Wine

Jan

2017

What We’ve Been Drinking — December 2016

The final month of 2016 has come and gone. As the weather turned cooler, our choices tended to lean more to the red side. As we counted down the days of 20316, we did have a few highlights to the month. A vintage tasting at Hanover Park Vineyards greeted us with a fantastic selection of well aged wines. One of these was truly surprising to see, a 2011 Viognier. Normally white wines are best when drunk within a year or two of the harvest. This particular bottle has seen 5 years in the bottle. As such the flavors were incredibly deep with cream and honey gracing the palate. This was truly one incredible wine.

Also worth noting, we finally made our way to an event where Dover Vineyards was pouring their wines. These small batch wines have a lot to offer. We really enjoyed the 2012 and 2013 vintages of their Chambourcin. Both were full bodied and well balanced. We look forward to getting back and trying more of their wine.

Here’s to looking ahead to 2017 and hoping for another great year of wine. Cheers!

Check out our Instagram feed for a recap of our December selections.

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Dec

2016

What We’ve Been Drinking — November 2016

November always seems like such a whirlwind of a month! Family visits, holiday parties and a few vineyard trips filled up our calendar. Among the highlights we made a visit to two new wineries (Midnight Magdelena Vineyards and the newly re-opened West Bend Vineyards) as well as took part in an impromptu botteling at Hanover Park Vineyards! We’re excited to see what the next month brings with it!

Check out our Instagram feed for a recap of our November selections.
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Nov

2016

What We’ve Been Drinking October 2016

Half way through November and we remembered we didn’t post our recap of last month! October was one busy month! For us, it involved a trip out to the coast to visit Sanctuary Vineyards. On our return trip, we made a quick stop at the NC State Fair and sampled a few wines from those who were out sampling for the public. It was a tasty month and we are already making progress on our November.

Continue reading →

Aug

2016

Lodi – Post-Wine Bloggers Conference Adventures

We made it through the rest of the conference. The sessions were good, but the networking and connection with fellow bloggers and the Lodi wine community were invaluable. We’re so thankful for the experiences we had.

With the conference over, we decided to head out and explore a bit more of the wine scene in Lodi. We also wanted to pick up wine to ship back to North Carolina. We first needed food, so we walked to downtown Lodi and grabbed a Panini at Wine Social (http://www.lodiwinesocial.com). After that we walked back and got in our rental car and headed out to gather wine and explore.

We decided we’d head east a bit. We needed to see some gently rolling hills after days of flat land. Our first stop was Bokisch Vineyards (http://www.bokischvineyards.com). Bokisch specializes in Spanish varietals. They were tasting three of their Albariños side by side. Each was unique. We were really impressed by all of them. We moved on a few reds and then finished with our favorite wine, the 2014 Tizona Late Harvest Graciano. It was delightful with notes of dried cherry and spice!

Next on our list was Acquiesce Winery & Vineyards (http://www.acquiescevineyards.com). We just had to stop in here as we’re big fans of Rhône Valley style wines. Acquiesce did not disappoint! They only do white wines and a rosé made from Grenache. It was a perfect day for cool, crisp wine! We loved them all, but our favorite was the full bodied 2015 Roussanne. Its nose was apricots, almond and pear with a palate of pear and honey and a mineral-like finish. We also enjoyed a few freshly picked Viognier grapes and some freshly pressed Viognier juice! It was another unique experience in Lodi wine country!

The next stop was The Lucas Winery (http://www.lucaswinery.com). We had visited here on Thursday, but we need to pick up some wine. Sara greeted us again and offered us a small taste of the 2014 Chardonnay. It was perfect! We also shared with Sara and Mitra Lucas that Wine Enthusiast had shared Jameson Fink’s (Wine Enthusiast’s Senior Digital Editor) post on their 2001 Chardonnay. We tasted it during Live Blogging on Friday of the conference. They were delighted. Mitra was kind enough to offer us a bottle of that Chardonnay. We can’t wait to try it again! We made our purchases and moved along.

2001 Chardonnay from The Lucas Winery

We decided with the heat we should drop off our wines at the hotel before heading to our next stop, Harney Lane Winery (http://harneylane.com). Our favorites from this stop were the 2015 Albariño and the 2013 Petite Sirah.

We ended our day at McCay Cellars (http://www.mccaycellars.com). We had the fortune of sitting at one of the McCay tables at the Saturday night dinner at the conference. Linda McCay was at our table. Her husband Mike McCay (also the winemaker) was at the other table. Given the wines we had sampled the night before, we were interested in seeing the rest of the lineup and to purchase wine to ship back to North Carolina. Our favorite was the 2013 Cinsaut. This Cinsaut was made from grapes that came from vines that were planted in 1886. We certainly can’t find that in North Carolina!

We ended Sunday night early. We had more plans for Monday.

We started our day on Monday at Michael David Winery (http://www.mccaycellars.com). We were familiar with their wines as their flagship brands (7 Deadly Zins, Petite Petit & Freakshow) are readily available in North Carolina. We were very interested in seeing what else that had to offer. We also wanted to grab a bottle of the 2013 Inkblot Cabernet Franc. We had tasted it on Saturday during the live blogging event.

