Instrument Drive and Wine Tasting Nov. 10

A special musical instrument drive and scholarship fundraiser will be held at Manhattan’s Restaurant, 1516 Madison Street, Toledo, on Tuesday, November 10. The event will benefit the BeInstrumental Foundation and will feature an evening of music, gourmet food and wine. Tickets are $25.

Instruments may be  dropped off at Manhattans starting at  5:00 p.m. and the wine tasting starts promptly at 6:30p.m. A jazz performance by the Damen Cook Trio is slated 7:00p.m. to 10:00 p.m .

This is your opportunity to help provide scholarship and instruments to local youth. The scholarships and resources provided by BeInstrumental are essential in allowing inner-city children, and those without the resources, the opportunity to continue their musical dreams.
Instruments collected will be refurbished and offered free of charge to local inner-city schools and community organizations for use in their musical education programs.

Students will also be mentored by local music legends.
Event includes exclusive wine tasting and appetizers
In addition to an energetic jazz performance, you will enjoy gourmet appetizers and a tasting of five exclusive wines selected by Uptown Vineyard. Information and reservations are available by calling Jeff Green at (567) 343-2274 or making a reservation online.

Technorati Tags: wine,wine tasting,jazz

Photo by Elisabeth D’Orcy

Glenora Wine Cellars

FINGER LAKES REPORT – We had just finished our most disappointing wine tasting on the second day of our Finger Lakes tour. We were on the West side of Seneca Lake and hoping to squeeze in just one more tasting.

We left Shaw Vineyard and made it to Herman J. WiemerVineyard. We were in luck, I thought, arriving before the “closing bell” of 5 p.m. with the OPEN sign prominently displayed on the door.

Anticipation quickly changed to dismay as we headed to the tasting bar. The bottles were being quickly gathered up and we were informed that we were welcome to buy whatever we wanted, but we couldn’t have any tastings.

The Wiemer wines apparently are rather high end and we found nothing that we wished to purchase without previewing.
The car awaited and we decided to head to our overnight destination, Seneca Springs bed and breakfast.
Then, like an oasis in the desert, Glenora Wine Cellars appeared with a large marquee proclaiming wine tastings until 7 p.m.

Walking in we were immediately drawn to an attractive wine bottle “tree.” The positive impressions continued in the tasting room.

Glenora is a top flight Finger Lakes destination with a scenic perch overlooking the lake, luxurious housing and a restaurant offering eclectic, gourmet fare.

Glenora was a prime stop on our tour last year, and it did not disappoint. Although not available (to my knowledge) in the Toledo area, Glenora wines are one of the more widely distributed of the Finger Lakes wines.
Our tasting began with dry whites and a sip of Signature, a blend of Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay and Riesling, a tasty beginning ($17.99).

The Golden Glen Chardonnay is a double gold medal winner that has a creamy body with fruit and melon flavors.

The Pinot Blanc is another double gold winner that was my favorite of the tasting. This is an uncommon grape that exhibited a delicate aroma of pears with an oakiness that enhanced, but didn’t smother the flavors.
We finished the whites with two Rieslings, the Vintner Select Dry Riesling which was fruity. And the Dry Riesling, another winner, that had mineral and citrus flavor notes.

On the red tasting menu we led off with a just released Meritage, a Bordeaux blend with 70 percent Merlot  and 30 percent Cabernet Franc. The grapes come from the award-winning Mason vineyards. Priced at $24.99 this is a stand-out.

Our very full tasting day finished with a sample of Sangiovese, which was full-bodied with flavors of cherries and plums.

During our tasting, our host (who had also served us on our visit last year) generously filled us in on the background of the wines and we also enjoyed chatting with other tasters. It seems like you always have something in common once you start talking. After sharing wine, you are soon fast friends.

Glenora is one of the top rated wineries of our visit. The tasting team of Toledo Wines and Vines salutes you!

del.icio.us Tags: wine,wine tasting,pinot blanc

Vino 100 Wine Bar Now Open

Vino 100 Wine Bar and Lounge is now open. It is located at 3355 Briarfield Blvd. Suite C, next door to their old previous store.  The wine bar offers 30 wines by the glass, over 120 by the bottle, 6 craft beers on tap, 40 American craft beers by the bottle, 10 specialty artisan sprit drinks, and a very nice selection of small plates prepared by culinary interns from Owens College.  The hours for the wine shop and wine bar are as follows: Wine Shop: Monday through Wednesday, 12 Noon –10:00 p.m., Thursday through Saturday, 12 Noon to Midnight.   Wine Bar: Monday through Wednesday, 4:00  p.m. to 10:00  p.m., Thursday through Saturday, 4:00 p.m. to Midnight.

Photo by Robert S. Donovan

A Rustic Wine Tasting

It’s been an annual tradition for me since college graduation. Each year my good buddies and I gather at a rustic cabin in West Virginia’s Seneca State Forest for a weekend or more of hiking, cooking, music and general fun.

