polly-at-Tuckermans-Farm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGKCPrOsfuHC6rT4NN4cLsBZPf9ZMcopH3LavXtNZn42unLKUkiR1RahqcSErsucl6gENCIM2RDmdvVDtZcKPde8qvkka3_EUXQY23B3A5f9qXiwyys0_u2cZJGsfXxTMzlaWC7fGOvd1l/s1600/Steve-Polly-at-Tuckermans-Farm.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Steve and his gal Polly<br />
enjoying the New Hampshire<br />
snow at Tuckerman's Farm</td></tr>
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"I grew up in Mill Valley, Calif., just across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco. My mom and dad enjoyed wine with dinner nearly every night, and together as a family we explored the wine country of Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino and Monterey counties, the Sierra foothills and the San Joaquin Valley. I became acquainted with European wines in my early 20s when I toured western Europe on a bicycle for three months. Later, back in the States, I grew to love wines from Oregon, Washington state, Virginia and New York in addition to my old favorites from California. My wife and I moved to New Hampshire in 2007 to assist my aging father, who had retired here. We fell in love with the Upper Valley, North Country and White Mountains Region almost instantly, and now live on a small farm in Dorchester, NH, with several goats, rabbits, chickens, ducks, three rambunctious dogs and one regal cat. A fledgling apple orchard on our property will one day produce great cider and applejack, we hope. Thanks for stopping by.<br />
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This article was first published in The Upper Valley ezine: <a href="http://theuppervalley.com/news/still-king/">http://theuppervalley.com/news/still-king/</a><br />
<br />Barbara Keck (mountainhighwines at gmail dot com)http://www.blogger.com/profile/10904356674364163038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-392471788299072903.post-10751706081912340712015-05-07T19:04:00.002-07:002015-05-15T11:45:44.908-07:00Bunting Wines - Tasty Rhones in Calaveras County<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_mcr2a7_ASKpQc1WMNmRFKkdbbE7c24_GoR98Ml04pzb2cxYWvUiWRRwgCrDKkIqPXN39om4NBpJi1k8hGA-Q6RSF1FC4Yfgizee5RlHNbrGLDMnLmbAQIcKL2u07B1azhT0R_j4zID-1/s1600/Calaveras+Murphys+Bunting+TastingRoom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_mcr2a7_ASKpQc1WMNmRFKkdbbE7c24_GoR98Ml04pzb2cxYWvUiWRRwgCrDKkIqPXN39om4NBpJi1k8hGA-Q6RSF1FC4Yfgizee5RlHNbrGLDMnLmbAQIcKL2u07B1azhT0R_j4zID-1/s200/Calaveras+Murphys+Bunting+TastingRoom.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Strolling
around Murphys last weekend, I wandered into the tasting room for Bunting
Wines.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hadn’t been to Murphys for a
while, and needed a refresher on the Calaveras County wine scene.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Bunting is a
welcome addition to the cluster of tasting rooms in Murphys on and near Main
Street, and I thoroughly enjoyed tasting through a few wines with Garrett
Neeley, the young and amiable tasting room manager.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Bunting
specializes in Rhone varietals and their offerings are all the classics you’d
expect:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Grenache, Marsanne, Syrah, and a
GSM blend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A 2009 Muscat Canelli is
their first dessert wine Garrett noted that their most consumer-popular wine
was their Syrah, and it is a nice not-so-tannic wine, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and is at the upper end of their price range
at $42 a bottle. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scott Neeley<br />
Tasting Room Manager</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">My favorite
was their 2012 Red Blend GSM, which they call a Cuvee’ Rouge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The grapes are sourced from Vallecito (not
far from Murphys) and the blend is 44% Grenache, 44% Mouvedre and 12%
Syrah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is really yummy, and at $32
the bottle, it is a good value in my estimation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Alcohol is 14.2%<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Bunting uses
primarily grapes from the nearby Sierra Foothills vineyards in and around
Calaveras, in particular their own </span><span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Pyshon
Vineyard which is just over 6.5 acres in Vallecito.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mourvedre, Grenache, Marsanne, and Roussanne
vines were planted in 2004, using French ENTAV clones.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Grapes for the Syrah come from Flicker Oaks
Vineyard in Mokelumne Hill, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Calaveras
County, managed by Steve Collum.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Rich Gilpin,
owner of Lavender Ridge Vineyard in Calaveras County, has served as a
consulting winemaker.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I personally love it
when that happens … it is so much a part of the sharing-expertise tradition of
Sierra Foothills wineries, and a wonderful attribute of wineries in this
California wine region.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The Bunting Winery tasting room is located
at 397 Main Street.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Open seven days a
week from 11am until 5pm. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They also
offer wine by the glass on Friday and Saturday evenings from 5pm-7pm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #111111; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Lucida Sans Unicode"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">For more information, go to
www.BuntingWinery.com.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Barbara Keck (mountainhighwines at gmail dot com)http://www.blogger.com/profile/10904356674364163038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-392471788299072903.post-91198866756640050792015-03-24T12:55:00.000-07:002015-03-24T12:55:18.608-07:00Best California Wine Event of the Summer: The Barbera Festival<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEOMurLap9vkFNx4XPbG18LcSSNanyqPHh2HpbeVgThhFScfh9PwuR2iZXGLpMmf0Np36Ll08IvGpPwcmimf5RfrjWy2MhOCKKeiXMRmCZ-9__rnjeWTJ0LlSRP9X9ACOGOAfGu9dKAq0N/s1600/barbera+wine-in-glass.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEOMurLap9vkFNx4XPbG18LcSSNanyqPHh2HpbeVgThhFScfh9PwuR2iZXGLpMmf0Np36Ll08IvGpPwcmimf5RfrjWy2MhOCKKeiXMRmCZ-9__rnjeWTJ0LlSRP9X9ACOGOAfGu9dKAq0N/s1600/barbera+wine-in-glass.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Ever since the Wine Institute put me on their wine writers list, I get invitations to all kinds of events from all over the state. My favorite is the Barbera Festival, held each June in Amador County. I'm looking forward with anticipation to this year's festival. If it's not already sold out... you should go! Tickets are sold at </span><a href="http://www.barberafestival.com/"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">www.barberafestival.com</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> for $50 general admission and BRAVO FOR THIS! $30 for Designated Drivers.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This year, the fifth one, the festival moves to the historic Terra D'oro Winery/Montevina Vineyards in Plymouth. Saturday June 13 is the date.</span><span style="color: #262626; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #262626; font-size: x-small;"></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The organizers call Terra d’Oro Winery/Montevina Vineyard "the original home of barbera in Amador County." It is located at 20680 Shenandoah School Road, Plymouth.</span></div>
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</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">All proceeds from The Barbera Festival benefit the Amador Community Foundation.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig9YkxlwiRJpLOvUWaJgXo9TD9grMQx6ZcXXZw_iLHVCa2bS86_UIQH8da79kMjVFQzhtJFEdv845W8IFJmgIDWQM7D3qpS1Du9PxfjKo9ahkKdenFJtWWdUULjXu7OioV4pnIv_XkW4xe/s1600/barbera+fest+event.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig9YkxlwiRJpLOvUWaJgXo9TD9grMQx6ZcXXZw_iLHVCa2bS86_UIQH8da79kMjVFQzhtJFEdv845W8IFJmgIDWQM7D3qpS1Du9PxfjKo9ahkKdenFJtWWdUULjXu7OioV4pnIv_XkW4xe/s1600/barbera+fest+event.jpg" height="198" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“Terra d’Oro is one of the fabled vineyards in Amador County’s distinctive barbera tradition,” said co-organizer Brian Mueller of the new venue. “With its beautiful meadow spotted with ancient oaks tucked among Terra d’Oro’s hillside vineyards, everyone will have a little more elbow room. We look forward to continuing a barbera tasting tradition like no other in California.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Miller, who coordinates the participating wineries for the Festival and is the proprietor of Amador 360 in Plymouth, reports that, “as in previous years, we will host nearly 80 wineries from all over California, including the Sierra Foothills, Paso Robles,Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino, Lake County, the Santa Cruz Mountains, Ventura County, Lodi and the Bay Area.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"All of us here at Terra d’Oro are VERY excited to host the 2015 Barbera Festival!” said Jeff Meyers, Terra d’Oro Vice President and General Manager. “We are long-time supporters and producers of this very important Italian variety and feel privileged to be the host of this prestigious event and can’t wait to get started on it!"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Barbera-friendly cuisine for the Festival is provided by top area restaurants and caterers, including the prestigious Zagat-rated Restaurant Taste, local favorite Incahoot’s BBQ, premier Andrae's Bakery, the "fiery" tastes of Wood, Fire & Smoke, and more.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Barbera originated in the Piedmont region of northern Italy. In California, over 7,000 acres of barbera are planted. Louis </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Martini, produced the first varietal barbera in Napa in 1954. Today, nearly 200 California wineries produce barbera wines.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sacramento’s internationally distinguished wine expert, Darrell Corti, explains, “The history of barbera in Amador County begins at Monteviña in 1971. This variety was one of the first ‘new’ varieties to the County commercially planted by Cary Gott at his new winery called Monteviña. The first vintage in modern times, if not the first ever, was in 1974. There is no reason why Amador County growers, several generations from now, could not look with pleasure on their ‘old vine’ barbera vineyards much as they now do with their old vine zinfandel vineyards.”</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQVjhl27V4qljOpajMLSHnde0xeJotFX2h8_8MkuDlZt9IwwSymFSA38VUPNwpHWR0vPSMZ5GhMLdoWKC2l2X3xdD8Q5gM-IJtMaX16gOHmOqH4ITwOG02lKxrIGDtRIwGXCD6s2ybeBJ8/s1600/Barbera+Fest-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQVjhl27V4qljOpajMLSHnde0xeJotFX2h8_8MkuDlZt9IwwSymFSA38VUPNwpHWR0vPSMZ5GhMLdoWKC2l2X3xdD8Q5gM-IJtMaX16gOHmOqH4ITwOG02lKxrIGDtRIwGXCD6s2ybeBJ8/s1600/Barbera+Fest-1.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Barbera is known for its generous acid structure and low tannin levels producing a smooth wine that pairs well with food. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Barbera styles range from bright flavors of tart cherry, raspberry, and spice, to riper styles evoking flavors black cherry, </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">blueberry, blackberry, and vanilla.</span></div>
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Tickets include admittance, wine tasting and commemorative wine glass. Food, provided by top restaurants and caterers, is sold separately. Beer and white wines are also available for purchase. Free parking is provided.</span></div>
</span></span></span>Barbara Keck (mountainhighwines at gmail dot com)http://www.blogger.com/profile/10904356674364163038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-392471788299072903.post-79236207188955683152015-03-20T19:53:00.001-07:002015-03-20T19:53:12.976-07:00Easter Traditions Call for Celebratory Libations<div class="MsoNormal">
What do flying bells, exploding carts and circus acts all have in common? Easter.<u></u><u></u></div>
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Around the world, Easter traditions vary from religious to a bit unusual but they all end in celebratory libations. Here's a quick look at international Easter customs and their shared wines. <br />
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<b><u>France: "Joyeuses Pâques:” Flying Bells and Chocolate Fish<br /><br /><u></u><u></u></u></b></div>
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Like many families, patrons of <a href="http://www.kobrandwineandspirits.com/portfolio/maison_louis_jadot_cote_d_or_burgundies/about" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Maison Louis Jadot</span></a> observe the tradition of the “Ringing of the Bells.” As the story goes, church bells stop ringing on Good Friday to “fly” off to the Vatican in remembrance of the crucifixion and return to rejoice by ringing on Easter morning. The bells arrive with decorated eggs and chocolate fish, known as Poisson d’Avril, for the children. The adults celebrate with a glass of wine, most likely from the Burgundy region. Our Easter wine suggestions comes from the house of Louis Jadot, a well-known Burgundy producer and America’s #1 French selling wines: <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDLAdh5zFU_2-uCT5mrvTwxhZJlAMBzX-M6e7xPPRkZO6DWYmlHDWocJ-4tiTSHNV6VXUKYhbj41kQsFT6q68k4kMNibC5Fsq42mQCnuiUQXb_7m-490UJzwFKSQGaIDUCFNfQxZiASJB4/s1600/ljb_Pulig_Montrcht_btl_535px.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDLAdh5zFU_2-uCT5mrvTwxhZJlAMBzX-M6e7xPPRkZO6DWYmlHDWocJ-4tiTSHNV6VXUKYhbj41kQsFT6q68k4kMNibC5Fsq42mQCnuiUQXb_7m-490UJzwFKSQGaIDUCFNfQxZiASJB4/s1600/ljb_Pulig_Montrcht_btl_535px.PNG" height="200" width="54" /></a><span style="font-size: x-small;"><u></u></span><u></u><u></u><a href="http://www.kobrandwineandspirits.com/portfolio/product/maison_louis_jadot_cote_d_or_burgundies_puligny_montrachet" target="_blank">Louis Jadot: Puligny-Montrachet 2012v (SRP $76.99) </a>– A distinctive, yet delicate wine with notes of fresh fruit and vanilla that carry on to the palate and culminate in a lingering finish. This wine is pairs well with lighter meals and cheeses.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiFy9HggDfKwJweCcMQ6wHj0UNe7KzPPIKExnyYZs2-Fu3iQLmy2ImhBrO6YUhJGwpy9Xx2TCG2X-C5TtHCN6_Ily38XMkabJ7SHvSgQ5Vp2HYP7ZJm6pNRv3UedYbxWVvbXGcR2LoqNC8/s1600/ljb_pommard_btl_535px.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiFy9HggDfKwJweCcMQ6wHj0UNe7KzPPIKExnyYZs2-Fu3iQLmy2ImhBrO6YUhJGwpy9Xx2TCG2X-C5TtHCN6_Ily38XMkabJ7SHvSgQ5Vp2HYP7ZJm6pNRv3UedYbxWVvbXGcR2LoqNC8/s1600/ljb_pommard_btl_535px.PNG" height="200" width="54" /></a><u></u><a href="http://www.kobrandwineandspirits.com/portfolio/product/maison_louis_jadot_cote_d_or_burgundies_pommard" target="_blank">Louis Jadot: Pommard2011v ($64.99)</a> - A masculine full- bodied Côte de Beaune red with a fruity depth of character and earthy aromas and flavors. This wine shows well with lamb, complex beef dishes, pungent cheeses.<br />
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<b><u>Italy: Exploding Carts in Florence-“Scoppio del Carro”</u></b></div>
