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It’s July, it’s Texas and again it is time to start the grape harvest. Can it be?
Compared to Texas, in most wine producing regions things happen at a much more leisurely pace. The vines push out their buds in May followed by the long slow process of grape formation and ripening through September and harvesting in October. However, here in Texas we have an impatient season.
As you may have heard, Texas is rather large being about the size of France. From north to south, it measures just about half the width of our whole contiguous lower forty-eight states. At its lower tip, Texas is farther south than Miami and in the north almost touches Colorado. Being mostly southward and generally in a warm region, vineyards start early and move at a torrid pace to harvest. The grapes being so eager for harvest here that they nearly scream at you with their lustrous ripeness saying, “Get me off the vine, darn it!” Actually, in Texas the grape harvest starts in the southern region in early to mid-July. As you move up through Texas north and westward into somewhat less tropical surroundings in the Central Texas Hill Country the grape harvest may come slightly later during August. Only up in the high plains country around Lubbock and around the Guadalupe Mountains in the Trans-Pecos region does harvest come at a more normal pace and arrive in September.
Check out my day in the vineyard and how to find a winery or vineyard in your region and join in the family and community fun, at:
http://vintagetexas.com/blog/?p=985
P.S. These are Blanc du Bois grapes a white grape developed for producing Muscat or Riesling style wines (dry and sweet) in hot, humid growing regions. Current Mood:  chipper Current Music: West Texas Wine |
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I'm not a big fan of Cab Sauv, (aka "Mr. Grinch"). The Wine Witch doesn't like it much either, and we tend to have similar tastes. So, when I saw her give 4.5 stars to this wine, I was intrigued, and since I was headed to the store to pick up a steak (I'm jonesing), and since I've had Merlot for the last two weeks, I decided to see if they had this wine.
Color: A beautiful garnet.
Nose: Wine Witch is not kidding when she says this smells like raspberries. Black raspberries to be exact.
First Impression: It's "razzleberries" (but more towards the raspberry end) upfront, tart tannins (but not too bitter and sour) in the middle, and a creamy vanilla-spice note on the end. Very nice mouthfeel, lush creamy-full.
Breathing Room: All of the above, but the creamyness of the mouthfeel is enhanced, but so is the tart midpalate to the point where it's almost (but not quite) too grinchy for me. The finish is still creamy vanilla, but has a smoky note like lapsang souchong tea.
For a $10 wine there is a lot going on here, the good way.
I ate a piece of tri-tip (aka "triangle steak") with this. I chose tri-tip because it is one of the most flavorful cuts of beef, and ... I'm still not getting how Cab Sauv is supposed to be the wine for a nice rare steak. It didn't make the steak taste OMG better, and the steak didn't bring out any new facets in the wine. Don't get me wrong -- they went well together, but it wasn't the party in my mouth I've had with steak and Petite Sirah, Shiraz, or a Zinfandel. (Maybe it's because most restaurant steaks are buttery and seasoned with salt and pepper, and I only put a little salt on my steak and seasoned it lightly with thyme, garlic, and rosemary?)
So far, Five Rivers and 337 are the only Cab Sauvs I've had that I'd willingly drink again, but I'm still not a convert and am wondering more than ever why CS is considered the "king" of grapes. |
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Jul. 13th, 2009 @ 02:25 pm
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I was at a restaurant in California last week and someone at my table ordered wine. They brought out a small container-like object that held maybe two glass's worth of wine.
Being from Oklahoma, wine isn't very common like it is in California unless you go to really fancy restaurants, so I've only seen this little container once before at a wine bar here. Today I was at a food supply place and they actually called these decanters.
If you can picture what I'm saying, then my question is: do these even function very well as decanters? They're almost narrower than wine bottles so I don't see how they can really do their job as well as the wider-bottomed decanters, although the opening at the top is bigger than a bottle. Thoughts? Thanks. |
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In the crisp morning air of April 21, 1836, on a rise in the marshy field abutting the San Jacinto River to the east and Buffalo Bayou to the north, Emily (the Yellow Rose) made Santa Anna a breakfast that he would not soon forget. Santa Anna’s breakfast was a grand meal accompanied by a great quantity of his French Champagne. This fact was reported back to Sam Houston by his scouts that gazed out unobserved from a nearby field of reeds. By early afternoon with Sam Houston’s forces only half a mile away, Santa Anna lay in his tent, well imbibed, taking a siesta with Emily and his troops similarly relaxing in the surrounding field. At just this time, the Texians mounted their charge on Santa Anna and his army yelling, “Remember the Alamo, remember Goliad!”
