East Coast Wineries

Nazareth Patch Profile Franklin Hill Vineyards Winemaker Bonnie Pysher

2012-01-27T07:59:00.000-08:00

Bonnie Pysher, the chief winemaker at a favorite local winery in the Lehigh Valley, tells how she got into the business and continues to make award-winning wines.

Meet Franklin Hill Vineyard's Winemaker
By Anthony Rando
January 25, 2012
Nazareth Patch

One of the things that Bonnie Pysher stressed in her interview with Patch is that she has no background in chemistry.

“I didn’t even take chemistry in high school,” she explains.

And yet, as the chief winemaker at Franklin Hill Vineyards in Lower Mount Bethel Township, she is in a field that requires a knowledge of pH levels, acidity and solutions.

Her success in the field probably has something to do with 29 years of experience; Pysher began working at Franklin Hill in 1982, the same year the winery opened.

“I was a young mom, I had 3-year-old twins at home,” Pysher explained. “I had met Elaine [Pivinski, the owner] and she said, 'Why don’t you come help me label wine?’ And I’m like, anything to get me out of the house for a couple hours a day!”

In the winery’s early days, Pivinski and Pysher did all of the vineyard work, but Pysher paid close attention to the mechanical aspects of the winemaking process.

Eventually the two women settled into new roles: Pivinski got into the marketing side of the business, while Pysher stayed in the winemaking part.

“We kind of grew and grew… when [Pivinski’s] husband left, she had the choice to buy him out, or sell the winery,” she said. “We both loved what we were doing.”

Pivinski kept the winery and the two continued the endeavor. It ended up being a good choice: the first year together, they entered the Pennsylvania Wine Competition and won two bronze medals and one gold.

“At first we were really scared to do it, we didn’t know if we were doing it right or not,” she said. “But [the competition] gave us a pat on the back… it said, ‘Keep doing what you’re doing, and you’ll be okay.’”

According to Pysher, she’s doing the same thing she’s been doing from the beginning. Even when other winemakers have told her, “Don’t do that!” she sticks to her experience. Years later, those same winemakers tell her, “We’re doing that now, too.”

Another of Pysher’s duties is coming up with new flavors. She experiments based on what’s popular.

“For mango and strawberry-kiwi, Snapple was my inspiration,” she admitted. “The newest one, Pomegranate Peach? Pomegranate is really hot right now, everyone’s drinking pomegranate! So we made a pomegranate wine.”

A specialty at Franklin Hill is Bliss, a blueberry wine that is actually blue, which was Pysher’s idea.

“I knew that anything in a blue bottle would sell,” she said. “I thought, what if we made the wine blue? We won’t even go to the festivals without the blue wine.”

And for those who aren’t big fans of wine, Pysher has a few suggestions.

“Some people mix with vodka, but I don’t really like vodka,” she said. “I’ll mix Fainting Goat [a black cherry wine] with ice cream, make a milkshake. Or Pomegranate Peach with cranberry juice.”

Pysher admits that she has a pretty awesome job. Although it hasn’t always been easy, she’s learned along the way and continues to turn out award-winning wines.

“When we first started in 1982, we were one of 15 Pennsylvania wineries. Now we’re one of about 140 Pennsylvania wineries… and I think there are only four female winemakers in the state. We’re in a man’s world,” Pysher said.

But they’re doing just fine.

If Lower Mount Bethel is a bit of a hike, stop by The Grape Spot, a place to buy Franklin Hill's wines and wine-related products, in Lower Nazareth Township.

Read it all at:
http://nazareth.patch.com/articles/meet-franklin-hill-vineyards-winemaker

Union Leader: New Hampshire Wine Industry Improves With Age

2012-01-27T07:54:00.000-08:00

Peter Oldak, owner of Jewell Towne Vineyards, president of the New Hampshire Winery Association, tests some of the wine produced at his winery in South Hampton. Jewell Towne was New Hampshire’s first commercial winery, opening for business in 1994. Today there are about 30.

Granite State vineyards have proven much in 20 years
By JASON SCHREIBER
Union Leader Correspondent
Published Jan 18, 2012 at 10:25 am (Updated Jan 18, 2012)

WHEN YOU THINK of wine country, New Hampshire probably isn’t the first place that comes to mind.

But like the vines of the hybrid grapes developed to withstand the state’s cooler climate, New Hampshire’s wine industry has flourished over the past decade.

Some 30 vineyards have cropped up since Jewell Towne Vineyards owner Peter Oldak decided to go from amateur to commercial.

Oldak, president of the New Hampshire Winery Association, planted his first grapes in 1982 and began making wine at his South Hampton vineyard in 1985.

His passion for wine-making led Oldak to turn his winery into a commercial business in 1994.

It was the only winery in the state at the time, but the idea that wine could be produced and sold in a state known more for apple orchards than vineyards caught on.

“Along the way we started to show that grapes could be grown in New Hampshire and quality wine could be made. As it was shown, more people started planting grapes and developed wineries,” Oldak said.

Flag Hill Winery and Distillery followed by opening its doors in Lee two years later. Many more wineries opened between 2000 and 2008, often with guidance from Oldak, who is seen as a leader in the state’s wine industry.

Today, wine connoisseurs can find locally produced wine just about anywhere in the state, from Sweet Baby Vineyard in Kensington in the south to The Vineyard at Seven Birches in North Haverhill overlooking the Connecticut River Valley.

“A lot of people interested in starting wineries have come to me. We’ve been working together in trying to develop the industry. We don’t look at each other as competition.

What we do see as the real competition is California, South America and Europe. A bottle bought from us is one less imported from a foreign land,” Oldak said.

Jewell Towne Vineyards produced 7,000 cases of wine last year and is now sold in more than 150 restaurants and stores, mostly in New Hampshire but some in Massachusetts.

Zorvino Vineyards in Sandown has also seen success. The winery produced 800 cases when it opened seven years ago and is now up to 6,000.

“We opened at a time when the wine industry in New Hampshire was just starting to get rolling,” said Tom Zack, Zorvino’s wine director.

In addition to grape wines, Zorvino has also entered the fruit wine market, using local pears, blueberries, apples, and other fruit. It even produced its first pineapple wine just before Christmas.

“We sell as much fruit wine as grape wine,” Zack said.

While it has 1,200 grape vines on its 80 acres, Zorvino also imports grapes from California and South America, allowing it to continue making wine beyond the fall season.

One advantage that Zorvino has over other smaller wineries is a function room that’s often rented out for weddings. The room is another way to introduce its local wine to consumers.

With more people looking to buy local and interest in wine-making growing, Oldak said he thinks the industry will continue to expand. “We’re seeing a lot of people in corporate America who want to get out of that rat race and want to use the land they have and this allows them to be an (integral) part of it,” he said.

“A winery seems to be the solution that comes to mind.

It’s an escape and a chance to do something that’s different and creative.”

Read it at:
http://www.unionleader.com/article/20120118/NEWHAMPSHIRE07/120119911

Shoreham Winery Debuts in Vermont!

2012-01-27T07:47:00.000-08:00

GREG BORAH HAS been growing grapes in Shoreham for seven years and produces his own wine under the Shoreham Winery label. Independent photo/Trent Campbell

Shoreham Winery launches local libations
Posted on January 5, 2012 Shoreham
By Andrea Suozzo
Addison County Independent (VA)

SHOREHAM — In the burgeoning homegrown Vermont wine market Shoreham Winery is the newest player.

But the business, which acquired its commercial winery license last year and debuted at this fall’s Tour de Farms bike event, has been percolating for seven years now, ever since owner Greg Borah planted his first vines.

“You plant the grapes and then you realize, ‘In three years’ time, I’m going to have a harvest. I’d better know what to do with it,’” Borah said.

At first, Borah was making wine in specialized five-gallon containers known as carboys, reading every book he could and seeking advice from Chris Granstrom of Lincoln Peak Vineyard, whom he counts as his winemaking mentor. Starting out, Borah’s strategy was to follow directions exactly and hope for the best.

Like any skill, though, he picked it up little by little.

“A couple of years ago, I found I didn’t need the books, I just had the intuition,” he said.

Borah came to the field of winemaking from the desire to do something involving agriculture, and he said the grapes, which require constant vigilance during the growing season, give him the anchor he was looking for.

“It’s a real day-to-day stake in what’s going on in the natural world,” said Borah. “I like being right there, in the day.”

And he said his appreciation for wine has grown along with his understanding of winemaking, as has an understanding of its limitations. There’s only so much you can do with a batch of wine, he said, before you have to let the grapes do the work.

“It’s a Vermont wine, so you can’t make it be a French wine,” he said.

After five years refining his technique, Borah filed for a commercial winery license in time to offer the 2010 batch to the public. He said he’s making about 600 gallons of wine each year, which works out to 3,000 bottles — a very small winery, on the scale of things, but just enough for Borah, his wife Pat and their three grown children to handle.

This year, the winery is offering four types of 2010 wine — two reds, a rosé and a white — as well as an ice cider made with apples from Cornwall’s Sunrise Orchards, in partnership with orchard owner Barney Hodges.

“Everything is to scale,” said Borah of the winery’s size. “This size tank, that size press and crusher. If we were able to grow more grapes, the arrangement would have to be adjusted.”

That works well for now, since Borah isn’t planning on giving up his day job as a general contractor anytime soon.

A GROUP EFFORT

Borah credits his family and Granstrom for all their help in getting the small winery off the ground, but there are others, too: To him, it’s truly a group endeavor.

Seven years ago, Walter Phelps of Orwell agreed to let Borah plant grapevines on his land, where they’ve thrived ever since. More recently Borah began using space at Vermont Refrigerated Storage, owned by Barney Hodges and Gregory O’Brien.

“They make it possible,” said Borah. “I grow the grapes, I make the wine, but without them it wouldn’t happen.”

The Shoreham Winery’s new home hosts a space where Borah processes the grapes and ages the wine, as well as a tasting area flanked by wooden cases of 2010 wine.

Borah held open hours in the tasting room during the holiday season, but he said it won’t be open on a regular basis during the rest of the year. For now, those who want a drink from the Shoreham Winery can find his wine at Buxton’s Store in Orwell, Greg’s Meat Market in Middlebury, and the Middlebury Natural Foods Co-op. Or, he said, he’s available at 897-7126.

Reporter Andrea Suozzo is at andrea@addisonindependent.com.

Read it at:
http://addisonindependent.com/201201wineguy5287jpg

Boston Globe: Rowley, MA Debuts New Mill River Winery

2012-01-27T07:39:00.000-08:00

Donna Martin and Rick Rousseau, owners of Mill River Winery. (John Blanding/Globe Staff)

Rowley uncorks a new winery
By Joel Brown, Globe Correspondent / January 19, 2012

ROWLEY - She had the analytical chemistry degree and years of working in industry. He was a contractor who made wine in his basement. They started dating, and realized they made a pretty good blend.

The Mill River Winery, at the corner of Route 1 and Wethersfield Street is already a large wine-making operation, but a portion of the 3-plus acres will soon be planted with grapevines. And the heart of the operation is the partnership of Rick Rousseau and Donna Martin.

They met when he did some painting at her house. Martin had been a corporate chemist, mainly for area medical device firms, but had dialed back her career to raise her two kids. Rousseau had already won awards for his homemade wines, made from purchased grapes, when they started dating in 2006.

“He would talk to me about classical music, about Beethoven . . . I was very impressed. He was a little rough around the edges but, jeez, he knew his classical music,’’ said Martin, as Rousseau cackled at this description. “I started tasting his wines, and enjoyed them. I started automatically taking my chemistry and using it to comment on his wines.’’

“I ended up building her a lab in my basement,’’ said Rousseau, who lives in Rowley.

“Instead of making a heart angioplasty catheter, I was making the best wine I could,’’ said Martin, of Wenham.

With her kids growing up, she was ready for a new challenge, but diving back into a life of 60-hour weeks and a Route 128 commute wasn’t it. Both North Shore natives and in their 50s, she and Rousseau started talking about a winery, and a dream took shape.

Martin wrote a business plan that was strong enough to interest area banks even in the dark days of 2008. In 2010, they closed on the run-down property that had housed Dodge’s cider mill and ice cream stand. Much of the main building had to be rebuilt, though they saved the beams and reused much of the wood. A newer, cinder-block building out back fit their plans nicely.

The main building now houses a stylish shop and tasting room, open for a few months now. (Hours and details at millriverwines.com.) There they sell their Mill River varietals, such as zinfandel and chardonnay, and Plum Island red and white blends, by the bottle or in flights of five one-ounce tastes. Tucked away in the kitchen are a couple of empty old Dodge’s Sweet Cider bottles brought in by a local customer.

The rear building is now filled to the corners with stainless-steel wine tanks that hold up to 1,000 gallons, fat plastic “flex tanks,’’ and French oak barrels, plus gleaming new machines for bottling and labeling the wines.Continued...

Read the rest at:
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2012/01/19/rowley_uncorks_a_new_winery/

Weather.com Highlights Alchemist Brewery in Waterbury, VT

2012-01-27T06:49:00.000-08:00

Brewery Finds New Way to Serve Community After Irene
by Jess Baker, weather.com

2011 was supposed to be a year of celebration for John and Jennifer Kimmich. Fall would mark eight years since the couple opened the Alchemist Pub and Brewery in downtown Waterbury, Vermont.

The Alchemist was housed in a 160-year-old building on Waterbury's Main Street. They transformed the space from a florist shop into a brewpub. Jon brewed his creative, award-winning beers in the basement, and then served them upstairs in the pub. We're not just talking six or seven brews. The website lists more than four dozen beers the Kimmichs have concocted over the last eight years. The Alchemist was an instant hit.

"Through the years you learn just how much you mean to everyone in the community," John said.

The Alchemist also meant a lot to people outside Waterbury. The inventive beers were earning John and the Alchemist attention in the craft beer industry. Beer enthusiasts were making Waterbury a destination so they could try John's beer firsthand.

But August 28, 2011, Hurricane Irene lashed parts of the Northeast and New England with relentless rain and high winds. Waterbury, and the Alchemist Pub and Brewery, were in its soggy path.

"It was raining all day Sunday. We had closed the pub just in case," John said. "It was a reasonably steady rain all day long. I started thinking maybe it would head east and we wouldn't get hit."

But by 8 o'clock that night, the heavy rain was too much. John heard that the neighborhood right behind the Alchemist was being evacuated. John went against the advice of his wife, and drove downtown to check on the brewpub.

"As soon as I came around the corner, there it was. The water was in the back of the building. The neighborhood behind us was already under five feet of water."

What he found inside the building broke his heart. Even though the main restaurant and pub area were still dry, water filled the entire basement stairwell.

"I opened the door and the water was all the way up," John said.

The basement was the Alchemist's nerve center. The brewing equipment was in the basement. The ingredients were stored in the basement. The tanks holding John's special brews were in the basement. The office and all the paperwork was down there, too.

John closed the basement door, turned away, and walked to the bar. "I poured the last 'Holy Cow IPA' anyone would ever have," John said. "I didn't know at the time it was the last one."

As he stood there, he started to feel thudding below his feet. He knew it was the sound of 1400-pound brewing tanks, full of his beer, bobbing in the floodwater below, and hitting the basement ceiling.

"I drank that beer extremely quickly, and went out," John recalled.

Five minutes later, the water was knee-deep inside the Alchemist.

Read the rest at:
http://www.weather.com/outlook/weather-news/news/articles/hurricane-irene-vermont-alchemist_2012-01-25

Dave McIntyre: Chef Peter Chang and Virginia wines

2012-01-26T21:04:00.000-08:00

Chef Peter Chang and Virginia wines: a shared moment in the spotlight
By Dave McIntyre, Published: January 24
Washington Post

Peter Chang is hitting the road again, and he’s taking Virginia wine with him.

The famously peripatetic chef, said to serve some of the best Chinese food in the country, will prepare a banquet to celebrate the start of the Year of the Dragon on Monday at the James Beard House in Manhattan.

A Beard House dinner before the glitterati of the New York food scene is an important milestone for chefs seeking national prominence. Chang’s appearance has been so highly anticipated that the Jan. 30 dinner sold out two weeks in advance; it falls during the two weeks that lead up to the Lantern Festival of the Chinese New Year.

Also on the marquee: Andy Reagan, winemaker at Jefferson Vineyards, who will tackle the challenging task of pairing wines with Chang’s spicy Sichuan cuisine.

Why Virginia wines? “Because we are from Virginia, and they make good wines here,” says Gen Lee, Chang’s business partner at Peter Chang’s China Grill in Charlottesville and a new restaurant, Peter Chang Cafe, set to open next month in downtown Richmond. Lee says he chose Jefferson because of its history. Parts of the winery’s vineyards near Monticello are on the same site where Thomas Jefferson planted European grape varieties. But the choice also sends a message that the famously migratory Chang is, at last, planning to settle down and call Virginia home.

Read the rest at:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/food/chef-peter-chang-and-virginia-wines-a-shared-moment-in-the-spotlight/2012/01/18/gIQASXLrNQ_story.html

Dave McIntyre: Virginia wineries cop 22 medals in Chronicle contest

2012-01-26T21:01:00.000-08:00

Virginia wineries cop 22 medals in Chronicle contest
By Dave McIntyre
Posted at 07:00 AM ET, 01/18/2012
Washington Post

(San Francisco Chronicle) Local wines shined — or at least won shiny medals — at this year’s San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, the largest annual contest featuring wines from around the United States. Barboursville Vineyards took Best in Class for its 2008 cabernet franc reserve ($24), while Virginia wineries collected 22 medals in all. Maryland claimed three.

Barboursville also earned silver medals for its 2007 Octagon red blend ($41) and its 2010 viognier reserve ($24).

Winemaker Luca Paschina was understandably excited about the Best in Class recognition for his cab franc, which many people consider Virginia’s best red grape.

“Once more, a Virginia wine has reached world class recognition [on] its own merit, in a blind setting, and it is a great time for all people involved in our industry to be proud, celebrate and yet not [be] surprised of the achievement,” he wrote in an e-mail.

Other wineries were celebrating, too. Barrel Oak Winery, in Fauquier County, collected five medals, including a Double Gold (meaning all the judges rating it gave the wine a gold-medal score) for its 2010 chardonnay reserve in the $25-$30 category. The winery also collected medals for its 2009 cabernet franc, 2009 petit verdot, 2010 chardonnay and 2010 viognier.

Barren Ridge Vineyards, Doukenie Winery, Gray Ghost Vineyards, Keswick Vineyards, Philip Carter Winery and Rappahannock Cellars also collected medals in San Francisco.

From Maryland, Boordy Vineyards collected a silver medal for its 2010 chardonnay reserve from Long Green Vineyard, part of the winery’s ambitious replanting effort, as well as a bronze medal for its 2007 Veritas, a port-style wine. Slack Wines and Vineyards also won a bronze for its White Shoals sparkling wine,.

Sixty-five judges from around the country evaluated 5,500 entries in this year’s competition.

Read it now:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/all-we-can-eat/post/virginia-wineries-cop-22-medals-in-chronicle-contest/2012/01/17/gIQA63Ei6P_blog.html

Isaaks of Salem Popp Road Raspberry (MA)

2012-01-22T14:23:00.000-08:00

Isaaks of Salem turn the fruit and honey of New England into local wine and mead. Ian Bennett started the winery in October 2009 and received a Federal and State permit in May and June of 2010 respectively. Ian created three wines for the first year of production, and distributed to many stores in and around Boston, MA, which where I found a bottle.

The tastingroom is located in Salem, MA with their winery premises in Beverly. They have a small garage bay near the train station in downtown Beverly where they create their wine.

So one night in early January the owners of Brookview Station, Sue and Ed Miller stopped by, and Ddominique and I put out a nice piece of Old Chatham Camembert and a jar of black currant jam.

Their dry Popp Road Raspberry wine is something very special. They located Popp Farm in Dresden Maine that still farms the old way. No pesticides, no fertilizers, just open pasture fields and a saltwater estuary abutting the raspberry patch. The first sip of this wine explodes with raspberries. The taste is distinctly New England raspberry. Despite the huge frontal assault of the raspberry, the wine is not sweet. It is a dry raspberry cider flavor. But it's a dry wine. And they approach fruit wine the way the Burgundians approach Pinot Noir. Single vineyard or farm appellations. Careful fermentations. Lots of organic fruits.

The wine is 100% Gluten Free! They only made 73 cases. According to the notes: 00Fermentation Process: Fermented for 4 weeks, then crash cooled to 37 degree's for 5 weeks and racked added raspberries on October 10th 2010, steeped for 3 weeks and removed raspberries on November 3rd 2010.

This is not a cheap wine, but I assure you this is well worth it. This is extremely well packaged, and that package exudes quality. I bought the wine, and I was not disappointed, and neither were my guests. We all toasted each other several times, toasting the new year and the delicious taste of the wine!

I would serve this wine to anyone! A really remarkable wine, and a signpost for quality fruit wine in New England. This is a winery to be on the lookout for!

Neponset Winery Merlot 2008 (MA)

2012-01-22T13:53:00.000-08:00

I first wrote about Neposnset in 2008 when I tasted their wines at a Wineries Unlimited event. So I was thrilled when I recently found a bottle of Neponset Winery Merlot 2008 Southeastern New England.

They're conveniently located in the suburban town of Needham, Massachusetts, off Exit 19B, I-95/Rt. 128, just 3 miles south of the Mass Pike. Their wines are available for sale at the winery and a select group of wine shops in the Boston area.

I am a fan of their Chardonnays and their Pinot Gris. But I finally had one of their red wines. The Merlot.

Thirty years ago John Commando was introduced to the art of producing wine. Neponset Winery is the fruition of a dream to start a small winery. With the help and encouragement of his wife, John began his "virtual" winery. Neponset Winery is dedicated to making fine wines in small batches. They purchase juice and grapes from top growers in Massachusetts and California.

Dominique served this with a home made pasta dish. Pasta with peas, onions, extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper with grated Parmesan. The wine was up to the task. It had wonderful plum and dark fruit flavors, with decent acidity and solid tannins. There was nice structure and balance to the wine. It was a lovely surprise. A nice wine made from local New England fruit.

This was a lovely, dry, dark red wine. It stood up very well, and showed beautifully. Congrats to John and the Neponset Winery folks. Wonderful wine.

Afton Mountain Gewurztraminer 2008 (VA)

2012-01-22T13:36:00.000-08:00

I like Finger Lakes wines, especially Riesling and Gewurztraminer. But there are other examples to be sure from throughout the east coast of good versions of those varietals. Virginia has proven it can grow those grapes well.

Afton Mountain Vineyards is one of Virginia's pioneer farm wineries, with the oldest of their vines dating back to the 1970s. They make Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, of course, but they also make wines found at few other Virginia wineries, such as Gewürztraminer and Sangiovese.

Elizabeth and Tony Smith own Afton Mountain Vineyards. They both grew up in nearby Albemarle County and were married on June 4, 1983. Elizabeth and Tony moved to the Tidewater region of Virginia, where they both worked and raised their two children, Hunter and Tess. The Smiths have thoroughly enjoyed their return to the Charlottesville area and are having fun in their venture.

Hunter, the Smiths’ son, has been the Marketing Manager for Afton Mountain Vineyards since the summer of 2009. Hunter has a B.S. in Business Marketing. Hunter and his wife, Danielle, moved from Suffolk, VA to join the family business in 2009. Danielle graduated from Old Dominion University and works in downtown Charlottesville. Danielle also helps with events and in the tasting house. Hunter and Danielle had a baby girl, Ava, in October of 2011.

So Dominique and I shared this bottle of wine with a friend of ours. We had it fairly well chilled, which is how I like whites. I know most experts would tell you it kills some of the flavors when you do that, but I like my whites cold.

Anyway, this wine has a great nose, with lots of floral aromas and tropical fruits frothing out of the glass. Bright tropical fruit up front. Refreshing and delicious. A hint of perceived sweetness, but it's a dry wine. This was an exceptional wine. Wonderful. As good as any Gewurztraminer out there. It can hold it's own.

Congratulations to the Smiths and everyone at Afton Mountain!

LONELY PLANET NAMES HUDSON VALLEY TOP TEN DESTINATION FOR 2012

2012-01-18T15:11:00.000-08:00

LONELY PLANET ANNOUNCES
TOP 10 TRAVEL DESTINATIONS FOR 2012
HUDSON VALLEY IS NO. 2!

Top 10 US travel destinations for 2012
Robert Reid, Lonely Planet Author
The US: it’s a big place, and there’s a lot of ground for travelers to cover. So what’s buzzing for travelers in the coming year? It’s an annual tradition at Lonely Planet to try to answer that question, so the editors in our US office put their travel-noggins together to carve out a list of what’s new, interesting, and in some cases likely to be overlooked by travelers both domestic and international. Here are our 10 top picks that should be on your travel radar in 2012:

2. Hudson River Valley, New York
It should be a given that any visitor to New York City breaks for a day or two ‘upstate’ in the Hudson River Valley, a slice of rural Americana just north. It’s a real city break, with leafy drives, wineries and plenty of farm-to-table foodie options that draw even spoiled-for-choice Manhattanites away from the city.

Star Ledger: Gov. Christie Signs NJ Wine Bill - Saves NJ Wineries

2012-01-17T14:35:00.000-08:00

Christie signs bill allowing N.J. wineries to sell vintages directly to consumers

Published: Tuesday, January 17, 2012, 11:18 AM
Updated: Tuesday, January 17, 2012, 12:25 PM
By Statehouse Bureau Staff

TRENTON — Wineries from New Jersey to California can now sell their vintages directly to consumers and retailers under a bill pushed by Democrats in the Legislature and signed today by Gov. Chris Christie.

"New Jersey’s wines are now considered among some of the best in the nation, but rules and regulations had suffocated the industry for far too long," Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D-Gloucester) said in a statement. "That will all now change."

The winery bill was the most embattled of the 214th Legislature's final session last week, with Sweeney working late into the night behind closed doors to round up the votes needed for the measure to pass.

Read more at:
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2012/01/under_new_bill_nj_wineries_can.html

Newark Star-Ledger Recommends Gov. Christie to Sign Wine Bill

2012-01-16T17:38:00.000-08:00

Editorial: Gov. Christie should sign bill to allow direct wine shipments to N.J. residents
Published: Wednesday, January 11, 2012, 7:02 AM
By Times of Trenton Editorial Board

Patti Sapone/The Star-Ledger

In the flurry of last-minute business as the legislative session ticked to a close Monday, the Assembly and the Senate voted to change the law governing wine sales.

The bill, which now goes to Gov. Chris Christie for his consideration, would allow wineries around the state to take orders online and send their wines directly to consumers and retailers.

It follows a previous legislative attempt that sputtered when a federal court ruled that denying direct-sales opportunities to out-of-state wineries was unconstitutional. This bill remedies that, leveling the playing field as it opens New Jersey for exports and imports.

It also allows N.J. wineries producing less than 250,000 gallons a year to open more retail outlets or “tasting rooms” and sell directly to consumers or pair up with restaurants to sell bottles to diners.

All of this could add up to a very good year with continued growth of N.J. agriculture; the wineries’ increasing contribution to the economy; and a wider selection for Garden State wine aficionados.

New Jersey has evolved into one of the top wine-producing states in the country. Dozens of Garden State wines are recognized with awards and honors as the reputation for quality has grown more robust year after year. Unfortunately, consumers have not had full access to those choices unless they scouted out wine festivals or traveled far afield for a favored Riesling or a particular Sangiovese.

The internet has revolutionized the way we shop for almost every commodity; it makes no sense to exclude wine sales from that convenience. Indeed, 38 other states see it that way.

Meanwhile, arguments against the bill have not improved with age. They still center on the worry that teens will manipulate the direct shipping option to obtain wine illegally. Any delivery, however, will involve extended time, shipping fees and the signature of an adult over 21.

Opponents have also said it will strike a financial blow to wine distributors. That argument fails to recognize that direct sales account for only 1 percent of wine purchases nationwide. Shopping online allows consumers to find special wines that aren’t available in the local shop. While it poses no threat to liquor stores, it will enhance an industry that’s keeping many farmers in business.

We urge the governor to sign the measure into law. Its time has come.

Read more at:
http://www.nj.com/times-opinion/index.ssf/2012/01/editorial_gov_christie_should.html

Record Attendance at Pennsylvania Farm Show

2012-01-16T17:29:00.000-08:00

By Teresa McMinn
Email the author
January 14, 2012
SewicklyPatch

Ever try jalapeno wine?

Christopher Boyd, of Boyd's Cardinal Hollow Winery in Montgomery County, on Tuesday featured several wines at the show including a non-grape variety made from 100 percent jalapenos.

"It won't burn your eyes or your lips but it is warm," Boyd writes on the winery's website. "The aroma is just like the pepper and then once you sip it, it fills your mouth with the jalapeno flavor and warmth. As you swallow, you will feel the warmth all the way down."

Saturday is the last day for this year's Pennsylvania Farm Show in Harrisburg, which is experiencing record attendance and heavier than usual traffic volume.

The show draws more than 400,000 visitors from around the world and is the largest indoor agricultural exposition in the U.S. - with nearly 6,000 animals, 10,000 competitive exhibits and 290 commercial exhibits.

From butter sculptures to fried zucchini or a tortilla crusted tilapia sandwich, the food this year at the 2012 Pennsylvania Farm Show seemed to be a hit.

For wineries in particular, the event featured a variety of wines from across the state to compliment just about any Farm Show fare.

Boyd said the Farm Show offers a great marketing opportunity. The show is free. Parking costs $10.

This was Boyd's second year to bring his wine to the Farm Show, he said. He has locations in North Wales, Warminster, Skippack and Coopersburg.

"It's excellent," he said while serving samples of his wine to folks waiting in line. "There's lots of traffic. It's nonstop."