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“Scoppio del Carro,”or the explosion of the cart, is a 350 year-old Florentine tradition. Legend has it that a young member of the noble Pazzi family raised the Christian flag in Jerusalem during the First Crusade of 1099. For his bravery, Pazzi was gifted with three flints from the Holy Sepulchre. During Easter, Florentines celebrate by lighting a cart on fire to distribute around the city for families to relight their hearths on Easter morning to symbolize new life. Our Tuscan Easter Wine Suggestions are<br /><br /><br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCNtIwLKWmMRxAiOwT_mDLu8xDx0ZKwqTc1ovyRQ83qvNEVLZyUB7y2Kmkp31V_SvfHqVEAhZJ_fZD1kde_i7HX2wQ5b0iz4zbPqXewUk6aZgOmJksoVI5DIisnZBUG3TGBKs7bMBnjez3/s1600/Cabreo-+La+Pietra.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCNtIwLKWmMRxAiOwT_mDLu8xDx0ZKwqTc1ovyRQ83qvNEVLZyUB7y2Kmkp31V_SvfHqVEAhZJ_fZD1kde_i7HX2wQ5b0iz4zbPqXewUk6aZgOmJksoVI5DIisnZBUG3TGBKs7bMBnjez3/s1600/Cabreo-+La+Pietra.png" height="200" width="58" /></a><u></u><span style="color: #444444;"><a href="http://www.kobrandwineandspirits.com/portfolio/product/tenute_del_cabreo_la_pietra_chardonnay_di_toscana_igt" target="_blank">Tenute Del Cabreo: La Pietra Chardonnay di Toscana(SRP $36.99)-</a> </span>This Chardonnay has rich, intense aromas and flavors that are velvety, complex and balanced, with notes of spices, vanilla and butter. It pairs well with white meats, fish and aged cheeses. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHO7RK_QYJeFqV1oGbewWQPbNoh8lpJ6J6__1SmNwtK0m1H8TM7ajSfqRH1uMbq_PACtC4Mc9EJ-ZTa9tdZDejD05rft7GTBbBi3jspjkjxmgTn9hGcnULo8fCvwvyBdtU7n5HBco37urj/s1600/set_crognolo_btl_535px.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHO7RK_QYJeFqV1oGbewWQPbNoh8lpJ6J6__1SmNwtK0m1H8TM7ajSfqRH1uMbq_PACtC4Mc9EJ-ZTa9tdZDejD05rft7GTBbBi3jspjkjxmgTn9hGcnULo8fCvwvyBdtU7n5HBco37urj/s1600/set_crognolo_btl_535px.PNG" height="200" width="53" /></a><span style="color: #444444;"><a href="http://www.kobrandwineandspirits.com/portfolio/release/tenuta_sette_ponti_crognolo_toscana_igt_2013" target="_blank">Tenuta Sette Ponti: Crognolo Toscana (SRP $-34.99)</a></span>-<span style="background: white; color: #484848; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span>ItThe wine has a fruity, spicy bouquet and ripe cherry and berries on the palate. It is a lovely companion to full-flavored meats, game and roasts</div>
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<b><u>New Zealand: The Circus Comes to Town<br /><br /><u></u><u></u></u></b></div>
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In New Zealand, Easter occurs during autumn. Kiwi families celebrate by attending the Auckland Easter Show, which features thrill-seeking rides, circus shows, art exhibitions and a wine show. The <a href="http://www.kobrandwineandspirits.com/portfolio/craggy_range_winery/about" target="_blank">Craggy Range Winery</a> serves as a benchmark ambassador for the high quality of New Zealand’s wines. The wines produced are bright, juicy and perfect for any celebratory occasion. Our Kiwi Easter wine suggestion includes</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBpdhxdpJLZ2CwBCLnXqnVvEm4cfVaY6N4O_mLz_fM6XXmNMTsSvc5yjX098HREyb9XeIRFhbXHtS3xyqmIyDXQUw03zPZU4LBBWRoWlxN4J02nANdCkRSD4Xg5uv9g2c0Y9n2NqiATU46/s1600/cgr_sauv_blanc_te_muna_btl_535px.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBpdhxdpJLZ2CwBCLnXqnVvEm4cfVaY6N4O_mLz_fM6XXmNMTsSvc5yjX098HREyb9XeIRFhbXHtS3xyqmIyDXQUw03zPZU4LBBWRoWlxN4J02nANdCkRSD4Xg5uv9g2c0Y9n2NqiATU46/s1600/cgr_sauv_blanc_te_muna_btl_535px.PNG" height="200" width="55" /></a></div>
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<u></u><a href="http://www.kobrandwineandspirits.com/portfolio/product/craggy_range_winery_te_muna_road_vineyard_sauvignon_blanc" target="_blank">Craggy Range: Te Muna Road Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc (SRP $21.99)-</a><span style="color: #484848;"> </span>This wine shows richly expressive aromas and flavors of fresh lime, lemongrass, ripe nectarine, and citrus. Overall, the wine is powerful, crisp, clean and dry. It pairs well with aperitifs, seafood and poultry. </div>
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<a href="http://www.kobrandwineandspirits.com/portfolio/product/craggy_range_winery_te_muna_road_vineyard_pinot_noir" target="_blank">Craggy Range: Te Muna Road Vineyard Pinot Noir (SRP $45.99)-</a><span style="color: #484848;"> </span>This dense yet elegant wine offers black fruit, floral and spice aromas and flavors. The palate is silkily structured with layered fine tannins, culminating in a finish that gradually unwinds, revealing bright red berry and violets. This wine is delicious with poultry, lamb and mushrooms.</div>
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<strong><em>Many thanks to Jennica Ossi of Kobrand for compiling this information and providing photos!</em></strong></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzFbo8cAhgr8ycz5SDF1wy3mLemYd2a32oA8H_6dXaUspoQCOnv21LIR_Zszm2gIwuKY0toltoq2VWUcu1w5LkB-izD3wvklHQZFyZQ570VTb46-AItJGi89_G6bnaGyacSXbZEZnoT1oh/s1600/Rose+tasting+2015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzFbo8cAhgr8ycz5SDF1wy3mLemYd2a32oA8H_6dXaUspoQCOnv21LIR_Zszm2gIwuKY0toltoq2VWUcu1w5LkB-izD3wvklHQZFyZQ570VTb46-AItJGi89_G6bnaGyacSXbZEZnoT1oh/s1600/Rose+tasting+2015.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jennifer Hong, representative of <strong>Rosée d’Aurore</strong> distributor, <br />
visits with Billy Jim Crawford, founder, soon-to-launch <strong>Club Botanic</strong>, <br />
(an online fresh bouquet service, delivered weekly) <br />
at the Vins de Provence tasting in San Francisco in early March.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><em>Guest Author: </em></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><em>Nicole Zaro Stahl</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Forget all those old notions about rosé wine—that it’s
sugary-sweet, that it’s produced as an afterthought by mixing excess red and
white grapes. Au contraire! This frequently misunderstood category stands on
equal footing right alongside its red and white counterparts. In fact, today rosé
accounts for some 30% of total wine consumption in France, where it was first
crafted more than 2,000 years ago. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Americans are catching onto the trend. U.S. retail sales of
imported rosé wines have grown by double digits in each of the past 10 years. A
substantial number of the imported labels hails from Provence, the romantic landscape
of alternating hills, gorges, and lush river valleys that runs 150 miles inland
along the sun-kissed French Mediterranean coast. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">The largest rosé-producing region in the world, Provence
presents a mosaic of terroirs hospitable to the grape varieties most commonly
cultivated to give the authentic blush wine its refreshingly crisp, dry taste:
Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah, Mourv<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">ė</span>dre,
Tibouren, Cabernet Sauvignon. The grape skins are removed before fermentation
to attain the characteristic pale pink color and fruity aroma. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">In large part, rosé’s surging popularity can be attributed to
its versatility. From ski slopes to sailboats, rosé is in demand year-round as
an apéritif, accompanying the main meal, or with dessert. The price point is
attractive, too: many Provence wineries export AOP (Appellation d’Origine
Protégée) vintages that sell for $20 a bottle or less at retail. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Here are three 2014 rosés well worth decanting. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Château d’Esclans was established by Sacha Lichine, son of
Alexis Lichine, the legendary wine expert and author of the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Encyclopedia of Wines and Spirits</i>. While
the domaine’s chalky-clay slopes produce some of the world’s most exclusive
rosés, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">“Whispering Angel” Côtes de
Provence Rosé 2014</b>, at $20 per bottle, offers a pleasantly affordable
entrée into the highly esteemed brand. Described as a “chameleon,” the 13%-ABV Whispering
Angel will compliment any meal, from seafood or steak to barbecue or pan-Asian
cuisine. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">In addition to its unique terroir of schist and clay soil,
Domaine de la Fouquette is known for “green” growing and harvesting practices.
The estate’s pale and fruity <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Rosée
d’Aurore Côtes de Provence 2014 </b>boasts<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">
</b>intense, complex flavors of citrus. This is the rosé to serve at cocktail
hour with nibbles of olive tapenade or for mains like bouillabaisse, the
classic Provençal fish stew. The 12.5%-ABV Rosée d’Aurore sells for less than
$20 per bottle. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">The four Brun brothers, the third generation at the helm of
Ch<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">â</span>teau de Brigue, blended the
latest technology (including the use of screw caps) with the agronomic
savoir-faire of their engineer father to produce <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Brigue Provence</b> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Côtes de
Provence 2014. </b>This entry-level rosé (12.5% ABV),<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> </b>which retails at $13.50 per bottle, offers notes of lemon, pear,
grapefruit, and mineral. The fruity, fresh and balanced wine pairs well with
fish, seafood, poultry, stews, </span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a><span style="font-family: Arial;">fresh vegetables, and
other Mediterranean classics. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">So the next time you’re debating between red and white,
think pink instead, and chose a rosé. A votre santé!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><em><u>About our Guest Author:</u> <br />Nicole Zaro Stahl is a professional business writer based in San Francisco who covers food, beverage, technology, distribution, and logistics topics.</em></span></span></div>
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Barbara Keck (mountainhighwines at gmail dot com)http://www.blogger.com/profile/10904356674364163038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-392471788299072903.post-14558065727611457302015-03-02T11:55:00.001-08:002015-03-02T11:55:31.916-08:00Chaddsford Hard Cider Sports Contemporary ACI Screw Cap<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixU1MwWSV6YwtcEh-s_5PobMZ4peaed7cVGOHM3om79VrvamhaRIMiXrWG2E5jsRbGcuK6-HRaQzAq1Wk2Y79fogoTTzeLmV_lxo0j44GJnwclo0Og1hKZ2QqoVLgt2sasHmY2E9_IGnJS/s1600/Hard+Cider+Capsule+Picture+web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixU1MwWSV6YwtcEh-s_5PobMZ4peaed7cVGOHM3om79VrvamhaRIMiXrWG2E5jsRbGcuK6-HRaQzAq1Wk2Y79fogoTTzeLmV_lxo0j44GJnwclo0Og1hKZ2QqoVLgt2sasHmY2E9_IGnJS/s1600/Hard+Cider+Capsule+Picture+web.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em></em><br />
<em>f<strong>or a high resolution version</strong></em><br />
<em><strong>of this image, please contact</strong></em><br />
<a href="mailto:info@winebizpr.com"><em><strong>info@winebizpr.com</strong></em></a></td></tr>
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<span style="color: windowtext;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Chaddsford Hard Cider Sports </span></span></strong></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoBodyText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: windowtext;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Contemporary ACI Screw
Cap<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></strong></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoBodyText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: windowtext;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>on Fast-Growth
Traditional Colonial Beverage</span></span></strong></span><br />
<span style="color: windowtext;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></strong></span> </div>
<br />
<br />
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br /><span style="font-family: Arial;">
</span></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Newly launched craft cider
keeps its freshness with ACI’s “fizz” screw cap liner<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
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<br />
<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /><span style="font-family: Arial;">
Chadds Ford, PA--</span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Today’s packaging technology merges smoothly with
Jim Osborn’s historical approach to crafting hard cider. Osborn, the winemaker
at Chaddsford Winery, the largest and best known in Pennsylvania, evokes a
centuries-old tradition with his contemporary rendition of the beverage favored
by North American colonists and now embraced in a dynamic revival. The new
“fizz” screw cap liner from ACI Cork USA marries well with Chaddsford Hard
Cider, thanks to its unique ability to retain fresh crisp flavors while
offering ease of consumer opening and reclosability. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Chaddsford’s
own history is one of award-winning wine production. A stone’s throw from the
famous Revolutionary war site, the Battle of Brandywine, the Winery has
steadily established a tradition of locally-sourced, quality wines since its
founding in 1982. Osborn was inspired to apply his talent and creativity to
hard cider early last summer. He started with 1,000 gallons of fresh-pressed
apple cider, which he then cold-fermented and left unfiltered, capturing the
pure, simple nature of the fruit. The result is a European-style cider much
like that consumed by his forefathers—and a big hit among visitors to both the
Winery tasting room and the Chaddsford retail shop in Peddler’s Village, in
nearby Bucks County. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Osborn was
also drawn to hard cider for pragmatic reasons. Using just Pennsylvania-grown
apples, the cidery that provides a key ingredient in Chaddsford’s Spiced Apple
wine presses the proprietary blend on demand, with overnight delivery for
maximum freshness. The availability of a year-round supply aligns perfectly
with Osborn’s plan to produce hard cider on demand as well. “The beauty of it
is that I am not locked into a specific season, and I can utilize all the
equipment we already have in house,” he comments. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">He did have to find an appropriate closure for the 750-ml
amber-colored glass bottles selected to represent the product’s brand. While
the hard cider is not carbonated, a small residue of CO2 remains in the bottle,
requiring a higher level of gas retention than the 60 x 30 ACI screw caps
regularly used on Chaddsford wines. The solution is the ACI “fizz” screw cap
with an aluminum exterior and a polymer insert with a Saranex liner, the same
closure purchased by ACI customers who make sparkling cider and wine. The liner
provides a total oxygen barrier to preserve the organoleptic qualities and
flavor of the product at the time of bottling. Osborn points out, “I can still
use the same capping equipment we use for our wine, but this screw cap offers a
tighter seal that gives me a little extra insurance and allows me to sleep well
at night.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Since its debut last fall,
Chaddsford has sold 500 cases of Hard Cider from its two retail outlets; plans
call for an output of 2,000 cases in 2015. There is interest in launching the
product into the Winery’s Mid-Atlantic distribution network, “but we haven’t
cemented that decision yet,” Osborn says. As he eyes the multiple attractions
of his new product—its lively taste, </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">6% alcohol by volume</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">, and naturally gluten-free composition–he
sees a bright and fizzy future ahead. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">The Chaddsford Winery and tasting room are located at 632
Baltimore Pike, Chadds Ford, PA 19317, (610) 388-6221. For more information on
products from Chaddsford Winery and Hard Cider, go to </span></span><a href="http://www.chaddsford.com/"><span style="color: windowtext; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">www.chaddsford.com</span></span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"># # March 2015 # #<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">ACI Cork USA,
celebrating its 11th anniversary in the United States, is located at 2870
Cordelia Road, Suite 150, Fairfield CA 94534. Telephone: (707) 426-3566.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
