Friday, January 31, 2014

Barons de Rothschild (Lafite) 2008 Vin de Pays d'Oc Val De L'Ours

Vin de Pays is a regional, or country, wine category that falls below the more tightly regulated AOC designation in France. This French Cabernet-Syrah blend comes from the Vin de Pays d’Oc region in Languedoc.
Val de L’Ours translates to Valley of the Bear, but we found this to be a very accessible and enjoyable wine. No worries about a snarling wine with sharp teeth.
The color is deep and intense. This is a fresh and soft wine with flavor notes of plum and black cherry. It’s not overly complex, but it is rich and silky. The blend is 75% Cabernet and 25% Syrah.
Barons de Rothschild (Lafite) is known as a premier Bordeaux winemaker with history dating back to 1868 when Baron de Rothschild purchased Chateau Lafite. In 1999, they revived an estate in Corbieres in Languedoc to focus mostly on traditional grapes.
This is an inexpensive wine, but anything with the Rothschild name on it is worth a sip. Languedoc is a sprawling wine region in southern France on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. Like I imagine the climate to be there, this wine is breezy, warm and comforting.
Rating: 2.5 of 5  Value: 3 of 5 (Based on price of $9)
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Thursday, January 30, 2014

Giarolo 2008 Bardolino Superiore Sperona


This is a pick from the large and wonderful wine department at Andersons. The sign was mislabeled. It said “closeout” when it really should have read, “sad, tired wine.”
Bardolino is an area in the western part of the Veneto wine region in northeast Italy. The main grape used for the wines is Corvina and the Bardolino Superiore label is reserved for dry wines that have been aged for at least a year.
This is a blend of 65% Corvina, 15% Rondinella, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Sangiovese. Corvina is king in the Bardolino wine world. Unfortunately, Corvina is not a very robust grape and even when paired with its traditional partner Rondinella, the wine is bland.
Perhaps we shouldn’t be grousing. We only paid $8.99 for this bottle. The producer calls it an everyday wine. I agree. It is perfect on any day, except for those ending in “y.”
There are light wines that are fun and refreshing. We wanted this bottle to be like that – but it wasn’t. There was a trace of sour cherry flavor detected, but overall, it tasted like grape juice.
Sperona, it was nice to have known ya. Bye-bye.
Rating: 0.5 of 5  Value: 0.5 of 5
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Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Toledo Area Wine Events & Tastings: January 29–February 1, 2014



Wednesday, January 29
The Andersons, Sylvania, 6– 8 PM.
Denny’s Craft Beer and Wine Cave, 4400 Heatherdowns, (419) 382-6221. Call for schedule… 6-8 PM. $15.
Zinful Wine Bar & Restaurant, (419) 878-9463, 7541 Dutch Road, Waterville. Call for schedule… 6:00 – 9:00 PM. Nominal fee per sample.
Thursday, January 30
Andersons, Maumee, Wine Tasting. 5-7 PM. Some great buys… 1. 2010 Le Faux Frog – Chardonnay – France, 2. 2009 Muddy Water – Hare’s Breath Pinot Noir – New
Zealand, 3. 2009 Castello del Poggio – Barbera D’Asti – Italy, 4. 2009 La Chapelle De Saint Dominique – Languedoc, France. Flight $4 or nominal fee per sample.
Andersons, Talmadge Road, Wine Tasting. 6-8 PM. Time to Revisit Australian Reds: 1. 9 mile Road Cabernet, 2. Yalumba Shiraz-Viognier, 3. Vineacious Raconteur Cabernet, 4. Bremerton "Selkirk" Shiraz, 5. Tait "Ballbuster,"6. Thorn & Clark Shotfire Shiraz, 7. d'Arenberg The Footbolt Shiraz, 8. De Bartoli Black Noble Dessert Wine. Nominal fee per sample.
Corks Wine and Liquor, Promenade Plaza, 27250 Crossroads Pkwy., Rossford – (419) 872-6800. 6-9 PM. Nominal fee per sample.
TREO Wine Bar, 5703 Main St., Sylvania, (419) 882-2266. Wine & Cheese Thursday. Explore the wonderful world of wine and cheese. Try four different wines with a sample platter of the day’s cheese.
Friday, January 31
Walt Churchill's Market, 26625 Dixie Hwy, Perrysburg, (419) 872-6900. 4-7 PM. New Night! California Dreamin' (Reds of California) Five wines for $10.

Saturday, February 1
Walt Churchill’s Market, 3320 Briarfield. Maumee, (419) 794-4000. 12:00 – 5:00 PM. Nominal fee per sample.

AREA WINE BARS
  • The Bistro at Maumee Wines, (419) 893-2525, 2556 Parkway Plaza, Maumee.
  • Tres Belle Wine and Martini Lounge, (419) 874-4555, 3145 Hollister Lane, Perrysburg (Levis Commons).
  • Zinful Wine Bar & Restaurant, (419) 878-9463, 7541 Dutch Road, Waterville.
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[Information on tastings can be sent to TWAV@ATT.NET.]
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Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Wine And Dine At The Toledo Zoo February 14

Photo of the Toledo Zoo entrance gate.

