Tag winery

Harvest Wine Weekends

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Glass of wine

Glass of wine (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

     As another great growing season draws to a close the 24 wineries in Lake Erie Wine Country are getting ready to celebrate Harvest Wine Weekends.  The festivities will be held over two weekends with the first November 1-3 and the second on the following weekend November 8-10.  This is a perfect time to visit all the wineries in Lake Erie Wine Country, which stretches between Harborcreek, Pa and Silver Creek, NY.  Ticketholders will receive a set of wooden LEWC coasters as a gift as well as a wine glass, recipe booklet, extra tastings and a $5 voucher.  When visiting the wineries you will be able to sample wines paired with “harvest inspired” foods.   Tickets can only be purchased online at www.lakeeriewinecountry.org and range between $31-$35 with a designated driver ticket costing $20.

Island Wine Festival

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The Island Wine Festival was held October 5th & 6th, 2013 on the grounds of the Put-In-Bay Winery in Put-In-Bay, Ohio.  Put-In-Bay is on South Bass Island in Lake Erie and is only a short ferry ride from Port Clinton.  The festival was set up under several large tents where vendors and local wineries displayed more than 400 wines that were available for tasting and purchase.  I was disappointed that more Ohio wineries were not represented because I wanted to taste a variety of their wines and see how the industry was progressing .  I did taste a dry Traminette offered by Chateau Tebeau Winery from Helena Ohio, one of the few Ohio wineries in attendance.  Chateau Tebeau grows a variety of grapes and owner Bob Tebeau told me this years harvest was excellent, with the Brix as high as 26.  Chateau Tebeau didn’t suffer the frost that hit many of the vineyards in Western Pennsylvania this spring.  It was the end of the season at Put-In-Bay but we all had a good time enjoying the party atmosphere that this destination is famous for, the only thing

Put-In-Bay Winery

Put-In-Bay Winery

The Miller Ferry arrives at Put-In-Bay from Port Clinton

The Miller Ferry arrives at Put-In-Bay from Port Clinton

missing were the in season crowds.  When visiting Put-In-Bay I suggest stopping by the Put-In-Bay Winery and Heineman Winery to get a little taste of island wine.  You can walk between the wineries or make the trip in a rented golf cart, the preferred mode of transportation of tourist on the island, but always remember you can be charged with D.U.I. even when driving a golf cart!  

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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

Day 6 Journey’s End

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     It is Day 6 and our trip is nearing it’s conclusion but not before we take part in a wine blending lesson at the Franciscan Winery followed by lunch at the Culinary Institute of America.  During the drive on Highway 12 I noticed rose bushes at the end of the rows in many of the vineyards and I was told the reason is they are effected by the Phylloxera louse before the vines get infested thus providing an early warning alert to the presence of this dreaded pest, in essence they are the “Canary in the coal mine” for wine country.  We arrived at the Franciscan Winery and were immediately taken with the beauty of the winery and an it’s neatly manicured grounds.  Inside the main building we divide into four teams and begin to blend our wine under the watchful eye of Fred, our instructor.  Our 45 minute assignment is to blend a wine, set a price that we think the wine would sell for, design and make a label, bottle, cork and label our wine then make presentation to the group stating why our wine should be judged the winner.  After sampling each blend and laughing a lot, we realized we were all winners that day.   Our next destination is St. Helena and the Culinary Institute of America for lunch and a brief history lesson of this magnificent building that had served as the Christian Brothers Winery for so many years until an earthquake left it unstable, only to be saved from demolition by the C.I.A. for future generations.  Everyone was seated for lunch around a very large table in a cavernous room on the 2nd floor directly across from the bustling teaching kitchens of the Academy.  During our meal an Executive Chef from the school conducted a presentation on the preparation of a Galette, which by no coincidence just happened to be our dessert .  Upon returning to the hotel we pack our bags for the trip home tomorrow, then we got ready for our last night together with our friends at the “Wine Maker’s Dinner”.  At dinner that evening we would laugh, eat and drink as we enjoyed a superb meal of Beef Short Ribs prepared by Chef Andrew Wilson of the Carneros Bistro and wine pairings by Highway 12 Winery.  The one consistent message I got throughout Sonoma and Napa Valley was that  California winemakers are expecting the 2012 vintage to be exceptional and that it will be a year that we will remember.  The evening winds to a close and we all say our goodnights knowing that tomorrow we will be saying our goodbyes.         

