Vineyard Vacations!

It's (believe it or not) actually warm in New York today, and I'm thinking about vacation. In celebration of the unseasonably enjoyable weather and my need for a break, I've decided to share this article with our readers - a comprehensive breakdown of how to visit the vineyards of California for less. The article, which appears on SmartMoney.com, offers affordable selections of vineyards to visit in both Napa and Sonoma, as well as suggestions on where to stay when visiting both of the esteemed wine destinations.

From SmartMoney:

Wineries aren't immune to recessions. And just like retailers, they're trying to lure budget-conscious consumers by slashing prices and offering special promotions. Among the perks: discounted or even free events and some pretty nice deals on bottles of wine. In fact, an activity-filled day trip to a winery in Napa or Sonoma can easily be had for just $20. Play your cards right and you could get away with paying nothing at all.

Wacko Wine Personalities

It's a pretty commonly known thing that there are a lot of - well . . . weirdos - in the wine world. It takes a specific type of personality to uproot yourself and your family to work a vineyard, experiment with the process and make some unique and hopefully great wine. Today I came across a fantastic Vinography post on that very subject, appropriately titled - "Crackpots, Wackos, Nutjobs and Wine: a Winning Combination."

The post starts with a central theory that most of the great wines the Vinography blogger has drunk in his lifetime were made by one of the aforementioned types of people. Judging from my own experience with friends or acquaintances producing great wine on a small scale, the revelation doesn't comes as much of a surprise to me. Anyway, if you want a glimpse into the weirder side of the wine world, this post is a great place to start.

Wine Class - Making Sense of Taste

Ever think about taking a wine class? They're a lot of fun, laid back, a great way to meet cool people and best of all - you really do learn a LOT about wine. There's an excellent feature piece in the Sacramento Bee today chronicling the authors experiences with a weekend long class. He explains the methods instructors use to teach the students, recounting the sorts of tasks they had to accomplish. If you're one of the many people out there who have always thought about taking a class but always worried it would be too cheesy or not worth the money, this is a good place to start getting up the courage to take the plunge.

From The Bee:

The good news for me and, at a lesser level, for everyone in this class is that it's so smartly run and so enjoyable that you'd have to work hard to not learn something from it and to not have fun . . . Although this was an introductory class aimed at pretty much anyone interested in wine, a tad more than half of the 60 people were in the wine or food biz, including a chef from New York and a young couple opening a winery – wish them luck – in New Jersey. There were also plenty of people in various stages of happy wine fandom.

US Governors Dine with Ice Wine

It seems like the follow up to every Obama-hosted State Dinner will be immediately followed by press releases and news stories focusing on the wine consumed at the festivities. The first official State Dinner took place a few evenings ago, and the wine pairings were high on the discussion list amongst American Oenophiles and wine writers across the nation. Once again the menu featured all American made vintages, but there was a surprise (and wonderful) addition to the end of the meal - a Michigan Ice Wine.

I've discussed Ice Wines a few times here at My Wine News, and it's nice to see them getting a little more recognition on the national scale. They make a great accompaniment to any sweet or dessert, and the complexities held within most are astounding.

Here's a clip of the article from the AP:

The sauvignon blanc was from California, the pinot noir from Oregon. But the wine served Sunday night with dessert as the nation's governors dined at the White House with President Barack Obama and his wife was the most unusual — a Michigan ice wine from Black Star Farms in Suttons Bay. The frozen grapes were picked in December 2007 and crushed outside so they wouldn't thaw. The wine was released last July and sells for $80 or more for a half bottle. The White House paired the sweet A Capella Riesling ice wine with huckleberry cobbler with caramel ice cream.

NYC Wine Shops Tweak Prices

Bloomberg.com has an article up on their site examining how NYC-based wine shops are adjusting prices or changing business practices to draw in customers during the recession. As I've discussed a few times here on My Wine News, booze is generally pretty safe during economic lulls - but most Americans (particularly in hard hit NYC) are lowering the amount their willing to spend on a bottle of vino.

