A trip to Virginia’s Wineries: A weekend of wine drinking in Virginia tastes best with good friends!

The majority of wine production in the United States takes place in 5 of the 50 states: California, Oregon, Washington, and to a lesser extent Michigan and New York. The last two may not be making wines the caliber of their west coast counterparts, but there are many good Rieslings and Ice Wines coming from Michigan and New York that are gaining national and international attention.

But what about the other 45 states?

For starters, wine (of some sort!) is being made in almost every state in the US. Idaho, Montana, Texas, Virginia and even Maryland have been producing wine for many years now. But you have to wonder: who’s drinking these wines and are they any good? I’ve been in Maryland for 4 years now and I know very little about the wines of Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania- all of which have wineries less than 2 hours from my home. I have had a few bottles here and there that had me impressed (an Elk Run Gewurztraminer comes to mind), as well as one outstanding bottle of 1980 Byrd Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon that Kim and I had at Della Notte a few years back. Yes, a 1980 Maryland Cabernet, drank in 2005, that was very good. Sad to say I can’t find out any information on Byrd Vineyards and they are not around today (if you know anything e-mail me: michael@foodandwineblog.com). Read more

Hegemony in Montalcino? A visit to Castello Banfi.

The car ride from the city circle in Montalcino to Castello Banfi estate is a breathtaking 15 minute drive on windy, narrow roads with post-card worthy views in every direction. Resting on the edges of the Montalcino DOCG, Castello Banfi has built a small wine and olive empire that spans some 7000 acres (1/3 vine, 1/3 grove, 1/3 forest). By comparison, the average Montalcino vineyard has roughly 25 acres. This American-owned estate is currently one of the most famous producers in Tuscany with tens of thousands of cases of each wine produced, much of it being shipped to the US.

From the time you turn onto the estates private roads, you realize that this isn’t just another Montalcino vineyard. Driving in the countryside of other parts of this wine region, we see signs claiming different patches of grape vines. Usually, in a minute or two in the car you pass by different sign after different sign, building appreciation for the small vineyard area and productions. Best said by a winemaker we spoke with, “This is what Montalcino is supposed to be about.”
Read more

Alone in Montalcino - A visit in November

(Article truncated due to space) Situated in the heart of Tuscany 70 miles south of Florence, the city of Montalcino is filled with post-card worthy scenery and world class food and wine. The town, whose name comes from a type of oak tree that once covered the region, occupies roughly 94 square miles of hillside, vineyards and olive groves, with the highest point being the location of the main Fortress at around 3000 feet above sea level. In the spring, summer an fall Montalcino is packed with tourists looking to experience the food, wine and Montalcine culture first hand. But it’s in the winter, when most traveler’s seek warm destinations that I find Montalcino to be an ideal escape from the stress and bustle of our normal lives.      (continued - long Article - Click here to continue reading)- Image is at the Fortress- You can see Kim near the turret off in the distance!

Brunello Tasting Report Part II - 2000-2002 Vintages

 

Welcome to Part II of the two part series on Brunello di Montalcino! Part I was pre-2000 vintage Brunello’s that were tasted on a recent trip to Montalcino (see image to left!). Here, I offer notes on Brunello’s from vintages 2000-2002. Some of these are not exported, but I felt like including all the notes (well, not all the notes, I have notes on about 3-5 more wines that I need to locate in our receipts and scrap paper!). Overall, the wines were incredible with the 2001 vintage being outstanding (as reported previously by Wine Spectator and others). I had heard a lot of bad press about the 2002 vintage, but overall I didn’t think it was as bad as other critics made it out to be. Sure they won’t hold for as long as the 2001’s, but some of them were drinking quite nicely now. Rest assured though, many of the winemakers informed me that the upcoming vintages should provide some very incredible wines.

