TWAV Tasting Features Great Wines and New Friends

Corks Wine & Liquor in Rossford was the scene of Toledo Wines and Vines first public wine tasting on Thursday and Friday, August 12 and 13. TWAV picked the wines along with the expert help of Cork's wine manager Mike Gregg.

The line-ups both nights featured top wines from the great wine growing regions of the world. Thursday's line had two whites: Anne Amie '09 Muller Thurgau and Hugel Gentil '07. The four reds were Cascade Cliffs Goat Head Red NV, Las Rocas Vinas Viejas (a great old vines Garnacha), Ampelos Syrache and Seghesio Barolo Vilgneto La Villa '05. The bonus wine was a beautiful Penner-Ash Willamette Valley Pinot Noir.

The Anne Amie Muller Thurgau was a clear crowd favorite both nights. With a clean, crisp yet elegant taste, it was a perfect sipper for days that sent the mercury above 85 degrees. Barolo batted clean-up both nights with the Seghesio Barolo the top red pick on Thursday and a 2003 Batasiolo Barolo nabbed top honors on Friday. Mike is preparing special shelf talkers to announce the TWAV top picks on the store displays.

On Friday we shuffled the deck a bit in light of the availability of the wine and to spice things up. As our second white we added a nice 2009 Chateau Lamothe white Bordeaux, a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. We kept an Ampelos in the lineup, but switched to their 2005 Pinot Noir -- this is a fuller bodied Pinot with an elegant fruit finish. For our Friday Washington wine we went with the Gilbert Cellars Allabroges 2006. This is a classic Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre blend. This is a delicious blend with an amazing finish.

The crowd was truly blown away by the bonus wine: a 2007 Alain Jaume Châteauneuf-du-Pape. As Spiderman would say, "This is the real deal."

Corks was overflowing on Friday night and the crowd appreciated the special appetizer and superb wine selections. Glorious T did an outstanding job with photography -- check out her photos on our Facebook page.

We wanted to share some of our favorite wines, introduce our friends to Corks, and get the word out about our blog. As George W. would say, "Mission Accomplished!" Thanks to Mike for his help and all those who turned out.

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Satek Winery Wins Indiana Wine of the Year

Satek Winery of Fremont won the Indiana Wine of the Year title for its 2008 Kreibaum Bay Vidal Blanc Ice Wine at the annual INDY International Wine Competition, which was held recently at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. Satek Winery also garnered three Double Gold medals for its Blackberry, 101 Lakes White, and for the Kreibaum Bay Vidal Blanc Ice Wine.

Other medals awarded for Satek wines include Kreibaum Bay Port, 2008 (Gold); Kreibaum Bay Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, 2007, (Silver); Chardonnay, 2009, (Silver); Larry’s Luscious Dry Red Wine, 2009 (Silver); Soren’s Favorite, 2008 (Silver); Seyval Blanc, 2009 (Silver); Kreibaum Bay Steuben Dessert Wine, 2008 (Silver); Traminette, 2009 (Silver); Cabernet Sauvignon, 2008 (Bronze); 101 Lakes Red (Bronze); DeChaunac, 2009 (Bronze); Mango Mania (Bronze); Merlot (Bronze); and Pam’s Perfect Little Red Wine (Bronze).

The INDY International Wine Competition was held August 4-6 at Purdue University, and winning medals at this show is no small feat. The INDY is the largest independent and scientifically organized wine competition in the United States. Panels of experts and amateurs from around the world conduct a blind judging to choose the winners. This year nearly 2700 commercial entries came from 15 countries and 39 U.S. states. More than 50 wine industry professionals were selected to judge, including winemakers, wine writers, sommeliers, enologists, wine grape growers, chefs, wine distributors, and wine retailers.

Pam and Larry Satek opened Satek Winery in the summer of 2001. This year, the Fremont, Indiana winery will produce approximately 95,000 bottles of wine, with more than 30 varieties. They are open 7 days a week, with free tasting, from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Photo: Awards table at Indy International Wine Competition

Wine List: Toledo Wines and Vines Tasting at At Corks August 12 -13 -- Don't Miss This One!

Here it is. We've put our heads together with wine manager Mike Gregg and have a great lineup for our first public wine tasting, to be held 6:00 to 9:00 PM Thursday and Friday, August 12 and 13, at Corks Wine & Liquor,Promenade Plaza, 27250 Crossroads Pkwy., Rossford – (419) 872-6800. There may be a couple changes for Friday to make it a lucky Friday the 13th.