Barbara Keck (mountainhighwines at gmail dot com)http://www.blogger.com/profile/10904356674364163038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-392471788299072903.post-48807487800834866332015-02-17T12:46:00.000-08:002015-02-17T12:46:05.053-08:00Valentine's Wines: Steve Bjerklie Writes from New Hampshire<div style="border: 0px currentColor; margin: 10px 0px 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="wine-st-valentine-day (2)" class="CToWUd a6T" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEj0tVfWhXMHlMz4FAm1GngiBdKDEdr_jM9_NpIZRqeOX3YAV-mgj8nLyR3dhp770_rqDYsM7wTPN7Q62eu7ZyTzSJ9uyWNDPIsSxojjfiCInbD7UPpUz18DfP7JkzUfYd8uVIuRlq6-bVTPKZV8JNn-BeZGSSOTlfEFqIddGZNqpmb3hPHxN4NDd5VL=s0-d-e1-ft" style="border: 0px currentColor; display: block; margin: 0px 0px 20px; max-height: 400px; max-width: 100%; min-height: auto; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="320" />Your lover wants chocolate, you want wine. Can this relationship be saved in time for Valentine’s Day?</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px currentColor; margin: 10px 0px 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">You won’t have to look far to find expert, well-meaning advice saying, yes, sure, no problem. Red wine — especially a dense zinfandel or petite sirah, even a good pinot noir — is a great match for chocolate, or so goes the conventional wisdom. I’m here to tell you, however, that’s baloney. I think red wine goes with chocolate like flip-flops go on a hockey rink: the combination usually proves embarrassing.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px currentColor; margin: 10px 0px 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">So instead of following the crowd, try pairing Valentine chocolate with a good port. New Hampshire state liquor stores usually have a variety of good ports on hand, and the full state wine list (from which you can order online) offers dozens of ports, including some high-end vintage bottles.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px currentColor; margin: 10px 0px 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">True port is a sweet dark wine fortified with <em style="border: 0px currentColor; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">aguardente</em> (a grape spirit, though not brandy) that comes from Portugal, specifically the Duoro Valley. If “sweet” and “fortified” don’t seem to you like attractive descriptions for a wine, consider that production of port dates back at least to the 17th century, and across the centuries port makers have learned a very great deal about how to make delicious wine.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px currentColor; margin: 10px 0px 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Several kinds of port cater to different tastes. Tawny port is aged in wooden barrels, often for decades, and tends to be on the sweet side. It’s usually served as a dessert wine. Ruby port is the most common port and is typically the cheapest; it is not aged in wood but in stainless steel tanks. Vintage port is the good stuff, made only in years that are declared “vintage” by the <em style="border: 0px currentColor; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e Porto</em>, the official body governing port production in Portugal, based on the quality of that year’s grapes. Vintage ports are typically aged for two years in wooden barrels, then further aged in the bottle for much longer, sometimes as long as 40 years, before they’re released for sale. Indeed, vintage port more than 100 years old can still taste wonderful.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px currentColor; margin: 10px 0px 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">What makes port a good match for chocolate is the hint of sweetness in the wine that’s supported, in the best ports, by subtle, tantalizing fresh fruit flavors. A dark chocolate, not too sweet, captures and complements the port’s sugar. Great port is as complex as a great Bordeaux or New World cabernet sauvignon, but in a completely different way. Just as you wouldn’t pair a cab with ice cream, you wouldn’t match a port with a steak. With port you want a food that complements and enhances the wine’s quiet sweetness and subtle fruitiness without bringing along a clashing acidity or oily fat. Strawberries dipped in chocolate come to mind. So does a really good chocolate truffle with raspberry filling.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px currentColor; margin: 10px 0px 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">A flavor combination I happen to love is orange with chocolate, and so another wine match for chocolate that’s a favorite of mine is dark chocolate accompanied by a glass of Essensia, a sweet dessert wine from Quady Winery in California that’s made with the orange muscat grape. You will find Essensia on the occasional restaurant wine list — it’s available at the Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe, VT — and in a few well-stocked Vermont wine shops. It’s not on the New Hampshire state wine list, unfortunately.</span></div>
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">- See more at: <a href="http://theuppervalley.com/the-latest/valentine-wine/#sthash.gpSQM4iQ.dpuf" target="_blank">http://theuppervalley.com/the-<wbr></wbr>latest/valentine-wine/#sthash.<wbr></wbr>gpSQM4iQ.dpuf</a></span>Barbara Keck (mountainhighwines at gmail dot com)http://www.blogger.com/profile/10904356674364163038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-392471788299072903.post-45371253085842033902015-01-30T14:26:00.001-08:002015-01-30T14:26:04.852-08:00COWBOYS, MAPLEWOOD AND SYRAH - Steve Bjerklie writes from New Hamphire<h1 style="border: 0px currentColor; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-size: 19px;">COWBOYS, MAPLEWOOD AND SYRAH</span></h1>
<div style="border: 0px currentColor; margin: 10px 0px 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Back in the fall of 2013, a windstorm took down a stately old sugar maple on some acreage we own in Dorchester, NH. I didn’t have a chainsaw just then, so I let the fallen tree rest and dry out for more than a year before cutting it up for firewood. The past few weekends I’ve been at the task, sawing rounds off the trunk and the larger branches, and it’s a beast of a job. The tree, maybe 150 years old, is four feet in diameter at its thickest, and the wood, now nicely dried out, is hard as stone. (It burns great, though.)</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px currentColor; margin: 10px 0px 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">While I work the old tree on a chilly gray afternoon, I like to think about the delicious stew my wife Cindy makes on cold days, a hearty concoction she calls “cowboy bean.” It’s amazing how thoughts of good, hot food can make sawing rounds of heavy trunk-wood in an icy, biting wind much easier, especially when those thoughts include a wine that is one of my favorites. For there’s nothing better with cowboy bean stew than a great big syrah.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px currentColor; margin: 10px 0px 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Syrah is the basis for the elegant, complex red wines of the northern Rhône region in France. It can also be made into a fruitier, much simpler wine, as cheap shiraz (as syrah is called there) from Australia demonstrates. In the United States, syrah (not to be confused with petite sirah, which is a different grape altogether) tends to be denser than light Australian shiraz but is usually not as multi-dimensional as the best Rhônes.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px currentColor; margin: 10px 0px 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">There are exceptions, though. My favorite American syrahs come from Washington state, particularly the Walla Walla Valley. There, the hot, dry summers and cold, sometimes bitter, winters and the rocky, volcanic soils stress syrah vines just enough to concentrate an abundance of flavors into the grapes. Indeed, the region has attracted several French-born <em style="border: 0px currentColor; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">vignerons</em> in addition to a new generation of young winemakers. The highest-end Walla Walla syrahs — those from Cayuse, Spring Valley, Sleight of Hand, Trust Cellars, Long Shadows and SYZYGY, among others — are all but impossible to find in the eastern U.S. outside of a tiny handful of exclusive restaurants, though it’s very much worth trying to get on mailing lists for these wines. However, excellent Washington syrah is widely available under the Columbia Crest label, and the New Hampshire State Liquor store wine list includes terrific Walla Walla syrah from K Vintners and Charles Smith.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px currentColor; margin: 10px 0px 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">This isn’t to say other regions don’t produce fine syrah. Randall Grahm, the original “Rhone Ranger,” began growing Rhone varietals, including syrah, in California north of Santa Cruz back in the 1980s. His winery, Bonny Doon, makes a very good syrah called “Pousseur” that’s on the NH State Liquor list. In addition to Santa Cruz and Bonny Doon syrahs, I’ve tasted good syrahs from the Sierra Foothills and the Paso Robles area in California and the northern Willamette Valley in Oregon.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px currentColor; margin: 10px 0px 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Not to forget, of course, syrah’s ancestral home, the Rhône Valley in southeastern France, which produces some of the finest wines in the world. Syrah has been grown there for wine for 2,500 years, and across the millennia the French <em style="border: 0px currentColor; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">vignerons</em> have learned a thing or two about how to make great wine from this wonderful grape. If you see the word “Cornas” in large type on the label of a French wine, snap it up. That sub-region of the northern Rhône produces, arguably, the best syrah anywhere. With Cornas in your glass, you are in for a truly special wine experience. This beautiful wine would certainly pair well with Cindy’s cowboy bean stew. Even a Frenchman might say “Mon Dieu!” to the match while a maplewood fire warmed the room.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"></span> </div>
<div style="border: 0px currentColor; margin: 10px 0px 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"></span> </div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><em>(Steve Bjerklie is a writer who works from the Half Pint Farm in New Hampshire. This column first appeared in theuppervalley.com online magazine, in January 2015)</em></span></div>
Barbara Keck (mountainhighwines at gmail dot com)http://www.blogger.com/profile/10904356674364163038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-392471788299072903.post-24253795868042851652014-12-23T07:53:00.000-08:002014-12-23T07:53:39.109-08:00Industry Veteran Raul Marques Joins ACI CORK USA<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2xncomxKl83DtWeOKkSV8f2fy_4UBsdPtxfD1tVDCiZr3Q9_cpboSAJ5td8BlvNjrMe3bU5dScVh7OMclEegeUXHz-3nCJYtT_ePNSpSjYl00Jiz6jH34zAXnF_jxRZ1mznwheY3ZBBlT/s1600/Raul+MarquesSales.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2xncomxKl83DtWeOKkSV8f2fy_4UBsdPtxfD1tVDCiZr3Q9_cpboSAJ5td8BlvNjrMe3bU5dScVh7OMclEegeUXHz-3nCJYtT_ePNSpSjYl00Jiz6jH34zAXnF_jxRZ1mznwheY3ZBBlT/s1600/Raul+MarquesSales.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sales Executive brings more than<br />
30 years of experience to<br />
ACI Cork USA</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">Raul Marques is the latest
addition to the sales team at ACI CORK USA. Mr. Marques, a native of Portugal’s
cork-growing region, has logged more than three decades in the cork business,
occupying a progression of sales and management positions and working with
winery customers around the globe.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 8pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">Headquartered in Fairfield,
California, ACI CORK USA provides cork and non-cork closures to producers of
wine, distilled spirits, vinegars and oils in the US, Canada, and Mexico. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">“Raul’s
comprehensive knowledge of the industry is a great asset to our company,”
comments Armando Andrade, General Manager of ACI CORK USA. “In addition, he
shares our commitment to maintaining a premier position in customer service to
the wine industry as our market share continues to grow.” <br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">Since
beginning his career on the production floor of a cork manufacturer near his
home town, Mr. Marques has had a first-hand view of advances in all facets of
the business, from forest management to the adoption of sophisticated
processing technologies to the location of finishing plants near winemakers to foster
frequent and convenient communication. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">“Corks
nowadays are much more reliable, thanks in large part to the continuous process
improvement and rigid quality control practices such as those in place at ACI
CORK USA,” he notes. “Today’s wineries enjoy a wide variety of closure options
to protect their products and support brand identification initiatives. As a
supplier it’s a definite advantage to offer a gamut of cork types, capsules and
screw caps, along with the flexibility to meet their unique delivery
requirements. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;">“I’m
very pleased to serve our customers throughout California in this new capacity,”
Mr. Marques concludes.</span></div>
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<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">ACI CORK USA,
celebrating its 10<sup>th</sup> anniversary in the United States, is located at
2870 Cordelia Road, Suite 150, Fairfield CA 94534. Telephone: (707)
426-3566.</span></b><span style="color: green; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">ACI CORK USA provides cork and non-cork closures to producers of
wine, distilled spirits, vinegars and oils in the North American market. Corks
are sourced from Portuguese companies that use world class technology to
produce all-natural cork wine stoppers; other cork-based products sold by ACI CORK
USA are the new innovative Nanocork™, several types of "technical"
corks produced via agglomeration processes, closures for sparkling wines, and
Bartop™ closures. Screwcaps and capsules, included in the ACI CORK USA
product line, provide one-stop shopping for any wine closure need. After
custom finishing each product to exacting customer specifications in the modern
30,000 sq ft Fairfield CA plant, ACI CORK USA provides closures to more than
600 winemakers in the USA, Canada and Mexico.</span><span style="color: green; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Barbara Keck (mountainhighwines at gmail dot com)http://www.blogger.com/profile/10904356674364163038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-392471788299072903.post-12764918361769652952014-12-17T12:32:00.002-08:002014-12-17T12:32:15.349-08:002014 Vintage Report from Nevada County, California: Sierra Starr Vineyards <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCTUkIaTvDs9oFkl8QVG8H-keIMIKgUPT8rqUqLV3ySwdHpBJZQ6wzpyJtQPl77eQoVoWzD64GHKZdHcuIB1tV6ueglbGjgZB-6sLgtljWsE1Q3-RiF2nDhEvEE31zYiSa0KwKHBtI49nB/s1600/Anne+Starr+of+Sierra+Starr+Vineyards.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCTUkIaTvDs9oFkl8QVG8H-keIMIKgUPT8rqUqLV3ySwdHpBJZQ6wzpyJtQPl77eQoVoWzD64GHKZdHcuIB1tV6ueglbGjgZB-6sLgtljWsE1Q3-RiF2nDhEvEE31zYiSa0KwKHBtI49nB/s1600/Anne+Starr+of+Sierra+Starr+Vineyards.jpeg" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anne Starr pours Sierra Starr's<br />
wines in their Grass Valley<br />
