Author Archives: waywardwine

About waywardwine

Follow Wayward Wine (WSET3) to tour the world's exciting vineyards, breweries, and distilleries, while discovering new drinks.

Thirsty Thursday: Stone Cottage Cellars, Gewurztraminer, West Elks AVA, Colorado 2012

Posted on April 24, 2014 by waywardwine

So…Colorado:

This land-locked state gains fame for its Rocky Mountains, Broncos, and Coors: the largest…single brewery…in the world (22 million barrels roll out annually).

But they also grow grapes.

Let me put my cowboy hat on and you a tale. Along the Gunnison river, around Hotchkiss and Paonia, in the shadow of snow-capped peaks, lays the West Elks AVA. Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Colorado, Coors, Gewürztraminer, Stone Cottage Cellars, West Elks, West Elks AVA | Leave a comment

Easter Alleviation: Langlois-Chateau, Brut Rose, Cremant de Loire, France NV

Posted on April 17, 2014 by waywardwine

Easter arrives this weekend. But before you ruin both Cooks, André, Prosecco (and your palate) with orange juice, elegant-up your game with a Brut Rosé from the Loire. Parisian bistros pretty much funnel the stuff upriver, filling glasses of beret … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Brut, Cabernet Franc, Easter, Langlois, Langlois Chateau, Loire, Rosé | 2 Comments

Barcelona: Roman Winery and Modern Bottle Shop

Posted on April 14, 2014 by waywardwine

We leave the Pyrenees-locked country of Andorra on the 104th day of our EU Austerity Drinking Tour. Spain is our next step: land of Cava, Rioja, Bierzo, Ribera del Duero and countless other wines.

Cliff castles, shrub-dusted hills, Romanesque churches, and deep ravines all zip past like a slide show. Then fingered rocks form the most surreal horizon.

After a few hours, the road straightens, the land flattens, and agriculture and industry take over the landscape. We grow tired of a chatty traveler from Israel. Less dramatic villages crawl by, occasionally peppered by a ruin or two. Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged barcelona, cava, Llopart, Penedes, Roman winemaking, Spain, vila viniteca | 3 Comments

Thirsty Thursday: Hugel, Gentil, Alsace, France 2012

Posted on April 10, 2014 by waywardwine

Bordering Germany lays Alsace.

In 75 years, Germans and French swapped the region four times. The wines share this borderland mentality where Francophone varieties like Pinot Gris, Blanc, and Noir touch vineyards of Gewürztraminer, Riesling, and Sylvaner. What better introduction to this melting pot than a blend, the only blend from one of Alsace’s largest, but oldest (1639!) and most respected producers: Hugel et Fils. Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged 2012, Alsace France, Gentil, Gewürztraminer, Hugel, pinot blanc, Pinot Gris, pinot noir, riesling, Sylvaner, Thirsty Thursday | 4 Comments

Touring Andorra: Where Gray is the New Black

Posted on April 7, 2014 by waywardwine

100 days of travel finds us in our first, real, shiny hotel. We wake in Europe’s highest capital: Andorra la Vella: trapped between Spain and France.

Grape vines are scant (mainly Muscat), because mountains make up most of this tiny country. So our EU Austerity Drinking Adventure puts on its sober hat. We have a double bus tour.

It climbs out of town, winding through ravines. We stop by a tiny stone church.

Inside we find gilt wooden altars, tiny pews, a mirco-organ, and ancient frescoes (most of which were purloined by the Spanish). Continue reading →