After we finished at Michael David, we head back to Van Ruiten Family Winery (https://www.vrwinery.com). We just had to get some of their wines to ship back to NC. Akaylia greeted us in the tasting room and took us through all the reserves wines. We had some of them during the Friday night dinner, but it was good to see the rest of the lineup. Our favorite was the 2012 Reserve Ancient Vine Carignane. It was woody and earthy on the nose with notes of cherry jam on the palate.

Talk then turned to the tree in the parking lot. Akaylia walked us outside and had us try to guess what kind of tree it was. We weren’t successful with our guesses. It turns out that it a California Cork Oak, a real cork tree! It was super cool!

Cork tree up close!

During our tasting Bill came in to greet us. He took us back to the crush pad where Chardonnay was being pressed. We also got to taste a few grapes!

Chardonnay heading to the press!

We finished our tasted, selected our purchased and head out to Livermore Valley. We found a few good wines in that area and would love to explore there again. However, it didn’t compare to the experience we had in Lodi.

Lodi, thank you! You were warm and welcoming! It was an experience like none other. We will always remember you fondly and hope to visit again soon!

Downtown Lodi, CA

Aug

2016

Friday Night Excursion – Wine Bloggers Conference 2016 – Van Ruiten Family Winery

The Wine Bloggers Conference had a full agenda. We focused on preparing for the actual conference sessions. We knew exactly what sessions we would attend. However, we realized on Thursday that we had not paid enough attention to the details about the Friday Night excursions. Thankfully, we were tipped off about that and looked at it in more detail.

The Friday evening excursions are a Wine Bloggers Conference tradition. The Lodi excursions were unique though. The excursion groups were smaller than past excursion and they were top secret! The only thing we knew was the name of our excursion, Dutch Crush. You see, you “signed up” by selecting a ribbon with an excursion name. Some of the names were “Gone with the Wine”, “She’s a Brix House”, “99 Bottles of Wine”, just to name a few. We had no idea what winery was associated with each. All we knew is that we would be whisked away to a winery for an evening of wine and food.

We all gathered by our sign – Dutch Crush!

The conference sessions ended at 4pm on Friday. We were told to head outside and find our group. It was there that we learned from Billy, our chauffeur, that we were headed to Van Ruiten Family Winery (https://www.vrwinery.com), his family’s winery. We piled in the van (Mercedes Benz no less) and headed over to the winery. We were greeted by Billy’s mom and dad, Bill and Angie along with Angie’s brothers, John & Jim, John (Winemaker), Bill (President) Rustin (Sales Manager), Akaylia (Tasting Room), and Elyse (Tasting Room). I’m sure we’ve missed someone though. We do apologize. The patio was set up for appetizers and a refreshing glass of 2015 Pinot Grigio. It was hot, and we were thirsty. The Pinot Grigio hit the spot!

Appetizers were ready when we arrived!

We all grabbed a glass and headed out on our tour led by John the winemaker. We visited the barrel room, the lab, the crush pad and stopped by the big tanks which were filled with recently pressed pinot grigio from the 2016 harvest. The yeast was about to be pumped in the tank. It was cool to see the yeast. It looked like bread dough. We ended out tour with a look at the bottling line.

Yeast ready to go!

Following the tour of the winery, we loaded back up in the van. We were headed to the vineyard. Chardonnay was being harvested. We were going to get to ride a harvester! How cool is that? Turns out it’s not that cool, but that’s only because it was still blazing hot out. It was also dusty, but the experience itself was amazing. We don’t see many machine harvesters in North Carolina. We may not have the chance again. One of the best things was being able to see the vineyard from on high. It made the expanse of the vineyards in the Lodi area really hit home. Acre upon acre upon acre of vines is not something we see in North Carolina either. We’re certainly grateful to have had this experience!

The view from atop the harvester!

We climbed back in the van to return to the winery for dinner. We were greeted with a glass of the 2015 Reserve Double Barrel Chardonnay. It was perfect timing! We were thirsty again. This Chardonnay certainly hit the spot! We soon took our seats at the table. Each table had at least one Van Ruiten family member (We also met Bill and Angie’s daughter, Mia) and at least one winery staff person. It was a great way to get to know the team. We were fortunate to have a seat at Bill and Angie’s table along with Bill (President) and Christine of girlsgogrape.com! It was a fun table! We especially loved hearing all the stories from Angie about her mom and dad, John Sr. and Ann. You could see the love on her face as she was telling the stories. You got a sense of what a remarkable couple they were. It was very moving.

The menu!

In addition to the great conversion, we got to experience a variety of the Van Ruiten wines. Some of the standouts were the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon and the 2013 Cab-Shiraz Blend. Of course, there was also great food to go along with those wines. Each course paired perfectly with the selected wines. The highlight for us was the homemade Dutch cookies (made by Angie) that were paired with the Late Harvest Viognier.

Van Ruiten Family Pictures hang in their tasting room.

