Monday, August 31, 2015

Dry Creek Vineyard 2014 Fumé Blanc, Sonoma County

Don’t be confused by the name. Fumé Blanc is zesty, flavorful Sauvignon Blanc. This bottle from Dry Creek Vineyard is a favorite value pick.

 

What’s the Difference Between Fumé Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc?

In short, there is no difference. Both wines are Sauvignon Blanc. Decades ago California wine pioneer Robert Mondavi realized that no one was buying Sauvignon Blanc, so he changed the name to Fumé Blanc and sales took off. He decided not to trademark the name, allowing anyone to use it.

The Wine That Put Dry Creek Vineyard On The Map

Since 1972 Dry Creek Vineyard has produced Fumé Blanc. Founder David Stare was the first person to plant Sauvignon Blanc in Dry Creek Valley. The wine is modeled after classic wines from France’s Loire Valley and it is immediately drinkable.
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This Is A Personal Favorite Of Ours

I can’t claim to have tasted Dry Creek’s Fumé Blanc in the 1970s. Back then I had a lot more Stroh’s beer than fine wine. But it was the first Sauvignon Blanc I ever tried, and it was delicious from the first sip.

We’re big fans of Sauvignon Blanc and it is right at the top of our list of favorite whites (along with Riesling). California Sauvignon Blanc often lacks the crispness we enjoy in wines from the same grape hailing from New Zealand. DCV Fumé Blanc, however, hits the bullseye.
The wine is fermented in stainless steel, keeping a crisp, balanced flavor. The aroma of cut grass is one of the hallmarks of good Sauvignon Blanc, and it flowed forth from our glass.
A zesty acidity keeps the wine lively. In the glass there are flavors of lemon-lime and tart apple. The wine is dry, but not painfully so.

This Fumé Scores A Very High Quality Price Ratio

Occasionally you’ll see us mention QPR. That’s Quality Price Ratio and translates to “bang for your buck” or value. A great bargain on a wine is no deal if you don’t like it.
The 2014 Dry Creek Vineyard Fumé Blanc is a wine you can pop open in a casual setting or something that a crowd would enjoy with dinner. The name Fumé Blanc conveys fun, and the bottle delivers that at a SRP of only $14.
We’re fans and believe you will be too after your first taste. This wine is widely available.
Full disclosure: We received this wine as a marketing sample.

Friday, August 28, 2015

Segura Viudas Grand Cuveé Reserva A Delicate Sensation

Need a special occasion for sparkling wine? Not always. Sometimes hot buttered popcorn with family pops the cork.

Why You Should Be Drinking Cava

Cava is Spain’s version of Champagne. True Champagne can only come from that region in France – but sparkling wines abound worldwide.
In 2001 Cava overtook Champagne as the world’s best selling sparkling wine. In general, Cava sells at lower prices and, my wife the Green Dragon would say, it tastes better than Champagne.

Are You Kidding With a Cava Popcorn Pairing?

Absolutely not! Popcorn and Champagne has become a popular pairing and we wanted to do a test drive with Cava. Winemakers interested in selling more sparkling wine I’m sure would like to see it consumed casually – not just during fancy-pants events.
Our daughter was preparing to head to Vermont where she’ll be an apprentice baker in a funky establishment. I thought the Segura Viudas Grand Cuveé Reserva would be the ideal way to celebrate the evening.
I loved it. The buttery and salted popcorn harmonized nicely with the flowing fruit flavors and subdued floral of the Cuveé. We also discovered that the bubbles in the Cava just wouldn’t stop streaming. It provided continued enjoyment as they swirled and streamed up into the light froth.
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Segura Viudas Grand Cuveé Reserva A Complex Creation

Segura Viudas is located in Penedès, Spain, which is the source of about 90% of Spain’s Cava production. The Grand Cuveé is interesting because is is a combination of the traditional grapes Macabeo and Parellada with a 15% helping of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The Chardonnay adds richness while the Pinot brings some wild berry tones.
The sugar level of this Cava is lower than most so that the light blend of savory and fresh flavors can shine through. The alcohol level is a light 12%. This wine can pair with a variety of fish dishes, tempura, braised meats and aged cheeses.
This sophisticated Spanish sparkler is a steal at an SRP of only $14. Segura Viudas estate has roots going back to the 11th Century. Now wider distribution in the US means you can now more readily enjoy Cava from this expert producer of sparkling wine.
Full disclosure: We received this wine as a marketing sample.
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Thursday, August 27, 2015

Ancient Delights Of Austrian Riesling Revealed In Special Tasting


We leaped at the chance to sample a selection of aged Riesling from Austria during the recent Wine Bloggers Conference (WBC) in Corning, NY. We discovered the common axiom that only red wines are worth aging is simply bunk.

