Results from the Maryland Wine Festival

This years Maryland Wine Festival showcased wines from 19 of Maryland’s Wineries. Many of the wines featured were examples of the great care and quality of wine making in this up-and-coming state. The top prize from the Maryland Wine Festival went to long-time winemaker Robert Deford of Boordy Vineyards with three of his wines taking top prize in class. I look forward to seeing the states wineries and vineyards develop over the next 5 years and have great hope for the quality of wines we will see in the future.

The following list is of the “Best in Class” wines:

Best Semi-Dry: Boordy Vineyards, Vidal Blanc - 2006
Best Blush: Boordy Vineyards, Blush - NV
Best Sweet: Linganore Winecellars, Traminette - 2005
Best Fruit: Fiore Winery, Plum - NV
Best Dry White: Boordy Vineyards, Chardonnay - 2006
Best Dry Rose: St. Michael’s Winery, A Nice Dry Rose - 2006
Best Dry Red: Linganore Winecellars, Chambourcin - 2002

The sparkling wine endorsed by cavemen around the world.

Cava as you may know comes from the word for Cave, or cellar (depending on who you ask). It seems most fitting that cavemen would drink these “cave” wines. Cava is a very traditional drink in Spain and is enjoyed for any occasion. Cava can even be found at a newborns baptism, where even the young child is offered a taste (see wikipedia article on Cava). Here in the US, many people reserve sparkling wines or Champagne for special occasions. It’s a tradition that I could not be more against! Sparkling’s can be a lot of fun. They go great with many different types of fare, from hot dogs and chips, to mussels with a white wine garlic sauce. (Image borrowed from thirdwayblog.com)

Personally, I enjoy Brut Cava, which are very dry and often quite refreshing. A good example of a nice Brut Cava is the Avinyo Brut Reserva . In contrast, you may try a nice extra dry Cava such as the Cristalino Brut Cava Extra Dry. This non-vintage Cava can be found for around $8 is a great find. It’s boasts a very nice bright green/gold color, plenty of bubbles and apple, cinnamon and sage. If you can find this anywhere, grab a few bottles and keep them nice and chilled, the quality will definitely surprise you and any cavemen you have over for a glass.

Cava can also be sweet and enjoyed with dessert. I’m a very big fan of ice wines, but I do enjoy a sweet Cava from time to time. The Freixenet - Cava Medium Sweet - Carta Nevada can be found for around $40 and is a nice way to end a meal. The vanilla notes stand out, with hints of almond and some pear.

So the next time you are at the store or plan to have cavemen over for dinner or even just cocktails, head to the Spanish section, look for a nice bottle of Cava (good Cava can be found for under $15) and take the plunge. And remember, you don’t have to wait for a special occasion to take advantage of this Spanish sparkling treat!

Enjoy food, beer, and wine? Near Baltimore and free this Sunday?

How about heading over the the 2007 Mt. Washington Village Festival Schedule (thanks Donna for bringing this to my attention!)

Info from their site: ” The festival will provide wine samples from Basignani Winery, Woodhall Vineyards, The Old Vine and microbrews from Clipper City Brewing Co. Cheeses from all over the world will also be featured courtesy of The Great Cheese and Whole Foods as well as delicious breads from Bonjour Bakery. Entertainment will be provided by jazz artists, Coldspring Jazz Quartet, Rumba Club and Greg Hatza.”

So join Donna and me for some great jazz and art and also tasty food, beer, and most importantly…wine!

Oktoberfest in Hampden

September 22, 2007 marked the first day of the Oktoberfest celebration in Munich (Munchen), Germany. The annual festival dates back to October 12, 1810 as part of a commemoration of the marriage between King Ludwig I and Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen. The current festival area is named after the princess: Theresienwiese.

The festivities include massive amounts of beer consumption (all local producers) including a special Oktoberfest brew which is very dark and high in alcohol content and served in one-liter jugs called Maß.  Oktoberfest begins with a twelve gun salute followed by the Mayor of Munich yelling “O’zapft is” (”it’s tapped”) as he taps the first keg and pours himself a glass.  Oktoberfest continues for two weeks consisting of dancing, singing, eating, and of course drinking a lot of great German Bier.