There have been one or two years where we’ve gone to other locations – like Hocking Hills in Ohio or a rental house at the Outer Banks. But the real heart of the group beats the strongest in the cabins deep in the forest next to the Greenbrier River. Our annual get together has ranged from a low of four people to more than 20.

Part of the charm – some would say madness – is that the cabin has no electricity, running water or modern conveniences. You pump the water from the well, cook with a wood stove and use gas powered lights. There is a nice gas powered refrigerator. To take the chill off the frosty mornings, you throw another log in the fireplace.

In short, it is just what the doctored ordered after a heavy travel schedule and an inbox bursting with a non-stop stream of e-mails. There is no cell phone service for miles and no internet.

To accompany our rustic meals the gang brought plenty of wine including the two I’m featuring in this post: Pacific Estates Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles 2003 and Glenora Pinot Blanc 2007.

The Pacific Estates Cab is a delicious wine that my wife originally picked up at a wine tasting at Vino 100 in Maumee several months ago. It was so great that we bought two additional bottles to have on hand for special occasions.

Our two good friends, Russ and Eileen, had joined us on a wine tasting trip to the Finger Lakes last year. At their suggestion, we started our trip with a tasting at Glenora Wine Cellars and lunch at their outstanding restaurant Veraisons. It was spectacular. (Very soon I’ll be posting a winery visit report from this year’s visit.)
Knowing their taste for Glenora wine, we were sure to pack the Pinot Blanc.

Our meal on our arrival night was a delicious chicken dished prepared with an assortment of peppers. Green Dragon had prepared a spicy squash soup with lime and coconut.

The Pacific Estates Cab is soft and round with little of the tannins that Green Dragon tends to dislike. It has a rich flavor of blackberries and  has a lingering finish and fragrant nose.

The Pinot Blanc is a very interesting wine. This is a white grape that is a genetic mutation of Pinot Noir. Apparently Pinot Noir is genetically unstable and a vine will occasionally produce all black fruit and one cane of white. It has elegance with a pleasant crispness that tasted almost spicy to me. It has notes of pear and citrus. It is barrel fermented which provides a mellow taste of oak on the palette.

After the great meal and superb wine, it was time for a walk to the river…

Technorati Tags: wine,Pinot Blanc

Bodacious Bordeaux Highlighted

Bordeaux wines were at center stage during the wine tasting at the Beer & Wine Cave, 4400 Heatherdowns, on Thursday, October 29.
The tasting featured three white and four red Bordeaux plus a Bordeaux-type blend from Washington State.

Like most Old World countries, France doesn’t promote the name of the varietal on the label, like Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot. Instead it regulates the grapes used in each wine producing region (appellation). In Bordeaux, the whites are primarily Sauvignon Blanc and the reds are a blend of grapes, primarily Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon depending on the region.
Trust me, there’s beauty in those blends!

The tasting ($15 for a flight of eight) began with 2007 Chartron La Fleur,   which was much more sedate than the “in your face” Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand and made a nice start to the evening.

This was our first visit to the Beer & Wine Cave and we enjoyed the atmosphere. There were several couples seated at stools around barrell/tables. Owner Matt Snyder, who formerly worked in the Andersons’ wine department, took time to enlighten the group on the background of Bordeaux and each wine. We also enjoyed learning about his recent trip to Washington and his visit with winemakers. He packs a very diverse wine selection into his shop – especially strong on boutique wines from the Northwest.

Domaine Sainte Anne was the second white, an organic Sauv Blanc with a bit more tang than the first.
The flight of whites ended with the Pezat Bordeaux Blanc Sec. This is a Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon blend with a unique dry finish and minerally taste. Our favorite of the whites and very reasonably priced at $16.99.
The reds began with Chateau Naujan Lapereyre Bordeaux Superieur. This apparently falls a notch below the other Bordeaux in terms of the French wine law rankings. However, it is a nice round wine that opened up very well.

The Chateau Longues Reges is an 85% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc blend with a puckery taste. The Lafite Rothschild is a merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon blend with delightful layers of light cherry.

Our favorite of the reds was the Chateau de Respide Graves a two-thirds Merlot, one-third Cabernet Sauvignon blend that hit all the right notes with elegance and complexity. All the Bordeaux are very affordable and this is no exception, being $24.99 for a wonderful wine.

By way of contract, Matt offered a 2007 Alexandria Nicole Gravity from the Destiny Ridge Vineyard in Horse Heaven Hills, Washington. Alexandria Nicole Cellars is devoted to producing small lot high quality wines. Gravity  is a blend of Merlot, Malbec and Carmenere that is truly beautiful. The flavor was markedly different than the Bordeaux with tastes of blackberry, blueberry and a slight oakiness. From anywhere in the area, this is worth a drive to pick up a bottle at only $23.99.

