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Thanksgiving Wine

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Assortment of wine from Domaine Chandon in Yar...

Assortment of wine . (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

     Thanksgiving is only a week away and the menu is set but the wine list will remain fluid until the last-minute. White wines are the traditional choices because they pair wonderfully with Thanksgiving fare.  A dry Chardonnay with a light oak aging is always a sure bet but a fruity unoaked offering might be a more interesting choice.  Sauvignon Blanc is also a good pick with its lively acidity or if you want to spur some dinner table wine talk try a Gewürztraminer, White Burgundy or even a Viognier.  If your guests like a little sweeter wine try a White Zinfandel to satisfy their tastes.  Reds are hard to blend with the flavor palate of this holiday meal but if you must uncork a bottle of red I suggest trying a light bodied wine with fine tannins and the best choice for that is Pinot Noir.  We will be pouring three New York  white wines from the 3 Brothers Winery in the Finger Lakes Region, a 2010 1st Degree Medium Dry Riesling and a 2010 2nd Degree Medium Sweet Riesling along with a 2011 Stoney Lonesome Estates Grüner Veltliner. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone.

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Bodega Goulart The Marshall Malbec 2009

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     It is no secret that I like a good Malbec and the only thing better is a very good Malbec on sale.  Bodega Goulart The Marshall Malbec 2009 is a rock solid wine with a full body that follows through with big bold black fruit flavors and a white pepper spice coming out at the finish.  The tannins are intense but rounded off by 18 months of aging in French oak.  Another thing you will want to take the time to see is the deep ruby-red color that has to be seen to be understood.  This is a very good Argentinian Malbec that is straightforward and not overly complex.  My recommendation is to just pull the cork and enjoy it.  PLCB code 33023  WE/90 rating   14% alcohol  $13.99 that is a savings of $13.01 so why not get 2 bottles.

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My City In Ruins

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Long Island Sound, New Jersey Coast (NASA, Int...

Long Island Sound, New Jersey Coast (NASA, International Space Station Science, 11/10/06) (Photo credit: NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center)

Bruce Springsteen said he wrote this song for his adopted home of Ashbury Park, NJ but it now seems prophetic after the events of the last two days and hauntingly the song has come full circle. Superstorm Sandy struck the East Coast with a fury well above the power and destructive force that is associated with a Category 1 hurricane. Here in Western Pennsylvania we were spared the full impact of Sandy but did experience high winds, heavy rains and snow in the higher elevations. I expect the damage to the East Coast vineyards to be minimal because the harvest was completed before the storms arrival. I will know more after I hear from some of the owners what damage they have sustained. Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone suffering the aftermath of this terrible natural disaster and we hope that the can resume their normal lives as soon as possible.

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Wrecking Ball

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English: Airport in direction of Abidjan for t...

English: Airport in direction of Abidjan for the first amnesty international tour of Africa (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Last night we went to the Bruce Springsteen concert at the Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh, Pa.  I can report that two red Robert Mondavi Wines were available at the Miller Lite Brewhouse Bar on the 200 level in the form of Woodbridge Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon.  We enjoyed our selection of  Merlot served in a lovely clear plastic cup 🙂 as we looked out onto the skyline of the city through the glass walls of the bar.  Bruce and his E Street Band are a powerful 17 member band with a five-piece horn section featuring Jake Clemons, the nephew of the late Clarence Clemons.  The 63-year-old Springsteen showed incredible energy and stamina throughout his over 3 hour performance.  Bruce said it best “I’m an old man but I don’t want to go home.  I want to keep on rolling”.  During the encore longtime Springsteen friend and Pittsburgh music legend Joe Grushecky and his son Johnny appeared on stage with Bruce much to the delight of the crowd.  Reviews have this show as the best he has performed in the “Burgh” and I will echo the wishes of all of his fans that he will keep on rolling for a long time to come.

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Standing Stone Vineyards

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Tom and Marti Macinski Photo Courtesy: Standing Stone Vineyards

     I recently received an e-mail from Marti Macinski to keep me up to date on activities at Standing Stone Vineyards.  Marti and Tom Macinski have owned and operated Standing Stone Vineyards since 1991.  They have steadily increased the yearly production from 800 cases in that first vintage of 1993 to about 8000 cases last year.  They are officially done picking grapes with great results and have some of their wine fermenting while sitting on the lees.  Their Cabernet Sauvignon is starting to ferment and needs punched down four times a day.  Tom is looking for volunteers that want to learn some winemaking skills while helping to basket press the Cab.  Even if you are not up for a hands- on winery experience you can always stop by the tasting room that is open every day and while you are there don’t miss the chance to sample the bread and the many dips. 