Unfortunately most of us will not get to experience the 2007 Oktoberfest, at least not in Germany. An alternative is to check out the free beer tasting tomorrow at The Wine Source, in Hampden and find a few beers that you really like. Buy a few cases, head over to a friends house with some Weisswurst and Sauerkraut, and have your own Oktoberfest celebration!

The Wine Source Tasting: Saturday September 29, 1:30 - 5:30pm

A quote:

“Wer nicht liebt Wein. Weib und Gesang
Der bleibt ein Narrr sein Lebenlang.”

Translation:
“He who does not like wine, song, and wife,
Remains a fool for the whole of his life.”
- Martin Luther.

Wine Making Tidbits

• A single grape cluster (~80 grapes) equals 1 glass or so of wine.
• Four Clusters equals 1 bottle of wine.
• Forty Clusters is approximately one vines worth.
• That means one vine produces about 10 bottles of wine.
• There are about 1200 clusters (30 vines) in 1 barrel of wine (60 gallons)
• Sixty gallons makes 25 cases of wine.
• One acre of vineyard is around 400 vines which produces 5 tons of wine.
• 5 tons of wine is around 332 cases.
• 332 cases is 3,984 bottles of wine.
• At $30 per bottle, that equals $119,520.00
• An acre of vineyard in Napa costs around $100,000.00.
• A ton of grapes in 2002 cost $2,838.72, or around $15,000 for an acres worth of grapes.
• So if you own 10 acres in Napa, producing 50 tons of grapes, you either sell your grapes for $150,000.00 or, make it into wine and sell your grape juice at $30 per bottle and gross around $1.3 million.

Caveat: I’ve grossly ignored the cost of wine production and am in no way implying that wine economics is this simple or lucrative. Growing grapes and making wine is a lot of hard work and requires serious financial planning and marketing. My hat goes off to those who are making it happen!Sources: http://www.800wine.com/winefacts.cfm, http://www.bergmanvineyards.com/bergman1.html, http://www.winebusiness.com/Html/MonthlyArticle.cfm?dataId=16074

Food and wine pairing: Prosecco with melon wrapped in prosciutto

The preparation does not get any easier:

• halve a melon, cut into any sized portions you desire
• wrap with favorite prosciutto
• serve with a sparkling Prosecco (I specify sparkling because many people are unaware that about 5% of Prosecco is used to make still wines)

Prosecco is a white grape variety that is grown in the foothills of the Alps in the Venuto region of Italy. Venuto lies in the Northeast of Italy near the Austrian/Slovanian borders where its best known for its capital city of Venice. The Prosecco grape does well in this region where it achieves balanced acidity and fruit. The sparklings are different than Champagne in that they undergo secondary fermentation in large, stainless steel tanks, rather than in individual bottles. This is more cost efficient and leads to sparkling wines that offer excellent representation of the components of the grapes and terroir.

Prosecco is generally a pale/straw color with a fresh melon and citrus bouquet as well as on the palette along with honey and nuts. Prosecco has a crisp, refreshing finish perfect as an appertif or to wake-up a warm summer night. The best part about Prosecco is that they are very reasonably priced, much more so than Champagne or even many of the sparkling’s made around the world. An excellent alternative on a Tuesday night when you’re in the mood for some bubbly!

Two Prosecco’s to try:

• Prosecco di Conegliano-Valdobbiadene Extra Dry NV - $13 - Great nose with apple and citrus, very interesting texture and a mineral finish make this one of my favorites. You can’t beat the price either! My Rating: 91 pts
• Oriel Prosecco 365 - $19 - Pleasant nose with mineral notes and ripe fruits. Medium-light body with mineral and flint. A good finish but not as crisp as I expected - still enjoyed it very much. My Rating: 87 pts

Domaine de Cristia - Chateauneuf du Pape (2005) - $24

Chateauneuf du Pape wines are the most famous and sought after wines in Southern Rhone. Primarily consisting of Grenache, the wines are earthy and expressive with red fruits and spice. The 2005 vintage overall was very good for the region and this Cristia was no exception. It displayed a dark purple color and vibrant, big nose consisting of dark berries, chocolate, pepper and toasted nuts. The wine was balanced on the palette with good acidity and integration of tannins and offered pleasant fruits and spice. My Rating: 90 pts

A great, great value for only $24.

Chateauneuf du Pape, Rhone, France!