Photo of the Toledo Zoo entrance gate. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Toledo Zoo could be the location for your perfect romantic evening! Valentine’s Day reservations are now available for an exclusive after-hours evening: Valentine Wine and Dine at the Toledo Zoo 6;00 to 9:00 PM Friday, February 14.

Valentine dates will enjoy a chef-designed meal in the zoo’s Arctic Encounter as polar bears and seals swim around the area. The full-service meal includes appetizers, entrees and desserts. Gourmet-paired wines enhance the experience. Ultimate Nights DJs is providing musical accompaniment, and artist Brenda Clixby will add a fun twist. Throughout the evening, she’ll create a painting that will be auctioned off at 9:00 PM with proceeds supporting animal conservation.

Reserve your spot by calling the zoo at (419) 385-5721, Ext. 6001, by 3:00 PM Feb. 13. Online reservations are also available at www.toledozoo.org/vineyards. You must be 21 or older to attend the Valentine Wine and Dine and reservations are required.

Tickets start at $80 for zoo members and $85 for nonmembers. The Toledo Zoo is open daily from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM and is located on the Anthony Wayne Trail, four miles south of downtown Toledo. For information, visit www.toledozoo.org or call (419) 385-4040.

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Monday, January 27, 2014

Shalestone Vineyards: Finger Lakes Winery Visit


Another in our continuing series of reports on Finger Lakes wineries.
Shalestone Vineyards is the black sheep of Finger Lakes wineries – or perhaps I should say red sheep. The Finger Lakes region is best known for its crisp white wines like Riesling and Gerwurztraminer. Shalestone’s focus, however, is strictly red wine.
This was our first visit to Shalestone, which opened in 2008. The winery is based in Lodi, on the east side of Seneca Lake. The tasting room is small and rustic with a great view and a large bar made from a slab of wood. Mark this down if you want to avoid busloads of tourists – they actively discourage groups of more than eight people.
In most Finger Lakes wineries, we start with a large number of whites and then, almost as an afterthought, progress to a few reds. Here, however, we jumped right into the endgame.
First up was the 2011 Pinot Noir. Pinot in the Finger Lakes is a labor of love. It can be done, but winemakers have a real handicap compared with Oregon or California. The 2011 is a good Pinot with notes of cherry and earth.
Harmony is Shalestone’s blended red table wine. This vintage was 42% Cab Franc, 33% Merlot and 25% Cabernet Sauvignon. It is an everyday wine with a sweet touch and bit of tartness on the finish.
Our tasting team spilt on the 2010 Cabernet Franc. One of our team gave this a top rating for the nice sour cherry flavor with hints of oak. It lacked the trademark pepper of Cab Franc and so for that one or our crew gave it a lower rating. Cab Franc is the flagship red of the Finger Lakes and this one certainly is worth checking out.
The 2009 Synergy is another red blend, this one with even parts Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon (42%) and Merlot at 16%. This has cranberry flavor swirls with a bit of brambly earth.
For me, the highlight of our tasting was the 2010 Lemberghini. It features 50% Lemberger with 35% Merlot and 15% Syrah. The flavors are concentrated with deep plum and red berry flavors highlighted by some nice oaking. The price is only $18, so I took a bottle home with me.
To round out our tasting, we sampled the smooth 2010 Merlot, a dynamic and rich 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve and finished with the Red Legend, a Cab Franc/Lemberger/Merlot blend.
Rob Thomas is the winemaker and contributes to the charm of Shalestone. During our tasting he engaged in a long commentary on the philosophy of winemaking. For him, it is all about the balance. Another pointer is that if you should judge a wine on the third sip. Red wines are best when they deliver layers of flavor.
Shalestone is doing something unique – carving out a reputation on Finger Lakes reds. Armed with 6.5 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Syrah, Lemberger and Pinot Noir, Rob Thomas is a red wine evangelist. The results so far have been impressive.
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Friday, January 24, 2014

Lincourt 2009 Pinot Blanc, Sta. Rita Hills

This arctic weather has me pining for sunshine and warmth. For a recent dinner with friends I pulled two bottles of wine, both from Santa Barbara County – hoping to capture some California golden rays.
Our fish fillet was paired with this smashing bottle of Lincourt Pinot Blanc. Lincourt is part of the sprawling Foley Family Wines, but the winery itself is quaint and has the air of a small producer. The focus is on luxury and ultra-premium wines.
Grapes for this Pinot Blanc came from the 500-acre Rancho Las Hermanas estate in the cool Santa Rita Hills. A quick check of the Lincourt website shows that this vintage is no longer available and, Pinot Blanc is not currently for sale.
I’m glad I snagged this bottle during our visit to the winery! The wine hits with a wave of freshness – a wisp of floral bouquet and a crisp, light body. It is more akin to Pinot Gris than a Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc (two other wines for which Lincourt is well known). There are flavor notes of green apple and lemon and no rough edges at all.
To keep that freshness, the wine is fermented in steel tanks and there is no malolactic fermentation (which is sometimes used to add creaminess or body to wines). Lincourt is focused on sustainable farming techniques and pure and natural notes reverberate through the wine glass.
The Lincourt Pinot Blanc is a pleasing dinner pairing for light dishes. It is also a good choice for an enjoyable pre-dinner drink with friends. For $27, it is an affordable luxury.
Rating: 4 of 5  Value: 4.5 of 5
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Thursday, January 23, 2014