Courtyard Tasting At WBC

We received a special invite from Constance Chamberlain on behalf of Austrian Wine to sample a half dozen Austrian Rieslings from 1990 to 2012 during the WBC. How could we refuse?
To avoid creating a commotion in the lobby of the Radisson hotel, we moved the tasting into a convenient courtyard. You’ll be surprised at what we tasted, but first, some surprising facts about wine from Austria.

What Are They Growing In Austria?

In Austria there are 35 official grape varieties, 22 white and 13 red. I’ve always thought of Austria as a producer of superb white wines, but the proportion of red wines has doubled over the last two decades and now represents a third of Austria’s vineyards.
The most widely planted grape doesn’t surprise me. It is Gruner Veltliner. I was not expecting, however, that Riesling is only fifth on the list in terms of vineyard acreage. Gruner represents 29% of Austria’s output while Riesling is just a little over 4%. That Riesling, though, is quite remarkable.
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They Are Old, But How Do They Taste?


Austria prides itself in taking the middle ground in Riesling – not as acidic and sometimes sweet as Germany, and not as powerful and high in alcohol as Alsace. Austria goes for a glorious balance.
Our first tasting was of the 1990 Domane Wachau Terrassen Thal Smaragd Riesling. I’ve had old Riesling before and it was something of a science experiment: heavy petrol smell and an “almost” wine-like flavor.
The Domane Wachau blew all that away with a delicate finesse and light floral flavors. The acidic edge had softened over the years into a limber, beautiful wine.

Mind-Blowing Label And Riesling

I loved the 1995 Knoll Wachau Smaragd Reid Loibenberg Loibner Riesling even without tasting a drop. This Riesling comes from the small but important Wachau wine region. The Weingut Knoll label has a cool illustration of St. Urban, the patron saint of winemakers and vineyards. This label was discolored in a artful way. This wine had a mix of subdued tropical flavors.
Proceeding to our next bottle, our tasting team sampled the 2002 Schloss Gobelsburg Kamptal Alte Reben Riesling. This wine, made from old vines, is mellow indeed. In fact, it tasted as if had faded a bit compared with the 1990 or 1995. Still, quite a great glass.

The 21st Century Isn’t All Bad Either

Of the “newbie” Austrian Rieslings we sampled – the newcomers in the 21st Century – the 2005 Brundlmayer Kamptal Zobinger Heilingenstein Riesling Lyra was my favorite. Brundlmayer is considered the best Austrian winery.
The Bundlmayer has clean flavors of peach and apple. A great pairing with chicken and fish.
The 2011 Jurtschitsch Kamptal Heiligenstein Erste Lage offered noticeably more acid in its profile. We were tasting these wines in the middle of Finger Lakes wine country and the difference in the acidity was striking. The Riesling from Austria offered good structure, but not a bone-jarring acidity.
To cap off our tasting, we sampled the 2012 Tergernseerhof Wachau Loibenberg Riesling, a wine that would be within the normal tasting window for a good Riesling. It offers citrus flavors with a dash of minerality and lively minerality. We can wait to taste it in another 15 years!
Riesling is the king of white wine. Our Riesling “tour” shows that not only does Austrian Riesling deserve prominence on the world stage, but the craftsmanship of the top wines lends itself to cellaring for a decade or more.
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Wednesday, August 26, 2015

Toledo Area Wine Events & Tastings: August 26-29, 2015

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Wednesday, August 26

The Andersons, Sylvania, 6-8 PM. The "It's Still Summer" Tasting: Good Wines Suitable for Grilling & Chilling.1. Domaine de Pouy 2014 White (France), 2. Greg Norman 2014 Sauvignon Blanc (New Zealand), 3. Finca Os Cobatos 2013 Red (Spain), 4. Santa Rita 2010 Carmenere Reserva (Chile), 5. Santa Rita 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon (Chile). Nominal fee per sample or $5 flight.
Veritas Cork and Craft, 505 Jefferson Avenue, Toledo – (419) 214- 9463. 5:30 – 7:30 PM. Wednesday Wine Tasting. Come out with friends, have fun, taste good juice! $15 per person.
Thursday, August 27
Andersons, Maumee, Wine Tasting. 5-7 PM.End of summer wines…1. 2014 Domaine de la Villaudiere Sancerre, 2. 2014 Domaine Pierre Usseglio & Fils – Cotes Du Rhone Rose, 3. 2013 Bourbon Barrel Aged - 1000 Stories – Zinfandel, 4. 2012 Chateau Blouin – Red Bordeaux. $6.50 flight or nominal fee per sample.