Anne Amie ‘09 Muller-Thurgau (Oregon) - Crisp, fresh, and dry.  From chicken to shellfish, this wine is a versatile match for mildly spicy foods like Thai, Creole, or Mexican. Thomas Houseman, the winemaker for Anne Amie, visited the Toledo Museum of Art for a winetasting. We were excited to try their Pinot Noirs (for which they are well known), but Thomas said his favorite was the the white Muller-Thurgau. We were knocked out by it.


Hugel Gentil ‘07 (Germany) — This wine revives an ancient Alsace tradition that wines assembled from noble grape varieties were called "Gentil". Gentil "Hugel" allies the suave, spicy flavour of Gewurztraminer, the body of Pinot Gris, the finesse of Riesling, the grapiness of Muscat and the refreshing character of Sylvaner. This is an outstanding blend of Alsacian whites we sampled a few months ago.

Cascade Cliffs Goat Head Red NV (Washington) — A blend of Merlot, Pinot Noir, Cabernet, Nebbiolo, Zinfandel and Barbera. Named after a goat that used to wonder the cliffs above the vineyard this easy drinking red wine is designed to enjoy without deliberation. Light and fruity with a clean finish. It's a pizza, pasta, burger wine! OK, we love Washington wines. This is a very tasty red we tried at a previous Corks tasting.

Las Rocas Vinas Viejas ‘07 (Spain) — 100% Old Vine Garnacha (minimum of 45-year-old). Polished, elegant and layered with lush fruit. Aged in American and French oak. We were rocked by the Las Rocas Garnacha -- now Mike is breaking out the special reserve Garnacha. The older the vines the more we like.

Ampelos Syrache ‘06 (California) — Syrah, Grenache blend full of bright fruit flavors, especially cherried. Perfectly balanced with acidity and tannins and notes of earthiness and pepper. Two of our tasting team members sampled Ampelos wines at a special VIP tasting and then shared some samples with the rest of the crew. We love Ampelos and this is a cool blend.

Seghesio Barolo Viigneto La Villa ‘05 (Italy) — What a beautiful nose, with flowers, licorice, ripe fruit and fresh leather. Full-bodied, with velvety tannins and a wonderful ripeness of fruit, yet this is balanced and structured. Very polished. We were introduced to Barolo at a Corks tasting and fell in love with the king of Italian wines. This is liquid elegance.

See you at Corks!

Photo by Robert Donovan

Mid-Summer Night's Dream: Washington Wine Tasting

As the simmering month of July wound down, it was high time to gather the crew for a special tasting to sample a selection of wines from the recent trip to Washington State – along with some tasty selections from elsewhere.

The lineup:

• J. Trees Cellars 2008 Dry Riesling, Michigan
• Peconic Bay 2007 Chardonnay “La Barrique',” North Fork of Long Island
• Thurston Wolfe 2007 Doctor Wolfe’s Family Red, Washington
• OS Winery 2008 Cabernet Franc, Champoux Vineyard, Horse Heaven Hills, Washington
• Gilbert Cellars 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon, Wahluke Slope, Washington
• Alexandria Nicole 2007 Jet Black Syrah, Columbia Valley, Washington
• Alamos 2007 Malbec Seleccion, Mendoza Valley, Argentina

We served the J. Trees Cellars as a mystery glass to SaxMan and Wine Chic, the first arrivers and the area experts on Rieslings and dry whites. Their impression was very favorable. Green Dragon and I enjoy Dry Riesling as well so this minerally, acidic wine hit the right note with us. Glorious T, more of a smooth red drinker, found it a bit too acidic.

The La Barrique Chardonnay from Peconic Bay is a tasty, lightly oaked Chardonnay. This is a quality Chard from Long Island.

The Thurston Wolfe Family Red is a great blend with 64% Primitivo. One of our tasters called it “husky” while Green Dragon called it big in the mouth. It had a smoky flavor that had one guest calling for a cigar.

For the reds we used the Vinturi aerator plus served it in a decanter. I found a rather odd piece of glassware at a church rummage sale. It is like a giant goblet, but with a little pinched lip for easy pouring. After trying to figure out what it was, one day I poured in a bottle of wine and found it fit easily. We dubbed it the “bird of paradise” decanter and gave it its first workout at this tasting.

The OS Cabernet Franc, from the funny sounding Champoux Vineyard (very cleansing) was smoky with a fruit aroma. It had a bit of pepper. The finish was quick, but then resurfaced. Enjoyable, but this would benefit from additional aging.

The Gilbert Cellars Cab is a sophisticated wine with layers that shift and change as the wine opens up and as you sip. It opens with a taste that is earthy and tannic, but then became mellow for a smooth finish. This was a great match for our chocolate from Madagascar. Several of the tasting team picked this as the top red.

