The Everything Guide to Wine, by By Peter Alig

Wow, what a claim! The Everything Guide to Wine. Does this new publication live up to that expansive title? Well, yes and no. It certainly covers a lot of territory. This is a book that is very wide, but not particularly deep.

The book is in an easy to read format similar to the “Dummy’s Guide To…” series. That means the text gets right to the point with clear section headings and interesting facts in highlighted boxes.

When I first started reading the book I noticed that it left out my favorite red grape variety: Cabernet Franc. “This book can’t be very good,” I thought to myself. But as I continued reading, I was pleasantly surprised with what was included.

For example, there is an explanation of the three-tier wine distribution system, a summary of emerging wine growing regions in China and India, a nice section on matching wine with cheese and a chapter on careers in the wine industry. My opinion of the book rebounded in a big way when I saw the reference to Konstantin Frank, the wine pioneer who introduced vinifera grapes to the Finger Lakes region. (The guy’s a hero!)

The book is updated with new references. I was pleased to see a section on Hardy Wallace and his selection as Lifestyle Correspondent for Murphy-Goode Winery. This was a high profile position that created a national buzz. The winery offered a six-month position at $10,000 a month to blog, use Facebook and Twitter to create an image of a cutting edge winery. Since that time many wineries have hired social media coordinators.

The book is billed as “your one-stop shop for conquering the world of wine-one grape at a time.” The book is published by Adams Media and lists for $16.95. This isn’t designed to be a detailed wine encyclopedia but it is a wide-reaching book that is enjoyable to read a sip at a time.

Author Peter Alig is a Wine Educator at the world-famous Robert Mondavi Winery in Napa Valley, California. There he has hosted and developed relationships with key figures in national and international wine trade and press/media. He also helped launch Robert Mondavi Winery's social media campaign utilizing Facebook, Twitter, and other applications. He studied wine and food at The Culinary Institute of America-Greystone and has a wine certification from the Society of Wine Educators in Washington, D.C. He is currently studying wine marketing at Napa Valley College.

Technorati Tags: wine

Full disclosure: We received a review copy of this book.

Quivira Estate Vineyards and Winery 2006 Steelhead Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley

This is a smooth sipping Zinfandel from Sonoma, California. The body is light and it really made a beautiful wind-down wine after a Friday night meal at La Fiesta followed by a stop into the Rose and Thistle.

The wine has an entrancing deep purple color and a nice aroma of black fruit. Green Dragon noted the plummy flavor and I was getting sour cherry. Soft tannins become apparent on the long finish which is supported by spice and cocoa tastiness.

We picked this up about a year ago for $18. The extra time in the cellar seemed to soften the edges of this wine. Green Dragon would have preferred a more fruit-driven profile, but this was a well-balanced pleaser for us both. For whatever reason, I wasn’t expecting it to be as good as it was.

The Quivira also has some benefits for the environment too. The wine, which sports a painted label with leaping trout, is the official wine of Trout Unlimited. A portion of the wine sales benefit that organization. Quivira also has initiated efforts on their property to protect the trout waters from pollution.

Quivira is a solar powered winery that also has biodynamic and organic certifications. The Dry Creek growing area is especially well suited for growing high quality Zinfandel grapes.

Nothing fishy about this wine. Should be a perfect match with pizza.

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Northeast Ohio's 8th Annual Grand River Valley Ice Wine Festival Begins March 5

  The 8th annual Grand River Valley Ice Wine Festival begins Saturday, March 5, and

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continues for the next two Saturdays (March 12 and 19. Proceeds from the event will help local food banks.The festival will include ice wine tasting, special dinners and more.

Five wineries in the Grand River Valley wine region of Northeast Ohio, each within a 10-minute drive of the next, will participate:
-- Debonne Vineyards
-- Ferrante Winery & Ristorante
-- Grand River Cellars Winery & Restaurant
-- Laurello Vineyards
-- St. Joseph Vineyards

"Each of the five wineries are very different," says Kim Laurello, of Laurello Vineyards. "Because of this, participants will have a unique experience at each of them, and different activities are offered at each location."