Palmina 2008 Undici Sangiovese, Santa Ynez Valley


Memories of beautiful Santa Barbara County in California came rushing out of this bottle when we uncorked it earlier this week. Martin Luther King Jr. Day was a perfect opportunity for an impromptu dinner with friends. While dinner was being prepared, the Cabinator and I relaxed with a glass of this great Sangiovese from Palmina.
Palmina is a totally cool winery with a tasting room located in the Lompoc Wine Ghetto in SBC. We visited there a couple years ago and did a whirlwind tour of area wineries with my cousin and her husband.
The focus of Palmina is Italian grape varieties grown in Santa Barbara County. To their credit, they don’t try to copy Italian versions of those wines, but instead translate the grapes to the unique growing conditions of SBC.
We were bowled over by the quality of wines we tasted there. This bottle of Undici, which means 11 in Italian, made the trip back to Ohio. Like an amplifier cranked to the maximum at 10 – this Sangiovese takes things a notch higher.
The wine is made with two Sangiovese clones – one for softness and the other for body and structure. Undici is aged for 30 months in neutral oak barrels and undergoes malolactic fermentation for added body.
That’s the technical side – but this is really a wine to experience emotionally. Undici is a lush wine with cascading layers of ripe red berries and plum. The wine has a bright flavor palette that coaxes images of a sun-dappled California hillside.
I paid $36 for this wine and it is a solid value at that price. The North American Wine Bloggers Conference is in Santa Barbara County this July – you can be sure I intend to restock my supply of Undici. Ciao!
Rating: 4 of 5  Value: 3 of 5
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Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Toledo Area Wine Events & Tastings: January 22-25, 2014

A set up of Merlot wine tasting
A set up of Merlot wine tasting (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Wednesday, January 22
The Andersons, Sylvania, 6– 8 PM.
Denny’s Craft Beer and Wine Cave, 4400 Heatherdowns, (419) 382-6221. Call for schedule… 6-8 PM. $15.
Zinful Wine Bar & Restaurant, (419) 878-9463, 7541 Dutch Road, Waterville. Call for schedule… 6:00 – 9:00 PM. Nominal fee per sample.
Thursday, January 23
Andersons, Maumee, Wine Tasting. 5-7 PM. Some great “newbies”… 1.2012 Abbazia di Novacella – Kerner –Italy, 2. 2009 Tosalet – Red Blend – Priorat, Spain, 3. 2010 Chateau des Karantes – Red Blend – Languedoc, France, 4. 2009 Kuleto – Native Son – Napa Valley, California. Flight $8.50 or nominal fee per sample.
Andersons, Talmadge Road, Wine Tasting. 6-8 PM. Closeouts Galore! 1. Manzanita Creek Chalk Hill CA, Chardonnay, 2. Persqu’ile Chardonnay, Santa Maria Valley, 3. Bell Pinot Noir Willamette Valley, 4. Paraiso Syrah Wedding Hill, Santa Lucia Highlands California, 5. Gnaughty Vines Dry Creek Zinfandel, California, 6. cc: Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley CA, 7. Santa Carolina Carmenere Herencia, Chile, 8. Dexheimer Sylvaner Eiswein Germany. Nominal fee per sample.
Corks Wine and Liquor, Promenade Plaza, 27250 Crossroads Pkwy., Rossford – (419) 872-6800. 6-9 PM. Nominal fee per sample.
TREO Wine Bar, 5703 Main St., Sylvania, (419) 882-2266. Wine & Cheese Thursday. Explore the wonderful world of wine and cheese. Try four different wines with a sample platter of the day’s cheese.
Friday, January 24
Walt Churchill's Market, 26625 Dixie Hwy, Perrysburg, (419) 872-6900. 4-7 PM. New Night! Toga Party (Reds of Italy) Five wines for $10.

Saturday, January 25
SPECIAL EVENT: 6:30 PM. Red, White & Boom, a benefit with proceeds helping to fund the 2014 Waterville Fireworks. Zinful Wine Bar & Restaurant, (419) 878-9463, 7541 Dutch Road, Waterville. Five wine and beer tastings with food pairings and a silent auction. Live music by Candice Coleman and Chris Brown. Tickets $50 per person. For tickets, stop by Zinful or call (419) 878-0606.
Walt Churchill’s Market, 3320 Briarfield. Maumee, (419) 794-4000. 12:00 – 5:00 PM. New Discoveries for a New Year. There are so many new wines popping up around our wine department every week.  How does one keep track of all the new discoveries?  With our 'New Discoveries' tasting!  Be the first on your street to try to newest most exciting wines. Nominal fee per sample.