After dessert, more wines and conversation were shared. Hugs and thank yous followed. We left feeling part of the Van Ruiten family and grateful that we’d been lucky enough to share the evening with them!

Our wonderful hosts!

If you’re ever in Lodi, please go visit them! We know we’ll be back!

Aug

2016

Lodi – Pre-Wine Bloggers Conference Adventures

We just got back from our first Wine Bloggers Conference. This year’s conference was held in Lodi, CA. It was our first time visiting this part of the Golden State. We really weren’t sure what to expect not only from the conference but also from the Lodi area itself. Boy! Were we pleasantly surprised! Lodi knocked our socks off! Ok, to be honest, most days we didn’t wear socks. It was hot. Regardless, it was an amazing experience!

We arrived on the Wednesday before the conference. We wanted to have time to explore the area. After we checked in to the hotel, we ventured out to downtown Lodi. We stopped in at Lodi Wine Cellars (http://www.lodiwinecellars.com ) for a quick tasting. The wines were good, but there were no standouts. After that we decided it was time to eat. We were a bit jetlagged given the 3 hour time difference. We stopped by Lodi Beer Company (http://www.lodibeercompany.com ). The food was delicious. The beer was great too. After dinner and a beer, we walked around downtown Lodi a bit more before heading back to the hotel and going to bed early.

Downtown Lodi, CA

Since we went to bed so early the night before, we were up early on Thursday. We had breakfast and had to kill time before wineries opened. Thursday was our tasting day. We decided to go out on our own rather than join one of the organized excursions. We like to be able to be flexible and just go with our gut. We also often ask locals where to go for food and drink. We are rarely disappointed with the suggestions we have received.

Our first stop was Oak Ridge Winery (http://www.oakridgewinery.com). They opened at 10am, so it seemed like a good place to start. The stand out wine there was the 2013 Moss Roxx Ancient Vine Zinfandel. The vines that produced the grapes for this wine are over 100 years old. The wine was jammy with hints of vanilla and a smooth finish. It was exactly what you would expect from a Lodi Zinfandel.

Next we headed to Lodi Vinters (http://www.lodivintners.com). Our favorite wine here was another zinfandel. This one was the 2012 Reserve Concrete Zinfandel. This wine comes from 105 year old vines. It’s partially fermented in concrete tanks that have been in production for over 75 years. The wine was full of dark plum and vanilla. It was fantastic!

We didn’t know a lot about Lodi wine before our visit. We did know Klinker Brick (http://www.klinkerbrickwinery.com) though. It was our next stop. We loved all the wines we tasted there. There were a few new ones for us. One was the 2015 Albariño. The other was the 2015 Rosé which was a blend of Carignane, Syrah, Mourvèdre and Grenache. The stand out new wine for us was the 2013 Farrah Syrah Grand Reserve. Aged for 23 months in French oak, this wine comes from only 2 rows of the Syrah vineyard. We had the pleasure of meeting Farrah, the namesake of the Farrah Syrahs, during the Live Red Wine Blogging session!

Klinker Brick Winery

After lunch at Fiori’s Butcher Shoppe and Deli (http://www.fiorisdeli.com) – it was so good we went back again on Saturday – we met up with another blogger, Heather of 10K Bottles (https://10kbottles.com/blog/) for the afternoon. Our first stop was Lange Twins Family Winery & Vineyards (http://www.langetwins.com). The standout there was the 2014 Winery Exclusive Nero d’Avola. This wine presented cherry flavors with hints of cocoa.

Lange Twins Family Winery & Vineyards

Next we headed to Oak Farm Vineyards (http://www.oakfarmvineyards.com ). We were struck by the beauty of the tasting room. It had a modern, lodging feel. It was also here, that Heather, Matt and I realized something special was in store for us on the Friday night excursions (more on that in another post.) The standout wine from our tasting was the 2014 Barbera. It was aged in oak and gave both a nose and palate of cherry and warm vanilla. While there we met the owner, Dan Panella, and the winemaker, Chad Joseph. They took us on a tour of the winery and spent time answering our questions and chatting. We appreciated their time and how warmly we were welcomed. This was a theme all through Lodi.

Fireplace in Oak Farm Vineyards Tasting Room

We ended out tasting adventure on Thursday at The Lucas Winery (http://www.lucaswinery.com ). Heather had received a recommendation to check them out. We’re so glad she did. Lucas is one of the original five wineries in Lodi. They produce only straight varietal wines. We were quickly greeted in the tasting room by Sara. She was such a pleasure! The tasting included wine in the tasting room, a short walk out the back door to taste zinfandel from the vine, wine in the barrel room and finally Late Harvest Zinfandel paired with freshly baked brownies. We ended on a high note!

The Lucas Winery

Thursday evening we headed back downtown for dinner. We also wanted to check out the farmers market. It’s a weekly staple during late spring through summer. Wow! This was more like a festival than a farmers market. There were all kinds of fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs, flowers and baked goods along with food trucks, live music, a beer garden and wine tastings! Lodi does their farmers market right! We were super jealous that we don’t have something quite like that here in North Carolina!