Options include special wine dinners, ice carving, dog sledding, cooking demonstrations, and the work of several artisans. In addition, many of the winemakers will be on hand for people to talk to and other wines will be available for people to taste."

Participants will need to determine a starting point at one of the participating wineries. Each winery will provide a sample of its wines, along with a complimentary appetizer.

The event begins at noon and ends at 5 p.m. The cost is $5 per person at each winery. In an effort to help the local food banks, the wineries are encouraging everyone to donate canned food items, for which they will receive $1 off at each location.

Ice wine is a labor of love in the wine industry, and one that the Grand River Valley Wineries believe is worth celebrating.

"This year the ice wine harvest saw the harshest conditions," says Tony Debevc, of Debonne Vineyards. "A blizzard blew into the region, temperatures dropped, and the picking crews were called in."

Debevc described the wines featured at the Ice Wine Festival as "true" ice wines.

"The grapes are left on the vines at the end of the traditional harvest season and await Mother Nature to shift seasons from fall to winter," he said. "Once the grapes are truly frozen, reaching temperatures below 17 degrees, the grapes are picked and pressed immediately before they have a chance to thaw."

A list of lodging packages is available on the winegrowers' website, http://www.wggrv.com/. For more information about the Ice Wine Festival call (440) 466-3485 or visit http://www.wggrv.com/ for a list of details and a map. 

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Wine Tastings & Events: March 2-5, 2011

Image by dionhinchcliffe via Flickr

Wednesday, March 2

The Andersons, Sylvania, Wine Tasting. 6-8 PM. Closeouts: 1. Toasted Head Viognier, 2. Morro Bay Chardonnay, 3. Morro Bay Cabernet Sauvignon, 4. Covington Cellars Malbec. Nominal fee per sample or $7 flight.

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

Thursday, March 3

The Andersons, Maumee, Wine Tasting. 5-7 PM. Liberty School: 1. Chardonnay, 2. Syrah, 3. Cabernet Sauvignon, 4. Cuvee. $5 per flight or nominal fee per sample.    

The Andersons, Talmadge Road. Wine Tasting. 6-8 PM. Zinfandels, the great American red wine: 1. Bogle Old Vine, 2. Valley of the Moon, 3. Joel Gott, 4. Cline Ancient Vine, 5. Mettler, 6. Hobo Dry Creek, 7. Earthquake Lodi, 8. Albini Russian River Valley. Nominal fee per sample.

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

Corks Wine and Liquor, Promenade Plaza, 27250 Crossroads Pkwy., Rossford – (419) 872-6800. 6-9 PM. Join us the entire month of March for The Madness. Every Thursday and Friday we'll feature a bracket of four competing wines from the world's classic winemaking regions. Every night is a different region. South America & Spain. Nominal fee per sample.

Friday, March 4

Aficionado Wine and Cigars, The Shoppes at RiverPlace, 26567 N. Dixie Highway, Suite 135, Perrysburg, (419-873-4444). 5:00 – 8:30 p.m.  Wines of Tuscany: 1. Centine White Blend, 2. LaMozza Morellino di Scansano, 3. Ruffino Riserva "Ducale" Chianti Classico, 4. Villa Antinori Toscana. $15 tasting.

Corks Wine and Liquor, Promenade Plaza, 27250 Crossroads Pkwy., Rossford – (419) 872-6800. 6-9 PM. Join us the entire month of March for The Madness. Every Thursday and Friday we'll feature a bracket of four competing wines from the world's classic winemaking regions. Every night is a different region. South America & Spain. Nominal fee per sample.


Saturday, March 5

Aficionado Wine and Cigars, The Shoppes at RiverPlace, 26567 N. Dixie Highway, Suite 135, Perrysburg, (419-873-4444). 5:00 – 8:30 p.m.  Wines of Tuscany: 1. Centine White Blend, 2. LaMozza Morellino di Scansano, 3. Ruffino Riserva "Ducale" Chianti Classico, 4. Villa Antinori Toscana. $15 tasting.

The Andersons, Woodville Mall. 1-3 PM. Wine tasting: 1. Gunfighter Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa, 2. Urban Riesling, Mosel, 3. Tarot Alpha Box & Dice Grenache, South Australia, 4. Redtree Moscato. Flight $2.25 or nominal fee per sample.