More details at: http://vintagetexas.com/blog/?p=975Current Music: Yellow Rose of Texas |
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New Wine Reviews are up on LifeEpicurean.com!
7 Wines are reviewed in our latest update, all of which were featured at our previous wine tasting. If you missed it, then you missed the chance to try some great wine, enjoy some great food, and interact with LifeEpicurean.com in a special way. The wine reviews are just the latest content on a site that is your home and guide to all things good life, and Columbus' best source for food, wine, spirits, and the Life Epicurean.
READ MORE HERE AT LIFEEPICUREAN.COM
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I just turned 21 recently, really getting into the wine scene.
It all started when my boyfriend's mom starting drinking White Zinfendel with me; the cheap oak leaf stuff, but i loved it. Sweet, tangy, fruity, and felt great.
I've been experimenting with different wines, trying to learn more about them, how to properly drink them, etc.
I tried Sauvignon Blanc and it was ok, kind of airy.
My favorite red wine has been Da Vinci Chianto. The art on the bottle attracted me and of course, I'm a Da Vinci (the artist, not the wine company) fan.
I ask, does anyone have any suggestions for what else I might like? How i can better enjoy wine? any advice?
Thanks |
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Jul. 8th, 2009 @ 12:34 am
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I have this yummy port I got at Trader Joe's
Quarles Harris 10 year old Tawny Porto
it is so tasty and if you drizzle it on top of vanilla bean ice cream it is such a treat!
I find it quite refreshing on a hot summer evening
also I highly suggest also a nice Pinot Grigio and Caprese for a hot summer lunch, this too also is quite refreshing
Does any one have any other ideas of wine and food combos that are refreshing on a hot summer day? |
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On Saturday morning while watching our Fourth of July parade in Fredericksburg, Texas, I was wondering what wine would be appropriate for our national birthday party. In this day of modern electronic communications, what better consultant to have than www.Google.com. Just like that, I had the obvious selection…Madeira! One website, intowine.com gave the simple justification featured below: “There is one wine that surely must be the choice for the fourth of July – Madeira. Madeira is the wine that was used by the Founding Fathers to Toast the Declaration of Independence. Betsy Ross had a side table with a glass on it when she was sewing the flag. It was used to toast the Constitution and George Washington drank a pint of Madeira every day for dinner."
There was a whole lot of Madeira going down back then, but what about now!
More details along with Porsche touring in the Texas Hill Country at: http://vintagetexas.com/blog/?p=941 Current Mood: good Current Music: Country and Western |
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So you’ve reached the point in your life where the wine you drink doesn’t come from a box, and rather than buy and try, you’d actually like to keep some of those bottles around for awhile. The first step in starting your wine collection is restraint. Before you put the cart in front of the horse and buy up more cases than you can drink in a year, start from the beginning. Whether you go all out on luxury or custom products or prefer the DIY approach, making and tweaking your cellar using some basic guidelines is essential for the burgeoning aficionado. READ MORE HERE.
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I know that sounds a little odd. Recently I've involved myself in a research project where i'm trying to recreate the wines of the Ancient worlds. So does anyone know of any resources on how they made wine 2000 or more years ago?
How it would have tasted? The alcohol and sugar contents? The type of grapes or other fruits that were used?
Any and all info would be welcome.
Thanks in advance.Current Mood:  curious |
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I have a hard time finding a nice riesling. I generally wind up with something decent, yet generic *schmitt-sohne* and that's ok but I'd really like something to have on a hot day on the porch. Not buttery sweet but crisp, delicate, delightful. Ideas? Budget is $20+/-
And no Chateau Ste. Michelle. I'm so over it. |
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The hot days of Texas summer are upon us. What better thing to do than get your outdoor chores done by noon, get showered up and then stay inside in “air-conned” comfort. Perhaps, the only thing better is to also get in a few tastings of some cool white wines. The tasting experience that follows exposure to our summertime weather makes you appreciate wines with the ability to quench; quench the heat of summer and also the heat of our spicy regional cuisines like Tex-Mex, Southwestern, Creole/Cajun and even Pan Asian. Tasting results:
2008 Viviana – Light straw color with a slight golden-peach hue likely gained from the Gewurztraminer and Viognier. The nose was dominated by honeysuckle, tropical fruits and hint of musk followed by a citrus rush of lemon-lime with a lengthy finish. Most notable was the silky feel and inherent crispness of the wine, intermingled with perception of honeyed citrus skins. 2007 Alluvium Blanc – The light straw color was followed by dominance of toasted oak on the nose overlaying lemon citrus and green apple aromas and flavors with a snappy tart and dry mineral finish. 2007 Conundrum – Straw colored it offered a floral nose with hints of jasmine and peach. Flavors follow of honeyed stone fruits and a crisp citrus finish carried by the lingering sweetness. More background, food pairing and analysis at: http://vintagetexas.com/blog/?p=920Current Mood: optimistic Current Music: Both Types: Country & Western |
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absolutely amazing! stunning and smooth fantastic with dark chocolate and asiago cheese.
