Toledo Wine Events & Tastings: May 22-25, 2013

Part of the Justin Winery vineyard in Paso Robles, California (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Wednesday, May 22

The Andersons, Sylvania, 6– 8 PM. 1. Robertson Winery Chenin Blanc, 2. Cherry Hill Winery Dijon Cuvee Pinot Noir, 3. Kokomo Green Pastures Syrah, 4. Modern Wine Project Malbec. $7 per flight or nominal fee per sample.

Beer and Wine Cave, 4400 Heatherdowns, (419) 382-6221. 6-8 PM. $15

 

Walt Churchill’s Market, 3320 Briarfield. Maumee, (419) 794-4000, 4:00 to 7:00 PM. Memorial Day – Great Wines for Grilled Food – with Wine Consultant Joe Mosier. Nominal fee per sample.

Zinful Wine Bar & Restaurant, (419) 878-9463, 7541 Dutch Road, Waterville. 6:00 – 9:00 PM. Nominal fee per sample.

 

Thursday, May 23

Andersons, Maumee, Wine Tasting. 5-7 PM. Some New Wines for Mid-Spring. 1. 2011 Villa dei Preti – Frascati – Italy, 2. 2011 ZENI – Pinot Grigio Ramato – Italy, 3. 2006 ICARDI – Barbera D’ Alba – Italy, 4. 2006 Vina Robles – Syree – Red Blend – Paso Robles, California. $9.50 per flight or nominal fee per sample.

 

Andersons, Talmadge Road, Wine Tasting. 6-8 PM. Our Annual Last Great Cabernet Tasting Before Summer: 1. Perez Cruz, 2. Susana Balbo, 3. Obsidian Ridge, 4. White Oak, 5. Raymond Reserve, 6. Joseph Family, 7. Mollydooker Gigglepot, 8. Heitz Cellars. Nominal fee per sample.

 

Corks Wine and Liquor, Promenade Plaza, 27250 Crossroads Pkwy., Rossford – (419) 872-6800. 6-9 PM. Nominal fee per sample.

 

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, May 24

Aficionado Wine and Cigars, The Shoppes at RiverPlace, 26567 N. Dixie Highway, Suite 135, Perrysburg, (419-873-4444). 5:00 – 8:30 p.m. Memorial Day Grillin' Wines: 1. Chinon "Rene Couly Rose," 2. Cannonau di Sardegna, 3. The Stump Jump GSM, 4. Midnight Cellars "Crescent" Zinfandel. $15 per flight.

 

Toledo Museum of Art Glass Pavilion, 7 - 9:30 PM. Wine by the Glass Pavilion. Enjoy four wines and light snacks during It’s Friday! at the TMA. This week: Perfect Picnic Pairings. Tickets ($15 members/$25 nonmembers, plus tax), are available at the Information Desks.

Saturday, May 25

Aficionado Wine and Cigars, The Shoppes at RiverPlace, 26567 N. Dixie Highway, Suite 135, Perrysburg, (419-873-4444). 5:00 – 8:30 p.m. Memorial Day Grillin' Wines: 1. Chinon "Rene Couly Rose," 2. Cannonau di Sardegna, 3. The Stump Jump GSM, 4. Midnight Cellars "Crescent" Zinfandel. $15 per flight.

 

Walt Churchill’s Market, 3320 Briarfield. Maumee, (419) 794-4000. 12:00 - 5:00 PM. Memorial Day – Austin’s Favorite USA Wines with Wine Manager Austin Beeman. Nominal fee per sample.

 

Walt Churchill's Market, 26625 Dixie Hwy, Perrysburg, (419) 872-6900. 1:00 – 5:00 PM. Nominal fee per sample.

AREA WINE BARS

• The Bistro at Maumee Wines, (419) 893-2525, 2556 Parkway Plaza, Maumee.
• Tres Belle Wine and Martini Lounge, (419) 874-4555, 3145 Hollister Lane, Perrysburg (Levis Commons).
• Zinful Wine Bar & Restaurant, (419) 878-9463, 7541 Dutch Road, Waterville.

Technorati Tags: wine

[Information on tastings can be sent to TWAV@ATT.NET.]