Our first full day in Lodi confirmed what we first experienced Wednesday night. Lodi is a special place. We would find more about just how special on the following day. We’ll have more on that in another post! Stay tuned!

Aug

2016

What We’ve Been Drinking: July 2016

Another late posting, but we’ve been busy during the month of August! July was another hot month, but we found some great wines to keep us cool. We also made our way to another new winery in July! Roaring River Vineyards opened its doors in mid July so we couldn’t resist making a visit. It was so peaceful and serene we didn’t want to leave! We made a few other winery trips during the month and picked up another set of Riedel glasses during a special tasting event at Hanover Park. It was a great way to beat the heat of summer!

Check out our Instagram for a recap of what we had during the month of July:

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Aug

2016

Live Wine Blogging at #WBC16 — Red Wines

We’re back at it for day number two. This time we’ll be enjoying an assortment of red wines. The setup is the same; several tables filled with bloggers with a winery bringing their wines to the table. We’ll have 5 minutes per wine and we’ll be posting our reviews here. You can also find our reviews on Twitter, so check back between 3:30 and 4:30 Pacific Time for more info!

—the tastings—

Cultivar Winery – 2013 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon

Posted: August 13, 2016 at 7:30 pm
Entry level Napa blend. Dark color, even to the edge of the glass. Classic Napa nose, red fruits, a touch of herbs. Big, bold, fruity, almost chewy. High alcohol on the finish, very hot. Yet still maintains a fruity balance.

Klinkerbrick – 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon

Posted: at 7:24 pm
A first release of this varietal. Deep and even in color and quite expressive on the nose. A cooling first sip reveals a very nice fruit profile with soft tannins. It’s still youthful, so it’ll be interesting to see what it does in the years to come.

Peirano Estate Vineyard – 2013 The Other

Posted: at 7:19 pm
A red blend mostly Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Rich color, not deep but still bright. Classic nose of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot notes, big cherry with hints of vanilla and oak. Fruity flavor, very vibrant with a well balanced oak mid-palate. An excellent value (12.99 average retail).

Michael David Winery – 2013 Inkblot Cabernet Franc

Posted: at 7:13 pm
A smokey nose with a touch of dried black cherries. Fresh black cherries start out on the front, then move into a mineral rich, almost flinty, finish. Vanilla is present on the mid-palate as well, then fades quickly before the finish.

Prie Winery – 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon

Posted: at 7:09 pm
A complex nose, earthy and hints of sage and possibly thyme lingering around. Cooling on the first sip. Dried fruits throughout with a bit of a lighter body than the other wines tasted so far. Another refreshing change from the heavier cabs just a bit more to the north.

Lange Twins Vineyard – 2014 Nero D’Avola

Posted: at 7:04 pm
Earthy nose, almost a little nutty. Big fruit forward profile. Tannins and oak are well balanced with a delicate herbal undertone. Light cassis on the finish; a different wine than the others in the lineup.

Harney Lane Winery – 2013 Zinfandel

Posted: at 6:59 pm
Garnet in color, even color distribution. Clean youthful nose, dried red fruits, maybe a touch of spice. Big fruit flavors, distinctive. Hints of herbal mid-palate and a bit more savory. Nice oaky finish, long with a drying end.

Oak Ridge Winery – 2014 OZV Zinfandel & 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon

Posted: at 6:55 pm
OZV: A full juicy nose, hints of vanilla and a woody backbone. Big fruit forward flavors, leaning on black fruits and well ripened blueberries.
Cabernet Sauvignon: lighter in color, very dependable. Classic cab nose, red fruits with an oaky balance. Bigger fruit with a lighter finish. A nice Lodi Cabernet Sauvignon.

Abundance Winery – 2013 Carignane & Copius Red

Posted: at 6:51 pm
Carignane: Medium purple color with a slight pink on the outer rim. Bold caramel and a hint of plums.
Copius red: 50/50 Carignane Cabernet a bit more smokey with a bigger fruit mid-palate.

Klinkerbrick Vineyards – 2013 Farrah Syrah

Posted: at 6:43 pm
A single vineyard Syrah poured by none other than Farrah herself! Deeply colored and a light licorice nose with a plum note in the background. The flavors are bold with dark red fruits and dried berries. Big pepper on the finish with a touch of smoke and vanilla.

Aug

2016

Live Wine Blogging at #WBC16 — White & Rosé

We’re covering the live wine blogging at the Wine Bloggers Conference 2016. Here’s the set up. We’ll have 5 minutes to hear about a wine, taste it, think on it and then write about it. Here you’ll find a list of the wines with a short write up. Check back from 3-4 (west coast time) as there will be several updates. We’re also posting on social media, so check out the badges at the bottom of the page to find out more.