light nose
stunning cherry flavor finish with a hint of vanilla and chocolate simply fantastic! |
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Cirque Du Vin is a blend that varies from vintage to vintage depending on what our friends at Peachy Canyon have put into it. The 2006 vintage is Petite Sirah, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc.
Color -- very dark in the glass (thank you Petite Sirah) but not quite as dark as a Petite Sirah, it's also a bit more more garnet colored on the edge, as opposed to the red-violet of a PS.
Sniff Test -- a little closed on the nose. Tart blackberries, a bit of allspice.
First Impression -- The jammy blackberries of PS and Syrah up front, the "green" notes of Merlot and Cabernet Franc on the mid, and tart tannins from Mr. Grinch Cab Sauv on the back end. Not so much Mr. Grinch as to be undrinkable, but actually to give a nice tartness as a counterpoint to all the fruits.
Breathing Room -- This has all the virtues of every grape involved. Everything I said above, plus some blackcurrant on the finish. Not a particularly lush wine on the mouth, but not thin and astringent, either.
This would be a lot of fun with stew, or Italian, good BBQ, and of course, a steak. :) |
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I guess I should say hi, before asking for help! So, hello! I had no idea this community existed, so it's nice to have found it. :) I enjoy reds and whites equally (zinfandel and sauvignon blanc my faves, respectively.)
I would like to purchase a wine aromas kit. I'm primarily interested in the Le Nez du Vin brand, and in particular, the large, full set for both reds and whites (54 vials, I think). I'm also interested in the faults kit, although I believe that is sold separately.
I've checked Ebay, Amazon, Le Nez site, and various google links. The lowest price I've found for it is $399 for the 54-vial kit (not including the faults), which is far more than I was hoping to pay when I started looking into it. Getting the faults kit too brings it to $500. Does anyone know of a source for these that is more economical?
Thanks!
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Guest Blogger, Jane A. Nickles
It’s Tuesday night and I’m in the kitchen of Ventana Restaurant at the Texas Culinary Academy. Forty people have assembled for the first ever “Iron Drink” beer vs. wine pairing dinner. Three of the Culinary Academy’s finest chefs have been given full creative license to design five courses of mouth-watering original dishes…all with the goal of “stumping” the pairing prowess of the wine and beer experts at The Texas Culinary Academy. This isn’t just dinner…its wine vs. beer in glass to glass combat! The familiar cry of “Let’s Get Ready to Rumble!” is blasted over the sound system and I hear the first few notes of “Rocky’s Theme” blare away. Sarah Murray of the Wine and Food Foundation calls out, “And in this corner…representing wine, Miss Jane Nickles, The Wizard of Wine, and Educator Extraordinaire!” I run out of the kitchen into the dining room to thunderous applause. Sarah continues, “And in this corner…representing beer, Chef Jayson Reynolds, Beloved Chef Instructor and Beer Pairing Prodigy!” Chef Jayson jogs out to join me on the floor. After a round of bantering, boxing, and bragging, we settle down and explain how the evening is to unfold. See the interesting pairings and results - Who won? Beer or Wine at: http://vintagetexas.com/blog/?p=914Current Music: Country & Western |
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I am looking for a nice bottle of something bubbly to celebrate a new apartment. This is one of the huge gaps in my personal wine knowledge, so I'd love suggestions. Something pretty easily available at a decent liquor store, that will be easy to drink (anywhere from the sweeter end of brut to the drier end of demi-sec) for under $50. Rosé is a bonus.
Refreshing is also a bonus. It is stupidly hot here right now.