downtown tasting room</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Jackson Starr of Sierra Starr Vineyards, Vineyard Manager and Assistant Winemaker, sends along this very informative <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-language: EN-US;">2014 Vintage Report. Sierra Starr Vineyards is located in Grass Valley, CA, and is part of the growing number of quality vineyards in Nevada County, CA. You can learn more about them on their <a href="http://www.sierrastarrwine.com/sierrastarrwine/">website (click here)</a></span><br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-language: EN-US;">SPRING</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-language: EN-US;">2014 was an exciting and extremely busy vintage here at Sierra Starr Vineyards. The vintage began nicely with warm and dry conditions in month of April. Although we certainly would have liked to see more rain during the rainy season, here in Grass Valley we did see 36+ inches of rain. The cool, wet weather retreated to a warm dry spring and we saw bud break 7 days earlier than normal (what ever normal is anymore) on April 14th with the Sauvignon Blanc being the first variety to push.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Diligent canopy management began quickly after bud break to focus energy and promote growth. Soil nutrient tests were conducted on different vineyard blocks, pre bud break, to asses current soil nutrient attributes and deficiencies. From these findings a very specific fertigation and irrigation program was designed and implemented to maximizing vine performance while still adhering to our gentle farming practices.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We escaped late spring without any frost incidents (knock, knock), and bloom began first in the Sauvingon Blanc on May 22, again keeping this season’s growing trends about 1 week ahead of average. The Zinfandel followed on May 25th and the Cabernet Franc the week of June 1st.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-language: EN-US;">SUMMER</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-language: EN-US;">With verasion beginning the second week of July we knew harvest would certainly be commencing quicker than anticipated. And we were not disappointed.</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-language: EN-US;">HARVEST/FALL</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-language: EN-US;">Harvest began August 19th with the first of two Sauvignon Blanc picks. Our First Zinfandel pick of the vintage fell on September 9th, which is 2 days ahead of last year and about 3 weeks ahead of the old normal. On September 24th with rain looming, the Starr family, Phil, Jack, and Anne picked 3 ton of Petite Sirah (by themselves) in a 13 hour marathon, but hey, we got it in before the rain! The Cabernet Franc, our last variety to harvest, was picked on October 3rd to immediate accolades by both Phil and Jack due to the intense development of color and flavor. </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-language: EN-US;">SUMMARY</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-language: EN-US;">The 2014 vintage yielded wines with intensity and freshness. These aspects are emphasized by the balance of sugars and firm acidity achieved in the winery. We feel this is truly a symptom of our very intense farming and our vineyard site, blessed with dry days, lots of warm sun, and cool nights. </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-language: EN-US;">NEW VINEYARD</span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: TimesNewRomanPSMT; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-language: EN-US;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-language: EN-US;">It is also worth noting that our estate vineyards expanded during the 2014 vintage. With the addition of 900+ new vines (about half of our new hillside), we certainly feel the expression of our vineyard site is worth exploring and expanding. In doing so we took on two new varieties including Semillon and Riesling. Also expanding our holdings with varieties that have showed promise for us, Cabernet Franc, Petite Sirah and Alicante Bouchet. We at Sierra Starr are extremely excited and proud of the wines produced from the 2014 vintage and wait anxiously for their development in cask and tank before bottling down the road. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-language: EN-US;">Cheers! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-language: EN-US;">The Starr Family<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Barbara Keck (mountainhighwines at gmail dot com)http://www.blogger.com/profile/10904356674364163038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-392471788299072903.post-23055477205567482772014-06-29T21:23:00.003-07:002014-06-29T21:23:58.248-07:00Sauvigon Blanc from Around the World
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw-CogRcRlatB8cw3RDZtcqWoRISZ7vGOsQZeiP4mOGBrQ6gk7ksoeFCc0yoRN-YDo_Kzx070Hhj_n578Wu-3HvlBxaK763RS3oCilFL3YJ48iPVtXRMdCroaP0fhS68OXeDXP8q2iWUmc/s1600/061214-Wine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw-CogRcRlatB8cw3RDZtcqWoRISZ7vGOsQZeiP4mOGBrQ6gk7ksoeFCc0yoRN-YDo_Kzx070Hhj_n578Wu-3HvlBxaK763RS3oCilFL3YJ48iPVtXRMdCroaP0fhS68OXeDXP8q2iWUmc/s1600/061214-Wine.jpg" height="320" width="224" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It’s not like we really need a special day to enjoy
Sauvignon Blanc, but the wine industry designated one recently.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And so we gathered an interesting selection
of Sauvignon Blanc from various wine regions of the world, and proceeded to
taste them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I started with a Sancerre,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>which has long been my favorite white wine with fish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It pairs so magnificently with New England
lobster that I can’t imagine going to Boston and having lobster there without a
bottle of Sancerre at the table.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Sancerre I chose is the Domaine de la Perriere Sancerre
2013, produced by Saget La Perrier, a leading premium winery in the Loire
Valley of France.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Managed now for 9
generations of Saget family owners,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>currently the brothers Jean-Louis Saget and Christian Saget were brought
up in the vineyards and learned to respect the soil and the vines from a young
age.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their love is reflected in this
Sancerre.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This is a dry white wine with flowery fruit flavors that
linger for a long time on the palate, and the characteristic minerality that
defines most Sauvignon Blanc, along with a somewhat grassy aroma.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>12.5 percent alcohol.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Suggested retail price is $24.99.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Next up, the Dashwood Sauvignon Blanc 2013 hails from from
New Zealand’s Marlborough region, where the winds whip through the valleys each
day and where towering mountains frame the vineyards.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dashwood produces wines that are certified as
sustainably grown, in vineyards in the Awatere and Wairau sub-regions of
Marlborough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This Sauvignon Blanc has an
incredible aroma and a wonderful structure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The fruit flavor is bright and fresh and zesty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’ll taste stone fruit like apple and pear,
citrus, and some tropical flavors too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>13 percent alcohol.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Suggested
retail price is $14.99</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Casablanca, Chile, is the next wine region for our Sauvignon
Blanc Day celebration.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Los Vascos
Sauvignon Blanc 2013 is a result of the vision of Domaines Barons de Rothschild
(Lafite) to expand their estate by growing in South America.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Los Vascos was the first French viticultural
investment in modern Chile. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This is a very fine wine at a very moderate price.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Los Vascos Sauvignon Blanc is lively and
refreshing with a perfect balance of fruit and acidity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The spring and early summer of 2013 were cold
in Casablanca, and the resulting late harvest yielded very aromatic grapes. The
winemaker chose to express these remarkable aromas in this wine, and the
bouquet is of lemon, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>grapefruit and
exotic fruit, with an aroma we don’t often get in other Sauvignon Blancs:
boxwood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Really scrumptious.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>13 percent alcohol.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Suggest retail price of $13.99.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Grab some for the summer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You won’t regret it.</span></div>
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<em>This information appeared in the June 12 issue of <a href="http://thetahoeweekly.com/2014/06/sauvignon-blanc-around-world/">The Tahoe Weekly,</a> in myWine Time column</em>Barbara Keck (mountainhighwines at gmail dot com)http://www.blogger.com/profile/10904356674364163038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-392471788299072903.post-64612226922967453422014-06-29T21:12:00.002-07:002014-06-30T09:46:39.798-07:00Garagiste Wineries - Featuring Dubost Ranch of Paso Robles<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdyE6ARL_d2fvUeOv0HQiTBQ-kcxQtrJFFPyFtsPBGZNcT196BQ84AmkH7CD0vXYz6CpPYuskNthwQYYpYxWepAhDxcvtp2wGd1HdJ8-B1CuAVvReJgGG4Wai2gRbEHoUWIpMWI-8yn1Hf/s1600/Kate+Dubost+LR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdyE6ARL_d2fvUeOv0HQiTBQ-kcxQtrJFFPyFtsPBGZNcT196BQ84AmkH7CD0vXYz6CpPYuskNthwQYYpYxWepAhDxcvtp2wGd1HdJ8-B1CuAVvReJgGG4Wai2gRbEHoUWIpMWI-8yn1Hf/s1600/Kate+Dubost+LR.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kate Dubost in the Tasting Room</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">What is a garagiste winery?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The term often refers to folks who make wines in their garages, as they
begin winemaking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is also a
growing movement in California, primarily based in the Paso Robles area, of
garagiste wineries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The website
californiagaragistes.com says this:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“<span class="dardeftitle1"><span style="color: windowtext; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">GARAGISTES – (gar-uh-zhē-stuh) </span></span><em><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">n</span></em><span class="dardeftitle1"><span style="color: windowtext; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">, Fr.</span></span> – A term
originally used in the Bordeaux region of France to denigrate renegade
small-lot wine makers, sometimes working in their garage, who refused to follow
the “rules.” Now a full-fledged movement responsible for making some of the
best wine in the world.” </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I visited a Paso Robles garagiste winery, Dubost Ranch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With production capacity now of 1200 cases a
year, winemaker Zachary Raines along with owner Kate Dubost (also known as
“Mom”) have produced an impressive array of wines since their first vintage in
2003.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All wines are hand bottled, hand
corked and hand-foiled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Talk about a
labor of love!</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHBosghkEkrg6luhUCaylWmRCA73qSNG-Lk6KhTOTTyJTNkaFw68fp4Oa2o3adOHMIu2xDcpVP4-vt2nCc3YOAdqb1t4NkEz4PE9SuCk-mkAi7arNggcYflNrRGY_MeiKsVNukvAUPNSY6/s1600/customers+in+tasting+room.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHBosghkEkrg6luhUCaylWmRCA73qSNG-Lk6KhTOTTyJTNkaFw68fp4Oa2o3adOHMIu2xDcpVP4-vt2nCc3YOAdqb1t4NkEz4PE9SuCk-mkAi7arNggcYflNrRGY_MeiKsVNukvAUPNSY6/s1600/customers+in+tasting+room.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The tasting room - cool place on a hot day!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">One of the interesting aspects of Dubost Ranch winery is
their commitment to being as sustainable as possible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The building housing the barrels, equipment,
and tasting room is built of bales of rice straw.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This provides a natural insulation, important
in the Paso Robles area where the days are hot and the nights are cool.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This temperature variation, however
challenging from the storage point of view, makes for great grape growing
conditions!</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-tzFBwcA8J4Aarygns4gnAfSbF6AxQmHLyEJxk8DAnwQE1oPZ4tOTd6jEVaAUYREcAFRkhxou-jGTuFrDUbENAoeD6jml7u3bCcCwalZ38PVM4g3GuNAH9a87xJe_78o2CqSUTdhD1UGp/s1600/wines+at+tasting+room+LR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-tzFBwcA8J4Aarygns4gnAfSbF6AxQmHLyEJxk8DAnwQE1oPZ4tOTd6jEVaAUYREcAFRkhxou-jGTuFrDUbENAoeD6jml7u3bCcCwalZ38PVM4g3GuNAH9a87xJe_78o2CqSUTdhD1UGp/s1600/wines+at+tasting+room+LR.jpg" height="320" width="237" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Dubost 2009 Crianza, Paso Robles, is a blend of 20%
Grenache, 40% Tempranillo and 40% Syrah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Think of it this way,” said Kate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“It’s Iberian Peninsula meets the Rhone…but with a bit more acidic
tones.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The aroma is of dried fruit and
vanilla, with a subtle hint of oak.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Taste is clean and refreshing, with a nice fruitiness and that acidity
for balance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>104 cases produced.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>13 percent alcohol. $25 the bottle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Their newest release is the 2010 Estate Cuvee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This Cuvee, of which only 70 cases were
produced, is a blend of 34% Syrah, 33% Petite Verdot, and 33% Malbec.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The color of deep garnet gives you an inkling
that the aroma will be heady, with cedar, anise, vanilla, cherry cola and a
hint of mint.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This wine has a big body,
with well developed tannins and a sweet lingering finish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All fruit was sourced from Dubost’s own
vineyards.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>16.5 percent alcohol.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>$45 the bottle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The 2009 Reserva, made with fruit from Starr Ranch Vineyard,
Paso Robles, is a fairly tannic wine blended from Syrah and Tempranillo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Carbonic maceration led to aromatics of
coffee and lavender, and a taste of dark fruit and rich oak.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>150 cases produced.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>17.4 percent alcohol. $40 the bottle.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I also enjoyed their 2010 Carmenere, their Rose, and the
2009 Homestead Red.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Descriptions and
prices are on the website, </span><a href="http://www.dubostwine.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">www.dubostwine.com</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
and they’ll gladly ship to you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or visit
them at 9988 Chimney Rock Road, Paso Robles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Call for hours 805-226-8463.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6QCkM1h6POlTrSW1ft0j2DGwir_ADV74Aw29xpFoRkPAmhl_sZ-5JHjY1gjuMD3YHji-Df-57MGvGnZ1-y2TwaCiXMC03odBk0cQ_A1MdncNXdLjSZIUaQvoKT21t6UKyH-c2riKKsMiu/s1600/Freckles+the+Dubost+cat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6QCkM1h6POlTrSW1ft0j2DGwir_ADV74Aw29xpFoRkPAmhl_sZ-5JHjY1gjuMD3YHji-Df-57MGvGnZ1-y2TwaCiXMC03odBk0cQ_A1MdncNXdLjSZIUaQvoKT21t6UKyH-c2riKKsMiu/s1600/Freckles+the+Dubost+cat.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Freckles, the Dubost Winery cat</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>This appeared in June 2014 in my <a href="http://thetahoeweekly.com/2014/06/garagiste-wines/">Wine Time column in The Tahoe Weekly</a></em></span></div>
Barbara Keck (mountainhighwines at gmail dot com)http://www.blogger.com/profile/10904356674364163038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-392471788299072903.post-6696777776078041702014-06-29T20:57:00.000-07:002014-06-30T09:48:01.384-07:00Wine Country Wedding<span style="font-family: Garamond;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">June is a wedding time of year, and the younger generation
of 20-and-30-somethings plans many of their weddings at wineries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Apart from the main event, winery weddings
provide an aspect that everyone enjoys: wine tastings and drinking.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">My first experience of a wine country wedding was a few
weeks ago when the Canadian side of my family decided that all available