—the tasting—

The Final Round: Michael David Winery Sauvignon Blanc

Posted: August 12, 2016 at 6:56 pm
The 2015 vintage is what’s in the glass. A pale yellow wine, it is star bright with a clean appearance. The nose is slightly grassy with a clean profile. The flavor is clean with a fresh profile. There is a nice acidity throughout with a nice mineral finish. Candied lemon peel is present in the mid-palate with a nice finish.

d’Art Vineyards 2015 White Barbera

Posted: at 6:51 pm
The wine is brilliant in color, appearing pale yellow. The nose is slightly yeasty with a touch of ripe grape skins. The flavors are big on Apple and pears with a very fresh and fruit forward presentation. The finish is creamy with a very pleasing flavor of honeyed fruit.

Lange Twins Vineyard 2015 Rosé

Posted: at 6:46 pm
This vintage is 100% Sangiovese. The color is a light red-pink, almost toasted salmon in hue. The nose leans more toward strawberry with a green hull background. Bigger strawberry and watermelon flavor today than what we tasted yesterday when we visited the vineyard. The finish is medium with a cherry skin finale.

Bokisch Vineyards 2015 Albariño

Posted: at 6:41 pm
A grassy nose, it reminds me more of Sauvignon Blanc. There’s a hint of something green and herbal hiding in the flavors are very nice. A mild acidity is present on the front, then it moves into a tropical and mild mid-palate. The finish is long with mild intensity of pineapple and sage.

Harney Lane Winery Albariño

Posted: at 6:36 pm
2015 vintage. This wine has a bright tropical nose with a crisp profile. It’s quite clean with a pale yellow-green color. The acidity is bright and up front with an almost prickly sensation on the tongue. The finish is medium intensity with a creamy lemon curd profile. Different than the others we have sampled so far today.

Lucas Winery 2001 Chardonnay

Posted: at 6:31 pm
Bold golden color. Creamy Apple nose with a touch of honey in the background. Full body, very light acids and a creamy finish. A 15 year old Chardonnay that is holding up incredibly well. This wine isn’t ending up in the dump bucket. Quite delicious!

Peirano Estate Vineyards 2014 Chardonnay

Posted: at 6:26 pm
A touch of oak with 50% malolactic fermentation. Medium straw color. Big oaky nose, subtle minerality. Nice and buttery with green apple and yellow apples on the mid-palate. The finish is lingering with subtle acidity on the finish.

Oak Ridge – OZV Rosé

Posted: at 6:21 pm
Old Zinfandel vines. Watermelon pink in color, slightly ruddy. Woody nose, slight hint of fruit in the background. Nice acidity. Hints of strawberries and raspberries. Very refreshing alternative to other heavy zin based rosés. A nice refreshing rosé.

Troon Vineyard – Southern Oregon

Posted: at 6:12 pm
2015 Troon Blue Kabel Longue Carabine
Medium yellow in color, delicate nose with a primary note of white stone fruit. Creamy flavors with a very ripe fruit profile. Almost a little hot on the finish. 43% Marsanne, 27% Viognier, 12% Vermentino, with Riesling, Roussanne and Sauvignon rounding it out. Full flavor, very complex.

Corner 103 – Sonoma Valley

Posted: at 6:05 pm
100% Sauvignon Blanc. Lighter in color, flinty mineral nose. Almost smokey. White peaches and a nice acidity on the palate. The finish is longer than the previous wine, but it has a bit more flavor. Lighter in body, the flavors are a little exotic with tropical flavors and some grapefruit on the mid-palate.

Aug

2016

2:57 and we’re about to begin

Jul

2016

What We’ve Been Drinking: June 2016

Summer is officially here! As the weather heats up, we normally shift to the whites and rosé wines. Normally we would be full force into the North Carolina white wine scene, but slightly cooler weather and some rain toward the middle of the month allowed for a few red wines to slip in our mix. Notable June happenings included our trip to the Finger Lakes, a visit to a West Virginia VIneyard, and a first visit to Shadow Line Vineyards right here in NC.

Continue reading →

Jun

2016

What We’ve Been Drinking: May 2016

Summer is almost upon us and the North Carolina wine has never tasted better! May was warm and our selections were a bit heavier on the whites and rosés. But still, each bottle showed what NC can produce and how it really is an exciting place to be for new wines.

Continue reading →

Jun

2016

What We’ve Been Drinking: April 2016

Where has the time gone! As we were preparing the What We’ve Been Drinking for May, we realized we never posted April’s recap. April was quite the month. We had a good sampling from around the state. Also worth mentioning, we had the opportunity to travel out to the Upper Hiwassee Highlands AVA out near Murphy, NC.

Continue reading →

Apr

2016

What We’ve Been Drinking: March 2016

It’s hard to believe how fast the months go by. March brought with it warmer weather and the beginning of spring. Many of the grapes in the vineyards have already seen bud break and are well on their way to getting ready for their prime growing season.

During March we drank a bit of North Carolina Wine (26 bottles according to our Instagram). Some notable wines included our first wine of the 2015 vintage, the Barrel Chardonnay from Hanover Park, and the new 2014 Grenache from Junius Lindsay. Both were exceptional when we tasted them. We know that these will only improve over time and can’t wait for more!

Check out our feed below for more details on what we had. Cheers!

