Wine

Andrea Franchetti is worrying about a door. It's two days before the Contrada dell'Etna, the main seasonal tasting of Etna wines, and Franchetti is hosting the event at his winery, in the new salon behind his main winery building. A crew of workers is busy pressure testing the fountain that has also recently been installed in the courtyard in the fading light of the afternoon. My Italian is poor, so I can't quite tell just how annoyed the soft-spoken Franchetti is, but it's clear he's not happy that the doors to his tasting salon are hanging a good inch above the marble floors. He's asking some stern and perhaps slightly exasperated questions of one of his workman while wearing a blue sport coat, a pink shirt, thick-rimmed black eyeglasses that are half nerdy, half chic, and if the massive white bandage on his nose is any indication, having just completed some sort of minor surgical procedure on his face. The scene balances right on the edge of comedy, but doesn't topple over the line into farce, if only because Franchetti seems at once both entirely earnest, and not the least self conscious about the whole thing. He's clearly really excited about the upcoming event and wants things to go right. Franchetti follows me into the modest tasting room at Passopisciaro Winery that sits at the back of his ancient stone winery, and after a bit of what is clearly antsyness, asks if perhaps I'd like to taste the wines with one of his marketing folks, and then after have a conversation. He is clearly worried about his door, and I am more than happy to focus on the wines first. With a relieved smile, he heads back out into the courtyard, and I sit down to his remarkable lineup of wines. Andrea Franchetti is acknowledged as one of the early pioneers in the current renaissance of Etna wines. Which, given the youth of the industry, means that he's been making wine on Etna since 2001, which was the year after he came to Sicily on vacation and couldn't manage to cool down. "I went to Syracuse on vacation and it was too hot," he says. "I kept driving around looking for someplace that was less hot. I turned the corner and it got much colder, and there were vineyards everywhere. Right away, you could see how extraordinary it was for wine." Franchetti had already proven to the world the quality of his intuition about terroir. "I had a ruin of a house, and I mean a ruin, in Tuscany that I bought in 1981" he says. "I went to work distributing wine in New York for 12 years, and when I came back to that ruin, I always felt like I never wanted to go back to a city. So I basically came up with a way to stay there. I went to Bordeaux and learned a bit about making wine. I'll give you a hint -- the most interesting thing you can do in Bordeaux is pruning and doing the vines -- that was my most important learning." In 1992, Franchetti planted a vineyard in an unremarkable sheep pasture in the Val d'Orcia region of Tuscany, east of Montalcino near the border with Umbria. From the Bordeaux varieties he planted there, with an emphasis on Cabernet Franc, Franchetti created the critically acclaimed Tenuta di Trinoro, a wine which played a role in the rise of the Super Tuscan movement in the region. Called "the Tuscan Cheval Blanc" by some admirers, Tenuta di Trinoro brought Franchetti to international prominence as a singleminded, if somewhat eccentric winemaker to watch. On Etna, you might say he found his second calling. But it took him a little while to understand what the place was telling him. "To be honest, I wasn't really interested in the local varieties," says Franchetti, "I just thought Etna would be a good place for winemaking. Everything here on Etna was for sale -- completely abandoned. This property was all decrepit. The person who sold it to me named a figure and I offered him 25% of the price, and he said OK. The problem with Etna is that it is so difficult to work here." Franchetti started rehabilitating the old viney

A June Monsoon of Maroon, Um, WineGo ahead. Walk right back into the kitchen. Nobody will question you.Time for another parade of wines and the accessories that love them. If you haven't seen our special summer wine shipping policies, get familiar with them before you roll out the barrel. It's just one more way we make summertime the season of wine.

Eight years on lees. First release since the 1994. Released in the first week of September 2013. Production of 1000 cases. The most prestigious sparkling red in the world. Traditionally released as a ten year old but impatience has won the day.

A June Monsoon of Maroon, Um, WineAs far as plush investments go, it'll age a lot better than your Beanie Babies.Time for another parade of wines and the accessories that love them. If you haven't seen our special summer wine shipping policies, get familiar with them before you roll out the barrel. It's just one more way we make summertime the season of wine.

