Every Monday, discover new wines, regions, and ways to understand this fermenting sea.
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Munching Vidal Blanc on Keuka Lake, New York
Author Archives: waywardwine
Night Cap: Eola Hills, Port Style Wine, Cabernet Sauvignon, Oregon 2007 LBV
With Turkey Day winding down, the family leaving, and dirty dishes at bay: you only have room for this.
Last Thursday’s Dry Riesling kicked winter in the ear. Today, Wayward Wine turns once more to that stalwart of winter-bound, fireside drinks: Port.
Years ago, we featured Warre’s Late Bottle Vintage 2000 Port (here). Neither a cheap, young Ruby, nor an expensive, age-able Vintage: their LBV forged a middle path into Portuguese fortified wine. Its sultry balance of spice, fruit, alcohol, and readiness reminded us of a belly dancer.
But can Oregon pull off the same trick? Continue reading
Chenonceau Castle, Gamay, and a new AOC Touraine Chenonceaux: EU Austerity Drinking Tour #50
Before our EU Austerity Drinking Tour leaves the central Loire for it’s Atlantic Coast, we have to squeeze in a castle. Think of Bordeaux. You probably think of famed Châteaux. But most of those are 19th century, retro-wannabes. Only true, … Continue reading
Posted in Loire, WINERIES WANDERED
Tagged Château, Château de Chenonceau, Chenonceau, Cher, Cher River, Disney, Disney Princess, Gamay, Loire, LoireValley, malbec, Malic acid, Sauvignon blanc, Touraine
3 Comments
Winter White Wine: Dry Riesling, Canoe Ridge, Snipes Vineyard, Columbia Valley, Washington 2007
Frost paints the earth silver. Thermostats shrink. Chill seeps through windows.
Instead of turning to robust reds for comfort, Wayward Wine will steer you from conformity. A huge Cabernet would crush your Thanksgiving turkey or Christmans goose. Instead, share the season’s cold snap and turn to a rich winter white.
This Thursday, our palates race to the highest elevations in Washington State. The grapes in question grew an average of 1,300 feet above sea level. They come from wine’s newest fringes: Horse Heaven Hills and Rattlesnake Hills, regions certified only in 2005 and 2006 respectively. Continue reading
Posted in EMPTIED BOTTLES, Riesling, White
Tagged Alsace, bread pudding, Canoe Ridge, Canoe Ridge Vineyard, Canoe Ridge Vineyards, Cascade Mountain, Christmas, Germany, Horse Heaven Hills, Jean Claude Van Damme, Matzo ball soup, Paul Gregutt, Rattlesnake Hills, riesling, Stag's Leap, Thanksgiving, Volvo, Vosges Mountains, Washington, Wine Enthusiast
4 Comments
Wine Tour Made Easy: Maison des Vins de Loire de Tours, France: EU Austerity Drinking Tour #49
This Monday’s EU Austerity Drinking Tour takes us on a whirlwind wine tour of the Loire…indoors.
Last Monday’s postcard post saw a sun-drenched bike ride.
But, back in Tours, while enjoying its centuries-old city center…
The clouds open, drench, and, drive us…well…into a bottle shop (surprise!):
Maison des Vins de Loire de Tours. A group of winemakers and negociants wanted to educate visitors about the Loire’s many wines, grapes, and regions. So they set up tasting rooms in Tours, Saumur, Nantes, and Angers.
Yes, it’s for tourists. But mostly locals popped in: partly out of pride, partly because the prices are low.
Overwhelmed by their range, hospitality, and knowledge, we visit it twice. Here are some highlights: Continue reading
Posted in Loire, WINERIES WANDERED
Tagged Aunis, Azay-le-Rideau, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, chenin blanc, European Union, France, Grolleau, Loire, LoireValley, Paris, Prieuré de Saint-Cosme, Ronsard, Saint-Cosme Priory, Tour, Touraine, Vouvray
5 Comments
A FOODLESS WINE FEAST OF PENFOLDS #MWWC5
No greater feast of wine befits this Monthly Wine Writing Challenge (MWWC5):
It is 7:48 am. I should be in bed. Instead, work has me walking into a conference room. No one told me why. My waxen eyes fall on some bottles:
“Hmm, eight Penfolds for breakfast. Nothing like big, Australian reds instead of waffles. Sorry liver.”
But beyond this glass regiment, at the table’s end, sits a decanter and a bottle.
Grange. Bin 95. 2008.
Oh yes.
But before Penfolds’ big turkey, an hour of lecture drags on like the NFL Pre-Game Show: informative but missing the point of turkey day. Finally, the feast begins with “appetizers”: Continue reading
Posted in EMPTIED BOTTLES, Red, Syrah
Tagged 2008, Australia, Bin 407, Bin 707, Bin 95, Cabernet Sauvignon, Corn Bread, cranberry sauce, gluhwein, Grange, NFL, NFL pregame show, Oak, Penfold, Penfolds, rwt, Shiraz, South Australia, St Henri, Syrah, Thanksgiving, turkey, wine, Wine Advocate, Wine Spectator
13 Comments
WAYWARD WINE 