Thanks so much!Current Mood:  contemplative |
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So, despite all of the hoopla and reputation surrounding "Three(Two?) Buck Chuck", and the relatively available nature of a Trader Joe's, I'd never tasted the infamous vintage. When we decided to make sangria for a cookout this weekend, I figured it was the ultimate time to pick up a few bottles because, hey... you don't really taste the wine in the sangria anyway, what with all the sugar & fruit added. So that's exactly what I did; and I took a few sips of the Shaw Merlot before pouring it in the jug. I was pleasantly surprised at the drinkability of a $2.99 bottle. Not something I'd show off, or serve by itself as a tasting wine, but not bad for a table wine that's for sure... and it makes a damned good sangria:
Recipe:- 1 bottle (750ml) of red wine (they suggest a merlot, cabernet sauvignon, shiraz/syrah, or a rioja)
- 1 lemon
- 1 orange
- 1 lime
- 2Tbsp sugar
- 1 small can of diced pineapple, in juice
- splash of orange juice or lemonade (we used oj)
- 2 shots of gin or triple sec (we used triple sec)
- 1 cup strawberries or raspberries
- 4 cups ginger ale
Pour wine into a large jar/pitcher/bowl/etc. Cut the citrus into wedges. Squeeze the juice from the citrus into the wine and add the wedges (remove seeds if possible). Add the sugar and pineapple and stir. Let chill in refrigerator overnight. Stir in berries & ginger ale shortly before serving. Serve over ice.
EDIT: forgot two ingredients! The OJ and the gin/triple sec (holy moly how could I forget the booze?). Also, direct link to the recipe here, my wife found it)Current Music: Nightswimming - R.E.M. |
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Hiya folks...
Ok...Thursday & Friday of this week we are (probably but not 100% certain...more like 90% certain) headed for KC for a couple of days, going to see the Nelson-Atkins, the Arabia, Stephenson's Apple Barn, and probably some bookstores (just for an idea of the geography of the trip).
Suggestions for KC area wineries?
Thanks!!Current Mood: curious |
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Hello,
I have a question regarding wine and maybe one of you could help me.
I recently cleaned up my grandparent’s cellar and there were some old bottles of wine.
I don’t drink wine and was going to throw them away. But I would actually like to know what I am going to throw away. I googled all the names and one is from Dom Ruinart. It seems to be a famous name.
I have “Champagne Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs 1966”.
What is it? Can I throw it away or should I better keep it?
Thanks in advance.
Jun. 21st, 2009 @ 07:04 pm
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| » suggestions |
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I love wine what can I say my favorites are the any of the lovely Reds Cabernet Sauvignon , Pinot Noir, Shiraz are my favorites
and I have two bottles yet to be tried form Argentina they are a Malbec variety. *suggestions on what to serve with this wine would also be appreciated*
Most importantly being that I do not live in a environment favorable for storing wine. I am currently looking into a nice wine cooler similar to a wine cellar to keep my wine's fresh and clean with out tarnishing the flavor or quality.
any suggestions on which coolers I should be looking into? as far as capacity I wish it to hold no less than about 18 wine's
Jun. 20th, 2009 @ 04:24 pm
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| » Anyone familiar with the wines of Annecy? |
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I'm studying abroad in Annecy, France right now, a medium sized city in the Haute-Savoie region of France.
Any wine recommendations from here? I know Beaujolais is very close, but I'm looking for something you can't get in the U.S.
Any suggestions appreciated, I just want to try a few wines and find some to bring back to family and friends. I like white, but the people I want to bring back for prefer reds.
Jun. 20th, 2009 @ 11:56 am
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| » “Texas Winegrowers” after Ten Years: Are we having fun yet! |
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What were you doing ten years ago? How many wineries were there in Texas? Shortly after I made the decision to plant grapes (1991) and start a winery, I discovered a few minor problems. It was not constitutional to have a winery in dry areas of Texas and most of Texas was and still is dry.It was legal to have a winery but you could not sell wine from your tasting room in dry areas. Later they passed a law allowing us to give wine away free [i.e. provide wine tastings], but it is still not clear to me how that business model might work. I got mad and found people like Dr. Bobby Smith and Gabe Parker who had been fighting the good battle for a long time. I initially started The Texas WineGrowers List on Yahoo Groups to help get the word out about legislative issues so that we could get people in hearing rooms to support our cause.I think it worked! It is wonderful to see what has evolved. The Texas wine industry now has money for research, education, and marketing. Do not let anyone fool you about this. The Texas Wine and Grape Growers Association and our working together as a wonderful team made this happen. We have something in Texas that exists nowhere else that I know of. We have wineries big and small working together. We have vineyard owners and winery owners working together. We have had huge support from wine consumers and wine clubs working with us. I can point to examples where individuals from each of these groups have done something that helps us all. It is a model for other states that want to be taken seriously and produce good local wines.
Winemaker Guest Blog on VintageTexas; more and links to Texas wine Internet Resources at:: http://vintagetexas.com/blog/?p=907
Jun. 20th, 2009 @ 08:46 am
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| » Wine Classes in Chicago |
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Hello Everyone!
Hope it's okay that I post this here. If not, please let me know.
