Vox Populi 2007 Pinot Noir Dealu Mare, Romania

And now for something completely different... a Pinot Noir from Romania.

We picked up this bottle of Vox Populi 2007 Pinot Noir from Anderson's for a meager $7.99. It was highly recommended by staff. I was in a rush to take in all of the bargains in the closeout section, which was stationed in the former area for Christmas decorations. I grabbed the nicely decorated bottle thinking that it was French.

When I opened it for an after dinner glass with Green Dragon I did a doubletake and saw it was from Romania.

The Vox is very European with a light body and translucent color. It is light and interesting in the mouth with flavors of raisins mixed with berries. On its own, it was an OK wine.

We uncorked it again the following night to go with a scrumptious meal of lamb, grilled asparagus and some country style potatoes. Normally we would have had a heartier wine to pair with this meal, but the Romanian Pinot held its own. The food mellowed the wine allowing us to enjoy delicate spirals of raspberry flavor we had missed the night before.

I must admit I previously knew nada about winemaking in Romania. Dealu Mare is a developing wine region. Almost all the wines produced there are red and about a third of the vineyards grow Pinot Noir. For geography buffs, the Dealu Mare area extends about 65 kilometers around the sub-Carpathian arch, ranging from Ploiesti to Buzau on the opposite side.

Apparently Romania is one of the few places in the world that is well suited to Pinot Noir, which has always been a winemaker’s dream or nightmare. One of the Romanian websites I viewed quipped that Cabernet Sauvignon was made by God and Pinot Noir was made by the devil. But Pinot is also considered by some to be the most romantic wine and the height of the winemaker's art.

Pinot Noir vines are well-suited to the gentle slopes of the Carpathian hills which have a cool morning mist which gives this wine its unique flavors, aromas and color. The bottle is also marked Domenii Franco-Romane, which indicates that the winegrowers there have been influenced by French winemaking tradition and methods.

Certainly worth checking out. I'll be on the look-out for other Romanian wines. They have a different approach and (at least based on Vox) are a good value.

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Technorati Tags: wine

J Trees Cellars Debuts In Ohio at TREO Restaurant Dinner February 8

 TREO restaurant, 5703 Main Street, Sylvania, (419) 882-2266, is introducing J. Trees Cellars wine to Ohio with a special wine dinner at 6 PM, Tuesday, February 8.


J. Trees Cellars wines will be
 featured at TREO.

 J. Trees is the newest winery in the area and its wines have won the praise of our tasting team. The winery is in Petersburg, Michigan, with a convenient tasting room in Blissfield. This is your opportunity to be among the first to sample these special wines.

For just $35 a person you can enjoy a three-course meal, with each course paired with one of J. Trees Cellars finest bottles of wine. Special guest will be owner and winemaker Jon Treloar, who will be present to talk about the wines including a 2008 Dry Riesling, a 2008 Chardonnay, and Fuji Ice Cider made with pressed apples from Beach House President Katrina Iott’s more than 90 acres of apple orchards and fields of tomatoes, cabbage and corn, known as Iott Orchards.

The Fuji Ice Cider is made with a process similar to icewine with the fruit being picked and pressed when it is frozen. This is a very special sweet treat. The wine is in high demand and with good reason.

The wine is available for purchase after the tasting and the pricing is very reasonable. When we visited the tasting room last summer we bought two bottles of the Dry Riesling.

TREO is a super restaurant with nice decor and a great menu. It has a comfortable yet upscale feel and a good location on Main Street in Sylvania. We enjoy dining there for there for special occasions or just an evening out. If you haven't eaten there before, you're in for a treat.

We're planning on being there and suggest you call now to book your reservation.

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Bevan Cellars 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon, Showket Vineyard, Oakville, David’s Cuvée

   A couple days ago I posted about my experience in Orlando with two spectacular Sine Qua Non wines. The setting was the glistening high-end restaurant Blue Zoo, operated by celebrity chef Todd English. The SQN 2007 Labels Syrah and 2007 Pictures Grenache were superlative -- but they were not on stage alone.