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Feb

2016

What We’ve Been Drinking: February 2016

Another month has come and gone. Even though we got a late start to the month, we still ended up with 11 North Carolina wines! This February marked the first time we participated in Open That Bottle Night! We also had the opportunity to pour three wines for Hanover Park at the Shoppes at Home, Heart and Soul.

We look forward to March and hope it brings with it more NC Wine. Click on the pictures below for more details on our month in wine.
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Feb

2016

Childress Malbec – Open That Bottle Night 2016

Tonight we’re taking part in our first Open That Bottle Night. The annual event is dedicated to the old and dusty bottles that happen to stick around after all of these years. The bottle we chose for tonight is the 2008 Childress Malbec from Childress Vineyards. Continue reading →

Feb

2016

What Does Drinking Locally Really Mean?

The locavore movement has exploded over the last few years. Folks are really interested in eating food that is grown and cooked locally. It harkens back to the days when folks grew a lot of the food they ate. With all of this interest in local food, why not local drink? Well, there has been more interest in locally produced beer and now locally produced spirits. Local wine is starting to take off too, but is more difficult to find outside of the local winery. Let’s take a look at wine specifically and talk about what it means to drink local wine.

Drink Local Wine!

Local wine is more than just wine produced by a local winery. Truly local wine is wine that is fermented, aged and bottled at a local winery, but it is also wine that is made only from local grapes, fruit, or honey. These grapes should come from vines that are planted in North Carolina soil. The fruit should come from North Carolina trees, bushes, etc. The honey should come from a local bee hive. Let’s be clear, a true North Carolina wine is made from a North Carolina product. This means that wineries that produce wine from grapes, fruit, juice, or honey from California, South America, and/or Europe are NOT making local wine. They’re making wine locally, but it’s not a North Carolina wine and can’t legally be labeled as such. Think about that the next time you visit a local winery. Ask where the grapes, fruit, or honey originated. Look at the label. Is it labeled accurately? Inquire as to why local grapes, fruits, or honey weren’t used. The “North Carolina doesn’t produce quality grapes” line no longer holds water. The same goes for fruit or honey. Drinkers of truly local North Carolina wine know better! Let’s be sure our voices are heard.

We must insist that local wine bars and local restaurants sell locally grown and made North Carolina wine. Farm to Fork restaurants and the like who aspire to serve food made from locally grown ingredients are quite hypocritical if they don’t have locally made wine on their menus. The same would be said for locally made beer and spirits. Let’s do our parts to help promote truly locally made wine. Remember the costumer is always right!

Finally, it’s ok to drink something other than locally made wine. However, let’s be sure we do know the difference between a local wine and not. And be sure that we don’t use the #NCWine and #NCFineWines to promote a wine that’s not truly local. Just remember, drinking locally helps the local economy, which in turn helps you!

Let us know what drinking locally means to you! Cheers!

Feb

2016

Getting the Most Out of Your Wine Tasting Experience

Visiting a winery’s tasting room is one of life’s simple pleasures. Each experience is unique. It’s a great way to experience a variety of wine and find something new to drink. If you’ve never had the experience or if it’s been awhile, here are some suggestions to make the most of your wine tasting experience.

The tasting room at Parker-Binns Vineyard – Photo Courtesy of Karen Parker-Binns

Plan ahead! Check the winery’s hours. You don’t want to arrive within 30 minutes of closing and expect to taste. Most wineries stop tasting 30 minutes before closing. Some require a reservation.
Walk in and take a look around. If there’s line, patiently wait. Determine if you need to prepay for your tasting.
Don’t prematurely judge the experience by the look of the tasting room. We’ve had plenty of great tastings at hole in the wall wineries. The opposite is also true. The most opulent tasting room doesn’t necessarily mean the best wine.
Make your choices. Select a variety of wines. If you like sweet wine, pick at least one dry and vice versa. The same can be said for red vs white.
If a premium tasting is an option, take it. It’s premium for a reason.
Don’t be afraid to ask to taste something that’s not on a list. Often wineries will accommodate special requests.
It’s ok to share with a friend. This is especially true if you’re doing multiple tastings in a day. Most wineries allow this and will even split the amounts between glasses, so you don’t have to share one glass.
It’s ok to pour out wine even if you like it. Again, if you’re driving and/or doing multiple tastings in one day, you need to be able to remember what you’ve been tasting. Otherwise, you might end buying a bottle of wine you’ll hate later.
It’s ok to spit. This is another alternative to sharing and/or pouring out. If you’re not comfortable spitting directly in the dump bucket, ask for a small cup or another glass. Spit in that and then pour into the dump bucket.
This aerates the wine. It helps to open the wine up to its full smelling and tasting potential.
You taste what you smell. Try to pick out at least two distinct smells.
Check out the color, Color will tell you a lot about the health of the wine. You don’t want a red wine that’s got a brown edge. That means it’s likely too old.
Don’t gulp!
Hold the wine in your mouth for at least a second before swallowing or spitting. Do the tastes match the smells? Is there a difference between what you taste initially, the mid palate taste and the finish? Is the finish long or short?
Take notes! You want to be able to remember what you’ve been tasting. This will also help you later if you buy a bottle and want to pair it with food.
Have a cracker between different wines. You need to cleanse your palate. If crackers or other palate cleansers are not readily available, ask for them!
Don’t bring your children. Children are a HUGE distraction in tasting rooms. If they can’t drink the wine, they don’t belong there.
Be considerate of other tasters. Respect their space and their ears. Don’t be too loud.
Wine tasting should not be a way to get drunk! Don’t just gulp the wine. Your taster will not appreciate that and may refuse to serve you if you’re too far gone.
Engage with your taster. Ask questions about the wine. This helps your learn!