Banfi 2001 Brunello di Montalcino: Nose of dark fruits and toasted oak. On the palate, there is berry and plum, touch of vanilla. The wine is big but lacks real elegance or finesses with a bit of spice and earth component carrying it through a medium finish. Others have rated this wine much higher. My rating: 89 pts, GV

Banfi 2002 Brunello di Montalcino: Very rich, dark fruits, big cigar box component on the nose. Blackberry and cherry through the palate with chocolate standing out. Chewy tannins with some finesse. Good considering the overall quality of the vintage and definitely better than the 2001, which surprised me. My rating: 90 pts, GV

Banfi 2000 Brunello di Montalcino Poggio Alle Mura: Nose of herbs, rosemary and blackberry with a fresh forest component. The style of this wine was very Brunello-esque with a good range of concentrated flavors on the palate, big, velvety tannins and a medium-length finish. Drinking well know, give it another 5 years. My rating: 92 pts, GV

Casanova di Neri 2000 Brunello di Montalcino Cerretalto: From a very well known and respected producer, this 2000 Riserva was drinking very nicely. A lot of what I expect from a good Brunello: autumn forest with blackberry, raspberry, licorice. The tannins are very elegant and the finish goes on and on. The 2000 is drinking quite nicely right now and should continue to drink well for 10 years or more. My rating: 94 pts, GV

Image: Vines of di Neri

Casanova di Neri 2001 Brunello di Montalcino Cerretalto: I had very high expectations for this “100 point wine” (rated by James Suckling of Wine Spectator - see my article on 100 point wines) and was a bit skeptical of what I had read. I was not at all disappointed. There is so much going on in this wine it took me a while to put it into words. I went back and forth between smelling the wine and swirling for an hour, with only a few sips mixed in between. In no particular order I noted blackberry and raspberry, chocolate, currant, smoked wood. The tannins are complex and refined on so many levels and the finish, oh the finish…it’s sad it does eventually finish. This may be one of the first wines I ever give 100 points…but it’s still a few years away from that. Still, a stunning wine. Pricey at release, this wine is unaffordable following the stellar score. My rating: 97 pts, CV

Col d’ Orcia 2001 Brunello di Montalcino: Decanted from 375 mL. Black cherry, and blackberry with a big earth and forest floor component. Very traditional BdM with mouth-drying tannins, good acidity and a strong finish. The wine was good on it’s own, but really stood out with the roast beef in Brunello sauce. My rating: 90 pts, VGV

Cerbaia 2001 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva: Aged in large, Slovenia oak barrels with grapes from the higher elevations of Montalcino, this Riserva is quite exuberant. The wine really was beautiful in the glass with bright ruby color. The fruits in this wine are elegant with a lot of cherry and blackberry with hints of vanilla throughout. The tannins have great presence and are very refined. A very good Riserva at a very good price (if you can find it). My rating: 94 pts, VGV

Croce di Mezzo 2002 Brunello di Montalcino: Red fruits as well as some dark cherry with a good pepper component on the nose. Big tannins but not very good integration. Spice returns on medium-length finish. My rating: 85 pts, OKV

Fattoi 2001 Brunello di Montalcino : Decanted from 375 mL. Brilliant dark ruby color. Nose and mouthful of ripe dark fruits, leather, spice. Great on the mid-palate with a lot of ripe fruit flavors carrying the wine through medium tannins and good length on the finish. My rating: 89 pts, GV

Ferrero 2002 Brunello di Montalcino: The bottle wasn’t flawed, but it was a bit off. I noted flavors of cherry, mushroom, and cough-syrup with mild tannins and a medium finish. My rating: 83 pts, PV

Image to the left are the vines at Fuligni

Fuligni 2001 Brunello di Montalcino: Dark ruby color. On the nose a lot of dark fruits and a touch of vanilla, mushrooms, llicorice. The wine starts and finishes strong – dark cherry, blackberry and anise with big, velvety tannins and a 20-30 second finish. Quite good. My rating: 93 pts, GV

Il Paradiso di Frassina 2001 Brunello di Montalcino: Maybe it’s the music that is played throughout the vineyard for the vines, or the love and care of the composer and winemaker, whatever it is, the wines of Il Paradiso di Frassina were very good. This 2001 Brunello showed great fruits and spice notes. The tannins were complex yet soft and the finish offered cherry notes and was long. My rating: 93 pts, VGV

Image to the right is from Il Paradiso di Frassina - Story on this lovely vineyard to come!