Our friend on the board of directors had decided to share three "treasure" wines. The final piece of the triumvirate was the Bevan Cellars 2008 David's Cuvee Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine had a special meaning for him because he is a friend of the winery owner and it shares his first name (mine too!).

This is a micro-release with only 175 cases produced, and is priced accordingly (at $150). This is a lovely wine that has copped a 95 rating from Robert Parker. The winery does offer lower priced wines, including a $28 Sauvignon Blanc which is currently sold out. But Bevan's specialty is clearly the premium reds sourced from the Showket Vineyard.

Forget about buying a case of your favorite wine -- there are bottle limits and you can purchase no more than four bottles of any wine. For their proprietary red blend and Syrah there is a limit of one bottle.

This is rare stuff, so rare in fact that the bottles have radio frequency ID tags so that you can scan it with your smart phone to verify it is an authentic Bevan Cellars release.

The Showket Vineyard is a special one. The Showket Vineyard is situated on the Oakville Hillside overlooking the Silverado Trail and Oakville Crossroad. The ground is a mix of red volcanic rock and clay loam. Out of the extreme conditions of the Showket comes fruit of great character.

The wine is vibrant and rich. It has waves of flavor including blueberry, cherry with hints of mocha and spice. The wine has a dramatic finish, making it a memorable Cabernet.

Highly rated and highly recommended.

Technorati Tags: wine,bevan cellars

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Wine Tastings & Events:January 26-29, 2011

Image of Château Fortia via Snooth

Wednesday, January 26 

The Andersons, Sylvania, Wine Tasting. 6-8 PM.

 
Beer and Wine Cave, 4400 Heatherdowns, (419) 382-6221. 6-9 PM. Bargain Wines. $15.

Thursday, January 27

The Andersons, Maumee, Wine Tasting. 5-7 PM. Closeouts, continued: 1. 2009 Simi – Pinot Noir, 2. 2006 Canoe Ridge – Merlot, 3. 2006 Gerard Bertrand – Syrah / Mourvedre, 4. 2004 Greg Norman – Reserve Shiraz. $5.00  per flight or nominal fee per sample.    

The Andersons, Talmadge Road. Wine Tasting. 6-8 PM. Grand Grenache; It is one of the world’s most versatile grapes.1. Nora Albarino, Spain; 2. Borsao Garnacha, Spain; 3. Plan Pegau Cote Du Rhone
France; 4. Schild GMS, Australia; 5. Saint Andeol Cairanne Cote du Rhone, France; 6. Yalumba Bush Vine Grenache, Australia; 7. Tres Picos Granacha, Spain; 8. Chateau Fortia Chateauneuf du Pape, France. Nominal fee per sample.

Beer and Wine Cave, 4400 Heatherdowns, (419) 382-6221. 6-9 PM. Bargain Wines. $15.

Corks Wine and Liquor, Promenade Plaza, 27250 Crossroads Pkwy., Rossford – (419) 872-6800. 6-9 PM. 'Don't Break The Bank' Value Wine Bonanza. Still hurting from the holidays but have an insatiable appetite for delicious wine? Worry not, we've got you covered. We have hundreds of wines that sell for under $10, but drink like bottles that cost twice as much. Come check 'em out!  Nominal fee per sample.

Friday, January 28

Aficionado Wine and Cigars, The Shoppes at RiverPlace, 26567 N. Dixie Highway, Suite 135, Perrysburg, (419-873-4444). 5:00 – 8:30 p.m. Cabernet Sauvignon Tasting: 1. WTR Dark Side Cabernet. 2. Winsome, 3. Century Oak, 4. J. Bookwalter. $10 tasting.