As a bonus (and in the Halloween spirit) we had a taste of Cabzilla. Apparently the label, which features a wine swilling Godzilla cartoon, had triggered lawsuits. The wine is made from secondary grapes, but has a monster-sized Cab taste.

Don’t be put off by the name – the Beer & Wine Cave does a great wine tasting (beer too) and offers a unique selection of fine wines.

Technorati Tags: Wine Tasting,Merlot,Bordeaux,Toledo

New Wine Bar Opens November 4

The long awaited opening of the newest wine bar in town has arrived.

Vino 100 Wine Bar and Lounge, 3355 Briarfield Blvd., Maumee, will open at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, November 4.
Vino 100 will offer a diverse selection of wines, craft beers and artisan cocktails in a comfortable environment. Interns from Owens Community College Culinary Arts Program will provide a menu of small plates featuring many local, organic and natural ingredients.

Vino 100 Wine Bar & Lounge will offer a full calendar of special events, from wine dinners, to cooking classes to entertainment featuring local musical talents. They will also showcase the works of local artists; all artwork on display will be offered for sale at the end of the showing.

For more information, please call 419.866.8466.

del.icio.us Tags: vino 100,wine

Wine Tastings & Events: Week of Nov. 2, 2009.

Wednesday, November 4 
 Beer and Wine Cave, 4400 Heatherdowns, (419) 382-6221. 6-8 PM, Port and Dessert Wines. $15.

Thursday, November 5
The Andersons. Wine Tasting. Maumee 5-7 PM.

The Andersons at Talmadge 6-8 PM. Nominal fee.

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

Corks Wine and Liquor, Promenade Plaza, 27250 Crossroads Pkwy., Rossford – (419) 872-6800.  No tasting this week. Mike is out of town.
Vino 100, Promenade West, 3355 Briarfield Blvd., Suite D, Maumee – (419) 866-8466. Samplings consist of four designated 2 oz. pours. The wines range in price anywhere from $8-$25. The cost of the tasting is $2 with a purchase, or $5 without. 5-9 PM.

Friday, November 6  
Aficionado Wine and Cigars, The Shoppes at RiverPlace, 26567 N. Dixie Highway, Suite 135, Perrysburg, (419-873-4444). Winery of the Month "Franciscan" 1. Chardonnay, 2. Merlot, 3. Cabernet Sauvignon, 4. Magnificat. $10 tasting.

Corks Wine and Liquor, Promenade Plaza, 27250 Crossroads Pkwy., Rossford – (419) 872-6800. No tasting this week. Mike's out of town.

Vino 100, Promenade West, 3355 Briarfield Blvd., Suite C, Maumee – (419) 866-8466. Samplings consist of four designated 2 oz. pours. The wines range in price anywhere from $8-$25. The cost of the tasting is $2 with a purchase, or $5 without. 5-9 PM.

Saturday, November 7 
** Special Events ** Mobile Meals Wine Gala will be held Saturday, November 7, at the Stranahan Great Hall in Toledo. The event will begin at 6 p.m. with wine tasting from 14 area distributors and appetizers followed by a sit-down dinner. After dinner, the live auction begins which features more than 30 groupings of wine -- some from private cellars. A silent auction will take place throughout the evening. Wrapping up the evening, there will be dancing to the tunes of the band Touched. Tickets are $125 and patron tickets are $150. The event is black tie optional.If you wish to attend, please call Carolyn at (419) 255-7806 or visit the Mobile Meals Web site.

Aficionado Wine and Cigars, The Shoppes at RiverPlace, 26567 N. Dixie Highway, Suite 135, Perrysburg, (419-873-4444) Winery of the Month "Franciscan" 1. Chardonnay, 2. Merlot, 3. Cabernet Sauvignon, 4. Magnificat. $10 tasting.


Vino 100, Promenade West, 3355 Briarfield Blvd., Suite C, Maumee – (419) 866-8466. Samplings consist of four designated 2 oz. pours. The wines range in price anywhere from $8-$25. The cost of the tasting is $2 with a purchase, or $5 without. 5-9 PM.

Walt Churchill’s Market, 3320 Briarfield. Maumee, (419) 794-4000—Super Tuscans and non-traditional Italian wines.
Noon to 5 PM.
 

Technorati Tags: wine tasting,Toledo,Maumee,Perrysburg,Rossford

Cat in the Hat Wine Dinner Nov. 9

A specially themed Cat in the Hat dinner and wine tasting to benefit the Toledo Area Humane Society will be held 6:30 to 9 PM  on Monday, November 9, at Sebastiano’s Italian Restaurant, 4448 Heatherdowns Blvd., Toledo.
Tickets are $50 per person and seating is limited. The dinner includes a five-course Italian dinner, four wine, live entertainment, a photo booth, raffle prizes and more.
All money raised benefits the animals of the Toledo Area Humane Society. For tickets call Patty Geld at (419) 482-7101 or order online from TAHS.

Technorati Tags: wine Tasting,toledo

Photo by Yasuhiro