Alto Las Pizarra Granacha 2005 begins its journey to your glass in a 2400 acre vineyard in the Ibérian mountains where the bold red Granacha grapes are grown, harvested and sorted so only the best berries are used in the production of this wine. It is aged in 100% new French oak and that is where it is left to complete its malolactic fermentation until it is bottled directly from the barrel. This full-bodied red boasts aromas of black fruit and roasted coffee while delivering a mouthful of sweet cherry and black fruit flavors that are elegantly well-rounded. Wine Advocate gave it a 93 
point rating and the P.L.C.B. gave it a price of $18.99 after quoting it at $53.00 ( a bit high) making it a must buy at that price. It is ready to drink now but could be cellared for 10 more years but why would you want to do that? I say drink it NOW!!!
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3 Pennsylvania Wine Festivals
May 8th thru May 10th will be the dates for three separate wine festivals presented by Fine Wine & Good Spirits, which is the retail arm of the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (P.L.C.B.) who control and regulate all alcohol sales in Pennsylvania.
Wine Festival in Hershey will be held Wednesday May 8th on the Concourse at the Giant Center in Hershey Pa. V.I.P. Tasting is 5:00-6:30 P.M. with tickets $95 per person and Grand Tasting 6:30-8:30 P.M. with tickets $45 per person. Parking for the event will be free and festivities benefit Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital. For more information, including a list of vintners go to http://www.winefestivalinhershey.com
Pittsburgh Wine Festival will be held Thursday May 9th at Heinz Field East & West Club Lounges with V.I.P. Tasting 5:00-7:00 P.M. and Grand Tasting 7:00-9:00 P.M.. Ticket prices for the V.I.P. Tasting are $250 per person and $125 per person for the Grand Tasting with the V.I.P. guests welcome to stay and enjoy the entire evening. This is the eleventh year for this event and will feature 165 vendors showcasing 500 different wines while benefiting innovation and discovery at U.P.M.C.. Pittsburgh Wine Festival is running a special limited time price offer of two Grand Tasting tickets for the price of one and can be accessed at http://www.pittsburghwinefestival.com.
The New Philadelphia Wine & Food Festival is Friday May 10th at Lincoln Financial Field SCA Club from 5:30-9:30P.M.. This year’s expanded program combines food, 600 different wines, access to wine makers and chefs coupled with demonstrations, educational sessions and intimate tastings. A silent auction will be held throughout the evening with the proceeds benefiting the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. V.I.P. Tasting with early entry 5:30-9:30 P.M. is $250 and Grand Tasting with general admission 7:00-9:30P.M. $125 per person. To purchase tickets and get more information go to www.phillymag.com/wineandfoodfest/index.hmtl
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A to Z Rose
Photo Courtesy: A to Z WineWorks
With summer fast approaching I have decided to revisit a recommendation I made last year for my favorite summertime wine Rosé. This wine is a perfect fit for an idyllic afternoon spent sitting on a blanket spread out on a lush green lawn under a shade tree with a picnic basket full of artisan cheeses, fresh fruit and a loaf of hard-crusted bread. I like this Rosé because it is full of flavor and made to please with a slightly complex mid-palate that remains bright and juicy while filled with a virtual produce stand of red fruit flavors. A to Z Rosé first catches your eye with its beautiful magenta color then tickles your nose with the aromas of strawberries, red currants, raspberries, peach and watermelon while finally winding it all up with a crisp clean finish. There is no wine as closely associated with summer as Rosé, so when you pull out the shorts and sandals add in a bottle of Oregon-made A to Z Wineworks Rosé, you won’t be sorry you did!
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- Winey Tasting Notes: Let’s Put Some Spring In Our Wine (thewineymom.blogspot.com)
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Wine Down Wednesday
English: this is a new version of the bossa nova pattern, written in 2/4 which is typical of Brazilian charts (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
First Commonwealth will be hosting Wine Down Wednesday this Wednesday, April 24th from 6-8 P.M. at Bossa Nova 123 Seventh St in Downtown Pittsburgh. The event benefits the American Heart Association’s “Go Red For Women”. The evening will feature a buffet of appetizers, light dinner fare, wine & spirits and dessert. Activities will include a silent auction for gift baskets and packages with themes as well as salsa dancing. Tickets are $45 each and $80 per couple and can be purchased at www.blacktie-pittsburgh.com/tickets/index.cfm
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- After Dinner Drinks: Pittsburgh Night Clubs (local.answers.com)
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Bodegas Arrayan Premium Red Blend 2005
This proprietary red blend provides a complexity that can’t be matched by comparable mono-varietals because it has a powerful blend of 55% Syrah, 20% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Petit Verdot coupled with 14 months of aging in new French oak behind it. After starting with an aroma of sweet fruit, it is no surprise that the palate is one of lush black fruit which remains very persistent on your tongue and is then matched by the even longer finish. This cuvee would be an excellent addition to a steak dinner or a nice complement to an evening spent entertaining around your homes outdoor space while you maximize the culinary potential of your grill. Wine Advocate gave this wine a 93 point rating and it can be found in select P.L.C.B. stores at a discounted price of $24.99 with the product code 032370. P.L.C.B. lists the quoted price at $45.00 but I managed to find it listed on Amazon wine for $39.99 making the $24.99 price a very good deal for a wine of this caliper. The Arrayán family of wines are produced by La Casa de Las Cuatro Rayas in the Méntrida region of Spain.