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African-American Winemaker McDonald of Vision Cellars To Be Featured At Churchill’s June 1

Walt Churchill’s Market, 3320 Briarfield, Maumee, (419) 794-4000, will feature a visit from a very special winemaker 12:00 – 5:00 PM Saturday, June 1. Mac McDonald is two things that are extremely rare. He is an African-American winemaker and one of the finest producers of Pinot Noir in the entire world.

McDonald, the son of Texas Moonshiner, fell in love with Pinot Noir at the age of 12 when he tasted fine French Burgundy. Since 1997, McDonald has been producing wine under the Vision Cellars label. These are Boutique Single-Vineyard Pinot Noirs made without compromise in very small batches.

Walt Churchill’s Market will host an afternoon with McDonald and a selection of his limited production wines. The cost per person is $25.

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Aromatic Whites From Finger Lakes Offer Smell of Success

As the thermometer spikes upward in the month of May, the thoughts of this wine lover turn to crisp, chilled whites that can dispel the heat and humidity with the pop of a cork. We recently convened a group of friends to sample five tasty whites from the Finger Lakes wine region.

The wine (two Grüner Veltliner, two Gewürztraminer and a Pinot Gris) were provided by the Finger Lakes Wine Alliance and the tasting took place through #winechat, a facilitated Twitter discussion hooking up wine media from around the country.

Joining us for the tasting were tasting team members Sax Man and Wine Chick as well as our two neighbors Tom and Debbie. Green Dragon displayed her culinary chops by whipping up some really great appetizers to pair with the wines including zucchini parmesan crisps, bratwurst, shrimp with sizzling sauce and a peanut butter mousse cheesecake pie.

We really enjoyed the format for the tasting. It kicked off at 9:00 PM Eastern, so we started at 7:00 with a tasting meal. This enabled us to chat, enjoy the wine and take some notes. I saved a bit from

Grillin’ and Chillin’ Wine Tasting at Maumee Wines May 21

New Zealand wine (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Wine lovers will have a chance to “grill and chill” at a tasting at Maumee Wines and Bistro, (419) 893-2525, 2556 Parkway Plaza, Maumee. The event is scheduled Tuesday, May 21, from 6:30 to 8:30 PM.

The grilling season will begin with Chef Bill Kolhoff grilling on the
patio in front of the shop. Four crisp white wines and four reds will be featured, or there is an  assortment of craft beers available for non-wine drinkers. There will be plenty of grilled vegetables and various delectables.

The cost is $25 per person and reservations are appreciated.

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Deep Root Vineyard: Finger Lakes Winery Visit

Another in our series of reports from our recent Finger Lakes trip.

One of the pleasures of a wine trip to the Finger Lakes is going “off the grid,” checking out new wineries that are not on any official wine trail or map. That was the case when we visited Deep Root Vineyard.

We were racing from a winery at the south end of Keuka Lake to one on the northwest fork. As we rumbled along, we spotted a round purple sign announcing Deep Root Vineyard.

That got our attention. After a couple of quick turnarounds in driveways, we got our signals straight and rolled up to Deep Root.

This is real grassroots winemaking. Deep Root is a micro-production farm winery with a focus on sustainability and quality. The vineyard is owned by Ben and Michelle Hartman and opened on Memorial Day in 2011. This year they will produce 300 cases of wine.

“I decided to get into wine six years ago,” said Ben who was pouring us samples in front of his rustic barn that serves as part of the open air tasting room. “Then I fell in love with Keuka.” The vineyard has been in this location for more than a century and had been planted with what could now be considered Old Vine Concord.

We sampled two different Traminette, a grape that is related to Gewürztraminer. The first was a 2011 Dry Traminette and then the 2012 Moonflower, a semi-dry wine. Moonflower was a favorite of Glorious T, who bought a bottle. The labels are designed by Michelle and are as delicious as the wine.

We also sampled the dry rosé, which is made with Concord, Vignoles and two other grapes. Their popular Country Red has a taste of sweetness at 1.9% residual sugar.

Chambourcin  is one of our favorite grapes and Deep Root offers it two ways, one the “Nouveau” Chambourcin and the other a Port-style dessert wine.

A visit to Deep Root is a connection with the true spirit of Finger Lakes winemaking. This is a work in progress, but there is no doubt the roots run deep and the passion is strong. We look forward to a return visit in the future.