The most famous of the Rhone wine villages, Chateauneuf du Pape (pronounced “Sha-toe-NEW-eff-  do - pop”), or the “new chateau of the pope”, has become quite popular in recent years especially in the US market. The name of the region derives from the movement of the papacy by Pope Clement I in 1308 to the town of Avignon. During the papacy’s time in Avignon, wines from this region gained attention in other areas of France although the quality of the wines was just beginning to improve. Through a strong push by Pope Clement I, and his successor John XXII, viticulture techniques improved greatly in the region leading to hundreds of years of improvements in wine making.

Located in southeastern France,Chateauneuf du Pape (CdP) is known for very high quality red wines that are generally structured around Grenache or Mourvèdre. The soil is very rocky consisting of layers of glacial stones and pebbles. The wines are generally earthy, Old World style wines with light red fruits and medium tannins. Less than 15% of total wine production in CdP is white wine, often consisting of Grenache Blanc. The recent vintages of CdP have been spectacular, with 2005 being one of the best ever. A warm, dry growing season produced concentrated grapes that were balanced by cool summer nights. Vines were harvested in the first week of October under ideal conditions.

Of the 2005 vintage, James Molesworth of Wine Spectator suggests that wine lovers should be buying the vintage “by the caseload” and scored the 2005 vintage as a whole at 97 points (a classic vintage on the Wine Spectator’s 100 point scale). Molesworth states that the vintage is comparable to the stellar ‘98 vintage having the “same level of fruit and richness…(but the ‘05 may have) better overall definition.”

Many of the wines from CdP are priced more than $25, with the best costing $75 up to a few hundred. This is not to say that good CdP’s can’t be found for less. I recommend going to a wine shop with a large collection of French wines (such as Mill’s in Annapolis) and talking with the knowledgeable staff. They can help you find a great bottle of CdP in your price range that will give you a good idea of how great the wines can be.

Image from: http://www.domaine-de-chateaumar.com - An outstanding wine producer.

Albert Seltz Gewurztraminer Reserve (2004) - $15

If you caught my entry a few days back, you’ll know all about Alsace, the region in north-east France where this wine comes from. If you missed it, it can be found here! Tasting notes: Dark straw hue. Apricot, melon and floral notes on the nose - very vibrant. Buttery texture on the palette with mild acidity - long finish with lasting melon and apricot finishing with dried thyme and a hint of spice. Yum, great value! - My Rating: 88 pts

“Wine Snobs”

Over the years, wine experts, connoisseurs and enthusiasts have often been referred to as “wine snobs”, a title that is more than unfair! Don’t get me wrong, I know a few wine snobs who are more interested in making sure people know they are a wine expert, than they are helping people learn about and enjoy wine informally. But these real snobs are few and far between in todays wine culture and people prematurely labeled as a wine snob are usually just misunderstood.

This misunderstanding can be quite troublesome in a situation where people who are new to wine are at a wine shop looking for a good bargain wine or dining in a restaurant and are deciding what wines to enjoy with a nice meal. Take for instance the sommelier. Often times men at the table are bothered or intimated by a sommelier and do not want to have some wine snob telling them what they would like most with there meal. So instead they pick some wine that received recent acclaim (such as a 2004 Opus One), paying a lot more than what the wine is worth while trying to impress their girlfriend, wife or friends. People need to understand that the sommelier is nothing more than a educated wine geek who has an intense passion for wine and sharing their knowledge with new friends and has sincere intentions of making your food and wine experience memorable. Why not use their expert knowledge on wines? If you needed recommendations on a new hard drive for your computer would you not seek out a trained tech-geek?

I think overall the impression of wine connoisseurs as being snobs is slowly fading out. The more that people learn about the basics of wine, the more they will develop not only an understanding of, but an appreciation for wine experts and sommeliers. To those of us who are passionate about wine, the biggest mistake we can make is to misrepresent ourselves as (or even worse, actually act like) a wine snob!

Happy Birthday! Enjoying wines from the year you were born

I really enjoy the opportunity to have a wine from my birth year, 1980. Having a wine that has been developing and maturing in the bottle as long as I have been developing and maturing (well, devloping as I missed out on some of the maturity!) is always a lot of fun. Just knowing that the juice that I’m enjoying is from grapes picked when I was born (or perhaps a few months before since I have a November birthday) and has been slowly developing and changing over the years is very cool.