Andersons, Talmadge Road, Wine Tasting. 6 – 8 PM. Labor Day Grilling Wines. 1. Loveblock Sauvignon Blanc, 2. Secateurs Chenin Blanc, 3. Venta Mazzaron Tempranillo, 4. Victor Hugo Zinfandel, 5. Eternum Viti Tinto Del Toro, 6. Stand Out Red, 7. Vinum 'The Scrapper', 8. Chakana Malbec. Nominal fee per sample.
Kroger Maumee, 1435 South Reynolds Road, – (567)-302-2688. Wine Tasting, 1 – 8 PM. Mystery wines. Flight of 4, $1.
Corks Wine and Liquor, Promenade Plaza, 27250 Crossroads Pkwy., Rossford – (419) 872-6800. Thursday Wine Tasting, 6-8 PM.
Noir Fine . Wine and Beer, 1616 East Wooster, Bowling Green, 6-9 PM. Nominal fee per sample or priced per flight.
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, August 28  
Walt Churchill's Market, 26625 Dixie Hwy, Perrysburg, (419) 872-6900. Wine tasting – 4:00 – 7:00 PM.
Saturday, August 29
Kroger Maumee, 1435 South Reynolds Road, – (567)-302-2688. Wine Tasting, 1 – 8 PM. Washington State Wines: 1. Anew – Riesling, 2. H3 – Chardonnay, 3. Mercer - Pinot Gris, 4. Chateau Ste Michelle - Indian Wells Cabernet Sauvignon, 5. Shadowland – Merlot, 6. Boom Boom – Syrah. $1 flight of 4.
Walt Churchill’s Market, 3320 Briarfield. Maumee, (419) 794-4000. 12:00 – 5:00 PM. Nominal fee per sample.
AREA WINE BARS
  • Veritas Cork and Craft, 505 Jefferson Avenue, Toledo – (419) 214- 9463.
  • Zinful Wine Bar, (419) 878-9463, 7541 Dutch Road, Waterville.
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[Information on tastings can be sent toTWAV@ATT.NET.]
Up & Coming:
Tuesdays – Weekly wine tasting at Forrester's on the River, 26 Main St. Toledo – (419) 691-2626. 5:00 – 7:00 PM. Five to six unique tastings of wine, that are not found on the menu, along with an assortment of tapas style appetizers to complement the wines.  Tastings are between $10-$15 per person and are held in their wine bar (Paige's Wine Bar).













Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Dry Creek Vineyard 2013 Old Vine Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley

The label for the 2013 Dry Creek Vineyard Old Vines Zinfandel is amazing. And after you get past that, the wine ain’t so bad either. In fact, it is superb.

Barbeque Dinner Beckons

This wine traveled to a special barbeque dinner last weekend. We bid on it with another couple at a church silent auction.
I didn’t realize it when the meal started, but we were about to be treated to some of the best baby back ribs we’ve ever eaten. It involved smoking, baking, slathering, in what order I can’t exactly recall – but the end result was sticky finger good.The ribs fell nicely off the bone but had a nice charred crispiness.

Zinfandel And Barbeque A Food Pairing Delight

The best pairing with barbeque (or is it barbecue or BBQ) food is California Zinfandel. The rich, bold flavors of the wine are a match for the spice and sweetness of sauced up ribs, steaks, wings or anything else you can catch and grill.
Old Vines Zinfandel is at the zenith of the Zin pantheon. Old Vines typically means that the grape vines are more than 50 years old. In this case, the Dry Creek Vineyard vines are all more than 95 years old and some older than 110. The vines get twisted and gnarly and produce fewer grapes – but each grape is a masterpiece of concentrated flavor.
Larry and Donna joined us at the meal cooked up by Marilyn and Buddy. Larry loved the OVZ and, in his attempt to make a witty tasting note, said it tasted like a stampeding herd of buffalo. For me, flavors of blackberry, blueberry and spice came rushing in. But this herd of buffalo stayed to graze a while, with a long, elegant finish. It was a resounding hit with the dinner guests.
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Now About That Label: Old Vines In A New Skin

This may be the most information packed label I’ve ever seen. Dry Creek Vineyard took a very staid and traditional label and amped it up with (by my count) 20 different nuggets of information. You can learn not only the blend, which is 75% Zinfandel, 23% Petite Sirah, and 2% Carignane, but the type of pruning on the vine (head pruned), fermentation, soils, and the date of harvest. The barrel aging is also detailed (they use French, American and Hungarian oak).
This is fascinating reading and lends to the authenticity of the wine. Compare this with a bottle which provides almost no information, like “California Red Wine.” The Dry Creek Valley label is fun and informative.
But wait, there’s more! Once you extract the cork, there is more information – this about the cork. It includes the species name of the cork tree, info about cork sustainability and the date of the harvesting of the cork.

What’s Not To Like?

Dry Creek Vineyards has scored with another outstanding wine. Old Vines Zinfandel is a uniquely American wine that tickles our palate – and Dry Creek Vineyard does Zin very well.
The SRP for the 2013 vintage is $32. This is an outstanding value. You may be able to find earlier vintages and they undoubtedly will taste great. They just won’t read as well.

