Author wpawinepirate

Saturday Night Jive for a Cause

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Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger of the Pittsbur...

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger of the Pittsburgh Steelers prior to a game (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

     The Vineyard at Hershey will be hosting “Saturday Night Jive for a Cause” on July 14, 2012 from 6:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.  The event will feature an open air concert by Not Quite Einstein.  Come and enjoy music under the stars along with a bonfire, roasted corn, s’mores and the handcrafted wines of The Vineyard at Hershey.  Pack a picnic dinner and bring your blanket or chair then join some friends for a summer evening of fun.

     Tickets to the fundraiser are $20.00 each and can be purchased at The Vineyard at Hershey website.  All ticket proceeds will benefit the Big 33 Scholarship Foundation.  The Big 33 Scholarship Foundation provides academic scholarships for students throughout Pennsylvania and Ohio.  There will also be a live auction featuring some great experiences for you to bid on as well as a bottle of The Vineyard at Hershey’s  own wine that has been autographed by Pittsburgh Steelers Ben Roethlisberger.  So make plans today to attend “Saturday Night Jive” and help make this event a success for the Big 33 Scholarship Foundation.

Jimmy Buffett Hunting

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     We have just returned from another wonderful trip to the wine country of the Finger Lakes Region of New York.  The weather was summertime hot with temperatures in the low to mid 90’s.  The weather may have been unusual but the welcoming hospitality and the genuine “glad to see you” attitude of the area’s population was unchanged.  A boat captain told me that a cold wave in late spring had caused a 50% loss in  the grape crop and a loss of nearly all of the cherry harvest this year. 

     We had set out early on our planned route down the east side of Seneca Lake and it was going great when an unexpected sighting caused me to make a quick U-turn and head back up Rte 414.  The parking lot at Hazilitt 1852 Vineyards tasting room was full, which was strange because we had experienced a lighter than normal turn out at the other wineries.  We pulled into the lot and parked next to the Tiki sign that pointed the way to the Tiki tent.  As we walked to the front door I couldn’t help notice the large rusting propeller guarding the entrance.  The music of Radio Margaritaville poured out of the tasting room as we opened the door and the eclectic interior was revealed.  After finding our place at the bar we were greeted by Todd, an outgoing and personable young man who no doubt would feel at home in Key West as he does here in the Finger Lakes.  Todd takes us through our flight of wines with his knowledgable description of each along with his lighthearted wit and humor.  When I ask about the large tattoo on his right arm he proudly told me that it is a reproduction of an original painting he had done and that it will be incorporated into a full sleeve tattoo that he has planned out.  After purchasing a bottle of the winery’s signature “Red Cat” wine Todd told us that Hazilitt 1852 had acquired a winery in the nearby town of Naples because they needed its capacity to meet the over 500,000 gallon demand for that wine.  We bid everyone goodbye and continued south on Rte 414 looking forward to our next parrothead adventure.  Fins Up!  Hazilitt 1852 Vineyards can be found at 5712 Rte 414  Hector, New York.

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Hazilitt 1852 Vineyards

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     These photos are from the Hazilitt 1852 Vineyards and include the Tiki sign, propeller by the entrance of the tasting room and the wall behind the tasting room bar.

Free Wine Vintage App

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English: Wine grapes. Español: Uvas de vino ro...

     If you have ever been in a store or restaurant  and were unsure of which wine to purchase this app can help.  M. Shanken Communications, Inc. has released  Vintage Chart+ By Wine Spectator so you can carry one of Wine Spectator’s most popular features around in your smart phone.  This new version can be very helpful in choosing the right wines from the most popular wine regions of the world.  This app has lots of useful information so when you add in the fact that it is free it immediately becomes a must have application.  To get it go to the itunes store and search the free apps.

Back UP The Truck!

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English: Wine on the wall.

     I hope that I have given you some motivation to get out and about this summer so you can make some fantastic new memories.  Keeping with my theory that you do not have to spend a lot of money to get good wine, I would like to make some suggestions that will make for a well stocked cooler. 

     Let’s start with some reds!

1.  Albeno Munari Tempranillo Calaveras County 2007   WE/88 $13.99    

2.  A to Z Wineworks Rosé Oregon 2011 $11.99

     And now three highly rated proprietary Red Blends!

3.  Bodegas Dios Ares Crianza 2008  WA/90  $12.99

4.  Bodegas y Vined Luna Beberide Fincala Questa 2007 WA/90 $11.99

 5.  Boutari Elios Mediterranean Red Peloponnese 2009 WS/87 $12.99

     Now it’s time to give these tasty white wines their time in the sun!

1.  Alomos Torrontes 2007  WS/87   $10.99

2.  Boutari Moschofilero Matinia 2010  WS/88   $12.99

3.  Breemerton Verdelho  WA/89   $12.99

4.  Adegas Gran Vinum Nessa Albarino Rias Baixas 2008  WA/88   $12.99

     These are just an example of the rated wines that are available at a reasonable price.  I think you will enjoy any of these selections and know that you will find many others in your journeys.

