Photo by Cornelia Kopp
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Saturday, December 25, 2010
Friday, December 24, 2010
Ohio Winery Photo Contest Can Earn You Sweet Prize
Planning to visit Ohio wineries this holiday season? If so, be sure to take your camera and put 
Image via WikipediaPhotos may depict any aspect of your Ohio winery and wine experience, including the scenic vineyards, fun tasting rooms, your family and friends enjoying their favorite Ohio wines during holiday get togethers . . . the possibilities are endless.
The top five photographers will receive a gift basket filled with Ohio food and wine, valued at $100. If you have questions, please contact the Ohio Grape Industries Committee at (614) 728-6438. The OGIC has downloadable turn-by-turn directions to Ohio's more than 150 wineries at http://www.ohiowinesonthego.com/. That will make it easier to get out, try some wine and snap some photos,
Click below for a list of rules and the entry form.
2011 Ohio Wines Photo Contest Rules
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Niagara Peninsula Winery Visit: Featherstone Winery & Vineyard
Another in our series of reports on Niagara, Ontario, wineries.
Featherstone Winery & Vineyard is an eco-friendly estate in the Twenty Mile Bench appellation in the Niagara Peninsula area of Ontario.
The winery first came to my attention when they announced they would be doing a red-tailed hawk release at the property along with the release of one of their wines. We featured the story on the blog and there was a lot of interest in it. I wanted to be sure we visited Featherstone during our whirlwind tour of the Niagara area.
Another appealing aspect of the wine is that it controls its vineyard from soil to air. Flocks of birds and resident birds can cause damage to a crop, which can lead to other problems (insects and rot). To help control this, co-owner Louise Engel, a licensed falconer, flies a Harris Hawk in the vineyard.
We had a long day of travel from Ohio and were wrapping up an extended string of winery visits, causing us to arrive about 15 minutes before the tasting room closed. The grounds were beautiful with the focal point being the large white house with a spacious wrap around veranda that hosts meals and wine events.
The tasting team scooted inside the compact tasting room bar. Unfortunately, the arrival of our group at the 11th hour didn’t light up the face of the tasting room attendant. Perhaps she had an important engagement elsewhere, but it seemed like we were more of an inconvenience than a welcome development.
Nevertheless, we began sampling the goods. I started with the Estate Series 2007 Pinot Noir from the St. David’s Bench appellation. This was a light Pinot with mild tannins and a bit of tanginess. I rated it as OK, but not stellar.
The 2008 Red Tailed Merlot was a bit better with a smooth and dry fruitiness. Also sampled was the 2009 Cabernet Franc. This had a bit of smokiness to it. The wines didn’t seem inspired, but we may have been suffering from palate fatigue and high expectations.
This was the last winery in the Niagara Escarpment area we planned to visit before travelling to Niagara Falls and then a visit to Niagara-on-the-Lake. The tasting room attendant was watching the clock and didn’t seem likely to pull out a special bottle and spin entertaining yarns, so we headed to our car.
Featherstone is doing some interesting things. On this day we weren’t knocked out by the wines – but that could have been due to our later arrival and our long day. This is a unique winery we plan to visit again when we can spend more time.
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| Featherstone is known for their eco-friendly habits. |
The winery first came to my attention when they announced they would be doing a red-tailed hawk release at the property along with the release of one of their wines. We featured the story on the blog and there was a lot of interest in it. I wanted to be sure we visited Featherstone during our whirlwind tour of the Niagara area.
Another appealing aspect of the wine is that it controls its vineyard from soil to air. Flocks of birds and resident birds can cause damage to a crop, which can lead to other problems (insects and rot). To help control this, co-owner Louise Engel, a licensed falconer, flies a Harris Hawk in the vineyard.
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| Scenic grounds of Featherstone |
The tasting team scooted inside the compact tasting room bar. Unfortunately, the arrival of our group at the 11th hour didn’t light up the face of the tasting room attendant. Perhaps she had an important engagement elsewhere, but it seemed like we were more of an inconvenience than a welcome development.
Nevertheless, we began sampling the goods. I started with the Estate Series 2007 Pinot Noir from the St. David’s Bench appellation. This was a light Pinot with mild tannins and a bit of tanginess. I rated it as OK, but not stellar.
The 2008 Red Tailed Merlot was a bit better with a smooth and dry fruitiness. Also sampled was the 2009 Cabernet Franc. This had a bit of smokiness to it. The wines didn’t seem inspired, but we may have been suffering from palate fatigue and high expectations.
Featherstone is doing some interesting things. On this day we weren’t knocked out by the wines – but that could have been due to our later arrival and our long day. This is a unique winery we plan to visit again when we can spend more time.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Wine Tastings & Events: December 22-23, 2010
Wednesday, December 22
Beer and Wine Cave, 4400 Heatherdowns, (419) 382-6221. 6-9 PM. Stocking Stuffer Wines. $15.
Thursday, December 23
Beer and Wine Cave, 4400 Heatherdowns, (419) 382-6221. 6-9 PM. Stocking Stuffer Wines. $15.
Corks Wine and Liquor, Promenade Plaza, 27250 Crossroads Pkwy., Rossford – (419) 872-6800. 6-9 PM. A Fistful of Dollops. It's December in Ohio...deal with it. I say, "Break out the dessert wines!" No super-sugary-syrup here, just world-class wines guaranteed to make you rethink this often overlooked group. Don't fret naysayers - there will be a few dry reds and whites open as well.
Friday, December 24
The Andersons, Sylvania, Wine Tasting. 6-8 PM. Just Great Wines: The first two wines will be a blind white wine showdown…It shall be a battle for the ages. Blind Wine #1, Blind Wine #2, 3. Gilbert Petit Verdot, 4. Bauer Haus Dornfelder. Nominal fee or $9 for flight.
