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A Wrinkle in Time

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I just received an interesting email from my good friend Steve Casscles. You may recognize Steve from his many articles about wine grapes or his book “Grapes of the Hudson Valley and Other Cool Climate Regions of the U.S. and Canada” available on Amazon.com. Steve is a winemaker at Sabba Vineyard in New York’s Hudson Valley. He wanted me to share the exciting news with my readers that Sabba Vineyard has embarked on a new project and is offering a very limited quantity (about 20 gallons) of wine made from heritage wine grapes. Steve and Sabba Vineyard owner Abby Youghabi have worked tirelessly at preserving these and many other heritage grapes so they can be enjoyed by future generations. Anyone interested in purchasing these unique wines can go to sabbavineyard.com and click on “Order Now” to view the wines or use this link: http://sabbavineyard.com/s/order At this time they are offering:

 

-Baccchus Marion –  a Ricketts Red variety developed in the Hudson Valley in the 1870s  a flinty red variety, medium body, but a true wine grape developed in the 19th century (which was unique then) $25

– Baco Blanc – as steely and flinty white with fruits of soft lemons and green apples.  The variety is used a lot in Cognac and Armanac to make brandy. $25

– Pallmer Noir – a chance hybrid Steve found at his farm.  A big Malbec kind of wine.with lots of vinifera in its genetic makeup. $25

  • Pallmer Noir
  • Bacchus/Marion
  • Baco Blanc
  • Sabba Vineyard owner Abby Youghabi

Invitation to my The Vintner Project Article

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I am happy to announce that I am the newest contributor to The

Photo courtesy The Vintner Project

Vintner Project. http://vintnerproject.com The Vintner Project is an effort to make the sometimes confusing world of wine more approachable to consumers globally by offering a personal look at wineries, their wine, and the people that make them unique. It is a diversified collection of voices and points of view that bring all the wine regions and winemakers stories together so readers can explore and learn about segments of the winemaking community that might not be covered by the mainstream media.

Founded in 2018 by Nelson Gerena and Kiril Kirilow, The Vintner Project has developed into a dynamic cutting edge media outlet

The Vintner Project founders Nelson Gerena and Kiril Kirilow Photo courtesy vintnerproject.com

for news and insightful content for wine lovers worldwide.

Check out my article about the intriguing Austrian red wine grape Zweigelt and the versatile wine it makes. See why Zweigelt is often called the “Ultimate picnic wine”. Click here to go to my profile and my article vintnerproject.com/learn/zweigelt-austrias-little-known-signature-red-grape/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Article in Michigan Uncorked

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I would like to invite you to view my article about Saperavi in the Spring 2020 issue of Michigan Uncorked. An online version of the magazine can be accessed by going to http://michiganuncorked.com and clicking on the Spring issue link on the home page to read the free flip-page edition (I’m on page 6 + 7) or use this link to go directly to the front cover of the magazine http://online.fliphtml5.com/hllky/gjob/#=6This is an edited version of an article that appears in the Spring 2020 issue of the American Wine Society Wine Journal.

Thanks to Michigan Uncorked’s Editor-in-Chief Jim Rink for the opportunity to share my story with the readers of Michigan Uncorked. I hope you enjoy the article and it provides you a bit of relief from the uncertainty and stressful times we are experiencing. Be prudent and stay safe! 

 

 

 

Bohemian Rhapsody

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If you like Sauvignon Blanc but sometimes want a wine with a little more body and complexity then you should try Grüner Veltliner. Grüner Veltliner is the signature grape of Austria and has evolved almost entirely as the result of natural hybridization over time in the region. It is a white Vitis vinifera grape also called Grûner Mushateller but is better known by the colloquial name “Grūner”. Grüner Veltliner is a versatile grape that can be made into a wide variety of wines ranging from light and easy-drinking to rich and packed with varietal character. Grüner vines have medium-sized leaves with 5-7 lobes. It’s grape clusters are medium to very large conical clusters of medium density with round or oval greenish-yellow berries. These vines have adapted perfectly to the wet mineral-rich loess and loam soils of the lower vineyard sites near the Danube River. The lots higher up the hill are planted with Riesling. The rocky soils of these sites force the Riesling to struggle to survive but result in a wine that has concentrated flavors and complex taste profile. This farming practice utilizes the attributes of the land and yields the best grapes possible from the prevailing conditions. Although the largest plantings of Grüne Veltliner are in Austria and surrounding countries it has been dispersed throughout many of the wine regions of the world. While most Austrian Grüners are dry, full-bodied and acidic with flavors of citrus fruit, spice, and white pepper you can easily find others that are weightier with a more structured body that requires years to reach maturity in the bottle.