Wineries at this year's Farm Show include:
Paradocx Vineyard
Tamanend Winery
Winery at Wilcox
Benigna's Creek Winery
Long Trout Winery
Red Shale Ridge Vineyards
Christian W. Klay Winery
Sand Castle Winery
Allegheny Cellars Winery

Read more at:
http://sewickley.patch.com/articles/record-attendance-at-pennsylvania-farm-show

WBAL-TV (NBC) Reports 4 Hurt During Roof Collapse At MD Winery

2012-01-16T17:07:00.000-08:00

4 Hurt During Roof Collapse At Md. Winery
POSTED: 9:08 am EST January 13, 2012
UPDATED: 9:29 am EST January 13, 2012

RISING SUN, Md. -- Authorities said four people were injured when the new roof collapsed on a building at the Dove Valley Winery in Cecil County.

Maryland State Police told The Cecil Whig that four people were taken to Christiana Hospital in Delaware after the collapse in Rising Sun on Thursday. Two victims had injuries that were non-life-threatening, and the others were taken to the hospital as a precaution.

Foreman Richard McDonald said the workers were checking trusses in the 69-foot by 112-foot structure when he heard a loud crack and the roof collapsed, sending the workers falling about 20 feet.

McDonald said three of the workers were able to get out on their own and the fourth was helped out.

County building inspectors and Maryland Occupational Safety and Health Administration are investigating.

Read more: http://www.wbaltv.com/news/30205028/detail.html#ixzz1jgXXLNTq

2012 This Is the Year of Virginia Wine

2012-01-11T14:48:00.000-08:00

No matter what state you come from, there is no getting around it. This is the year of Virginia wine. You will hear more about Virginia wine than any other. And in 2012 Virginia will surpass New York as the eastern most state with the best reputation. The tidal wave about these wines will be a sunami, and here are the reasons why:

A MORE UNIFIED INDUSTRY Big states like California and New York, with multiple regions tend to Balkanize. Napa and Sonoma rule California, diminishing other regions, and they like it that way. The Finger Lakes and Long Island dominate the smaller regions in that state. But in Virginia, at least to the outside world, Virginia represents a unified front. Yes the north has expanded quickly, and yes, the older wineries around Charlottesville are well established, but the Virginia Wine Board does a great job of spreading the ball around evenly (like they say in football or basketball) just enough to keep all their stars happy.

THE STATE HOUSE SUPPORTS THE WINERIES In 2012 just as they did in 2011, Virginia will outspend New York, it's biggest rival on the eastcoast, by almost $3 to $1, or even more. The Governor supports the wine industry, and the First Lady has made it her mission to promote Virginia wine. Neither Gov. Coumo nor Ms. Lee has publicly supported New York wine in any way - by dollars or publicity. And the folks in the statehouses of New Jersey and Pennsylvania haven't stepped up either. The department of agriculture has been a good working partner for the wineries helping to promote the wines and tourism as well as agribussness. Virginia's state goverment gets it!

DAVE McINTYRE AND THE WASHINGTON POST Dave McIntyre is one of five or six most influential newspaper wine columnists in the country. He is a man who knows his Burgundies from his Bordeauxs, his Cambernet Sauvignons from his Chardonnays. And the Washington Post is one of the most influential newspapers in the nation. McIntyre is a tough critic, but he also a fan - a fan of good wine, and a fan of local wine. He has helped promote Virginia wine like no other of those remaining newspaper writers. It's a huge boost for Virginia wine.

BLOGGERS Virginia has a solid cadre of very active wine bloggers all of whom are writing about their favorite wines consistently. Each have favorite wines and regions, but not a week goes by that five to six bloggers aren't extolling the virtues of Virginia's fruit of the vine. That's a lot of hits on the internet. And to cap it off, even the New York Cork Report, the grand salami of New York wine blogs, is hosting it's next bloggers' conference in the state of Washington and Jefferson!

ANNETTE BOYD If The Virginia Wine Board is the Green Bay Packers of east coast wine right now, Annette Boyd is their Aaron Rodgers. She is young, smart, funny, charming and hard working. She has a smart phone surgically attached to her right hand, and is as comfortable with winemakers as she is with politicos as she is with the press. She is as likely to make a blogger feel like a press baron as make a politician feel like the president. And at all times she remains a real and down to earth person. But what's more, she gets the elctronic age of wine promotion better than any other wine promoter out there. In an age where print is in decline, Boyd has hosted several bloggers camps, and gets the Facebook and Tweet world like no other wine promoter in the US right now. She is miles ahead of most other states this way, even California.

BOOKS, MAGAZINES, NEWSPAPERS There are a flock of books out on Virginia wine already. Todd Klineman's book THE WILD VINE (the Norton grape), as well as a slew of books by Walker Elliott Rowe on Virginia wine history. Now, another by Richard Leahy (soon to be published by Sterling Epicure - my imprint, full disclosure) will be coming out in May. There are a plethora of regional newspapers and magazines that are all featuring Virginia wine, like few other states. Without exception, Virginia's newspapers and magazines are much more inclined to promote the local wines than those of New York, New Jersey, or Pennsylvania.

MOMENTUM Like in anything else, there is a tipping point. The media frenzy will begin in May and slide all the way through the rest of the year. Savuer Editor-in-Chief James Oseland said on the Today Show on NBC on New Year's Day weekend, that local wines other than the big three or four would get more fucus and become more popoular in 2012. Virginia is going to be a huge benefactor of that trend. They will be the New Kid in Town for 2012, and they will score the hottest dance card.

MORE BIG NAMES John Kent Cooke and Donald Trump own wineries in Virginia. Think they they'll grab a few headlines? They are also a sign of the kinds of cash and intensity that is pouring into the region. That creates competition and quality.

GREAT WINE Let's not forget another thing...they make great wine. They are making fantastic red blends, rich, dark and deep; fantastic and aromatic Viogniers; and they have a wonderful and colorful grape in Norton. Also, they are bringing in lots of outside winemakers, especially from Europe, with a solid old world background. The flying winemakers are landing in Virginia much more often days than New York or anywhere else.

Congratulations to Virginia. Great stuff. Great excitement. Great wine!

HUDSON VALLEY SCORES BIG WITH WINE ENTHUSIAST

2012-01-09T09:27:00.000-08:00

For the first time ever, Wine Enthusiast magazine coordinated tasting of some of the best wines of the Hudson Valley. The wines scored high on the magazine’s 100-point scale, and proved that the Hudson Valley is emerging region with wines that can compete in the international wine market.

The Hudson Valley is one of the oldest producing wine regions in the United States, and New York State is the third overall producer of wine in the U.S. But with the influx of new money, talent, and drive over the last five years, the region is growing at a fast pace, and producing a number of highly rated bright, flavorful whites, and soft, approachable reds.

Wine Enthusiast editors tasted more than 20 Hudson Valley wines that earned scores of 85-89 points consistently across seven producers. This is the first major tasting of the region by any major news outlet, and helps to establish the region as a producer of fine quality wines.

“We are thrilled with the results,” said Hudson Valley Wine Country president Carlo DeVito. “The Hudson Valley is a great example of some of the excellent wines New York state produces. Our passion and commitment to making quality wines has been recognized. We think this highlights what we’ve been doing here – the Hudson Valley is making wines that can compete anywhere.”

The Chardonnays, Pinot Noirs, Cabernet Francs, and Baco Noirs all scored very well, and highlight a region which produces wines that showcase great food wines that are forward fruit, and feature bright acids, medium-to-low tannins, and long finishes in a more European tradition. Hudson Valley wines can be found all across the state, and are featured in numerous stores and restaurants throughout the city.

To find out more, all the scores are available on the magazine’s website in their ratings area, and on other Hudson Valley websites such as:

http://hvwinegoddess.blogspot.com/

http://hudsonriverwine.blogspot.com/

The Hudson Valley is America’s oldest wine making and grape-growing region. Less than an hour and a half from New York City, Hudson Valley wineries and wine trails offer hospitable winery tasting rooms, where consumers can often meet the owners in-person and taste award-winning wines made from classic European varieties, regional hybrids and even delicious fruit wines. The Hudson Valley features more than 40 wineries and three trails: The Dutchess Wine Trail, The Hudson-Berkshire Beverage Trail, and the Shawangunk Trail.

The New York Wine & Grape Foundation to Launch City-Wide Campaign in 2012

2012-01-09T07:39:00.000-08:00

I whole heartedly support this promotion and commend the NYWGF for promoting NY wines in NYC! This is the kind of promotion I have been calling for and am happy to see happening in NY state. - Carlo De Vito

New York, New York- The New York Wine & Grape Foundation, the official association representing the state's wineries, will launch a campaign entitled New York Drinks New York during the first quarter of 2012. Centered on New York City, the campaign is a multi-faceted program for wine trade, media, and consumers, intended to set the stage for a long-term effort to raise awareness about the quality of New York wines.

The program of activities will include "cellar visits" by New York City media and trade representatives to the Hudson River Region, the Finger Lakes, and Long Island; a multi-day market visit to New York City by the 38 participating wineries (see list of wineries below); in-store tastings at city retailers; an advertising campaign; and a dedicated website, www.nydrinksny.com, going live February 1.

The signature event of "New York Drinks New York" will be a grand tasting at Astor Center on March 12, 2012, with wines from the 38 participating wineries. The tasting will welcome trade and media during the day, and the general public for a ticketed event in the evening (details to follow). The calendar of activities is as follows:

January 22: Cellar visit to Hudson River Region (trade and media)
January 29-31: Cellar visit to the Finger Lakes (trade and media)
February 19-21: Cellar visit to the Finger Lakes (trade and media)
February 26-27: Cellar visit to Long Island (trade and media)
March 8-10: In-store tastings at participating retailers (general public)
March 12: Grand tasting of New York wines at Astor Center (trade, media, and general public)

"We're not urging New Yorkers to buy New York wines because they're local, but because they're high-quality products at reasonable prices" said Jim Trezise, President of the New York Wine & Grape Foundation. "But the added benefit of buying really good, affordable New York wine is that these consumers are also supporting their own state economy."

The New York Wine & Grape Foundation will also introduce a new logo specifically designed for its New York City initiative.

The New York Wine & Grape Foundation was created in 1985 by unanimous vote of the New York State legislature, and signed into law by former Governor Mario M. Cuomo, to support development of the New York grape and wine industry through programs of promotion and research. Since then, the number of wineries has increased from about 60 to over 300, tourist visits from 340,000 to over 5,000,000, and the total economic benefits to the State of New York now exceeds $3.7 billion annually. For more information on New York wines and the New York Wine & Grape Foundation, please visit www.newyorkwines.org.

Thirty-eight New York wineries from various regions will participate in the promotion, including 21 from the Finger Lakes region, 9 from Long Island, 5 from the Hudson Valley, 2 from the Niagara region, and 1 from the Thousand Islands region. All New York wineries were invited to participate.

Finger Lakes participants include Anthony Road Winery, Atwater Estate Vineyards, Chateau LaFayette Reneau, Dr. Konstantin Frank Vinifera Wine Cellars, Eagle Crest Vineyards, Fox Run Vineyards, Glenora Wine Cellars, Heron Hill Winery, Hosmer Winery, Inspire Moore Winery, King Ferry Winery, Knapp Vineyards & Winery, Lakewood Vineyards, Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars, Pleasant Valley Wine Company/Great Western Winery, Red Newt Cellars, Sheldrake Point Winery, Standing Stone Vineyards, Swedish Hill Winery, Thirsty Owl Wine Company, and Wagner Vineyards.

Long Island participants include Baiting Hollow Farm Vineyard, Bedell Cellars, Channing Daughters, Macari Vineyards, Martha Clara Vineyards, Palmer Vineyards, Paumanok Vineyards, Raphael Vineyard, and Wolffer Estate Vineyard.

Hudson River region wineries are Benmarl Winery, Brotherhood Winery, Clinton Vineyards, Millbrook Winery, and Stoutridge Vineyard.
Niagara region wineries are Leonard Oakes Estate Winery and Spring Lake Winery; and from the Thousand Islands region is Thousand Islands Winery.

- from Jim Trezise and the NYWGF

Media Contacts:

Jim Trezise, New York Wine & Grape Foundation, jimtrezise@nywgf.org, 585-394-3620
Kayt Mathers, First Press Public Relations, kayt@firstpresspr.com, 212-867-5516
Michael Gitter, First Press Public Relations, michael@firstpresspr.com, 212-868-5581

Digrazia Fieldstone Red (CT)

2012-01-08T09:52:00.000-08:00

When I was a college student and just in the few years after my graduation, one of the first wineries I visited (among those in Connecticut and New Jersey) was Digrazia Vineyards. As a young wine drinker, despite the finer wines my family drank (Nebbiolos, Bordeauxs and Burgundies) I did enjoy the lighter and brighter whites of some of the east coast wineries. And I liked semi-sweet whites. Once of my favorites was Autumn Spice, a pumpkin wine, which I later recommended in the mid-2000's. It made for a great Thanksgiving Wine. Back in the 1980s there were few wineries, and Dr. Digrazia was one of the pioneers of east coast winemaking, certainly in New England, let alone Connecticut.

DiGrazia Vineyards was founded in 1978 and is dedicated to producing premium wines of quality and unique variety. Over 15 wines are offered, ranging from dry to sweet, using estate grown grapes, local fruit and honey. Their two vineyard sites are established on high sloping hills to maximize growing potential and grapes grown lead to crisp, flavorful wines. Nine varieties of premium hybrid and native American wine grapes are planted.

Dr. Digrazia, founder and winemaker, is widely known for his clean, crisp style of winemaking and his innovative flair. He has been intensively involved in the production of high antioxidant wines. A wide range of table and dessert wines are offered at DiGrazia Vineyards including whites, blushes, reds, nouveau, spiced pumpkin, red and white port, and other unique wines. They are also available in Connecticut Package stores and by mail.

This was the first time I was tasting a Digrazia wine in a long time. I just haven't been able to get there, and I was never in a shop that carried their wine. But recently I found some as a wine store. And I was thrilled. It was like old times.

Fieldstone Red is a hybrid blend featuring Marchael Foch. The wine is aged in American oak. This is a nice, dark garnet colored red dry wine. Nice fruit up front. Big cherry nose, with hints of cassis. The wine was a very nice, medium-bodied, soft tannin red. Fabulous with food. Very nice.

131 Tower Rd.
Brookfield, CT 06804
(203)775-1616

Matt Cimino of Great Shoals Winery (MD)

2012-01-08T09:35:00.000-08:00

Relatively new to the local wine industry, Matt Cimino has certainly established himself as a prominent winemaker in Maryland. He started building Great Shoals Winery in 2009 and released the first product in March of 2010. Since then, his unique sparkling wine has been soaring in popularity.

The name of the winery was chosen for both sentimental and practical reasons. Great Shoals is a body of water at the mouth of the Wicomico River and there is a lighthouse that marks the entrance. When Cimino was a young man he did a lot of sailing on the Chesapeake Bay with his father.

“Upon returning home I would see the lighthouse and it was a sign that I was back near the home harbor,” he said. The body of water also characterizes Chesapeake living to Cimino, which made it an appropriate choice for his winery’s name.

“I’ve always had a keen interest in the wine industry,” said Cimino, whose interest in wine led him on travels to the wine-growing regions of the west coast and Europe in his 20s and 30s. Actually, he was so interested that he decided to make quite the career change.

Cimino got his Ph.D in plant biology at the University of Maryland College Park. He went on to become a forensic botanist and was the director of a research and development laboratory. For about ten years he developed DNA identity testing for herbal dietary supplements. “I guess you could say I was an evolutionary biologist, and then went into forensics for awhile,” commented Cimino. “And then I decided to make another big change and go into the wine industry.”

Cimino uses apples, pears, peaches, grapes and local pomegranates to produce both champagne- and cider-style wines. Why only sparkling wines? “I felt like that was an area of the wine industry in Maryland that wasn’t very well represented,” said Cimino. He explains that a few wineries make sparkling wine but they are hard to find and not enough are in distribution. “It was easier to differentiate myself from other wineries by not making still wine,” he stated.

For 2012, Cimino is hoping to produce about 1,500 cases of sparkling wine. Last year 550 cases were produced but Great Shoals sold out of both their hard apple cider and pomme grenade. “We’re trying not to let that happen again this year,” said Cimino.

Cimino enjoys the Great Shoals Apple Sparkling wine the most and is optimistic about the 2011 Spencerville Red Hard Apple. The delicious sparkling wines will now be distributed in Washington D.C., Virginia, and Delaware. “We’re happy with the success from our first year and we’re looking forward to growing more in 2012,” expressed Cimino.

New Star Ledger Advocates Bill in Favor of New Jersey Wineries

2012-01-03T17:37:00.001-08:00

N.J. bill to allow direct wine shipping would bolster wineries, expand buyer choices
Published: Sunday, January 01, 2012, 8:07 AM
By Star-Ledger Editorial Board The Star-Ledger

If the Assembly votes to allow direct shipment of wine to New Jersey customers, two greater goods will be accomplished: The measure will help the states budding vineyards and it will drastically expand the choices available to wine buyers.

Heres what it wont do: It wont give teens one-click access to free-flowing booze and it wont put 60,000 people out of work.

The Senate passed the bill on Dec. 15; the Assembly must vote by Jan. 9. If passed, the new law will allow wineries that produce less than 250,000 gallons a year to sell wine straight from their vineyards or storefronts. It also would allow any winery to ship its product directly to New Jersey customers currently forbidden (though out-of-state wine is delivered regularly within our borders).

The bill originally was written to fix state law that allowed New Jersey wineries to open licensed tasting rooms, where customers taste, then buy. But the law denied the privilege to out-of-state wineries, which sued. Federal courts agreed and ordered New Jersey to treat all wineries equally or risk the licenses of local wineries. Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D-Gloucester) wrote the current bill to allow all wineries to sell on- and off-site, and added the direct-ship provision. Eager to save their tasting rooms and licenses, New Jersey wineries signed on.

On its face, Sweeneys bill looks like good news for both winemakers and wine drinkers. But it has strong opposition, mostly from the middlemen who want to protect their cut of all New Jersey liquor sales.

Assemblyman Joseph Cryan (D-Union), whose family has owned a tavern for more than 50 years, has been the loudest opponent of the bill. He claims it puts wine within easy reach of any teen with a computer. He also calls it a job-killer, arguing that anything that cuts the middlemen out of New Jerseys alcohol sales also puts jobs at risk.

Both arguments are fear-mongering nonsense.

Hurdles for underage drinkers include steep shipping fees, long shipping times and the 21-or-older signature required at delivery.

As for jobs, those same shipping fees and delivery times mean online wine buys will be limited to rarer, high-end labels that arent available in stores no competition for a quick in-and-out at the local wine shop. Nationwide, direct-ship accounts for just 1 percent of all wine sales.

Shoppers flock online for books, music, clothes, shoes typically, when they want a wider selection than one store can offer. New Jersey wineries hope selling online and shipping directly will help them find new customers and create repeat buyers. Thats particularly true for smaller wineries that find it hard to get onto store shelves.

New Jersey is no small player in the U.S. market. Our 50 wineries rank No. 6 in production; our wine drinkers rank us No. 5 in consumption.

New Jersey wineries the states most promising farmers need this law because its good for business. Its already law in 38 states. Direct-shipping expands consumer choice. Moreover, local wineries draw tourism, and the state stands to make millions on license fees and sales taxes.

The arguments against? Put a cork in em.

New Jersey Wineries Need Your Help Now....

2012-01-03T17:32:00.001-08:00

New Jersey Wineries and Silver Decoy Winery need your help!

The future of NJ wineries is at risk. We are threatened with the loss of our sales outlets. This includes our tasting room, as well as the storefronts and BYOB restaurants where customers can buy NJ wines. Without these sales outlets, Silver Decoy and every other small winery throughout the state cannot survive.

The NJ Senate recently passed Bill S-3172 to preserve our outlets, and to permit shipping of wine from wineries in- and out-of-state to consumers like you. This legislation will save NJ agricultural jobs and allow the state's fastest growing tourism attraction to continue bringing tourism dollars to our state. In addition, the Bill will not hurt the retail sector, as the shipping will only apply to small wineries that produce less than 250,000 gallons per year. To move forward, this Bill must now pass an Assembly vote. We hope the Assembly will vote for Assembly Bill A-4436 on January 9th, but we have met with stiff resistance.

We are asking you to please reach out to your Assembly Person (click here for contact info) to ask them to vote Yes on Bill A-4436. Like so many wineries across the state, we have invested countless hours into building our winery into a place that New Jerseyans can take pride in . . . a fun place to spend an afternoon with friends and family, where the beauty and bounty of the Garden State are evident, and where the quality of the wine rivals that of wine regions across the globe.

Please make your voice heard, and ensure a future for New Jersey's wineries! An email is great, a phone call is even better!

Please see the Wine Spectator articles and NJ Star Ledger editorial below for more information:

http://www.winespectator.com/webfeature/show/id/44362

http://www.winespectator.com/webfeature/show/id/45331

http://blog.nj.com/njv_editorial_page/2012/01/nj_bill_to_allow_direct_wine_s.html

With our sincerest gratitude,

Todd Abrahams, Brian Carduner, Mark Carduner, Russell Forman, Jerry Watlington

Partners, Silver Decoy Winery

Dave McIntyre Picks His Favorite Wines of 2011

2011-12-31T13:53:00.000-08:00

I am and remain a huge fan of Dave McIntyre of the Washington Post. Great 2011 rear view mirror look into local wine.

The Best Regional Wines of 2011
Posted on December 30, 2011
by Dave McIntyre

The blahblahsphere is rife with posts about the best wines of the year, so I thought I’d offer my favorite “Regional Wines of 2011” – these are wines that thrilled me this year, and yes, I may have graded them somewhat on a curve because they are “from around here, wherever here happens to be.” Many of them are from Virginia, because that’s the region I taste most often; but I do feel this prominence demonstrates that Virginia wines are reaching a quality level to justify the state’s inclusion in the phrase, “Wine Country.” Here’s my case of Regional Wine for 2011:

#12: Barboursville Vineyards Petit Verdot 2008, Virginia. When I visited Barboursville in 2007, I asked winemaker Luca Paschina what he thought of the trend toward Petit Verdot in Virginia. He dismissed it with a comment along the lines of, “There’s a reason they use it as a blending wine in Bordeaux.” When I reminded him of this after he won a Gold Medal for his 2008 PV in the Governor’s Cup competition a year ago, he more or less shrugged and sent me a sample. Wow. This was dense and rich, tightly focused, showing the aromatic qualities of the grape but keeping it well-grounded and impressively structured. I wish I had a case of this to enjoy over the next decade.

#11: Virginia sparkling wine. This is a category endorsement, as every year I continue to be impressed with the quality of fizz bubbling up in Virginia. Scintilla, a slightly off-dry sparkler from Veritas Vineyards; Kluge Estate/Trump Winery’s line of sparklers; and of course Thibaut-Janisson are leading the way.

“This is the type of wine I love to discover when traveling – something I’m not likely to find anywhere else. It’s everything that ‘regional wine’ and ‘drink local’ are all about.”

#10: Montelle Winery 2010 Dry Vignoles, Missouri. When DrinkLocalWine.com held its annual bloggers conference in Saint Louis, I expected to taste a bunch of good Missouri Norton, and I did – but it was the Vignoles from several wineries that blew me away. This was my favorite – a richly fruity white wine from a French-American hybrid grape that quite frankly matches vinifera in quality. If you’re ever in Missouri, do not pass up a chance to try it.

#9: Linden Vineyards Late Harvest Petit Manseng 2008, Virginia. I’m a big fan of Jim Law’s wines at Linden, and I could have named several to this list. I am also a big fan of Petit Manseng in Virginia, and could think of more than a few to represent the grape (the Horton 2008 dry Petit Manseng, and Chester Gap’s stellar rendition, for instance). But this honeyed late-harvest version, intense and concentrated with great acidity and focus to balance the sugar, is the one that I kept thinking about this year.

These wines were nice - the Montepulciano was even better.

#8: Slack, Montepulciano 2010, Maryland. This was a new winery for me, part of Maryland’s impressive growth in recent years. Slack specializes in Italian varieties and has a couple of nice Barberas, but the Montepulciano charmed me most – light and silky with bright fruit and a delightful finish.

#7: Glen Manor Vineyards, Hodder Hill Red 2008, Virginia. Jeff White’s second vintage of his flagship wine continues to show Virginia’s strength in single-vineyard, Bordeaux-styled red blends. His 2010 wines from newer plantings on steeper slopes are on my can’t-wait-to-taste list.

#6: Red Newt Cellars, Dry Riesling 2008, Finger Lakes, New York. I love New York Riesling, and Red Newt is consistently one of my favorites. I celebrated early this year when Red Newt wines gained distribution in the DC area, and I mourned last summer when Debra Whiting, co-owner and chef at Red Newt Bistro, died in a car accident. I opened this bottle in her honor at our family’s Thanksgiving dinner.

#5: Boxwood Winery, Topiary, 2007. When I led a tasting of local wines last June at the DC Park Hyatt’s Masters of Food & Wine event, the Boxwood Topiary 2007 was the last wine on the list. What a way to end the evening! I loved this wine when it was released two years ago to much fanfare, but it has hit full stride, with lots of smoky black fruit aromas and plummy flavors with a finish that just won’t quit.

#4: Black Ankle Vineyards, Slate, Maryland. This red blend won the 2011 Maryland Governor’s Cup for Black Ankle, this winery’s third in four years. I loved it not just because it was rich, dark and elegant, but because of how it demonstrated the experimental, pioneer aspect of local wine. Proprietors Ed Boyce and Sarah O’Herron had a few barrels of their stellar 2007 reds that just weren’t performing well, so they set them aside in the winery and forgot about them for a couple years. Early this year, they decided to blend them with some remaining 2008 and 2009 wines and produce this terrific winner. Here’s a toast to ungainly adolescents maturing and realizing their full potential.

#3: Ankida Ridge, Pinot Noir 2010, Virginia. The Old Dominion is not supposed to be Pinot Noir country. Most wineries gave up on it and grafted over the vines long ago, though a few stalwarts remain, with mixed results. Ankida Ridge, near Amherst, north of Lynchburg, is “boutique” to the extreme, with only about 2.5 acres of vineyards (about to expanded, but not by much.) What makes it special is the altitude, the steep slope, the soils, the Burgundian clones on proper rootstock, and the extreme dense spacing in the vineyard. Rigorous viticulture, in other words, that makes it unnecessary to pull magic tricks in the winery. (For more on this, see wine #1, below.) This is an intriguing, even exciting wine just because it exists; but it is delicious and will be fun to follow in coming vintages.

#2: Cedar Creek Estate Winery, Ehrenfelser 2010, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia. I purchased this wine on vacation in Vancouver at a store that sells only wine from BC. I’d never heard of the grape, a cross of Riesling and Sylvaner, but I was charmed by its delightful apricot and peach fruit and impressive complexity. This is the type of wine I love to discover when traveling – something I’m not likely to find anywhere else. It’s everything that “regional wine” and “drink local” are all about.

#1: RdV Vineyards, RdV 2008. Rutger de Vink and his showcase winery in Fauquier County exploded onto the Virginia wine scene in March, with extraordinary reviews and some controversy, given its $88 price tag. But the skeptics – at least some of them – tried the wine and many were won over. This is an uncompromising effort to make world-class wine in Virginia, and it’s off to a rip-roaring start.

Post Script: There were also some wines I tasted in 2011 that are not yet on the market, but should be released sometime in 2012. Two of these I’m especially eager to taste in their final form: In Maryland, Boordy Vineyards Landmark Series reds from 2010 show tremendous promise, the fruit of Rob Deford’s extensive replanting effort over the past five or six years. And in Virginia, Luke and Toni Kilyk will be releasing their first estate wines from Granite Heights winery near Opal. These wines, also from 2010, were terrific when I tasted them in October. You can go now (by appointment) for some of their very nice wines from purchased grapes, and their honey is delicious, too.

Read more at:
http://dmwineline.wordpress.com/2011/12/30/the-best-regional-wines-of-2011/

Howard Goldberg Talks Satellite Rooms in NY State in the New York Times

2011-12-31T06:43:00.000-08:00

Long Island Vines
Tasting Rooms, Far Away
By HOWARD G. GOLDBERG
Published: December 30, 2011

One Long Island vintner has joined the numbers of those with tasting rooms at locations away from the wineries, and another is planning to open such a satellite as well.

Peconic Bay Winery, in Cutchogue, opened Empire State Cellars, its second sales outlet, in November in the Tanger Outlet Center, a Riverhead mall. It also sells its wines at its tasting room in Cutchogue.

Roanoke Vineyards, a Riverhead boutique winery, has plans for a second shop this year, an owner, Richard Pisacano, said in an e-mail; it will be in Mattituck. “Our main tasting room may eventually be open to our wine club members only,” he added.

Producers holding farm winery licenses, as most Long Island wineries do, can establish up to five tasting outlets in addition to the one at the winery, James Trezise, president of the New York Wine and Grape Foundation, a trade association, said in an e-mail.

There are 54 satellite stores statewide, and applications for two more are pending at the State Liquor Authority, Mr. Trezise said. Such stores can carry only New York wines made exclusively from the state’s grapes.

Empire State Cellars was created for several reasons, James Silver, Peconic Bay’s general manager, said in an e-mail. He cited a “need to represent the state’s produce to a large audience” and “the timing and strength of the locavore movement.” The new shop, he added, “was a good business model, having no competition.”

The shop is not dominated by any one region, Mr. Silver said. There are about 150 Long Island wines and about 150 from the Finger Lakes, with the rest being from the Hudson Valley, the Thousand Islands, the Niagara Escarpment and elsewhere.

It stocks nearly 500 labels and includes “every varietal you can think of,” he added.

Also on Long Island, Duck Walk Vineyards, Macari Vineyards, Pindar Vineyards and Sherwood House Vineyards all have second tasting locations where they sell their products.