Il Paradiso di Frassina 2002 Brunello di Montalcino: This was definitely my favorite of the 2002 Brunello’s that we tasted. It’s location north of Montalcino and at a lower elevation allowed for earlier picking of the best grapes prior to a lot of the bad weather in the 2002 vintage. The nose offered floral notes, cedar and miscellaneous dark fruits with plum and cherry on the palate. Great structure, big tannins and a long, story-telling finish. My rating: 91 pts, VGV

Le Potazzine 2001 Brunello di Montalcino: A lot of fruit on the nose with plum, currant standing out. Big forest floor component. The fruits really stand out early but really come together nicely through the mid-palate with spice notes. Big yet delicate tannins with a long finish highlighted by cherry notes. This opened up very nicely over 30 minutes and I imagine another few years in the bottle would do it wonders. My rating: 92 pts, GV.

La Serena 2001 Brunello di Montalcino: Opened for 30 minutes before tasting. Pretty standard Brunello here: dark garnet color, cherry, leather, earth on the nose. Spice notes, earth and dark fruits show up immediately on the palate with the spice returning on the finish. Overall good balance with silky tannins and medium acidity. My rating: 91 pts, GV

Lisini 2001 Brunello di Montalcino Ugolaia: Great dark ruby color with a nose of cherry, blackberry, vanilla, cedar. Huge body with very big, mouth-drying tannins and very good balance. Long finish with spice showing up near the end. Pricey, but very good. My rating: 95 pts, GV

Mastrojanni 2001 Brunello di Montalcino: An interesting character of a wine from the start. A lot of dried herbs, allspice, currant cherry and a fresh green countryside on the nose. Blueberry and dark cherry on the palate, with a good amount of acidity and moderate tannins, medium finish. A little closed up but approachable. My rating: 90 pts, VGV

Montecarbello 2001 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva: Purchased at Les Barrique in Montalcino. First bottle was corked and returned to the store. The wine began with a good amount of earth, red and black fruits, earth, spice and dried herbs. Good overall balance with medium tannins and a medium length finish. My rating: 91 pts, VGV

Pietroso 2001 Brunello di Montalcino: Plum and berry flavors with thyme and vanilla. Medium bodied, refined tannins, medium finish. My rating: 88 pts, GV

Santa Lucia 2001 Brunello di Montalcino: Big nose of dark berries and black cherry. Fresh earth component with a touch of spice. Well structured but a bit tight right now with medium tannins. Give it a year or a long decant. My rating: 89 pts, GV

Image to right is of Kim at our tasting at Santa Lucia!

Santa Lucia 2001 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva: Dark berries, licorice, cedar with a full body, smooth tannins, long finish. Good balance, still a bit tight – a great find. My rating: 92 pts, VGV

Santa Lucia 2002 Brunello di Montalcino: A good value from the 2002 vintage with a nose of black fruits, cedar and a touch of spice with licorice and dark cherry. Good earth component, medium tannins, medium finish. My rating: 87 pts, GV

Valdi Sug 2002 Brunello di Montalcino: My notes on this blend from 3 vineyards in Montalcino were not very detailed. We stopped into the wine tasting room only for a few moments and left having only tried this 2002 BdM. I did note solid dark fruits with good structure and a medium finish. My rating: 86 pts, GV

Verbena 2001 Brunello di Montalcino: Nose has a lot of ripe, dark fruits, vanilla, chocolate and a petrol component. The wine took a while to open but when it did it showed earth, woody blackberry, dark raspberry, and plum notes. Good structure and smooth tannins, medium finish. My rating: 89 pts, GV

Downtown Montalcino: Picture taken from the top of the Fortress:

1st Round of Brunello di Montalcino Tasting Reports: 1990’s

Here are the tasting notes of the few Brunello’s we had from the 1990’s. All wines tasted between 11/10/2007 and 11/18/2007 in Montalcino. I will post the 2000-2002’s in the next week, as there are significantly more of these to type in! For a look at a “Vintage Quality Overview”, click here.