If you haven’t tasted Grüne Veltliner and you’re curious about where to start I would suggest trying a few from Austria first then expand your search to

The United States and Italy to find good Grūner at very reasonable prices. Here are a

South Shore Wine Company Gruner Veltliner 2015

Gruner Veltliner 2018 Photo Courtesy: Fero Vineyards & Winery

few to get you started on your journey.

AUSTRIA: Singing Grūner Veltliner 2017 Niederösterreich, Austria or Domane Krems Grüner Veltliner 2018 Kremstal, Austria 

ITALY: Eisacktaler Kellerei Cantina Valle Isarco Grüner Veltliner 2018 Alto Adige, Italy

 

The United States of America: Grüner Veltliner Fero Vineyards & Winery

Lewisburg, Pennsylvania,  Grûner Veltliner South Shore Wine Company North East, Pennsylvania or Grüner Veltliner Hosmer Winery Ovid, New York (FLX)

Hosmer Estate Winery 2017 Gruner Veltliner

 

Award-Winning Winery For Sale

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If you have ever dreamed of owning a winery and leading the exciting life of a winemaker, well here’s your chance. Tod and Jean Manspeaker have made the decision to sell their Briar Valley Winery in Bedford, Pennsylvania and embark on the next great adventure of their lives.

Here’s a little background on the winery. The latest Suckling Review gave their Brair Valley Proprietor’s Red and Merlot 91pts and the new Chardonnay 90pts. The International Wine Review scored their Lemberger and Merlot 91pts and Chardonnay 90pts. Briar Valley continues to produce highly rated wines year after year fulfilling a legacy of excellence without fail.

COMMENTS: Rare and unique opportunity to own a family-owned and operated winery! This is an award-winning and turn-key business! Some of their prestigious awards include the Governor’s Cup, a gold medal in the San Francisco’s Chronicle for the Riesling, double gold and best of show in Riesling in the Finger Lakes International Wine Competition and many others. Included in this offering is 7,200 square foot building currently producing 1,000-2,000 cases of wine annually with space to easily produce 5,000-10,000 cases; all production equipment; all inventory; goodwill; and all licenses. The license allows the production of still and sparkling wines, distilled spirits, and hard cider. The tasting room is leased space located in the heart of downtown Bedford, beer sales are also permitted here.

MLS 51709    Click here:   Click here for link to listing

For more information please contact Sean Bardell at Howard Hanna Bardell Realty     814-623-8622  email: STBardell@yahoo.com

Wow! Here’s a discount code for Rocca Wines

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     It isn’t often that a premier Napa Valley vineyard and winery offers a discount on their award-winning wines. Mary Rocca, owner of Rocca Family Vineyards in Napa has generously offered a discount on her wines to all of my readers. Deals like this rarely happen with world-class wineries so don’t hesitate because it expires on 10/16/19 and I know you will regret missing this one. Go to http://roccawines.com  and enter either discount code at checkout. WPASHIP (one dollar shipping on any order) or WPA25 ( $25 off any order of 2 bottles or more).

L to R Vineyard Manager Sergio Melgoza, Mary Rocca Owner Rocca Family Vineyards, Winemaker Paul Colantuoni and Banner a Lagotto Romanolo (Italian truffle hunting dog)

 

 

Down in Roccaland

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     If you have ever had the good fortune to see your family name on the label of a wine bottle you can understand my interest when I saw mine attached to a premium Napa Valley winery. I started to wonder if there might be some family connection. I contacted Mary Rocca, owner of Rocca Family Vineyards to explore the possibility of us being related. I found Mary to be very kind and welcoming as we exchanged information about our ancestry. I learned a great deal about my own heritage and also about Mary’s. We found some amazing coincidences that would have never been discovered had we not reached out to each out. Mary generously sent a gift of her wine to be shared at my family reunion as an introduction between our families. I would like to say “Thank You” to Mary for all the time and effort she has taken from her busy schedule to assist me in this project. Although we haven’t identified any recent common threads we continue to search. Even if we can’t find any blood relatives uniting our families I will always consider Mary not only a friend but family. Mary has generously offered to discount the wine purchases of all of my readers when they enter either of these codes at checkout on http://roccawines.com  WPASHIP ($1 SHIPPING ON ANY ORDER) or WPA25 ($25 OFF ANY ORDER OF 2 BOTTLES OR MORE) These codes expire on 10/16/19 so don’t miss out on your chance to buy extraordinary wine from an outstanding Napa Valley winery with an insider’s deal.