Read more at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/01/nyregion/setting-up-tasting-rooms-far-away-from-wineries.html

Patriot News Highlights Allegro Winery and Pennsylvania Wine Awards 2012

2011-12-31T06:39:00.001-08:00

Allegro places four in Pennsylvania Wine Society's top 20
Published: Wednesday, December 21, 2011, 5:41 PM
Updated: Wednesday, December 21, 2011, 6:10 PM
By PAUL VIGNA, The Patriot-News

The Pennsylvania Wine Society has released its 10 finalists for its 10th judging of Pennsylvania wines, an event that always gets its annual list of activities under way. Recognition, including the naming of the best wine, will start at 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 15, at the Harrisburg Hilton. You can find out more information here, including how to get tickets.

Denise Gardner, the state's new enologist, will be the guest speaker.

A couple of quick observations before showing the list, which includes the top 10 and 10 more honorable mention. Three of the 20 are Chambourcin, supporting what some in the region have said about the French-American hybrid's potential to be made consistently into award-winning wine here.

Also, Allegro's Carl Helrich placed four wines in the top 20, all of them Bordeaux blends (Cadenza and Bridge). Allegro is a central Pennsylvania staple and one of the oldest wineries in the state. Crossing Vineyards, from over at Washington Crossing near the Delaware River, placed two in the top 10 (a Cab-Merlot blend and a 2008 Merlot) and one in the second 10 (Chambourcin).

Vynecrest, from the Lehigh Valley Wine Trail, and Berks County's Manatawny Creek also placed two finalists.

Here a link to the lists and some chatter about the event, or you can just look below (the lists are in alphabetical order)

Allegro Winery & Vineyards Cadenza 2007

Allegro Winery & Vineyards Cadenza 2008

Crossing Vineyards and Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2008

Crossing Vineyards and Winery Merlot 2008

Galen Glen Winery Cabernet Franc Lehigh Valley 2009

Manatawny Creek Winery Cabernet Sauvignon 2007

Manatawny Creek Winery Syrah 2008

Presque Isle Wine Cellars Ice Wine Riesling Lake Erie 2008

Vynecrest Vineyards & Winery Chambourcin Estate Lehigh Valley 2010

Vynecrest Vineyards & Winery Cabernet Franc Estate Lehigh Valley 2010

Read more and see more recommended wines at:
http://blog.pennlive.com/wine/2011/12/allegro_places_four_in_pennsylvania_wine_societys_top_20.html

Wine Enthusiast, News Advance (Lynchburgh, VA) Praise Lovingston Winery

2011-12-31T06:32:00.000-08:00

Lovingston Winery receives high praise from Wine Enthusiast
By: Katrina Koerting Lynchburg News and Advance
Published: December 28, 2011 Updated: December 28, 2011 - 7:43 AM

Lovingston Winery recently joined the ranks of wineries in France, Napa Valley and Italy with the caliber of its wine making.

The Lovingston 2008 Josie’s Knoll Estate Reserve received a score of 89 in the December issue of Wine Enthusiast, a magazine that reviews thousands of wines around the world. This is the highest score a Virginia winery has received from the magazine. (A dessert wine from Virginia received an 88 about seven years ago.)

“What it shows is we can produce world-class wines here,” said Ed Puckett, the owner of Lovingston Winery.

The point scale ranges from 1 to 100. The magazine generally only reviews a wine that received an 80 or higher. A score of 80-84 is good, 85-89 is very good and 90 or above is outstanding, said Puckett. Vintners submit two bottles they want to be reviewed and professional wine tasters grade the wine based on aroma and taste.

Maureen Kelly, director of economic development and tourism for Nelson, said she thinks this will increase tourism in the county.

“This rating celebrates the quality of wines from Nelson County wineries and adds one more reason to visit all there is to do on the “sunrise side” of the Blue Ridge,” she said. “Wine enthusiasts look to these ratings to help plan their visit to new wineries and revisit favorite places.”

Seven other wines from the winery have been reviewed by the magazine over the years with all receiving scores in the mid-80s.

Puckett said he is looking forward to the scores for the wine from the 2010 harvest because 2010 had the best growing climate he has seen since he started the winery.

Located on Freshwater Cove Lane off U.S. 29, the winery offers eight varieties of wine, ranging a Merlot at $13.95 to a Pinotage at $24.95. There are six red options and two white with the vintages ranging from 2006 to 2010. The winery produces about 2,000 cases, or 24,000 bottles, of wine each year.

The Merlot is made in the largest quantity because the winery has three acres of those vines.

“They’re like my children,” he said. “I like them all.”

About 90 percent of the wine is made from the 8.5 acres of grapes on the property. Six types of grapes grown at the vineyard, but Puckett hopes to add more. The winery will sometimes buy grapes from other wineries if needed, Puckett said.

The first grapes were planted in 2003, the first harvest was in 2005 and the first vintage was sold in 2007.

Puckett said that the densely planted vineyards set his winery apart from others. There are 1,200 vines per acre, and the standard practice is to have 600-700 vines per acre. He said he grows the vines so close together because by limiting the amount of fruit the vines can produce, the vines will put the energy into improving the quality of the fruit that can grow in the space.

Another difference is that the vineyard has tall trellises for the grapes to grow on, which lets more leaves have access to the sun, thus allowing more sugar to be made in the grapes from photosynthesis.

The taller trellises also allow the wind to travel through the vineyard better, keeping it dry and preventing the grapes from growing mildew. Lovingston Winery’s trellises are 10 feet tall, about two to four feet taller than the average trellises, said Puckett.

The winery staff consists of Puckett, his wife Janet and two winemakers, Riaan Rossouw from South Africa and Puckett’s daughter, Stephanie Wright.

“We grow what we like and we hope other people like it too,” Puckett said.

The business plan for the winery is to sell to stores and restaurants along the East Coast and submit samples to wine magazines to be reviewed. Their wine is already sold in 150 restaurants and stores in Virginia, Maryland, Washington. West Virginia, North Carolina and Florida. The wine is also sold to individuals in about 20 states online. About 60 percent of the sales are in Virginia, Puckett said.

“We wanted to become an eastern winery with sales in Virginia and along the East Coast,” he said. “In order to do that we have to build our reputation.”

Read more at:
http://www2.newsadvance.com/business/2011/dec/28/lovingston-winery-receives-high-praise-wine-enthus-ar-1572560/

Today Show Showcases American Wines, New York, Virginia Shine!

2011-12-31T06:08:00.000-08:00

James Oseland, Editor-in-Chief of Saveur magazine, recently wrote about his top food trends for 2012. Among them wre that American wines, other than California, would emerge. He was interviewed by Matt Lauer interviewed Oseland on the TODAY SHOW.

Special congrats to Barboursville (VA) and Dr. Konstantin Frank (NY) and also to Ray Len (NC).

Wrote Oseland:
American terroir will move beyond California California produces some of the best wines in the entire world. Over the years it has become known especially as a place that produces incredible, friendly, super-flavorful jammy reds and oaky whites. But the trend in 2011 was the state’s amazing, subtle wines that are produced in a more classically European vein, like the un-oaky and superdelicious LIOCO chardonnay, or the strawberry-scented Gris de Cigare from Bonny Doon (a real bargain at $15 a bottle).

All the success of California wines has left little room in the conversation for the wines of the rest of America. In 2012, that’s going to change. The wine-growing and wine-making regions of Virginia, North Carolina, the north shore of Long Island and the Finger Lakes in upstate New York are coming into their own and creating wines that are, in certain cases, just as good as wines coming out of California. To wit: the exquisite Dr. Frank’s Riesling from the Finger Lakes region is a fruity, floral delight, and the Texas Tempranillo from Pedernales Cellars in the Texas Hill Country is one of the most drinkable wines available today.

Master sommelier Alpana Singh shares some yummy American wines from states we don’t normally associate with top vintage. Here are her picks from Illinois, New York, Minnesota and Virginia. Bottoms up!

White wines
Blue Sky Vineyard's 2010 Vignoles
From: Shawnee Hills Wine Trail in Southern Illinois
Price: $18

Red Newts Cellars 2010 "Circle" Riesling
From: Scenic Finger Lakes Region In Upstate New York
Price: $12.95

Keswick Vineyards 2009 Viognier Reserve
From: Historic 400-acre Edgewood Estate in Keswick, Virginia
Price: $21.95

St. Croix Vineyards 2009 La Crescent Desert
From: Stillwater, Minnesota
Price: $32.95

Red wines:
Prairie State Winery 2009 Cabernet Franc
From: Historic Downtown Genoa, Illinois
Price: $21.49

Bedell Cellars 2007 Bedell Musee
From: North Fork Of Long Island, New York
Price: $75

Hinterland Vineyards 2009 Marquette Reserve
From: Clara City, Minnesota
Price: $18.95

Barboursville Vineyards 2008 Petit Verdot Reserve
From: Barboursville, Virginia
Price: $32

Read selections at:
JAMES OSELAND AND WATCH THE VIDEO
http://bites.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/12/29/9796260-cakes-pickles-and-the-next-great-grub-city-top-food-trends-for-2012

WINE PICKS:
http://bites.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/08/30/7525747-try-american-wines-from-vineyards-outside-california

Boxwood Winery (VA) an Incredible Experience

2011-12-29T11:52:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of touring several wineries with Virginia wine expert Richard Leahy who's working on a new book entitled BEYOND JEFFERSON'S VINES. I have toured with Richard before. Few people know the terroir of the state like he does. And few know the people who make it all happen in every phase than Richard. Wherever you go with Richard, doors open easily.

He insisted on this trip I see Boxwood Winery among others. I was happy to do so. The 2007 Boxwood had recieved an 88 from Wine Spectatpr for their first release. Luck? I think not! I had blogged about it then, and was happy to tag along now.

"I am convinced that with today's viticultural knowledge and winemaking techniques Virginia can produce a premium wine as good as anywhere," states Boxwood Winery owner John Kent Cooke.

The sixteen acre vineyard was planned and planted by rebowned Virginia viticulturalist Lucie Morton. Before planting the vineyards, Morton established weather stations all around the property, to guage the microclimates before decideding what grapes where. Morton worked with Purdue University Professor of Enology Richard Vine. Both worked with Hugh Newell Jacobsen, the well known architect, to advise on building a state of the art winery.

Cooke brought famed French "flying winemaker" Stéphane Derenoncourt to consult with Boxwood's winemaker Adam McTaggart. Stéphane Derenoncourt is a world renowned French vigneron working as a consultant for numerous estates in Bordeaux and other wine producers world wide, with his wife Christine Derenoncourt runs Vignerons Consultants and owns Domaine de l'A in the Côtes de Castillon and Derenoncourt California in Napa Valley. He is entirely self-taught.

A Normandy steel mill worker's son, Derenoncourt was born in Dunkirk in 1963.The start of his career in viticulture began when he arrived as a hitch-hiker in Fronsac in 1982, and worked several harvests before he found employment at Château Fronsac in 1985. After two years working at various vineyards, he began working in the cellar at Château La Fleur Cailleau. In 1990, Derenoncourt was offered a position at the Corre-Macquin family’s cellar at the Château Pavie-Macquin vineyard, and in 1996 was hired as a winemaker by Stephan von Neipperg to his estates, including Château Canon-la-Gaffelière and the "super cuvée" La Mondotte.

Derenoncourt began as a consultant in 1997, and in 1999 he and his wife started their own consultancy company, Vignerons Consultants. Derenoncourt and his team now works with a populous portfolio of estates in Bordeaux and elsewhere, including Domaine de Chevalier, Clos Fourtet, Clos de l'Oratoire and chateaux Pavie-Macquin, Canon-la-Gaffelière, La Gaffelière, Petit Village, Smith Haut Lafitte, Brown, Les Carmes Haut-Brion, Rol Valentin, Prieuré-Lichine and Beauséjour Duffau-Lagarrosse. In June 2008, Derenoncourt and Vignerons Consultants was hired by Francis Ford Coppola to work on the Napa Valley property Rubicon Estate Winery. Other Derenoncourt projects abroad include engagements in Italy, Austria, Spain, Turkey, China, India, in Syria with Domaine de Bargylus, and in Beqaa Valley, Lebanon with Château Marsyas.

The goal of Boxwood is only to produce 5,000 cases. But of Bordeaux quality wine. It was fortuitous that Adam McTaggart was kind enough to stay late one Tuesday evening to give Richard and I the tour. We could not have asked for nor gotten a better guide. Adam is a graduate of Brock University in Ontario, Canada with degrees in Biology, Viticulture and Enology. He's a great guy, very knowledgable, but friendly and engaging as well. And you could see he was meticulous as we walked around the winery.

The entrance is enough to let you know that people have spent a lot of time and money on this estate winery. The drive way is impeccably manicured and the winery itself looks like a jewel box - a cross between colonia fieldstone, modern farmhouse, and modern industrial.

The stainless steel topped tasting bar sits in the middle of the foyer. Three walls of the room are giant glass panes that show the stone and stainless steel in other rooms.

The first thing we saw was the barrel room. The barrel room is beautifully designed in large rings of circles of oak barrels. More about this room later.

Then there was the tank room. It was incredibly modern and well designed. With six or seven large stainless steel tanks, standing talk like soldiers on eitherside of a large hall. It was immaculate. Even the floor was epoxied, swept, and washied for maximum cleanliness. It looked more like a Madison Avenue shop thank a tank room, it was so pretty in it's design and maintanence.

Even the winemaking equipment was clean and put away for the winter.

Next, we went back to the barrel - for tasting.

Adam then put Richard and I through our paces. At Boxwood they grow only classic Bordeaux grapes - Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petitte Verdot. We tasted many of the 2010s right from the barrels. There was not one that would not pass on it's own, but that is not the way at Boxwood. The Cab Francs showed inclredibly with fruits ranging from bright raspberry to dark stewed fruits. The Merlots ranged from bright cherry to dark raspberry/cherry. The Petitte Verdots were dark and round. And the Malbec was incredibly jammy and bursting full of fruit flavor. All of the wines exhibited tremendous fruit, and were surprisingly round for such young wines. We tasted at least eight or nine single block wines from barrels. This barrel tasting is a sure sign of the winery's ascension in the coming years, and confirms for me that 2010 will in fact be a vintage to remember.

One wine in the tank was Boxwood's newest wine. Primarily Malbec with small amounts of other wines. It was big and jammy, with the aromas of prune, dark cherry, and raspberry, and a hint of vanilla. This wine tasted almost like Michele Rolland's Clos de Siete! It was fantatstic!

The two bottled wines we tried were the Topiary 2009 and the Boxwood 2009. The Topiary is a blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Malbec. Both the Topiary and Boxwood show the hand of Delencourt. This are rich, Bordeaux styled-wines. Age, fresh fruit, and dusty leaves combine in both wines to absolutely floor the taster. The Malbec gives this wine just enough jamminess and fruit, while the austere Franc and Merlot give it the sophistaction one expects from a classic Bordeaux wine.

Boxwood 2009 is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petite Verdot. This dark purple-red wine gives off a nose of blackberry, cassis, and dried cherry. There's also a pinch of saddle leather or autmn leaves. This is a lovely concentrated wine. Still, more French in inspiration no matter the California color. This is a wonderful wine, with low acids, huge fruit, and low-to-medium tannins. Incredible!!!

Boxwood Winery is one of the class vineyards and wineries on the Virginia landscape, and it's reputation will only soar over the next two years! They will beamong the pace setters for Virginia and east coast wines for the next two years to come.

They do things small, focused, and precisely.Everything they do - they do well. It's awesome.

Don't miss the excitement. Try some or visit today!

Empire State Cellars Now Open at Tanger Mall

2011-12-29T10:38:00.000-08:00

Empire State Cellars is an exclusively New York State wine-focused tasting room and wine and spirits merchant. They opened at Tanger Center, Tanger 1, Riverhead, NY on 11/4/11.

As a New Yorker, I still miss Vintage New York which was the first exclusively New York wine store. But they have been shuttered for years. This is an exciting new venue, which features all the great wines of the great state of New York.

Jim Silver, general manager of Peconic Bay Winery, made this venture happen.

By featuring wines from across New York, Empire State Cellars, Silver hopes, will help the wine regions within the state. "What New York lacks is a certain unity in the way we market ourselves," Silver said. "I think this store is a small contribution, helping the way we market ourselves at least in the wine industry."

Speaking of Vinatge New York, Silver said, "I thought the other stores were a little ahead of their time. The timing is good now for a New York wine store. A lot of people are turning toward local food, local products, local wine. Interest has never been higher."

A wine store at the Tanger Outlet Mall has never been attempted, at the Riverhead location or any other Tanger Outlet location, according to Silver. He acknowledged that an outlet mall may seem like an unlikely place to find a wine store but said that "folks at Tanger are really enjoying the experiment themselves."

The Riverhead Tanger Outlet Mall sees around five million cars a year and nearly 14 million people. Silver says that number is 10 times more than the number of people who make the extra ten-mile drive into Long Island wine country. Steve Bate, executive director of the Long Island Wine Council, thinks that a trip to Empire State Cellars might change some of these people's minds.

"The traffic at Tanger is fantastic, but a lot of those people may not venture past Tanger…If they like the wine at Empire State Cellars, they might travel further east and visit the vineyards," Bate said.

Silver believes that despite the lack of people who make the drive into Long Island's wine country, the correlation between the average wine consumer and the average outlet shopper is high.

"I looked at the demographics of the Tanger customer, and they coincide beautifully with wine buyers. Outlet shoppers are nearly 80 percent women and between 70-80 percent of wine purchases are made by women," Silver explained. "Also, if you look at the income demographics for outlet mall shoppers, they are much higher than you might expect and that makes a lot of sense for a wine shop as well because typically we’re talking about a higher level income demographic."

At Empire State Cellars, Tanger customers have the unique opportunity to taste and purchase wine and spirits from Lake Erie, the Finger Lakes, Niagara, Lake Ontario, Thousand Islands, the Adirondacks, Lake Champlain, Hudson Valley, Central New York, Long Island and even the urban wineries of New York City.

“We have the best of bottled New York,” says Polly Brown, Director of Cellar Operations & Marketing. “We are excited to be able to present a comprehensive Empire State wine experience to consumers. At our vintner partners’ discretion, we also hope to include vertical collections, older vintages and limited or rare bottlings along with the finest of their current releases.”

This is without question the largest showcase for New York wine in the state or anywhere. A tremendous opportunity for both the winemakers to discover new customers, and the customers to disciver fabulous new and local wines.

They also have a great selection of New York state spirits as well, including Tuthilltown, Harvest Spirits, and Finger Lakes Distilling.

Congratulations to Jim. Congrats and good luck to
Polly and her staff. I am a huge fan! This is an absolutely MUST GO destination!

Address
308 Tanger Mall Drive (Tanger 1, next to food court)
Riverhead, NY 11901
Phone 631-369-3080
Website http://www.empirestatecellars.com
Hours
Mon - Sat: 9:00 am - 9:00 pm
Sun: 10:00 am - 8:00 pm
Email: info@empirestatecellars.com

Chamard Merlot 2006

2011-12-28T03:40:00.000-08:00

I have been going to wineries a long time on the east coast. And one of the dominant ones in Connecticut has always been Chamard. It was started as a quality winery from the very begining, no picnic wines here. And it's pretty much stayed that way.

Established in 1983, with the present winery building finished in 1988, Chamard Vineyards is among the most beautiful of New England wineries. The 40-acre property boasts 20 acres of established vines that benefit from being only two miles north of, and influenced by the moderating temperatures of, Long Island Sound.

Combining his love of nature and his interest in genetics, Dr. Rothberg purchased the leading vineyard in Connecticut to push the frontiers of winemaking. Originally Incorporated in 1983 by the Chairman and CEO of Tiffany and CO., Dr. Rothberg found in Chamard vineyards a foundation of grace and elegance that would form the basis for even finer wines.

The first vines were planted in the spring of 1984, a 5.5 acre vineyard consisting primarily of Chardonnay with a small quantity of Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir. From 1986 through 1992 the remaining acreage was prepared and planted, for a combined total of 20 acres. In the summer of 1988, the winery was constructed and Chamard became a licensed farm winery. The first wine, a 1988 Chardonnay was released for sale in November of 1989. Current production is 6,000 cases annually.

They've got a relatively new staff at Chamard these days. Two notables incude their successful marketing manager and their winemaker.

Jeff grew up in Westfield, NY, the “concord grape juice capital.” He studied viticulture at Cornell and has been Chamard’s Wine Maker for 2 and a half years. Jeff’s goal is to make Chamard a leader in the Northeast wine industry and to produce and serve the best wine possible.

After Rothberg purchased the vineyards in 2006, he hired on Bridget Riordan as the Director of Sales and Brand Management. Bridget originally from Syracuse, attended Boston University where she earned a B.S in Hotel and Food Administration and Business. She was hired by Rothberg to evolve Chamard vineyards into a Connecticut destination.

So recently, while visiting my parents in Connecticut, I had to run into a liquor store- what are the chances of that. And right up front there was a display of several local wines. You could have pushed me over with a feather - Connecticut wine shop owners have not traditionally been strong advocates for local wine.

There on the shelf was the 2006 Merlot. So I bought a bottle much to my wife's dismay ("Really? We don;t have enough wine already?") And we were off. Just a day or two ago we decided to give the merlot a go. It had a beautiful translucent ruby color. The wine is 75% Merlot with Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc with small amounts of Petite Verdot and Pinot Noir. The wine was aged for 18 month in American oak. It was bottled in 2008.

On the nose there were dried cherries, vanilla, and a hint of liquorice? or some spiciness. On the tongue it has a wash of bright sour cherry. This is a light- to medium bodied Merlot. It is easy drinking with solid acids, but not heavy on the tannin....just enough. Light, bright and clean sour cherry flavor with good acidity. A nice, more European styled Merlot. Very quaffable. Great with food.

Congrats to the folks at Chamard.

Visit them at:
http://chamard.com/

Jamesport Melange de Trois 2004

2011-12-27T09:55:00.000-08:00

Jamesport has always made some very nice wines. I was early on a fan of their Pinot Noir and some of their dessert wines. And not unsurprisingly, I was also a fan because they, like myself, had been German Shorthair Pointer owners as well.

Jamesport Vineyards is a father-son collaboration that began in 1981 at Early Rising Farm in Cutchogue, New York, making Jamesport Vineyards one of the North Fork's oldest vineyards. Sixty acres of pristine vineyards are located here, with the majority of plantings include Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Merlot and Cabernet Franc.

In 1986,Ron Goerler Sr. acquired the 150-year-old barn that houses the winery and tasting room Drawing on our exceptional Cutchogue Vineyards fruit supply as well as the talents of his son, Ron Jr., he started Jamesport Vineyards in 1989. It's grown substantially since then.

Recently I went down to my cellar and pulled up something not quite old, but relatively middle-aged. The wine itself is now seven years old. I am constantly trying to see how east coast wines age. And the news is increasingly on the good side.

The 2004 Melange de Trois is a blend of 41% cabernet sauvignon, 31% merlot, & 28% cabernet franc. It has an explosive nose of blackberry and cassis along with a hint of fallen leaves or tobacco. There's also a whiff of vanilla. This tastes and smells like an old-world, Bordeaux styled wine. Medium in body, it's delicious flavors of raspberry, cherry, and dark brambly fruit, give way to do an excellent long finish ... very nice. A very, very good wine.

Jamesport continues to distinguish itself. Bravo!

Meet Cereghino-Smith Winemakers at CIA January 12, 2012

2011-12-27T09:47:00.000-08:00

Meet the Winemaker: Cereghino Smith Winery
Thursday, January 12 @ 6 p.m.
Course No. 800–MTW
In the tradition of the Old World négociants, the winemakers at Cereghino Smith select and source grapes from small estate growers in both California and New York to create bold, full-bodied wines that are filtered by time and gravity. Paula Cereghino and Fred Smith were inspired by renegade winemakers like the Super Tuscan producers of Italy and the Rhône Rangers of the West Coast—including Joseph Cereghino, Paula's grandfather. After the presentation and tasting at the Danny Kaye Theatre, you'll enjoy a delicious meal designed to highlight Cereghino
Smith wines at the American Bounty Restaurant. $65.

Dog Fish Head Brewing Does Tasting Dinner at CIA March 28, 2012

2011-12-27T09:44:00.001-08:00

Dogfish Head Brewery Presents...
Wednesday, March 28 @ 6 p.m.
Course No. 820–Dogfish Head
Known as "the first state's first brewpub" when it opened in 1995, the ales produced by Dogfish Head Brewing have since developed a huge following outside Delaware's borders. Join us at the Danny Kaye Theatre to sample these brews and learn what makes them so special. Then enjoy a hearty dinner at the American Bounty Restaurant, where each course will be paired with a special beer. $55.

Jim Trezise Recaps the Year in New York Wine 2011

2011-12-22T18:33:00.001-08:00

Jim Trezise is the head of the New York Wine and Grape Foundation, and I occassionally repeat articles form his industry e-zine Wine Press. Herein, I repeat, in it's entirety, Jim's notes on the wine year in New York state in 2011.
____________________

December 22, 2011

Happy Holidays! 2011 has been a very good year, and 2012 promises some exciting developments. This will likely be the final Wine Press this year, so I wish you a wonderful holiday season.

Dear Friends,

As the year winds down and we prepare to greet 2012, I want to wish you a safe, warm, and joyous holiday season regardless of what you celebrate and where you are.

Wine is a wonderful, magical creation of the "soil, sun, rain, and the hands of Man", but the real magic is in the people--grape growers, winery owners, juice producers, members of the trade, and the consumers who allow us to exist. This time of year lets us to slow down a bit and savor the treasure of our many friendships in this wonderful grape and wine community.

Today the days start getting longer as we move toward a new year with new challenges and opportunities. By working together, we can even turn the challenges into opportunities--and we will.

May the wind be at your back, and the wine be on your table.

Jim

2011--Another Very Good Year
Every year has its unique mix of good and bad, ups and downs, disappointments and pleasant surprises, and certainly 2011 fits right in, but on balance it turned out to be yet another very good year.

The 2011 harvest varied greatly by region and grape variety, but in general turned out to be bountiful and with quality ranging from good to great. Most of the weather patterns leading up to harvest seemed to promise another perfect year like 2010, but in most regions untimely rains complicated the harvest.

Happily, Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee skirted Long Island, but unfortunately devastated the Hudson Valley region, including some vineyards, and also decreased tourism during a key season. Those storms never made it far enough west to reach the Finger Lakes, but the region still suffered from plenty of untimely rains during different periods of harvest, with some fruit lost to rot. The north country's Thousand Islands and the far western Lake Erie region seemed to make out the best overall, with the Concords for grape juice (2/3rds of New York's total grape crop) superb in both quality and quantity.

In short, in most regions 2011 was a "winemaker's year" in the sense of testing their agility in dodging the raindrops and their ability in the cellar to create the best quality wines possible. Those whom I've talked with have been generally upbeat on the outlook for the wines, which will begin to be released in a few months.

Meanwhile, the winery tasting rooms have generally stayed busy and the wine trail events largely sold out, according to reports during a recent meeting of wine trail representatives from throughout the state. Once again, the exact patterns varied by location in terms of which seasons were slow or busy, sales per visitor, and other variables, but overall the wine lovers kept coming and leaving some money behind.

The five million tourist visits to wineries this year also brought lots of business and benefits to transportation companies, lodging facilities, restaurants, gift shops, and the State and local governments which reap the benefits through sales taxes. Happily, our new Governor Andrew Cuomo has expressed his understanding and appreciation of wine country tourism as an economic engine, so hopefully we will continue receiving State funding to support the wine trails and related programs.

After all, wine-related tourism expenditures top $365 million, and the State and local taxes paid exceed $230. Wine country is a gold mine for the State of New York.

New York--A Gold Mine of Fine Wines
Once again in 2011, New York wineries won a ton of medals at major international wine competitions around the country and world--in fact, 537 Gold, 128 Double Gold, and 113 "Best of Class" and above accolades--not to mention far more than 1,000 Silver and Bronze medals as well. The Gold and above awards are featured under the "New York Gold" section of www.newyorkwines.org, and are searchable by varietal or competition. Some of the 2011 highlights:

o Belhurst Estate Winery 2009 Dry Riesling, Best of Show White Wine, San Diego International Wine Competition

o Belhurst Estate Winery 2010 Dry Rose, Best Rose/Blush, NexGen Wine Competition

o Coyote Moon Vineyards 2009 Naked Chardonnay, Best Chardonnay, New York World Wine & Spirits Competition

o Coyote Moon Vineyards River Run Rose, Best Rose, New York World Wine & Spirits Competition AND Long Beach Grand Cru

o Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards 2009 Dry Gewurztraminer, Sweepstates White Wine, Riverside International Wine Competition

o Heron Hill Winery 2008 Vidal Blanc Late harvest, Best Dessert Wine, Monterey International Wine Competition

o Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars, Winery of the Year, New York Wine & Food Classic

o Martha Clara Vineyards 2010 Riesling Estate Reserve, Best of Show Wine, Atlantic Seabord Competition

o Martha Clara Vineyards 2009 Riesling, Governor's Cup Trophy, New York Wine & Food Classic

o Niagara Landing Wine Cellars 2008 Vidal Blanc Ice Wine, Best Dessert Wine, NexGen Wine Competition

o Sheldrake Point Vineyard 2010 Riesling Ice Wine, Best American Riesling, Canberra International Riesling Challenge

o Sheldrake Point Vineyard 2010 Gewurztraminder, Best of Show White Wine, Sommelier Challenge

o Zugibe Vineyards 2009 Late Harvest Riesling, Best Riesling, Finger Lakes International Wine Competition

There were also dozens of New York wines rated 90 or above by major consumer publications, and some great reviews in top publications including:

o Ravines 2009 Dry Riesling selected as the best white wine for Thanksgiving by the New York Times tasting panel, and its 2008 Cabernet Franc recommended by the Boston Globe for that same meal

o Hermann J. Wiemer Gewurztraminer featured on Martha Stewart's Thanksgiving Special

o Paumanok Vineyards Semi-Dry Riesling named one of the "Luxury Dozen 2011" wines in the world by the Wall St. Journal online

o Red Newt Cellars and Hermann J. Wiemer ranked among the Top 100 wineries in the world by Wine & Spirits magazine

o Heart & Hands Winery featured on The Early Show

o Long Island wines featured prominently by the Wall St. Journal

o Finger Lakes Riesling featured on the "VineTalk" national PBS series, and also rated the most popular segment among viewers

These medals, scores, and mentions have combined to expand the quality reputation of New York wines around the world. The wineries which not only produce them, but also ENTER them, are helping all of New York and its wine regions.