Standing Stone Vineyards 9934 Route 414 Hector, NY 14841  (607) 582-6051  www.standingstonewines.com   Blog   http://www.standingstonewines.wordpress.com

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Free Wine App for iPhone and iPad

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WineRating+ app on iPhone Photo Courtesy Wine Spectator

Wine Spectator’s new WineRating+  app is free, powerful and delivers convenient expert advice.  Designed for both the connoisseur and the casual wine drinker it provides over 270,000 wine reviews, collectible wine prices, and wine pairings but that is just the beginning of what this app can do.  It has an easy and effective wine rating search with filtering options that allow you to narrow your results so you can make the perfect choice.  Available now on the iPhone App Store, WineRating+ is a free download but it also offers premium content with a subscription of $2.99 per month.  There is  plenty of content in the free version, that is why I recommend using it first before you subscribe.

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Wine Ice Cream

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aldo's ice cream

aldo’s ice cream (Photo credit: surekat)

     This isn’t one of the old standards when it comes to ice cream flavors but surprisingly it is very good.  We got the chance to enjoy this special treat on the lake shore in Geneva N.Y.  Like any wine list we were offered the choice of red or white with red consisting of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot or Zinfandel while the white options were Chardonnay and Chablis.  We tried the Cab, Merlot and Chardonnay and found them all very flavorful because the character of the wine was prominent in the taste palate of all the selected ice creams.  These ice creams are made with real wine and have an alcohol content listed for each which makes them only available to persons of legal drinking age.  I think it is funny that the possibility exists that someone could be carded when buying an ice cream cone.  I look forward to my next trip down Rte 14 so I can try a big piece of grape pie and a wine slushie.  

Events at Your PLCB Store! Really?

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state store

state store (Photo credit: Foxgirl)

      Did you know that you could have the chance to sample wine and spirits or even meet a celebrity at your PLCB store?  To find out if any events are slated for your favorite store you must first find your stores ID number by visiting www.finewineandgoodspirits.com and using the store locator feature to identify  the 4 digit number assigned to that store.  Position the cursor over the Promotions tab, then point at the Events tab at the far right end of the drop down menu, lastly click on the In-Store Events.  Enter your store ID number into the box marked Store then click Search and a directory of all the events scheduled for that store will appear with a description of each that can be expanded for more information when clicked.

     In a totally unrelated matter I stopped at the Ripepi Winery last week and saw that picking had begun but I also noticed that there was a plentiful supply of fruit left to be harvested.  I find that standing in a vineyard and seeing the ripe grapes hanging from the vines a truly awe-inspiring sight.  

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Laurel Highlands Harvest Festival

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A view of the Laurel Highlands from behind Ken...

A view of the Laurel Highlands from behind Kentuck Knob. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

     The Christian W. Klay Winery will present the Laurel Highlands Harvest Festival on September 23, 11 a.m.- 4 p.m.  The event this year will held in partnership with the Fayette County Buy Local Network and Chef Jeremy Critchfield of the Historic Stone House Restaurant.  Festivities will include a salsa making demonstration by Chef Jeremy, salsa dancing with free lessons, grape stomping, wine tasting, food, entertainment and much more.  A $5 donation at the gate will benefit local charities.  Don’t miss your opportunity to experience this culinary and wine adventure in the beautiful Laurel Highlands.  Christian W. Klay Winery 412 Fayette Springs Road Chalk Hill, Pa 15421.  Visit  www.cwklaywinery.com or call 724-439-3424.    

Free Finger Lakes Travel App!!!

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Map of the Finger Lakes region of New York, wi...

Map of the Finger Lakes region of New York, with major cities, highways, and airports marked. Created from public domain sources: NASA World Wind (USGS Maps), Image:New_York_State_Route_104_map.png, and http://www.lrb.usace.army.mil/brochure/images/new%202003/letch-park%20map2.gif. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

     Anyone that is contemplating a trip to the Finger Lakes Region of New York should get moving and make plans now.  I say this from personal experience that the next several weeks are the perfect time to visit wine country.  When you visit in the fall you will get to enjoy the excitement of the harvest while being surrounded by a landscape that is alive with the vibrant colors of autumn.  A free travel app is available to help visitors enjoy many of the local attractions.  The app can be found at http://FLWC.MOBI./  Driving around the area is easy because the roads are well-marked especially with signs that direct you along the wine trails.  Tourists using a GPS can find numerous wineries preloaded in the “Points Of Interest” or “Attractions” setting of the unit.  You can find just about anything you need to know for your trip online so why wait because winter will be here before you know it.      

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