Anyone that has ever dreamed of owning a vineyard and winery in Napa, California can only imagine the excitement that Mary Rocca and her husband Eric Grigsby felt when they

Mary Rocca at Rocca Family Vineyards Napa, California

decided to pursue that very dream. They began their search for the ideal Napa vineyard in 1996 while Mary juggled her dental practice, Eric his medical practice and not to mention their four young children at home. Their three-year search for the perfect vineyard came to fruition when they found a 21-acre vineyard deep in the heart of the Napa Valley. They renamed it the Grigsby vineyard and planted new rows of vines between the existing ones to essentially double their grape production. This vineyard is located between the warmer climate of the upvalley and the cooler maritime influences of the San Francisco Bay. The Grigsby vineyard is mainly Cabernet Sauvignon but also has 1 acre of Merlot and roughly 2.5 acres of Syrah. In 2000 Mary purchased the 11-acre Collinetta vineyard in the Coombsville appellation. The Collinetta vineyard is mostly Cabernet Sauvignon (Clone 4 & Clone 337) but also has an acre of Cabernet Franc and an acre of Petit Verdot. Now with all the pieces in place Mary could focus on making her vision for Rocca Family Vineyards a reality.

     Many decisions had to be made when it came to what pillars the winery and vineyard

The Grigsby Vineyard

would be established on. For many of those choices Mary drew upon the deeply seated beliefs she had built her life and career on. First and foremost, Rocca wines had to be the best they could possibly be and show not only the most natural expression of the vines but also the environment in which they were grown. With that in mind, the choice to farm both vineyards with organic and sustainable viticulture was the only acceptable path forward. As conscientious stewards of the environment, everyone at

The Collinetta Vineyard

Rocca is acutely aware of the long-lasting and far-reaching effects that pesticides and herbicide can cause in the delicate balance of the ecosystem both locally and globally. The Grigsby and Collinetta vineyards have proven themselves by producing some of Napa Valley’s finest wine grapes and because they are organically farmed are U.S.D.A. organic and C.C.O.F. certified.

     In 1999 Mary hired Celia Welch Masyczek of Scarecrow fame as Rocca’s first winemaker and together they produced a long line of award winning and critically acclaimed wines. In 2008 Paul Colantuoni assumed the role of master winemaker at Rocca wines from Celia. With vineyard manager Sergio Melgoza nurturing the grapes and Paul’s skillful hand now making Rocca Family Vineyards wine the winery has continued on its accending arc vintage after vintage.

     If you would like to know more about the Rocca Family Vineyards story or are interesting in purchasing their wine please visit http://roccawines.com  Don’t forget to use the codes to receive a discount on your wine purchases. WPASHIP for $1 DOLLAR SHIPPING ON ANY ORDER or WPA25 for $25 OFF 2 BOTTLES OR MORE.

     Follow them on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter            

Vineyard Manager Sergio Melgoza, Mary Rocca and Winemaker Paul Colantuoni (left to right)

 

New Saperavi Vineyards Take Root

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Saperavi is dramatically expanding its footprint in North America as more vintners add vines to their vineyards and long-term plans. Growers are taking advantage of the increase in Saperavi vines on the market as other nurseries join Amberg Grape Vines (formerly Grafted Grapevines) to boost the supply of Saperavi stock. A special thanks to Jim Baker at Chateau Niagara for helping me in my search for American Saperavi producers. If

Saperavi Grapes

you are or know of a Saperavi producer please contact me at wpawinepirate@gmail.com.

The first stop on our quest for new Saperavi vineyards takes us to Fort Defiance in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia where Tim Jordan is planting an acre of Saperavi this Spring (2019). Tim is the former head winemaker at Barren Ridge Vineyards and a PhD. of Entomology from Virginia Tech.He is planning to add four acres of hybrids and Saperavi to the existing six acres of vinifera in his family’s vineyard. He intends is to implement as many organic and biodynamic viticulture practices as possible in his new vineyard. He has partnered with his brother, Ben Jordan who is the head wine maker at Early Mountain Vineyards. They are bonded but not producing on site yet as they are “bootstrapping” the winery as they go. So goes the “Glamorous Life” of wine making without the deep pockets of corporate investors. Isn’t this what it is all about? Having a dream of getting to make all the decisions while charting your own course even if it is uncertain at times. There is nothing more rewarding than seeing your dreams become reality. Although their stories are unique this is a shared truth for all wine makers. Tim’s 2016 block varietals are Chardonnay, Riesling, Petit Manseng, Blaufrankish, Cabernet Franc and Noiret. His 2019 plantings will be Chardonel, Regent, Chambourcin and Saperavi. Follow Tim on Instagram @valley.vines