Winery Growth Accelerates--Again
316 and counting is the number of licensed wine producers in New York state at the end of this year, with six more licenses pending. In addition, there are 54 satellite stores with 2 more pending.

Most impressive, the 20 new wineries are spread across 15 different counties from Chautauqua (Lake Erie region) to Suffolk (Long Island) and even Kings (Brooklyn). Here are the newcomers, listed by country alphabetically:

The Apple Station Winery (Cayuga), 21 Brix Winery (Chautauqua), North Star Vineyard (Clinton), Venditti Vineyards (Jefferson), Red Hook Winery (Kings), Harvest Moon Cidery (Madison), A Gust of Sun, Midnight Run Wine Cellars, and Long Cliff Vineyard & Winery (all Niagara), Raymor Estate Cellars (Ontario), Saratoga Lake Winery (Saratoga), Kymar Farm Winery & Distillery (Schoharie), Eremita Winery (Seneca), Deep Root Vineyard and Lime Berry Winery (both Steuben), Mattebella Vineyards (Suffolk), Woodstock Winery (Ulster), Monello, New Vines Bed & Breakfast, and Point of the Bluff Vineyard (all Yates).

Among the seven new satellite stores is Empire State Cellars at the Tanger Outlet Mall in Riverhead (Long Island) which is featuring hundreds of New York wines from throughout the state. Other new stores include Harbes Family Farm & Vineyard and The Winemaker Studio by Anthony Nappa Wines (both Suffolk as well), The Champlain Wine Company (Clinton), Swedish Hill Winery (Saratoga), Sheldrake Point Vineyard (Schuyler), and Magnus Ridge Winery (Yates). A 2011 law intiated by the New York State Department of Agriculture & Markets, sponsored by Senator Cathy Young and Assemblyman Bill Magee, has made it simpler for farm wineries to open satellite stores, so I expect even more to open in 2012.

From 2001 to 2011, 198 new wineries have opened--far more than in the previous 180 years--and in just seven years from 2005-2011, the 152 new wineries exceeded the total from the prior 20 years, essentially quadrupling the growth rate. Each new winery means new investment, new jobs, new tourists, and new taxes for the State of New York, which already benefits from more than $3.76 billion annually of economic activity generated by our industry.

The challenge now is to "grow the market" at a greater rate than winery growth so that the new wineries aren't cannibalizing the market share (tourists and sales) of the pioneering wineries that got everything started in the first place.

New Horizons for Research

A vital part of our industry's success has been the world-class research conducted by Cornell University scientists and communicated to the industry by Cooperative Extension professionals.

Maintaining a comprehensive research program has become an increasing challenge as traditional public funding sources disappear, such as the long-time Viticulture Consortium money from the federal government. But thanks to the strong support of Senators Cathy Young and Patty Ritchie, joined by Assemblyman Bill Magee, we were able to get State matching funds to continue supporting the core grape and wine program involving 20 individual projects.

In addition, Cornell researchers Tim Martinson and Bruce Reisch have each won major grants to study cold climate grape varieties and grape breeding, respectively, which will bring benefits to the New York wine industry.

Finally, the National Grape and Wine Initiative has become a major new resource for New York and our colleagues nationwide in terms of defining strategic research priorities and finding financial support. For the past two years, Anthony Road Winery's John Martini has chaired the Board (on which I also serve), and NGWI President Jean-Mari Peltier has done a magnificent job coordinating with federal government partners on research priorities. This gives us new hope during a time of extreme fiscal austerity.

A Glimpse Ahead

2012 is full of promise, from the 2011 vintage wines that continue to develop, to an exciting promotion in New York City, and a new generation populating the grape and wine industry.

This past year was an unusual one in most winegrowing parts of North America from coast to coast, with our colleagues in California, Oregon and Washington citing challenging conditions including the lateness of the harvest, but ultimately ending up quite bullish about the potential for the wines. That mirrors the situation in most New York regions, and we'll know in a few months how the wines will be.

We have been quietly planning a promotion in New York City for the first three months of 2012 involving 38 wineries from various regions. The program will include market research, visits by New York City wine writers and sommeliers to the major wine regions, a multi-day visit to the City by participating wineries, advertising, and much more.

Perhaps most exciting is what I have found out in response to the Wine Press of a couple weeks ago--that there is an enormous number of young people who are either becoming very involved in the family business (vineyard or winery) or entering it from the outside. I hope and expect to have a comprehensive list of these people, where they are, and what they do, right after the New Year.

Their presence gives us great hope for the future of our industry.

- Jim Trezise, New York Wine a Grape Foundation

Dave McIntyre and Black Ankle Slate (MD)

2011-12-22T17:57:00.000-08:00

So, the other night I met Washington Post wine columnist and wine blogger Dave McIntyre out for dinner in Silver Springs, Maryland. Just a couple of web friends sharing some bottles of local wines. A super nice guy.

While Virginia wine is more and more the subject these days, I asked Dave about wine in his own home state of Maryland. He said there were more good things going on in the state that most people realizeed. He talked of revitalized wineries, new wineries, and about John Case and his impact on the local wine landscape.

But more than anything, he insisted that the Black Ankle Slate was a wine well worth its price tag. He said it was a wine that could hold its own. Who was I to disbelieve? So we opened a bottle.

Black Ankle burst onto the scene in 2008 when it won the Governor's Cup, and then repeated in 2009 with the same wine (Crumbling Rock). But in 2011 it won with it's newest wine, Slate.

Black Ankle Vineyards is biodynamic. They make sprays made from herbs, compost, elemental minerals, etc. which discourage pests without throwing off the ecological balance in the vineyard. They rely on chemical intervention only when absolutely necessary. They have also made the decision to farm with the principles of Biodynamics, the original Organic farming movement which was founded by the Austrian philosopher Rudolf Steiner in the 1920's. Biodynamics adds several dimensions to work on the farm: working as much as possible by the rhythms of the moon, planets and seasons; a strong emphasis on biodiversity; a goal of self-sufficiency (or as close as possible) for the farm as a whole; and a belief that their farm is a system of interrelated organisms, so that what happens in any one place affects the entire farm.

Since they purchased the property in May of 2002, they have made and applied compost in place of chemical fertilizers and they have never used herbicides of any kind. They use 100% biodiesel fuel to power their tractors. Although they are not yet able to farm 100% organically, they are optimistic that they will get there before too long.

While the farm operation awaits achieving an organic nirvana, the wines have sped ahead. Slate is an excellent example of that. Black Ankle has quickly established itself as one of the leaders of the quality movement in Maryland wine. Black Ankle Vineyards is" dedicated to making wines of place — wines that express the unique flavors and atmosphere of the land on which they are grown."

Slate is a unique blend of 37% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Syrah, 22% Merlot, 6% Cabernet Franc, 3% Malbec and 1% Petit Verdot. It is a blend of wine drawn primarily from their 2007 and 2008 vintages, with a bit of 2010 blended in for balance and freshness. The nose is a complex stew of dried plum, raspberry, blackberry, mixed in with a hint of cassis. There are other spices as well, including black and white pepper.

The wine is complex with different aromas and flavors coming through in every sip. The fruit is bold and big upfront, but the acidity is low, and the tannins are only medium, making this a smooth, elegant, immensely drinkable wine.

I was absolutely floored. This was as good as anything I'd recently tasted in Virginia and/or New York especially.

This is a wonderful wine, and I owe it to Dave McIntyre for making me try it!

Thanks Dave! And congrats to the folks at Black Ankle!

Winery Bill Needs One More Push to Pass the Assembly

2011-12-22T17:50:00.000-08:00

Right now you have an extraordinary opportunity to save the wineries of New Jersey from a catastrophic shutdown and, at the same time, make it easier for yourself to purchase our wine without traveling great distances.

In the next few days, members of the NJ Assembly Regulatory Oversight and Gaming Committee will decide whether to release a bill for the entire assembly to vote on whether our wineries can ship wine inside and outside the state. The bill, A4436, heads to the Assembly next month. We are hoping for a committee vote on Jan. 5 and a full Assembly vote on Jan. 9. Consequently, time is running short.

Below you will find the names and contact information for those assembly representatives critical to making sure the bill gets out of committee and onto the assembly floor for a vote. Failure to move the bill from committee into the assembly floor for a positive vote could shut down our industry, closing tasting rooms and sales of our wines. Approval will allow small wineries inside and outside the state to ship to you. A lot of us have worked very hard to establish our businesses and a reputation in New Jersey for making fine wines. We need our legislators in the NJ Assembly to understand this. You can help tremendously.

Please look at the following assembly representatives’ names and areas they represent and reach out to them today, knowing our success will be your success as well. Thank you.

- Ollie Tomasello, Chairman, Garden State Wine Growers Association

Chairman John Burzichelli (D-3)
AsmBurzichelli@njleg.org
(856) 251-9801

Assemblywoman Annette Quijano (D-20)
AswQuijano@njleg.org
(908) 624-0880

Assemblyman Ralph Caputo (D-28)
AsmCaputo@njleg.org
(973) 450-0484

Assemblywoman Caroline Casagrande (R-12)
AswCasagrande@njleg.org
(732) 866-1695

Assemblyman Vincent Polistina (R-2)
AsmPolistina@njleg.org
(609) 677-8266

Happy Holidays Wines in NJ

2011-12-22T06:24:00.000-08:00

4 JG's ORCHARDS & VINEYARDS
Colts Neck, NJ
www.4jgswinery.com

Holiday Hours
Now thru Sunday, December 18th, Four JG's will be open every Saturday and Sunday from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm. Come celebrate the holiday season with us!

AUBURN ROAD VINEYARDS
Pilesgrove, NJ
www.auburnroadvineyards.com

Saturday December 31 - Second Annual New Year's Eve For People Who Can't Stay Up Late! Celebrate New Years on Rio time (two hours behind us at 10 PM!) and be in bed by midnight! Join Larry, Captain America, Esteban and the Dudes and the rest of the Ain't Got No (Paying) Gig on New Year's Eve Band (you know who you are...) for a great (and early) night of dinner and music. Reservations Required! For more details, visit our website at www.auburnroadvineyards.com or call 856-769-WINE.

CODA ROSSA
Franklinville, NJ
www.codarossa.com

Friday Night Movie at the Vineyard
Admission: Free
Every Friday starting at 7:00 pm
Come enjoy a relaxing evening at our vineyard with a glass of wine, popcorn and a movie. Wine for sale by the bottle or the Glass! Check our website CodaRossa.com for movie schedule and updates.
New Hours for Tasting Room - Friday 5:00-9:00. Saturday and Sunday 12:00-5:00

HAWK HAVEN VINEYARD AND WINERY
Rio Grande, NJ
www.hawkhavenvineyard.com

Hawk Haven Happy Hour
Everyday
3:00 to 5:00 pm Daily
From 3 to 5 pm everyday, it's Hawk Haven Happy Hour. Enjoy a glass of your favorite Hawk Haven Wine for only $4. Bring a snack along with you or purchase one from our wine shop. Wines are also available by the bottle. Show your New Jersey Teachers pay stub and receive your complimentary Hawk Haven Wine Glass (valued at $5.).

HOPEWELL VALLEY VINEYARDS
Pennington, NJ
www.hopewellvalleyvineyards.com

Music and Wine Fridays
Every Friday Night
6:00 to 9:00 pm
Admission: Free
Live Music
December 23: Eric Dabb playing jazz
December 30: Hopewell Valley Vineyards' Jazz Ensemble playing jazz
Wine by glass or bottle and brick oven pizza available for purchase.

Music and Wine Saturdays
6:00 to 9:00 pm
Admission: Free
Live Music
Wine by glass or bottle available for purchase. Brick oven pizza available for purchase.

LAURITA WINERY
New Egypt, NJ
www.lauritawinery.com

Sunday Brunch at Laurita Winery
Every Sunday from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm
Join us at Laurita Winery for our Sunday Brunch by Branches Catering. Click here to view the Sunday Brunch Menu (varies slightly each week). Email reservation requests to Laurita@BranchesCatering.com or call 732-542-5050

SHARROTT WINERY
Blue Anchor, NJ
www.sharrottwinery.com

Wine Down Fridays
Noon to 6:00 pm
We feature $5 glasses of wine along with relaxing music to help end your week. Every Friday until closing.

VILLA MILAGRO VINEYARDS
Finesville, NJ
www.VillaMilagroVineyards.com

December to Remember
All month
Noon to 5:00 pm
Admission: $5 includes wine tasting, souvenir glass, appetizers
Visit the Villa to sample our delicious, handcrafted European style wines paired with delectable appetizers from our newly released cookbook. Sample our Felize Navidad mulled wine and get bottles to treat your holiday guests to this south-of-the-border surprise! Impress your boss, employees and family with a gift of Villa Milagro wines for the holidays. We will be open Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve; closed Christmas and New Year’s days. See details at www.VillaMilagroVineyards.com

IT'S A CHRIS PEARMUND WORLD - AND WE'RE JUST LIVING IN IT....AND IT'S GRAND!

2011-12-22T03:38:00.000-08:00

PEARMUND VINEYARDS and THE WINERY AT LA GRANGE
I discovered the artistry of Chris Pearmund earlier this year when I bought a bottle of his wine in a Richmond liquor store while visiting Richmond on business. I was floored. Again, the great state of Virginia called my namme, so this time I decided to explore for myself Pearmund's series of wineries.

Pearmund is involved as the winemaker at three different wineries: The Winery at La Grange; Vint Hill Craft Winery; and Pearmund Cellars.

Chris explained to Virginia wine blogger John Haggarty how he got involved in wine.
"I worked at Clyde’s in Tysons Corner in the ’80s as their wine specialist and managed both the front and back operations of many other restaurants. I loved the concept of creating food with quality ingredients. The same concept applies to winemaking. I wanted to make myself more marketable by earning stripes in both the food and wine business. However, the restaurant industry is a daily repetitive grind while winemaking revolves around an annual production cycle. It’s hard to get burned out in the wine industry. There’s simply more variety, longer vision and less repetition. Once I entered the wine industry, I never looked back."

Today, he is a wine impressario.

Pearmund Cellars
I started with Pearmund Vineyards. Pearmund Vineyards is one of the closest wineries nearest Washington, DC, which is why I chose it first. Established in 1976 it originally hosted nine different grape varieties. Today they stick to chardonnay on the property, as they are the most successful grapes to grow with respect to this terroir. They have 15 acres and 11,000 vines of Chardonnay, cultivars or clones of Chardonnay to help increase the complexity of their wine. They also source from the premier vineyards of Virginia that specialize in one particular grape variety.

The winery is a classic looking winery, with a very large, open, spacious tastingroom, equipped when neccessary to hold a lot of people, but set up in the off hours with a large tasting bar, a check out counter, and a sitting area complete with small tables and chairs, a sofa, comfortable chairs, and a fireplace.

From the tastingroom, the barrel room can be view through a large set of glass doors. It is large, neat, and orderly, and lit by beautiful chandeliers. Impressive.

2010 Petite Manseng - I have found a new love. Petite Manseng is a grape primarily grown in southern France. The grape is grown primarily in the Languedoc, Jurançon and Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh but has recently drawn interest in New World wine regions like California, Virginia and Australia. It seems to be follwong the path of Viognier. This is a distinctive dry, white wine with rich aromas of candied fruit, lemongrass, pineapple, spice and honey. This nose, much like Viognier, really explodes from the mouth of the glass. Again, like Viongier, the drinker might think the wine will be sweet, but instead is met with a ight, brisk, refreshing, clean, dry, white wine. Very, very pretty. A sensational wine. Loved it! Fantatstic!

2009 Viognier - My old love, whom I am still very much attached to - Virginia Viognier. This is a nice Viongier, with a love nose pear and ripe apple and honeysuckle slowly froth out of the glass. 100% malolactic fermentation
Beautiful.

The reds were all gorgeous. Smooth and drinkable. Soft tannins. Really pretty.

2009 Merlot - Big fruit with a soft finnish. The grapes are from Silver Creek Orchards. On the nose there were dark cherries and dried cherries. A hint of vanilla. Some earth. Saddle leather. The fruit was big up front on the tasting, with soft tannins and low acidity. Really very nice.

2009 Cab Franc - For a true description of this wine, you'll have to refer to my post from April 2011. But that was 2008, this is 2009. But the profile is generally the same. A fruit bomb of a wine, this is one of the most expressive Cab Francs I have ever had. The tradition at Winery at La Grange continues. Dark raspberry, white pepper, and a hint of pencil shavings all on the nose. Dark raspberries and a hint of stewed dark fruit, with a beautiful mouth feel - again, low tannins, low acidity, big fruit. Incredible. Possibly one of the best red wines of the east coast.

2009 Armitage - This is a blend of Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Petite Verdot. A lovely meritage-style wine. Excellent.

2009 Petitte Verdot - I love Petitte Verdot, so this was an easy one. Big, big berry profile - all dark. Lush. Intense. A dark, purple-ish wine. Nice tannins. Big flavor. Wonderful!

The Winery at La Grange

The winery itself is an incredible and unique venue. La Grange is a restored three and a half story red brick manor house built in the 1790s. With huge doorways and fireplaces in everyroom, the winery is a gorgeous labrynth of little cozy rooms, complete with arm chairs, sofas, and piles of board games. The Winery at La Grange is Prince William County's premier winery nestled at the foot of Bull Run Mountain.

In September 2006, it opened as a winery, thanks to an investment group led by Pearmund. With 5,500 new Cabernet Sauvignon vines and a new winery building, the winery is set to make its mark. Total production is about 4,000 cases and includes Pinot Grigio, Viognier, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Tannat, Norton and Merlot. The winery also produces Meritage (a Bordeaux-style blend), a sparkling wine, and port.

A path beset with greens on either side leads back to the winery and the barrel room. Gorgeous!

The tank room.
A few wine highlights from La Grange:

2009 Viognier - Again, one of my favorites. The grapes come from Hollins Farm. Made in Hungarian Oak, this highly aromatic elixir, was made in stainless steel, and then aged for six months in French Oak. Honeysuckle and lychee come fruit, also apricot and honey. But make no mistake. This ia a very lovely whie wine.

2010 Norton - Kline wrote Wild Vines, about the history of the Norton grape. This wine would amuse him. The grapes are a combination of Missouri Norton 77% and Virginia Cabernet Sauvignon 23%. Big, rich, and intense. A lot of spice. Not as gamey as many pure Norton's. A very nice wine, which shows this native rape can do somehting with a touch of blending. My favorite Norton! Very nice.

2009 Meritage - A melange of Cab Sav, Merlot, Cab Franc and Petitte Verdot, this is a wonderful deep red wine made 1/2 in American Oak and 1/2 in French Oak. This is a very well made Bordeaux-styled blend with plum and raspberry, and hints of dusty autumn leaves. Excellent.

General's Battlefield Red - Malbec, Cab Sav., Petitte Verdot, Tannat and Chambourcin. This is a wonderful, big, deep, hearty wine with incredible and intense flavors. It has been aged over a year in Virginia oak barrels made from trees grown just a few miles away from the winery on the historic site of the battles of Manassas. An absolute winner.

2008 Tannat - This is one of the biggest surprises of the visit. Tannat is a red wine grape, historically grown in South West France in the Madiran AOC and is now one of the most prominent grapes in Uruguay, where it is considered the "national grape". It is also grown in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Peru, and in Italy's Puglia region where it is used as a blending grape. In the US state of Virginia, there are small experimental plantings of the vine. These grapes come from a vineyard/farm named Honah Lee. This is a dark red wine with intense color and flavor. Its got huge dark flavors of deep respberry and cassis, with relatively low acids, and nice, classically structured tannins. An intense wine. I really liked this. A wonderful surprise!!!

2009 Snort - Possibly one of the best ports available on the east coast today. 23% Cab Sav and 75% Norton. The Solera system of blending 3 vintages (45% 2006, 45% 2007, 10% 2008) produces multiple layers of flavor, texture and depth. A lovely, lovely port, with big flavors, but not too sweet. Fantastic. Will age beautifully for at least 5 to 10 years.

Alas, I could not go to Vine Hill because it was not open while I was down there. Vint Hill Craft Winery was founded in 2009 by Pearmund and a group of savvy business executives and wine enthusiasts. These industry leaders are spearheading this exciting new concept in personalized winemaking; ensuring quality, success and sustainability. The unique state of the art “green” winery is located in historic barns at Vint Hill Farms Station, VA. The barn facility was once a secure listening station used by the U.S. Government from the early 1940s through the late 1990s.

Many ‘custom crush’ wineries focus on vineyards. At Vint Hill Craft Winery the process starts with, and is dedicated to, the art and craft of winemaking. The customers include thos who want to make wine for themselves, be it fruit from Virginia, or California or anywhere else. Some folks grow grapes, and want ot make wine from grapes grown on their land. Other want to buy grapes and make wines for their own restaurants or store. Other come to Vint Hill to get an education in winemaking. It's a unique business model.

Pearmund makes consistent, quality wine, with unique flavor profiles, and exceptional invention. And the customer expereince is always key, and unique as well. Chris has created a fascinating world of wine. And we're living in it. Ain't it great!

Winery at La Grange 2008 Cab Franc review and Pearmund profile:
http://www.rappnews.com/2010/04/15/a-chat-with-chris-pearmund/1840/

John Haggarty interview:
http://www.rappnews.com/2010/04/15/a-chat-with-chris-pearmund/1840/

The Capital (Annapolis, MD) Highlights Christmas at Thanksgiving Farm & Winery

2011-12-17T04:30:00.000-08:00

Home of the Week: Christmas at Thanksgiving Farm and Winery
By WENDI WINTERS, For The Capital
Published 12/17/11

Joshua McKerrow - The Capital Thanksgiving Farm and Winery in Harwood's three-story farmhouse was placed on the National Register of Historic Places by the U.S. Department of the Interior in 2007. A bronze plaque by the front double doors announces the honor. The home, once the centerpiece of Richland, a tobacco farm, was built 118 years ago. It was designed in a blend of Colonial Revival and Queen Anne architectural styles by the firm of Noland and de Saussure, based in Roanoke, Va.

Christmas is nearly here!

What better time to go visit Thanksgiving Farm and Winery in Harwood?

The 58-acre farmstead was carved out of the old 332-acre Richland Farm. Douglas Heimbuch, a fisheries scientist with AKRF Inc., purchased the farm in 1996. He married Maureen, his longtime colleague, in 2003. She, too, works for the Hanover-based AKRF, as a regulatory specialist.

Though the Heimbuchs are not about to quit their day jobs, the winery is more than a hobby. In 2006, Thanksgiving Farm received its commercial winery license, the 23rd commercial winery in Maryland to do so. Douglas had been growing selected grapes and fermenting wines for his own consumption since 1998. Until recently, Thanksgiving was the sole winery in Anne Arundel County. This fall, another, smaller one opened on Harness Creek in Annapolis. The two wineries number among about five dozen statewide.

Production from grape to bottle to table takes about four years. The Heimbuchs produce, on average, about 500 cases - 6,000 bottles - annually. However, due to heavy rainfall and destruction from Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee this summer, the 2011 vintage will be about 300 cases in 2015. Thanksgiving Farm wines, including red, white and Bordeaux-type varieties, are sold in fine wine and food shops throughout the county. The website is www.thanksgivingfarm.com.

Read the entire story at:
http://www.hometownannapolis.com/news/top/2011/12/17-07/Home-of-the-Week-Christmas-at-Thanksgiving-Farm-and-Winery.html

Patriot-News Highlights New Pennsylvania Winery: Hunters Valley

2011-12-17T04:24:00.000-08:00

Add another winery -- Hunters Valley -- to 25-year club
Published: Friday, December 16, 2011, 7:21 AM
Updated: Friday, December 16, 2011, 8:09 AM
By PAUL VIGNA, The Patriot-News

Hunters Valley Winery opened in 1986 along routes 11/15. Now it sits on a hilltop overlooking the Susquehanna.

The region recently has seen a couple of wineries celebrate 25 years, the most recent Hunters Valley Winery in Liverpool, Pa., that sits along routes 11/15 as it winds its way up to Selinsgove.

Darlene and Billk Kvaternik, according to a story in the Newport News-Sun, cleared out a plot of land that used to be a free-range chicken farm on a hillside overlooking the Susquehanna River in 1981 and began growing grapes. For a few years they sold those to home winemakers and made their own wine. Like a number of wineries in both Pennsylvania and Maryland, that hobby turned into a business and the winery was born in 1986 inside a former chick hatchery behind a historic log farmhouse that sits along the highway.

Asked if she remembered what wines they sold that first year, Darlene rattled off the list like it was a lot more recently than 25 years. Niagara, she said. Concord, Berry Mountain Red (a blend of Chancellor and Baco Noir), Chardonnay and Seyval. You can find all those and a dozen others on Hunters Valley's wine list today, showing that they knew what they were doing when they started planting those grapes 30 years ago.

For one, sweeter wines are as important today as they were back then.

"I think many wineries would tell you that to succeed in central Pennsylvania, you have to have some sweet wines on your list," she said. "We do make four really nice dry reds, but I would hate to gt along without the Niagara and the Concord." She noted they also produce a number of fruit wines, including cranberry, blueberry, strawberry and raspberry, all of those, of course, quite sweet. "Especially at this time of year, you know, we get a lot of people who maybe don't drink wine all year long, and they come in and say, 'I want the sweet ones, Where are the sweet ones?' " She laughed aloud. "And for that reason I actually have my wine list done kind of opposite to what most wineries do. I put the sweet ones right up there at the top so that people can find them. I figure the people who want dry wines can spend a minute and look to the bottom of the page."

One thing that distinguishes the winery from most in this region are the number of 1.5 liter bottles it makes available on more than a half-dozen of its wines, including the Riesling and the Concord. Darlene said they've been offering those for 20 years. "We tend to listen to our customers," she said, " and a lot of customers would come in and say 'we'd like it in a bigger bottle.' So, OK, we bought some bigger bottles. And, because we still bottle by hand, that's not such a big problem for us. A lot of the newer wineries have bottling lines, so making a smaller bottle or a bigger bottle I'm sure is more of an investment of time."

Read the whole thing at:
http://blog.pennlive.com/wine/2011/12/post_97.html

Burlington Free Press Raves About Shelburne Orchards' Apple Brandy

2011-12-17T04:17:00.000-08:00

Nick Cowles of Shelburne Orchards pours a glass of his new apple brandy, Dead Bird Apple Brandy, while in his barrel room on Nov. 17, 2011. / EMILY McMANAMY, Free Press
Fans have a hard time waiting for Shelburne Orchards' apple brandy
12:08 PM, Dec. 2, 2011
Written by Melissa Pasanen, Correspondent
Burlignton Free Press

SHELBURNE — If you want a bottle of Shelburne Orchards Distillery’s Dead Bird apple brandy and you’re not already on the list, you’re probably going to have to wait another four to five years.

That is if orchardist and distiller Nick Cowles doesn’t once again cave to pressure from friends and supporters who convinced him to release an inaugural 100 bottles next weekend after a mere two years of aging in 55-gallon Kentucky bourbon barrels.

“I wanted to wait for years,” the lanky Cowles said on a recent afternoon, unfolding himself from the couch next to his copper pot still, a shiny orb that looks like a magic lantern topped with a golden Russian church dome in which he distills hard cider into liquor. “For brandy, the longer you wait the better.”

Cowles, 61, grew up on the 60-acre, century-old orchard and has been making a living from it since the late 1970s through an evolving puzzle of revenue pieces. Over the last several years, he said, his pick-your-own business; on-farm fruit, cider, vinegar and doughnut sales and festivals have settled into a reliable income, allowing him to devote time to longer term projects like becoming a licensed distiller and making and aging his first vintages of apple brandy.

“I had the infrastructure: the orchard, the cider press,” Cowles said. “This is another way to make the orchard a viable agricultural operation.”

He could have stopped at hard cider, which would have taken much less time to get to market, he acknowledged, “but I don’t like hard cider. I like apple brandy.”

Apparently, Cowles is not alone and he had no trouble selling out of his first offering. Even though the 750 milliliter bottles cost $100 each, he filled the list via word-of-mouth six months before their highly anticipated release.

Each will be signed, numbered and delivered at a private reception at the orchard next Saturday catered by Food Network chef, Bob Blumer, who first came to Shelburne Orchards four years ago when filming a “Glutton for Punishment” episode about apple pie.

Read the whole thing at:
http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20111202/LIVING06/111201015

Burlington Free Press Highlights New Vermont Winery Caledonia Spirits and Winery

2011-12-17T04:11:00.001-08:00

Caledonia Spirits and Winery founder Todd Hardie (left) and general manager, winemaker and distiller Joe Buswell stand behind the tasting table at the Hardwick distillery and winery. / MELISSA PASANEN, for the Free Press

Local honey and berries are stars at Caledonia Spirits and Winery
9:29 AM, Dec. 2, 2011
Written by Melissa Pasanen, Correspondent

HARDWICK — “We are here because of the elderberries and the honey,” said Todd Hardie, standing recently between elderberry bushes and beehives behind his new Caledonia Spirits and Winery building.

The honey-based, and sometimes elderberry-infused, alcoholic beverages fermenting, distilling and aging within the building are the most recent step in Hardie’s life journey in support of the bees and the broader natural landscape.

“When I was 12, I realized I wanted to be a beekeeper in Vermont,” Hardie said, detailing a 46-year path that continued when he graduated from Cornell University’s College of Agriculture in 1976 and moved to the Northeast Kingdom to work as a Vermont state bee inspector.

After 30 years as a beekeeper in the Champlain Valley (a better climate for bees), Hardie recently returned to the Hardwick area where he had maintained close ties with many, including the late garden writer, horticulturist and elderberry expert, Lewis Hill.

Hardie’s first foray into honey-based alcohol was in Shelburne when his Honey Gardens Apiaries launched a line of meads (honey-based wine) about five years ago.