AREA WINE BARS
  • The Bistro at Maumee Wines, (419) 893-2525, 2556 Parkway Plaza, Maumee.
  • Tres Belle Wine and Martini Lounge, (419) 874-4555, 3145 Hollister Lane, Perrysburg (Levis Commons).
  • Zinful Wine Bar & Restaurant, (419) 878-9463, 7541 Dutch Road, Waterville.
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[Information on tastings can be sent to TWAV@ATT.NET.]
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Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Red, White & Boom Wine Tasting Scheduled January 25 At Zinful

You’re certain to get a bang out of this special tasting scheduled at Zinful Wine Bar & Restaurant, (419) 878-9463, 7541 Dutch Road, Waterville. On January 25, Zinful will host Red, White & Boom, a benefit with proceeds helping to fund the 2014 Waterville Fireworks.
The event starts at 6:30 and features five wine and beer tastings with food pairings and a silent auction. There will also be live music by Candice Coleman and Chris Brown.
Tickets are $50 per person. If you purchase your tickets by January 15, you will receive 10 raffle tickets for auction items valued at $100.
For tickets, stop by Zinful or call (419) 878-0606.
Photo by Prayitno
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Monday, January 20, 2014

2010 Paul Thomas Sancerre Chavignol Grande Reserve de Notre Vignoble Les Comtesses

This bottle of 2010 Paul Thomas Sancerre was a surprise for my wife, the Green Dragon. She is a big fan of Sauvignon Blanc and the other night asked if we had any. I replied “yes” and told her to check the downstairs cooler.
Green Dragon came back upstairs with a disappointed look on her face. “This isn’t Sauvignon Blanc,” she said. I was able to respond that indeed it was – French Sauvignon Blanc from the wonderful region of Sancerre.
This white wine hails from the Chavignol village in the Sancerre region of France. In the glass it is a pale yellow. On the nose this has a wonderful citrus aroma.
The body is light. On the palate this is a full-on Sauvignon Blanc with lemon flavor notes, vibrant acidity and a lovely minerality.
Green Dragon prefers Sauvignon Blanc from the Marlborough region of New Zealand. It is her “go to” wine and she loves the strong, zesty flavor. The Sancerre delivers boldness, but without being brash. There is the herbaceous “mown grass” flavor (it’s good, trust me!) – but the acidity isn’t as intense as NZ.
This wine is grand reserve from the “vineyard of the countesses” and it indeed is a solid wine. It trumps most California Sauvignon Blancs because of the minerality. This is an enjoyable glass, especially for a summer’s day, but falls short of being exceptional. I paid $26 and it is on par with what you would expect for that price – however, if you prefer the “racy” style of Sauvignon Blanc, you can get a nice bottle of Marlborough for a few bucks less.
Rating: 2.5 of 5  Value: 2 of 5

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Friday, January 17, 2014

Driftwood Estate Winery, 2011 Longhorn Red, Texas


I took a little heat about this wine selection – at least in the beginning. We were at the Moonshine Patio Grill in Austin at a dinner for my board of directors. I proudly announced that since we were in Texas, I took the liberty of ordering some Texas wine.
One board member proclaimed, “Oh, yeah. You really like those local wines, don’t you.” This was accompanied by a barely stifled snicker. 
I had chosen the Driftwood Estate 2011 Longhorn Red as well as a Montepulciano for the reds. For white drinkers I selected a Gruner Veltliner from Austria as well as a Viognier from Texas. The Viognier will go unnamed. It wasn’t very popular, although I thought it quite passable.
My thought was, “Since we’re in Texas, why drink a non-descript wine from California when we can try home state wine?” Texas is an up-and-comer in the American wine world.
The Moonshine Grill is a quirky Austin restaurant that features upscale comfort food, like corn dog shrimp with honey mustard and blueberry swirl. They also feature four different moonshines – and they were quite smooth! It was an ideal location to chill out and enjoy the funky vibe of Austin.
The Longhorn Red, a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon and 50% Syrah, was a hit. One guest proclaimed, “this tastes like Napa.” One of the entrée selections was a jalapeño hanger steak with jalapeño scallion butter. This was prepared perfectly and the match with the Longhorn was sumptuous.
Driftwood Estate is a Hill Country winery and that picturesque area of Texas was recently named by Wine Spectator as one of the top 10 wine destinations in the world. Driftwood bills itself as the “Texas winery with the million dollar view.”
The Longhorn has deep rich flavors of dark berries and smooth tannins. The wine is aged in French and American oak and the result is a polished wine. This is their most expensive estate wine at $30 and Driftwood also offers Viognier, Sangiovese and a Merlot-Cab blend, among others.
I’ve always admired the boldness of Texas. Texas wineries are capturing that independent spirit by doing what the crowd says can’t be done: produce award-winning wines in the Lone Star State. Remember the Alamo!
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Thursday, January 16, 2014

Chocolate is for Lovers Wine Trail Event Set For NE Ohio

Swiss Chocolates

Swiss Chocolates (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

While there will be many blustery days yet ahead, what better way is there to enjoy the season than to curl up in front of a fireplace with a glass of great local wines and some delicious chocolates?