The Jet Black from Alexandria Nicole is a smoothly made Syrah. Its inky color creates an aura of mystery and allure. There is a touch of tobacco with dark berries. My favorite for the evening.

The Bird of Paradise decanter continued flying well into the late evening while the group enjoyed conversation and the flicker of a fire pit and tiki torches. Spiderman wasn’t ready to call it a night and Wine Chic suggested Malbec.

A quick trip to the cellar produced a 2007 Alamos Seleccion. The grapes are hand selected from the La Consulta cool climate district which lies close to the Andes Mountains. Boom! This was a hit with Glorious T. It is fruit forward, easy on palate with flavor notes of rich, red fruit. This is a crowd pleaser and was a great way to finish the evening.

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Wine Tastings & Events: Week of August 9, 2010

Wednesday, August 11Anderson's Market, Sylvania, Wine Tasting. 6-8:00 PM. Sherry: See why Sherry is considered to be one of the unknown treasures of the wine world. 1. Pedro Romero Fino, 2. Pedro Romero Amontillado, 3. Pedro Romero Oloroso, 4. Pedro Romero Pedro Ximenez.  Flight $8.

Beer and Wine Cave, 4400 Heatherdowns, (419) 382-6221. 6-8 PM. The Earl of Sandwich Tasting, European Wines and English Pub Style Beers paired up with sandwiches from Zoup Restaurant. $15. 

Thursday, August 12

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

Image of Château de Vaugelas via SnoothMaumee: Barefoot Wines of California: 1. Pinot Grigio, 2. Moscato, 3. White Zinfandel, 4. Sweet Red. $4 flight. 

The Andersons, Talmadge Road. “The Stacks Ma’am, Only the Stacks” Our favorite wines from the best selling stacks.(With our regrets to Dragnet, but you can hum the theme while tasting). 1. Thurston Wolfe White, Washington. 2. Thurston Wolfe Red, Washington, 3. Kris Pinot Grigio, Italy, 4. Le Lapin Speedbump Red,  California, 5. Chateau de Vaugelas Corbieres, France, 6. Liberty School Cuvee, California, 7. Don Vino Cabernet, California, 8. Von Wilhelm Haus Riesling Auslese, Germany.

Beer and Wine Cave, 4400 Heatherdowns, (419) 382-6221. 6-8 PM. The Earl of Sandwich Tasting, European Wines and English Pub Style Beers paired up with sandwiches from Zoup Restaurant. $15.
 

Special Event: Corks Wine and Liquor, Promenade Plaza, 27250 Crossroads Pkwy., Rossford – (419) 872-6800. 6-9 PM. Toledo Wines and Vines: So there's a little blog out there on the internet that's been winning all kinds of awards lately. Perhaps you've heard of Toledo Wines and Vines, perhaps you haven't. Either way, check it out. Perhaps you know the guy that runs it, Dave Nershi. an avid local wine enthusiast. Anyway, here at Corks we love what Dave is doing and support his passion 100%. To show it, we'll dedicate this week's tasting to TWAV, and open up some of their favorites. $1 to $3 per sample.

Manhattan’s Restaurant, 1516 Adams Street, Toledo. Wine Tasting with Uptown Vineyard. 6:30 PM. $15. Five wines and appetizers. In Union Square room. Reservations required. E-mail info@uptownvineyard.com or call (866) 276-1984.

Friday, August 13

Special Event: Wine by the Glass Pavilion, Toledo Museum of Art. 7:00 – 9:30 PM. Drop-in wine tasting: Wines for Your Cellar. Enjoy four wines, light snacks and a view of the Glass Pavilion Hot Shop. $15 members, $20 non-members.

Aficionado Wine and Cigars, The Shoppes at RiverPlace, 26567 N. Dixie Highway, Suite 135, Perrysburg, (419-873-4444). 5:00 – 8:30 p.m. Spain & Portugal Wines: 1. Arca Nova Vinho Verde, 2. Raimat Albarino, 3. Altos de Luzon, 4. Can Blau. $10 tasting.

Special Event: Corks Wine and Liquor, Promenade Plaza, 27250 Crossroads Pkwy., Rossford – (419) 872-6800. 6-9 PM. Toledo Wines and Vines: So there's a little blog out there on the internet that's been winning all kinds of awards lately. Perhaps you've heard of Toledo Wines and Vines, perhaps you haven't. Either way, check it out. Perhaps you know the guy that runs it, Dave Nershi. an avid local wine enthusiast. Anyway, here at Corks we love what Dave is doing and support his passion 100%. To show it, we'll dedicate this week's tasting to TWAV, and open up some of their favorites. $1 to $3 per sample.