I had the distinct pleasure of playing the opening set of music for my old friend Charlie Walmsley’s new folk-rock band, “Crazy Chester,” last Thursday in Mount Pleasant, MI. It was a fun gig, and you can read a bit more about it here. Afterwards, we retired to Charlie’s home, where we celebrated playing music together again. Champagne would have been a good option, but Chaz had a better idea, and pulled the cork from an 18-year old bottle of Mr. Ridge, which we enjoyed immensely with his wife Melinda. Here’s what I wrote about this beauty; the picture was taken with my cell phone camera. 1995 Ridge Spring Mountain Zinfandel York Creek, 90% Zinfandel, 6% Petite Sirah, 4% Alicante, 14.5% alc.: There’s some bricking to the slightly murky dark garnet color here; the lovely, mature nose still shows obvious and unmistakable “Draper perfume” in all its glory, along with a slight mustiness that gradually blows off. There’s more of the same in the mouth, with a rich core of Zinfandel fruit shaded with attractive secondary nuances. Classic Mr. Ridge, and very silky; there’s still plenty of life left here, but I wouldn’t wait much longer if I had any of this in my cellar. I’d rather drink it while it still gives plenty of pleasure, rather than letting it turn into a museum piece. Charlie said he purchased this for around $30 from Valley Produce in Midland, MI, about 6 or 7 years ago. I sort of doubt that they have any left, if the place is still even in existence… Find this wine Reporting from Day-twah, geo t.

I interrupt this adventure through Croatia to highlight my recent trip to the Wine Bloggers Conference in Penticton, British Columbia. As first glance, one would think travelling to the middle of the mountains, on a series of glacial lakes, would be an odd desetination for a bunch of digitial wine writers, industry reps, and interested members of the community – however, after visiting the area last year, I was enamoured. Arriving a day early, I was able to see the calm before the storm, and visit some areas that weren’t on the roster for the official trip.  Over the next few week, there will be a lot more on that but first, here are my top 10 highlights, Letterman style!; 10.  The fresh, local, and unadulterated food of British Columbia.  While I have never seen so many A&W’s in one place, we were treated to the natural wonder of the local breadbasket and were never ever hungry for anything bugt more fresh and wonderful food. 9.  A quick stop at Vino Volo in Vancouver, where Jim Conaway said, unsurprisinging, “I can’t believe you’re having wine!” 8.  The same James Conaway’s  keynote, subtly quiet humor that was bang on for the wine industry, and a great introduction to his novel Nose. 7.  The wines – from hearty reds in the classic Bordeaux style, to light, aromatic, unusual whites. 6.  The content of the conference.  Ok I’m biased here since I presented on Positioning Your Blog with my partners in crime Kathleen and Megan, but hey, there was some great stuff there! 5.  See Ya Later Ranch and the reception presented by Constellation Brands.  Surprisingly small, local and wonderful – from one of the largest wine conglomerates in the world 4.  Sandra Oldfield and her crew at Tinhorn Creek.  Marcy, you weren’t kidding!  I saw Jesus in that cab franc! 3. The scenery – every angle, every window, every view – breathtaking 2.  The people of Penticton, specifically for their welcome breakfast, farmers market, and general excitement to have us there.  Every person I encountered was genuinely excited to have us there and just plain nice. 1.  Did I mention the scenery? More, much more to come! The post Wine Bloggers invade Okanagan appeared first on Luscious Lushes - a wine, food, and travel blog.