Or perhaps you might be looking for a way to treat your sweetie with a visit to wine country as a pre-Valentines Day surprise?

The Chocolate is for Lovers wine trail offers an answer to either or both questions. The popular event, sponsored by the Ohio Wine Producers Association, is scheduled for two upcoming weekends, Friday, January 31, and Saturday, February 1 and the next weekend, which is Friday, February 7 and Saturday, February 8.  Hours are noon until 6:00 PM each day.

This is the 10th annual celebration of fine wines and luscious chocolates held along the Vines and Wines Trail in northeast Ohio.Visitors will travel along the wine trail in northeast Ohio, and at each winery, will enjoy wine samples, appetizers and collect locally produced chocolates.  Each traveler will also receive a candy dish and souvenir wineglass.

Advance reservations are required: at 800-227-6972 or OhioWines.org. The cost is $50 a couple or $40 per person for a single traveler.

Some of Ohio’s premier wineries are included in the event: Buccia Vineyards, Conneaut; Debonne Vineyards, Madison; Deer's Leap Winery, Geneva;   Emerine Estates, Jefferson;  Ferrante Winery & Ristorante, Geneva; Goddess Wine House, Ashtabula; Grand River Cellars, Madison; Kosicek Vineyards, Harpersfield; Maple Ridge Vineyard, Madison; Old Firehouse, Geneva on the Lake; Old Mill Winery, Geneva; Lakehouse Inn & Winery, Geneva-on-the-Lake; The Winery at Spring Hill, Geneva and Virant Family Winery, Geneva.  

Several local lodgers are offering discounted room rates ... and there are a number of companies offering transportation services.  Lists of hoteliers and livery services will be found at OhioWines.org under Trails and Events:  Lodging and more. 

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Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Toledo Area Wine Events & Tastings: January 15-18, 2014

A glass of Stag's Leap Petite Sirah from Napa ...
A glass of Stag's Leap Petite Sirah from Napa Valley (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Wednesday, January 15
The Andersons, Sylvania, 6– 8 PM.
Denny’s Craft Beer and Wine Cave, 4400 Heatherdowns, (419) 382-6221. Call for schedule… 6-8 PM. $15.
Zinful Wine Bar & Restaurant, (419) 878-9463, 7541 Dutch Road, Waterville. Call for schedule… 6:00 – 9:00 PM. Nominal fee per sample.
Thursday, January 16
Andersons, Maumee, Wine Tasting. 5-7 PM. Some varietals you may have never tried: 1. 2010 Lang & Reed – Cabernet Franc – Napa, 2. 2012 Cline – Ancient Vines – Mourvèdre – Sonoma, 3. 2008 Yorkville Cellars – Petit Verdot – Redwood Valley, California, 4. 2011 Ridge – Litton Springs Estate – Petite Sirah – Sonoma, California. Flight $8.50 or nominal fee per sample.
Andersons, Talmadge Road, Wine Tasting. 6-8 PM. New Spanish Wine Values: 1. Finca Nueva Rioja Blanc, 2. Pi Blanc, 3. Monte Hinestra, 4. Chapillon Cuvee Paul, 5. Chapillon Siendra, 6. Tosalet, 7. Tarima Hill, 8. Pi Red. Nominal fee per sample.
Corks Wine and Liquor, Promenade Plaza, 27250 Crossroads Pkwy., Rossford – (419) 872-6800. 6-9 PM. Nominal fee per sample.
TREO Wine Bar, 5703 Main St., Sylvania, (419) 882-2266. Wine & Cheese Thursday. Explore the wonderful world of wine and cheese. Try four different wines with a sample platter of the day’s cheese.
Friday, January 17
Walt Churchill's Market, 26625 Dixie Hwy, Perrysburg, (419) 872-6900. 4-7 PM. New Night! El Matador (Reds of Spain) Five wines for $10.

Saturday, January 18
Walt Churchill’s Market, 3320 Briarfield. Maumee, (419) 794-4000. 12:00 – 5:00 PM. Petite + (with a special internet guest at 2:00 PM). Petite Sirah, Petit Verdot, and many more. Big flavors from petite wines. Also, at 2:00pm – Wine Manager Austin Beeman will join the group via the internet to talk about his excursion to Bordeaux, France.  Nominal fee per sample.

