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Harvest at Ripepi Winery

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Rows of Cabernet Sauvignon in the Ripepi Vineyard

Rows of Cabernet Sauvignon in the Ripepi Vineyard

Cabernet Sauvignon grapes

Cabernet Sauvignon grapes

     When Rich Ripepi, owner and winemaker of Ripepi Winery and Vineyard in Monongahela, Pa invited us to take part in the harvest at his vineyard we gladly accepted.  It was a beautiful early fall day as we walked from the winery to the rows of Cabernet Sauvignon vines in the adjacent vineyard.  We picked up our clippers from the tool bucket, located a section of unharvested vines by the empty bins laid out beneath them and went to work.  It wasn’t too long before Rich came by and his excitement about this years harvest was written all over his face.  He talked in glowing terms about how well the grapes had ripened during the month of September because of the warm weather and plentiful sunshine from the nearly cloudless skies.  I asked Rich how he determined when it was time to pick and he told me he uses all the traditional methods like Brix (these berries were 23), acidity and other factors but what it really all comes down to is if he tastes the grapes and they taste ripe to him then it is time to pick.  After a very wet summer which called for a more robust spraying program and more cultivation than normal there was an amazing turn of events that lead to this being one of the best harvest ever.  We took a break and walked with Rich to the winery where the pressing of the Traminette grapes which were picked earlier that day was nearing completion.  After being destemed the grapes were mixed with rice husks to make it easier to press out the juice.  Rich grabbed a glass and said “Do you want to taste it?” as he fills it with the freshly press juice that flows from the press, it was sweet and full of flavor.  While walking back to the vineyard to finish picking, Rich relates the most interesting stories about his evolving journey as a winemaker which makes the time pass quickly as we strip the last vines of their fruit.  We would like to say “Thank You” to Rich Ripepi for inviting us to share this experience with him and his family.  More information about the Ripepi Winery and their award-winning wines can be found at www.Ripepiwine.com

Standing Stone Vineyards Riesling Release

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Ripe grapes of Riesling.

Ripe grapes of Riesling. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

     I received a press release from the Standing Stone Winery that proudly announced the release of their Old West Block Riesling.  This is a single yeast Riesling named after the oldest vineyard on their property that was planted in 1972 by Gold Seal Vineyards.  Marti Macinski and her husband Tom take great pride in making the best Riesling and Gewürztraminer possible from the ground up in the Finger Lakes Region.  In 2012 due to the increased production from the Old West Block vineyard they were able to harvest enough grapes to produce a truly artisanal single vineyard bottling.  The grapes were picked at 22.5 Brix and the wine was bottled with a R.S. of 1.4%, 3.00pH and a total of 7.4 g/l.  After reading the tasting notes I was left the with the impression that this Riesling has aromas of apricots and pears with a flavor palate of ripe fruit complemented by a hint of white peach, smoked tea and white pepper in the background.  The finish is long and lingering but bright due to its lively acidity.  Standing Stone Winery made only 129 cases of Riesling  with the grapes harvested from the Old West Block and of the first 129 cases only 50 remain, that means it is in short supply and with single bottles priced at $18.99 it won’t last long. 

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Wine Weekend at Renfest

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     It was picture perfect weather for the Pittsburgh Renaissance Festival Wine Weekend in West Newton, Pa.  We decided to attend this event not only because of the wine tasting but to also enjoy the whimsical atmosphere that surrounds these gatherings.  During our visit to the 16th century we saw kings, queens, red knights, black knights, fairy princesses, wenches, belly dancers, elves, trolls and court jesters just to name a few of my fellow festival goers alter egos that were on display.  Christian W. Klay Winery and Glades Pike Winery offered free wine tasting and on site sales.  The lines were long and the wines were well received.  We tasted several selections at the Glades Pike Winery tent and purchased a bottle of Summer Breeze, a semi-sweet white table wine that I think will pair well with a fruit & cheese plate.  I was happy to see the interest these two wineries were creating in the emerging Pennsylvania wine industry

Jousting at Renfest

Jousting at Renfest

C. W. Klay Winery at Renfest

C. W. Klay Winery at Renfest

by bringing their products to a potentially new segment of the market. More information is available at www.cwklaywinery.com, www.gladespikewinery.com and pittsburghrenfest.com.

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California Dreaming!!!! Chalk Hill Estate Sauvignon Blanc Russian River Valley 2010

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     While we were in California I tasted plenty of good Sauvignon Blanc and it reminded me that this wine was a favorite of mine for years but had been forgotten recently. I decided to remedy this oversight by doing some research to find not just a good

Chalk Hill Estate Sauvignon Blanc Russian River Valley 2010

Chalk Hill Estate Sauvignon Blanc Russian River Valley 2010

Sauvignon Blanc but a very good one.  The search led me back to Healdsburg, California with the discovery of Chalk Hill Estate 2010 Russian River Valley Sauvignon Blanc.  This offering was bestowed a 90 point rating by both Wine Spectator and Wine Advocate.  My impressions of this wine were spicy, floral, lemons, herbaceous, bright, energetic, crisp with an interesting balance.  It can be found in P.L.C.B. stores or online at their website with the product code 46248 for $29.99.  