I’ve only had a few 1980 vintage wines because quite frankly, 1980 wasn’t a very good year for wine (to see the overall quality of the wines from your birth-year check out Robert Parker’s vintage chart. Bordeaux’s were across the board quite bad with the best overall wines from 1980 coming out of California. That being said, most wines around today from 1980 are either long past their prime, or approaching their downswing. In any case, I have had a few good bottles from 1980 and hope to enjoy a few more (perhaps a Chateau Latour or Mouton-Rothschild would still be a treat).

A few wines I’ve enjoyed from 1980:

Byrd Vineyards Cabernet - A Maryland winery (no longer around) that produced an OK bottle of wine. This was a gift to me and I glady accepted it! I don’t have specific notes on the wine, but recall it actually have quite silky tannins and subtle dark fruits.

Opus One - I had this in December of 2005 and very much enjoyed it. The wine was layered with black cherry and dark fruits. Cedar and spice on the mid-palette with a long finish with medium tannins. It was at it’s prime but may still drink OK, drink now though!

Caymus Cabernet - This was one of the first great wines I had when starting out. Again, I do not have specific notes, but it was a blast in 2001. I remember thinking that it was unlike any wine I had ever had up until that point and it really changed the way I thought about wines from there on out.

It must be nice to have been born in 1982, or 1990 perhaps. Outstanding vintages for most of France resulting in wines you can enjoy into your thirties and fourtiese! Heck, I’d settle for having been born in 1971, 1976 or even in 1979. Many of these wines are drinking nicely now and may have another few good years ahead of them. My only hope is that I’ll be able to open a nice bottle of Sauternes (traditionally hold up quite well) or maybe a vintage port for my 30th, 40th and 50th birthdays!

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McGuigan Bin 2000 Shiraz (2004) - $10

A great priced Shiraz from Australia - The 2004 McGuigan Bin 2000 Shiraz had a rich nose of dark fruits, tar and spice. Dark cherry and plum fruits with mild acidity through the palette and a medium finish of spice and burnt wood. Pleasant overall - would go good with grilled lamb or a gyro! My rating - 85 pts.

“Al-’zas”

Welcome to part two of the “Learn how to pronounce a French wine region” series! “Al-’zas”, better known as Alsace, is in the north-eastern portion of France on the western banks of the Rhine river, bordering Germany. The Alsace is known for producing exceptional white wines (90% of wine production in Alsace is white), the major varietals being Gewurztraminer, Riesling, Pinot Blanc and Sylvaner. The wines of Alsace used to be more dry and crisp, but today we find many sweeter versions that are a result of later harvest (more concentrated fruits) of the grapes and therefore wines with more sugar.

There are three demarcated AOC regions in Alsace: Alsace AOC for white, rosé and red wines, Alsace Grand Cru AOC for white wines from particular classified vineyards and Crémant d’Alsace AOC for sparkling’s. A good look at the names of many of the producers in the region, as well as the varietals grown in Alsace, you will find that they are very much from Germanic influence.  The area was the site of many terrible battles over the course of the Franco-Prussian War, as well as the center of many brutal conflicts in both World Wars.  A stroll through the cobblestone streets of many Alsatian villages will result in one of the most beautiful landscapes in all of Europe, filled with gravestones marking the final resting place of many French and German soldiers.

As far as wine is concerned, the most important characteristic of Alsace is its climate. With the Vosges mountains to the west the region is somewhat sheltered from a lot of rainfall giving it summers that can be quite dry. Further, cool, long growing seasons give ample time for the ripening of many of the grape varieties, and a late harvest can lead to outstanding, concentrated, fruity wines. The Alsace runs north to south, with the Rhine River to the east. The soil is variable throughout the region.

Food and Alsace Pairings

• Spicy Chicken Stir-fry with Gewurtztraminer
• Roast Chicken with Lemon and Thyme with Riesling
• Cajun-seared Sea Scallops with Gewurtztraminer
• Sushi with a Cremant d’Alsace (sparkling)

Final Note: Any Asian cuisine will do very well with wines from Alsace

My favorite Alsatian producers (look for 2005’s which was a good vintage):

• Lucien Albrecht
• Trimbach
• Kuentz-Bas
• Weinbach

© Photographer: Graytown | Agency: Dreamstime.com

American-owned Tuscan Winery makes its way to Baltimore

An impromptu trip to The Wine Source last week with Kim and our friend Donna led to the chance to meet Tim Grace, of il Molina di Grace. Founded in 1996, il Molino di Grace is relatively new in the world of Tuscan wine production and is very new to the US market.