Monday, August 24, 2015

Fox Run and Anthony Road Showcase Top Finger Lakes Wines During WBC15 Excursion


Sun splashed scenery and elegant wines highlighted our recent visit to the Finger Lakes in New York for the Wine Bloggers Conference (WBC). During the second day of our pre-conference excursion, we had a chance to visit a couple of old friends – the popular Anthony Road and Fox Run wineries.

Anthony Road Offers Beautiful Grounds, Beautiful Wine

Anthony Road Wine Company is one of our must visit” stops on our frequent Finger Lakes trips. The tasting room is airy and light with a spectacular view to Seneca Lake. There is an immaculately landscaped garden to amuse while sipping some of the region’s best wine.
After a night in Geneva, our tour bus arrived and wine bloggers swarmed out – quickly soaking in the scenery and photographing the winery from every conceivable angle.
Owner John Martini, who planted the first grape vines here in 1973, provided a walking tour of a test vineyard. After returning from our stroll in the glorious sunshine, our group was ready to taste some of the fruits of his labor.
Chilled and fresh (sort of like us!) wines were the order of the day. We began with the 2014 Anthony Road Cab Franc Rosé.
The rosé is made from some of the best estate Cabernet Franc with an added 14% Lemberger. This was delightfully fresh with a watermelon color. If you aren’t already onboard with the dry rosé trend, it is perfect for the hot days of summer.
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The Finger Lakes Is About More Than Riesling – Like Chardonnay

Standout Riesling is a trademark of Anthony Road. Today would be no disappointment there. We dug into the 2014 Anthony Road Dry Riesling and it delivered classic Finger Lakes minerality with a nice pop of rich citrus flavor. The 2014 Skin Fermented Riesling was an interesting wine, with a deeper color and decidedly woody flavor notes.
We stepped inside to enjoy a taste of the latest vintage of Tierce, a joint project of winemakers from Anthony Road, Fox Run and Red Newt wineries. Collaboration, not competition, is the hallmark of the Finger Lakes wine region. We’re thankful for it because Tierce is one of our favorites from among the scads produced in the region.
The Finger Lakes is a cool climate for winemaking. It results in different flavor profiles for wines and bedevils winemakers who try to cultivate certain red grapes. It results in landmark Riesling and Gewürztraminer as most folks know, but the the Chardonnay is also very special.
We tried two Chards at Anthony Road. The first was the 2014 Unoaked Chardonnay. This had luscious flavors of green apple and was worlds apart from the oak bombs so detested by my wife, the Green Dragon. We also tried the 2014 Skin Fermented Chardonnay. This resulted in a complex wine, but wasn’t as successful as the skin fermented Riesling.

Fox Run Vineyards Celebrates Quarter Century of Wine Excellence

Fox Run is one of the best known and most popular wineries in the Finger Lakes. In 2015, the winery marks its 25th anniversary. Under the guidance of owner Scott Osborn, the future looks particularly bright.
Upon our arrival, we were greeted with chilled Traminette and then embarked on a tour of the vineyard and a climb to the crush pad where the wine is made. Visible on our walk up the hill was a solar cell installation with 300 panels that provides 120% of the winery’s electrical needs. The sun was blazing and we were quite ready to enter the tank room to hear more about Fox Run winemaking.
Inside the production room, there was relief from the heat. Winemaker Peter Bell explained that unused stainless steel tanks are actually turned to chilly settings in order to keep the room cool.
As we sipped on a barrel sample of 2014 Lemberger, Peter explained his winemaking philosophy in sometimes humorous terms. I was surprised to hear that he is not a fan of wild fermentation – but it is hard to argue with his results.
Back at the tasting room building, we entered the historic barrel room for the next and quite delicious phase of the program: the Food and Wine Experience.

Food and Wine Experience Is A Sensory Smash


Anytime you have a lineup of five wine glasses at a placesetting, you can be assured that any wine lover’s eyes will light up. That was certainly the case as we embarked on our experience. This special feature is available for $40 per person for visitors and it is certainly worth twice that price.
Each glass of wine was paired with small bites from local producers prepared by Chef Brud Holland. We began with a trio of Riesling including the light, crisp unoaked Doyle Family Vineyard Chardonnay. This wine has a 10% splash of Traminette. The Semi-Dry Riesling was paired with a Stella Vallis Tomme cheese with greens and pumpkin seed vinaigrette. The wine’s pop of sweetness was a spot-on pairing. The limited production Silvan Riesling is barrel fermented and was paired with chevre from Lively Run Goat Dairy.
The 2012 Lemberger is a red with an oaky kick and is another example of how the Finger Lakes is making Lemberger a premier grape in the region. The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon was light and jammy and low in alcohol. It paired with our favorite bite – the house-made wine barrel smoked sausages. The wine barrel that smoked our snack was sitting in the corner of the room.
To cap our sensational sensory experience, we enjoyed the Hedonia, a white Port style wine made with Traminette. This is a delicious dessert style wine that is among the most unique sampled during our trip.