Taylors should come to my second cousin Kevin’s wedding at the Vintage Inn in
Yountville.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was great fun!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And, at 6 p.m. in mid-June, there was still
plenty of sunshine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisbnHDHewv3uGg3OI0sX4_Jo60KzlTyZo3cSlBodSFwlZZunaOveY0Z7dxCX8xY43TPUn0Ocu2AKkIXPSS6R6n1kcdwpJTbA1VTPNAJigAHQHCTDYeo3MOL4KGV4v1EaOOSTwF4oCelyH3/s1600/wine+pours+at+Vintage+Inn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisbnHDHewv3uGg3OI0sX4_Jo60KzlTyZo3cSlBodSFwlZZunaOveY0Z7dxCX8xY43TPUn0Ocu2AKkIXPSS6R6n1kcdwpJTbA1VTPNAJigAHQHCTDYeo3MOL4KGV4v1EaOOSTwF4oCelyH3/s1600/wine+pours+at+Vintage+Inn.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
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I’d never heard of One Hope Wines, but when the wedding
toasts noted the bride’s extensive volunteer work, it all made a lot of
sense.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One Hope is known for its
give-back-to-charity policies and its website states “Every Bottle Makes an
Impact”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Half of wine sales profits go
to charity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wine buyers can select the
wine they most enjoy by varietal, or be guided by the cause which the varietal
supports.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Check their website, </span><a href="http://www.onehopewine.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">www.OneHopeWine.com</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> for more detail. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I enjoyed three
wines, all nicely paired with hors d’oeuvres and dinner items.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The chilled sparkling wine, so appropriate for toasts and so
welcome on a hot day, was the ONEHOPE California Brut Sparkling Wine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>French Colombard grapes provide the freshness
and light color in this sparkler.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Aroma
is of fresh green apples and nectarines, and the crisp taste of fresh fruit
like peaches, sweet berries and pear stays nicely on the palate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is somewhat creamy, with refreshing
bubbles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>11 percent alcohol.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>$18.99 the bottle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Half the profits are donated to end childhood
hunger in America. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3B4yHCiAAqVzeOF06wjmTHQM_JJk_43H5ALnI-2DrHmCyoFl5SAnVlYzaHV6dOkjMfxrbXpdHpVKVo9lMksB9UrZ32uEL7a3LPHQMsD4_vXRc-MG3wn4Mb2zT1TI0YNlBbeL8N494CPfQ/s1600/pinot+noir.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3B4yHCiAAqVzeOF06wjmTHQM_JJk_43H5ALnI-2DrHmCyoFl5SAnVlYzaHV6dOkjMfxrbXpdHpVKVo9lMksB9UrZ32uEL7a3LPHQMsD4_vXRc-MG3wn4Mb2zT1TI0YNlBbeL8N494CPfQ/s1600/pinot+noir.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The 2011 ONEHOPE California Pinot Noir is hand-crafted by
winemaker Rob Mondavi Jr.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Grapes are
sourced from vineyards in Napa, Sonoma and the Central Coast of
California.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are intense strawberry
and date flavors in this spicy yet lush-tasting wine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These grapes had extended ripening on the vine,
and then were aged in American Oak to give a nice tannin structure to the
wine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>13.5 percent alcohol.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>$18.99 the bottle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Half the profits are donated to help pets
find their forever home. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The 2009 ONEHOPE Santa Barbara Reserve Chardonnay has
wonderful fruit aroma and a great balanced acidity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are accents in the aroma of citrus and
stone-fruit such as nectarine and pear, and the taste features a hint of
minerality along with apricot and apple flavors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A creamy oak and some rich butter notes make
a nice round finish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>14.2 percent
alcohol.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>$23.99 the bottle. Half the
profits are donate to the Cure Alzheimer’s Fund.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguAbT7mJvkFCFhMc750pvfrsDfViQKHNXuKn-4kbPJNU0LaMOzs5icY94TMHw2tFbbnL3QlY0MUFr-D6NUwwPBAOZkDjheLFMS-5KjwF0crisjs0AA_sBjhEbDPUL3Zou3wRgMsCJYgIKW/s1600/vintage+inn+lawn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguAbT7mJvkFCFhMc750pvfrsDfViQKHNXuKn-4kbPJNU0LaMOzs5icY94TMHw2tFbbnL3QlY0MUFr-D6NUwwPBAOZkDjheLFMS-5KjwF0crisjs0AA_sBjhEbDPUL3Zou3wRgMsCJYgIKW/s1600/vintage+inn+lawn.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Vintage Inn lawn provides<br />
a cool oasis for a June wine country wedding</td></tr>
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<em>This information appeared in <a href="http://thetahoeweekly.com/2014/06/wine-country-wedding/">The Tahoe Weekly</a> column, Wine Time, in June 2014.</em> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><strong>Congrats to Kevin and Amanda!</strong></span><br />
<br />Barbara Keck (mountainhighwines at gmail dot com)http://www.blogger.com/profile/10904356674364163038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-392471788299072903.post-50178841577086965802014-06-29T20:31:00.001-07:002014-06-29T20:31:42.240-07:00Laetitia Wines are Not Only Good, but Well-PromotedLaetitia Vineyard and Winery shares their love for their Santa Barbara terroir and provides some excellent pairing notes and recipes. I am aware oft his because every once in a while, I receive a press release that is so good that it's worthwhile passing on in toto to my blog readers. This is the case with the information provided by <a href="http://www.parkersanpei.com/">Parker Sanpei and Associates</a> about their client Laetitia wines. <br />
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"<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";"><em><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Second-generation winery owner, Nadia Zilkha, has walked a diverse path through everything from the world of finance to film production and medical innovation. Through it all, she remains focused on achieving balance between her love for family, her aptitude for business, and her passion for philanthropic causes.</span></em></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";"><em><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">At Laetitia Vineyard & Winery, on California’s Central Coast, Nadia and her father, Selim Zilkha, have partnered for decades to promote and oversee the production of top-tier sparkling and Pinot Noir wines from both the Laetitia Vineyard and the Santa Barbara Highlands Vineyard in Santa Barbara County. </span></em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";"><em><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Laetitia Vineyard & Winery has had a very successful past year including being named a Top Pinot in California by Karen MacNeil, write of The Wine Bible. They also have a sister brand named NADIA which has also been producing some noteworthy wines," wrote Elissa Wiese.</span></em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">Summer is the perfect season to enjoy two recent releases from <b>NADIA Wines</b> and their estate property, <b>Santa Barbara Highlands Vineyard</b>.</span></div>
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<img align="right" alt="PRT_BNDSBOSD13_Mid_20140508_141606.png" height="319" hspace="12" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/2/?ui=2&ik=01a44682f1&view=att&th=146cf9f0098c6ec3&attid=0.6&disp=emb&realattid=773a01fd245bde0c_0.6&zw&atsh=1" width="95" /><b><u><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">2013 NADIA Sauvignon Blanc</span></u></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">The 2013 growing season at Santa Barbara Highlands Vineyard was ideal, with marked similarities to that of 2012. The vines enjoyed a little more warmth, which translated into a slightly heavier than ideal crop. To retain balance and even ripening, the NADIA team balanced the crop load by thinning a percentage of the fruit. Additionally, they added more cross arms to the vineyard’s trellis system, promoting dimpled lighting for a cooler fruit zone with even ripening, ideal color and no sunburn. As a result, the wines are beautifully expressive, balanced and extracted. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">The 2013 Sauvignon Blanc was whole-cluster pressed, chilled, and then allowed to settle before fermentation began. A combination of stainless steel and small neutral French oak barrels were used for six months’ aging in stainless steel for six weeks. To maintain crispness, the wine did not undergo malolactic fermentation. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">In the glass, the 2013 NADIA Sauvignon Blanc wafts aromas of mango peel,</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">tropical kiwi and night-blooming jasmine. On the palate, cooked stone fruit and zingy key lime notes are softened by hints of dried field grass. The wine’s refreshing, mineral-driven backbone is balanced by weight and texture imparted by partial aging in neutral French oak, in addition to stainless steel.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">Pairing<b>: <u>Chicken Satay, Coconut Rice and Cucumber Salad</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">INGREDIENTS: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·</span><span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">1 (15-ounce) can light coconut milk, divided</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·</span><span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">1/4 cup lime juice, divided</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·</span><span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">4 teaspoons freshly grated ginger</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·</span><span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">1 tablespoon low-sodium tamari or soy sauce</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·</span><span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">3 teaspoons light brown sugar, divided</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·</span><span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">1/2 teaspoon Sriracha hot sauce</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·</span><span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut lengthwise into strips</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·</span><span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">1/4 cup smooth peanut butter</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·</span><span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded and thinly sliced</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·</span><span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">1 large carrot, thinly sliced</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·</span><span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·</span><span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·</span><span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">1 cup brown jasmine rice</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">INSTRUCTIONS </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">In a medium bowl, whisk together 3/4 cup coconut milk, 2 tablespoons lime juice, ginger, tamari,2 teaspoons sugar and hot sauce. Transfer 1/4 cup of the mixture to a small bowl and set aside. Add chicken to bowl with remaining marinade and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. Add peanut butter to 1/4 cup mixture in small bowl and whisk until smooth. Place cucumber, carrot, remaining 2 tablespoons lime juice, remaining 1 teaspoon sugar, cilantro and salt in a medium bowl and toss until combined. Refrigerate peanut sauce, cucumber salad and</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">remaining coconut milk until ready to serve.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">When ready to cook, place rice, remaining 1 cup coconut milk and 1 1/4 cups water in a medium saucepan and heat to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce to a simmer and cook 45 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">While rice cooks, thread chicken onto skewers and discard marinade. Preheat grill to medium heat. Cook chicken until cooked through, about 4 minutes on each side. Serve with peanut sauce, cucumber salad and rice.</span></div>
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<img align="right" alt="32_3fe41aa3adec03bda553f7ed9b49c15b.png" height="304" hspace="12" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/2/?ui=2&ik=01a44682f1&view=att&th=146cf9f0098c6ec3&attid=0.7&disp=emb&realattid=773a01fd245bde0c_0.7&zw&atsh=1" width="86" /><b><u><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">2012 NADIA Cabernet Sauvignon</span></u></b><b><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";"> </span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">The 2012 growing season was an ideal one for Santa Barbara Highlands Vineyard, which experienced noticeably warmer weather than that of 2011, and with 250 additional growing degree days. The result was riper fruit characters in the grapes and better control of dry farming. With calculated control over its watering practices, the NADIA team was able to encourage an adequate amount of struggle in the vines during their growth pattern to translate into a crop of expressive complexity with abundant fruit and earthen flavors. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">A Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot, this wine’s varieties were each crushed and fermented separately, and blended at 10 months. The wine is aged for 16 months in 30% new French oak, 20% new American oak and the remaining 50% in neutral French oak.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">The 2012 NADIA Cabernet Sauvignon shows aromas of wild blackberry and forest floor with notes of sweet cigar smoke and perfumed violet woven throughout. On the palate, layers of chocolate-covered cherries, anise and salty sea air are underscored by rich cedar, with firm yet supple tannins unwinding over time in the glass. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">Pairing<b>: <u>Grilled Bison Burgers with Sautéed Mushrooms</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">INGREDIENTS</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·</span><span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">1 tablespoon olive oil</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·</span><span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">2 teaspoons kosher salt</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·</span><span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·</span><span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">8 ounces mixed wild mushrooms, trimmed and quartered if large</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·</span><span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">1 large egg</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·</span><span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·</span><span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">1 medium garlic clove, minced</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·</span><span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">1 pound ground bison meat</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Symbol;">·</span><span style="font-size: 7pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">3 white rolls, cut in half horizontally and toasted</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">INSTRUCTIONS</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">Prepare a grill for medium-high heat. On the stove, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat. When shimmering, add oil, and heat over high until smoking. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring rarely, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Season with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper, remove from heat, and set aside.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">Mix together egg, Worcestershire, garlic, remaining 1 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl until egg is broken up. Add bison meat and mix until thoroughly combined.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">Shape meat mixture into 4 patties and place on the grill. Barbecue until browned and springy to the touch, about 8 minutes total for medium.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">To serve, top buns with burgers, divide mushrooms evenly between burgers, and close with top bun halves.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">For more information on NADIA wines, please visit <i><a href="http://www.nadiawines.com/" target="_blank">www.NADIAWines.com</a></i>. </span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";"><u>About NADIA Wines</u></span></b><span style="font-family: "Garamond","serif";">Far from the windswept coastal foothills of sister company, Laetitia Vineyard & Winery, lies a land of elevated, quiet grace. Framed by chalky cliffs and planted to vines that are drenched in sun by day and chilled by the cover of night – this is the Santa Barbara Highlands Vineyard, the home of NADIA Wines. Comprised of the Santa Barbara Highlands Vineyard’s highest echelon Bordeaux and Rhône-variety grapes, NADIA Wines eloquently champion the high-elevation terroir and inexhaustible potential of the Sierra Madre Mountains. For more information about NADIA Wines, please visit <i><a href="http://www.nadiawines.com/" target="_blank">www.NADIAWines.com</a></i>. Tastings are conducted at Laetitia Vineyard & Winery, 453 Laetitia Vineyard Drive, Arroyo Grande, CA 93420.</span></div>