AREA WINE BARS
  • The Bistro at Maumee Wines, (419) 893-2525, 2556 Parkway Plaza, Maumee.
  • Tres Belle Wine and Martini Lounge, (419) 874-4555, 3145 Hollister Lane, Perrysburg (Levis Commons).
  • Zinful Wine Bar & Restaurant, (419) 878-9463, 7541 Dutch Road, Waterville.
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[Information on tastings can be sent to TWAV@ATT.NET.]
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Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Sonoma Oaks 2012 Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley


When the cat’s away, the Green Dragon will play! I discovered this when I returned from my trip to Austin to find the upstairs wine rack stocked with a number of new wines.
Green Dragon had visited the Andersons in Maumee and picked up several everyday wines being sold at close-out prices. I’ll be visiting there soon as well since their year-end deals are always great.
The Sonoma Oaks 2012 Pinot Noir is from Russian River Valley, a classic California AVA. I was interested to see what $11.99 could buy in terms of taste and I received a surprise.
This wine has a complex taste and veers to the earthy end of the Pinot Noir spectrum. Green Dragon zeroed in on the primary flavor – raisins. Mixed with the raisin there is a bit of vanilla and spice. That actually sounds like a great dessert, but of course this is a dry wine.
The Sonoma Oaks label pays homage to the namesake trees that grow in pockets throughout the vineyards where these grapes are grown. Sonoma Oaks is designed to be affordable access to the unique wines of Sonoma County. At $12 to $16, this is a great casual sipper from a region famous for its cool climate Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
Sonoma Oaks Pinot has a great texture and has oak that enriches the body. For this price point, it is a score. PN from RRV is better than just OK.
Rating: 2.5 of 5  Value: 4 of 5
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Monday, January 13, 2014

Laurel Glen Vineyard 2008 Sonoma Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon


One of the highlights of our recent Arctic Blast Relief wine tasting was the opening of a magnum from Laurel Glen Vineyard. The memory provided warmth in the next several days where wind chills plunged to minus 35 degrees.
The timing has to be right to open a magnum. You certainly need a good party situation because you don’t want to be drinking leftover wine for the next 10 days. Also, opening a large format bottle is celebratory – and so you want as many of your friends to enjoy as possible.
Laurel Glen Vineyard is 1,000 feet up the side of Sonoma Mountain. This is an ideal location to catch the morning sunlight, but avoid the burning afternoon heat. It was originally planted in the 1880’s. The first vintage of Laurel Glen Cabernet was produced in 1981.
Our magnum was signed by owner Bettina Sichel. The grapes used in the wine range from seven to 43-years-old. There were 1,500 cases produced and, I’m sure, not a large number of magnums.
We had a number of great appetizers during our tasting including meatballs and stuffed mushroom caps, but the Laurel Glen paired exquisitely with chocolates. The wine is rich and flavorful and our guests said they could drink it all night.
On the nose there is bramble and berries with a touch of spice. There are flavor notes of chocolate, espresso and plum. This is a complex wine with swirls of tobacco and blueberry as well. The wine has good structure without being harshly tannic.
Laurel Glen is a superlative Cabernet Sauvignon – and the large format easily doubled our enjoyment!
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Friday, January 10, 2014

Glenora Wine Cellars 2003 Brut Sparkling Wine, Finger Lakes

To ring in 2014 we turned to a sparkling friend from New York State: Glenora Wine Cellar’s 2003 Brut. It’s an example of the surprisingly good sparkling wines to come our of the Finger Lakes.
To fortify ourselves for the long evening ahead, we enjoyed a candlelit dinner of King Crab legs and chardonnay. As the midnight hour approached, we fired up the fondue pot and some nice Swiss fondue and popped the Glenora.

The wine is made from 68% Pinot Noir, 19% Pinot Blanc and 13% Chardonnay. The grapes came from the Seneca Lake area.

There is a slight kiss of sweetness with this Brut that registers at 1.4% residual sugar. This wine is made using the time-consuming Methode Champenoise just like Champagne from France.

Glenora’s 2003 Brut, which is their latest release, gives the full celebratory experience. There’s the thrill of popping the cork (don’t put out your eye!), the head of froth and mesmerizing streams of tiny bubbles in your glass.

This wine has won a passel of  awards and we agree with the judges. This is a superb sparkling wine for a fraction of the big name California or French sparkling wines. It retails for $24.99. We picked ours up at the winery and we certainly recommend that, since Glenora is a Finger Lakes showcase. It’s available online as well.

We always recommend serving sparkling wines in tall thin flutes. This better allows you to enjoy the strings of exploding bubbles and extends the effervescence. In the glass this has hints of apple and berry. It has a lively and energetic mouthfeel and the sweetness is not overplayed.

If the rest of 2014 is as rewarding as this wine, it will be a sensational year.

Rating: 4 of 5  Value: 5 of 5
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Thursday, January 9, 2014

Ohio Winegrowers Worry As Frigid Weather Threatens Vines

We just received this news release from the Ohio Wine Producers Association about the impact of the “arctic blast” on Ohio grape growers.


While the entire state is reeling from this Arctic blast, winegrowers across Ohio are literally praying for their 2014 crop and that their very vines survive these next couple of days.
 
Grapes are generally considered 'tender' crops and are especially sensitive to low winter temperatures.  Based on a release from Dave Scurlock of the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center the key factor in all of this is the actual low temperatures recorded. Although strong winds can desiccate the buds as well as vine structures and cause some damage, the real fear comes from the sub-zero thermometer recordings.
 