That being said, a lot of wine shops are stocking up on bottles that run less than $15, hoping that they can stay in business by selling more bottles for less. The article gives a rundown of four different wine sellers across the city, asking them what they're doing to boost business and how things are going. Follow the link for full details.

Wine and Spirits for your Oscar Party

The Oscars are Sunday, which means it's time for a party! And no glitzy Oscar gala is complete - whether on your couch or out at a fancy bar - without the right drinks. That being said, a number of magazines and websites have trickled out their wine and spirits suggestions for this years "Biggest night in Hollywood." One of the better list of suggestions that appeared today came in on CityPages.com from Jessica Chapman. She interviews a number of Minneapolis-based wine shop owners to get their take on what you should open on Oscar night.

Here's one of the better suggestions:

"If you're going for the glitzy Hollywood theme, I'd go with a Napa cab," he says, many of which run under $25. He recommends Napa Cellars and St. Francis in particular, or any from Louis Martini."

And if you're looking for cocktails, Gourmet Magazine has a list of ten different drinks inspired by the best actor and actress nominees. They all look like a lot of fun and really delicious.

Spanish Wines

I often feel like Spanish wines are overlooked in America - somehow off the radar of the average vino consumer because of how synonymous wine drinking has become with Spain's neighbor and rival - France. But, if your willing to look around and try new things you'll find that Spain produces some of the nicest, most surprising and often times most affordable wines in the world. Their production regions are numerous, their grape business booming and their wine-producers adventurous and ground breaking. Much like Spaniards have moved to the forefront of the culinary world in recent years, I really feel that Spanish wines are going to come into their own in a big way here in America.

Miami Herald wine writer Fred Tasker has a great piece singing the praises of the Spanish wine industry, beginning with two stories about his experiences in the region. The first involves drinking an 80 year aged bottle in a Spanish cellar - something he describes as a "religious experience." The second is a story about buying a cheap bottle of Spanish white in Miami and being blown away by the quality. These stories are meant to highlight the extreme ends of the spectrum, hopefully insinuating that Spain can do it all and encouraging readers to branch out and drink more from Espana. He's certainly sold me anyway.

French Wine Exports Drops

It seems like the economic recession is hitting every industry in every country. A report from the AP today tells readers that French Wine Exports from 2008 have slumped from last year. While Americans are importing more French wine than ever before, the slump probably has something to do with US consumers tightening their belts in general, choosing cheaper bottles than they might in other years.

From the AP Report:

Though the world export market held out surprisingly well and was just under the record-breaking result of about euro9.4 billion in 2007, de Jouvencel said the outlook for 2009 is murky."It will be a difficult year, without a doubt," de Jouvencel told journalists at a news conference. While exports of Champagne and wines from Burgundy slipped, exports of table wines and Bordeaux were up - mainly on sales of the critically acclaimed 2005 vintage, which went on sale in early 2008, the group said.

Local Wine Events

If you're hurting for a wine class or tasting, I've found the perfect solutions. LocalWineEvents.com is a resourced designed to keep you in the know on wine events in every city, worldwide. The calendar of food and wine events focuses on wine, but also provides visitors with listings fit for all foodies. This includes beer festivals, wine tastings, cooking classes, scotch tastings and wine dinners.

This is a really great idea, and I've been waiting for someone to put together such a comprehensive list. If you're ever looking for something to do on a Wednesday night, just head over to the site, visit the calendar for your city and find something that's right up your alley. It's a wonderful way to meet new friends, educate yourself on the subject of wine and have a lot of fun - all at the same time.

Drought and Bush Fires Damage Aussie Vineyards

The Australian wine region of Yarra Valley - best known for their Pinot and Chardonnays - has been ravaged by one thing after another this year. For several months at the start of the growing season the entire area was burdened by massive drought, drying out soil and threatening to make the years harvest one of the worst in recent memory.

Then, last week, the bush fires so publicized in the media in the States and UK pushed in, wiping out vast swaths of vineyards entirely. Fosters (yes, the beer magnate) has a wine division and they're reporting a loss of at least 100 acres of vines. And although a large company like that can take a hit and keep going, many smaller vineyards and independent growers were battling the flames with buckets of water to fend off total collapse.