Now under the Caledonia umbrella in Hardwick, the winery continues to produce cold-fermented, aged meads made with raw honey as well as black currants, blueberries and elderberries. Some varieties were aging in French Chardonnay oak barrels in a cool, dark room at one end of the building.

In the center of the long building, the separate distillery business takes over with a still room smelling faintly of the forest thanks to the generous quantity of juniper berries that go into Caledonia’s newly launched Barr Hill Gin.

The gin, which was distilling in a small 25-gallon copper still in one corner, is one of three spirits first sold to the public in late October. An elderberry cordial is also made in that room.

To all three, including a vodka, honey adds both flavor and other attributes.

“The honey softens up the gin and it buffers some of the alcohol’s jagged edges,” Hardie explained.

Read the whole thing at:
http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20111202/LIVING06/111201019/Local-honey-berries-stars-Caledonia-Spirits-Winery

Caledonia Spirits and Winery:

Caledonia Spirits and Winery is open weekdays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and, normally, on Saturdays by appointment. However in December, they are hosting Open House Saturdays on Dec. 10 and Dec. 17 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

All Caledonia products are available at the winery and distillery in Hardwick and at the Burlington Winter Farmers Market. In addition, the mead is available at some local grocery and wine stores, some state liquor outlets as well as restaurants and bars. The gin, vodka and elderberry cordial are available at state liquor outlets, restaurants and bars.

For more information: Go to www.caledoniaspirits.com or call 472-8000.

Dave McIntyre Profiles Trump and His Wines in the Washington Post

2011-12-17T04:03:00.000-08:00

Trump aims for award-winning wines and weddings
By Dave McIntyre
December 14, 2011
The Washington Post

Trump has no intention of ripping out the vines at the former Kluge Estate. (Rob Garland Photographers) When Donald Trump purchased the former Kluge Estate winery last April at a bankruptcy auction, speculation ran rampant over what would become of Virginia’s largest vineyard property. Trump gained an operating winery with about 220 acres planted to vines on Carter’s Mountain just south of Charlottesville. Many people had hoped a major West Coast wine company would step in and buy the property; with Trump, the concern was that the vineyards might be ripped out and replaced with a golf course or luxury McMansions.

The speculation was understandable. The Kluge Estate bankruptcy played itself out spectacularly in the press over two years, with headlines dripping with schadenfreude as Patricia Kluge, the ex-wife of the late media mogul John Kluge, auctioned off her baubles, bangles and beads in an ultimately futile attempt to stave off her creditors. Her bank, Farm Credit of the Virginias, called her loans in October 2010 and essentially issued a stop-work order. The 2010 harvest — a very good one in Virginia — was sold off at bargain-basement prices as the bank threatened to sell off the property in parcels to various developers.

When Trump purchased the winery and vineyards for a song ($6.2 million, compared to the more than $34 million in debt that led the bank to foreclose on Kluge), he installed his son, Eric, to run the winery business, while keeping Kluge and her husband, William Moses, to manage the property. The rechristened Trump Winery was unveiled in October.

In a telephone interview from his New York offices late last month, Eric Trump outlined his vision for the new Trump Winery, including a renewed focus on weddings and other events, but also increased investment in the winemaking part of the business. “We want to win the ‘best of’ awards,” he said. “We like having the highest-quality products.”

A Trump label wine will have a natural distribution network through luxury hotels, country clubs and casinos, playing off the Trump name. The winery had already expanded its distribution to 17 states, he said, with more on the horizon. “Distribution is through the roof!”

I visited the property a few days after my conversation with Eric Trump. Patricia Kluge’s staff showed me a new sparkling wine facility under construction, as well as a farm building under renovation for housing and maintaining vineyard farming equipment and tractors. The message was clear: The infrastructure investment signaled the Trumps’s intention to focus on the quality of the wine, not to redevelop the property.

“We have no intention to rip out the vines,” Eric Trump had told me.

Read more at:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/all-we-can-eat/post/trump-aims-for-award-winning-wines-and-weddings/2011/12/12/gIQA3J4csO_blog.html

Dave McIntyre in the Washington Post Discusses the Impact of the Cases on Virginia Wine

2011-12-17T03:56:00.000-08:00

Wine: The Cases have big plans for Sweely — and Virginia
By Dave McIntyre, Published: December 13
Washington Post

What happens when a conservative community, hesitant to change its ways and dependent for its livelihood on the slow cycle of the seasons, meets an innovator accustomed to rapid transformations in the way people live, work and communicate?

Now that Steve and Jean Case of America Online fame have bought themselves a winery, the Virginia wine industry might soon find out.

The couple behind the Case Foundation (which promotes philanthropy through technology) and Revolution (a venture-capital firm that champions “disruptive, innovative companies”) quietly purchased Sweely Estate, just off Route 29 in Madison, in July. Final regulatory approval for the license transfers was granted late last month.

The transition at Sweely, a seven-year-old winery that had slipped in and out of foreclosure for two years, has been remarkably low-key given the prominent buyers. It is a marked contrast to the spectacularly public bankruptcy of Kluge Estate, south of Charlottesville, which played out in the media until the winery was bought at auction this year by real estate mogul and TV star Donald Trump.

In a two-hour interview at the winery on a recent warm, sunny December morning, Jean Case described an ambitious, if not yet entirely mapped out, plan to help the Virginia wine industry expand to new markets.

“We’re Virginians for the past 30 years, and we like to see business grow in the state,” said Case, who lives with her husband and children in McLean. “Part of that is the excitement of helping a nascent industry on the brink of success. Our goal is for us and our team to be out in some markets in Virginia and building exposure for Virginia wines. There’s a beautiful opportunity to be out there with a wine and show people the quality it represents.”

Read the whole thing at:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/food/wine-the-cases-have-big-plans-for-sweely--and-virginia/2011/12/07/gIQAlLiOsO_story.html

Bloomber/Busineweek Reports that Virginia Aims to Increase Exposure

2011-12-17T03:45:00.000-08:00

Va revamps wine competition to raise profile
RICHMOND, Va.

Virginia has revamped its annual wine competition to raise the profile of the industry and winery tourism.

Changes announced Monday by Gov. Bob McDonnell include more stringent judging standards and regional forums for winemakers with the head judge to provide feedback on how their wines were received.

McDonnell says the Virginia Governor's Cup will continue to be a single event for red wines and white wines.

Preliminary and final rounds will be held in January. A winner will be announced Feb. 23 in conjunction with the Virginia Wine Expo in Richmond.

There will be separate categories and medals for ciders and fruit wines.

McDonnell says Virginia wine sales increased by more than 11 percent in fiscal 2011 compared to the previous fiscal year.

Read more at:
http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9RJ4I801.htm

December is Wine Month in Virginia

2011-12-17T03:25:00.000-08:00

Here's a series of events still in front if us this month taking place in Virginia.

December 17: Warm, Mulled Wine Weekends
Wisteria Farm & Vineyard (Stanley)
Warm, mulled wine by the file on weekends between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Come out and relax with us and do some shopping. Wine makes a great gift.
540-742-1489

December 17: Party in Paradise
Paradise Springs Winery (Clifton)
Second Annual Holiday Party in Paradise to include live music by Tender Poleman, shopping specials, raffle, sparkling wine tasting, sparkling pineapple wine from Maui, fresh baked cookies and a visit from the man in red.
703-830-9463

December 17-18: Holiday Celebration
James River Cellars (Glen Allen)
Celebrate friends, family and of course our award-winning, seasonal wines. Visit with craft vendors. Stock up on wine, gifts and especially, holiday cheer!

December 18: Appetizers to Desserts Food Pairing
Lost Creek Winery (Leesburg)
Winemaker Bob Hauck will lead five course pairing of wines with appetizers to desserts. Great education about winemaking.
(703) 443-9836

December 22: Festival of Lights
Philip Carter Winery (Hume)
Enjoy some wine with latkes and kosher pastries. Celebrate with friends and family around the Menorah in Cleve Hall. Bring your dreidels...celebrate the Festival of Lights.
540-364-1203

December 27: Barrel Tasting with the Winemaker
Cross Keys Vineyards & Estate (Mt. Crawford)
Join our winemaker in the cellar for a tasting, tour and appetizers. One to 2 pm.
540-234-0505

December 31: New Year's Eve Ball
Cross Keys Vineyards & Estate (Mt. Crawford)
Kick off 2012 the right way, dancing with friends and loved ones while enjoying delicious food and wine. Ticket includes dinner, entertainment and bottle of wine. Music by Standing Room Only featuring Kelly May Brown.
540-234-0505

December 31: New Year's Eve Masked Ball
Veritas Winery (Afton)
Bring your mask and dancing shoes for great food, wine and fun. Begin with hors d'oeuvers followed by five-course dinner. Dancing til midnight when masks come off and the champagne flows. Breakfast at 12:30. Black Tie optional, reservations required.
434-263-7015

December 31: Lift the Glass!
Philip Carter Winery (Hume)
"Fast away the old year passes...fa la a la la..." Spend a bit of New Year's Eve here with unique party ideas, hat and favors and wine special to make your own celebration truly special.
540-364-1203

December 31: Masquerade Ball
Potomac Point Winery (Stafford)
Begin with appetizers paired with wine then move to the ballroom for buffet dinner followed by dessert and coffee service. Sparking wine toast and balloon drop at midnight.
540-446-2107

December 31: Williamsburg New Year's Eve Celebration
Williamsburg Winery (Williamsburg)
Start with 4-course dinner prepared by Chef Tim of Café Provencal and paired with our wines. Swing dance demonstrations, then dance the night away with music by the ACME Swing Mfg Co. Overnight packages available at Wedmore House.
757-229-0999

December 31: New Year's Eve Dinner & Party
Attimo Winery (Christiansburg)
End the year with moments to remember. Wonderful seated dinner followed by dancing, desserts and midnight toasts.
540-382-7619

Happy Bitch Wines Mentioned in New York Times

2011-12-17T03:24:00.000-08:00

William Grimes recently wrote a fascinating article on the whys and wherefores of naming wines with the word "Bitch" attached. Mentioned in the article is the Hudson Valley's own "Happy Bitch" wine.

Congrats to Debbie Gioquindo and Keryl Pesce!

Read the whole thing at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/07/dining/with-rude-names-wine-stops-minding-its-manners.html

Core Vodka Named One of the Best Artisanal Vodkas by Details magazine

2011-12-17T03:13:00.001-08:00

Core Vodka was named one the seven best artisanal vodkas on the market by Details magazine in the December 2011 issue of the magazine.

Author Rob Willey wrote about Core: " Triple-distilled at an orchard, Core is made from apples chosen for precise sugar levels, lending a mellow sweetness tinged with ginger."

Congrats to everyone over at Harvest Spirits!

Read more at:
http://www.details.com/style-advice/food-and-drinks/201112/best-craft-vodkas#slide=2

Vineyard & Winery Managment Profiles Serpent Ridge Vineyards (MD)

2011-12-10T04:08:00.000-08:00

Accomplished wine veteran Marguerite Thomas profiles Maryland's own Serpent Ridge Winery in the cover story of Vineyard and Winery in the November/December 2011 issue.

The feature piece is way too long to reproduce here. But it's a fantastic profile, and one well worth reading. Congrats to Marguerite and to the folks at Serpent Ridge!

Read more at:
http://vwm-online.com/images/kreck/THOMAS%20-%20Serpent%20Ridge_Eastern_Cover.pdf

Edible Hudson Valley Raves About Hudson Valley Cassis

2011-12-10T04:07:00.000-08:00

Edible Hudson Valley writer Jennifer Brizzi covers the absolutely growing industry of artisanally produced cassis (black currant dessert wine) in the Hudson Valley.

This is a great article with lots of really fun information and great profiles.

If you're looking for great cassis try some of these:

Adair Vineyards
Bookview Station Winery
Clinton Vineyards
Glorie Farm Winery
Hudson-Chatham Winery
Tousey Winery
Tuthilltown Distillery
Warwick Valley Winery
and coming soon, Breezey Hill

Go out and try some today!

Happy Bitch - A Book and a Wine - A Lifestyle Brand

2011-12-04T07:58:00.000-08:00

Happy Bitch is an excellent example of cross promotion and brand building. You can buy the book, the ebook, the wine, the glasses, and the t-shirts. Cheryl Pesce and Debbie Gioquindo have developed Happy Bitch into a lifestyle brand they will continue to expand.

Cheryl Pesce wrote a book called Happy Bitch: The Girlfriend's Straight Up Guide to Losing the Baggage and Finding the Fun, Fabulous You Inside...

The Amazon description says: "Have you ever wondered why some women are miserable bitches and others are happy bitches? The answers might surprise you. Join Keryl Pesce as she shares her newfound perspective and strength following a painful divorce. Follow along and learn how regardless of your baggage, you too can transform your life from one of heartache and struggle to one of peace and lasting happiness. Imagine being freed from regrets of the past and worries about the future. Yes! It is possible! The truth is, it's easier than you think. You already hold the secret to happiness in your hands right this very moment."

The $15.60 paperback and the $9.95 ebook are both available at Amazon.com. The paperback is also available at Barnes & Noble.com for $13.40.

As the recent Pride of New York festival at the Saratoga Springs Art Center, festival goers could been seen sporting stickers featuring the Happy Bitch logo. Some were sporting t-shirts as well. The brand seems to be resonating with women. Certainly, this is not the first wine to use the word "Bitch" on it's label. Still, the rolling out of other products with some savvy marketing behidn it has catapulted the brand forward extremely quickly, and is an example to follow for any small winery.
The brand has used a combination of twitter, facebook, and solid internet buss from blogs and newspapers to build up a following quickly. The winemakers also used several yearly events in the Hudson Valley this past season as promotional opportunities to create brand awareness (like getting folks at one festival to taste several different versions of the wine), and allowing or inviting the public to particpate in the final blend or flavor profile. Several local winemakers questioned the move, but more than anything, it was smart, invented marketing.

The wine itself is a no lose proposition - a pink, sparkling wine, with just the lightest whiff of sweetness, much like a prosecco. It's fun, pink, and goes down easy. It's well made and well packaged, and looks great in almost any wine glass, especially a sparkling wine flute.
Happy Bitch can already be found in numerous wine shops up-and-down the valley, and has quickly created a buzz with a strong female base of devoted customers. The wines can already be found in five counties. They've done all of that in year. It's just the kind of marketing smarts the Hudson Valley and the east coast need. And it's the fun wine consumers want!

South Coast Today Celebrates Westport Rivers 25th Anniversary

2011-12-03T05:21:00.000-08:00

My apologies to the folks at Westport Rivers, as I am a little behind in my blogging. But I have to say that Westport Rivers remains one of the premiere Massachusetts wineries, and indeed, one of the east coasts best producers, especially of sparkling wines. Congrats to the folks at Westport Rivers.

Westport winery marks quarter century
By Dan McDonald
dmcdonald@s-t.com
November 27, 2011 12:00 AM
South Coast Today

A quarter century ago, the Russells planted their first vines, giving birth to Westport Rivers Vineyard & Winery, what would ultimately become New England's largest vineyard.

They started out with 40,000 vines — ordered from the Finger Lakes region of New York because they were thought to be hearty. The Westport business now boasts double that number. The first year they produced wine — three years after they first planted — they sold 550 cases of Riesling, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The Russells now produce between 5,000 and 6,000 cases annually. Grapes now grow on 80 bucolic acres off of Hixbridge Road. Twenty thousand posts dot the property, which now has 700,000 feet worth of wire.

Carol Russell says the goal has never been size.

"The goal is quality," said Russell as dozens enjoyed the vistas and vineyard hayrides at Westport Rivers' 15th annual open house Saturday.

Russell says there were four points of genesis for the vineyard and winery: a wine-making kit, a grandparent who had produced wine in upstate New York, a love of wining and dining, and a desire to be "stewards of the land."

Carol, a former teacher, and her husband Bob, a metallurgist by trade, had considered opening a wine operation in California, Oregon, and New Zealand, but loved New England too much to leave, she said. Carol says her husband studied the region's climate and found that the SouthCoast was the sunniest and most temperate part of the state.

They also had to consider things like soil and slope.

"You don't want to have grapes in a hollow, that's where you will get pockets of frost," she said.

The moderating influence of the ocean was a significant factor, said Carol.

Ultimately, they chose Westport, Carol said, in part because it is an "agriculturally-minded community." Previously, the land that is now the vineyard was a dairy farm for 95 years.

Still, 25 years ago, they were wading into what was then uncharted territory.

At the time, "No one had really done this scale of farming with these varieties of grapes in New England," said her son, Bill Russell.

In Carol's words, "We knew this could be dangerous."

Bill Russell said it was assumed that making wine in such a climate would constitute the largest risk, when the biggest challenge during the last two-plus decades has been "convincing people in Massachusetts that it is not a joke."

Five years ago, Carol and Bob's sons took over the day-to-day operations of Westport Rivers. Carol said she and her husband are in supportive roles.

"Rob grows the grapes, Bill makes the wine," she said.

Wine writers for significant regional, national and international publications have hailed their products, while word-of-mouth helped their reputation with the public, said Carol.

Westport Rivers is open Monday through Saturday year round, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. www.westportrivers.com

Read more at:
http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20111127/NEWS/111270362/-1/NEWS16

Hartford Courant Promotes Connecticut Wine Trail

2011-12-03T05:14:00.000-08:00

Litchfield Hills Winter Wine Trail Returns
A La Carte
Leeanne Griffin
Hartford Courant

2:09 p.m. EST, December 1, 2011
Believe it or not, winter can be a beautiful time to visit the Connecticut Wine Trail with reduced crowds, snow-covered scenery and even blazing fireplaces and hot beverages at certain vineyards. And now there's an extra incentive to visit between December and March.

The 2011 Litchfield Hills Winter Wine Trail invites guests to visit six participating wineries in the western half of the state. Pick up a card at one of the six spots and have it signed at each winery before March 30.

Participating wineries:

Litchfield (Litchfield, Connecticut)
New Preston
DiGrazia Vineyard, 131 Tower Road, Brookfield, 203-775-1616, digrazia.com.

Haight-Brown Vineyard, 29 Chestnut Hill Road, Litchfield, 860-567-4045, haightvineyards.com.

Hopkins Vineyard, 25 Hopkins Road, New Preston, 860-868-7954, hopkinsvineyard.com.

Jerram Winery, 535 Town Hill Road (Rt. 219,) New Hartford, 860-379-8749, jerramwinery.com.

Miranda Vineyard, 42 Ives Road, Goshen, 860-491-9906, mirandavineyards.com.

Sunset Meadow Vineyards, 599 Old Middle Street (Rt. 63), sunsetmeadowvineyards.com.

For more information, email litchfieldwine@aol.com.

Read more at:
ctn-litchfield-hills-winter-wine-trail-returns-20111201

Patriot News Reports Chaddsford Wines Now Available Kroegers

2011-12-03T05:08:00.000-08:00

Kroger markets now selling several of Chaddford's sweet wines
Published: Friday, December 02, 2011, 7:03 PM
Updated: Friday, December 02, 2011, 7:05 PM
By PAUL VIGNA, The Patriot-News

Chaddsford (Pa.) Winery noted in its December e-letter sent out Thursday that Kroger supermarkets in southern Virginia have started to carry "our Niagara, Sangri – La Sangria, Sunset Blush and Spiced Apple wines in November. In store tastings of the Spiced Apple wine were being offered paired with pumpkin pie for the holidays. This month look for in store tastings pairing the Spiced Apple wine with ham for the holiday and winter season."

The e-letter noted that this continues an initiative to expand the distribution of Chaddsford's seasonal and sweet line of wines to new markets. It also said that Chaddsford wines will be available over the coming months in Kroger stores in West Virginia and North Carolina.

Chaddsford is among 18 Pennsylvania wineries that have some of their wines distributed through the Pennsylvania state store system.

Read more at:
http://blog.pennlive.com/wine/2011/12/kroger_markets_now_selling_several_of_chaddfords_sweet_wines.html

Press of Atlantic City Raves About New Jersey Wine Country

2011-12-03T04:55:00.000-08:00

Posted: Sunday, November 27, 2011 11:40 pm
By LEE PROCIDA Staff Writer
Press of Atlantic City

HAMMONTON — “New Jersey wine country” is still far from a household phrase, but more people are learning every year that the Garden State is home to a growing number of quality vineyards.

That was clear this weekend at wineries in Hammonton and the surrounding area, which were overrun with guests for the annual Holiday Wine Trail Weekend.

“Yesterday was a mob scene,” said Barbara Mazzola, of Hammonton, a saleswoman who was pouring wines Sunday at Tomasello Winery. “People had the rented jitney buses, school buses. It was nuts.”

Wineries host wine trail weekends throughout the year, including a Valentine’s Day weekend, Mother’s Day weekend and another weekend in the middle of July. During these weekends, they open their tasting rooms and provide food, gifts, music, and other entertainment.

Each “wine trail” is a loosely defined area in which several wineries are clustered. There are seven trails that the Garden State Wine Growers Association maps out, and the Atlantic County Wine Trail is home to the heaviest concentration of vineyards.

Tomasello is the largest winery in the state, and

it shares Hammonton’s sandy soils with Plagido’s Winery and DiMatteo Vineyards. In the neighboring townships of Waterford, Winslow and Shamong, there are Amalthea Cellars, Sharrott Winery, and Valenzano Winery, respectively.

Not far outside the town are also Renault Winery in Egg Harbor City, Sylvin Farms in Galloway Township, Bellview Winery in Buena Borough and Balic Winery in Hamilton Township.

Cape May has four of its own, stretching from Natali Vineyards and Hawk Haven Vineyard & Winery in Middle Township down to Cape May Winery & Vineyards and Turdo Vineyards & Winery in Lower Township.

Four more make up the Gloucester and Salem counties cluster, while Swansea Vineyards in Shiloh Borough is often combined with Bellview and Coda Rossa Winery in Franklin Township as another wine trail.

There might be even more clustered throughout South Jersey if it weren’t for an extended legal battle over the state’s wine regulations that has tied up new licenses. New wineries in Cape May and Cumberland counties are already producing wine but cannot legally sell it without licenses.

State legislators have not been able to reach an agreement over how to resolve the issue, which hinges on the equitable treatment of in-state and out-of-state wineries and how they sell their wines in New Jersey. Winemakers are hoping that a resolution can be reached during the current “lame duck” legislative session.

Read the whole thing at:
http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/press/atlantic/weekend-of-wine-tastings-proves-fruitful-for-south-jersey-vineyards/article_ba4a1c94-197b-11e1-a40e-001cc4c002e0.html

Knob Hall Winery of Maryland Wins Best of Show for Chambourcin

2011-12-03T04:46:00.000-08:00

Dr. Joseph Fiola, University of Maryland Extension Specialist in Viticulture and Small Fruit, helped set up the wine competition, which included wines from New Jersey and Maryland. Dr. Fiola said it was an interesting event. "As part of American Wine Society Wine Judge Certification program, I teach 'continuing education' for all the certified judges. This year at the AWS Annual National Conference, we conducted a competition of the top varieties and wines of the Maryland and New Jersey region."

Fiola explained that the wines included dozens of Chardonnay, Aromatic Whites (Viognier and blends), Chambourcin, and Meritage blends. "We had the best example of each from both states, and in a blind tasting with 42 certified wine judges, the Knob Hall ‘Chambourcin’ received the highest overall score and the most individual votes for Best of Show! This truly was a great showing!"

According to Dr. Joseph Fiola, "It is exciting that a Washington County wine has beaten the best at the New Jersey-Maryland wine competition. Knob Hall Winery has great wine, and for its ‘Chambourcin’ to win the Best in Show, validates that wine in Maryland is truly among the best wines in the nation."

Knob Hall Winery is one of the few wineries in Maryland that has a female winemaker. Mary Beth Seibert has won the hearts, and taste buds, of wine-lovers throughout the Mid-Atlantic. In 2010, the winery won more gold medals than any other winery at the Maryland Wine Festival. The three gold medals turned out to be the most that any winery in Maryland had ever won. Knob Hall's Rose was selected as Best in Class, as well. At the 2011 Maryland Wine festival, the winery had four silver medals and two bronze medals - another outstanding year!

Knob Hall Winery is currently Washington County’s only winery, and now has over 30 acres of land under grape production. The acreage includes the following grape varieties: Albarino, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Traminette, Vidal Blanc, Viognier, Chambourcin, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Merlot, and Petite Verdot. The winery continues to expand and will have 60 acres of land planted with grape vines.

What Brotherhood’s Expansion Means to the Hudson Valley

2011-12-01T07:16:00.000-08:00

Bigger is not always better. I can think of a lot of wines that I truly love; I’m one of those jerks who loves a hard to find wine. The easier it is to find, the less attracted I am to it. I also loved women who played hard to get back in the day, as they say.

But let’s be honest – sometimes size matters. Back in California, in the late 1960s and early 1970s, there were a lot of small wineries making quality wine. But my mom and dad, who were avid wine drinkers, had never heard of them. And despite the Judgment of Paris, and the eyebrow-raising wins of Chateau Montelena and Stag’s Leap in competitions, most people didn’t know what was going on in California wine. That was until Robert Mondavi.

Mondavi had cashed out of his family’s rather sizable and profitable winery, and wanted to create a new winery – a large winery that could make quality wines. While the Stag’s Leaps and Montelena’s of the world worked the critics, Mondavi moved an industry. He became the ambassador of California wine. His winery was originally thought of as a folly, with its massive scale and his exclamation point on quality dry wines.

In fact, Mondavi’s gamble paid off, not just for him, but for all of Napa. Today, Mondavi is one of the first tours I recommend to anyone who wants to go see wineries and vineyards for the first time – because it remains the best tour for the general public in the industry. It is the show place for quality Napa wine.

The Hudson Valley has always needed a Mondavi. Cesar Baeza has always been one of our best ambassadors. But with the fire that ruined the winery some time ago, he has been fighting the good fight with one arm tied behind his back. But with the official unveiling of what has been transpiring over the last 12-24 months, Brotherhood, America’s oldest winery, in Washingtonville, NY, is set to dominate the Hudson Valley landscape for the next century.

There is a lot of expansion going on up and down the valley. And it all symbolizes a vibrant and growing wine industry. Brotherhood, Whitecliff, Tousey, Hudson-Chatham are all expanding. After a disastrous fire, Millbrook also used the tragedy to also expand. This kind of invest by the local banking community signifies a confidence few New York industries can boast of. And many of the valley’s wineries are making more wine than ever.

But Brotherhood’s new facilities are a shining beacon in the Hudson Valley, confirming it once again as one of the flagship wineries of the valley.

Firstly, they have the largest tastingrooom in the valley. And it is richly appointed. The grand hall, in use last night at the unveiling of the reconstructed winery, was festooned in all its glory, and flexed its prowess as one of the grandest wine spaces in all of the valley. It was chock full of people - press, wine industry executives, and many Manhattanites up from the city’s wine industry come to take a look at the grand dame’s new charms.

Secondly, they have the largest and most richly appointed banquet hall of any winery in the valley. It was shown off for the very first time last night. The fieldstone walls, at least 2 ½ stories high, are pebbled with large, round, smooth river stones, that give texture to the massive room, which is tied together by gigantic wooden beams (giant tree trunks really), and lit by wrought-iron and barrel stave chandeliers. It is a stunning room, which also has a large, and sumptuous stone patio outside (with the same footprint as the hall) to accommodate even larger parties.

Outside, the guest house/inn is at the end of the complex. And of course, there’s the incredible restaurant, Vinum, there within the friendly confines of the compound as well.

But while all this bling is in fact important, the most impressive thing is the new winemaking facilities. With a giant phallanx of four-story stainless steel tanks, Brotherhood, which already had incredible capacity for any winery, suddenly catapults itself into a whole new realm. The new wing of the winery holds hundreds of thousands of gallons. And the tanks are full!! Brotherhood is now, without question, one of the largest wineries on the east coast – bar none. I have traveled to California, Spain, France, Chile and many other places. This might not be Ernest and Julio or Campo Viejo, but trust me, it’s big. Very big!

But even so, CEO Baeza is also rich in talent, with a team who has grown into a formidable force. Hernan Dosono is the president, who has spent many grueling, long hours overseeing the details of this magnificent expansion. Winemaker Bob Barrow (who has definitely grown into his job after nine years working under Baeza) is up to the challenge, especially with experienced wine veteran Mark Diagle as the winery manager. And of course there’s Brotherhood’s ubiquitous and charming marketing manager Colleen Hughes, who seems to be everywhere at once. She and Baeza are constant ambassadors for the Valley. Working in New York City as I do, I see many industry leaders during my time there. It is not uncommon to see Baeza at a national or international industry wine tasting dominated by other states or countries, or to see him in the offices of the industry’s magazine offices.

And Brotherhood wines are everywhere. They have the widest distribution of any Valley winery. Heck, they have some of the widest distribution of any New York state winery. No matter if I am in Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, where ever, there always a bottle of Brotherhood somewhere on the shelves. That is the most important ambassador – with great power, goes great responsibility.

And for anyone who’s thinking – what’s this all about? Where did all this money come from? We’re talking millions of dollars. That’s a great question. The first sign of a region on the rise is investment of foreign capital. Brotherhood’s ownership group is backed by Chilean capital – and not some uninformed group – but by substantial people in the Chilean wine business. This is another reason why Brotherhood’s expansion is such an important signpost in the valley’s growth. Where else in New York state has foreign investment been so substantial? Nowhere else but the Hudson Valley.

Like Mondavi did more than 40 years ago in Napa, Cesar Baeza, along with his team, have created an incredible new winery wonderland, with magnificent halls, new wine making facilities, an incredible restaurant, and a stellar new winemaking facility. The Hudson Valley now has the crown jewel it rightly deserves, and the richly appointed ambassador it needs to represent the valley. Both valley winemakers and Valley consumers, should be thrilled with what is happening in Washingtonville, NY.

Congratulations Brotherhood! Congratulations Hudson Valley!