Fierce winds in relation to cold temps do damage by drying out cell structures to exasperate damage.  Dave notes that wind chill, as we traditionally think of it, is much more critical to warm blooded animals than plants. We have not seen these lows for many years and they will especially test the “classic” vinifera grapes varieties.
 
Hopefully, it will not be bad as 1994 when the Wooster station recorded a -28 degrees actual temperature in their demonstration vineyards.   If temperatures drop much below -10 or 15 degrees, we'll see significant 2014 damage among the Cabernets, Chardonnays, Pinot Noirs and Pinot Gris. Up to 90% of the buds can be destroyed below those readings. Rieslings and French hybrids are less sensitive, but they too will likely see damage in the 50% range.
 
A greater fear is that if the frigid temperatures remain -- or return again in the winter for an extended time.  Then actual vine damage [or even death] will occur.  In January of 1994, when temperatures remained significantly below zero for fourteen days, many vineyards faced major replanting schedules....along the the loss of three or more years of production until the new vines were ready to harvest. In the 20 years since that long stretch of bitter cold, Ohio growers have learned a lot.
 
They have become more selective about the sites where their most tender varieties were planted, have added every-row tiling to drain excessive water which was identified as a culprit during those two frozen weeks, and added wind machines which, on a still night can mix the layers of air and raise vineyard floor temperatures several degrees. But that’s not much help with 30 mile-per-hour winds during the night, however.
 
Dave's alert to the growers included suggestions to delay any additional pruning for a while, to leave as many buds as possible, to wait until the coldest snap passes and do random bud cuts to check for dead tissue and then assess their pruning plans.
   
In the meantime, growers will be biting fingernails and quietly petitioning the weather 'gods' for a quick return to more normal conditions.

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Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Toledo Area Wine Events & Tastings: January 8-11, 2013

Wine
Wine (Photo credit: Uncalno)
A note from the publisher: Winter weather has disrupted many schedules, so “call before you haul” when attending tastings this week.
Wednesday, January 8
The Andersons, Sylvania, 6– 8 PM.
Denny’s Craft Beer and Wine Cave, 4400 Heatherdowns, (419) 382-6221. Call for schedule… 6-8 PM. $15.
Zinful Wine Bar & Restaurant, (419) 878-9463, 7541 Dutch Road, Waterville. Call for schedule… 6:00 – 9:00 PM. Nominal fee per sample.
Thursday, January 9
Andersons, Maumee, Wine Tasting. 5-7 PM.
Andersons, Talmadge Road, Wine Tasting. 6-8 PM.
Corks Wine and Liquor, Promenade Plaza, 27250 Crossroads Pkwy., Rossford – (419) 872-6800. 6-9 PM. Nominal fee per sample.
TREO Wine Bar, 5703 Main St., Sylvania, (419) 882-2266. Wine & Cheese Thursday. Explore the wonderful world of wine and cheese. Try four different wines with a sample platter of the day’s cheese.
Walt Churchill's Market, 26625 Dixie Hwy, Perrysburg, (419) 872-6900. 4-7 PM.

Saturday, January 11
Walt Churchill’s Market, 3320 Briarfield. Maumee, (419) 794-4000. 12:00 – 5:00 PM. Winter Warmers. As the weather turns icy, our thoughts turn to rich hearty wines to alleviate the cold.  We'll taste big, full-bodied red wines, as well as Port and Sherry. Nominal fee per sample.

AREA WINE BARS
  • The Bistro at Maumee Wines, (419) 893-2525, 2556 Parkway Plaza, Maumee.
  • Tres Belle Wine and Martini Lounge, (419) 874-4555, 3145 Hollister Lane, Perrysburg (Levis Commons).
  • Zinful Wine Bar & Restaurant, (419) 878-9463, 7541 Dutch Road, Waterville.
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[Information on tastings can be sent to TWAV@ATT.NET.]
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Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Willakenzie 2011 Estate Cuvee Pinot Noir

The cowboys knew it! There's nothing like a refreshing drink in the saloon at the end of a long hard ride. We weren't exactly in a saloon, but we were in cowboy country as we pulled up to the Avenue Grill in Denver.

We just drove in from the airport and were meeting my brother, niece and her husband for dinner. Brother J was in town from Telluride and we were touching down for the night before heading west to do some skiing and visit our daughter.

We were a bit frazzled by a day full of travel and were clicking on east coast time. Any tension melted away as we walked through the balmy Denver night and into the very cool Avenue Grill.

Surveying the wine list, I decided that a nice Willamette Valley Pinot Noir would go well with just about anything in this fine dining establishment. I settled on the Willakenzie 2011 Estate Cuvee Pinot Noir. For her entrée, Green Dragon settled on the Sesame Seared Ahi Tuna while I locked in on the Slow Roasted Colorado Bison with chili lime sauce.

