Chateau Ste. Michelle Wine Dinner

     Seven Springs Mountain Resort will be hosting the Chateau Ste. Michelle Vineyards Wine Dinner in their Slopeside restaurant at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday March 20th, 2013.  This dinner will feature a wine pairing for each course from the Chateau Ste. Michelle winery.  I have posted the menu for your convenience.  Reservations can be made by calling 800-452-2223 ext.6000.  Seven Springs Mountain Resort is at 777 Waterwheel Dr. Seven Springs, Pa 15622. ChateauSteMichelle

Campo Maccione Morellino di Scansano 2008

Campo Maccione Morellino di Scansano 2008

Campo Maccione Morellino di Scansano 2008

This is a hidden gem that comes from the southwestern Tuscan town of Scansano.  Morellino is the name for Sangiovese in Scansano but no matter what you call this red blend the one thing you will be calling it is delicious.  Rocca delle Macìe produces this solid but modestly priced red blend that is softer and rounder than the wines from Chianti because the Zingarelli family vineyards are located further south in a more moderate climate that is warmer and drier.  Best described as fruity and finely balanced this medium bodied offering has a nice finish that can be paired with a diverse menu.  Pasta, pizza, roasted or grilled meats and aged cheeses are just some of the pairings that this food friendly wine can be served with to showcase its best qualities. When you  start with a price that is easy on the wallet then add a taste profile that is easy on the palate what you will certainly end up with is a sure winner like Campo Maccione Morellino di Scansano 2008

Free Finger Lakes Travel Magazine

Photo Courtesy Finger Lakes Wine Country

Photo Courtesy Finger Lakes Wine Country

     Anyone considering a possible trip to the Finger Lakes Region of New York should request this informative free guide.  Simply go to the website www.fingerlakeswinecountry.com and select “Plan” from the toolbar then scroll down to the submission form or click on the picture of the magazine, if you prefer the human touch you can call Morgen, Christina, Teresa or Ginny at 800-813-2958 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday thru Friday.  While you are on the site consider subscribing to any of the free e-newsletters offering a wide spectrum of topics that will interest any visitor.  The current 2012 digital issue of Finger Lakes Wine Country Magazine is also available for download from this site as well as a free Finger Lakes Travel app for your mobile device, which can prove to be invaluable while exploring the region.  The information that you can obtain from the magazine and website can be very helpful but the real fun begins when you visit and begin discovering something new around ever turn.

Hot to Trot Red Blend

Hot to Trot Red Blend Photo Courtesy: 14 Hands Vineyard

Hot to Trot Red Blend Photo Courtesy: 14 Hands Vineyard

     The 14 Hands Vineyard in Paterson, Washington produces one of the best blended red wines made in the United States.  This red was once only available to restaurants in selected markets but now can be found in wide distribution due to overwhelming demand.  Hot to Trot is a blend of Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvgion, Mourverde and Petite Verdot grapes harvested from vineyards in several of Washington’s AVA regions including Horse Heaven Hills, Columbia Valley, Wahluke Slope and the Yakima Valley.  It is made using techniques that are usually reserved for more expensive wines, these include cold soaking, performing a daily  pump-over to extract color and flavor followed by aging in both French and American oak barrels.  This extra care produces a medium body red wine with flavors of very lightly oaked red berries and dark fruit with a hint of vanilla giving way to refined supple tannins followed by a pleasant lingering spice and mocha finish.  Reds from WashingtonState can be pricey but this blend always delivers a well crafted wine at a great price and its ability to pair flawlessly with a range of food makes it very difficult to beat.  14 Hands Hot to Trot Red Blend can be found at P.L.C.B. stores for $12.99 with the product code 5213.  I suggest using the in store product locator on the website www.finewineandgoodspirits.com to check for availability of this wine because of demand.

Bidding is Now Open!

All Materials Courtesy of Morrell & Company Fine Wine Auction

All Materials Courtesy of Morrell & Company Fine Wine Auction

    Have you ever wanted to bid on a great bottle of wine offered at a wine auction but could not stand the thought of sitting in a room filled with wine snobs while holding a little paddle with a number on it.  If your answer is yes then you are in luck because Morrell & Company Fine Wine Auction is conducting an internet only auction on Wednesday February 27th at 10:30 a.m.(EST) on their website www.morrellwineauctions.com.   Bids may only be placed by absentee bid and live bid.  Absentee bids may be placed now and the live bidding will be available online at the commencement of the auction.  To participate go to the website and register, peruse the catalog of offerings then place a bid if you find something you like.  If you intend to bid live, Morrell recommends using their Live Bidding Simulator to check your computers compatibility to prevent any issues when live bidding starts.  Need more information? Call 212-307-4200 

Paris of Appalachia

Photo courtesy: Bridge Ten Brasserie

Photo courtesy: Bridge Ten Brasserie

     I have often heard people refer to Pittsburgh using this “Left Handed” compliment and I can’t understand why there should be any negative connotation attached to it.  Being compared to the “City of Light” can only be viewed as a ringing endorsement for the cultural achievements of the city.  Dave DeSimone has brought his love of France to life at 20 S. 10th St. in the South Side of Pittsburgh through his restaurant Bridge Ten Brasserie.  Bridge Ten Brasserie has captured the feeling of a French brasserie with its menu of hearty yet simply elegant selections that are sure to please any French food lovers palate.  The wine list is exemplary and reflects Dave’s encyclopedic knowledge of French wine and their proper food pairings. The choices from the Parisian themed cocktail menu can easily spark vivid memories of an evening spent on The Champs-Élyées.  If you would like more information on Bridge Ten Brasserie it can be found at www.bridgeten.com or by calling 412-586-5033 

Alta Vista Malbec Mendoza Serenade Vineyard 2009

Vineyard in Mendoza Province, Argentina.