I am teaching a series of wine classes in the Chicago area starting in July. The first class will feature Gelato and Champagne. You can find all the details ( right here )
Jun. 17th, 2009 @ 06:43 pm
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Has anyone ever tried this?
Jun. 15th, 2009 @ 04:42 pm
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| » Texas Wines Earn High Marks: 2009 Lone Star International Wine Competition |
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Last week, I blogged about my trek across the highways and byways of Texas from Houston up to Grapevine, Texas: An appropriate place to judge a wine competition. The blog notes my reflections on Texas terroir and my mental preparations assessing shades of arboreal green in the Texas roadside scenery, at: (http://vintagetexas.com/blog/?p=865). The wine competition was the 2009 (26th annual) Lone Star International Wine Competition (LSIWC).
In the LSIWC, nearly 500 wines from around the world were judged in over thirty categories
Interestingly enough, the LSIWC is four, four, four competitions in one…. a Texas Competition, an International Competition, and a Limited Production Competition. In the spirit of the local wine movement (www.drinklocalwine.com), wines qualifying for the Texas Competition must be 75% volume from Texas grapes. Additionally, for the first time the forth facet of the LSIWC included a Rising Star award for the best showing by a young Texas wineries in red and white wine categories.
Texas Grand Star Winners (Best of Show)
Fortified Wine – Haak Vineyards & Winery, Madeira-style Blanc du Bois 2006
Red Table Wine – Driftwood Estate Winery, Lone Star Cab 2006
White Table Wine – Grape Creek Vineyards, Viognier – Lost Draw Vineyards 2008 If you are interested, more details on competition, wine judging techniques (Zraly's 60-Second Wine Expert and complete results at: http://vintagetexas.com/blog/?p=894
Jun. 15th, 2009 @ 10:12 am
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| » For the Seekers of Ginger Wine |
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Although the Stone's website told me that the closest ginger wine was several states away, I found it in my very own city at Surdyk's. I also got some ginger beer while I was there, and got lured into their cheese shop. {mmmmmmm}
I have an open bottle of wine, and it takes me a while with those, so I haven't tried it yet, and just don't want to forget to encourage those seeking ginger wine to search locally.
Jun. 14th, 2009 @ 12:07 am
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| » Curious...sherry, anyone? |
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Just wondering...for any of you fortified wine drinkers... ;)
What's your favorite sherry? (Or port, for that matter...)
I'm fond of Harvey's Bristol Cream, simply because it was the 2nd I ever had. My introduction to sherry was actually the Solera Cream Sherry from St. Julian's Winery in Michigan.
I'm also fond of the De Bortoli 8 Year Old tawny port, the Catherman's port from St. Julian's, and the Frontenac Dessert Wine from Snus Hill here in Iowa. edit: The Snus Hill Frontenac is a ruby port, essentially; they just don't call it port. It's heavenly.
I'd like to hear what other ports/sherries y'all have enjoyed/would suggest. :) Cheers!
Jun. 13th, 2009 @ 04:44 pm
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| » (No Subject) |
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Video: Texas Port and Dessert Wines - The Perfect Ending but Possibly Much More t is my experience that people have an increasing penchant for sweetness these days. Many wine magazines now hype “Semi-Dry” as the “New Dry”. Why is this? Well, many folks came from a generation that started the day with a good cup of strong coffee and a newspaper. But, nowadays, it is not unusual for some to have a diet Coke or other caffeinated soft drink with their morning email. Sweetness has permeated our existence, whether in the sauce, drink or dessert. Many premium wine regions have something in common with Texas. If truth be told, they actually have a sweet streak. These regions include Riveraltes and Banyuls in the French Rhone, Jerez in Spain, Duoro in Portugal. Even Chianti and points south in Italy have their almondy Vin Santo wine, and the islands of Madeira coalesce sunlight with balmy breezes to create ripe grapes that produce their sweet concentrated nectars. Also, let’s not forget the most noteworthy of all sweet wines, French Sauternes and Tokaji Azul, the wine of kings (and the king of wines) from Hungary.
In the sixth and final Texas wine webcast, Merrill Bonarrigo of the Messina Hof Winery in Bryan, Texas, discusses Port, a variety native to Portugal, as well as other dessert wines that are thriving in Texas. She tastes Lenoir (Black Spanish) Port, and discusses late harvest Riesling, Muscat Canelli, and even a Texas Madeira, only one of three made in the United States. If you are so inclined, Video and more discussion at: http://vintagetexas.com/blog/?p=876
Jun. 10th, 2009 @ 05:33 pm
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