Tenuta di Collosorbo 1993 Brunello di Montalcino Bottle#0177: Bottle opened, no decant but drank over 2 hours. Deep garnet color. Good red fruits on the nose with tons of cherry and raspberry, highlighted by a nice spiciness. On the palate the wine is quite complex with layers of bright fruits, spices and cedar with mouth-drying tannins and a lot of cherry on a very long finish. As the wine evolved, more spice notes emerged and the wine became quite interesting in a good way. Overall the 1993’s are drinking great now. Drink now. My rating: 92 pts

Case Basse (Soldera) Brunello di Montalcino 1997 Riserva: Dark ruby color. A lot of different aromas on the nose. Big cherry, raspberry, sweet spice, maybe vanilla bean, some floral notes as well as earth. On the palate the fruits really strike me as something special. There are layers of cherry and blackberry, and every so often a touch of licorice and a few spices I can’t really decide on what they are. The balance and structure of this wine is near perfect. The tannins delicate…the only flaw? The bottle was only 750 mLs! If you own a bottle, wait 5-10 years. If you own a few, open one now, then every few years until they are gone and enjoy the evolution of a near perfect wine. My rating: 99 pts.

Capanna 1998 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva: Another example of how well the 1998’s are drinking as a whole right now. Very lovely spice and cherry notes on the nose, as well as a lot of darker fruits. The wine started off with a hint of spice then moved into an earth component, then concentrated fruits and well balanced acidity with medium/big tannins. Worth the money if you can find it. My rating: 93 pts.

Col d’Orcia (Cinzano) Brunello di Montalcino 1999 Riserva Poggio al Vento: (I have this in my notebook, but put details somewhere else, therefore I have to look for my notes on this one!) My rating:

Fuligni 1998 Brunello di Montalcino: Opened and poured, let breathe for 15 minutes in the glass while observing the evolution of the nose. The wine was a nice ruby color, with minor discoloration on the edges. The nose showed cherry, tobacco, blackberry, mushroom, as well as a floral component. The wine had good structure and weight, with soft tannins and a very pleasing, earthy finish. Drink now. My rating: 91 pts. (Picture to left is at Fuligni)

Castello Banfi Brunello di Montalcino Poggio Alle Mura 1999 Brunello di Montalcino (Riserva): Brilliant dark red color. What started as a brief sniff of the wine ended up as multiple long whiffs of layers of flavors ranging from plum, cherry, dark fruits, vanilla, licorice, and cedar. The fruits in the wine danced with each other across the palate with both sweet and spice notes playing a song. Overall very well integrated with smooth tannins and a long, complex finish. Drinking very nicely right now. My rating: 94 pts.

Col d’Orcia (Cinzano) Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 1999 Poggio al Vento: (I have this in my notebook, but put details somewhere else, therefore I have to look for my notes on this one!) My rating:

Santa Lucia 1999 Brunello di Montalcino: Leather, earth, spice, and a touch of floral notes on the nose. On the palate good earth component with subtle fruits and spice, light tannins and a medium finish. Drink now or within the next year. My rating: 89 pts.

Tenuta Caparzo 1999 Brunello di Montalcino: Decanted 1 hour. Good example of the traditional style of Brunello. A lot of black cherries, raspberries, a touch of spice, earth, and a touch of cedar. Well balanced, with elegant tannins that, along with cherry and some interesting spice notes, make for a very good finish. My rating: 91 pts

Did I mention this was an amazing trip? More to come!

Trip Update 5 - I left Montalcino!

After a few more days in Montalcino, a night in Bologna, a few cold nights in Germany, a warm bus ride to Herborn, a currywürst mit pommes (amazing type of bratwürst with fries) and a cold, rainy walk to the internet cafe, I am glad to report that things are still going well.