Justin Falco is the winemaker/proprietor of Montifalco Vineyard in Ruckersville, Va and one of the ambitious growers that will be planting a Saperavi vineyard this Spring. Justin has always loved the wines of Eastern Europe, France and Switzerland. Because of all the friends and family he has abroad he wanted his winery to reflect his memories of the wine and culture there.  It is little surprise that he will be adding 2000 Saperavi vines to his Central Virginia vineyard that already boasts plantings of Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Rkatsitelli.    http://montifalcovneyard.com Instagram @montifalcovineyard

I have followed the Saperavi vineyard that Dr. Rik Obiso planted three years ago at White Barrel in Christiansburg with great interest. This Fall will be the first harvest for those

Vineyards at WhiteBarrel Photo Courtesy: WhiteBarrel Winery

vines and will set the benchmark for what we can expect from Virginia Saperavi. Rik is involved with several research projects that will further the understanding of how “Old World” Saperavi can be best used in Virginia.   http://whitebarrel.com Instagram @whitebarrel

42º North latitude is ground zero for Saperavi in North America. That is exactly where the Saperavi vines of Shalestone Vineyards in Lodi, NY call home. Shalestone is on the east side of Seneca Lake in the “Banana Belt” and has a memorable tag line “RED IS

Photo Courtesy: Shalestone Vineyards

ALL WE DO”. They prove that statement to be true with the makeup of their vineyard. Rob and Kate Thomas have 6.5 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Lemberger, Pinot Noir. Their 400 Saperavi vines occupy a 1/2 acre plot within the vineyard.  http://shalestonevineyards.com

     Jeff Sawyer is following his passion for wine making in Sterling Valley, NY. He is well on his way to seeing his vision become reality with the establishment of Wellspring Vineyards. He planted 275 Saperavi vines in 2016, less than he wanted to because his original order for 600 plants couldn’t be fulfilled because of a shortage of vines. The following year brought a change of direction with Jeff planting 300 Dornfelder and 250 Gewurztraminer. Wellspring Vineyards now has 1900 vines comprised of Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Grurztraminer, Dornfelder and Saperavi growing on the southeastern shore of Lake Ontario. With the first part of his plan in place Jeff is moving forward with his goal of starting a winery. He said in four or five years they will be known as Wellspring Winery. The proposed site is the perfect setting for a winery/tasting room and will have a great view for his guests. Jeff can be reached at   jsawyerstudios@aol.com

 

Conceito Contraste Tinto 2014

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     Conceito Contraste Tinto 2014 is one of the Fine Portuguese wines from small family owned producers that is being offered by Silver Coast Imports. This Douro Valley old vine field red blend sports surprisingly firm tannins with red berry, plum and spice flavors showing nicely through mild oak undertone. 70% is oak barrel aged for 18 months. It was rated 89 pts by Robert Parker and 87 by Wine Enthusiast. Great to drink now and I see it continuing to improve in coming years.

http://silvercoastimports.com   email: cbento@silvercoastimports.com  267-236-4248

New York City Wine & Food Festival 2018

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     Tickets are now on sale for the 11th Annual Food Network & Cooking Channel New York City Wine & Food Festival. The festival runs from Thursday October 14th, 2018 thru Sunday October 14th, 2018 at various event venues throughout the city. Tickets can be purchased at a discount in packages that group several events together over the length of the festival or individually to suit your own preferences. Last year the 10th Annual NYCWFF saw 47,000 guests celebrate the joy of food and wine with celebrities from every corner of the food world and this year’s line up looks even more exciting. The roster of over 80 events and numerous personalities appearing is simply to long to report here. I suggest going to http://nycwff.org to review the dates and times of all the events to construct a plan for your visit. It would be beneficial to click on “Personalities” and scroll through the lengthly list to see if your favorites will be appearing and plan accordingly.

If you can’t find the answers to your question on the website here are some other information options. General information: info@nycwff.org    Ticket questions: 800-764-8773.  Social media: @nycwff  on twitter, Facebook and Instagram.