The Geology Series Explores Finger Lakes Terroir

The story of our next tasting began 12,400 years ago – but I’ll try to make it quick. More than 12,000 years ago ice sheets started retreating from western New York and the meltwater formed freshwater lakes. The present location of Fox Run Vineyard was on the banks of prehistoric Lake Dana.
As water flowed out of Lake Dana, the elevation lowered and it became what is now known as Seneca Lake. Fox Run’s location on this ancient shoreline leaves it with a hanging delta where the water flowed into Seneca. The complex soil patterns include unique sand and rich clay deposited by streams long ago.
In our Geology Series tasting, we tasted four 2012 vintage Riesling. Two from the Hanging Delta Vineyard (from different blocks) and two from the Lake Dana Vineyard. The Hanging Delta Vineyard seemed to impart a petrol like aroma, but I it was difficult for me to ferret out a grand distinction between the four wines. That may have been due to the many wines I had been sampling in the interest of journalism during the day. They all were exceptionally made.
As our bus rolled into the sunset and on to Corning for the official start of the WBC, I couldn’t help but be impressed not only with Anthony Road Wine Company and Fox Run Vineyard but with the beauty of the land and the Finger Lakes wines. This is a destination for any true lover of wine.
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Friday, August 21, 2015

Why The Finger Lakes Seneca Lake Wine Trail Is One Of The Best In The Country


Sparkling waters, vibrant blue skies, lush vineyards and kickin’ wines – the Finger Lakes region of New York has it all. It’s no secret that this is our favorite wine region. We’ve just returned from the 2015 Wine Bloggers Conference (#WBC15) which was hosted by the wineries of the Finger Lakes with a base camp in Corning, NY. Let us tell you the tale of our wine-soaked adventure, beginning with our pre-conference excursion hosted by the Seneca Lake Wine Trail. Here’s our first installment.

Milking The Villa Bellangelo Experience For All It’s Worth

There are 35 wineries on the Seneca Lake Wine Trail and more than 40 wineries on the lake if you include those “going rogue.” Try as we might during our frequent visits to the area, we haven’t been able to visit them all. The pre-conference tour enabled us to visit some old friends and sample some great wineries we had missed.
We were parched after driving six-and-a-half hours from Toledo. When we boarded the excursion bus in Corning, we were pleased to discover that dehydration wouldn’t be a problem. Winemakers from Seneca Shore Wine Cellar and Rock Stream Vineyards provided some chilled whites and rosé.
This was our first visit to Villa Bellangelo, and we couldn’t be more impressed. Owner Christopher Missick and the Seneca Lake Wine Trail (SLWT) pulled out all the stops. The tasting room was awash with wine including a selection of reserve Bellangelo Riesling, sparkling wine, and a 10-year vertical of Finger Lakes Cabernet Sauvignon from King’s Garden Vineyard served up by owner and winemaker Mike Oleksyn. To accompany the wine there was an assortment of antipasto, artisan bread and cheese. To reassure us the cheese was real there was a goat on the patio ready for milking!

Cabernet Sauvignon In The Finger Lakes – It Can Be Done


Standout wines for Green Dragon and I were the Bellangelo 2012 “1866 Reserve” Riesling and the Bellangelo 2012 “1866 Reserve” Meritage. King’s Garden Cabernet also scored high with us – with the 2008 Reserve being particularly tasty. Growing Cabernet in the cool climate of the Finger Lakes is a challenge, but Mike Oleksyn shows it can be done with the proper care and attention. His Cabs quickly sell out each year.
The experience at Bellangelo was outstanding and this will become a regular stop on our future visits to Seneca Lake.
Kudos also go to the Side Hill Acres Goat Farm,
which provided some delicious goat cheeses. They were the perfect accompaniment to delicious wine and our animated gathering.

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Why Seneca Lakes Wine Trail Is One Of The Best In The Nation

We declared upfront that we love the Finger Lakes. The SLWT is one of the best wine trails in the country because of the outstanding wine, the proximity of the wineries to each other, incredible scenery, tasty cheese, farm-to-table food and the explosion of the craft beer and spirits industry.
The elements blended together at our next stop, Ventosa Vineyards. This is at the top of the lake and on the northeast corner – much farther away on the trail than we usually go. The extra journey is well worth it.

Ventosa has an exceptional perch overlooking vineyards rolling down to the sparkling Seneca waters. The focus of the evening was on the women of Finger Lakes wine. It was accentuated with superb cuisine, perfectly paired wine and a made-to-order sunset.

