by Agi Toth
Finally! My chance to go to Oregon Pinot Camp had arrived. “Camp?” My friends’ incredulous faces stare back at me. “Your work takes you to Oregon to drink wine for four days?” Well…..when you come right down to it, yes! Every year 50 of Oregon’s wineries band together and invite over 250 wine/hospitality professionals to explore Oregon wine country. In the last thirty years, Oregon’s pinot noirs have gone from being unknown to receiving international acclaim from industry professionals. Wine lovers who had previously only stocked Burgundies in their cellars are now adding pinots produced from grapes grown in Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills, and Yamhill County. We participated in six workshops ranging from the history of Oregon winemaking to exploring vintages and ...
by Eric V. Orange
I am not a “Vayniac”, but I do like Gary Vaynerchuk. I admire people who speak up when they have something to say, and Gary has been saying a lot. Sure, he advertises on my site and I thank him for that, but he impresses me all the same. If you aren’t familiar yet with Gary Vaynerchuk or Wine Library TV(http://tv.winelibrary.com) I am surprised. Gary is an impetuous young man in New Jersey who offers a daily “Video Blog” featuring wine tasting clips in which he rips through a series of wines with a “can’t-sit-still-for-a-second” style which I find very entertaining. He has recently been on Conan, Ellen DeGeneres, Nightline, etc., eating cigars and dirt and sucking on rocks as unconventional methods to demonstrate tastes and textures found in wine. His video blog ran...
by Marisa Dvari
Do you enjoy finding delicious wines at incredible values? If so, you are probably already well acquainted with Spanish wine. Yet, more than just a thirst-satisfying, food friendly libation, wine from Spain is well-crafted and grown from grapes that thrive on some of the most varied, dramatic soil and terrain in the world. Recently in New York, three key importers and passionate devotees of Spanish wine – “the trail blazers”- got together and held a press conference and tasting to tell the story of several stellar Spanish wines. First, here is an introduction to the trail blazers. If you love Spanish wine you probably recognize Eric Solomon’s name from the back of your favorite wine bottles. In 1976 he became the only American to study for the Master of Wine designation; using Lo...
by Kulpreet Yadav
The Indians Drinking Wine? Are You Serious? Predicting the future of the wine industry in India without crystal gazing or astrology – based purely on primal beliefs, faiths and the gaps in-between. The economy is in place. The statistics continue to impress. If Finance Minister’s 29 February 2008 budget presented in the Indian parliament is an indication to go by, the Indians will merrily sail through the forthcoming fiscal able to spend even more, and live better. Pay commission for central government employees has also just been declared. States are likely to follow suit soon. And the bonhomie is not restricted, or contained, within the confines of Indian shores alone. Indian’s are fast adapting to a global lifestyle – traveling more, eating different and forging global partne...
by Marisa Dvari
Consider the year 1551. Michelangelo is in Italy, chiseling the finishing touches on his last work, the Rondanini Pietà. In merry old England, Edward VI succeeds Henry VIII as king. And in the Spanish town of Sant Sadurní d'Anoia, just west of Barcelona, Jaume Codorníu bequeathes his wine cellars, presses, barrels and vats to his heirs. You’ve heard of Codorniu. It’s the popular sparkling wine with the artistic image. Today the Codorniu family has moved forward into the international still wine scene with the birth of the aptly named Artesa Winery, which owns 400 acres of planted vineyards on both sides of the Mayacamas Mountains (including Napa’s Carneros and Atlas Peak appellations, and in Sonoma’s Alexander Valley). Recently I’ve had a chance to try some of their wine. Ar...
by Christopher J Davies
Surprise Finds from The Finger Lakes By Christopher J. Davies Wine Country International® magazine New York’s largest wine region, The Finger Lakes Wine AVA lies just 6 hours Northwest from Long Island. The wine growing conditions are in most cases more difficult, where vintners face a colder and wetter climate. If Long Island can be best compared to Bordeaux, The Finger Lakes should be compared to Rheingau region of Germany. And just as the Rheingau has been respected for producing noble Rieslings, The Finger Lakes has cut its teeth making Riesling its signature grape. I am a big fan of Finger Lake Rieslings. They are the e-harmony of wines… they come in a kaleidoscope of sugar levels from sweet to bone dry. I love their compatibility with just about any food on the planet. ...
by Christopher J Davies
Happy 35th Birthday Long Island Wine Country! By Christopher J. Davies Editor & Co-Founder Wine Country International® magazine Long Island Wine Country is now 35 years old, which in winespeak, makes it a teenager in the world of wine. The region will always be considered boutique, because all combined Long Island Vineyards add up to just 3,000 acres of planted grapevines (One acre of land is home to between 900 and 1,300 vines). World-Famous Napa Valley, which produces just 4% of all California wine, has 45,275 acres planted in vineyards! With that said, Long Island Wine Country has a micro-climate that is almost an exact replica of Bordeaux, one of the most important wine producing regions in the world! Long Island Wine Country (North Fork & Hamptons) is more like Bordeaux than an...
by Hayley Hamilton
A good friend of mine says when asked how he likes a particular varietal, "it goes well with the cheese." It has become a joke between us, but he is actually correct; wine does go very well with cheese. The creamy richness and pungent flavors of cheese matches deliciously with wine, cutting through the wine's acidity: cheese complements the fruity flavors found in wine. There are some basics to take into consideration when matching wine with cheese. A mild creamy cheese will pair better with a lighter white wine; while a pungent ripe cheese will marry happily with a bold red. This column will outline some basics for finding the perfect pair for your next wine and cheese tasting. A few good general tips to keep in mind: soft, creamy cheeses will coat your palate when you eat them. T...
by Marc Hinton
The driving question going into 2008 about wine, for me, revolves around integrity. Wine producers have surprised me this year in their ability to market wines that happened by mistake or the cellar rat mixed two tanks. Oreana’s Red Table Wine, from Santa Barbara (available at Trader Joe’s), the label reads mistake or fate, and then they launch into a tale of two tanks being mixed. Wasn’t that the story behind the Non-vintage Chardonnay from the Paso Robles Winery "Eos" (Novella)? Regardless of the story behind the wine, the bottom line becomes, is it good wine at a price-point that represents value? The value of integrity continues to be challenged regarding consumers and wine producers. It does not only reflect on the producers. Consumers have their own concept of marketing integ...
by Marc Hinton
As I was wandering the wine isles of a local grocery retailer the other day, I was happy that they were now carrying the Echelon label. When this label first came into existence in the late 90’s it represented above average quality wine from respected growing regions at below average prices and their Pinot Noir and the Merlot were standouts. My first instinct was to grab a bottle and check out the information on the label. Much to my surprise, the Pinot Noir lists French fruit but the wine is blended and bottled in California. Many other American producers seem to be on this ‘source Pinot Noir from anywhere‘ mission. Beringer’s founders reserve Pinot Noir is now made from grapes coming from the Lombardy region of Italy. Pepperwood Grove’s Pinot Noir started this year with French...