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- Bodegas Balbás Ardal Crianza 2005 (canadianwineguy.com)
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Spring Daffodil Dinner Details!
Greendance is located just outside the town of Mount Pleasant, Pa on Rte 819 at 306 Deerfield Road and can be found at http://www.Greendancewinery.com.
To attend please call, 724-547-6500 *Space is limited*
*Cost of attendance can be refunded up to 48 hours prior to event, after that time the cost is non-refundable. Thank you.
Menu
Amuse Bouche ~ Organic Truffled Eggs – Horseradish Fluff
Salmon Tataki ~ Seared Salmon – Spring Veggies – Watercress Sauce
Wild Mushroom Risotto – Organic Pork Belly ~ Arborio Rice – Forest Mushroom
Creme of Potato & Laurel Mountains Ramps ~ Somerset Potatoes – Stream Side Ramps – Beet Chips
Olive Oil Poached Asparagus ~ Fried Torn Bread – Prosciutto – Aged Balsamic Vinegar
Intermezzo ~ Artisan Cheese – Raw Honey – Raisins on Vine
Braised Boneless Short Rib ~ Tomato – Organic Beef Short Ribs – Spring Onion Potatoes
Sand Hill Berries Dessert
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The Pennsylvania Winery Association
Photo Courtesy: Pennsylvania Winery Association
The Pennsylvania Winery Association has a very useful and informative website and you can get access to it by going to http://www.pennsylvaniawine.com.. Starting on the homepage you can explore many interesting features including an extensive list of winery events for the upcoming year plus trip planning info coupled with downloadable winery maps available under the Trip Planner tab. Pennsylvania is divided into seven wine growing regions with my favorite designation being the “Groundhog Region”. Let France have Bordeaux and Italy have Tuscany, give me that Groundhog A.V.A.. Pennsylvania is home to eleven wine trails and P.W.A. reports that there are one hundred twenty-three wineries in the Commonwealth. While you are visiting the site take the opportunity to add your e-mail address to their e-mail list or consider following them on Twitter. The Pennsylvania Winery Association has done an excellent job with their website and it will certainly offer anyone researching it with an insight into the state’s wineries that isn’t available anywhere else. http://www.pennsylvaniawine.com
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Happy Easter
Stained glass at St John the Baptist’s Anglican Church http://www.stjohnsashfield.org.au, Ashfield, New South Wales. Illustrates Jesus’ description of himself “I am the Good Shepherd” (from the Gospel of John, chapter 10, verse 11). This version of the image shows the detail of his face. The memorial window is also captioned: “To the Glory of God and in Loving Memory of William Wright. Died 6th November, 1932. Aged 70 Yrs.” (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Wishing Everyone God’s Blessing for a Joyous Easter.
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Goulart Winery
The Goulart Winery is a partnership between Mauricio Parodi and Erika Goulart. Mauricio Parodi is one of the most knowledgeable and accomplished agronomist in Mendoza and Erika Goulart, whose grandfather lead the overthrow of the Brazilian government in the 1932 Constitutional Revolution. Erika is a successful entrepreneur who with the help of Mauricio resurrected her grandfathers Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon vineyards in Mendoza that were originally planted in 1915. It took six years to rehabilitate the vineyards back to the point of perfect balance that is necessary to produce high quality wine and after the enlightened hiring of Luis Barrund all the pieces were in place for a world-class winery. Goulart wines have been hard to find, especially in Pennsylvania, below I have posted the New Vintage releases for the United States so you can focus your search for the wines of this exceptional producer. You can visit www.fincalugildegoulart.com.ar or click the link to the left to visit Erika’s Facebook page for more information that also includes the releases for Europe, Asia and South America.
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Goulart Winery Labels
Photo Courtesy: Goulart Winery
Photos Courtesy: Goulart Winery
Photo Courtesy: Goulart Winery
Photo Courtesy: Goulart Winery
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