Summertime in Western Pennsylvania

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Steeler Training Camp St Vincent College, Latrobe, Pa

Steelers Training Camp St Vincent College Latrobe  Pa

Downtown Pittsburgh from PNC Park Home of Pirate Baseball

Downtown Pittsburgh from PNC Park Home of Pirate Baseball

PNC Park on Pittsburgh's North Shore

PNC Park on Pittsburgh’s North Shore

Downtown Pittsburgh from Station Square

Downtown Pittsburgh from Station Square

Wild Thing Baseball at Consol Field Washington Pa

Wild Thing Baseball at Consol Field Washington Pa

SummerSounds St Clair Park Greensburg Pa

SummerSounds St Clair Park Greensburg Pa

Billy Price preforms at The Aquatorium Monongahela,Pa

Billy Price performs at The Aquatorium Monongahela Pa

Crowd on Lawn at Jimmy Buffett Show

Crowd on Lawn at Jimmy Buffett Show

Jimmy Buffett at Star Lake in Burggettstown Pa

Jimmy Buffett at Star Lake in Burgettstown Pa

McWilliam’s Jack”s Blend 2011

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Snarky Puppy Preforms at SummerSounds

Snarky Puppy Performs at SummerSounds

     McWilliam’s Hanwood Estate Jack’s Blend South Eastern Australia 2011 is a Red Wine Blend that has a solid character and the good taste that are usually only found in a more expensive wine.  Jack’s Blend exhibits a light oak aroma with a medium body and a long smooth finish full of mild tannins.  This offering would pair well with grilled meat or even pizza.  I had the pleasure of drinking this red while sitting with friends under a starry night sky in St Clair Park , Greensburg Pa as the band Snarky Puppy performed at SummerSounds.  When you need to grab a bottle or two of red wine for a gathering of friends this wine will give you good quality at a great price.  Jack’s Blend can be found at P.L.C.B. stores for only $5.99 or online for under $10.

Garlic Festival at Fox Run Vineyards

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Photo: Fox Run Vineyards

Photo: Fox Run Vineyards

Fox Run Vineyards will be holding their 21st Annual Garlic Festival on August 3rd & 4th from 11 a.m. till 5 p.m. each day.  Free parking and free admission will be provided for all guests at the winery on 670 State Rte 14 Penn Yan, NY.  Thursday August 1st will feature a free concert by the West Coast Celtic rock band Town Pants that will start around 6 p.m..  Please bring your lawn chairs but leave your coolers at home because food, drinks and of course wine will be available for purchase starting at 5 p.m..  More information can be found at foxrunvineyards.com or by calling 800-636-9786.

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Achaval-Ferrer Malbec Mendozza Argentina 2011

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A glass of Malbec wine from Argentina

A glass of Malbec wine from Argentina (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

    This wine is an excellent example of a well made Malbec, it displays good body along with both red and black fruit flavors at a reasonable price.  A glass of this Malbec can be equally enjoyed and savored with food or alone.  I will be taking the advice of Dave De Simone, author and restaurateur, who suggests using your emotional reaction to a wine to describe its character and unique personality.  My descriptive feelings about Achaval-Ferrer Malbec 2011 would be agreeable, pleasing, appetizing, rich and vigorous. Wine Spectator gave it a rating of 92 points in 2012 and it is available in P.L.C.B. stores for $29.99 but can be found online for under $25.  This is a solid Malbec and worth the price. 

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LED Lighted Wine Glasses

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LED Wine Glass     Have you ever had to serve wine at a party or at a casual gathering and couldn’t use glass stemware?  If you said yes, then this product maybe the answer to your problem.  This isn’t your ordinary plastic wine glass by any stretch of the imagination.  This lighted wine glass has 3 LED’s that combine to make 7 different colors plus a continuous sequence mode that displays every color.  But wait there’s more, the bowl and base are removable for cleaning and the best feature of all is that “Batteries are included”.  I have found that people are amused by changing the stem color with the press of a button located under the base and the different color choices replace the need for wine charms to identify a guest’s personal glass.  These glasses are relatively inexpensive allowing guests to take them home with them thus eliminating the need to wash glasses at the end of the event.  They can be found online at several suppliers in small quantities or in bulk.  

Riesling Paradise

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  •       When someone asks me what I think is the best “All Purpose Wine” I laugh and give them my best answer “Riesling”.  It may sound too simple but when you consider the range of styles, producers, regions, and choices from very dry through sweet culminating in excellent dessert wine, the answer is actually a very complex one.  This wine is extremely food friendly and you can easily find a Riesling that will pair well with any cuisine.  You probably heard the saying “There’s an app for that” and when it comes to food pairings it can be said “There’s a Riesling for that”.  Riesling is produced globally by a host of very fine wineries but the frontrunners in quality have always been from the French Alsace Region, Germany and Austria.  Australia also markets some nice Riesling but anyone that has followed this blog knows I favor the Finger Lakes Region of New York and their world-class Riesling.  I have listed below a few favorites that should give you a good start on your search but there are plenty of others waiting to be discovered . 
  • Keuka Lake                      Seneca Lake                                Cayuga Lake
  • Ravines                             Herman R. Wiemer                   Swedish Hill
  • Dr. Frank’s                       Three Brothers                           Knapp
  • Heron Hill                        Belhurst Castle
  •                                             Standing Stone
  •                                             Lamoreaux Landing
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