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Barbara Keck (mountainhighwines at gmail dot com)http://www.blogger.com/profile/10904356674364163038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-392471788299072903.post-21927220501923478452014-06-29T19:39:00.002-07:002014-06-29T19:39:40.010-07:00First Class Wines, Ethiopian Airlines Selections<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF8qUslCw12ePMnFIPb4b3wGZCBCo4G1lyFPjvNef5Mbq6OwZmJs3rrH622HuCj_-HOMJ6fApjm-8xFux3dORnMHXk0pTAYim1ZQeUyB-Jlzzi64fCBsuxC3-onhMtQ7EXpCdYck8aTSkL/s1600/first+class+wines+ETH.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF8qUslCw12ePMnFIPb4b3wGZCBCo4G1lyFPjvNef5Mbq6OwZmJs3rrH622HuCj_-HOMJ6fApjm-8xFux3dORnMHXk0pTAYim1ZQeUyB-Jlzzi64fCBsuxC3-onhMtQ7EXpCdYck8aTSkL/s1600/first+class+wines+ETH.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I had to beg and borrow air miles in order to upgrade my
ticket to First Class for a recent trip I took to Ethiopia.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That journey is about 18 hours of in-air
time, not including changing planes in Heathrow and hanging around San Francisco
International for the obligatory 3-hour check-in time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s my old-lady excuse, but another reason
was that I wanted to taste the wines poured in First Class.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I must say, Ethiopian Airlines has a wine list of which they
can be proud!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m not sure how many of
these wines you’ll find in your local shops, but I’m sure they are available on
the internet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, let’s travel First
Class together in this column!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Disclosure: the tasting notes are provided by Ethiopian Airlines.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The 2012 Barton & Guestier Chateauneuf du Pape is from
the vineyards situated in the Rhone Valley of France.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This brightly cherry-red colored wine is very
aromatic, fruit driven (black cherry, prune) mixed with tobacco, liquorices and
spicy notes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is soft and round, with
remarkable ripe tannins and a long spicy aftertaste.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>13.5 percent alcohol.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">From South Africa, Boschendal Lanoy’s blend of Cabernet
Sauvignon and Merlot is deep garnet in color.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This is a bold wine, a true South African Shiraz/Cabernet blend, and has
luxurious fruit with aromas of cassis, pepper spice, liquorice and sage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is full bodied, elegant and complete with
well-integrated wood and soft powdery tannins on the palate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>14 percent alcohol.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The 2008 Rioja Vega Reserva red wine from Spain is the
typical Rioja blend of Tempranillo, Graciano and Mazuelo grapes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Aged for 2 years in oak, it’s an elegant
wine, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>with wood and other intense aroma
of ripe forest fruits and spice notes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There’s a subtle toastiness, and a balsamic background.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The rich variety of fruit flavors with soft
tannins and balanced acidity make for a very long and pleasant aftertaste.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>13.4 percent alcohol.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdGXzkIMlR-4Zz6BsMqzlr3L6gGVV7m3cOIN3J57qHh51HaBkHNUBH2AOaSgrI_FjjArffGv4mHoJu5sBaD23AX7yHAiKneQ4FBxiAzJSZdrclJgGBARwpqLxvq7Q2RPi3Zx4Dp9H7MmFr/s1600/P4060010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdGXzkIMlR-4Zz6BsMqzlr3L6gGVV7m3cOIN3J57qHh51HaBkHNUBH2AOaSgrI_FjjArffGv4mHoJu5sBaD23AX7yHAiKneQ4FBxiAzJSZdrclJgGBARwpqLxvq7Q2RPi3Zx4Dp9H7MmFr/s1600/P4060010.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The favorite of my First Class wines was the 2013 Palacio De
Bornos Verdejo, a white wine made solely from the most expressive Spanish white
grape variety:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Verdejo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This wine has notes of green apple and pear
along with scents of white flowers, herbs, and a pleasant hint of citrus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The taste is broad, with an excellent acidity
that adds freshness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This Verdejo has a
great personality, with a very long and spicy finish. 12.5 per cent alcohol.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Last, from the north of Burgundy, the 2012 Barton &
Gustier Chablis. This white French wine has a golden straw-yellow color, a fine
aroma of mineral tones mixed with dried fruits and nuts, and a wonderful white
floral overtone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is round and creamy
tasting, with a good acidity. 12.5 per cent alcohol.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">By the way, Ethiopia was fantastic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rugged travel in the countryside, but
worthwhile. </span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq44xAA_jaby3P5Eb-aemjiR0QRIpOlJoJfqeRJNKKLcTLpEfLV67MQ7Rh7LmMQ5wZecgE2kUZs7YjlIiN2B467xORfW58VHWOhumSBJXqKooL0NH9BI0SgXrJvT1A8Z5ywxZEvBZQ0E04/s1600/IMG_6429.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq44xAA_jaby3P5Eb-aemjiR0QRIpOlJoJfqeRJNKKLcTLpEfLV67MQ7Rh7LmMQ5wZecgE2kUZs7YjlIiN2B467xORfW58VHWOhumSBJXqKooL0NH9BI0SgXrJvT1A8Z5ywxZEvBZQ0E04/s1600/IMG_6429.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Church hewn from rock, level with the ground,<br />
in Lalibella, Ethiopia</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0HMdTeHOcQOfWbUAcevjIVwhy7eVW6OyQrdmSL_VXwPFWzMgzK4UDBkhqfEQtUsqWn_Y0fDh5JlSSew92I_3P9LYCBFbwAV4vp1TNAc4qHl5bVIG5KGJNzn84HsMQcwPsv-NsA5YE52xW/s1600/IMG_6286.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0HMdTeHOcQOfWbUAcevjIVwhy7eVW6OyQrdmSL_VXwPFWzMgzK4UDBkhqfEQtUsqWn_Y0fDh5JlSSew92I_3P9LYCBFbwAV4vp1TNAc4qHl5bVIG5KGJNzn84HsMQcwPsv-NsA5YE52xW/s1600/IMG_6286.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tribeswoman from the Omo Valley</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib8i245sM68cj1dyF4qD3FenEPzFXnt0ch8ZeAvMahycoeKKV-M0Fy1lK5VJowYfqQOS3neg-Ls8aJP3W4nRyGd8GhNSEA2sOaIAkg_eOW-Bn33PPmQp0xMS4XUvhWvIkZMD_BuzHsocPG/s1600/IMG_6496.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib8i245sM68cj1dyF4qD3FenEPzFXnt0ch8ZeAvMahycoeKKV-M0Fy1lK5VJowYfqQOS3neg-Ls8aJP3W4nRyGd8GhNSEA2sOaIAkg_eOW-Bn33PPmQp0xMS4XUvhWvIkZMD_BuzHsocPG/s1600/IMG_6496.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The famous angels from church in Gondar</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>This information appeared in the June 4, 2014 issue of <a href="http://thetahoeweekly.com/2014/06/first-class-wines/">The Tahoe Weekly</a>, in my column "Wine Time"</em></span></div>
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</em><br />Barbara Keck (mountainhighwines at gmail dot com)http://www.blogger.com/profile/10904356674364163038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-392471788299072903.post-40453565532483167552014-06-29T16:26:00.000-07:002014-06-29T16:26:30.683-07:00The Wineries of Nevada County (California) Provide Exciting Tasting Opportunities
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">Spring has
sprung, and tasting rooms are opening their doors a bit longer now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There are many opportunities to taste the
fine wines of the Sierra foothills, and some of the most interesting
opportunities are less than an hour away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The wineries of Nevada County beckon, and we were primed for more tastes
by attending the Flavor of Nevada County event last fall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here are some of the yummy discoveries.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Avanguardia Rosata</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">I’ve always
enjoyed the wines produced by Avanguardia, as winemaker Rob Chrisman so deftly
blends</span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> over twenty Italian, Russian, and French varietals along
with cross-varietals created by the<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>University of California, all grown in his estate vineyards..<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;">The Avanguardia 2012 Rosata “Cara Mia” is a Rose vinified
in the style of Provence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rob makes his
Rosata from Sangiovese and other red varieties,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>vinified as if they were white wines. The small amount of residual sugar
in this Rosata leaves a dry impression on the palate. 12.7 per cent alcohol,
$16/bottle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Visit Avanguardia at their
tasting room at 13028 Jones Bar Road,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Nevada City, CA.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Call 530 274
8200 for hours. </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><a href="http://www.avanguardiawines.com/"><cite><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-style: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">www</span></cite><cite><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">.</span></cite><cite><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-style: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">avanguardiawines</span></cite><cite><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-style: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">.com</span></cite></a><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWTnorPxmKqgivW2CppOqiLWg_CLAl0gv_btnaBoEr2PAcNJJxvy-8u760GQT9pBjQBipqQ71dbt9vpO-SQMQdlscwzQiSBqQ1csQzjCjugAIoSJb0jKUNBu6HrmjQouVGU_fAf_UuwqOd/s1600/Sierra+Knolls+LR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWTnorPxmKqgivW2CppOqiLWg_CLAl0gv_btnaBoEr2PAcNJJxvy-8u760GQT9pBjQBipqQ71dbt9vpO-SQMQdlscwzQiSBqQ1csQzjCjugAIoSJb0jKUNBu6HrmjQouVGU_fAf_UuwqOd/s1600/Sierra+Knolls+LR.jpg" height="200" width="140" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sierra Knolls Primitivo</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">Sierra
Knolls Winery presents a 2011 Primitivo that is definitely worth tasting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It has a </span><strong><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">bold rich
flavor, and opens with bright notes of cherry and blackberry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I like the taste of toasted almond and dark
chocolate on the close.</span></strong><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">
This Primitivo is<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>13.4 percent
alcohol.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>$24/bottle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><strong><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-weight: normal; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">The Sierra Knolls Vineyard & Winery
Tasting Room</span></strong><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> is open by appointment only on Saturdays and Sundays from
12-5pm. at 19635 Kingswood Court, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Grass
Valley, or at their new and conveniently located tasting room <strong><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">"</span></strong><strong><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Bear River Wine Tasting" at 10024 Linnet Lane, Auburn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Call 530 269-2327 for updates on hours</span></strong><strong><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></strong></span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><a href="http://www.sierraknollswinery.com/"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">www.sierraknollswinery.com</span></a></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mrs Lucchesi pours at<br />
Flavor Nevada County event</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">Lucchesi
Winery produces its wines from its lovely southwest-facing estate vineyards in Grass
Valley.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The beautiful views of the
Sierra Nevada mountains enhance the taste of the wines when you enjoy the
hospitality of their tasting room at the winery at 19698 View Forever Lane,
which is open <em><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-style: normal; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through
Friday, or weekends by appointments</span></em><em><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></em><em><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-style: normal; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Or go to the downtown tasting room</span></em><em><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"> at </span></em><span class="style1411"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">128 Mill Street, Grass Valley.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU5CWjPOWvobyUO2lnPOW4wlAwRaSh6HK-SevKP-d89D19-YMSRovWj_Xwwix3QLHUIKdGKiWAFDCa07obxAdPYt31F_zP3jOFoRlphX4mSeiMRqK53oOuP8HV8gcFyk4KPBhJuwCJ5bX2/s1600/Luchessi+wines+cropped+LR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU5CWjPOWvobyUO2lnPOW4wlAwRaSh6HK-SevKP-d89D19-YMSRovWj_Xwwix3QLHUIKdGKiWAFDCa07obxAdPYt31F_zP3jOFoRlphX4mSeiMRqK53oOuP8HV8gcFyk4KPBhJuwCJ5bX2/s1600/Luchessi+wines+cropped+LR.jpg" height="200" width="135" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Luchessi produces <br />
white wines too...</td></tr>
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<span class="style1411"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I enjoy all the Lucchesi wines. You might want to try the Lucchesi
Masque<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>is a blended red wine made from
Sierra Foothill grapes. It has </span></span><span class="style18"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">fruity aromas of cherry creme
brulee, mocha, and a hint of tobacco with a soft, fruity medium body and a
jammy, nut accented finish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>14.8 percent
alcohol, $12/bottle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="http://www.lucchesi/"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"></span><a href="http://www.lucchesivineyards.com/">www.lucchesi</a></a></span><a href="http://www.lucchesivineyards.com/"></a>vineyards.com</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXnL_QcYl6A3u5hIrPEWFPsg4ZwdfSd-viV1LhF-IFGcWm6doX62PA9zhyphenhypheneUan7Ks7wxuttB6H1f62SqCSXLQSwsu_hUqq4NuRBX-7M56BJPYK52VCIG6KtqZj-geOK07ug1W6xhf4VtD0/s1600/Smith+Vineyards+cropped+LR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXnL_QcYl6A3u5hIrPEWFPsg4ZwdfSd-viV1LhF-IFGcWm6doX62PA9zhyphenhypheneUan7Ks7wxuttB6H1f62SqCSXLQSwsu_hUqq4NuRBX-7M56BJPYK52VCIG6KtqZj-geOK07ug1W6xhf4VtD0/s1600/Smith+Vineyards+cropped+LR.jpg" height="320" width="224" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Smith Vineyards Christina's Blush<br />