Technorati Tags: wine,Finger Lakes wine,Keuka Lake

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Wine and Dine Event on May 31 to Benefit Wood County Humane Society

The Wood County Humane Society Wine and Dine event is scheduled  6:00 – 10:30 PM May 31 at Olscamp Hall on the campus of Bowling Green State University. This is your chance to help the animals while enjoying an evening of delicious edibles, engaging wines, music, and fabulous auction items. Jerry Anderson returns as auctioneer for the live auction, and music will be performed by Estar Cohen and Company.

Proceeds from the Wine and Dine support homeless and abused animals in Wood County, providing care for hundreds of animals each year - from dogs and cats to horses, goats and pocket pets.

Auction items include Vera Bradley bags and accessories, salon services, massages, sports memorabilia, fine art, crafts and jewelry by area artists, K100 DJ for a day with Shores and Steele, BGSU theatre tickets, golf, and more.

The menu includes a choice of Chicken Parmesan from the Olde Country or Stuffed Portobello Mushroom, Classic Caesar Salad with Garlicky Croustade, Rosemary Roasted Redskin Potatoes, Green Beans Almondine, and for dessert, a choice of Buckeye Cheesecake -or-Lemon Poppy Seed Pound Cake with Housemade Orange Marmalade.

Guests can start the night with three glasses of wine of their choice, from bold Cabernets to sweet Rieslings - something for every taste (and beer, softdrinks, coffee, or water if you prefer). A cash bar will also be available.

If you are unable to attend or would like to additionally sponsor the event, please click here for more information.

Early bird tickets will be on sale until May 20. Early bird price is $45 for a single or $80 for a couple. After May 20, prices are $55 for a single or $100 for a couple. Download the ticket form here.

Photo by Prayitno

*Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law, except for the cost of the $25 per utilized ticket.*

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Toledo Area Wine Events & Tastings: May 15-18, 2013

Wine tanks at Grgich Hills Estate, Napa, California (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Wednesday, May 15

The Andersons, Sylvania, 6– 8 PM. 1. Treana White Blend, 2. Treana Red Blend, 3. Orin Swift "Fittings," 4. Moscato Bella. $11 per flight or nominal fee per sample.

Beer and Wine Cave, 4400 Heatherdowns, (419) 382-6221. 6-8 PM. $15

 

Walt Churchill’s Market, 3320 Briarfield. Maumee, (419) 794-4000, 4:00 to 7:00 PM. Stuff Joe Wants to Try – Part 2 – with Wine Consultant Joe Mosier. Nominal fee per sample.

Zinful Wine Bar & Restaurant, (419) 878-9463, 7541 Dutch Road, Waterville. 6:00 – 9:00 PM. Nominal fee per sample.

 

Thursday, May 16

Andersons, Maumee, Wine Tasting. 5-7 PM. Some NEW and some OLD favorites for mid-Spring. 1. 2011 Mer Soleil – SILVER – Unoaked Chardonnay – OLD, 2. 2011 Davis Bynum – Chardonnay – NEW, 3. 2011 Davis Bynum – Pinot Noir – NEW, 4. 2010 Albert Bichot – Mercurey – Pinot Noir – OLD. $8.50 per flight or nominal fee per sample.

 

Andersons, Talmadge Road, Wine Tasting. 6-8 PM. Iconic California Wineries Series: Clos Pegase & Grgich Hills. Clos Pegase: 1. Chardonnay, 2. Merlot, 3. Cabernet. Grgich Hills: 1. Fume Blanc, 2. Chardonnay, 3. Merlot, 4. Cabernet. Nominal fee per sample.

 

Corks Wine and Liquor, Promenade Plaza, 27250 Crossroads Pkwy., Rossford – (419) 872-6800. 6-9 PM. Nominal fee per sample.

 

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, May 17

Aficionado Wine and Cigars, The Shoppes at RiverPlace, 26567 N. Dixie Highway, Suite 135, Perrysburg, (419-873-4444). 5:00 – 8:30 p.m. Aussie Reds: 1. Four Sisters Merlot, 2. Layer Cake Shiraz, 3. Ross "Lights Out" Shiraz, 4. Shotfire Quartage. $15 per flight.

 

Toledo Museum of Art Glass Pavilion, 7 - 9:30 PM. Wine by the Glass Pavilion. Enjoy four wines and light snacks during It’s Friday! at the TMA. This week: Wineries of New South Wales. Tickets ($15 members/$25 nonmembers, plus tax), are available at the Information Desks.