Conversation meandered like Bighorn Sheep on a Front Range hillside. I didn't know until that night that brother J had worked the grape harvest in Spain many years ago. His more recent wine exploits include landing his paraglider in a winery field in Oregon so as to score the free glass of vino offered by the winery for all fliers who land there.

The Willakenzie Estate Cuvee is a fine example of Willamette Valley Pinot. There's a nice floral nose. On the palate it's juicy and balanced with flavors of bright strawberry and raspberry. By the second bottle the flavors were melding beautifully with my bison.

This Willakenzie is a smooth sipping value at about $30 retail (higher of course at the restaurant). It's also highly recommended when you’re gnoshing in high altitude settings like the mile-high city. A great wine to enjoy with family and special friends.


Rating: 4 of 5 Value: 5 of 5

Technorati : Oregon, Pinot Noir, wine

Monday, January 6, 2014

Arctic Blast Wine Tasting Provides Tasty Relief From Chilling Cold

In the last 10 days I’ve used my snowblower more than ever before. When I let our dog Amber out before going to work last Thursday, I was afraid she would disappear in the snow drift on our back patio. In the coming week, temperatures are expected to dip as low as 18 below zero.
Clearly, we needed to do something to battle the icy grip of this latest winter storm. We decided to face the chill down by chilling out – with our first Arctic Blast Relief wine tasting, joined by a band of more than a dozen friends.
Green Dragon prepared a gaggle of great appetizers including stuffed mushroom caps, olive and cream cheese pinwheels, and thyme apple and sausage bites. I tried to help (I really did), but she admonished me by saying she’d handle the food and I was in charge of the wine. I did pitch in by wrapping tiny sausages in dough to make pigs in a blanket.
Our wine lineup was as follows:
Arrival Wines:
  • Poema Cava, Spain
  • Adriano Adami Prosecco, Italy
  • Prejean 2010 Dry Riesling, Finger Lakes
Three Pinots from Arroyo Grande Valley, CA
  • 2012 Laetitia Estate Pinot Noir
  • 2012 Laetitia Whole Cluster Pinot Noir
  • 2012 Laetitia Reserve du Domaine Pinot Noir
A Pair of Zinfandel from Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma
  • 2011 Dry Creek Vineyard Heritage Vines Zinfandel
  • 2011 Dry Creek Vineyard Old Vine Zinfandel
A Duo of Special Cabernet
  • 2010 Gamla Cabernet Sauvignon, Israel
  • 2008 Laurel Glen Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma Mountain (Magnum)
A Dessert Wine from Uruguay
  • 2008 Familia Deicas Tannat Dessert Wine
To get me in the spirit, I spent more than an hour scraping and shoveling my
driveway – to take advantage of the “warm” weather (it was about 28 degrees). As time for the party approached I scrambled to uncork bottles and fill decanters.
Our arrival wines were a couple of international sparklers – the Poema Cava from Spain and the Adami Prosecco from Italy. International traveler Larry said it reminded him of arriving in business class on an international flight. (Meanwhile in coach we are battling for overhead storage and paying for bottled water!).

Friday, January 3, 2014

Foxen 2012 Old Vines Chenin Blanc, Ernesto Wickenden Vineyard, Santa Maria Valley

This bottle was waiting for us after a long day of skiing at Beaver Creek in Avon, Colorado. We started skiing about 10:30 and didn’t get off the slopes until about 4:30. By the time I finally got my ski boots off, it was as if my feet were released from a year of solitary prison confinement.
It was a sunny and bright blue Colorado day. We hadn’t been skiing for a couple years, so we were a bit challenged by the slopes – especially with icy patches lurking beneath a couple inches of surface snow.
Green Dragon was doing very well until her knee gave out toward the end of the day. This resulted in her unable to turn – which is a big drawback when you have ski racers thundering down from above and a big drop-off below.
We finally made it back to the lodge and opened the Foxen 2012 Old Vines Chenin Blanc. I’m a Chenin Blanc fan but there isn’t much produced in the US. It mostly comes from South Africa or Vouvray in France.
Foxen is a winery we visited a couple years ago while touring wineries in Santa Barbara County. They do great Pinot Noir and Rhone wines, but also have superb whites.
This Chenin is bottled California freshness. The first sip is like chomping into a bunch of cool grapes on a hot day. The wine is clean and crisp with a hint of sweetness. The Ernesto Wickenden Vineyard is a three-acre plot that was planted 43 years ago, earning the “old vines” label for this wine.
The wine is aged in neutral oak for four months, and the oaking wasn’t evident. That’s good because many a white wine has been ruined by gratuitous oaking. The Foxen has flavor swirls of pear and citrus and has a nice minerally finish.
A total of 1,240 cases were produced. We picked it up for $25. It’s a well done wine just right for unwinding after a day of winter sports.
Conventional thinking is to “hunker down” during winter (we’re in the middle of a winter weather advisory as I write this) and uncork hearty red wines. There’s nothing wrong with that – but another great option is to open a fresh white wine and enjoy some bottled sunshine.
Rating: 3 of 5  Value: 2.5 of 5
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