Talking with Tim Grace, I learned of the first few years of wine production from his vineyard. He recalled the unveiling of their first wines at a Thanksgiving dinner celebrated with his family. They opened a few bottles of their new wines with great excitement. Tim recalled that the overall response to the wine was “very quiet.” Over the next few years through trial and error, and with the help of consulting oenologist Franco Bernabei (an expert in Chianti) il Molino di Grace has been making some high quality wines since 2000.

Their land is in Panzano which is at the center of Chianti Classico between the cities of Florence and Siena. The rich soil and growing conditions (terroir) is superb and allows for some of the best vines in the region. The result: outstanding wines and consideration as one of the best new vineyards in Chianti.

On hand last week were four wines that represent the quality of il Molino di Grace as well as the essence of the region. Below are my tasting notes. Keep in mind that this month’s “Wine Giveaway” will feature the 2003 il Molino di Grace Chianti Classico!

• 2003 il Molino di Grace il Volano - $13: Cherry, plum nose with red fruits on the palette and a welcoming, medium finish. Great dinner wine with very soft tannins. My rating: 84 pts.
• 2003 il Molino di Grace Chianti Classico - $18: The wine has a very nice ruby color with subtle red fruits and a floral bouquet. Soft tannins, mild acidity and good integration lead to a medium, earthy finish. My rating: 88 pts.
• 2003 il Molino di Grace Chianti Classico Riserva - $25: Bouquet of cherry, raspberry and a hint of cassis. Subtle on the palette with good dark fruits and earthy tones. A medium-long finish with persistent spice. My rating: 90 pts.
• 2000 il Molino di Grace Chianti Classico Riserva il Marggone - $36: This blend of Sangiovesse and Cabernet has a brilliant ruby color giving it an amazing presence in the glass. Having spent time in new French oak, the wine has toasted oak notes meshed with dark cherry and blackberry as well as a hint of vanilla and pepper. Nice long, memorable finish with soft, supple tannins - overall the wine was very well integrated. Very good wine that is ready to drink now but may reward another year in the bottle. My rating: 92 pts.

Free Wine? Let’s have some fun!

This will be the first installment of my new “Wine Giveaway” series. The rules are simple - Go to the forums on this site, register and then post tasting notes from a wine you’ve had and enjoyed. The content of the post does not matter - you may simply post the name of the wine and that you liked it, or for the more ambitious wino, a in depth analysis of how the wine performed.

The contest begins today, September 16, 2007 at 2:00 PM EST and will commence on October 15, 2007 at 6:00 PM EST. I will then randomly select a winner from all the entries and that person will win a bottle of wine. Multiple wines may be submitted as individual threads in the forum and will increase the number of chances you have to win!

This month’s prize: 2004 il Molino di Grace Chianti Classico ($19). The wine has a very nice ruby color with subtle red fruits and a floral bouquet. Soft tannins, mild acidity and good integration lead to a medium, earthy finish. My rating: 86 pts.

It’s that simple, so get posting. Good luck!

Wines for $10 (or less)

Inspired by my Argentinian friend, Carlos, I thought I should add a few more wines to the $1-$10 category. Without further ado, here are a few bargain wines that are surprisingly good.
La Vieille Ferme Cotes du Luberon Blanc 2006 (France) - A crisp white wine from the Rhone area of France, this 2006 Grenache Blanc blend is very pleasing on the nose. Good fruit and balanced acidity make this an easy choice for a bargain wine. ($8) - My Rating - 88 pts

Wolf Blass Brut Sparkling Yellow Label (Australia) - This sparkling is a remarkaable find at only $9. It has plenty of bubbles and a crisp, refreshing acidity that is well balanced with the citrus and pear fruits. Buy this by the case and have it on hand to wow your guests or for a nice quiet night with someone special! My Rating - 87 pts
Goats do Roam Red 2005 (South Africa) - A Cotes du Rhone blend of wine with a very creative and cute name (South African Vineyards always come up with good names for their wines!). This blend has very vibrant fruits and is well structured. A little bit at the end gives it a kick into a medium length, smooth finish. Another amazing wine for the price ($8) - My rating - 88 pts.