Finger Lakes Women Making Their Mark On The Regional Scene

After enjoying a selection of ciders (which seemed to be everywhere on our trip). We heard from a trio of wine women. Marti Macinski is winemaker and co-owner of Standing Stone Vineyards.
At our location, not very far from Seneca Falls which is considered to be the birthplace of women’s rights, she laid out her journey which exemplified the changing of women’s roles in the wine industry. Trading the “traditional” role of tasting room management for the cultivation and winemaking side, she has become an icon in Finger Lakes winemaking.
Ventosa has benefited from the talents of Jenna LaVita who is winemaker and vineyard manager. She earned extra cash by selling bottle cap earrings until she seized the opportunity to move into the winemaking role at the age of 23.
The popular Three Brothers Winery is the focus
of partner Erica Paolicelli, who explains there really aren’t three brothers. “The Finger Lakes wine industry wouldn’t be the same without strong, creative women,” she said.
Liz Leidenfrost is a third generation owner/winemaker and the self-proclaimed diva at Leidenfrost Vineyards. Since the 1940s the Leidenfrost family has grown grapes on its estate on southeast Seneca Lake. Today Liz is a vital part of the award-winning winery’s success.

A Superb Farm-To-Table Finale By Chef Heather Tompkins

As the sun sank low over Seneca and shafts of sunlight pierced through the treetops, the magic continued. Another outstanding Finger Lakes woman was responsible for a gourmet tour de force. Heather Tompkins is executive chef and co-owner of Opus Espresso & Wine Bar and Char Burrito Bar, both located in Geneva, NY. Her creative meal was stellar.
The opening candy beet-melon-arugula salad was paired with Three Brothers 2014 Pinot Noir Rosé and Leidenfrost Blanc de Blancs sparkling wine. The wines paired sumptuously with the pumpkin seeds and goat cheese in the salad.
Mere words pale in describing the next dish, which was a sweet corn-Muranda Cheese Cheddar studded Risotto Cake with Summer Tomato, Fennel Coulis and Jalepeno-Orange Marscapone. The pairing for this was the Ventosa 2012 Pinot Noir and the Standing Stone 2013 Gerwurztraminer. Depending on which element of the dish you had on your fork, it paired perfectly with one or the other wine.
The entrée was a grilled petit Finger Lakes Farms filet mignon and scallop. This paired with Three Brothers 0 Degrees of Riesling and Ventosa 2011 Cab Franc. The Cab Franc is an obvious choice with the meal and it blended seamlessly with the steak. Riesling isn’t a standard red meat pairing, but when it is this good, throw convention out the window.
The meal wound down with Red Jacket Peaches-Ginger Galette with chocolate. This was paired with Standing Stone Gerwurztraminer Ice and Leidenfrost Cabaret Port-style wine. The Green Dragon has become a Port fan and she reveled in this wine. We had the bonus of enjoying it with Liz Leidenfrost.
This is how everyday should be: incredible food, panoramic scenery and artfully made wine. It’s all beckoning in the Finger Lakes and on the Seneca Lake Wine Trail.
Our excursion was only half over as we enjoyed some special bottles in the tasting room and then spent the night in Geneva but that’s a tale for another blog post.

Thursday, August 20, 2015

Toledo Area Wine Events & Tastings, August 19-22, 2015

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Wednesday, August 19
The Andersons, Sylvania, 6-8 PM. The Tanned, Rested & Ready Tasting!
While our tastings were on sabbatical, our staff found some great new wines for you to sample: 1. Cameron Hughes Lot 414 Prosecco (Italy), 2. La Petite Perriere 2014 Sauvignon Blanc (France), 3. Liberty School 2012 Pinot Noir (California), 4. El Miracle 2013 Old Vine Garnacha (Spain), 5. Cameron Hughes 2011 Lot 375 Malbec Reserva (Argentina). Nominal fee per sample or $5 flight.
Veritas Cork and Craft, 505 Jefferson Avenue, Toledo – (419) 214- 9463. 5:30 – 7:30 PM. Wednesday Wine Tasting. Come out with friends, have fun, taste good juice! $15 per person.
Thursday, August 20
Andersons, Maumee, Wine Tasting. 5-7 PM. More Beautiful Wines: 1. 2014 Trumpeter Torrontes, 2. 2012 Domaine des Cantarelles Rosé, 3. 2012 Torr'alta Veronese, 4. 2013 Colonia Las Liebres Bonarda. $5 flight or nominal fee per sample.