Rose Bushes In The Vineyards

Rose Bushes In The Vineyards

Fountain At The Franciscan Winery

Fountain At The Franciscan Winery

The Bottles Of Wine We Blended At The Franciscan Winery

The Bottles Of Wine We Blended At The Franciscan Winery

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San Francisco, Sonoma & Napa Valley

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     When my wife and I were contemplating a vacation destination earlier this year we examined all the usual suspects and each was met with an overwhelming lack of enthusiasm.  As we pondered the question my wife suggested a totally different type of vacation than we normally take and immediately we were intrigued by the idea of trying something new.  That is how our Tauck tour of San Francisco, Sonoma and the Napa Valley came to be and how sometimes when fate deals you a hand it turns out to be all aces!  I am not going to do what your crazy Uncle Fred did when he used his Kodak Carousel slide projector to show two hours of photos documenting his trip through the Mid-West culminating with the money shot of Aunt Mable posing with the “World’s Biggest Ball of String” in De Kalb, Iowa.  No, there will be none of that because we were lucky enough to have Julie, one of Tauck’s very best directors, who made our time together more like traveling with a good friend that knew the area very well and wanted to make sure that you were enjoying yourself while getting to experience everything the area had to offer.  Our driver Mark handled the coach with a calm ease that came from his understated confidence in his superb driving skills which provided a relaxing environment for his guests.  The one other unknown in the equation is who will be your traveling companions and on this trip we were blessed to be accompanied by twenty of the most warm and friendly people we could have imagined and for this we are extremely grateful.

In the following posts I will try to share some of the highlights of our trip but it will be impossible to relate the true experience of the journey because as they say ” You would’ve

The Garden Court Restaurant, The Palace Hotel San Francisco, CA

The Garden Court Restaurant, The Palace Hotel San Francisco, CA

 had to been there”.  I hope that this series of posts will prove to my friend and fellow blogger Jeff a.k.a. “the drunken cyclist” that wine bloggers are capable of addressing the broad subject of wine and life:-). 

     We arrived at San Francisco International Airport and were greeted by our limo driver (Yes I did say limo) who took us to the Palace Hotel on New Montgomery St. in the heart of the Union Square District.  A Welcome Reception and Dinner was held that evening where we all enjoyed plenty of wine and a good meal while getting acquainted with our newest friends.   To be continued!!!!

The Pennsylvania Winery Association

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Photo Courtesy: 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   

Goulart Winery

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     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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Bidding is Now Open!

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All Materials Courtesy of Morrell & Company Fine Wine Auction

All Materials Courtesy of Morrell & Company Fine Wine Auction

    Have you ever wanted to bid on a great bottle of wine offered at a wine auction but could not stand the thought of sitting in a room filled with wine snobs while holding a little paddle with a number on it.  If your answer is yes then you are in luck because Morrell & Company Fine Wine Auction is conducting an internet only auction on Wednesday February 27th at 10:30 a.m.(EST) on their website www.morrellwineauctions.com.   Bids may only be placed by absentee bid and live bid.  Absentee bids may be placed now and the live bidding will be available online at the commencement of the auction.  To participate go to the website and register, peruse the catalog of offerings then place a bid if you find something you like.  If you intend to bid live, Morrell recommends using their Live Bidding Simulator to check your computers compatibility to prevent any issues when live bidding starts.  Need more information? Call 212-307-4200 

La Casa Narcisi Winery Regional Italian Dinner

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Vendors still go door-to-door in Civita , Calabria Italy. Photo Courtesy: About.com

Vendors still go door-to-door in Civita , Calabria Italy. Photo Courtesy: About.com

     Narcisi Winery will be holding its monthly wine dinner on Thursday January 31st at 6:30 pm at the winery on 4578 Gibsonia Road in Gibsonia Pa.  The 4 course dinner will be featuring the Calabria region and will include wine pairings, pictures and great conversation about the area.  The cost is $55 per person + tax and gratuity, for more information and to make the required reservations call 724-444-4744.  Narcisi will also be offering a 10 week beginner Italian language class starting on March 6th.  I find this to be a unique endeavor for a winery but a wonderful opportunity for anyone wanting to immerse themselves in the Italian culture.  A complimentary glass of wine and an appetizer at the start of every class will get everyone in the mood to impara i’Italiano!  

Second Label Value

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Overture Photo Courtesy Opus One

Overture Photo Courtesy Opus One

CRU Photo courtesy Vineyard 29

CRU Photo Courtesy Vineyard 29

     There is real value to be found inside the bottles of the second label offerings of famous wineries.  These are very well-made wines by renowned wine makers that do not quite meet the high standards required for being sold under the flagship label of the winery.  The November 2012 issue of Men’s Journal Magazine had an interesting article on this category of wines.  Stoney Hill Winery is one of this country’s greatest white wine estates with  their flagship label Stoney Hill Chardonnay costing $42 but the second label is SHV Chardonnay that can be yours for only $24.  Opus One is well-known to everyone with the 2009 vintage selling for $225 but did you know that Overture is their second label and is only $80.  You can buy a bottle of Vineyard 29 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon for $225 or go with the second label CRU Cabernet Sauvignon for $54.  Great values can be found with some research and if you want to do some detective work who knows what wine secrets you will uncover.  Here is an example of a great value that could be easily overlooked by the uninformed wine shopper.  Boekenhoutsko is one of South Africa’s top producers and it’s flagship label sales for $45 but their secondary is called The Wolftrap 2010 and retails for $8.  Second label wines are an affordable alternative to their big-name and highly touted first label counterparts and can competently fill the need when a well made wine at a reasonable price is the challenge presented to you.