(on the left)</td></tr>
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<span class="style18"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">Smith
Vineyards produced a 2012 merlot dessert wine “Christina’s Blush” that
was delicious.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is l</span></span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">ight
and fruity with aromas of rhubarb and strawberry with bright flavors of cherry
leading to a fresh, clean finish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>13.5
percent alcohol, $16/bottle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Try it at
their tasting room at 142 Mill Street, Grass Valley.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>530 273 7032.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><a href="http://www.smithvineyard.com/">www.smithvineyard.com</a></span></div>
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<em> This review was published in my <a href="http://thetahoeweekly.com/2014/05/spring-wine-tasting-nevada-county/">May 2014 Wine Time column for The Tahoe Weekly</a></em>Barbara Keck (mountainhighwines at gmail dot com)http://www.blogger.com/profile/10904356674364163038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-392471788299072903.post-8664264167529034832014-06-29T15:57:00.000-07:002014-06-29T15:57:12.366-07:00NEVADA WINE and the New Commercial Vineyard at UNR<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEMBI_l3og4sYLUNwEqW-CSq3rcu7sssIt4_66JxYq1eu8mYnhWf7QCa0nF7hRNEz5lLaFHpC3WJRCbkhivnWSPUQcq9T3qE0WzDGr3ZyrvTM6aAPjyjWUhQs_-URCBSFy_mNr8PtN3BBN/s1600/Now+&+Then.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEMBI_l3og4sYLUNwEqW-CSq3rcu7sssIt4_66JxYq1eu8mYnhWf7QCa0nF7hRNEz5lLaFHpC3WJRCbkhivnWSPUQcq9T3qE0WzDGr3ZyrvTM6aAPjyjWUhQs_-URCBSFy_mNr8PtN3BBN/s1600/Now+&+Then.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #111a06; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Several years ago, I
started following the progress of Dr. Grant Cramer of UNV-Reno as he encouraged
the wine industry in Nevada via his classes and wine tastings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is now even more reason to get
involved:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the new venture to build a
commercial-scale vineyard at the Main Station Field Laboratory.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #111a06; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">UNR’s College of
Agriculture, Biotechnology and Natural Resources is providing the land, water
and equipment, and a newly formed non-profit, Nevada Vines and Wines, is
raising funds for vines, trellising and vineyard care.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #111a06; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The UNR program has
been gaining momentum since 1995; <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>thirteen
varietals of 90 vines each <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>have been
successfully maintained to date at UNR’s experimental vineyard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wine made from these grapes is tasted
twice-monthly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To get a sense of what’s
ahead for Nevada wine and the venture into a bigger vineyard, put a Tuesday
tasting on your schedule. Contact Professor Cramer at </span><a href="mailto:cramer@unr.edu"><b><span style="color: #11593c; font-family: Calibri;">cramer@unr.edu</span></b></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> to get on the list for
what’s-being-discussed-and-tasted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Tastings are held at 5:30 p.m. at either </span></span><span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">the Greenhouse Complex on Valley Road at the
UNR Field Station or at <b>Studio on 4<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>, 432 E 4<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> St</b>.
and a small donation, usually $10 or $15, is requested to support the program.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwztuI01uCzmWz5Z4oUeN8QYgWMizv4x-9v2Ip4dC3Nzzm1RJVsMzKMS08cRPcoYwm-jf-vqnfzz4kEmMjkj5IHSjdNjPcKB2xT4OF5z_eQfOozKnozbYnsxjemzajbdvft8paYCWRAO7c/s1600/042414-Wine_Hopper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwztuI01uCzmWz5Z4oUeN8QYgWMizv4x-9v2Ip4dC3Nzzm1RJVsMzKMS08cRPcoYwm-jf-vqnfzz4kEmMjkj5IHSjdNjPcKB2xT4OF5z_eQfOozKnozbYnsxjemzajbdvft8paYCWRAO7c/s1600/042414-Wine_Hopper.jpg" height="128" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Danny Hopper, UNR Student</td></tr>
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<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">If
you are fortunate, you’ll run into some of the other movers-and-shakers behind
the new commercial vineyard at the tastings, all of whom are enthusiastically
involved in the Nevada Vines and Wines initiative.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Look for Professor Cramer’s students Ryan
Ghan and Danny Hopper, and William Coplin, an avid local winemaker.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The
plan is for a 3-acre vineyard that will produce 10 to 15 tons and make upwards
of 2000 cases of wine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The ultimate goal
is 7 acres that will produce 20 to 35 tons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Both a Kickstarter campaign and an IndieGoGo campaign brought funds to
the venture in the past few months.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One
acre of 1800 Riesling vines has already been planted, and a grant from the
Nevada Department of Agriculture is enabling a second acre of Lemberger grapes
to be planted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The crowd-sourced funds
are earmarked for planting a third acre with 1500 Chardonnay vines, a trellis
system, and tanks that will hold 400 gallons of juice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The hope is for even more funding to buy
Pinot Noir vines and additional wine making equipment.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The
chances of building a good and reputable wine industry in Nevada are
excellent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many factors come into play
of course, but climate is an important one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Northern Nevada’s climate is very similar to that of eastern Washington
State.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The arid climate of Nevada means
warm days, cool nights, and relatively disease and insect-free conditions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">This
is a wonderful opportunity for Tahoe-Reno wine lovers to add to the success of
a nearby wine industry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Contact the
Nevada Vines and Wines organization by email at </span><a href="mailto:uncorkingnevada@gmail.com"><b><span style="color: #11593c; font-family: Calibri;">uncorkingnevada@gmail.com</span></b></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>to get on the list for updates.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>See you at UNR on Tuesdays!</span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span> </div>
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<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span> </div>
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<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>This information appeared in <a href="http://thetahoeweekly.com/2014/04/unr-eyes-commercial-vineyard/">Wine Time, my Tahoe Weekly column</a>, in April 2014</em></span></span></div>
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Barbara Keck (mountainhighwines at gmail dot com)http://www.blogger.com/profile/10904356674364163038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-392471788299072903.post-9090781298021508742014-06-29T15:23:00.004-07:002014-06-29T15:26:20.835-07:00GET WELL WINES - What to Send to Cheer up a Friend<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM1jmOgOEqhzXtz56RgfOzLakKzrVOc69we0_oIMz1RlY8_2hzxVsYrmc8Mu_zieKuRRiNlccJHktqosig5lBynsJrukR1CAPFLGDfaDNdOl1r9SJgtn4hjUIwwu3ZbJBFw6RwepNAp8yi/s1600/IMG_6662.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM1jmOgOEqhzXtz56RgfOzLakKzrVOc69we0_oIMz1RlY8_2hzxVsYrmc8Mu_zieKuRRiNlccJHktqosig5lBynsJrukR1CAPFLGDfaDNdOl1r9SJgtn4hjUIwwu3ZbJBFw6RwepNAp8yi/s1600/IMG_6662.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ironstone, Baiocchi and Spellbound:<br />
Wines to Cheer ANYONE up!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">What a twist of fate!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>To be recuperating from an operation and not to be able to enjoy the
wines that friends sent as get-well wishes … agonizing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But I am back in the tasting mode again, and
I thought I’d share some information about the wines that arrived.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s impossible not to make friends with
winemakers because they are such a friendly lot, and I thank them all for
wishing me well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ironstone Reserve Estate Grown 2012 Sierra Foothills
Chardonnay is an elegant Chardonnay with concentrated flavors of tropical
fruit, and a nuance of vanilla and ripe apple. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is creamy and almost butterscotch on the
finish, a flavor enhanced during 12 months in storage in Ironstone’s
underground caverns carved from solid rock.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Grapes are sourced from Ironstone’s mountain vineyards at Hay Station
Ranch in the Sierra Foothills, and the estate grown<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;"> grapes used in this wine come from prime
Chardonnay clusters that are hand selected for their outstanding quality</span>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>14.5 percent alcohol.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>$19.99<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>the bottle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="http://www.ironstonevineyards.com/">http://www.ironstonevineyards.com</a></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Baiocchi Neophyte 2013 was born in Fair Play, El Dorado
County, and is a delightful rose made from Grenache and Mouvedre.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Frankly, I hate to share this with anyone,
because it is so delicious and drinkable. It has an aroma of strawberry blossom
and dried herb, and taste of strawberry and sweet pink grapefruit. It’s a
perfect summer wine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>14.3 percent
alcohol.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="http://www.baiocchiwines.com/">www.baiocchiwines.com</a></span></div>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Spellbound Cabernet Sauvignon 2012 California is a nicely
balanced Cabernet created by <span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Rob
Mondavi Jr., who is a fourth generation Napa Valley Winemaker.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rob notes that it has ”bold dark fruit
flavors with a slight hint of oak and spice. Cedar and tobacco aromas
complement integrated lively tannins.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
first tasted it at a <a href="http://www.presidiobank.com/">Presidio Bank</a> event, and the bank sent a bottle to
me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This 2012 Spellbound has an
intensity of flavors and a lush texture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“It’s one of our shining stars,” Rob says.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>13.5 percent alcohol.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>$15.99 the bottle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> <a href="http://www.spellboundwines.com/">www.spellboundwines.com</a></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hawks View 2012 La
Baleine “The Whale”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This scrumptious
red wine is a blend of 70 % grapes from the Double Canyon Vineyards in Horse
Heaven Hills, Washington State, 25% California Syrah from Garys’ Vineyard in
the Santa Lucia Highlands, and 5% Oregon Pinot Gris from the estate vineyards
of Hawks’ View in the Chehalem Mountains of the Willamette Valley, Oregon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So many 2012 wines from the West Coast are
good, as moderate weather meant good crops with peak grape ripeness and a
well-calanced chemistry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Adding the
Pinot Gris was the winemaker’s inspiration and A. J. Kemp took a chance that
resulted in a really tasty wine. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There
are yummy notes of violet and fig, framed by cedar and peppercorn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>14.7 percent alcohol.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>$50<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>the bottle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="color: windowtext;"><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Calibri;"><a href="http://www.hawksviewcellars.com/">www.hawksviewcellars.com</a></span></span></div>
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<em>This appeared as a <a href="http://theweeklymagazineonline.com/category/dining/wine-time/">Wine Time column in The Tahoe Weekly</a> in June 2014</em></div>
Barbara Keck (mountainhighwines at gmail dot com)http://www.blogger.com/profile/10904356674364163038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-392471788299072903.post-40412826969052354452014-06-26T16:20:00.000-07:002014-06-26T16:20:29.187-07:00Starting a Wine Tasting Group: a few tips courtesy Washington Wine Report<strong></strong><br />
<strong>Six Steps for Starting a Wine Tasting Group
</strong><br />
<br />
Summer is just around the corner, and with it many new wines from the 2013 vintage and earlier will be released. It’ll break most people’s budget to buy all the wines you might like to taste, so the obvious answer is: start a wine tasting group. <br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMGymzDaaMkhKEZ5UXlsDGhogVEcvg5oA1AC4PyisXQgo8ndPr54b8qv0XQ3mOY-BBqWBdWEC9q4vTYQrNIIcnlDSUpm6AGyXUHPl18OE9wjLFYsJHLmNrcgHbkVvOo768_40IpjF-l0bm/s1600/PIX+tasting+wine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMGymzDaaMkhKEZ5UXlsDGhogVEcvg5oA1AC4PyisXQgo8ndPr54b8qv0XQ3mOY-BBqWBdWEC9q4vTYQrNIIcnlDSUpm6AGyXUHPl18OE9wjLFYsJHLmNrcgHbkVvOo768_40IpjF-l0bm/s1600/PIX+tasting+wine.jpg" height="133" width="200" /></a></div>
Ryan Messer, contributor to Washington Wine Report, wrote a blogpost with lots of great tips on how to do this. I’m sharing his wisdom with you. First answer these questions: who, what, when, where, why and how. Below are Ryan’s tips, somewhat abridged from his original blogpost, but I quote him:
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>1. Who – Invite those who might be as passionate about wine, or learning as you. It’s probably not wise to invite both a wine novice and a self-proclaimed expert to the same group, but having a diversity of people with different interests and experiences can broaden the learning experience.<br /> <br />
</li>
<li>
2. What – Set some ground rules as to what you want to taste. Depending on who is involved, you may consider limits on a minimum or maximum price per bottle, how many bottles, etc. This is entirely up to you and what you want to get out of the group. I participated in one where we each brought a bottle of a particular varietal and had a suggested price limit.<br />
<br /></li>
<li>3. When – I’m a big fan of once a month and laying out the entire year in advance. When my current group formed, I was able to put in my calendar every event so I can plan around those days. I know the date, location, host, etc. And we also built in “off months”. December is too busy and July is vacation time so we scratched both. We also left April open for a group trip and January to include spouses or significant others.<br /><br />
</li>
<li>4. Where –Some choices: have each member host in their home, or restaurant of their choice. It’s good to move around so no one feels the burden of the entire group on a regular basis.
