With Great Friends Come Great Wine Tastings
So much wine, so little time and so much to share with all of you. We’ll eventually circle back and let you know what we’re doing and where we are, but for right now, there’s no better way to start things off than with our Annual Scarecrow Wine Tasting. We’ve always said that with great
Non-Grape Based Wine
Fruit wines are fermented alcoholic beverages made from a variety of base ingredients (other than grapes); they may also have additional flavors taken from fruits, flowers, and herbs. This definition is sometimes broadened to include any fermented alcoholic beverage except beer. For historical reasons, mead, cider, and perry are also excluded from the definition of
Varietal Labelling Of New World Wines
Traditionally New World wine used names of well-known European regions, such as Burgundy, Champagne, Sherry, Port, and Hock. This gave consumers a general idea of how the wine might taste. This changed as winemakers developed the confidence to develop their own styles of wine such as Grange. Europeans producers objected to the use of their
Worth the re-posts…almost two years ago! As a co-owner of a successful Cruise Planners Franchise and Wine Specialists and Freelance Blogger for “name renowned [by a few of our friends, followers and favorite vineyards]” WineQuickie, I was reflecting on a recent trip to Paso Robles that my husband, Chris, and I took with a wonderful
How We Got to Know About Wine
Archaeological evidence has established the earliest-known production of wine from fermenting grapes during the late Neolithic or early Chalcolithic in the Caucasus and the northern edge of the Middle East. An extensive gene-mapping project in 2006 analyzed the heritage of more than 110 modern grape cultivars, narrowing their origin to a region of Georgia. This
What’s In a Bottle?
We are on our way back to Paso for our annual wine pick up party…or should I say parties. It goes without saying that “what’s in a bottle,” if not, is the ultimate end result and the celebratory part of the wine making process that consumes the creative part of our brains. It was during
Investments In Wine
There’s nothing more exciting than driving to our annual wine tasting weekend in Paso Robles. The only thing more exciting than that…is finally getting there! There is definitely something special about the rolling hills, passing the distant wineries on the CA-46 and the scattered clouds in the forecast to a perfect weekend. We are now
The Practice of Wine Tasting
Wine tasting (often, in wine circles, simply tasting) is the sensory examination and evaluation of wine. While the practice of wine tasting is as ancient as its production, a more formalized methodology has slowly become established from the 14th century onwards. Modern, professional wine tasters (such as sommeliers or buyers for retailers) use a constantly
Viticulture and Winemaking in Ancient Greece
Definitely worth a repost with harvest well under way… In ancient times, the reputation of a wine depended on the region the wine came from rather than an individual producer or vineyard. In the 4th century BC, the most expensive wine sold in Athens was that from Chios, which sold for between a quarter of
Barolo is a red Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG) wine produced in the northern Italian region of Piedmont. It is made from the Nebbiolo grape and is often described as one of Italy’s greatest wines. The zone of production extends into the communes of Barolo, Castiglione Falletto, Serralunga d’Alba and parts of the communes of Cherasco, Diano d’Alba, Grinzane Cavour, La Morra, Monforte d’Alba, Novello, Roddi, Verduno, all in the province of Cuneo, south-west of Alba. Only vineyards planted in primarily calcareous-clay soils in the hills with suitable slopes and orientations are considered suitable for Barolo production. Barolo is often described as having the aromas of tar and roses, and the wines are noted for their ability to age and usually take on a rust red tinge as they mature. When subjected to aging of at least five years before release, the wine can be labeled a Riserva.