Tag wine

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.

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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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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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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Wine Ice Cream

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aldo's ice cream

aldo’s ice cream (Photo credit: surekat)

     This isn’t one of the old standards when it comes to ice cream flavors but surprisingly it is very good.  We got the chance to enjoy this special treat on the lake shore in Geneva N.Y.  Like any wine list we were offered the choice of red or white with red consisting of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot or Zinfandel while the white options were Chardonnay and Chablis.  We tried the Cab, Merlot and Chardonnay and found them all very flavorful because the character of the wine was prominent in the taste palate of all the selected ice creams.  These ice creams are made with real wine and have an alcohol content listed for each which makes them only available to persons of legal drinking age.  I think it is funny that the possibility exists that someone could be carded when buying an ice cream cone.  I look forward to my next trip down Rte 14 so I can try a big piece of grape pie and a wine slushie.  

Events at Your PLCB Store! Really?

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state store

state store (Photo credit: Foxgirl)

      Did you know that you could have the chance to sample wine and spirits or even meet a celebrity at your PLCB store?  To find out if any events are slated for your favorite store you must first find your stores ID number by visiting www.finewineandgoodspirits.com and using the store locator feature to identify  the 4 digit number assigned to that store.  Position the cursor over the Promotions tab, then point at the Events tab at the far right end of the drop down menu, lastly click on the In-Store Events.  Enter your store ID number into the box marked Store then click Search and a directory of all the events scheduled for that store will appear with a description of each that can be expanded for more information when clicked.

     In a totally unrelated matter I stopped at the Ripepi Winery last week and saw that picking had begun but I also noticed that there was a plentiful supply of fruit left to be harvested.  I find that standing in a vineyard and seeing the ripe grapes hanging from the vines a truly awe-inspiring sight.  

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Free Finger Lakes Travel App!!!

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Map of the Finger Lakes region of New York, wi...

Map of the Finger Lakes region of New York, with major cities, highways, and airports marked. Created from public domain sources: NASA World Wind (USGS Maps), Image:New_York_State_Route_104_map.png, and http://www.lrb.usace.army.mil/brochure/images/new%202003/letch-park%20map2.gif. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

     Anyone that is contemplating a trip to the Finger Lakes Region of New York should get moving and make plans now.  I say this from personal experience that the next several weeks are the perfect time to visit wine country.  When you visit in the fall you will get to enjoy the excitement of the harvest while being surrounded by a landscape that is alive with the vibrant colors of autumn.  A free travel app is available to help visitors enjoy many of the local attractions.  The app can be found at http://FLWC.MOBI./  Driving around the area is easy because the roads are well-marked especially with signs that direct you along the wine trails.  Tourists using a GPS can find numerous wineries preloaded in the “Points Of Interest” or “Attractions” setting of the unit.  You can find just about anything you need to know for your trip online so why wait because winter will be here before you know it.      

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Altus Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2005 $35.99?

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Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. Photo taken at Skil...

Cabernet Sauvignon grapes.  (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

     If you are looking for a wine that can be described as Bold, Plush, Opulent, Intense and Concentrated then you should look no further than Altus Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2005.  This Cab has potent dark fruit flavors like currant, blackberry and black cherry along with wild berry flavors.  The tannins are velvety but the finish is firm with a creamy minerality.  This wine is a blend of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 18% Merlot, 3% Malbec and 2% Petit Verdot.  Wine Spectator bestowed a 92 point rating upon it in 2008 and because of the structure of this blend, time has been kind to it.  You can purchase this Altus wine in Pennsylvania only online from the PLCB website where it is listed on the Wine Sale page.  The regular price is shown at $74.99 but the sale price is $35.99 and I believe that is a fair price for this bottle.  PLCB Product Code 11238.  http://www.finewineandgoodspirits.com

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