Hello Friends, I know you would never believe this, but I uncork or unscrew a new wine adventure just about every day. Being a wine enthusiast, a wine blogger, and someone who thoroughly appreciates and enjoys the liquid expression of a place, a person’s vision, and Mother Nature’s influence, I often tell people that wine is one of the most intriguing beverages in the world. It’s a hobby where there is always something new to taste and learn as well as great people to meet in real life or via those wonderful social media portals called Facebook and Twitter. Getting Started! Below are a few of my recent sips accompanied by my tasting notes and a picture I snapped of each bottle. I had a chance to taste these selections during a recent virtual event put on by the Finger Lakes Wine Alliance (who are doing a very good job at getting the word out about the region's wines). This tasting focused on red wines (including Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir, and Lemberger) and red vinifera blends. While the Finger Lakes appellation is best known for bright and refreshing wines made from the Riesling grape variety. The region's red wines tend to have an agreeable built-in brightness that is largely influenced by the area's cooler-climate. With good natural acidity and soft-to-medium fruit flavors, these red wines are natural partners to a wide variety of foods. Much of what comes out of the Finger Lakes are small-production wines that are available at the tasting room or the producer’s website. So check out the link at the end of the note if the wine sounds good to you. Variety, so they say, is the spice of life, so keep an open mind and an open palate and enjoy the experience. Drink well, my friends! Fox Run Vineyards 2010 Lemberger 1) Fox Run Vineyards 2010 Lemberger (SRP $20): I enjoyed a glass of this wine with several people for a recent Finger Lakes red wine tasting event. This grape variety, which is also known as Blaufränkisch, was new territory for a few people, but they thoroughly enjoyed it. In the glass, it is ruby in color with pleasant black cherry and soft plum aromas alongside hints of fresh cracked pepper, ground spice, and earthy tones over a sleek and supple frame. Overall, this is a light, bright, and easy-drinking red wine that’s both interesting and food-friendly. One person – thinking ahead -- mentioned that they were going to get a few bottles of this wine for their Thanksgiving Day table. Approximately 895 cases of this wine were produced. Click here to find this wine. Wagner Vineyards Reserve 2010 Pinot Noir 2) Wagner Vineyards Reserve 2010 Pinot Noir (SRP $27.99): The producer calls the 2010 vintage, which was largely warm-to-hot and fairly dry, “One of the longest, most optimal growing seasons in the history of the Finger Lakes.” In the glass, the wine displays a medium ruby color with cherry, raspberry, (subtle) floral perfume, and (light underlying) notes of cinnamon, clove, and cedar aromas/flavors over a supple and lean frame with a medium length finish. Overall, this is a pleasant and harmonious Pinot Noir that can be easily enjoyed on its own or with a wide variety of foods. Click here to find this wine. Heron Hill Winery Ingle Vineyard 2009 Pinot Noir 3) Heron Hill Winery Ingle Vineyard 2009 Pinot Noir (SRP $20): This is a light-to-medium bodied, easy-to-drink wine with pleasant fruit notes of dark cherry and dried cranberry interwoven with cedar shavings, cocoa dust, and a dash of sweet brown spice and a dash of white pepper (particularly on the back-end). Balanced (not bright) acidity and silky tannins give way to a satisfying, medium length finish. I enjoyed a glass of this wine with grilled salmon and on its own. (Other info: ABV 12.5%, Aged 24 months in 1 year old and older European oak barrels). Click here to find this wine. Backyard Feathered Friends: #FeedMe Have a question about this post? Feel free to drop me an e-mail at myv

Nice black cherry pigmented hue with a bouquet of cedary blackberry, cigar box, and green pepper with another coating of ripe black fruit.Palate--Cedar and spice front with integrated deep dark berry fruit and baked bread with a finish of briary dark berry fruit.I found this on close out for under $12 at a local supermarket: sells for closer to $30. I bought the only two bottles that remained. It is a fine example of Cabernet Sauvignon with integrated flavors and solid structure that should hold this wine for another decade but peaking in another 3-5 years. At any rate, bargains like this are always a treat so raise a glass to the hunt!I will pair this with a grilled venison rib-eyes tonight--the pay out for a frigid butchering of this Maine deer shot in January.--A Review from The Wine Cask Blog. Creative Commons: Attribution - ShareAlike 2.5 applies