Cold-weather states look to overcome wine grape obstacles

2011-11-26T05:13:00.000-08:00

Iowa State University
Nov. 4, 2011 9:20am

• Cold-hardy wine grape varieties have spawned new small winery industries in the upper Midwest and Northeast over the past decade.
• In Iowa alone, the industry has grown from 100 acres of grape vines and 14 wineries in the year 2000, to more than 1,200 acres and 94 wineries in 2011.

New grape varieties can take more than 20 years to breed and evaluate, and even longer to reach commercial success.

Established winemaking areas have been perfecting their processes for decades.

Areas such as Iowa, relatively new to making wine, have far less experience. A recently awarded $2.5 million grant will help colder-weather states from Nebraska to Iowa to New York overcome obstacles in the vineyard, winery and tasting room and also improve tourism.

The grant's focus is a group of extremely cold-hardy wine grape varieties, new to both growers and consumers. These grapes have spawned new small winery industries in the upper Midwest and Northeast over the past decade.

In Iowa alone, the industry has grown from 100 acres of grape vines and 14 wineries in the year 2000, to more than 1,200 acres and 94 wineries in 2011.

The research will examine how to determine the best growing conditions, modify the higher grape acidity and showcase wine's aroma, and build tourism networks to draw visitors to tasting rooms where the majority of sales take place.

"This opens up opportunities for Iowa growers to become leaders in the production of premium cold climate wines," said Murli Dharmadhikari, director of the Midwest Grape and Wine Industry Institute at Iowa State.

Iowa State University will receive more than $500,000 in funding for this project over two years.

Ultimately, they hope the project will help convert startup wineries into sustainably profitable enterprises that can fuel rural economic development, said Dharmadhikari.

Paul Domoto, professor of horticulture at ISU, will lead the viticulture studies group, and will work with Gail Nonnecke, University Professor of horticulture, on researching vineyard trials in Iowa. Jacek Koziel, associate professor of agricultural and biosystems engineering, will be part of the fruit composition and genetics group and study sensory profiling and volatile metabolites. Dharmadhikari will oversee fruit chemistry, winemaking trials, and also serve as a liaison to the project advisory council team.

In addition, Dharmadhikari and ISU field specialist Mike White will serve on Extension and consumer-marketing teams. Paul Lasley, professor of sociology, will lead and coordinate project evaluation.

The goal is to provide producers with research-based tools and practices to help them grow, vinify and sell quality wines to local and regional markets.

Research will be led by Tim Martinson, project director and senior Extension associate at Cornell University, New York.

The grant was funded by the by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI), which supports multi-institution, interdisciplinary research on crops including fruits, vegetables, tree nuts and ornamentals.

The consortium also includes researchers from Michigan State University, East Lansing; Oklahoma State University, Stillwater; North Dakota State University, Fargo; South Dakota State University, Brookings; the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, New Haven; the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign; University of Massachusetts, Amherst; University of Minnesota, Twin Cities; University of Nebraska, Lincoln; University of Vermont, Burlington; and University of Wisconsin, Madison.

Read More at:
http://westernfarmpress.com/grapes/cold-weather-states-look-overcome-wine-grape-obstacles

Charleston Daily Mail Raves About Fisher Ridge Winery in West Virginia

2011-11-26T05:08:00.000-08:00

Wednesday November 23, 2011
Local man says Mountain State ripe for producing wine
More than 30 years ago, Putnam winery ushered in new era of West Virginia-made vintages

A video visit to Fisher Ridge
by Scott Bates

Courtesy photo
Wilson Ward takes a sample of wine as it is fermenting at Fisher Ridge winery in Liberty, Putnam County. Fisher Ridge has produced wine since 1977. Courtesy of Matt Murphy.
Advertiser
LIBERTY, W.Va. — For more than 30 years, a small Putnam County vineyard has been quietly producing wine because its founder made a simple decision.

"I had always enjoyed wine, and I figured, 'Why buy wine when you can make your own?'" said Wilson Ward, a now-retired dentist who lives in Charleston.

Ward established the Fisher Ridge Winery in the hills of northeastern Putnam County in 1977.

It produced its first bottle in 1979 and since then, 19 other wineries have taken root in West Virginia. More than 30 years later, the Mountain State's vineyards, while small in number, are proving themselves statewide and regionally, one cork at a time.

Ward first became interested in wine when he was in dental school at West Virginia University. He pursued that interest as his professional career began. He became interested in making wine on his own after he served a stint in the Public Health Service in California.

About a decade before Ward opened Fisher Ridge, he joined a group of home winemakers who learned the trade together. Ward said the production eventually "got away from him" — and Fisher Ridge was born.

Since putting a cork in that first bottle, Ward has seen his business grow substantially, becoming one of the most well-known operations in West Virginia.

The wines produced at Fisher Ridge are sold only in West Virginia because of interstate commerce rules by the federal government. Selling in other states would mean obtaining an additional permit — and paperwork — that doesn't interest Ward.

But in West Virginia, Fisher Ridge has seen significant recognition, Ward said.

Read the rest at:
http://www.dailymail.com/foodandliving/201111220191

Governor Promotes Virginia Wine in India

2011-11-26T05:02:00.000-08:00

Saturday November 26, 2011 5:02 AM
Updated: 8:38 AM Nov 19, 2011
Governor Promotes Virginia Wine In India

Governor Bob McDonnell and First Lady Maureen McDonnell hosted a reception in Mumbai earlier this week to promote business, tourism to Virginia and Virginia wines.

Governor Bob McDonnell and First Lady Maureen McDonnell hosted a reception in Mumbai earlier this week to promote business, tourism to Virginia and Virginia wines.

In attendance was Sanjay Menon, one of India’s top wine importers, retailers and connoisseurs, who gave a glowing review of Virginia wine, adding to the international acclaim for Virginia’s growing wine industry. Sanjay Menon has made the Decanter power list top 100 personalities in the world wine. Mumbai was the first stop in a three city tour of India which included Delhi and Bangalore.

At the reception, Menon guided the guests through red and white wines from Virginia, including wine from Barboursville Vineyards, Narmada Winery, Trump Vineyard Estates, Breaux Vineyards and Horton Vineyards, highlighting the properties of each of the wines. More than 150 Indian wine importers, dealers, sommeliers and journalists, along with representatives from India's tourism and travel agencies attended the event.

“The choice of Virginia winemakers in working with Cabernet Franc and Viognier as the signature or reference varietals for the region is both very interesting and intelligent,” said Menon. “The wines we tasted were true expressions of the varietal and I'm looking forward to either varietal doing for Virginia what Sauvignon Blanc did to New Zealand over 20 years ago. From the state that is the cradle of American viticulture and the one that gave the wine world the American who did the most to improve wines image in the world, Thomas Jefferson, nothing less is expected.”

The Governor raised a symbolic toast in a special ‘Jefferson’ cup to strong ties and friendship between India and the state of Virginia. Thomas Jefferson served as Governor of Virginia and President of the United States of America and is widely credited with being America’s first wine connoisseur. Grapes brought from Europe were planted at his estate of Monticello. In her address, First Lady, Mrs. Maureen McDonnell touted Virginia wine and tourism destinations.

Also present at the gathering were Diane, Bechamps, Vice President of Marketing, Virginia Tourism Corporation, Hon. James S Cheng, Secretary of Commerce and Trade, Hon. Todd Haymore, Secretary of Agriculture & Forestry and Hon. James D Duffey, Secretary of Technology and other members of the Virginia delegation.

On August 2, 2011 Governor McDonnell announced a wine export agreement between Barboursville Vineyards and Tianjin Tewoo Group. The deal, a result of the Governor's trade and marketing mission to Asia in May where seven Virginia wineries were highlighted, is believed to be the first commercial transaction between a Virginia winery and a Chinese importer.

Sales of Virginia wine reached an all-time high in fiscal year 2011 with more than 462,000 cases sold during the fiscal year. This figure marked a sales increase of more than 11% over the previous fiscal year. Virginia is now the nation's fifth largest wine producer and seventh largest wine grape producer. According to the most recent economic impact study, the Virginia wine industry employs approximately 3,000 people and contributes almost $350 million to the Virginia economy on an annual basis.

© Copyright 2011 WHSV / Gray Television Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Read more at:
http://www.whsv.com/news/headlines/Governor_Promotes_Virginia_Wine_In_India_134159053.html?ref=053

Rappahannock Viognier 2000 Tremendous!

2011-11-22T04:54:00.000-08:00

This is not the first time I've written about Rappahannock Cellars. Remember this family? They moved from California to Virginia? This is one of the most fascinating stories out there. On the other hand, nice story or not, you need to make good wine. Hopefully great wine.

Well, a friend of mine, Steve Casscles, and I went down to the wine cellar the other day and decided to do something a little different. He was in the mood for an older east coast white....what did I have down in the basement? So down we went and looked through the old, dusty collection I have down there.

I was happy to try and meet the challenge, because I have been trying to drink some of my older east coast wines to see how they hold up. So far, there were many pleasant surprises.

And there among the bottles was a 2000 Viognier from Rappahannock.

I wasn't sure. I mean, how many people actually drink an 11 year old wine, let alone an 11 year old white?

We got the shock of our lives. We poured the wine anxiously into some Riedel glasses. We figured, if the the wine was good, it deserved the glass.

Wow! The nose was overwhelming - dried apricot, honey, mango, and very strong. It smelled like a great sauterne! And then we tasted. Even bigger wow! All the same flavors came through but the wine was as dry as could be. It was one of the most incredible white wine experiences I could imagine!

We ate goat cheese and french bread at the kitchen table among the opened and unopened mail in our cluttered country house. The cats were wlking around. The kids were racing through the kitchen yelling "Dude" to each other abd raiding the fridge. Steve and I just ripped off big piece of bread, and ate the cheese and drank the wine.

Viongier is a tremendous gift from Virginia to the the rest of the US. The viogniers from this region obviously hold up. adly, it only took us about 20 or so minutes to finnish the bottle. Kinda sad. But these things don' last forever, and the day had to move on. Worst part was my wife threw out the bottle before I could photograph it!! Lol!!

Hats off to the Delmare family! Congrats ona tremendous wine! A great wine! And congrats to Virginia as well!

Howard G. Goldberg Raves About the Hudson Valley

2011-11-13T04:28:00.000-08:00

Below is a reprint of a post written by New York Times wine writer Howard G. Goldberg about his notes on a recent tasting of Hudson Valley wines.

A Sampler of Hudson Valley Pleasures
by Howard G. Goldberg on Friday, November 11, 2011 at 1:25pm

As the beautiful Hudson Valley's remaining leaves turn further red, ocher, yellow and rusty, and crunchy underfoot, I recall and envy landscape painters of the 19th-century Hudson River School -- (its founder) Thomas Cole, Frederic Edwin Church, Albert Bierstadt -- who recorded the unspoiled region's majesty.

Not having visited the area for some years I miss annual excursions to Millbrook, my friend John Dyson'simpressive, sprawling wine estate, and occasional trips to Clinton Vineyard, in Clinton Corners, another Jewel, established by my friend Ben Feder (now gone) and nurtured by Ben and Phyllis, his remarkable wife.

Another friend (and also my book publisher), the congenial Carlo DeVito, the padrone of Hudson-Chatham Winery, in Ghent, not long ago assembled a batch of wines that illustrate developments in the region, and a small group tasted them high above Columbus Circle, in Manhattan. He brought many of his own wines -- some I had tasted before -- and they made a strongly favorable impression pretty much across the board. The portfolio has deservedly gotten good ink lately. (Yes, I say all that objectively; no buttering-up goes on here.)

By now some of Carlo's and others' wines I tasted have yielded to later vintages, which, on the basis of my tasting, I'd be pleased to explore too.

My favorite was Warwick Valley Winery's nonvintage Black Dirt Red, an exuberant, succulent baco noir.

Close behind was Hudson-Chatham's 2008 Empire Reserve Red -- a clever, grapey, nuanced blend of Hudson Valley baco noir, Finger Lakes cabernet franc and Long Island merlot.

Next came Benmarl Winery's lovely, virtually sweet, lightly smoky, balanced 2009 baco noir.

Followed by Hudson-Chatham's 2009 Masson Place Vineyard, Pulteney Farm, Old Vines baco noir, which was succulent and juicy.

Two from Millbrook were pleasing: the 2007 Proprietor's Special Reserve pinot noir
(light, good varietal character, stylish) and 2008 cabernet franc (dense, earthy, spicy).

Then Hudson-Chatham's 2009 seyval blanc -- I have loved the grape and wine, from various producers, for years -- had a firm acid grip, perfumed nose and a tangy citric bite.

Benmarl's 2009 Slate Hill White, a blend of chardonnay, riesling and traminette, had a luscious texture, gooseberry-like acidity and a tangy grapefruity flavor.

Hudson-Chatham's rustic 2009 Casscels Vineyards chelois was pretty,opulent, a little cherry-like and seemed dotted with herbs. It was inward, and I had to aerate it a lot on my palate to get, rewardingly, at its character.

Hudson-Chatham’s 2009 Casscels Vineyards baco noir reserve was a juicy, gutsy knock-back carafe wine.

Whitecliff Vineyard’s 2009 gutsy gamay noir struck me as somewhat Beaujolais-like. While tasting it, I wanted to wash it down with a burger. The 2010 gamay noir, very light and best chilled, was a pleasant carafe wine.

The 2005 pinot noir from Oak Summit Vineyard, in Millbrook, a property wholly unknown to me, suggested that high seriousness was present and that subsequent vintages ought to be tracked.

Clinton Vineyard’s Cassis (half-bottle), an excellent dessert wine that oscillates on the palate between sweetness and dryness, was lean, dense and showed real breed. A fitting climax.

I would have brought the painter Thomas Cole along if a biographical fact hadn't gotten in the way: (1801-1848).

Read more at:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/notes/howard-g-goldberg/a-sampler-of-hudson-valley-pleasures/225231230877637

Basignani Vineyards Celebrates 25 Years With Grand Tasting!

2011-11-10T13:40:00.000-08:00

To Bert and Lynne Basignani it seems like just yesterday that they planted their first vines - in 1974! They opened their winery 12 years later in 1986.

25 years later they are still following their passion, making award winning wines, and being one fo the eladers in the local quality wine movement in Maryland.

What a great accomplishment!

Now Bert and Lynne are making it formal:

25TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION
SATURDAY & SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 12-13TH
12-5 PM
$8.00 PERSON

INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING:

WINETASTING
* 25TH ANNIVERSARY SOUVENIR GLASS(WHILE SUPPLIES LAST)
* WINE & CHEESE PAIRING SAMPLES
* SAMPLES OF (4) SPECIALTY PIZZAS
* LIVE MUSIC WITH PETER JAMES
* PARFECTIONS CHOCOLATES
* WINERY TOURS @ 1:00, 2:30, AND 4:00PM
* BRICK OVEN PIZZA
$10 (REGULAR)
$13 (SPECIALTY)

25% OFF ANY WINE PURCHASE IN HONOR OF THEIR 25TH ANNIVERSARY

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

Chaddsford Porfolio Collection Chardonnay 2010

2011-11-09T17:39:00.000-08:00

The other day Dominique and I opened a teriffic bottle of wine. It was a special present from Eric and Lee Miller at Chaddsford Winery from Pennsylvania. And we shared with a friend, Steve Casscles.

We sat in front of the fireplace with a plate of cheese (Hudson Valley creameries - fresh goat cheese and soft rind camembert) with a loaf of fresh baked bread. We opened the bottle and poured ourselves some nice pours of this wine.

This is a small production wine. The color is a beautiful golden white wine. A big nose of green apples and melon, with a hint of honeysuckle. There was also a hint of vanilla. A touch of spice at the end.

This was an exceptional wine. Fantastic. Eric Miller has done it again.

Food & Wine magazine Raves About East Coast Ciders

2011-11-08T05:41:00.001-08:00

Farnum Hill in New Hampshire and Slyboro Cider House in New York were both singled out in a major piece about ciders across America. Congrats to both wineries!
Both make fabulous ciders, from sparkling to dessert styled wines!

Congrats!

THE HUDSON VALLEY IS EXPANDING

2011-11-06T08:46:00.000-08:00

THE HUDSON VALLEY IS EXPANDING
Includes Reporting by Debbie Gioquindo

There’s a wonderful scene in Annie Hall when Alvie (Woody Allen’s character) as a young boys is sitting with his mother in the doctor’s office. The Doctor is asking Alvie what’s bothering the young boy.

“The Universe is expanding…” says the perturbed young boy.

“What does that matter?!. We live in Brooklyn! Brooklyn is not expanding!” yells the vexed mother.

But indeed, the Hudson Valley is expanding. Five wineries in the last 9 mos have begun major expansions, to help handle the growing demand for Hudson Valley wine. And the biggest evidence of that is watching five quality fine wine producers begin major expansions.

Whitecliff Vineyards
The first and foremost (because it is nearly done) is that of Whitecliff. Whitecliff is owned by Michael and Yancey Migliore. The winery is nearing its tenth year of operation, and to celebrate, they built a new, state of the art winery, complete with geothermal heating, offices, and enough space to do custom crushing.

According to Debbie Gioquindo, Michael Migliore, owner/winemaker said they outgrew their original space and needed to build a new winemaking facility to handle the capacity to be able to grow. "Three years ago we were a 3000 case winery, now we are a 5500 case winery and growing. Not only do we do our own, this enables us to do custom crush and make wine for other facilities," Michael told Debbie, the Hudson Valley Wine Goddess.

“Geo-Thermal in layman terms - 8 feet below the surface is a constant 55 degrees. Long tubes are put 8 feet underground that go out into the field horizontally and back into the winery in a loop,” wrote Debbie. “ Glycol is pumped through the pipes to maintain a 50 degree temperature. Upon return the glycol is and put through the heat exchanger to heat or cool the water that is then pumped through the winery floor. This regulates the temperature in the winery. This was their first harvest in the new winery.”

"It was so nice to have the space and the room,” said Michael. “and to be able to increase capacity. We had tons of room to process grapes more than we had before. It was so nice to be able to process inside when weather was bad."

Brotherhood Winery

Brotherhood Winery is America’s oldest winery, located in Washingtonville, NY. Brotherhood is one of the largest wineries in the Hudson Valley, or the state in for that matter. Their new construction will almost double there already massive capacity. There are six 5,000 gallon tanks. Then there are two more that hold even more wine! This is additional capacity on the massive gallonage they already produce. Construction continued in mid-October with the pouring of the footings in the winemaking facilities.

This is major news in the valley. The event in and of itself was so large that Bortherhood and their construction company invited guests to the groundbreaking.

Tousey
Tousey just recently unveiled their revised and expanded winemaking facilities the other evening. Tousey is new to the Hudson Valley winemaking scene, but the new facilities and equipment make them an immediate player in the Hudson Valley fine wine scene.

New shining stainless steel tanks, new machinery, and tons of new flex tanks show that the winemaker has more than tripled in size in the last year-and-a-half.

Bashakill Vineyards
Paul Denino of Bashakill Vineyards is now he in the midst of building his wine cave which will be 40 feet deep, 16 feet wine and 9 feet high when complete. “There will be room for 20 - 25 barrels and a tasting bar when complete,” wrot Debbie. “Paul is looking forward to bringing his red wines to a new level by aging them in the cave. Note: This year Paul's Cabernet Franc called Black Bear won a Double Gold and best red wine in the Hudson Valley Wine Competition.”

Hudson-Chatham Winery
Hudson-Chatham Winery, after a prolonged five month long delay with red tape and planning officials, is now about to double its capacity, adding 22 x 22 foot expansion, as well as adding another separate building (added barrel room capacity), to double is winemaking capacity, and allowing for extra retail space in its retail area as well. The new buildings will house several new tanks and new winemaking equipment.

All this activity augers well for the Hudson Valley and for the demand for the quality wines of the Hudson Valley.

For expanded coverage please see the following posts by Debbie Gioquindo:
http://networkedblogs.com/pfx3z
His Building / Her Building - Whitecliff's New Winery
http://networkedblogs.com/oU1H2
Bashakill Vineyards Building a Cave

Facebook:
Brotherhood Winery: Expansion of the winemaking facility

NYWGF Launches New York City Promotion

2011-10-30T06:35:00.000-07:00

Just yesterday the The New York Wine & Grape Foundation announced it had initiated a new program focusing on getting New York wines better established in the New York City market. The initial phase of the program will be concentrated in the first three months of 2012 as a launching pad for additional activities in the future.

The statewide trade organization headquartered in Canandaigua, NY has retained First Press Public Relations in Manhattan to create and coordinate the multi-faceted program, which will involve initial market research; "cellar visits" to the main wine regions by New York City media and trade representatives; a multi-day market visit to New York City by participating wineries; media outreach and advertising; and a dedicated web site for New York wines in New York City.

This is a great moment for new York wine. Now New York wine will be front and center in one of the world's major wine markets.

I want to laud Jim and the board of the NYWGF for this imaginative new strike out into promotional world. This is in fact the way other wine regions make their way in the competitive wine marketplace. It costs money to do it. The NYWGF, as I have been saying for some time, is under funded. To be in a room with sommeliers, restauarant owners, wine store owners and/or media is the ultimate audience. It is where we need to be. As a region and as a state. I want to congratulate and commend all those involved with the project. It is a great stepping stone for those who are interested in taking the next step in becoming wineries of importance.

I want to say I will do everything I can to cheer on this promotion on behalf of the NYWGF, as I think it is the promotion we desperately need. I thunderously applaud Jim for taking this step forward. I think it is the right opportunity. I cannot recommend this action highly enough, and again I want to thank and applaud all those involved in putting for this program together.

This kind of promotion puts New York wine on the same playing field with Oregon, Washington, Virginia, and other regions vying for the nation's number one market's attention.

"We are very excited about this promotion, and about working with First Press on it," said Foundation President Jim Trezise. "New York wines are poised to be a bigger part of New York City's renowned culinary landscape, and First Press's experience, talent, and savvy will propel us in that direction." Among many clients in the wine and food sectors, First Press has represented the Napa Valley Vintners Association, Wine Institute of California, Cakebread Cellars, and others.

Over the past several years, the quality of New York wines has improved dramatically, with many now routinely receiving scores of 90 or above in major wine consumer magazines and winning top awards in international wine competitions. Still, they remain vastly underrepresented in their major home state market, which also happens to be the world's most competitive.

More over, I am enthused because the NYWGF maintains that this will not be a one shot deal, but rather a recurring promotion. It is important that the promotion be repeated each year. It is the kind of activity that can only engender more interest in New York wines from media types, restaurant and store owners, and consumers.

"We're not urging New Yorkers to buy New York wines because they're local, but because they're high-quality products at reasonable prices," said Trezise. "But the added benefit of buying really good, affordable New York wines is that these consumers are also supporting their own state economy."

Thirty-eight New York wineries from various regions will participate in the promotion, including 21 from the Finger Lakes region, 9 from Long Island, 5 from the Hudson Valley, 2 from the Niagara region, and 1 from the Thousand Islands region. All New York wineries were invited to participate.

Finger Lakes participants include Anthony Road Winery, Atwater Estate Vineyards, Chateau LaFayette Reneau, Dr. Konstantin Frank Vinifera Wine Cellars, Eagle Crest Vineyards, Fox Run Vineyards, Glenora Wine Cellars, Heron Hill Winery, Hosmer Winery, Inspire Moore Winery, King Ferry Winery, Knapp Vineyards & Winery, Lakewood Vineyards, Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars, Pleasant Valley Wine Company/Great Western Winery, Red Newt Cellars, Sheldrake Point Vineyards, Standing Stone Vineyards, Swedish Hill Winery, Thirsty Owl Wine Company, and Wagner Vineyards.

Long Island participants include Baiting Hollow Farm Vineyard, Bedell Cellars, Channing Daughters, Macari Vineyards, Martha Clara Vineyards, Palmer Vineyards, Paumanok Vineyards, Raphael Vineyard, and Wolffer Estate Vineyard.

Hudson River region wineries are Benmarl Winery, Brotherhood Winery, Clinton Vineyards, Millbrook Winery, and Stoutridge Vineyard.

Niagara region wineries are Leonard Oakes Estate Winery and Spring Lake Winery; and from the Thousand Islands region is Thousand Islands Winery.

About a year ago, the Foundation sponsored a statewide strategic planning exercise to get industry input on potential programs, and a focus on the New York City market was one of the top priorities. This three-month program is intended to set the stage for a long-term effort to earn New York wines the place they deserve in the fine restaurants, wine bars, and wine shops of New York City.

Anyone hoping to find out more information can contact Jim Trezise, 585-394-3620, ext. 203, jimtrezise@nywgf.org

Lake Erie Wine Country is Hosting Two Wine Weekends in November 2011

2011-10-28T05:31:00.000-07:00

Lake Erie Wine Country will be hosting two popular Harvest Wine Weekends on November 4-6 and 11-13, adding Fridays to the schedule at no extra charge. The $35 ticket includes wine tastings and food at the 22 participating wineries, a souvenir wine glass, recipe booklet, a $5 voucher for wine purchase, and a hand-crafted pewter wine bottle coaster. For more information and tickets, visit www.lakeeriewinecountry.org.

New York WIne and Grape Foundation Issues 2011 Harvest Report

2011-10-28T05:26:00.000-07:00

2010 was a vintage for the ages, and tastings of new wines, both red and white, from 2010 have been astonishing. It will go down as one of the greatest vintages in recent memory.

But what about 2011? The New York Wine and Grape Foundation recently released this report on the grape harvest for 2011:0

A sure sign that the 2011 harvest is winding down is that next week will be the final, "wrap-up" edition of Cornell Cooperative Extension's "Veraison to Harvest" newsletter which keeps grape growers, wine makers, and many others informed about what's going on in the vineyards and how to deal with it. This week's edition indicated that it has been an unusual year that has varied by region, but for the most part with plentiful quantity and good to excellent quality.

Growers and processors in the Lake Erie region are the happiest, with a large crop and quality they describe with words like "excellent, great, and exceptional". One reason: they received none of the rains spawned by Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee.

Those storms devastated the Hudson Valley in particular, and while most vineyards were spared the horrendous structural damage of many other farms, all of the water has made for a challenging year in that region.

In the Finger Lakes, mid-harvest rains caused some growers to drop some fruit due to rot, and generally the grapes came in with lower sugar levels than normal, but the flavors were good and showed little green or vegetal aromas.

On Long Island, which fortunately dodged Irene and Lee but has still faced some weather-related challenges, the fruit quality of the red grape varieties "astonished" CCE's Alice Wise. That region's harvest always ends the latest, and there are still substantial quantities of Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon to be harvested, so we wish them sunny skies.

Statewide CCE Director Tim Martinson summed it up best: "Reports from around New York indicate a much better year than anyone could have expected--key factors being ample heat in spite of the overcast skies and rainfall that characterized the ripening seasons, and the response of vineyard managers and growers to adapt to this season's challenges."

To that Jim Trezise would add, "...and the timely, valuable information provided every week by Cornell Cooperative Extension through the Veraison to Harvest e-newsletter."

New Book Highlights Erie Wine Region

2011-10-28T05:21:00.000-07:00

Guide book author Andy Dufresne (left) looks over a copy of Traversing America’s Grape Country with Jim Roach, Vice President, Falconer Printing & Design, Inc.

"Traversing America's Grape Country--A Personal Guide to the Eastern Lake Erie Grape Belt" is a new regional guidebook by Andy Dufresne, a 33-year veteran in the field of agricultural education including time at Cornell Cooperative extension. The 112-page book features more than 200 photos, maps and artwork accompanying the narrative, which incudes practical tips on how to discover and enjoy the region as well as lots of information about natural resources like where to gain access to Lake Erie, enjoy the hiking trials, follow the creek headwaters up to the contintental divide, and experience the footprints of Ice Age glaciers. The $34.95 book is being sold in some local wineries and can also be ordered directly from Andy (and2@cornell.edu).

Finger Lakes Distillery Expanding

2011-10-28T05:10:00.000-07:00

Finger Lakes Distillery has broken ground on our new building! Site work is nearly complete and they poured their retaining wall. The new facility will be primarily used for storage, though they also plan on moving their bottling operation into the building.

Their contractor, Finger Lakes Construction, will start framing in another week or so. The new space (roughly 2,650 sq ft) will open up their existing production area so that they can add some new fermentation tanks and continue to increase their production.

They hope to finish construction before the end of this year.

Virginia Chesapeak Wine Festival This Weekend, Saturday October 29, 2011

2011-10-28T05:05:00.000-07:00

Wish I could here, too! Going to be a great time!!!

Silver Decoy Celebrates Halo-Wine in New Jersey

2011-10-28T05:00:00.000-07:00

Saturday, October 29
Noon - 5:00 PM
$5 admission (complimentary glass, live music)

No witch's brew here, but you will surely enjoy award-winning, estate bottled wine! Mark will have a special treat for you -- a barrel sampling hourly, and you won't even have to do a trick to get one. Brian will whip up some grilled delights for your snacking pleasure, and there will be cider and doughnuts to be enjoyed as well.

Dan Sufalko will be back playing his beautiful music all afternoon. Take advantage of our 2009 Cabernet Franc release special, one day only, $15.99/bottle and $180/case (cannot be used towards or with other discounts). If you can't be there, call your Cabernet order in and they will set it aside for you. Come in costume and receive a 20% off ticket to be used any one time that day.

Virginia Wine Excursion in Richmond, VA Oct 28 & 29, 2011

2011-10-28T04:57:00.000-07:00

Sorry I myself will not be there this weekend, but this will be incredible fun! Enjoy!

New York Wineries Shine at New York Athletic Club Event

2011-10-28T04:50:00.001-07:00

Last night the New York Athletic Club hosted five New York wineries in an event meant to feature local wine. Wolffer from Long Island, Ravines Wine Cellars and Shaw Vineyards from the Finger Lakes, and Hudson-Chatham Winery and Millbrook Winery from the Hudson Valley. The food was tremendous and the event was great fun!
Peggy Lauber of Wolffer Estate.
Lisa Hallgren of Ravines Wine Cellars.
Steve Shaw Jr. of Shaw Vineyards.