The AFP has the full story. You can read all of the details by going here.

Valentines Day and Wine

As promised earlier in the week, I've compiled a number of Valentines & Wine themed articles for your reading pleasure. Enjoy and have a nice weekend.

Choose the Best Bottle thanks to the Daily News.

Wine and Dine your Valentine Kansan style.

Wine with Chocolate courtesy Packet & Times.

Canada suggests Wine and Roses.

SF Examiner suggests a Sparkling Valentines Day.

Arizona tells you how to buy for cheap.

Choosing A Valentines Day Wine - 5 Tips

Epicurious (which, if you're not familiar with is a great resource for all things food and wine) has a handy list of five tips for choosing a wine in a restaurant on Valentines Day on their website. The list focuses on V-day, but it's also a pretty good list of suggestions for any night out when wine will be ordered. They offer suggestions on how to choose the right bottle for the meal, tips for saving cash and how to get the best value out of your order. It's super informative and will tip you off to things you've never considered about a wine menu that make a whole lot of sense. Bon Apetit!

New Wine and Cheese Classes

Murray's Cheese (the one and only) has teamed up with lavish Grand Central Station-located restaurant MÉTRAZUR to host wine and cheese classes a handful of times each month. The crew from Murray's will be on hand giving tutorials on fine cheese, while the sommeliers from MÉTRAZUR will teach you how and what to pair with artisinal cheeses. The first class is titled The Côte d'Azur at Charlie Palmer's MÉTRAZUR and will cover the world of Mediteranean wine and cheese. It takes place on March 7th, from 3-4:30 in the afternoon, and costs $75 to join up. There were seats available as of today, so if you're looking to expand your horizons - visit Murrays' Website to book your place.

Bubbles on a Budget

Continuing in the same vein as yesterday's post on fine wines on a budget, I stumbled across another article this morning - this one focusing on Champagne and sparkling wine on a budget. Since Valentines Day is right around the corner (Don't worry, I'll provide a comprehensive list of wine-related tips and suggestions for your romantic evening on Friday), I thought that getting a head start on buying bubbly for your big night was a good idea. Nothing says romance better than Champagne, unless of course you buy the cheapest, worst bottle in the store. But have no fear! Decider Milwaukee has the solution to your budget-related ills.

Here's a taste:

If romantic comedies have taught us anything, it's that soulfully attractive poor people are always preferable to rich snobs. (See Pretty Woman or Maid In Manhattan.) This lesson can be applied to sparkling wine: Spend an arm and a leg if you wish, but there are plenty of choices that are just as tasty as they are affordable.

Fine Wine, Finer Prices

The Boston Globe has a great little piece up today on how to try and buy fine wine without breaking your bank. The economy is in the dumps, people are losing their jobs, and I guess the least you could ask for is a decent glass of red for an affordable price right? That's their argument anyway. Follow the link for all the tips, but here's a short clip to get you started:

You've never needed a good bottle of wine more than now. And you're not alone. During tough economic times, research shows, Americans cling to their smallest, most indulgent pleasures, such as chocolate, cigarettes, and their favorite alcoholic beverage. So the only question is how to scale back on your wine costs without sacrificing quality. First, there are amazing bargain wines for under $10. There are also great options if you want to trade down from a $40 bottle to a $20 vintage. Figure out what you like - and what you can afford - by trying some for free. Wine classes and free tastings abound at liquor stores. Most shops offer samples on weekends, and some stores give daily tastings. The Wine Gallery in Brookline features a "Wine Jukebox" with 48 wines you can taste for free (up to six per visit) all week long. Blanchards Wine & Spirits in West Roxbury is hosting a tasting on Feb. 11 with samples of over 100 vintages - all for free. Featured wines are available for 20 percent off regular prices.

Dessert Wine May Be the Perfect Finish

In my mind, one of the most overlooked types of wine in America is the dessert wine. Maybe we spent too many years seeing our parents consume sugary-sweet rose's to think that any sort of sweet wine can be good, but whatever the case - that way of thinking is totally off base. A nice desert wine, whether it's ice wine, a Riesling or a traditional dessert variety, can be the perfect way to finish off a meal. It's sweet, light and the liquid equivalent of a really fine cake, pie or sorbet (hence the dessert title). The Napa Valley Register has a great piece singing the praises of dessert wines. The author also provides a number of excellent choices for taking your first steps into the world of dessert wine. Perhaps Valentine's Day is the perfect time to start?