These are just a few suggestions to make the most out of your wine tasting experience! Let us know what you think! Cheers!

Feb

2016

American Wine – There’s more than just California!

American Wine has exploded over the last twenty to thirty years. The number of wine regions and wine regions producing quality wine has helped with this explosion, but does the average American wine drinker really know that there are more wine regions than just California? Sadly, it seems not to be the case. For those of us who love drinking local wine, it seems we have some educating to do!

Sure California produces great wine. It also produces nearly 90% of the wine made in American. Grocery store wine aisles, restaurant wine lists and even local wine bars are all full of California wine. California is known for its big, bold reds with high alcohol content. We would argue that these wines are overdone and take away the true essence of grapes when compared to old world wines. For those who don’t know, old world refers to Europe and the Middle East from where wine grapes originated in nature.

There are 32 other wine producing states recognized as having an American Viticulture Area.

Given California’s dominance in producing American wine, how are other wine regions going to breakout? As the saying go, it takes a village! Those of us fortunate enough to live near other American wine regions need to step up our game. We need to get out and visit local wineries. We need to buy local wine. We need to insist that local restaurants, particularly those claiming to represent the local food movement, add local wine to their wine lists! We need to introduce our friends and family to local wine. We need to share our experiences on social media. We need to attend events at local wineries. In addition, when visiting local wineries, we need to make sure that local grapes are being used. If you’re not sure, ask! We need to insist on high quality. If a wine’s not good, say so. Let them know!

So, what wine regions should you look at besides California? We, of course, are partial to North Carolina. Quantity and quality have continued to improve. 2015 was a fantastic growing year across the state. We expect 2015 to be THE vintage in North Carolina. Washington and Oregon should be considered. They account for over 4% of the wine produced in America. Other areas to consider are Missouri, famous for Norton. If you haven’t tried Norton and you like big bold, jammy wines, you’re doing yourself a disservice. Texas is another upcoming and coming wine region going Spanish, Italian and Rhône Valley grapes well. New York with the Finger Lakes and Long Island is producing high quality wines. The Finger Lakes in particular are now regularly reviewed in major wine magazines like Wine Spectator. Finally, Virginia can’t be overlooked. Just like North Carolina, quantity and quality have increased over the last several years. Virginia is producing superb Petit Verdot, Petit Manseng and Viognier just to name a few!

American wine is diverse as our country. Let’s all do our part in helping make sure that diversity is better known. Drink local, explore new wine regions and share those experiences with others! There is more to American wine than California! Get out there and explore!

Jan

2016

What We’ve Been Drinking: January 2016

It’s hard to believe that we’re already one month in to 2016! So far this month, we’ve posted about 16 wines from across the state. Also worth noting was the North Carolina Winegrowers Conference that took place January 22, 23, and 24. This annual meeting of wineries, vineyards, and wine fans in Winston-Salem is a great opportunity to talk wine with the experts. This year we actually had the opportunity to lead a session on how wineries can make the most of their social media outlets. It was a lot of fun and we can’t wait until next year.

Back to the wine. Our January wine summaries are found below. Click on a picture to expand and read more about the wine.

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A quick note: We have taken a short break this past week that will continue into the early part of next week. Never fear, we’ll get to posting soon and will have a great recap when the month is over.

Nov

2015

All good things must come to an end: #AWS2015 Recap

The American Wine Society 2015 National Meeting concluded Sunday and a new week has begun. The AWS 2015 conference was the first national meeting we attended. We weren’t sure what to expect but we were pleasantly surprised! The conference started Thursday evening with the first timers reception and the grand showcase of Virginia Wines. The following two days were filled with educational sessions, wine tastings, and a lot of fun.

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Nov

2015

Part 1 Ends, Part 2 Begins: AWS We’re Here!

The first part of our vacation has come to a close. While we were making our way up to the American Wine Society Annual Conference, we decided to visit the Charlottesville area wineries and breweries. All things considered, the first part of the week have been a welcome relaxing getaway. We discovered several new favorite spots and will be making plans to rerun in the near future.

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Feb

2015

The Proof is in the Glass: Riedel Wine Glass Tasting

When it comes to drinking wine out of the appropriate glass there are several schools of thought on the subject. Many believe that the glass doesn’t make a terrible amount of difference to the wine tasting experience and when you do use a higher quality glass, it’s really just the perception of having the wine taste better. Still others believe that the wine glass itself can make or break the wine.
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In the Wine Light is Glen Manor Vineyards. On our return from our trip to the Finger Lakes this summer, we made a couple of stops in Virginia. Our first stop was at Glen Manor Vineyards in Front Royal.