Saturday, May 18

Aficionado Wine and Cigars, The Shoppes at RiverPlace, 26567 N. Dixie Highway, Suite 135, Perrysburg, (419-873-4444). 5:00 – 8:30 p.m. Aussie Reds: 1. Four Sisters Merlot, 2. Layer Cake Shiraz, 3. Ross "Lights Out" Shiraz, 4. Shotfire Quartage. $15 per flight.

 

Walt Churchill’s Market, 3320 Briarfield. Maumee, (419) 794-4000. 12:00 - 5:00 PM. The Rhone Valley of France Part 2 – The Southern Rhone with Wine Manager Austin Beeman. Nominal fee per sample.

 

Walt Churchill's Market, 26625 Dixie Hwy, Perrysburg, (419) 872-6900. 1:00 – 5:00 PM. Nominal fee per sample.

AREA WINE BARS

• The Bistro at Maumee Wines, (419) 893-2525, 2556 Parkway Plaza, Maumee.
• Tres Belle Wine and Martini Lounge, (419) 874-4555, 3145 Hollister Lane, Perrysburg (Levis Commons).
• Zinful Wine Bar & Restaurant, (419) 878-9463, 7541 Dutch Road, Waterville.

Technorati Tags: wine

[Information on tastings can be sent to TWAV@ATT.NET.]

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Dry Creek Vineyard 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon, Dry Creek Valley, Sonoma

In California, a mile or two can make all the difference in the cost and prestige of a wine. While the prices of Napa continue to rocket heavenward, some incredibly rich Cabs are being produced in Sonoma for a fraction of the cost.

The 2009 Dry Creek Valley Cabernet from Dry Creek Vineyard is such an example. At $25 this is a wine that rivals a Napa Cab costing three times as much.

This wine was “batting cleanup” during a recent tasting at the home of tasting team members Sax Man and Wine Chick. Sadly they have moved to another part of town, so we can’t pass glasses of wine over the backyard fence like we used to. Their new home, however, provides plenty of elbow room for a nice evening of wine tasting.

The 2009 vintage was one of the best in the last decade, and this bottle shows it with elegance and structure. There is ripe cherry and raspberry front and center in the glass edged with some dust and herbal notes.

It’s a very smooth wine with tannins that provide firmness, but never bite. The finish is long and relaxing.

This is 86% Cab, 4% Merlot, 4% Cab Franc, 3% Malbec and 3% Petit Verdot. The DCV Cab is aged for 20 months in French, American and Hungarian oak. The alcohol level is 13.5%.

This baby has beauty and depth at a price that’s hard to beat.

Rating: 4 of 5  Value: 4.5 of 5

Full Disclosure: We received this wine as a marketing sample.

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Dr. Konstantin Frank Vinifera Wine Cellars: Finger Lakes Winery Visit

Another in our series of Finger Lakes winery reports from our recent trip.

If there is a Mecca for Finger Lakes wines, it is Dr. Frank Vinifera Wine Cellars in Hammondsport, NY. Dr. Konstantin Frank ignited the “Vinifera Revolution” a movement that forever changed the course of wine growing in the Finger Lakes and the United States.

Today the Finger Lakes produces world-class wines and there is no better place to experience it than “Dr. Frank’s” on Keuka Lake. We were able to catch a quick lunch at Bully Hill and then rumbled up and up until we reached the winery’s perch overlooking Keuka Lake.

Upon arriving we learned that winery manager George DiTomasso would be doing a special tasting for us. There are tastings and then there are tastings, we would learn.

Our tasting took place in the new tasting room, which has windows looking out onto the deck to a vineyard and the sun-dappled waters of Keuka beyond. Early Thursday afternoon was an ideal time for a tasting as the winery was uncrowded.

We could not find a more congenial and knowledgeable host! The production of sparkling wines has come a long way in New York State, but the finest certainly is the Chateau Frank  sparkling wine. It was there we began.

While Konstantin Frank pioneered the growing of “noble grapes” in America, it was his son Willy who spearheaded New York’s sparkling wine revolution using the traditional method and grapes (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier). Today Dr. Frank’s employs five winemakers, one of whom is dedicated to sparkling wines.