Andersons, Talmadge Road, Wine Tasting. 6 – 8 PM. Syrah & Shiraz: 1. Shoofly Shiraz, 2. Tait Ball Buster, 3. Thorne & Clark Terra Barossa Shiraz, 4. d'Arenberg Footbolt Shiraz, 5. Novelty Hill Syrah, 6. Owen Roe Ex Umbris, 7. Copain Hawks Butte. Nominal fee per sample.
Kroger Maumee, 1435 South Reynolds Road, – (567)-302-2688. Wine Tasting, 1 – 8 PM. Four Mystery Wines plus Viniq and Viniq Ruby Shimmer Wines. $1 for flight.
Corks Wine and Liquor, Promenade Plaza, 27250 Crossroads Pkwy., Rossford – (419) 872-6800. Thursday Wine Tasting, 6-8 PM.
Noir Fine . Wine and Beer, 1616 East Wooster, Bowling Green, 6-9 PM. Nominal fee per sample or priced per flight.
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, August 14  
Walt Churchill's Market, 26625 Dixie Hwy, Perrysburg, (419) 872-6900. Wine tasting – 4:00 – 7:00 PM.
Saturday, August 15
Kroger Maumee, 1435 South Reynolds Road, – (567)-302-2688. Wine Tasting, 1 – 8 PM. 1. Open Kimono – Riesling, 2. Votre Sante – Chardonnay, 3. Acrobat - Pinot Gris, 4. Trivento - Amado Sur Blend, 5. H3 – Merlot, 6. 1000 Stories - Bourbon-Barrel-Aged Zinfandel. $1 flight of 4.
Walt Churchill’s Market, 3320 Briarfield. Maumee, (419) 794-4000. 12:00 – 5:00 PM. Nominal fee per sample.
AREA WINE BARS
  • Veritas Cork and Craft, 505 Jefferson Avenue, Toledo – (419) 214- 9463.
  • Zinful Wine Bar, (419) 878-9463, 7541 Dutch Road, Waterville.
Technorati Tags: wine
[Information on tastings can be sent toTWAV@ATT.NET.]
Up & Coming:
Tuesdays – Weekly wine tasting at Forrester's on the River, 26 Main St. Toledo – (419) 691-2626. 5:00 – 7:00 PM. Five to six unique tastings of wine, that are not found on the menu, along with an assortment of tapas style appetizers to complement the wines.  Tastings are between $10-$15 per person and are held in their wine bar (Paige's Wine Bar).













Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Pairings Ohio Announces Two Meet The Winemaker Events

Pairings: Ohio’s Wine & Culinary Experience is located in the heart of Ohio’s wine country, Geneva. They have just announced two special winemaker events that promise to be outstanding.

Region is 6th Favorite For Culinary Tourists

Northeast Ohio is home to 68% of Ohio’s nearly 2,000 grape-bearing acres, while the Geneva and Ashtabula County area is home to twenty wineries and counting. In fact, in 2007, Orbitz ranked the Grand River Viticultural Area in Ohio as the 6th favorite destination in the United States for culinary tourists.
Pairings spotlights the area’s abundant wine and agricultural commerce while also providing educational, entrepreneurial and entertaining experiences for guests. If you haven’t yet visited Pairings, here are a couple of great reasons to go.

Meet Me At Pairings Series Brings Winemakers To You

Pairings offers several types of educational classes and events throughout the year. One of their most popular is “Meet Me at Pairings.” The MMAP events offer a a night of unique wine tasting, fabulous food and friends.
Pairing goes the extra mile and brings the winemaker to you. Admission to the MMAP events are free. Chef Mike Lorah will prepare $5 small plates and flights of wine are only $8.
The center has just announced its latest winemaker events. On Thursday, August 20, the featured winery will be Meranda-Nixon Winery of Ripley, OH. On Thursday, September 3, the featured winery will be Ferrante Winery of Harpersfield, OH, with special guest Nick Ferrante. Both events will run 5:00 to 9:00 PM.

Meranda-Nixon Winery Featured August 20

The Meranda-Nixon Winery opened in 2007. It is located in an area of the Ohio Valley that was one of the largest grape growing regions in the country during the 1800s. Seth Meranda and his wife, Maura, own and operate the winery and vineyard. Their four children, Preston, Austin, Lizzie, and Ben, when not in school, contribute their help. In addition, extended family offers a helping hand when needed.
Meranda-Nixon has a wide range of wines including a Late Harvest Trotter White Wine and Estate Reserve Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. They also offer an Estate Norton, a rare and delicious grape.

Winemaker Nick Ferrante Special Guest on September 3

The Ferrante Family has been selling wine since 1937 when Anna and Nicholas Ferrante opened their first winery in Cleveland's Collinwood area. In the 1970's, sons Peter and Anthony built state-of-the-art winemaking facilities in the family's Harpersfield Township vineyards.
Nicholas Ferrante, third-generation winemaker, created his Signature Series wine produced from premium estate grown grapes such as Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Grigio, Gewürztraminer. The winery also offers  ice wines made from Vidal Blanc and Cabernet Franc grapes.
Pairings is located at 50 Park Street in Geneva, OH. For more information, call (440) 361-2222.
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Friday, August 14, 2015