Hudson-Chatham Winery was there. Sorry, don;t have a photo of Millbrook. My apologies.

Esquire Raves About East Coast Ciders

2011-10-19T19:06:00.000-07:00

Leslie Pariseau wrot a great article about cider for Esquire. In it she mentions many East Coast ciders.

Here are some she reviews in the article:
Foggy Ridge Serious Cider – Virginia
West County Cider, Baldwin – Massachusetts
Farnum Hill Extra Dry – New Hampshire
Doc's Hard Apple – Hudson Valley, NY
Slyboro Night Pasture – Hudson Valley/Saratoga, NY
Eden Cidre de Glace du Vermont Northern Spy – Vermont

Read more at:
http://www.esquire.com/the-side/food-and-drink/hard-cider-for-men-1011#fbIndex1

Johnson Estate Dry Reds Are a Knock Out From the shores of Lake Erie!

2011-10-16T06:35:00.000-07:00

Just beginning this review has not gone well. I took pictures of the labels as I always do, and then accidentally deleted them before I got a chance to write the review. And of course my wife threw out the bottles (as she should). And after that, I found out there are very few photos of the Johnson Estate labels for the wines I reviewed. So I went around and borrowed one from Lenn Thompson at NY Cork Report.

Now this is not one of those posts you read and know they blogger has never been there...I will say emphatically that I have never been there. I do know Fred Johnson though - he and I have been cc'd together on emails....but I have never met him nor conversed with him, although we have several friends in common.

The three I tasted were from his hybrids - Chancellor, Chambourcin, and Marchel Foch. I am a hard head and a sucker for hybrids.

But I have drank his wines. Wow!

There have been grapes grown on the land which makes up Johnson Estate since the late 1800s. This is when the Johnson family acquired the farm. Fred Johnson was the first to run this land as a commercial fruit farm. He called it Sunnyslope Vineyards. Along with grapes, he also grew peaches, apples, and cherries. The winery itself was once a cold apple storage facility! In 1960 his son, Frederick S. Johnson, came back to Westfield, NY after working in South America for Nelson Rockefeller. He bought the farm from his father and proceeded to remove the fruit trees along with the majority of Concord grapes, which covered the estate. In their stead he replanted the land with various French-American hybrid grapes, along with the Native American varieties of Ives and Delaware. A winemaking tradition was born. Over the years, many more acres and varieties of grapes have been added to this original selection, all carefully chosen for their excellent winemaking potential and their fit into the unique micro-climate which blesses the land.

The winery officially began production in 1961 which makes it the oldest family-owned estate winery in New York. The "estate" label is an important one. As an estate winery, the entire winemaking process takes place on the Johnson Estate property. In addition to the extreme attention and care this provides the winery, it also allows the grapes to be picked at their optimal moment of readiness and to be brought into the winemaking process before any unwanted deterioration can occur. Like all aspects of winemaking at Johnson Estate, this advantage makes itself known in every bottle.

Mr. Johnson passed away in April of 1998 and the winery and farm are now owned and operated by third generation of Johnsons. Fred Johnson is the latest patriarch.

The largest grape growing area in the East is found along the southeastern shore of Lake Erie. Combined here to produce classic wine-growing conditions and a northern latitude resulting in long hours of summer sunlight, well drained gravel and shale soils which grapes prefer, and a climate moderated by an adjacent body of water, Lake Erie. This “lake effect” on the local climate is held in and concentrated by the hills of the Allegany Plateau which parallel the lake shore. Located in the heart of this area, the 200 acre Johnson Estate overlooks the lake at the closest approach of these hills to the lake.

OK, onto the wines.

2010 Chancellor
The Chancellor winegrape (Seibel 7053) was developed in France during the last century, with nearly 100,000 acres of it now being grown there (approximately twice the total New York State grape acreage). As its popularity in France would indicate, Chancellor is a vigorous and fruitful vine that produces excellent dark, rich, wines. Johnson Estate Johnson Estate Chancellor has a velvety dark color. Rich plum and prune and chocolate come through beautifully. Big, big almost Califonria like in the beginning, this wine is a big mouthful, and a nice dry, classic finish. Very nice. As noted on their website, this Chancellor will greatly benefit from three to seven years of aging in the bottle.

2009 Chambourcin
The Chambourcin winegrape was developed in France in the late 1800's by French Scientist Joannes Seyve, who gave it the hybrid number J.S. 26-205. There was only a couple hundred acres planted in the United States in the 1970s. However, this grape has garnered considerable attention starting in the late 1980s and may now be the most widely planted red cultivar. Chambourcin has made great strides in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and other eastern states. Johnson Estate Chambourcin has a rich deep velvet color. It has a big nose, full of strawberry, cherries, and plum. There's good acidity and nice tannins structure. A beautiful mouthfeel. And incredible bottle of wine. This is an excellent wine that will sit well in your cellar for the nest ten years, if you don;t want to drink it immediately. But let me tell you, it's good now. A wonderful wine!

2010 Marechal Foch
The Marechal Foch winegrape is the most widely grown red French-American hybrid variety. The vines are vigorous and relatively disease resistant. White Riesling was one of the grandparents in the cross-breeding of Marechal Foch. Along with Burgundy's noble grapes of Gamay and Pinot Noir, the hybrid number that was assigned to the Marechal Foch was Kuhlman 188-2. The Johnson Estate Marechal Foch has a bright bowl full of berries - strawberries, cherries, raspberries. A hint of vanilla on the nose as well. The fruit comes on strong, followed by a nicely balanced attack of acidity and tannin. This is a smooth, easy drinking wine. This is Pinot-ish. Very Burgundian in it's feel and taste. A super, super wine. A real winner! This is one of the best hybrids I've tried recently. Really wonderful. Excellent! Johnson Estate suggests this wine will keep for three years but I say it will last at least five. A classic wonderful Burgundian style wine.

These are three of the best hybrids wines I've had in a long time. Exceptional quality. For those who tell me that hybrids aren't any good, they haven't tried these wines. And if they tell me afterwards they're too foxy, I kno it's time to ignore their opinions. Great stuff!

Patricia Savoie Raves About Hudson Valley Winery in Icon magazine

2011-10-01T04:19:00.000-07:00

ICON is an arts and entertainment mag that is distributed to households in
Bucks County and Philadelphia, PA, and Hunterdon County and Princeton, NJ.

Pat Savoie is a wine and culinary travel writer living in New York City. She is a frequent contributor to Sommelier Journal magazine, and a regular contributor to Wine Enthusiast magazine since 2003, where she wrote a monthly feature on American Viticultural Areas until March. Pat has been the wine columnist for ICON magazine since 2003. Pat has been Co-Chair of the Wine Media Guild, an organization for professional wine writers, for three years. She helps organize all of the monthly tastings and the annual Wine Writers’ Hall of Fame induction dinner. She has been a member of the Society of Wine Educators for several years.

Her articles for Sommelier Journal include in-depth interviews with Randall Grahm, Neal Rosenthal and Michael Chiarello. She also has written for Wine Business Monthly.
She and a co-author have been asked by a partnership of Fairleigh Dickinson University and The New York Times to create and produce a multi-class course on wine that will be carried on the Times’ online Knowledge Network.

In the most recent issue of ICON Pat Raved about the Hudson Valley's wines.

Wine Festivals Throught NJ for Fall 2011

2011-10-01T04:17:00.000-07:00

Other events in the Garden State:

4 JG's ORCHARDS & VINEYARDS
Colts Neck, NJ
www.4jgswinery.com

Harvest Weekend
October 2, 2011
Noon to 5:00 pm
We are pleased to announce a one-of-a-kind afternoon with Chef Nicholas Harary of the famed Restaurant Nicholas will join us at Four JG’s Orchhards and Vineyards for a cooking demo and book signing. Enjoy a perfect afternoon enjoying harvest foods and wine on an 18th century farm with a vineyard backdrop. Since 2001, Executive Chef and Co-Owner Nicholas Harary has made Restaurant Nicholas one of the premiere restaurant destinations in America. Located in Red Bank, NJ, Nicholas has garnered some of the highest praises from all avenues of the food industry including; four stars from the New York Times and a 29/30 in both food and service from the Zagat Survey (2005-2011). In 2008, AOL named Restaurant Nicholas one of the top 11 restaurants in the country. In 2011, Restaurant Nicholas was included in Gayot’s list of the Top 40 Restaurants in the US and Open Table’s Top 50 “Best Service” in the US. Reserve your seat now as space is limited - by email cnvintner@optonline.net - $10 cover charge includes etched-logo wine glass, wine tasting, cooking demo.

Beginning Saturday October 22nd thru Sunday, December 18th, Four JG's will be open every Saturday and Sunday from 1pm-5pm. Come celebrate Fall with us!

BELLVIEW WINERY
Landisville, NJ
www.bellviewwinery.com

Italian Festival
October 22 & 23, 2011
11:00 am to 5:00 pm
Admission $10 per person, kids free
Salut! Honoring our Italian heritage, we bring you a celebration of great Italian foods and live Italian music, wine tasting, winery and vineyard tours, crafters, bocce ball, an Italian Market and more. Bring your lawn chairs and be ready to mangia!

Third Annual Vampire Sprint 5K Run & 1 Mile Fun Walk/Run
October 29, 2011 (Rain or Shine)
Participants pay $20.00 pre-registration, $25.00 day of race - Friends and family free
A 5K Run/Walk through our vineyards to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Race time 9:00am. Refreshments, music. Register from 7:30 to 8:45am day of race at the winery, or pre-register online by 10/27 at www.vampiresprint5K.com. Costume parade at 10:30, awards to follow.

Costume Party
October 29, 2011
11:00 am to 5:00 pm, immediately following the Vampire Sprint
Admission $5.00 per person, kids free
Eat, drink and be scary! Wear your best costume and compete for prizes. Food, wine tasting and Halloween fun for a great afternoon. For directions, www.bellviewwinery.com or call 856-697-7172. Open daily 10am to 5pm.

CAVA WINERY
Hamburg, NJ
www.cavawinery.com

Thirsty Thursday Social Happy Hour
Thursday evenings from 5pm to 9pm.
Admission: $10 cover fee includes Italian tapas buffet
$5.00 glass of wine

Fall into Cava Weekend
October 1 & 2, 2011
Noon to 6:00 pm
It is officially FALL. Join the Cava team to celebrate the season. Come enjoy our beautiful view of the mountains with a glass of our award-winning wines. We will be serving home-made pumpkin bread.

Cava Harvest Festival
October 8 & 9, 2011
Noon to 6:00 pm
Come join us for an outside cookout. Bring your own lawn chairs and blankets. “No outside food or alcohol allowed”. We will have live entertainment on both days.

A Toast to the Ta-Ta’s Weekend
October 15 & 16, 2011
Noon to 6:00 pm
The month of October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. Cava would like to support this awareness and encourage our customers to wear pink to the winery. 10% of all wine sales will be donated to National Breast Cancer Foundation.

Happy Pumpkin Weekend
October 22 & 23, 2011
Noon to 6:00 pm (Promoting with Sussex Wineries)
Pumpkins, pumpkins everywhere. We will be serving a cup of Homemade Pumpkin Soup with a wine flight purchase.

Halloween Costume Weekend
October 29 & 30, 2011
Noon to 6:00 pm
Wear your Halloween costume to the winery and you will receive a free glass of wine. Also compete for best costume & most unusual costume, each will receive a Cava $50 gift certificate. Winners and pictures will be posted the following Monday on our Facebook Page.

CODA ROSSA
Franklinville, NJ
www.codarossa.com

Friday Night Movie at the Vineyard
Admission: Free
Every Friday starting at 7:00 pm
Come enjoy a relaxing evening at our vineyard with a glass of wine, popcorn and a movie. Wine for sale by the bottle or the Glass! Check our website CodaRossa.com for movie schedule and updates.
New Hours for Tasting Room - Friday 5:00-9:00. Saturday and Sunday 12:00-5:00

HOPEWELL VALLEY VINEYARDS
Pennington, NJ
www.hopewellvalleyvineyards.com

Music and Wine Fridays
Every Friday Night
6:00 to 9:00 pm
Admission: Free
Live Music
September 30: Hopewell Valley Vineyards' Jazz Ensemble playing jazz
October 7: Eric Dabb playing jazz
October 14: Jung Wombats playing classic rock
October 21: Chris Baurer playing jazz
October 28: Hopewell Valley Vineyards' Jazz Ensemble playing jazz
Wine by glass or bottle available for purchase. Brick oven pizza available for purchase.

Music and Wine Saturdays
6:00 to 9:00 pm
Admission: Free
Live Music
October 1: Black Cat Habitat playing acoustic indie/pop
October 8: A&R Band playing vintage pop/jazz
October 15: Russell Norkevich & Kim Yarson playing original music
October 22: The Hiodbrandt Duo playing jazz
October 29: John & Carm playing classic rock
Wine by glass or bottle available for purchase. Brick oven pizza available for purchase.

LAURITA WINERY
New Egypt, NJ
www.lauritawinery.com

Sunday Brunch at Laurita Winery
Every Sunday from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm
Join us at Laurita Winery for our Sunday Brunch..by Branches Catering. Click here to view the Sunday Brunch Menu (varies slightly each week). Email reservation requests to Laurita@BranchesCatering.com or call 732-542-5050

Laurita IDOL Contest
Starting Thursday October 6, 2011, 7:00 pm
Laurita Winery welcomes talented musicians to an “American Idol Contest – Laurita Winery Style.” The top prize is $1,000.00 and attractive 2nd and 3rd prizes will also be offered. The three top finalists will be featured musical guests at an upcoming Laurita Winery entertainment event.

Movie Night at Laurita Winery
October 7, 2011, 7:00 to 11:00 pm
Admission: Tickets are $5.00 pre-registration and $7.00 at the door
Featured Movie: Sleepless in Seattle
It's Christmas Eve and radio talk show psychologist Marcia Fieldstone has asked her listening audience what they are wishing and dreaming of during this season of hope. Bring lawn chairs, blankets and warm clothing for cooler weather. Only Laurita wines and foods are to be consumed at these events. Sorry, no pets allowed. Adults Only. Tickets can be purchased in advance, Click Here

OLD YORK CELLARS
Ringoes, NJ
www.oldyorkcellars.com

Wine and Music Under the Stars
October 7, 2011
6:00 to 9:00 pm
$5/person
Our wine and music series continues as we welcome Gregg Parker back to the stage for an evening of great wine and music. Wines will be available for purchase by the glass and bottle, and you are encouraged to bring some food and friends for a fun night out. Reservations Suggested to guarantee seating. For more information or to reserve a table, call 908.284.9463 or visit www.oldyorkcellars.com

Wine and Art Series
October 7, 2011 (Opening Night 6-9pm)
Runs entire month
Old York Cellars is proud to announce that Photographer, Karin Belgrave will be our October artist in residence for our Wine and Art Series. Check our website for more details on our October artist as well as the series, www.oldyorkcellars.com.

Master Chef Series
Jonas Gold of 55 Main in Flemington, NJ
October 9, 2011
1:00pm
$50/person
We are proud to announce Jonas Gold of 55 Main in Flemington, NJ as our Master Chef for October. Jonas will be preparing a special menu just for our guests to highlight Old York Cellars’ wines. Check our website for more details and the menu. Reservations Required, and seating is limited. For more information or to reserve a table, call 908.284.9463 or visit www.oldyorkcellars.com

Delaware River Valley Wine Trail
October 15 & 16, 2011
Noon to 5:00 pm
Looking for a great day out? Then hit the trail. Visit Old York Cellars, Terhune Orchards and Winery, Hopewell Valley Vineyards and Unionville Vineyards for our Wine Trail Weekend. Each winery will have something special going on for the weekend. Contact each winery for details. For more information call 908.284.9463 or visit www.oldyorkcellars.com

Wine and Music Under the Stars
October 21, 2011
6:00 to 9:00 pm
$5/person
Our wine and music series continues with Victor Fiore. Wines will be available for purchase by the glass and bottle, and you are encouraged to bring some food and friends for a fun night out. Reservations are not required, but suggested to guarantee seating. For more information or to reserve a table, call 908.284.9463 or visit www.oldyorkcellars.com

Anniversary Weekend
October 22 & 23, 2011
Noon to 5:00 pm
$10/person
Come help celebrate our One Year Anniversary! We will have fun things going on for the whole family, plus a free gift to the first 50 people each day. Music, food vendors, winery tours, wine tasting, art exhibits, pumpkin painting, hayrides and much more. For more information call 908.284.9463 or visit www.oldyorkcellars.com

Jazz and Wine Brunch
October 30, 2011
1:00 to 4:00 pm
$5/person
Join Old York Cellars and Iron City Jazz for our Jazz and Wine Brunch. Pack up your favorite brunch delights and spend the afternoon at the winery. In addition to our tastings, wines will be available for purchase by the glass and bottle. For more information call 908.284.9463 or visit www.oldyorkcellars.com

SHARROTT WINERY
Blue Anchor, NJ
www.sharrottwinery.com

Wine Down Fridays
Noon to 6:00 pm
We feature $5 glasses of wine along with relaxing music to help end your week. Every Friday until closing.

Fall Harvest Festival
October 1 & 2, 2011
Noon to 5:00
Free admission. Wine tastings are $10 ($8 in advance) with souvenir glass
Join us for our Harvest Festival in the Vineyard to celebrate the coming harvest at one of the Outer Coastal Plain’s most highly regarded wineries. * Bring the family, a blanket and lawn chairs * Live music * Face painter and bounce house by Party Express for the kids * Local food and Crafts . Case Club members taste for free. Discounted advance tickets may be purchased by calling the winery at 609-567-WINE (9463) or buy online at www.sharrottwinery.com. No BYOB. By law only Sharrott wines can be consumed on the property.

Live Music Series Moves to Sunday afternoons in October!
2:00 to 5:00 pm
October 9: Eryn Shewell
October 16: Brian & Mindy
October 23: Laura Shay
October 30: Frank Cervantes
Admission – Free. Wine tasting $5.00 per person. Includes a Sharrott winery etched wine glass and samples of award-winning Sharrott wine.
Come enjoy live music every Sunday afternoon in October. Join us for a wine tasting then purchase a bottle to savor during the performance. Live music will be on our patio and lawn overlooking our vineyard. A nice selection of gourmet foods and cheeses are available for purchase in the tasting room. You are welcome to bring appetizers or a picnic dinner. Music is held weather permitting. Admission is free and wine tasting is $5.00 per person. The tasting includes a Sharrott Winery etched wine glass and award winning samples of Sharrott wine. No BYOB. By law only Sharrott wines can be consumed on the property.

Cancer Fund Raiser
October 7, 2011
6:00 to 9:00 pm
Tickets: $20 per person. Must be purchased in advance.
Sharrott Winery is proud to be hosting a fundraiser for Susan G. Komen 3 Day-Philadelphia supporting team “Lady Tata” ~ Jennifer Insua & Melissa Grasso. The event will be cocktail hour style including Wine tasting, Appetizer, and cash bar. To purchase tickets contact Jennifer Insua at Jennifer.Insua@gmail.com or 856-404-3009.

Halloween Fun Weekend
October 29 to 30, 2011
Noon to 5:00
Celebrate Halloween this year by stopping by the tasting room in costume. All adults in costume will get free tastings this weekend. Of course our staff will all be in costume and we will have treats for the kids. Pick up your favorite wine for the other parties you may be going to this weekend.

SILVER DECOY WINERY
Robbinsville, NJ
www.silverdecoywinery.com

Happy Hallo-Wine
October 29, 2011 (Saturday)
Noon to 5:00 PM
$5 admission (complimentary glass, live music)
Spend a fun-filled afternoon at your favorite haunt, Silver Decoy Winery. No witch’s brew here, but you will surely enjoy award-winning, estate bottled wine! Mark will have special treat for you, a barrel sampling hourly, and you won’t even have to do a trick to get one. Brian will whip up some grilled delights for your snacking pleasure, and there will be cider and doughnuts to be enjoyed as well. Dan Sufalko will be back playing his beautiful music all afternoon. 2009 Cabernet Franc release special, one day only, $15.99/bottle and $180/case (cannot be used towards or with other discounts). If you can’t be there, call your cabernet order in and we will set it aside for you. Come in costume and receive a 20% off ticket to be used any one time that day. We can’t wait to see you then, should be a day to remember! If you need directions or further information you can call us at 609-371-6000 or look on our website, www.silverdecoywinery.com. Hope to see you then! Don’t forget to come to our tent at the Cape May Festival, October 8 and 9!!

TOMASELLO WINERY
Hammonton, NJ
www.tomasellowinery.com

Harvest Opera Gala
October 2, 2011
2:00 pm
$65.00 per person
Tomasello Winery would like to thank everyone for making our 2011 Opera Galas a success. We invite you to experience another elegant afternoon of opera and dining with Tomasello Wines on October 2, 2011 for our Harvest Opera Gala. Advanced Payment is required when you reserve. For reservations and menu information, contact 1-800-MMM-WINE ~ 609-561-0567 or www.tomasellowinery.com.

UNIONVILLE WINERY
Ringoes, NJ
www.unionvillevineyards.com

Meet The Winemaker Dinner at The Crab House
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
6:00 pm
$29.95 per guest
For reservations, contact - The Crab House, 541 River Road, Edgewater, New Jersey 07020
201-840-9311
www.crabhouseseafood.com

Meet The Winemaker Dinner at Big Fish
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
6:00 pm
$29.95 per guest
Indulge the finest Jersey Farm Fresh Foods, Jersey Seafood and New Jersey's finest boutique winery. Reservations required, please contact Big Fish directly to make your reservation. Big Fish Seafood Bistro, Princeton Market Fair, 3535 US Route 1, Suite 370, Princeton, New Jersey 08540, 609-919-1179 www.muer.com. For more information, visit: www.unionvillevineyards.com

Unionville Vineyards Wine Harvest Festival 2011
October 1, 2011
Noon to 5:00 pm
Stomp With Style at Unionville Vineyards! Grape Stomping A la Lucy throughout the day! Join us for a great day at one of NJ's finest wineries! The AJC Band is back for Unionville's 2011 Harvest Festival 1:30 & 3:30 Vineyard Tours/ 2:30 & 4:30 Winery Tours. Many activities for couples, friends, or families. Winery tours, tours of the vineyards, pumpkin painting for kids, great food, crafters, and of course live music, dancing, and fine wine! For more information, visit: www.unionvillevineyards.com

Harvest NJ Farm to Table Dinner with Rats Restaurant at Unionville Vineyards
October 2, 2011
5:00 PM
$150 Per Guest.
Please call Rats Restaurant directly to make your reservation at 609-584-7800, www.ratsrestaurant.org. For more information, visit: www.unionvillevineyards.com

Wine Harvest Day Camp, The Vine To The Glass All in a Day!
October 8
8:30 am to 1:00 pm
After a light breakfast of caffeine and sugar (coffee and donuts), we will enjoy a peaceful morning of harvesting grapes and bringing them in to be crushed for winemaking, we will taste the fruits of our labor in the form of freshly squeezed wine grape juice followed by a deli lunch and wine tasting. $25 per guest, reservation and pre-payment required. Please call the winery at 908-788-0400 to make your reservation.

WESTFALL WINERY
Montague, NJ
www.westfallwinery.com

IMPORTANT! Please note new tasting room address: 1401 Rt. 45 (Corner of Marl Road), Swedesboro, NJ 08085. (South Harrison Township)

AMERICAN BUS ASSOCIATION NAMES FINGER LAKES WINE FESTIVAL ONE OF NORTH AMERICA’S 100 BEST EVENTS

2011-10-01T03:11:00.000-07:00

WATKINS GLEN, NY – The American Bus Association (ABA) announced that the Finger Lakes Wine Festival presented by Yancey’s Fancy New York’s Artisan Cheese, to be held on July 13-15, has been designated as one of the Top 100 Events in North America for 2012 by an experience expert tourism industry selection committee. Inclusion in the Top 100 list, published as a supplement to the September/October issue of Destinations magazine, indicates that the Finger Lakes Wine Festival offers excellent entertainment value to both tour groups and individual travelers from around the world, according to ABA.

With the release of the American Bus Association’s 2012 Top 100 Events in North America, ABA celebrates 30 years of the program. What began as a way for motorcoach operations to incorporate a new product into their itineraries has grown to one of the most sought-after lists by travel professionals, motorcoach operators and the general public.

“We are absolutely ecstatic to have the Finger Lakes Wine Festival presented by Yancey’s Fancy New York’s Artisan Cheese recognized by the ABA for a second-consecutive year,” said Watkins Glen International president Michael Printup. “The festival continues to be recognized as one of the premier wine festivals in the United States as we provide an experience unlike any other by bringing over 80 of New York’s finest wineries to our historic road course. The beauty of the Finger Lakes Region in mid July is unmatched which further enhances the time tasters spend with us. Peggy Coleman and her team at the Steuben County Conference and Visitors Bureau put forth an incredible amount of effort working on our nomination and I cannot thank them enough.”

“The attractiveness of the Finger Lakes Wine Festival as a don’t-miss entertainment value is only part of why its selection this year is such a distinction for Watkins Glen International,” said Peter J. Pantuso, CTIS, ABA’s president and CEO. “The real news is that the Finger Lakes Wine Festival has been recognized as a potential magnet for tourism dollars, at a time when reenergizing domestic tourism is so important to our spirit and economy. The honor gives the Finger Lakes Wine Festival an important boost in visibility among professional tour planners.”

According to studies completed by researchers at The George Washington University and Dunham and Associates, one overnight visit by a motorcoach group can leave from $5,000 to more than $11,000 in local destination’s economy. Those dollars are spent on lodging, meals, admissions, fees, shopping, souvenirs, services and local taxes.

“Motorcoach groups spend more and stay longer,” Pantuso said. “That’s why the Finger Lakes Wine Festival is truly a local economic asset. There is no better way to jump-start tourism than to attract motorcoach groups to a great event and convince them to extend their stay.”

ABA’s 2012 Top Events Selection Committee selected the Finger Lakes Wine Festival from hundreds of event nominations submitted by ABA members. Judges considered the event’s broad appeal, its accessibility to motorcoaches and skill at handling large groups of people, and a variety of other relevant criteria.

The Top 100 Events list is available online at http://www.buses.orgNews-Publications/Top-100.

Hudson Valley Art & Wine Exhibit Moves to Albany, October 5, 2011

2011-09-23T19:27:00.001-07:00

The Hudson Valley Art & Wine exhibit opening in Albany is scheduled for Wednesday, October 5 from 5-7pm at the Albany Heritage Area Visitors Center, 25 Quackenbush Square. Parking and other info is on the attached invitation. The opening is for invited guests, so please feel free to pass the attached invitation to anyone you would like to have attend — friends, relatives, associates, press, etc. RSVP is requested but not mandatory. (The more the merrier!) Brookview Station Winery and Hudson-Chatham wineries will be present, along with wines from Millbrook. This is the last opening of the traveling exhibit and it will remain in Albany until the end of the year.

The new issue of Hudson Valley Wine magazine is out, and it contains the second part of the exhibit catalog.

Wine Enthusiast Reports on Trump Relaunching Kluge

2011-09-23T18:57:00.000-07:00

From the Boardroom to the Barrel Room
Trump relaunches Virginia’s Kluge Estate Winery and Vineyard.
Published on Sep 8, 2011
By Anna Lee C. Iijima
Real estate magnate and TV personality Donald Trump has added winemaking to his résumé with his October 4 relaunch of the Kluge Estate Winery and Vineyard in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Kluge Estate was founded in 1999 by Patricia Kluge, a British socialite, out of a windfall divorce from her ex-husband, the communications mogul John W. Kluge. Through Kluge’s hands-on approach, the winery’s idyllic location and the use of notable consultants like Bordeaux’s Michel Rolland, Kluge Estate established a following for its Bordeaux-style reds and sparkling wines—including the SP Blanc de Blancs and SP Rosé, which were served at Chelsea Clinton’s wedding festivities in 2010.

The winery was roiled by years of financial trouble, and by 2010, banks had foreclosed on the estate and vineyards. Early in 2011, Trump, a longtime friend of Kluge, began to cobble together parcels of property. First, he purchased 200 acres surrounding the former Kluge mansion for less than $500,000 from a Kluge family trust. Then, in April, Trump obtained the estate’s 776 acres of vineyard along with the winery’s inventory and equipment for $7.9 million at auction, just a fraction of the $60-million appraised value.

Donald Trump’s son, Eric, who has been charged with operating the newly acquired estate, admits the initial attraction to Kluge Estate was the value of its real estate. “We got into the wine business almost by default,” he says, “but recognizing how good the wines were, we realized how sexy it could be for the brand as a whole.”

The winery’s tasting room was remodeled for the relaunch and plans for a golf resort and event venues are in the works. Rolland will remain a consultant and Kluge and her family will continue as employees. Kluge Estate’s most popular wines will be kept largely intact, but rebranding under the Trump name and an expansion of products and capacity are expected.

“We are believers in brands, and clearly we have an incredible one,” Eric Trump said. “Our top product will certainly be some sort of Trump label.

“Whether it be real estate ventures, or anything else,” he adds, “we only have five-star assets and are mindful about keeping everything absolutely first class.”

http://www.winemag.com/Wine-Enthusiast-Magazine/Web-2011/From-the-Boardroom-to-the-Barrel-Room/

Girls Night Out at Basignani in Maryland!

2011-09-23T18:50:00.000-07:00

Friday, October 7, 2011
is Girls' Night at Basignani in Maryland!

Leave the men at home and come out to the winery for some much-needed girl-time!

Don't worry!! They'll provide the atmosphere; you provide the company. So, grab your best girls and join us for a night you'll never forget!

They'll have live music, wine, seated massages and more! Everyone will receive $5 in "Mad Money" to use at the on-site vendors, so don't miss out on their delicious and relaxing offerings!

R.S.V.P. to the winery by October 5th (email lynne@basignani.com or call 410.472.0703).

Unionville Vineyards Upcoming Events in October 2011

2011-09-23T18:44:00.000-07:00

Wine Harvest Festival
October 1, 2011
Grape Stomp With Style at Unionville Vineyards!