Saturday, August 14
Aficionado Wine and Cigars, The Shoppes at RiverPlace, 26567 N. Dixie Highway, Suite 135, Perrysburg, (419-873-4444). 5:00 – 8:30 p.m. Spain & Portugal Wines: 1. Arca Nova Vinho Verde, 2. Raimat Albarino, 3. Altos de Luzon, 4. Can Blau. $10 tasting.

The Andersons, Woodville, Wine Tasting. 1-3 PM. Saturday tasting: 1. Mark West Pinot Noir, 2. Menage White, 3. Menage Red, 4. Canyon Oaks Moscato. Nominal fee per sample or $1.75 per flight.

Walt Churchill’s Market, 3320 Briarfield. Maumee, (419) 794-4000. Noon to 5:00 p.m. Pay by the sample or flight.

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

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Judging the 2010 Indy International Wine Competition

The wine bottles stretched as far as the eye could see. For a wine lover, this was Xanadu, Shangrila or Valhalla. This was the Pit Cru room of the Indy International Wine Competition for which I was serving as guest judge. The competition, held on the campus of Purdue Univeristy, is the largest scientifically organized and independent wine competition in the U.S. There were 2,637 entries from 40 states and 14 countries.

After surveying the Pit Cru room, where more than 70 volunteers help prepare the wines for the judges and work behind the scenes, Jeannette Merritt, marketing director for the Indiana Wine Grape Council, brought me into the judging room to meet the rest of the panel members. There are more than 50 judges tasting about 120 wines a day to select the best of the best.

I served in judging panel 9. As a guest judge, I participating in the tastings and shared my scoring on each glass, but my verdict on each wine didn't count in the official tally.

Serving on the panel were Tina Caputo, editor-in-chief of Vineyard & Winery Management magazine, Stephen Somermeyer, assistant winemaker at Chataeu Thomas Winery, Michael Pyle, vice president of National Wine & Spirits and Bill Whiting, director of wine education for Banfi winery. This was a great panel with a wide range of palates.

All judges were garbed in white lab coats, setting the professional atmosphere for the event. The head judge had a trio of flags for him or her to raise to indicate finishing a flight or needing help. The Pit Cru would roll in a cart with the wine glasses and clear the previous round. We were also kept supplied with water, crackers, cheese and olives as well as San-Tasti, which is a palate cleansing drink that's a bit like club soda.

My first flight was 10 different Pinot Noir samples. This is a blind judging, so glasses were marked with an entry number and each flight also had a number. We filled out a scoresheet for each flight using a 20-point scale. The judging scale is as follows:

• 
  
  Clarity 0-1
• 
  
  Color 0-2
• 
  
  Aroma 0-7
• 
  
  Taste 0-5
• 
  
  Aftertaste 0-3
• 
  
  Overall 0-1

Scores for medals were 18-20 gold, 15-17 silver and 12-14 bronze. If one judge rated a wine "no medal" it was not eligible to receive one -- even if the other judges rated it highly. There were several situations where a wine was on the bubble and a retasting and discussion resulted in a slight shift in the score.

During my judging appearance, I tasted 50 different wines. My strategy was to take a "micro-sip" and then taking a larger drink which I then spit out. I found that spitting alone didn't let me evaluate the finish properly. I sat in on the deliberations for Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sherry, Chardonnay, Niagara and Red French- American Blends. I opted to pass on the berry wines (although I did swirl and smell them) and left before the tasting of the Concord wines.

Before we tasted each round, Stephen would give us the vintage year as well as the residual sugar percentage for each sample.

Wine judging seems to be a bit like art appreciation. Some artworks are so great that they transcend genres and everyone agrees they are masterpieces. However, some people dislike modern art or may be enamored of photorealism. Judging the Niagara was tough for me because, in general, I don't think this type wine is medal-worthy -- it's sweet and has the foxy flavor of the labrusca wines found around Lake Erie. In short, I just don't like them.

My judging scores were usually in sych with at least one other judge on the panel for each entry. My trips to the Finger Lakes and around Ohio have given me an appreciation for the French American hybrid grapes, but they weren't finding much "love" from the other judges. One entry was a Frontenac and Marechal Foch combination that I thought was great. My scoring in general was pretty low for most entries, but I'm a sucker for Marachal Foch and this was the only wine I rated high enough for a gold. However, one judge was of the strong opinion that no medal should be awarded.