Corks Wine and Liquor, Promenade Plaza, 27250 Crossroads Pkwy., Rossford – (419) 872-6800. 6-9 PM. 'Don't Break The Bank' Value Wine Bonanza. Still hurting from the holidays but have an insatiable appetite for delicious wine? Worry not, we've got you covered. We have hundreds of wines that sell for under $10, but drink like bottles that cost twice as much. Come check 'em out!  Nominal fee per sample.

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

Saturday, January 29  

Aficionado Wine and Cigars, Shoppes at RiverPlace, 26567 N. Dixie Highway, Suite 135, Perrysburg, (419-873-4444). 5:00 – 8:30 p.m. Cabernet Sauvignon Tasting: 1. WTR Dark Side Cabernet. 2. Winsome, 3. Century Oak, 4. J. Bookwalter. $10 tasting.

The Andersons, Woodville Mall. 1-3 PM. Closeout wines. 1. Elsa Bianchi Torrantes Argentina, 2. Columbia Crest Gewurztraminer, 3.Smoking Loon Petite Sirah, 4. Debonne Holiday Rouge. $1.00 per flight or nominal fee per sample.

Technorati Tags: wine

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

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Uptown Vineyard Tasting Set January 25 At Manhattan's Restaurant

 A wine tasting with Uptown Vineyard is scheduled at Manhattan’s Restaurant, 1516 Adams

Image via Wikipedia

Street, Toledo, on Tuesday, January 25 at 6:30 PM. The cost is $15 and includes five wines and appetizers. The event will be in the Union Square room. Reservations are required. E-mail info@uptownvineyard.com or call (866) 276-1984.

The wine lineup includes a Central Coast Pinot Grigio, Superstiton Riesling, Reb Blend (Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Merlot and Petite Syrah, an Italian Merlot and a crowd pleasing 2004 Washington State Cabernet Sauvignon.

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Niagara-On-The-Lake Winery Visit: Riverview Cellars Estate Winery



The Falls - before my camera was swamped!


Our winery report from Niagara continues with a look at wineries in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario.

After spending the night and having breakfast at Niagara Falls (Canadian side), we took a brief diversion to enjoy the spectacle of the Falls. Glorious T and Ace of Bass, our traveling companions, hadn’t been to the Falls, so  Maid of the Mist was was on their “bucket list.”

The weather cleared and we had a glorious ride. The fury of the Horseshoe Falls, unfortunately, took its toll on my camera. After the boat docked, I checked my camera and the display showed a crazy series of diagonal lines with a color palette from another planet.

Luckily Glorious T is a top photographer and I told her that she had the crucial role of snapping photos for at least the rest of the day while my camera dried out.

Niagara-on-the-Lake is a charming wine community bounded on the east by the Niagara River and on the north by Lake Ontario. We travelled north on the Niagara Parkway enjoying spectacular views along the way.



Riverview -- Our first NOTL winery stop.

 Our first stop was Riverview Cellars Estate Winery. This winery opened in 2000 and is a family operation run by Sam and Lina Pillitteri. The vineyards were converted from orchards in the 1990s.Their portfolio of wines includes Gewürztraminer and Chardonnay on the white side and Cabernet Franc and Bordeaux blends on the red.

The tasting room was unassuming and encompassed a gift shop. I started with a 2009 Vidal. This was semi-sweet and seems like a good Riesling alternative. This is their best seller. The 2008 Dry Gewürztraminer was pleasantly aromatic and rated a top pick by me. This sells for $16.95.

Shifting to the reds, I sampled the 2008 Baco Noir. This has the fruit flavor of wild berries and a light body. The 2007 Cabernet Franc was light in body with forest and earthy flavor notes.

We closed with a sample of the 2007 Merlot. This was invitingly smooth.with flavors of cherries and cinnamon. This would be a nice pairing with a variety of food including chicken and turkey.

The wines were pleasant, but didn’t trigger exploding fireworks. Our trip was quick but enjoyable. We had many other wineries to visit.

Technorati Tags: wine,niagara-on-the-lake

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