Fabulous Festival and Fun Wine Day Camp!

Saturday, October 1, 2011
Stomp With Style at Unionville's Annual
Wine Harvest Festival
12 Noon to 5 PM

Join Unionville for a fun afternoon of Grape Stomping a la Lucy,
Children's Activities, Wine Tasting,
Vineyard & Winery Tours, Train Ride In The Vineyard
Compliments of Rowe Electric , Great Food by Tigers Tale ,
Live Music with The AJC Band ,
Crafters, Local Artists, Pumpkin Painting,
Book Signing by Author Bart Jackson and More!
$15 Admission, $5 Under 21, Free for Under 5 Years
And Free for Designated Drivers

Saturday, October 8, 2011
"Wine Harvest Day Camp"
The Vine To The Glass All In a Day!
8:30 AM to 1 PM
After a light breakfast of caffeine and sugar,
you will enjoy a peaceful morning of
harvesting grapes and bringing them in to be crushed
for winemaking, you will taste the fruits of our labor in
the form of freshly squeezed wine grape juice
followed by a deli lunch and wine tasting.
$25 per guest, reservation and pre-payment required.
Please call the winery at 908-788-0400 to make your reservation.

Maryland Wine Festival September 17-18, 2011

2011-09-13T16:28:00.000-07:00

2011 Maryland Wine Festival Details
The 28th Anniversary Maryland Wine Festival®
September 17-18, 2011
Sat 10-6 pm, Sun 12-6 pm
Carroll County Farm Museum
Westminster, Carroll County

Take pleasure in Maryland wine with tastings from the wineries, live music, foods from local restaurants, arts and crafts and wine education seminars. Don't miss the presentation of the Governor's Cup Awards announcements on stage each day of the festival.

For information about Carroll County hotels and Bed and Breakfast sites visit www.CarrollCountyTourism.org or call 1-800-272-1933. Or the day of the festival, stop by the Tourism tent at the main gate for local information and/or directions back home.

The Maryland Wine Festival® is held rain or shine; no refunds will be given for advance ticket purchases. No pets or alcoholic beverages may be brought onto Museum grounds.

The Maryland Wine Festival® is hosted by the Carroll County Recreation and Parks, Carroll County Farm Museum & the Maryland Wineries Association

Steven Kolpan on Hudson Valley Riesling

2011-08-27T05:03:00.001-07:00

In the September-November issue of Hudson Valley Table, highly acclaimed wine writer Steven Kolpan (Exploring Wine) and director of the wine program at the Culinary Institute of America at Hyde Park, writes with great passion about the new clones of riesling being planted in the Hudson Valley, and the movement toward riesling as a viable vinifera grape in the valley.

Highlighted in the piece are Whitecliff, Brotherhood, and Millbrook wineries.

Congrats to all the wineries, and special thanks to Steven Kolpan and Hudson Valley Table.

Read more at:
http://www.valleytable.com/

Silver Mountain Raspberry Apple Wine (NH)

2011-08-25T05:18:00.000-07:00

So, on my way to Maine, I stopped at the New Hampshire state liquor store that's a mile or so from the border, where half the people traveling the highway stop at on their way to the Vacation state (maine).

I haven't been up this way in some time, so I thought I would buy some New Hampshire wines and ciders to review.

One of the wineries I came across was Silver Mountain Ciders made in Lempster, NH.

According to Freda Mooncotch, The Wine Wench, "Steve Miner and his wife Cindy Brzezinski started their business five years ago, when Miner lost his job, and developed medical problems. He knew it would be difficult to find work, so he decided to start his own business Wine and cider making was something Steve did all his life as a hobby and he started buying the equipment he needed off the internet."

We were visiting folks in Maine, and decided to open one of the bottles, after letting it cool off in the refrigerator. I lifted off the bottle cap,, and a lovely "pop!" greeted our ears. We drank the wine with cheese and apples and crackers. It was a perfect pairing.

Sun-ripened raspberries gives way to the lingering taste of autumn apples with a hint of sweetness.

This is a lovely, sparkling wine with lots of flavor, somewhat like a framboise. Really lovely!

Farnum Hill Kingston Black ’07 Reserve (NH)

2011-08-25T04:45:00.000-07:00

The Poverty Lane Orchards and Farnum Hill Ciders are owned by Stephen M. Wood and Louisa D. Spencer, and are made with the help of their crew which includes Brenda Bailey, Fitzgerald Campbell, Jenny Daniel, Brian Goodwin, Lucas Kleinhans, Nicole LeGrand Leibon, Jacques Tourville, Jeff Williams, and Corrie Wolosin.

Farnum Hill Ciders are dry and complex. They grow true cider apples of English, French, and American origin. Cider apples, though nasty eaten fresh, produce gorgeous aromas, flavors and sensations after respectful fermentation and blending. New Hampshire weather seems to concentrate the flavors of certain English, European, and New World cider apples growing in our rocky clay soils.

Farnum Hill's ciders can suggest cornucopias of fruit flavor, without sweetness. (‘Fruity’ and ‘sweet’ are different.) According to Farnum Hill, "It’s best not to seek ‘apple’ in our ciders, any more than you’d hunt for ‘grape’ in a good wine (or ‘grain in a good beer, for that matter.) The sugars in these apples generally yield alcohol levels of 6.5-8.5% by volume. (Most dry grape wines contain between 11% and 15% alcohol.)"

Tannins are probably the most surprising feature of our ciders, because so many people learn that wine tannins come from grape skins, and therefore expect blond beverages to contain no tannins. Bittersweet and bittersharp cider apples contain potent tannins all the way through, as the first startling bite proves.

Given the tannic structure and bouquet of their ciders, Farnum Hill recommends serving their ciders at red wine temperatures, 55-ish Fahrenheit. (The recommended “room temperature” for red wines was phrased in the days before central heating.)

Kingston Black technically is a “bittersharp” apple variety, which in the English-speaking cider world means that its high tannin and acid levels make it a suitable cider apple: however, its sugar level, at least growing here, regularly yields 8.5% alcohol. They make only about 100 or so cases of this ‘Special Reserve.’ They don;t make it every year.

It is important to note that this is a still cider, in a 750ml bottle with straight cork. Its aromatic and flavor hooks range from floral through fruity (muskmelon) to something more subtle.

"Unlike our other ciders, Kingston Black in our view belongs with subtle dishes, rather than with spicy or otherwise rowdy flavors. Note that not only Kingston Black’s alcohol but also its price is quite high for a cider."

P.S. In old apple variety names, the word “black” means “extremely dark red.”

Their notes are spot on. The wine is more like a very, very good apple wine, more like a stoney chardonnay or a big riesling. It is like a dry, white, still white wine. And it is meant for chicken, pork chops, some nice pasta dishes, grilled vegetables, etc.

This is what FCH positions it to be - one of their best offerings...very special, very unique, very high quality, and worth the price.

Bartlett Blueberry Dry Oak Aged (ME)

2011-08-24T19:55:00.000-07:00

OK, I'll keep this one short, because I've said it a million times. Rob Bartlett is a genius, and to prove it, I went toMaine this weekend just past, and poured his Blueberry Dry Oak Aged wine for some friends with a steak dinner.

The wine looks, smells, and tastes like a classic Italian red. Our friends were in shock.

Raves!!!

Maine is called Vacationland...if you go to Maine and don't treat yourself to a bottle of this wine, you've jipped yourself tremendously!

Arrowhead Springs Meritage Reserve 2007

2011-08-22T14:57:00.000-07:00

Arrowhead Springs is one fo the leading small wineries in the Niagara Region of New York. Relatively small, more than 4,000 cases, Arrowhead produces some excellent dry wines of extremely high quality. I am a huge fan of Duncan and Robin and think they do an excellent job.

Recently, while on a mini-vacation, I entertained some friends with Arrowhead Springs Vineyard Meritage Reserve 2007. Duncan and Robin Ross own Arrowhead Springs in Lockport, NY.

A blend of 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot and 32% Cabernet Franc, this wine has been aged for 23 months in French and American oak barrels. Barrel lots are individually selected with the goal of making the best possible wine leveraging the strengths of each variety. Big dark fruits await you, including stewed dark fruits like plums, prunes, dark raspberries, and cranberry, as well as hints of dark chocolate and cassis as promised.

The wine was an instant hit and I was lauded for my "expert knowledge" of wine. I don't make any claims to being an expert, but I was smart enough to open a bottle of Arrowhead Springs Vineyard.

What a pretty and well balanced and beautifully crafted wine this is!

Beverage Media Highlights Arrowhead Springs Vineyard in Niagara Region, NY

2011-08-22T14:47:00.001-07:00

Beverage Media, one of the largest wine and spirits publications in America, found in almost every liquor and wine store in the US, recently did a big piece about the Niagara Region's Arrowhead Springs Vineyard in Lockport, NY in their august 2011 issue.

Duncan and Robin Ross were highlighted in the piece. A great job, and congrats!

NJ WINEGROWERS SEPTEMBER FESTIVAL SEPT 17 & 18, 2011

2011-08-18T05:10:00.000-07:00

NJ WINEGROWERS SEPTEMBER FESTIVAL SLATED
FOR HISTORIC EQUESTRIAN FARM IN BEDMINSTER
The Garden State Wine Growers Association will hold its annual Grand Harvest Wine Festival at Lana Lobell Farms, one of the most famous northeast equestrian estates, in Bedminster on Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 17 and 18 from noon to five p.m.

The farm has been around since the American Revolution and became a commercial breeding facility in 1977. The owners have granted the association access to this beautiful estate which includes a mile of frontage along the Lamington River.

The festival will feature twenty four wineries offering nearly 300 locally-produced wines, food, crafts vendors, live bands and the opportunity to experience one of New Jersey’s significant but rarely seen historic farms.

Persons interested in learning more about the festival can call The Garden State Wine Growers Association at 609-588-0085 or go to the association website at www.newjerseywines.com. Tickets for the festival are $25 an adult at the gate and include a complimentary wine glass and sampling of all wines. Advance discount tickets for the wine festival can be purchased only at the association web site.

2011 New York Wine & Food Classic Results

2011-08-17T03:26:00.000-07:00

Martha Clara Vineyards 2010 Riesling wins "Governor's Cup"
Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars wins "Winery of the Year"by Jim Trezise from the Wine Press
Watkins Glen, New York, AUGUST 16

Martha Clara Vineyards 2010 Riesling from Long Island won the coveted "Governor's Cup" trophy at the 2011 New York Wine & Food Classic competition, held on August 15 & 16 at the Watkins Glen Harbor Hotel in Watkins Glen, NY. The "Winery of the Year" award went to Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars from the Finger Lakes.

The elegant Governor's Cup, a large silver chalice, recognizes the "Best of Show" or top prize of all 741 entries in the Classic, known as "The Oscars" of New York wine. The "Winery of the Year" award is presented to the winery with the best overall showing based on the level and number of awards in relation to entries.

This year's competition included 726 New York wines and 15 spirits from the Long Island, Hudson Valley, Finger Lakes, Niagara Escarpment, Lake Erie, and other regions of New York State. The Martha Clara Vineyards 2010 Riesling was also voted Best White Wine, Best Overall Riesling and Best Medium Sweet Riesling on its way to the ultimate award. Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars won Best Overall Chardonnay and Best Chardonnay on its way to the Winery of the Year award, along with several other top medals.

A "Specialty Wine Champion" award was added in 2008 to recognize consistent quality among the increasing number of wines made from fruits other than grapes, or honey. The 2011 winner was Earle Estates Meadery with Best Honey Mead and Best Fruit Wine. A "Best Limited Production Wine" award went to Fox Run Vineyards Fine Old Tawny Port.

The awards were based on blind tastings by 21 expert judges-4 from California, 9 from New York, 6 from other states and 2 from the United Kingdom. Judges included prominent wine writers, restaurateurs, retailers, and wine educators. Three-judge panels determined the initial awards, with top-scoring wines evaluated by all 21 judges for Best of Category and Governor's Cup awards.

Celebrating its 26th year, the Classic is organized by Teresa Knapp of the New York Wine & Grape Foundation, and is open to all 307 New York wineries from all regions. In 2011, a total of 51 Double Gold, 66 Gold, 237 Silver, and 234 Bronze medals were awarded. In addition, "Best of Category" and "Best of Class" designations were awarded to wines rated as the finest in various areas. Double Gold medals require unanimity among a panel's judges that a wine deserves a Gold medal, whereas Gold medals require a majority vote.

The "Best of Category" awards, all eligible for the Governor's Cup, went to:

Best Sparkling Wine

Bedell Cellars 2006 Blanc de Blancs

Best White Wine

Martha Clara Vineyards 2010 Riesling

Best Blush Wine

Owera Vineyards 2010 Cazenovia Blush

Best Red Wine

Keuka Lake Vineyards 2010 Leon Millot, Estate Bottled

Best Dessert Wine

Leonard Oakes Estate Winery 2008 Vidal Ice Wine

Best of Class awards go to Double Gold or Gold medal wines in classes of at least 7 wines. The "Best of Class" awards went to:

Best Chardonnay

Lamoreaux Landing WIne Cellars 2008 Estate Bottled Chardonnay

Best Unoaked Chardonnay

Coyote Moon Vineyards 2009 Naked Chardonnay

Best Overall Chardonnay

Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars 2008 Estate Bottled Chardonnay

Best Gewürztraminer
Bedell Cellars 2010 Gewurztraminer, Corey Creek Vineyards

Best Dry Riesling

Anthony Road Wine Company 2008 Tierce Riesling

with Fox Run Vineyards & Red Newt Cellars

Best Medium Dry Riesling

Serenity Vineyards 2008 Riesling, Estate Bottled

Best Medium Sweet Riesling

Martha Clara Vineyards 2010 Riesling

Best Sweet Riesling

Atwater Vineyards 2009 Sweet Riesling

Best Overall Riesling

Martha Clara Vineyards 20120 Riesling

Best Pinot Gris

American Vineyards & Winery 2010 Pinot Gris

Best Vinifera White Blend

Sheldrake Vineyard 2010 Luckystone White

Best Vignoles
Keuka Spring Vineyards 2010 Vignoles

Best Hybrid White Blend
Atwater Estate Vineyards Stone Bridge White

Best Niagara

Americana Vineyards & Winery Crystal Lake

Best Cabernet Sauvignon

Ventosa Vineyards 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon

Best Merlot

Osprey's Dominion 2007 Reserve Merlot, Estate Bottled

Best Cabernet Franc

Ventosda Vineyards 2008 Cabernet Franc

Best Lemberger

Fulkerson Winery 2009 Lemberger

Best Vinifera Red Blend

Paumanok Vineyards 2007 Assemblage

Best Honey Mead

Earle Estates Meadery Raspberry Reflection

Best Fruit

Earle Estates Meadery Apple Enchantment

Best Spirit

Swedish Hill Winery Raspberry Infusion

Best Late Harvest Wine

Anthony Road WIne Company 2008 Riesling Trockenbeeren,

Martini Reinhardt Selection

Best Ice Wine

Leonard Oakes Estate WInery 2008 Vidal Ice Wine

Best Vinifera Sparkling

Bedell Cellars 2006 Blanc de Blancs

Double Gold medals were awarded to Americana Vineyards & Winery Crystal Lake; Anthony Road Wine Company 2008 Tierce Riesling and 2008 Riesling Trockenbeeren Martini Reinhardt Selection; Atwater Estate Vineyards 2009 Sweet Riesling, Sweet Chancellor and Stone Bridge White; Bedell Cellars 2010 Gewürztraminer Corey Creek Vineyards and 2006 Blanc de Blancs; Belhurst Estate Winery 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Traditions and Naturel Sparkling; Brooklyn Winery 2010 Batch 001 Chardonnay; Clovis Point 2007 Merlot Vintner's Select; Coffee Pot Cellars 2008 Merlot; Coyote Moon Vineyard 2010 Brianna; Dr. Konstantin Frank Wine Cellars 2010 Dry Riesling; Earle Estates Meadery Apple Enchantment, Raspberry Reflections and Creamy Apricot; Finger Lakes Distilling Seneca Drums Gin; Fox Run Vineyards Fine Old Tawny Port; Fulkerson Winery 2010 William Vigne Juicy Sweet and 2010 Vidal Blanc Iced Wine; Glenora Wine Cellars 2010 Gewürztraminer and 2010 Vidal Blanc Iced ; Heron Hill Winery 2008 Late Harvest Vidal Blanc; Keuka Lake Vineyards 2010 Leon Millot Estate Bottled; Keuka Spring Vineyards 2010 Riesling and 2010 Vignoles; Knapp Winery & Restaurant Limencello; Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars 2010 Dry Riesling Estate Bottled and 2008 Chardonnay Estate Bottled; Leonard Oakes Estate Winery 2008 Vidal Ice Wine and Steampunk Cidre; Lieb Cellars 2009 Pinot Blanc; Lucas Vineyards 2009 Semi-Dry Riesling; Macari Vineyards & Winery Collina Red; Martha Clara Vineyards 2010 Riesling; Mazza Chautauqua Cellars Grappa of Steuben; McGregor Vineyard 2007 Rob Roy Red Estate Grown; Montezuma Winery Riesling; Owera Vineyards 201 Semi-Dry Riesling and 2010 Cazenovia Blush; Pellegrini Vineyards Vintner's Pride Finale Bin "Ice-Style"; Penguin Bay Winery 2010 Riesling; Rooster Hill Vineyards 2010 Medium Sweet Riesling Estate Grown & Produced; Serenity Vineyards 2008 Riesling Estate and 2007 Merlot Estate; Swedish Hill Winery Raspberry Infusion; Thirsty Owl Wine Company 2009 Dry Riesling; Torrey Ridge Winery Niagara; and Ventosa Vineyards 2008 Cabernet Franc.

Gold medals were awarded to American Vineyards & Winery 2010 Pinot Gris and Chardonnay; Anthony Road Wine Company 2010 Gewürztraminer; Brooklyn Winery 29010 Maiden; Casa Larga Vineyards Tapestry and 2009 Gewürztraminer; Castello di Borghese 2009 Riesling; Cayuga Ridge Estate Winery Riesling Estate Grown; Chateau Lafayette Reneau 2010 Dry Riesling Estate; Coyote Moon Vineyards2009 Naked Chardonnay; Dr. Konstantin Frank Wine Cellars 2009 Gewürztraminer Reserve; Finger Lakes Distilling Cherry Liquor and Maplejack Liquor; Fox Run Vineyards Ruby Port; Fruit Yard Winery 2010 Peach; Fulkerson Winery 2009 Lemberger; Glenora Wine Cellars 2010 Late Harvest Riesling, 2010 Pinot Blanc and 2009 Cabernet Franc; Goose Watch Winery Classic Cream Sherry; Harbes Family Vineyard Chardonnay Ice Wine; Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards Pinot Gris; Hector Wine Company 2010 Riesling; Heron Hill Winery 2009 Semi-Sweet Riesling; Hosmer Winery Sparkling Wine Methode Champenoise; Jamesport Vineyards 2007 "Sidor" Reserve; Keuka Lake Vineyards 2010 Semi-Dry Riesling; King Ferry Winery Silver Linig Chardonnay; Knapp Winery & Restaurant 2010 Riesling and Brandy; Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars Riesling Red Oak Vineyards Estate Bottled, 2010 Semi-Dry Riesling Estate Bottled, 2008 Merlot Estate Bottled, 2009 Riesling Ice Estate Bottled; Lucas Vineyards 2010 Dry Riesling; Martha Clara Vineyards 2009 Chardonnay and 2010 Estate Reserve Riesling; McGregor Vineyard Black Russian Red 30 Month Barrel Reserve; Montezuma Winery Fat Frog Red; One Woman Wines & Vineyards 2008 Merlot; Osprey's Dominion Vineyards 2007 Reserve Merlot Estate Bottled; Owera Vineyards 2010 Dry Riesling; Paumanok Vineyards 2007 Assemblage, 2009 Riesling Late Harvest, and Sauvignon Blanc Late; Peconic Bay Winery 2010 Riesling; Penguin Bay Winery Tuxedo White; Red Newt Cellars 2008 Gewürztraminer Curry Creek Vineyards; Rock Stream Vineyards Grappa; Sheldrake Point Vineyards 2010 Luckystone White and 2008 Riesling Ice Wine; Sparkling Pointe 2007 Brut; Swedish Hill Winery Riesling Cuvee and Spumante Blush; Thirsty Owl Wine Company 2010 Vidal Blanc; Torrey Ridge Winery Catawba; Tug Hill Vineyards 2010 Raspberry Rhapsody Estate Grown; Ventosa Vineyards 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon; Wagner Vineyards 2008 Chardonnay Reserve Estate Bottled and 2008 Vidal Blanc Ice Estate Bottled; White Springs Winery 2010 Riesling 101; Whitecliff Winery Awosting White; Winery of Ellicottville 2010 Noiret; Wölffer Estate Vineyard 2010 Diosa Late Harvest; Zugibe Vineyards 2009 Pinot Gris and 2009 Riesling.

Complete results of the 2011 Classic will soon be posted under "New York Gold" at www.newyorkwines.org, which also includes Gold medal New York wines from other major competitions.

Media Contact: Jim Trezise, 585-394-3620, ext. 203, jimtrezise@nywgf.org

2011 New York Wine & Food Classic Judges

Julie Arkell

Freelance Wine & Spirits Writer & Author, London, England

Mollie Battenhouse, DWS
Wine Director & Educator, International Wine Center, New York, New York

Dan Berger
Wine Journalist and Publisher, Santa Rosa, California

Jill Blume
Enology Specialist, Purdue University, & Executive Director, Indy International Wine Competition

Shannon Brock

Wine Coordinator, New York Wine & Culinary Center, Canandaigua, New York

Rene Chazottes
Wine Director, Maitre Sommelier, The Pacific Club, Newport Beach, California

Jim Clarke

Wine Writer and Director, MEGU, New York, New York

Doug Frost, M.W., M.S.
Wine Writer and Educator, Prairie Village, Kansas

Chris Gerling
Enology Extension Associate, Cornell University College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, New York State Agricultural Experiment Station, Geneva, New York

Lorraine Hems, CS, CWE
Lecturer of Wine Studies, Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, NY & Instructor, New York Wine & Culinary Center, Canandaigua, New York

Linda Lawry
Director, International Wine Center, New York, New York

Fred LeBrun
Columnist, Albany Times Union, Albany, New York

Ann Littlefield
Direct Wine Marketing Brand Champion, Napa, California

Bill Mahoney
Wine Manager, Premium Wine & Spirits, Williamsville, New York

Anna Katharine Mansfield, Ph.D
Assistant Professor of Enology, Cornell University College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, New York State Agricultural Experiment Station, Geneva, New York

Ann Miller
Marketing Specialist, Missouri Wine & Grape Board, Jefferson City, Missouri

Jerry Pellegrino
Chef/Owner, CORKS & Abacrombie Fine Foods, Baltimore, Maryland

Maggie Rosen
Independent Journalist & Author, London, England

Dr. Bob Small
Professor Emeritus, Collins College of Hospitality Management, Cal Poly University & Chairman, Los Angeles International Wine & Spirits Competition, Pomona, California

Todd Steiner

Enology Program Manager, Ohio State University, Wooster, Ohio

Phil Ward
Brand Manager & Wine Educator, American B.D. Co./The Opici Wine Group, Board of Directors, International Riesling Foundation

Running Hare Winery (MD) Awarded Gold Medal at International Wine Competition

2011-08-14T07:21:00.000-07:00

PRINCE FREDERICK, Md. (August 10, 2011) -- A Calvert County-based winery, Running Hare Vineyard, received prestigious recognition at the Riverside International Wine Competition in May by taking home a gold medal for a Malbec variety and bronze medals for the Shiraz and Sangiovese. The competition has been held in California for 30 years using blind tasting selection by professional wine evaluators. The event recognizes a wide variety of wine styles – including those from regions that don’t often receive recognition. A total of 48 judges evaluated more than 1,930 wines at the South Coast Resort in Temecula, California during the event.

Barb Scarborough, director of sales and marketing at Running Hare Vineyard, is honored by the accolades. “Since opening as a commercial winery in August 2008, Running Hare Vineyard has been awarded five international gold medals for its wines competing against wineries from all over the world. We’ve received a total of 48 awards both in regional and international competitions. Our winemaker, Jerson Garcia, works hard to perfect his craft and continues to rise to the challenge to make a quality product that is enjoyed not only on a consumer level but also is worthy to compete and win against wineries that are much larger with much more experience from all over the world.”

Michael and Barb Scarborough’s love of wine had been cultivated in France where Michael lived as a child and his desire to pursue winemaking as a hobby was realized in 2003 with a planting of 100 vines. Since then, the Scarboroughs have added several varieties of grapes and the vineyard has expanded from the initial 100 vines to approximately 5,000 vines on an eight-acre vineyard. The production has also expanded from the original 550-gallon tank capacity to 12,772-gallon tank capacity producing over 100,000 bottles of wine a year since the winery’s grand opening in August 2008.

Wine tastings are held at the vineyard Wednesday through Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. with live music every Sunday. Running Hare Vineyard wines can be purchased directly at the vineyard and at retail stores around the region. Barb says, “We are very excited at the growth and popularity of our wines being sold, not only locally in Maryland but in Washington, D.C. and Delaware. Just recently, our wines were also picked up by a wholesaler in Florida.”

For more information, visit online at www.runningharevineyard.com, call 410-414-8486 or email info@runningharevineyard.com.

Pennsylvania Growers Think 2011 Will Be Excellent Vintage

2011-08-14T07:16:00.000-07:00

Area winemakers see a promising vintage
Written by ERIC RUTH
The News Journal
TIME FOR WINE

Up and down the state, this summer's fiery sun has been baking farm fields into stone. The rows of drooping crops thirst for rain, and the farmers hold faint hope that the skies will bring salvation.

Yet among the gnarled vines of the wineries that speckle the countryside here and in nearby Pennsylvania, growers see that fierce sun as a savior, and welcome the dry days. The brutal heat and parched soil are the perfect ingredients for a crop that's rich and sweet, for wines that are deep and lush.

"Right now, things are going well, and if we keep up with the weather as it is, it should be as good as 2010, which was a great harvest," said Caryn Dolan, manager of public relations and special events at Paradocx Vineyard in Landenberg, Pa.
It will be a year or two in the barrel before they find how well all those happy grapes transform into wine, and the region's capricious weather means there's still plenty of room for a disaster -- from soggy soil and bursting grape skins to hungry birds and heavy hailstorms.

"So far, it's been wonderful, but we're in by far the most important stretch," said Anthony Vietri, proprietor of Va La Vineyards in nearby Avondale, Pa. "The next six to eight weeks are going to determine the quality of the harvest. ... So what we do is prepare for the worst all the time."

In these parts, a grower's task can quickly be complicated by the fickle mid-Atlantic weather, which is literally a continent away from the consistent climate of America's premier wine-growing region, California's Napa Valley. Here, farmers spend their days plucking and trimming plants to allow air and sunlight to circulate, tipping their tops this way and that to favor a certain exposure. They carefully keep the bunches from touching; they pull the leaves from around each cluster; they tend to every plant, every bunch, day in and day out.

"There's almost nothing to do" once the vines are up and growing in Napa, Vietri said.

"Here, we have almost constant hand manipulation to keep the canopies open and expose it to sunlight."

Read the whole story at:
http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20110814/BUSINESS/108140346/
Area-winemakers-see-promising-vintage?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CHome

NEW JERSEY’S LARGEST WINE FESTIVAL SET FOR SEPT. 3 & 4 AT ALLAIRE STATE PARK

2011-08-14T06:47:00.000-07:00

FARMINGDALE, NJ—New Jersey’s largest wine festival, Jazz It Up, will be held Saturday and Sunday Sept. 3 and 4, from noon to 5 p.m. at Allaire State Park in Farmingdale, featuring the opportunity to taste nearly 300 different, locally-produced wines, listen to great, live jazz entertainment including Around the Horn on Saturday and The Keith Marks Quintet on Sunday and to explore the grounds of Allaire State Park, home to an early 19th Century industrial iron producing community.

Around the Horn, will be performing on Saturday. This quartet collectively combines smooth classic jazz with playful improvisation to create a very eclectic and vibrant sound featuring all styles of jazz and cross-over rock. Keith Marks has been leading his quartet in a variety of performances at major festivals, colleges and universities, clubs and corporate events for over 30 years.

With the music comes the wine and the opportunity to sample the products of 25 New Jersey wineries including scores of award-winning vintages.

Festival attendees also have the opportunity to step back in time and experience life in a 19th Century bog iron producing community. Craftsmen in period garb; such as blacksmiths, carpenters, leatherworkers, molders and tinsmiths; will be demonstrating their skills for visitors while explaining how their roles affected life at the iron works. Younger visitors to the historic village can learn what life was like for the children of the iron works company by becoming apprentices to the master craftsmen.

Costumed interpreters throughout the Historic Village's homes offer visitors demonstrations in various aspects of 19th Century domestic life, such as hearth cooking, spinning, quilting and sewing, laundry, gardening and even proper etiquette. The children of the village demonstrate popular games of the time as well as the chores which prepared them for later life.

Meanwhile, the festival sponsor, the Garden State Wine Growers Association, will be giving out wine trail passport books which encourage wine fans to visit each of the association’s member wineries with tasting rooms to get their passport stamped. Visitors who get stamps from all participating wineries and return the passport book to the association will receive an elegant set of wine glasses and will be eligible for a drawing for a trip for two to the wine-growing area of Germany.

Anyone who comes to Jazz It Up will also be eligible for a free drawing for a $150 gift certificate to any one of the 70 member bed and breakfasts of the Preferred Inns of New Jersey.

Persons interested in learning more about the festival can call The Garden State Wine Growers Association at 609-588-0085 or go the association website at www.newjerseywines.com. Tickets for the festival are $25 a person at the gate. Advance discount tickets can be purchased only at the association web site. Large groups and bus groups can call the Association “Wine Line” for more information.