Category Wine news

Something Different

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Pinot Grigio

2011 Volere Pinot Grigio

2011 Volere Rose

2011 Volere Rose

     I have to tip my hat to Volére for the imaginative packaging of a box wine trio that was perfectly timed for the holiday season.  The wine business is extremely competitive and it is very hard to grab a consumers attention but this innovative idea does just that.  Volére has packaged three selections in a box that looks like a designer purse with details which include a color coordinated handle, hang tag and a zipper printed on the top of the purse.  The box contains 1.5 liter of either a 2011 Pinot Grigio, Rosé or Red Blend and is list priced at $14.99.  My wife purchased a few as hostess gifts that she will give out this holiday season.  I forgot to mention that the spout pulls out of the end of the box/purse, so it can serve on the go or from the shelf of your refrigerator.

Downtown Pittsburgh Celebrates the Holidays

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The Pittsburgh Creche

The Pittsburgh Creche

Market Square Lighted Sphere Xmas Tree

Market Square Lighted Sphere Xmas Tree

PPG Place

PPG Place

Market Square Holiday Marketplace

Market Square Holiday Marketplace

Free Carriage Rides

Free Carriage Rides

PPG Wintergarden

PPG Wintergarden

Market Square

Market Square

Ice Rink & Christmas Tree PPG Place

Ice Rink & Christmas Tree PPG Place

Downtown Pittsburgh celebrates the Holiday Season every weekend after “Light-Up Night” by offering a family friendly environment filled with plenty of Christmas themed events that showcase its unique personality.  I have posted a sampling of photos that will give you a feel for the type of activities that are available.  Parking is free at all the city owned garages, a free “Holly Trolley” shuttles visitors between venues, free horse-drawn carriage rides are offered, you can ice skate around the Christmas Tree in PPG Place and my favorite “The Pittsburgh Crèche” which is the only authorized replica of the Vatican’s Christmas Crèche that is on display at St. Peter’s Square in Rome.

Gifts for the Wine Lover

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Christmas lights on Aleksanterinkatu.

Christmas lights on Aleksanterinkatu. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

      Buying a wine related gift for a lover of wine can be a daunting task because I have found that they have a very well-defined idea of what they like and dislike.  Wine drinking has a limited need for accessories beyond the basics of a bottle of wine, a corkscrew and the proper glass for the wine in the bottle.  Buying them an unfamiliar bottle is a gamble, they may love it or an equally possible outcome would be that they hate it. 

      A red wine drinker can’t deny that aeration helps loosen a tight wine and a Vinturi Areator is the quick and easy way to open a red up ultimately bringing out its hidden character.  Cheese & Wine  A Guide to Selecting, Pairing and Enjoying, by Janet Fletcher and published by Chronicle Books is a classy book with excellent photography and descriptive text.  This book is a guide to all the well-known cheeses and their origins, production and wine pairings as well as many more obscure examples.  Lastly, Kevin Zarley’s Complete Wine Course 2012 Edition is the latest update of a book that is the standard by which all others are judged.  This is a great gift for the novice as well as the enthusiast because there is always something exciting to learn. 

     All of these gift suggestions meet my criteria of being easy to wrap, fitting nicely under the tree and are readily available online.  Good Luck with the rest of your Christmas shopping list. 

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Happy Thanksgiving!

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     I would like to say Thank You to all my readers for your support.  May your homes be filled with the love and laughter of family and friends on this holiday.

Happy Thanksgiving

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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