I think that is the beauty of the judging panel, no one style preference rules and concensus usually involves discussion and retasting. Some of the wine samples were just bummers. One judge quipped, "This wine owes me an apology." We did encounter a few "corked" bottles where we sent back for another pour. The best wines from each judging panel are then combined to select the "best of the best" in the second day of judging.

My wife immediately looks for medals when she selects a wine to sample at a winery. This judging experience really opened my eyes to the effort it takes to put on a major judging event and to the careful consideration judges give to their work. All in all, I rate it a 20 with a double-gold!

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Tuscany Wine Dinner Slated August 11 at Vino 100

Image via Wikipedia

A Tuscan Wine Dinner is scheduled 7:00 PM Wednesday, August 11, at Vino 100, 3355 Briarfield  Boulevard, Maumee, (419) 866-8466.Gianni Vanni, founder of Undiscovered Tuscany LLC tours, will host the wine dinner. Gianni was born in Florence and raised in Pisa, Italy, and has relocated with his family to Waterville, Ohio. Born with a passion for the wine of his native region, he will offer a unique perspective on life and travel in Tuscany through discussion of his customized tours.

Here is what will be served for the wine dinner:

Appetizer: Pan-roasted prawns with white beans, tomatoes, and basil.
Salad: Farro salad with cherry tomatoes and fresh mozzarella.
1st Entree: Fishermen's Risotto with Pescadores sauce.
2nd Entree: Beef Medallion with baked polenta and a Merlot sauce.
Desert: Almond Biscotti.

Wines: 2008 Giuggiolo Bianaco IGT (White), 2008 Morellino Di Scansano-Moris, 2005 Villa Calcinaia Chianti Classico, 2003 Petrognanao Super Tuscan, 2003 Vin Santo del Chianti.

Cost of the wine dinner is $50 per person including tax. RSVP Required. Please call (419 )866-8466.

TWAV Invites You To Our First Public Wine Tasting August 12 & 13

Can't make it to Colorado for the Aspen Food and Wine Classic? Economy cut short your flight to Paris?

No worries.

The hottest wine tasting will be taking place right in your own backyard as Toledo Wines and Vines takes over Corks Wine & Liquor, Promenade Plaza, 27250 Crossroads Pkwy., Rossford, (419) 872-6800, on Thursday and Friday, August 12 and 13, from 6:00 to 9:00 PM, for its first public wine tasting.

We're busting out a special selection of  favorite red and white wines chosen by the TWAV tasting team with the help of a nervous Corks wine manager Mike Gregg.

Corks has a great selection of wine and an excellent set-up for wine tastings. Mike often rolls movies on the flat panel screen that tie in with the theme of the tasting. The tastings run from $1 to $3 per sample and you can try the whole flight or just selected samples.There are no rules for this tasting -- only wine that rocks.

You'll have a chance to chat with members of our tasting team and you can share any suggestions or comments you have about the blog (while enjoying some outstanding wine).

Be a part of history -- or maybe infamy -- at the first Toledo Wines and Vines wine tasting at Corks!

Photo by Jenny Downing

  

GrREAT Wine: The GaREAT Spring Wine Fest Revisited

Toledo Wines and Vines is fortunate to have a very talented tasting team including Stephanie and Patrick Wise. Stephanie's hectic schedule finally slowed down enough for her to submit this dispatch on the GaREAT wine festival held in May. Enjoy!

Substituting for Captain Vino and Green Dragon, Wine Chic and SaxMan once again set out on a wine tasting adventure, this time to Geneva, Ohio, where the Ohio Wine Producers Association sponsored a fundraiser for the GaREAT Sports Complex, an indoor athletic facility. Wineries from the Ohio region (predominately Northeast and Northcentral Ohio) showcased their wines to those visitors new to wine tasting and those (like us) looking for that new favorite.

Most of the wines were of the sweeter variety; the vintners hoping to lure in those unfamiliar palates and entice them with the sweetness of what Ohio wines have to offer. However, some wineries brought their semi-dry to dry selections as well, displaying a full continuum of flavors, body and sweetness. The grapes, though most not native to the region, are grown locally and harvested by the wineries themselves.

Although most of the wines we tasted were good, our palates tend to the dry side. We found our favorites that day in the following four wineries: Chaeau Debonne, Firelands Winery, Ferrante, and Maize Winery. Maize Winery is recent to the Ohio wine scene as of 2005 and was a pleasant surprise with their Traminette. Of course, the others are old favorites. Most of the wines are available in local wine and grocery stores.

For more information about Ohio Wines and the Ohio Wine Producers Association, go to http://www.ohiowines.org/. For information about the GaREAT Sports Complex, go to http://www.gareat.org/.

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