Since the last post I have a lot of new material to post, but do not have the time right now. Kim has left for her training in Düren and in two more days I will be boarding a plane in Frankfurt headed for a brief layover in Detroit, then arriving in Baltimore on Wednesday around 6 pm EST.

A quick preview of articles to come:

• best and worst restaurants in Montalcino (we ate at almost all of them and it will come as some surprise to the biggest letdowns and worst meal of them all!)
• a review of over 100 wines, including more than 60 Brunello´s and a few older vintages (1993, 1997-99)
• great places to eat and stay in Bologna#
• i have over 1200 pictures already, so expect a lot of photos
• restaurant and bier reviews from all over Germany
• and more!!!

Time to head to the Bahnhof (train station).

Auf wiedersehen!

Trip update number 4: I’m never leaving Montalcino.

(NOTE: typed fast without spell check, so please forgive the errors!)

I will miss the US and my friends and family, but I’m not sad to say that I am never coming back! Someone put the huskies and Jake on a plane to Firenze, you can keep my wine cellar and all of my other belognings, they won’t be needed here anyways!

We arrived in Montalcino on Sunday night after an hour and a half drive from Florence. It would have been shorter but it’s difficult to maintain proper course when you can’t understand road signs!

We arrived and checked in at our hotel (L’Hotel Vecchia Oliviera) around 6:30 PM.? The hotel is conveniently located at the first round-about you come to in town, tucked away behind a giant stone wall and located on the hillside. The entryway boasts a large stone arch that leads into an elegant, yet simple lobby. The hotel director Gianfranco Marone welcomed us warmly with our broken Italian and his fluent English. Our room, on the second of two levels, consists of a 20 x 20 ft large open space with 20 ft cielings held together with 4″x8″ wood rafters. The rustic yet updated room is equpped with a small television, minibar and a safe. On the other side of the door is a large bathroom complete with jacuzzi tub, toliette, large sink area, and a bodet. Everything here is very clean and fresh, and although we couldn’t see much beyond our hotel pool and hundreds of flickering lights in the horizon, we knew the morning was going to bring somehting special.

The first night we ate at Les Barrique, which consists of a small wine shop in the entrance area, with an open kitchen to the right and a small (7 tables) dining area in the wine-cellaresque back room. Our dinner began with a plate of cured local meats, bread, and olive oil.? Our first course was ravioli with truffle sauce, which had generous amounts of shaved truffles on top, as well as polenta with a venison ragu. This all served with a glass of 2001 riserva Brunello. I have never in my life experienced a better food and wine pairing. At this point in the meal I made the statement this was some of the best food I had ever eaten…then came the second course: Wild boar stew and filet a Montalcine, which was slices of perfectly tender beef fillet served on an arugala salad topped with lemon and olive oil. Who could blame me for never coming back?

Again, when upon arrival to Montalcino, it was dark out so although we had some idea of how beautiful the city was from photos and the dark silouttes of medieval buildings, we did not expect what surise brought us. I laid in bed the first night like a kid waiting for Christmas morning- anxious, full of energy, and unable to stay asleep. Finally the sun broke over the mountains. Before I go on, for those unfamiliar with Montalcino, picture a medieval town, equipped with windy roads, old fortresses, and perched high upon a giant hill overlooking miles and miles of grape vines, olives,and other agriculture (just google image search Montalcino - I have hundreds of pictures to come!). The view was, in one word, perfect. OK, two words, breathtaking. OK, OK, really, words can not describe it. Absolutely, incredibly, spectacutlar. You get the picture.

We spent the day tasting wines, beginning at 10 AM and going through the afternoon. Lunch was pizzas with toppings like fresh local mushrooms and sausage, or anchovies and capers. We ate on the terrace of our hotel with a bottle of Cassanova di Neri 2005 Rosso di Montalcino, which was at least 92 pts and an incredible value. The lunch was something out of a movie that I had only imagined ocurrunig in movies or dreams. I have notes on all of our vineyard visits and wines we have had, but will post these when I get back to the US in a big overview.