<br /><br /></li>
<li>5. Why – Pretty simple… to learn about and enjoy wine.<br /><br />
</li>
<li>6. How –There are no global right or wrong ways to set a group up. Some groups can have the same set group each month where others can be more fluid with different people coming in and out depending on availability. Some can pick particular themes to explore where others can leave it wide open. It’s up to you and the group.
</li>
</ul>
Need more tips? Visit the blog at www.wawinereport.com and search for “six steps”. Oh, you might just include a bottle of Washington wine in your tastings, too.
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: black;"><strong><em>Published in </em></strong></span><a href="http://thetahoeweekly.com/2014/04/starting-wine-tasting-group/"><span style="color: black;"><strong><em>Wine Time column, The Tahoe Weekly, on April 9, 2014</em></strong></span></a>
Barbara Keck (mountainhighwines at gmail dot com)http://www.blogger.com/profile/10904356674364163038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-392471788299072903.post-13372584520366380492014-05-11T20:29:00.000-07:002014-05-11T20:29:36.724-07:00South African Wines now more Readily Available in the USAFive years ago, I went to South Africa to learn about South African wines on the spot. From my efficiency apartment in downtown Stellenbosch, I was in a great position to visit the wine region of the Cape area. So many good wines! And sadly, at that time, so many of these good wines did not make it to the West Coast of the USA. At that time, Sweden and the UK were the top countries to import these fine wines, and the USA (in toto) was far down on the list.<br />
<br />
This has changed. You can now find many excellent South African wines in wine shops, and also on the wine lists of restaurants that take the time to offer their patrons a selection from the best wine regions of the world. <br />
<br />
In May, I found enjoyment in three wines from a winery situated in the Stellenbosch Hills, Mulderbosch. It's one of South Africa's finest producers. All of their wines are in fairly wide distribution.<br />
<br />
I started with the 2011 Mulderbosch Sauvignon Blanc, the wine that first built this winery's international reputation. With just a touch of Semillion (4 percent), this very drinkable wine stacks up to some of the finest Sauvignon Blancs I have tasted to date. Watch out Duckhorn ... this has just replaced your Sauvignon Blanc in my wine-drinking heart! In fact, it was good enough to make it to my Mother's Day brunch table!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nicole enjoys her<br />
Sauv Blanc!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The winemakers at Mulderbosch successfully preserved the fruit character of this Sauvignon Blanc throughout blending and bottling by using reductive winemaking techniques. The final result is a medium-alcohol wine (13.6 percent) which can easily cellar for up to 7 years. It's a bright lemon-green color with aroma of citrus, lemon zest, fig and black currant and has some nice floral notes too. The taste is also citrus, melon and there are some herbal undertones to add to the minerality and mouthwatering finish. Suggested retail price is $17.99.<br />
<br />
Chenin Blanc, the legendary grape of South Africa, is sometimes referred to as "Steen." The 2011 Mulderbosch Chenin Blanc is touted as a "new wave" Chenin and is vinified from low-crop grapes from Stellenbosch and the Swartland wine grape growing regions. It has a reach-out aroma of guava, lime and ripe pair, with honeysuckle and orange blossom reaching out too. The taste includes tones of passion-fruit and a finish of somewhat tart grapefruit. A nice acidity, creamy mid-palate, and spice from a bit of oak used in the aging results in a very accessible wine that is mouth-watering. 13.9 percent alcohol. Suggested retail price is $13.99.<br />
<br />
Mulderbosch's 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon Rose just might be the ticket for a refreshing summer wine. I loved the pink color, and was delighted at the aroma of ripe blood-oranges, black currant, cherry and a bit of sandalwood. The taste balances juicy fruit blavors with a racy acidity, and the finish is zesty. 12.5 percent alcohol. Suggested retail price is $11.00. When you find it, stock up!<br />
<br />
Good news is ahead for those who love South African wines, as the 2013 wine grape harvest was a bumper crop. A drive in recent years to improve quality has been extremely successful. Last year, exports to the USA increased by 37% so your chances of enjoying a taste of Africa in your glass are better than ever before.<br />
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I enjoyed it looking out over San Francisco Bay on a beautiful May day!<br />
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Barbara Keck (mountainhighwines at gmail dot com)http://www.blogger.com/profile/10904356674364163038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-392471788299072903.post-20106687644000758862014-03-26T18:32:00.005-07:002014-03-26T18:34:33.504-07:00Annual Barbera Festival in Amador County - Always a Sold Out Event<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I'm so glad I jumped on the opportunity to get a ticket to the <span style="color: black; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">4</span><sup><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 10pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">th</span></sup><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> Annual Barbera Festival, scheduled for Saturday, June 14 at
Cooper Ranch in Plymouth, California (Amador County).</span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Ticket went on sale March
1st, and similar to the situation in 2013, sold out quickly. In 2013, the event raised over $20,000 in net proceeds for the non-profit Amador County
Foundation, the event’s fiscal sponsor, and 2014 should follow apace.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Here's a bit more info from the press release:</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">This summer’s outdoor
event,will host more than 80 wineries from the Sierra
Foothills, Paso Robles, Napa, Sonoma, Mendocino, Lake County, the Santa Cruz
Mountains, Ventura County, Lodi and the Bay Area. Food enthusiasts will also be
treated to some of the region’s top restaurants and chefs, including multiple,
award-winning Taste Restaurant. Brian Miller notes that, “There will be
something for everyone, from gourmet dishes to authentic wood-fired pizza.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Cooper Ranch in
Shenandoah Valley will again host the Barbera Festival among its vineyards and
rolling hills. The scenic venue makes sense as Dick Cooper, of Cooper Ranch, is
known in the wine industry as the “Godfather of Barbera” and supplies numerous
vintners with barbera grapes. </span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">In keeping with the
tradition of “promoting new talent,” the festival will feature BlissesB, an up
and coming band from San Francisco. In addition, Cooper Winery’s winemaker,
Mike Roser, will take to the stage with his rock’n’roll band Wasted Space.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Barbera originated in
the Piemonte region of northern Italy. In California, about 7,000 acres of
Barbera are planted. Louis Martini, a legend in California wine history with a
prestigious winery in St. Helena, California, was the first to produce a
post-prohibition varietal Barbera in 1954. Today, nearly 200 California
wineries produce Barbera wines. </span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Barbera is known for its
generous acid structure. There are differing styles of Barbera ranging from
brighter versions with flavors of tart cherry, raspberry, and spice, to riper
styles with flavors of black cherry, blueberry, blackberry, and vanilla. </span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Barbera Festival is
a Green Event and has taken measures to minimize the environmental impact of
the festivities, including using biodegradable/compostable bags, cups, plates,
napkins and cutlery, as well as giving attendees the opportunity to add $1 to
their ticket price to help offset the carbon footprint of the event (100% of
these contributions will go to purchase carbon offsets with offset retailer
Terrapass).</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The organizers, Brian
Miller and Deirdre Mueller, are long time wine enthusiasts and advocates. They
currently own and operate Amador360, a multi-winery tasting room in Plymouth
focusing on wines from small, hard-to-find Amador producers.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
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</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">For more information
about the event, a list of participating wineries, map and directions, along
with local lodging and tasting tips; see the official website at </span></span><a href="http://www.barberafestival.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">www.BarberaFestival.com</span></span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">.</span></span>
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Barbara Keck (mountainhighwines at gmail dot com)http://www.blogger.com/profile/10904356674364163038noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-392471788299072903.post-55248084733804330342014-03-19T21:33:00.007-07:002014-03-19T21:33:57.587-07:00Santa Lucia Highland Wines: Full-flavored and Intense
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Santa Lucia mountain range overlooks the Salinas River
Valley.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Near enough to Monterey Bay to
get its fog and ocean breezes, the vines enjoy morning sunshine and grapes have
a long, gentle ripening.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The result is
full flavored wines with intense flavors. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This AVA has <span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">a reputation for intensely flavored Chardonnay and Pinot Noir and other
Burgundy varieties. </span>Here are some of the highlights from a recent Santa
Lucia Highlands tasting in San Francisco.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>These wines, worth searching for,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>are all available direct from the winery. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjixBP58b6jKVu9XT5IfDN0EBNbx_H-aW1Ek8-lroPHxyvOWayXOO7xlrN32Xp9GgRPsawjvvvuQIEG6pGIhs0VW_cieKnGyG3YCwrvwyGToFQ46DxscHI6872mld25XGHfmAvFBhA_wb2r/s1600/Pisoni+LR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjixBP58b6jKVu9XT5IfDN0EBNbx_H-aW1Ek8-lroPHxyvOWayXOO7xlrN32Xp9GgRPsawjvvvuQIEG6pGIhs0VW_cieKnGyG3YCwrvwyGToFQ46DxscHI6872mld25XGHfmAvFBhA_wb2r/s1600/Pisoni+LR.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jeff Pisoni poured<br />
for Pisoni Estates</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It’s almost impossible to talk about this region without
mentioning the Pisoni family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Grapes
from their vineyards – Pisoni, Gary’s, Soberanes – are found in many fine
wines. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The family makes some spectacular
wines too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><strong>Pisoni Estate’s</strong> 2013 Rose of
Pinot Noir, “Lucy” Santa Lucia Highlands is pink, young and drinkable now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It has flavor of strawberry, spice, sour
cherry, and a touch of floral.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I enjoyed
the citrus, peachy and melon flavors too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>14.1 percent alcohol.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>$18 the 375
ml bottle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One dollar from each bottle
sold goes to breast cancer research. <a href="http://www.pisonivineyards.com/">www.pisonivineyards.com</a></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLsAt4GomEhCuSruwF6wwJy9twqOGY19wDYzmgPCgWHvLhw1KfGkdSvapVHd9lrT6VKG0ei1EktzuXnXnYO3fDsIt-xye6tBYH_bOyPz66ndczh7j7yWNRWI3S-j3pef_hlMxGvJMB-fPp/s1600/Hawk's+View+LR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLsAt4GomEhCuSruwF6wwJy9twqOGY19wDYzmgPCgWHvLhw1KfGkdSvapVHd9lrT6VKG0ei1EktzuXnXnYO3fDsIt-xye6tBYH_bOyPz66ndczh7j7yWNRWI3S-j3pef_hlMxGvJMB-fPp/s1600/Hawk's+View+LR.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A.J. Kemp, co-founder<br />
Hawks View Cellars</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>Hawks View Cellars</strong> featured its 2011 Syrah, Cellar Series –
Gary’s Vineyard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although the winery
is located in Oregon, grapes for this premium syrah are picked at 6 a.m. in
Santa Lucia Highlands’ famous Gary’s vineyard, and trucked to Oregon for
crushing before dinnertime there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Co-founder A. J. Kemp is proud of the product. The wine is a dense inky
red in color, and aroma of crushed blueberries and raspberries
predominates.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This Syrah is lush,
intense, with soft fruit, fine tannins, a velvet texture in the mouth and a
long finish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only 180 cases were
made.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>14.5 percent alcohol.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>$45 the bottle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="http://www.hawksviewcellars.com/">www.hawksviewcellars.com</a></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chris Weidemann, Proprietor<br />
and Winemaker, Pelerin</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>Pelerin’s</strong> 2010 Viognier/Roussanne blend, “Les
Tournesols”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">(French for “Sunflowers”) has flavor of mango and
asian pear, a hint of honey and a dash of licorice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is well balanced, rich, and from the
Viognier portion (58 percent) there is a component of fresh cut white
peach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span>14.3 percent alcohol.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>$30 the bottle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="http://www.pelerinwines.com/">www.pelerinwines.com</a></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Mike
Pramuk, Wine</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">Educator, poured Mer Soleil</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong>Mer Soleil’s</strong> 2006 “late” dessert Wine is primarily Viognier,
and has the <span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">concentrated,
nectar-like sweetness</span><span lang="EN"> </span>we love so much in a dessert
wine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Surprisingly, it is only 10.4
percent alcohol.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>$30 the 375 ml
bottle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><a href="http://www.wagnerfamilyofwine.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">www.wagnerfamilyofwine.com</span></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0XDI9hkqSBVzfAL1A_Yd3qO6MJ1eIIoctDdh2bMFrqw_Vu_pGMzAsQtJ0ZsR1vwBbs3X9FjbbRaHNdy0khk87FsN1-SKCthj0dsXqTTF3bDzJV4YvPhgxCurQkm5BN_9RMQWXdC73Sn_x/s1600/Black+Kite+LR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0XDI9hkqSBVzfAL1A_Yd3qO6MJ1eIIoctDdh2bMFrqw_Vu_pGMzAsQtJ0ZsR1vwBbs3X9FjbbRaHNdy0khk87FsN1-SKCthj0dsXqTTF3bDzJV4YvPhgxCurQkm5BN_9RMQWXdC73Sn_x/s1600/Black+Kite+LR.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rebecca Green Birdsall,<br />
Proprietor, Black Kite</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;">For <strong>Black Kite’s</strong> 2012 Chardonnay, “Soberanes Vineyard”, the
winery obtained grapes from Soberanes, a Pisoni vineyard. My first aroma and
flavor impression was of apricot, but there is also honeydew melon, apple and
toasted marshmallow too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It has a rich
finish, nice acidity and a hint of minerality. 14.5 percent alcohol.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>$45 the bottle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="http://www.blackkitecellars.com/">www.blackkitecellars.com</a></span></div>
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Barbara Keck (mountainhighwines at gmail dot com)http://www.blogger.com/profile/10904356674364163038noreply@blogger.com0