Glen Manor Vineyards – October, 2019

We first visited Glen Manor Vineyards in October of 2019. We’d always heard great things about them and were super impressed with our visit, so it was a priority to visit them again.

Tasting Room and Winery at Glen Manor Vineyards

Scenic Location

Glen Manor Vineyards is located just below Skyline Drive and Shenandoah National Park. The vineyards are just beyond the tasting room on a steep hills. Visits to Glen Manor are by reservation only – a feature that started during the pandemic and will likely continue thereafter.

Our appointment was a 4:30pm on an absolutely gorgeous day. We were greeted by Kelly, one of the owners, who led us outside for our tasting. We faced the vineyard with Skyline Drive on the mountain above.

Glen Manor Vineyards with Skyline Drive Above

Century Farm

This bucolic location provides a peaceful respite from today’s busy life. Kelly walked us through the history of the estate beginning with the initial purchase of land by the family in 1901. Fast forward to 1995 when Glen Manor Vineyards was born with the planting of a little more than one acre of Sauvignon Blanc.

More vines were planted in subsequent years with the most recent addition in 2017. There are now 17 acres under vine on the 212 acre estate. In addition to the Sauvignon Blanc, varieties include Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Petit Manseng, and Nebbiolo.

Tasting – Sauvignon Blanc and Rosé

We began our tasting with the 2019 Sauvignon Blanc. Grapes on the west facing canopy were harvested on August 29, 2019, with grapes from the east facing canopy harvested on September 2, 2019. Each harvest was fermented separately in stainless steel at 55 degrees for 30 days using two different yeasts. The separate batches were blended in October, 2019, and then bottled in January, 2020. A grassy, lemony nose gave way to a palate of candied lemon along with a grassy, herbaceous note with a slight minerality.

Next up, we tasted the 2020 Morales Rosé, a blend of Cabernet Franc (45%), Merlot (22%), Petit Verdot (22%), and Nebbiolo (11%). A well balanced wine that presented notes of strawberry and watermelon.

Front of Tasting Room at Glen Manor Vineyards

Tasting – Reds

Time for reds, so we started with the 2015 St. Ruth, a blend of Merlot (72%), Cabernet Franc (14%), and Petit Verdot (14%). Each wine was fermented in small one ton bins with 14 days of post fermentation maceration and later aged for 20 months in French oak. The 2015 St. Ruth had a nose of caramel, vanilla, and roasted plum. The palate had nice roasted plum with leathery and spicy notes.

Fermented in the same manner at the 2015 St. Ruth, the 2016 St. Ruth was next. A blend of Merlot (52%), Cabernet Franc (38%), and Petit Verdot (10%), the nose showed black tea and black cherry with more on the palate along with a bit of spice.

Next, we moved to the 2014 Hodder Hill, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (69%), Merlot (16%), and Petit Verdot (15%). A caramel and toasty oak nose invited you in, but the velvety smooth palate of blueberry, black raspberry made you want more. A hint of violets danced in the background as the Cabernet Sauvignon proved to be a star.

We ended the reds with the 2017 Petit Verdot which had spent 20 months in French oak. Fresh baked blueberries on the nose and a rich palate reminiscent of blueberry pie with hints of vanilla and spice. Glen Manor Vineyards certainly has some impressive reds.

A Fall View of the Vineyards at Glen Manor – October, 2019

Tasting – Petit Manseng

Finally, it was time for Petit Manseng! We tasted three. First, we tasted the 2019 Dry Petit Manseng. Harvested on September 18, 2019, chilled overnight, whole cluster pressed the next day, fermented cold in stainless steel in two batches using different yeasts for 30 days, and finally blended together. Bottled in January, 2020, this wine gave us pear and pineapple on the nose with candied pineapple and pear on the palate. The acids proved to be nice and balanced.

Next up, the 2017 Petit Manseng which was fermented in a similar manner but had Petit Manseng juice added back to raise the residual sugar to 2.8%. Candied pear showed through on the nose. The palate presented golden baked apple and bit of pear. Full bodied, the sugar, acids, and flavors were balanced.

We ended the tasting with the 2016 Raepheus, a late harvest Petit Manseng dessert wine. Grapes were harvested on November 11, 2016, and placed in a walk-in freeze for 12 days. Then, the grapes were whole cluster pressed. The juice was cold settled for 24 hours with sediment racked off and the juice inoculated for fermentation in two thirds new French oak and one third stainless steel. On March 5, 2017, the two wines were blended in stainless steel to age on light yeast lees for ten months. Bottling happened in February, 2018. What a delight this wine is! Roasted pineapple on the nose led to a palate of candied pineapple and toasty oak. A good acid backbone still shown through on the moderately sweet palate.

Wrapping Up

After we wrapped up our tasting, Kelly graciously gave us some recommendations for dinner. We purchased several wines and ended our glorious afternoon at Glen Manor Vineyards. We highly recommend you make a reservation and go visit. You won’t regret it!

#InTheWineLight #VAWine