Tag Archives: travel

New York Nostalgia: Thirsty Thursday and Ravines Red 2013

Posted on April 9, 2015 by waywardwine

Welcome to Wayward Wine’s Thirsty Thursday installment.

We missed Upstate New York. Not for its brutal winters, bland food, or attitude, but for its wine. In four years, upstate shed my academic scales and replaced them with a shimmering new vinous skin. My many failed attempts at home wine production engendered a respect for those who made wine there. And Ravines was king. Their 2010 Finger Lakes Dry Riesling was one of the few that could challenge Germany (review here). Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Cabernet Franc, Finger Lakes, New York, Noiret, ravines, red blend, table wine, travel, wine | 1 Comment

Prague Castle and Vineyard: EU Austerity Drinking Tour Czech Republic

Posted on March 30, 2015 by waywardwine

Wait… Where were we? Oh right! After packing a lifetime of museums, sacher torte, and gruner veltliner into three days in Vienna, we trundled onto a train and headed to Prague, Czechoslovakia (click here):

The trip’s pace has been manic. 149 straight days of travel demanded that we slow down. We even rented a hotel this time. Our first Czech wine purchase, Sovin Pinot Noir, was barely drinkable. So we head out for beer.

Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Austrian Hungarian Empire, Beer, Czech Republic, holy roman empire, prague, prague castle, travel, vines, wine | 1 Comment

Salzburg Christmas Markets and Fortress Hohensalzburg

Posted on December 24, 2014 by waywardwine

In case Christmas Eve gets too festive, I’m posting this now.

142 days of travel and we have winterized ourselves. Our EU Austerity Drinking Tour leaves icy, sober Dachau for the Austrian border and glorious Salzburg! Home to Mozart, music, and…salt. Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Austria, Champagner, Christmas market, Classical Music, Europe, Mozart, Music, Salzburg, travel | 2 Comments

Strasbourg Part 2: Historic Wine Cave beneath a Hospice: Cremant and Pinot Gris Grand Cru

Posted on November 17, 2014 by waywardwine

Last Monday’s EU Austerity Drinking Tour landed us in Strasbourg’s Christmas markets, on top of its Cathedral, and enjoying its wine. Today, we descend into the caves of the Hospice de Strasbourg.

As with our visit, not ten days prior, to Burgundy’s Hospice de Beaune, we find Strasbourg had its own, even older medical, religious, wine cellar. Since 1395, cellars beneath the city’s hospital provided wine as medicine and sacrament. Like Beaune, this hospice gained vine-land from guilty proprietors bent on heaven. Although wine-making stalled during the last century, it reformed as a cooperative in 1995. Let’s see what survived the centuries. Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Alsace, Cave Historique Hospices de Strasbourg, Cremant, France, French wine, Gisselbrecht, Grand cru, hospice de Strasbourg, Kirchberg de Barr, Pinot Gris, Sparkling wine, Strasbourg, travel, Wine Cellar | 1 Comment

Fontenay Abbey: Au Revoir Bourgogne

Posted on October 27, 2014 by waywardwine

Having hit 130 days of nonstop travel, our EU Austerity Drinking Tour needs a moment of sober solace. The last three days in Burgundy have climbed Beaune’s premier cru vineyards, visited the Hospice de Beaune, and Dijon’s medieval gems.

Today we wake at 9am, feast on chocolate croissants, then hop train to Montbard. Our small map puts famed Fontenay Abbey nearby. Since UNESCO declared Fontenay a World Heritage Site on our birth-year, it must be worth a day trip. But the 6 kilometer march, without sidewalk, near freezing, turn this into surprise penance. Continue reading →