From The Register:

Serve a delightful dessert wine to dinner guests and you’ve taken midweek mundane to weekend wonderful.Whether accompanying a homemade tart or a summery fruit soup, a dessert wine can provide palatable lift to the final course of a meal. In fact, a well-made glass of sweet wine in the style of Sauternes, or a pour of top-grade late harvest riesling, might well stand in for a homemade dessert.Certainly the benchmark for New World dessert wines is Dolce, the exquisite late harvest “liquid gold” first created in 1985 by the partners of Far Niente (Gil and Beth Nickel, Dirk Hampson and Larry Maguire). Director of winemaking Hampson maintains Dolce is “an extraordinary wine bred from a combination of sunshine, soil, fog, expertise and dedication. Dolce embraces a simply deceptive philosophy — the pursuit of perfection in the art of late harvest winemaking.”

Wine for the Socially Conscious

For those of you who often feel your love of wine and astute moral imperatives have to butt heads - have no fear! I just stumbled upon a great little article on AuburnPub.com that highlights the Fair Trade Issue as it relates to the wine industry. The author breaks things down pretty comprehensively, as well as provides a number of vineyards and vintages that offer vino with a Fair Trade stamp of approval. Follow the link if you're interested in learning a little bit more.

A Buyers Market

I know that there's been a lot in the news about the struggling economy, but I just finished reading a really fascinating article in the LA Times with a different outlook for the wine industry. Fresh off news last week that America is now the largest market for wine on the planet, it appears that most retailers are finding an increasing number of specials and lowered prices for the wine America loves to consume. It's a buyers market, you might say, and more people are buying than you might expect.

Here's a brief clip from the article. You can read the entire piece by following the link to The Times website.

Indeed, there's a prevailing sense that, even in tough economic times, Americans have not lost their thirst for good wine, and its enjoyment has become a regular part of their lives. We all may be watching our pennies, but so far, at any rate, we haven't been willing to part with this everyday pleasure. The genie is out of the bottle, and the only place it's going to go is into a glass.

NY Liquor Store Owners Outraged Over Grocery Sales

According to a report from Channel Nine News in Syracuse, many liquor store owners in the state of New York are up in arms about the potential new legislation that will allow grocery stores to sell wine and spirits. Up until now, the right to sell high-alcohol content like bourbon or fine wine has been restricted to liquor-specific stores. With the advent of legislation allowing grocery chains to sell these products, prices could fall and liquor stores could feel the hurt.

Here's a clip from the article on Nine News' Website:

"Steve Medeiros owns Mack’s Liquor Mart in Geddes, and he says if this proposal were to go through it would cost him his business.“It would just put us under right there -- 70 percent of my business is wine,” he says.

Mike Farrugia, owner of four Big M stores, disagrees. “We’d put them out? It would make them better. Competition made me better, whether it be Wal-Mart or other competition in our area,” says Farrugia. Farrugia says it will increase business for wineries, placing their product in more places. Medeiros, though, argues that having wine at supermarkets adds more convenience for shoppers -- so why make a second stop for wine at a liquor store? “There are 35 other states that do this -- it wouldn’t be unique to New York,” says Farrugia. Medeiros hopes New York doesn’t become number 36."

Private Collection, Professional Storage

Serious about your wine collection but running short on space? Join the club - the majority of New Yorkers with high-end collections often times find it hard to make room for a cellar. Even if you happen to be one of the lucky ones that actually have a cellar in NYC, the chances of it being a large cellar are slim to none. Luckily, GWS offers premium quality storage of your collection that's safe, efficient and secure.

GWS's storage vaults are climate controlled to ensure that not only are your bottles safe and accessible, but that they're also in the perfect environment for aging. We monitor light levels, humidity and temperature. Follow the link to check out the website if you're interested.