After lunch and a short nap, we headed into the town centre to visit shops and have some wine. Last night we ate at a local favorite called Trattoria d’ Angelo, which is one block down from the giant medieval fortress overlooking town and the surrounding areas. Here the dining area was again small but quite comfortable. The antipasti consisted of meats, mushrooms and artichokes in oil, and bread. Our service was great and was facilitated with the help of 5 year old Lorenzo, the son of theowner who brought us silverware, napkins and the like. Our first course again was a pasta dish with a truffle cream sauce which was incredibly rich and filling, as well as a plate of cianghale (wild boar) pasta. Second course brought a perfectly cooked pork chop, as well as thinly sliced roast beef in a Brunello sauce. We had a few half’-bottles of Brunello with the meal which were all great. The entire meal was perfectly cooked and seasoned, and left us wondering if there are any restaurants in town that aren’t amazing.

After dinner we stopped by Alle Logge di Piazza for, you guessed it, more wine and espresso, as well as lemon cake. The night ended around 11 PM for some much need rest.

Finishing this entry at an internet cafe in town, I am anxiously awaiting our first wine tasting of the day. The Brunello is truly one of the most amazing wines in the world, and deserves the attention that we’re giving it on this trip to be truly appreciated. We’re off to the castle and a few vineyards, I’ll write more when we find time.

And although I never want to leave, I’m thinking I’ll have to come home eventually…just to learn Italian so I can move back here!

Ciao!

Buon giorno from Firenze!

Trip update number 3.  Friday night was spent with family and close friends at a restaurant in Herborn-Seelbach of which the name slips me right now.  The food was incredible- great soup, a simple, yet elegant salad with 15 different vegetables and legumes with dressings and the like.  My second course was exceptional: beef medallions in a creamy mushroom sauce (wild mushrooms that were fresh picked of course) served with pommes mit sase (French fries with sauce).  All with Weissbier.  Kim enjoyed a nice local Riesling which I wrote down, but will have to find among my notes!

After dinner, we had beer and cocktails with my family until 3:30 AM which is great…except we had to wake up at 6:30 for a two hour car ride to the Frankfurt Mainz airport!

So, after a short flight (less than 2 hours) with Ryanair, we ended up in Firenze at 12:30 PM local time.  Our rental car, a gray, 2006 Ford Festiva was definitely not built for our two hour trek from Bologna to Firenze, by the way.  The route we took (A67) led us through over 20 small towns in the mountains…our elevation changing from 300 meters to 1400 meters regularly.  The windy, narrow roads often lined with stone walls offered quite a challenge to a driver new to Italy.  Up in the mountains we frequently saw snow and ice patches, which was even more exciting!  But, after two hours of breathtaking views, of which I more than once commented that any image around us could be a postcard, we made it to Firenze.

Here’s where my first advice to anyone traveling in Italy is:  DO NOT DRIVE IN Firenze!!!  It took us 3 hours to find suitable parking and a hotel.  That is 3 hours of driving up and down crowded streets on a Saturday afternoon in Firenze!  Quite exhasuting, but we finally settled into the Hotel Panama which was very nice, quite private, close to the main circle, and less than 100 Euros for the night…which is great.

We ate at a restaurant in the main area of town where we had a nice dinner of meats and cheeses, shared a hearty serving of taglitelle with truffles and sausage, and a main course of veal fillet, prepared perfectly and topped with a delicate wild mushroom.  The meal was great with the Vino Nobile di Montepulciano we had, which at 20 Euros was a steal for the 2003 wine.  After dinner, we were quite exhausted and turned in around 11 PM.