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Strike Up The Band

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Common musical notes

     One of the most relaxing things that I can think of doing is to take my chair to an outdoor concert and spend the evening sipping wine with my wife and friends.  The festive atmosphere created by a musical performance is being used by wineries to attract new customers to their facilities.  These concerts range from nationally known acts to local solo artists and they cover just about every known genre of music imaginable. 

     The Seattle, Washington area is extremely fortunate to have the Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery within easy access because this winery presents an outstanding calendar of events each summer.  Chateau Ste. Michelle has been hosting live performances since 1984 in an intimate amphitheater setting that has made the Chateau Ste. Michelle Summer Concert Series one of the Pacific Northwest great music venues.  Go to www.Ste-Michelle.com for more information.

     Traveling east to the Finger Lakes Region of New York you can find music at numerous wineries located around these beautiful glacial lakes.  Winestock is a wine, food and music festival that will be celebrated on Saturday, June 16th at Three Brothers Winery on Seneca Lake.  If you would like to make plans to attend please go to www.winestock2012.eventbrite.com/ for more detailed information.

     Let’s turn south to Western Pennsylvania and the Stone Villa Winery in Acme where you can enjoy a show and a glass of wine next to a picturesque lake on the grounds of the winery.  A complete calendar of events and contact information is available at www.StoneVilla.com.

     Our final stop will be Greensburg, Pennsylvania where the Summer Sounds Concerts will be held 7:00 every Friday evening from June 1st through August 31st.  These free shows are presented at the Robertshaw Pavillion in St. Clair Park thanks to the support of volunteers along with corporate sponsorship and donations from concert goers.  Additional information and schedules can be found at www.SummerSounds.com.  I sincerely urge you to attend these events and support the businesses and organizations that promote them in your area.  

Frankly Scarlet !

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moscato party !

moscato party ! (Photo credit: portobeseno)

     I will use the next few posts to look at light bodied wines that I believe would be good choices for your summer outings.  I like the lighter wines for warm weather entertaining because they are easy to drink and allow you to enjoy the company of friends and family without having to worry about what wines to serve.  Beringer Red Moscato 2011 fits nicely into this category by being light with fresh fruit flavors and a floral aroma.  It is a little sweet but often described as “not too sweet or not too dry with a smooth refreshing finish”.  This deep scarlet colored Moscato is produced in Argentina from a blend of Moscato, Zinfandel and Petite Sirah grapes and bottled in the Napa Valley of California.  I don’t think you will be disappointed if you take this one with you to the park for an evening concert under the stars.

Smell the Rose

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     Well it is Memorial Day weekend, the official start of summer with all of its festivities.  It is also the unofficial start of Rosé season, conditions are perfect for this wine to really shine in all of its styles. Rosé is made in many styles from very dry to sweet along with a wide range of sparkling wines.  There is no need to over think your Rosé purchase  I recommend just reading the tasting notes and picking

A glass being full of rosé wine

A glass being full of rosé wine (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 one that sounds good.  Mas de Guiot Rosé 2010 sounded good to me because it is made in the traditional dry crisp style of a Southern French Rosé.  This wine has a deeper Rosé color than do most Rosés along with a dry finish.  This can be attributed to the blend of grapes that is mainly Grenache with some Syrah and a little Mourverde.  I think the winery notes say it best “Fresh with bright red licorice and ripe cherry notes backed by a stony hint.  Very tasty.”  This is a P.A.L.C.B. store online exclusive with the product code 20370 and a WA rating of 88.  It is also has an unbeatable price of $7.99 on sale from $12.99

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Wine Tasting

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     The Monongahela Area Library Wine Tasting and Vineyard Tour Fundraiser was held Saturday evening under a spectacular blue sky at the Ripepi Winery and Vineyard.  The guests were treated to a vineyard tour by owner and winemaker Rich Ripepi.  Rich kept the crowd entertained with his ability to weave his encyclopedic wine knowledge and storytelling together to create an atmosphere of fun, humor and learning.  We returned from the vineyard to find our tables had been set with a variety of cheeses to complement that evenings wines.  Rich conducted the tasting with a detailed explanation of each wine while fielding questions.  I had a great time at this event and urge any wine lover to take any opportunity to meet and talk to a seasoned winemaker because their abilities are truly impressive.  Rich Ripepi has reason to be proud knowing that four of his wines had just won medals at two different wine competitions.

The 36th Annual International Eastern Wine Competition in Santa Rosa, CA:    Niagra – Silver Medal      De Chaunac – Silver Medal      

The Finger Lakes International Wine Competition: Diamond- Silver Medal    Vidal Blanc – Bronze Medal

Congratulations to all the members of the Ripepi Winery family.

 

Winemaker

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     Winemaker Rich Ripepi informs and entertains the crowd gathered at the Ripepi Winery and Vineyard for the Monongahela Area Library Wine Tasting and Vineyard Tour.