Vineyard in Mendoza Province, Argentina. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

     I received a comment recently on my post “Bodega Goulart The Marshall Malbec 2009” from Erika Goulart the owner of the Bodega Goulart Winery in the Mendoza region of Argentina.  She thanked me for commenting about her wine and wished me well.  This particular post is the most viewed of all my posts and receives views nearly everyday, so with this in mind I will be modifying my subjects to better match the interests of my readers.

Alta Vista Malbec Mendoza Serenade Vineyard 2009 continues the long tradition of Mendoza Malbec but is a little stronger in structure and has more than ample alcohol content at 15.5%.  This wine can be best described as rich and dense with aromas of vanilla mixed with wild berries.  The flavors are as deep as one would expect with chocolate and blackberry giving way to oaked cedar then finishing with a spicy bite.  Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate gave this vintage a 94 point rating which makes the P.L.C.B. price of $39.99 reasonable.  The P.L.C.B. website www.finewineandgoodspirits.com can be used to locate this wine by using the product code 39823. 

Vina Cobos Bramare Malbec La Consulta Rebon 2009

Vina Cobos Bramare Malbec La Consulta Rebon 2009

Vina Cobos Bramare Malbec La Consulta Rebon 2009

     I usually do not buy a wine with this many words in its name especially when I can not pronounce most of them but I was intrigued by the back story and origins of this Malbec.  The Malbec grape is not native to Argentina but was introduced into the region from its homeland of France about 150 years ago, the vines quickly found their new home a perfect match and the rest is history that is still being made today.  This Malbec is more complex than the Appellation Malbec with its aroma of exotic spices and floral notes.  Dark violet tones treat the eye as the muscular palate of plum, raspberry and black licorice fill your mouth letting you know that this is a seriously complex wine.  The finish can only be described as complex and long with rich pliant tannins.  The grapes are the key here and are sourced from the Marchiori Vineyard and other properties within Mendoza.  The word complex comes up often when describing this Malbec because so many factors come into play during its production not the least being that it is aged 18 months in 100% new Taransaud French oak and then bottled unfined and unfiltered.  Wine Advocate gave this 2009 vintage a 94 point rating and commented that it needed to unwind 2-3 years making its cellar life 2014-2024.  I am sure it will age wonderfully but I don’t like to wait so I aerated it and it opened up nicely with plenty of aroma.  The P.L.C.B. has this wine in limited availability and is most easily purchased through their website www.finewineandgoodspirits.com.  The product code is 39329 and the price is more than the normal price of the wines I review at $54.99.

Winter at Standing Stone Winery

Wine Barrels  Photo Courtesy Standing Stone Winery

Wine Barrels  Photo Courtesy Standing Stone Winery

I have just heard from Martha Macinski or Marti as she is known to everyone in the Finger Lakes.  She updated me on the happenings around the Standing Stone Winery that she and her husband Tom have owned since 1991.  They have just finished pressing frozen grapes to make Riesling Ice and Vidal Ice.  The grapes are not picked frozen but are picked as late harvest and then frozen commercially so that they may be pressed to make Ice wine.  The Riesling Ice 2012, Vidal Ice 2011 and the Riesling 2012 are all ready and will be bottled in early March.  One of the nice things about stopping by the tasting room during the winter is that there are fewer people visiting so Marti and her staff will have more time to talk and share details about the wine.  The vineyard crew is busy fixing any trellis components that have broken over the previous growing season.  Pruning will start in February and after that task is completed the vines will be tied up before bud break in the spring.  There was some concern that the recent spike in temperatures would reduce the snow cover that protects the vineyard during the winter but the cold nights and the return of normal winter weather prevented any damage to the vines.  Marti made me laugh when she told me that ” You would be surprised how much work it is to taste 10 barrels of Standing Stone Saperavi.”  I know it is a tough job but I guess someone has to do it :-).  They will be bottling some 2010 and 2012 wines in April and May with the 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon and the Merlot being of reserve status and reportedly delicious!  Thanks to Marti for keeping me informed on the latest news from Standing Stone Winery which is on the eastern shore of Seneca Lake in Hector, NY.  If you want more info you can visit the website www.Standingstonewines.com or go to their Facebook page.

La Casa Narcisi Winery Regional Italian Dinner

Vendors still go door-to-door in Civita , Calabria Italy. Photo Courtesy: About.com

Vendors still go door-to-door in Civita , Calabria Italy. Photo Courtesy: About.com

     Narcisi Winery will be holding its monthly wine dinner on Thursday January 31st at 6:30 pm at the winery on 4578 Gibsonia Road in Gibsonia Pa.  The 4 course dinner will be featuring the Calabria region and will include wine pairings, pictures and great conversation about the area.  The cost is $55 per person + tax and gratuity, for more information and to make the required reservations call 724-444-4744.  Narcisi will also be offering a 10 week beginner Italian language class starting on March 6th.  I find this to be a unique endeavor for a winery but a wonderful opportunity for anyone wanting to immerse themselves in the Italian culture.  A complimentary glass of wine and an appetizer at the start of every class will get everyone in the mood to impara i’Italiano!