Today was a nice light breakfast at our Hotel, followed by the last 4 hours of walking around Firenze.  We’ve been in museums and shops, too much to list now!  I’m sitting at an internet cafe near the Pizzeria Piccadilly where we enjoyed outstanding pizza smothered in mushrooms, sausage and fresh cheeses and topped with olive oil.  It went great with the 2005 Parentini Chianti (that was only 5 Euros!) and a brief chat with the chefs (pictures to come!).

So that is all for now.  The rest of the day calls for a few more hours of enjoying the art and history in Firenze, followed by an hour or so drive to Montalcino, where we’ll be for the next few nights at L’Hotel Vecchia Oliviera.  Thanks again for the e-mails and well wishes.  I am excited to come back and have wine and tell stories with everyone!

Ciao!

Trip Update: Friday - November 9, 2007

Guten Tag!  I am currently enjoying an espresso at one of the many internet cafes in Herborn, Germany which is the larger town next to Herborn Seelbach.  The weather here is quite unpredictible as we are surrounded by hills and mountains. Case in point:

• 9 AM local time - cloudy and cold
• 10 AM local time - snow
• Noon - Partly sunny with some rain
• Currrent local time: 2:30 PM - partly cloudy, no sign of rain.

I think you get the picture!  Besides the weather, everything else is great.  Yesterday I turned 27 and had family over throughout the day which involved many homemade cakes and an outstanding dinner (cooked by my aunt)  of Schnitzel, pommes mit Jägersäse and salad.  We haven’t done much traveling besides to visit my relatives and to come to Herborn.

That all changes tomorrow morning.  We have a 10 AM flight to Bologna, Italy!  From there, we’ll jump in our rental car (Audi A4) and travel to Florence for one night, then Montalcino for 4 nights.  We’ll then spend the last day or two in Italy in small towns that we have yet to decide on!  As the focus of this trip so far has been local (German)  food and beer, I am looking forward to drinking some great Italian wine!  That being said, I have a renewed love for good German beer and am really coming to love Bärenbier, one of the local producers.

Thanks to everyone for the comments and e-mails.  I look forward to having time to write more about our trip soon.  No it’s off to the food stand by the trainstation for the best currywurst and fries with gravy I’ve ever had!  This reminds me, I will have a lot of great recipes to post when I return!

On a final note, thanks to the terrible US economy (READ: weak dollar) for making everything so damn expensive!  I exchanged $600 this morning and was given a whopping 400 Euros.  That plain stinks.

Bis später!

Heute verlassen wir für Deutschland!

Today we leave!  It’s 10:00 AM and I’m anxiously awaiting our ride to the airport.   I’m very much looking forward to this trip as I have not seen my family in Germany in many years.   I will be updating the blog as much as possible in Germany and will try to include photos, tasting notes and stories!  Thanks to everyone for the safe wishes and travel advice!

Bis Später,

Michael

Germany, then Italy…it all begins on Monday!

I’m too excited to hold out any longer. This Monday, November 5th I’ll be heading to Germany for a couple weeks to spend time at my family’s house with Kim and my mother. During my visit, I’ll be heading to Italy for 10 days to enjoy wines in Piemonte and Montalcino. I will try my best to keep an updated blog while I’m there, but I can assure you that many reviews, pictures and stories will be soon to follow my trip.

The plan:

Nov. 6 - Arrive in Frankfurt, Germany. My cousin is picking us up and driving us to Herborn. I will spend the next week with my family and visiting German vineyards and Biergartens!

Nov. 12 - Train ride to Florence. From there we’re renting a car and will spend the next 10 days between Piemonte and Montalcino. I love Barolo’s and Brunello’s…so I couldn’t have dreamed a better way to spend ten days!

Nov. 21 - Back to Baltimore in time to have Thanksgiving with the dogs, David Battani and his lovely girlfriend! (Kim will stay in Germany for work).

The weather is pretty mild, bearing on cold even, but more the reason to consume a lot a hearty German and Italian food and wine!

If anyone has recommendations on vineyards to visits, places to eat or stay, or anything else, please let me know! Also, if you’re in the areas I mentioned and interested in having dinner and wine, drop me a message!

Cheers