Flora Springs 2011 Trilogy Red Wine, Napa Valley

When you are on the ranch, red wine is a must. Or, should I say, when you are at The Ranch Restaurant & Saloon in Anaheim, you need a great red wine to go with dinner.
Attending a committee meeting in Anaheim, we decided to have dinner at The Ranch. To clarify, we went into the restaurant portion of the building. Next door at the saloon, it appeared that cowboy boots and skirts were mandatory for the women and the men mostly had Stetsons.
Although the restaurant did offer some nice choices for vegetarians, its forte is certainly meat prepared in a variety of tantalizing ways.
For my entrée I chose the prime rib, upon urging from our helpful waiter. It certainly was delicious, but the portion was of a size that it could feed a family of four.
Scanning their long and superb wine list, I settled upon the 2011 Flora Springs Trilogy. I’ve had just a few bottles from Flora Springs and it left me wanting more. Trilogy is their iconic red blend.
Trilogy was first produced in 1984, when Flora Springs decided to make their best wine possible by hand selecting the best lots from their estate vineyards. The Bordeaux blend has been winning rave reviews ever since.
The 2011 vintage is 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Merlot, 10% Petite Verdot, 5% Malbec. It is aged for 22 months in a combination of new and 1-year-old French oak.
The Ranch is a superb restaurant. Noting the attention paid to their wine program, I requested a decanter for the wine and so the Trilogy opened up nicely as we finished our salads and awaited our entrée. 
Trilogy is a sensory experience. It is a rich wine with tannins that blend nicely with hearty meat dishes. It is full bodied with dark cherry and pepper notes. On the full finish there is a trace of vanilla.
A value at any price, Trilogy has a SRP of $75. Of course, a dinner like this with Trilogy is priceless.
Rating: 4.5 of 5  Value: 3.5 of 5

Thursday, August 13, 2015

Wine Photo of the Day


We’re on the road, checking out awesome wine to share with you. We currently are reporting live from the Wine Bloggers Conference in Corning, New York in the beautiful Finger Lakes Region.
For updates, check the blog and also view our tweets found elsewhere on this page (or follow us at @toledowav ).
Cheers!

Wednesday, August 12, 2015

Toledo Area Wine Events & Tastings: August 12-15, 2015

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Wednesday, August 12
The Andersons, Sylvania, No Wednesday wine tasting. Tastings will resume August 19.
Veritas Cork and Craft, 505 Jefferson Avenue, Toledo – (419) 214- 9463. 5:30 – 7:30 PM. Wednesday Wine Tasting. Come out with friends, have fun, taste good juice! $15 per person.
Thursday, August 13
Andersons, Maumee, Wine Tasting. 5-7 PM. Beautiful Summer Wines: 1.
2014 Butter Chardonnay, 2. 2014 Chateau Mourgues du Gres Rose, 3. 2013 Michael David Petite Petit, 4. 2013 Eagle Glen Cabernet Sauvignon. $7 flight or nominal fee per sample.

Andersons, Talmadge Road, Wine Tasting. 6 – 8 PM. Odd in Name But Not Flavor: 1.First One White Wine, 2. Allamand Cuvee Saint Jeannet, 3. Temperamento, 4. Colonia Las Liebres Bonarda, 5. Chapillon Cuvee Paul, 6. Celeste Crianza, 7. Chapillon Siendra, 8. Mollydooker The Boxer. Nominal fee per sample.
Kroger Maumee, 1435 South Reynolds Road, – (567)-302-2688. Wine Tasting, 2 – 8 PM. 1. Seven Daughters - Moscato (Italy), 2. Storyteller - Chardonnay (Sonoma), 3. Nitty Gritty - Red Blend (Napa), 4. Sledgehammer - Cabernet Sauvignon (North Coast). $1 for flight.
Corks Wine and Liquor, Promenade Plaza, 27250 Crossroads Pkwy., Rossford – (419) 872-6800. Thursday Wine Tasting, 6-8 PM.
Noir Fine . Wine and Beer, 1616 East Wooster, Bowling Green, 6-9 PM. Nominal fee per sample or priced per flight.
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, August 14  
Walt Churchill's Market, 26625 Dixie Hwy, Perrysburg, (419) 872-6900. Wine tasting – 4:00 – 7:00 PM.
Saturday, August 15
Kroger Maumee, 1435 South Reynolds Road, – (567)-302-2688. Wine Tasting, 2 – 8 PM. 1. $1 flight of 4.
Walt Churchill’s Market, 3320 Briarfield. Maumee, (419) 794-4000. 12:00 – 5:00 PM. Nominal fee per sample.
AREA WINE BARS
  • Veritas Cork and Craft, 505 Jefferson Avenue, Toledo – (419) 214- 9463.
  • Zinful Wine Bar, (419) 878-9463, 7541 Dutch Road, Waterville.
Technorati Tags: wine
[Information on tastings can be sent toTWAV@ATT.NET.]
Up & Coming:
Tuesdays – Weekly wine tasting at Forrester's on the River, 26 Main St. Toledo – (419) 691-2626. 5:00 – 7:00 PM. Five to six unique tastings of wine, that are not found on the menu, along with an assortment of tapas style appetizers to complement the wines.  Tastings are between $10-$15 per person and are held in their wine bar (Paige's Wine Bar).