Tag winery

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.  

 

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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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 Photos

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Lamoreaux Landing Tasting Room Building

Vineyards at Lamoreaux

Three Brothers Wineries and Estates

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     The Three Brothers Wineries and Estates are located at 623 Lerch Rd Geneva, NY.  It is just a short distance off of NY Rte 96A South at the north end of Seneca Lake.  This winery is a collection of three distinctly different wineries (Passion Feet, Stony Lonesome and Bagg Dare) and a brewery (War Horse).  We arrived at the property just a day after the conclusion of Winestock, a wine and music festival that had run through the weekend.  Three Brothers was the only winery that we visited twice and is a perfect example of the saying “What a difference a day makes”.  The first day we visited we were served in the tasting room of the Stony Lonesome Winery by a very well versed young man named Alex.  Alex poured our selections and recited the characteristics of each flawlessly and with a friendly ease.  That day we would purchase two Riesling:  Degree 1 Medium Dry 2010 and Degree 2 Medium Sweet 2010 along with a wine that I was unfamiliar with Estate  Reserve Grüner Veltliner 2011.  I could have easily have picked up their Barbera, the first to be produced in the Finger Lakes but the promise of the wines in my near future caused me to pass on it.  The next afternoon we decided to return to Three Brothers to pick up a bottle of their Pinot Noir and that Barbera that I had passed on the day before.  We entered the Stony Lonesome tasting room and stood around until we were finally approached by a small young woman.  We asked her several questions about their Pinot Noir and other red wines which she struggled to answer with her limited knowledge of the products.  Since the Pinot was to be a gift I asked if she could do me a favor and photo copy the wine list and its tasting notes.  She went into the other room only to return and say no and that it could be found on the website (I looked but couldn’t find it there).  I bought the 2009 Pinot Noir and forgot about the Barbera.

     The wines at Three Brothers Wineries and Estates were probably the best I tasted on this trip but the tasting room experience was surly the most sub-standard that I encountered.  The management of this business has to remember that making good wine is important but there is much more to a brand than just that.