Walt Churchill’s Market, 3320 Briarfield. Maumee, (419) 794-4000. Noon to 5:00 PM. Hot Closeouts and Cool New Discoveries. Nominal fee per sample.

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

Technorati Tags: wine

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

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Open That Bottle Night 2011 Report: Red and White Rockers

We love the concept of Open That Bottle Night. It’s a once-a-year excuse to unshackle that special bottle you’ve been saving and savor it – no need to wait for a 25th anniversary, new job or significant birthday. Celebrate the here and now, or as an artist friend of mine likes to say, “savor the moment.”

The OTBN event this year featured a tasty lineup of wines:

• Ravines 2007 Cabernet Franc, Finger Lakes
• Von Schleinitz 2007 Apollo Dry Riesling, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer
• Beni di Batasiolo 1999 Barbaresco
• O’Brien Estate Winery 2004 Seduction, Napa Valley
• Alere Vineyard 2007 GMS Blue Oak Vineyard, Santa Barbara
• Toasted Head 2008 Barrel Reserve Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast

The event was hosted by Glorious T and Ace of Bass. Sax Man and Wine Chick joined Green Dragon and me for the tasting.



Barbaresco - well suited
for a nice cigar

 Ravines Winery in the Finger Lakes is one of our favorite wineries. It’s scenic and relaxing to visit and rocks out some outstanding dry Riesling and succulent reds. The Cab Franc started the evening on a high note. The wine is finely balanced with a lighter body than expected. The lush taste is punctuated with pepper and spice. Smashing!

Before we got too deep into the reds, we circled back for the Mosel Valley Dry Riesling. On a night when the spotlight was expected to be on the reds, this German wine was a crowd pleaser. The wine has strong minerality and finished with a blip of tropical fruit. “Mineral domination,” shouted Ace of Bass. Sax Man is a big Dry Riesling fan and he was all smiles as he swirled and sipped. This was an aristocratic white.



O'Brien Seduction with
tasty appetizers for OTBN

 I was looking forward to the Barbaresco, which has been a prized wine since we purchased it a couple years ago. We had decanted the Cab Franc, but I suggested that we not do it for this one, thinking the wine might be fragile and lose its pop with too much exposure to air. My mistake!

As we served up the Barbaresco, it was a bit edgy. Green Dragon thought it had some acetone in the aroma. It wasn’t drinking well. I kept sampling as the conversations meandered and Ace of Bass and I were rewarded with a wine that opened up to some complex and enjoyable earthy flavors. This is a sturdy wine best enjoyed with a meal – or a cigar.

The O’Brien Seduction was a treasure wine from Ace and Glorious T.It is a Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot. This is a wonderful wine that has snagged 90+ ratings from Robert Parker and other wine authorities. This had beautiful flavors of dark cherry and espresso.

Alere (ah-lare-ey) Vineyard and Winery focuses on Rhone varietals. Their GMS is a blend of Grenache (57%), Mourvedre (26%) and Syrah (14%). It is medium bodied with flavors of dark berries and plum.



Alere GMS

 Our finale wine was the 2008 Toasted Head Barrel Reserve Pinot Noir. This was touted as the wine buy of the year at Walt Churchill’s Market in Perrysburg. The loud Rush concert DVD in the background couldn’t drown out the raspberry and cherry flavors from this elegant wine.

We did indeed “Open That Bottle” and it made for a night to remember.

Technorati Tags: wine,Open That Bottle Night

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Chateau Aeronautique Hosts Mardi Gras Celebration March 5

 Fat Tuesday is approaching. You may not be able to visit Bourbon Street, but you can still

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participate in the festivities by visiting Chateau Aeronautique Winery, 1849 Rives-Easton Road, Jackson, Michigan, (419) 569-2132.

The Mardi Gras celebration will take place in the Chateau Hangar on Saturday, March 5. On the menu is delicious Jambalaya with red beans & rice from The Quarter Bistro in Ann Arbor. The New Orleans themed food will be paired with Chateau Aeronautique's Aviatrix Blush.

The party will feature good food, good jazz and the best part is that the party and food are both free. It runs from noon to 6:00 PM (or until the food runs out!).

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