We were able to sample three vintage sparkling wines, the 2006 Brut, the 2007 Blanc de Blancs and the 2007 Blanc de Noirs.The Brut is a beautiful wine with all the characteristics of French Champagne. It has a touch of sweetness that the Green Dragon enjoyed. The Blanc de Blancs is made with 100% Chardonnay and the Blanc de Noirs is 100% Pinot Noir. The latter sparklers both had more of a crisp and dry finish. These are wines worthy of any fine meal or occasion.

After the bubbly opening, we moved to the still white wines and began with a pair of Grüner Veltliner. The 2011 Grüner has a touch of floral and herb flavor notes and is a top pick for the summer. This contrasted with the 2010 Grüner Veltliner Reserve. The reserve is aged in oak barrels which imparts a unique toastiness and new dimensions to this grape.

The demonstration of white wine mastery continued as we sampled the 2011 Pinot Gris and 2010 Rkatsiteli. The Dr. Frank Pinot Gris vineyards are the oldest in the US while the Rkatsiteli is the oldest vinifera grape known to man, being identified in ancient wine press sites dating back to 3,000 BC.

George is not only a wealth of wine knowledge but quite a culinary advisor as well, sharing ideas for pairings and recipes. The Rkatsiteli has acidity, citrus flavors and a wonderful olive smell. This matches very well with stuffed grape leaves.

We next tried two Dr. Frank signature wines, the 2012 Gewürztraminer and the 2012 Dry Riesling.  The Gerwurz has orange and honey notes balanced by great acidity. The RS is only 1.1%, so this is not overly sweet. A great pick for Asian fare and one of my top wines of the tasting. The Dry Riesling is iconic, a wine that is really a masterpiece that expresses the terroir of the Finger Lakes. It has a rocking minerality with a long flavor tail of lemon. The acidity is dialed in to provide a nice pop without overdoing it.

We sampled through the 2012 Pinot Noir Dry Rosé (very refreshing!), the 2010 Pinot Noir (good match with tuna) and the 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon (from the oldest Cabernet grapes east of the Rockies). We then hit upon on of the most unique wines on our trip: 2010 Cuvée d’Amour.

The Cuvée d’Amour is made with vitus amurensis, grapes native to southern Siberia and northern China. Through cross-breeding a winter-hardy grape has been developed and this is thought to be the first commercial bottling of vitus amurensis in the US.

The wine is dense in body with wild raspberry flavor notes. The wine is aged in oak and compares to fine Bordeaux or Barolo. The wine retails for $34.99 and we had to have a bottle!
Pricing is worth mentioning. To the benefit of wine lovers, Dr. Frank has made an effort to hold the line on pricing. Their flagship Dry Riesling is just $14.99 while wines of comparable quality easily sell for twice that much. Their estate wines range from $12.99 to $19.99 with reserves a bit higher. The sparkling wine, done in the labor-intensive methode Champenois, are still all under $30.

Happily, Dr. Frank has wider availability than most Finger Lakes wineries, which has also helped raise the profile of Finger Lakes wines. The experience at the winery, though, should not be missed. With a range of 34 wines available, a picturesque setting and friendly and knowledgeable staff, this is one destination you don’t want to miss.

Technorati Tags: wine,Finger Lakes wine,Riesling

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Zinful Sets Special Raventós i Blanc Tasting on Tuesday, May 14

Cava Raventós i Blanc, Penedès (Photo credit: e_calamar)

Zinful Wine Bar & Restaurant, (419) 878-9463, 7541 Dutch Road, Waterville, will host a special tasting with iconic Spanish winery Raventós i Blanc on Tuesday May 14. The event, which is scheduled from 6:00 to 8:30 PM will feature Arnau Roca from Raventós i Blanc winery.

The Raventós i Blanc estate is located in Sant Sadurní d’Anoia on land that has belonged to the Raventós family since 1497. The wines have been highly rated by journalists and wine critics. Included in the tasting will be:

• 2009 Cava Brut Reserva
• 2009 Cava Brut Reserva Rose "de nit"
• 2010 Penedes Blanc "Silencis" 100% Xarel-lo
• 2011 Penedes Blanc "Perfum de Vi" - 50% Macabeo / 50% Muscat

This is a chance to sample some internationally acclaimed wines and some unique grape varieties (like Xarel-lo and Marcabeo). Zinful will pair these wines with some lovely appetizers and cheese boards and the tasting is being offered at a special price of $15 per person.

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