*Finally to save space, I’m going to say if you want a quality wine from the United States for less than $10, try the Columbia Crest wines. They make a very good Merlot (which I reviewed already) as well as a Merlot-Cabernet blend that scored high in the Wine Spectator tasting (I haven’t had it yet). Their whites are also high quality for the price! A constant reminder that you don’t have to pay premium prices for premium wines.

Fall is almost here…

This morning I felt it. I woke up at my normal time, around 6:30 AM and walked downstairs. The dogs were restless, as they are every morning, so I went to the back door to let them out into the yard. After deactivating the alarm and a taking short stretch to wake up a bit, I opened the back door and the huskies took off as they always do - as if they spotted another one of the neighbors cats or a squirrel in the yard. I began to turn around to head back into the kitchen when it hit me. It wasn’t at all subtle, either, this was the real thing. A cool, autumn morning breeze came across the newly grown grass in the yard and with it a reminder of why fall is my favorite season.

Sure it’s just the second week of September, but it’s almost here. Shorter days and cool nights. Long sleeve t-shirts and slippers around the house. Wine harvest aside, the fall season brings the most beautiful landscape, the most comfortable weather and an all around best time of year for just about everything! Don’t get me wrong, I love the winter - playing with the huskies in the snow, back-country skiing and mountaineering, warm fires and cozy slippers. I love the spring and summer - backpacking, hiking, taking the dogs out and going to the beach, fresh flowers and new beginnings, sure it’s all very great.

But I absolutely love the fall. I wouldn’t trade it for any other season. Apple orchards, pumpkin patches, haunted houses, late night walks and bonfires. Being able to sit outside and drink a nice glass of wine without it getting too warm. It’s the reason I miss being in Michigan so much. I miss driving up north to go camping and seeing the changing leaves and deer running around getting settled for the winter. I miss duck hunting season - waking up at 4:30 AM to setup the blinds and be ready to go when the sun breaks the horizon. I miss throwing the football around in the yard with my father and diving into the piles of leaves that we raked up to soften the fall of a game-winning catch. I miss my mother’s chicken and dumplings and I miss forcing my sister to watch the Michigan Wolverines play every Saturday and the Detroit Lions every Sunday. Just waiting for Red Wings pre-season games to commence. All these things combined over the course of my childhood and adolescence have contributed greatly to my love of the fall.

And now I’m in Maryland. The days are a bit longer and not as cool. The leaves change two weeks later or so, than in Michigan. There are a lot of nice trails and great places to hike in the area, especially with Shenandoah being only two hours away.  I can watch the Lions on my NFL Sunday Ticket and Michigan on ESPN.  And though my family is 500 miles away, I have the greatest person in the world to share this fall with. So tonight I will open a bottle of Pinot Noir I’ve been thinking about for some time, throw on a long-sleeve shirt and some jeans, and will sit out on the back patio with Kim and the dogs, reminiscing on falls of past and thinking forward to what the season will bring this year. I think tonight I’ll sleep with all the windows open wide and for the first time since March, get some use out of my down comforter!

Hubert Veneau Pouilly-Fumé (2005) - $22

In keeping with my post from yesterday about Pouilly-Fumé, I decided to open up a bottle of this 2005 Hubert Veneau last night that I had in the cellar (image to the left has wrong vintage).

The Veneau family has been growing wine in the Loire for over 40 years; the current vines are around 20 years old. Harvest is done by hand which ensures the quality and maturity of the grapes. Very modern techniques are used (such as pneumatic pressing, which offers great control over the pressing parameters) and the wine sees no oak, but rather stainless steel vats which allow the essence of the grape and the terroir to shine.

This 2005 Hubert Veneau has a pale color. The nose is vibrant with grapefruit, apricot, straw and smoke, while the palette is crisp with pear and refreshing mineral tones. The wine was a lot of fun as it evolved in the glass over the course of an hour and a half. Overall it was very good and I give it a rating of a 92 and recommend it as a great buy.

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