This past weekend we traveled to Cleveland to watch the Nationals play the Indians and to experience the Cleveland beer scene via theCompass app. And let me tell you, the beers in Cleveland rock. Each bar we visited had at lease one local brewery on tap and many had more. Then we traveled to the Ohio City neighborhood to experience the epicenter of Cleveland's craft beer world. Why, because within two blocks, three breweries are operating including the mighty Great Lakes Brewing Company. We started our visit to Ohio City quite smaller, at the Nano Brew Cleveland, which serves a long list of beer some made in house, some made at their sister brewery, Market Garden Brewery, and others from across the U.S. Since we walked to the area, I cooled down with a light Kolsch - refreshing with just a hint of hops. I then moved deeper with the Market Garden Citramax - and IPA loaded with organic Citra hops. This was another clean and refreshing beer - even with the higher IPU - easy to drink. The crew at Nano Brew also enjoy biking and even provide a tune-up station inside the pub. We need one of these in NOVA. We overstayed our visit and had to rush a couple blocks to meet our Great Lakes tour - a tour I've been anticipating ever since the brewery expanded into the DC market. Their Edmund Fitzgerald Porter is a fixture in our refrigerator. Plus, the brewery is celebrating their 25th anniversary - opening September 6, 1988 by brothers Patrick and Daniel Conway. The main fact that we took away from the tour is expect the beer to be fresh. They don't pasteurize their beer, nor leave much in the warehouse - so once the beer is bottled or kegged - it moves quickly into distribution channels. And if you want to enjoy the freshest beer, hit the brewpub where they offer rotating pub exclusive brews like the Wit's End, Milk Stout, or the Glockenspiel. The brewery is a logistical achievement considering that trucks filled with grain arrive every two days to fill the silos as they brew 125,000 barrels annually. That's impressive. We look forward to toasting the brewery on their birthday in September. Despite getting closer to game time, we had to continue on to Market Garden Brewery and Distillery and found the first disappointment. Even though distillery is part of their name, and in planning, they have not yet received the proper legal permission to commence distilling. However, in addition to their many beers, they also offer several micro-spirits from Ohioan producers - such as Apple Jack from Tomsfoolery and bourbon from Woodstone Creek. But this visit was all about the Urban Garden Saison - where they really nailed this farmhouse ale - and Wallace Tavern Scotch Ale. The latter is malty - but not sweet - and another nailed style. And as a bonus suggestion - pair this with the Scottish Egg.Our Cleveland brew experience did end in Ohio City. Progressive stadium carries the complete Great Lakes year long collection, with one stand dispensing from the bottom up. Just don't be careless and accidentally release the magnet. Cheers to Cleveland.

This oolong has been fermented longer than most, almost like a black tea, giving the leaves a “slightly smoky taste with a full bodied, sweet long lasting finish with a cinnamon aftertaste”. The raisin-like, rolled leaves have a charred looked to them. Their aroma is a mix of pipe tobacco and toasted barley notes. I followed the suggested directions on Lu Lin’s website. After a quick rinse, I infused 3 grams of leaf in 8 ounces of water heated to 85 degrees Celsius for 1 minute. The tan-coloured cup has a similar but more intense aroma compared to the dry leaf. Taking a sip, the top notes are smooth, tasting of mostly toasted barley, oak and tobacco. Somewhere in the middle the flavours get much sweeter, vanilla and raisin notes taking the lead. The finish is surprising, with lingering tart fruit flavours – plums and apricots come to mind in particular. I steeped the leaves again for 2 minutes. The results are a much darker cup, in both colour and flavour. The top notes are a bit rougher with more pronounced charred tobacco and grain flavours. These mellow out to taste more like cantaloupe and marshmallows. The end of each sip offers a dryer, almost wine-like finish. This quite a flavourful and complex cup. Who knew that red wine and marshmallow notes could taste so good together! My third cup was similar to previous but smoother and more even throughout the sip. An interesting cinnamon gum flavour appears in the finish. While it doesn’t have all the flash of the first two brews, this steep is still very engaging. I was able to get two more mild but decent cups from the leaves following a 4 minute and a 5 and a half minute long steep. The smokey toasted notes have pretty much disappeared by this point. The flavour profile is mostly sweet, in a grassy sort of way. The tart, fruity finish is still going strong though. These leaves make for a refreshing and complex cup. I particularly enjoyed the shift from roasted grain and wood flavours to a wide range of sweeter notes. Being able to get 5 cups from the same leaves makes this tea great value for the money. I highly recommend it, especially to those who enjoy hearty, smokey teas.