Beer and Wine Cave, 4400 Heatherdowns, (419) 382-6221. 6-9 PM. Stocking Stuffer Wines. $15.
Thursday, December 23
The Andersons, Maumee, Wine Tasting. 5-7 PM. Bordeaux (and friends). High end tasting. 1. 2002 Cheval des Andes, Red, 2. 2005 Chateau Bourgneuf (Pomerol), 3. 2005 Clos du Marquis (St. Julien-made by Chateau Léoville Las-Cases), 4. 2005 Chateau Calon-Segur (St. Estephe). $22 per flight or nominal fee per sample.
The Andersons, Talmadge Road. No tasting.
Beer and Wine Cave, 4400 Heatherdowns, (419) 382-6221. 6-9 PM. Stocking Stuffer Wines. $15.
Corks Wine and Liquor, Promenade Plaza, 27250 Crossroads Pkwy., Rossford – (419) 872-6800. 6-9 PM. A Fistful of Dollops. It's December in Ohio...deal with it. I say, "Break out the dessert wines!" No super-sugary-syrup here, just world-class wines guaranteed to make you rethink this often overlooked group. Don't fret naysayers - there will be a few dry reds and whites open as well.
Nominal fee per sample.
Friday, December 24
Christmas Eve – No tastings.
[Information on tastings can be sent to TWAV@ATT.NET.]
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
P.F. Chang's Vineyard 518 Sauvignon Blanc
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| P.F. Chang's private label is tasteworthy and green. |
Even though it was Monday, I thought the Christmas shoppers would cause us another long delay.
The Dragon must be a sign of good fortune because even though we were told that we couldn’t get a table until an hour after we wanted, we showed up early and slid right in.
We had been tipped off to try some of P.F. Chang’s special wine label. VINEYARD 518, is a new label of handcrafted wines produced exclusively for the restaurant. It was launched on May 18 (5/18) 2010. The number 518 is considered to be a lucky one for the Chinese.
The wine is created in partnership with Wattle Creek Winery, a family-owned estate in Mendocino. The wines are sustainably grown and harvested.
VINEYARD 518 wines are stored in a 10-liter recyclable container that holds more wine than an entire case of bottles. The lighter packaging, approximately half the weight of a traditional case of wine, reduces the carbon footprint during the shipping process, making it a more environmentally-conscious product. The box itself is created from post-consumer cardboard and both the plastic bag insert and box are fully recyclable.
The fruit for VINEYARD 518 comes from the Yorkville Highlands appellation in Mendocino, a high altitude, coastal growing region. The first two varietals available under the VINEYARD 518 label are a Sauvignon Blanc and a Syrah Blend.
Green Dragon went for Sichuan from the Sea, a shrimp dish with a spicy red chili and pepper sauce and I got the sweet and sour pork. We opened up with the chicken lettuce wraps. To go with our meal we tried the Sauvignon Blanc. The wine is crisp with citrus flavor notes in a New Zealand style. It’s very refreshing.This was a nice pick as it took the bite out of the spicy shrimp.
At one point I put a few dashes of a spicy chili sauce on my lettuce wrap. I boldly crunched away until I took a bite that unleashed an inferno in my mouth. Through the Sauvignon Blanc and some ice water I was able to get my voice back and enjoy a delectable meal.
The 518 wine is only $4 a glass, so it is a great deal for a pleasing wine that matches well with the Asian cuisine. The wine is easy on the environment and got the seal of approval from the birthday girl. P.F. Chang’s also has a varied wine list with a good selection of wines by the glass. We look forward to trying the Syrah during our next visit.
Technorati Tags: wine
Monday, December 20, 2010
Artificial Ice Wine: No Thanks! I'd Rather Freeze
Margarine. Turkey bacon. Sugar substitute. Reduced fat ice cream.
Image via WikipediaThe latest assault on real food is artificial ice wine. I must declare up front that I'm not a big fan of sweet wines. However, there is something elegant and special about ice wine.
Ice wine is made from grapes that are allowed to freeze on the vine. Timing is everything with the production of this delecacy. Across Ohio, Michigan and Ontario hearty bands of winery workers and volunteers help harvest the grapes that are used in the production of one of the most expensive dessert wines.
Making ice wine is a risky proposition bevcause a slight variation in temerpature can doom an entire crop. If a winemaker is successful, the ice wine is like liquid gold. The wine is typically sold in half bottles and can range from $35 to more than $75.
According to a recent Associated Press story, some winemakers are now harvesting the grapes earlier in the fall and simulating winter conditions in a freezer. This, they say, allows for a lower price product and one that is more consistent. Others are aghast.
A good quality Riesling ice wine from New York can cost $75 to $100, while the artificial version would run about $50.
I was surprised to learn that Glenora Wine Cellars, an awesome Finger Lakes winery, offers an artificial ice wine (for $18). One of the coolest things about ice wine is that some poor soul had to go out at 5 AM into a frozen vineyard and harvest the grapes which then have to be pressed while still frozen. I love the whole terroir aspect of wine. You can actually taste the sun, wind, soil and the care of the winemaker as you sip a glass of wine from a particular area, say Walla Walla Washington. What can you say about artificial ice wine? "Wow, they did an awesome job adjusting the temperature of the freezer?"
This is like an artificial pearl. It might still glimmer, but it doesn't have the same soul as the treasure that is formed through the forces of nature. The natural process allows for variations in the temperature and differences in grapes in the cluster. We're talking about complexity versus a standardized commodity.
Ice wine is also a specialty of our region. If we have to put up with unbearably cold winters and seemingly unending steel-gray skies, at least we can get some recognition and enjoyment from ice wine. I don't want to walk into Giant Eagle one day and see the shelves stocked with mass produced ice wine from Modesto.
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