Tag food

Wine Time at the Colony

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English: Portrait of a middle-aged William Pen...

English: Portrait of a middle-aged William Penn (founder of the Pennsylvania colony) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

     Penn’s Colony will be hosting a Wine-Tasting that will also include gourmet fare and artisans.  The event is Saturday September 8th from noon to 6 p.m. on the Grounds of Penn’s Colony  365 Saxonburg Blvd. Rt. 228E., Saxonburg, Pa.  Admission will be charged and with a tasting admission you will receive a souvenir glass.  Visitors must be 21 years old and provide a valid I.D. to participate in the wine-tasting.  More information is available at Winetimeatthecolony.com or by calling 724-352-9922

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Seven Springs Wine & Food Festival

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Wine Tasting

Wine Tasting (Photo credit: cheesy42)

     The 20th Annual Seven Springs Wine & Food Festival will be held on the 25th & 26th of August.  Wine-tasting will be offered by 30 Pennsylvania wineries and there will also be seminars and musical entertainment.  The hours are from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on both days.  You must be at least 21 years old to attend this event and children, minors and pets are not permitted on the festival grounds.  Tickets are $36 for Saturday and $26 for Sunday and can be purchased online or at the event.  This celebration of Pennsylvania food and wine is being held at Seven Springs Mountain Resort  777 Waterwheel Dr,  Seven Springs, PA.  800-452-2223   

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Summer Nights

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Moscato d'Asti

     As we enter into the final weeks of summer you don’t want warm weather to pass before you try some light-bodied young wines.  These fresh flavored immature wines are made from low-sugar early harvest grapes that yield a high-sugar and low-alcohol wine.  You will find these wines to be sweeter than average and more acidic on your taste buds but lighter on your wallet.  I think a good place to start would be with an Italian-Style Moscato so we can savor its delectable floral and fresh fruit aroma.  Some interesting choices can be found including an offering from Cavit at $8.99 for 750ml PLCB code 3602 and Moscato D’ Asti Montefiore $11.99 for 750 ml PLCB code 5021.  The 2010 Vintage of Moscato D’ Asti Montefiore was rated as the highest scoring Moscato under $15 by Wine Spectator.  When pairing these wines you should think sweet foods, like desserts and local farm market fresh fruits.  The French are excellent producers of this next category of wine and because of their skill I recommend sampling a French-Style Vouvray.  Barton & Guestier Vouvray $11.99 PLCB code 5525 and Château de Montfort $14.99 PLCB code 8747 are the two most easily found examples at PLCB stores.  These wines pair well with cheese plates, dried fruit and cold seafood appetizers.  Before summer ends be certain to try some of these refreshing young white wines while conditions are ideal.

Wagner Vineyards

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     We are back on the road again and on our way to Wagner Vineyards where they have a winery, brewery, restaurant and gift shop.  I would like to take this opportunity to advise you to be careful when tasting and driving and also ask you to be sure that you act in a responsible manner to ensure public safety because if you don’t the police around the Finger Lakes will.  Wagner is probably the most commercially developed winery around the lakes and should be on your must see list.  They produce an extensive variety of wines and if you are fortunate enough to have Bill serve you in the tasting room  you will get to experience every one that your heart desires.  I asked him for a good red for making Sangria and he suggested the Sunset Red then he gave me his favorite Sangria recipe.  I tasted all of their Chardonnay and chose the dry 2011 Barrel Fermented.  I didn’t taste at the brewery this trip but I remember that the last time I did their portions were the same as the wine room samples and let’s just say they were more than generous.  The Ginny Lee Cafe has a trendy menu and we have had lunch on the deck overlooking the vineyards on several occasions.  If you do decide to stop for lunch try one of their wraps, my favorite is the Tuscan.  Wagner Vineyards is located at 9322 State Route 414 Lodi, New York.  

Lamoreaux Landing Winery

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Lamoreaux Landing

Lamoreaux Landing (Photo credit: mhaithaca)

     My next stop was the award-winning Lamoreaux Landing Winery in Lodi, New York.  The first thing that strikes you about this property is just how impressive the facilities are.  The grandeur of the main building hints of Roman and Greek inspired architecture.  The long stroll up the sidewalk to the main entrance was only a prelude to the truly magnificent view of the lake through the huge windows inside.  The view from the beautiful tasting room was one of the finest I have ever experienced in the Finger Lakes.  The wine of Lamoreaux Landing are well made and enjoyable.  I purchased their Estate Red Table Wine but passed on a very good Chardonnay that I really should have added to the growing collection in the trunk of my car.  After looking around the gift shop that is adjacent to the tasting room we left with my bottle of Estate Red and a promise to return soon.  Lamoreaux Landing Winery is located at 9224 Rte 414 Lodi, NY. 

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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.

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.

The Big Grape

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ST. PATRICK'S CATHEDRAL     We were in New York City on Saturday walking through  Midtown Manhattan.  It was a beautiful spring late afternoon and we on our way to Central Park for a carriage ride then onto St. Patrick Cathedral for Saturday evening Mass when it happened.  Yes, right there in front of me was Morrell Wine Bar & Cafe and next to that was their wine store.  Talk about Divine intervention, how was I supposed to pass by without stopping in and at least making a purchase.  The bottles neatly lined the shelves like soldiers at attention.  I looked up and down the aisles totally conflicted as to which one would accompany me on my journey home.  My wife broke my confusion with a simply suggestion “Trust your gut and just pick one ,  you can’t make a mistake here” and she was right as usual.  I chose The Pinot Project 2010, a California product that the tasting notes described as ” Pure aromas and flavors of black cherries, kissed by oak and complimented by just the right amount of Asian spice”.  The food at the Wine Bar & Cafe looked delicious, very trendy and upscale.  Clients having lunch or dinner at the Wine Bar & Cafe receive 10% off their wine purchases at the Wine Store.  Morrell Wine Bar & Cafe is located directly on 49th St between 5th and 6th Ave at 1 Rockefeller Plaza.   

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Keeping Score

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     I usually only recommend rated wines because to put it simply I see no reason to reinvent the wheel by trying to rate wines myself.  When a wine is rated you can check its rating against the rating opinion of several other reviewers to see if it deserves your further consideration.  The scale is a 100 point scale with the two most important ranges to me being 85-89 for a very good wine with special qualities and 90-94 for an outstanding wine that has superior character and style.  

     Pinot Noir is a popular wine that can be expensive but if you do your research some good examples can be purchased at a reasonable price. Louis Latour Volnay 2007 is Wine Spectator rated at 89 and can be found as a Chairman’s Selection at PA L.C.B. stores for $19.99, a sizable discount from its quoted price of $55.oo.  This Pinot Noir is broad and sweet with a juicy ripe fruit body that offers cherry and raspberry flavors plus a silky texture.  Look for it with the product code 13223 in the store or online. 

Pinot noir Grapes

Pinot noir Grapes (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

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