16 February 2012 Chocolate Shop – Chocolate Red Wine

Chocolate Shop – Chocolate Red Wine

February 16, 2012 By

Last night, I had the pleasure of joining a group of wine writers for an online tasting of Chocolate Red Wine by Chocolate Shop.  I admit I was a bit pessimistic about yet another flavored wine, but this one surprised me.

The wine is a blend of multiple grapes (Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, etc…) that’s flavored with premium chocolate prior to bottling.  The wine is best enjoyed within 12 months of bottling – each bottle is lasered with the bottling date.

In the glass, this wine is a deep ruby with bold cherry cordial aromas.  On the palate, it’s less sweet/sugary than one might expect with the bold flavors of the fruity wine coming through.  On the finish, it’s smooth with a hint of sweet cocoa from the 7% residual sugar.

This wine would pair beautifully with rare duck or other game.  It might also work drizzled over premium vanilla ice cream.

The price point on this wine is $15 and it can be found at major liquor stores, grocery stores or via the winemaker’s website.

Cheers,

Veronique

 

 

Filed Under: Dessert Wine, Red Wine, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , ,
3 February 2012 2009 Pascal Cotat Sancerre Les Monts Damnes

2009 Pascal Cotat Sancerre Les Monts Damnes

February 3, 2012 By

Domaine Pascal Cotat

The pale green color of this wine in the glass is a little deceiving to what this rich wine tastes like.  On the nose, it’s an explosion of tropical fruit.  In the mouth, it’s opulent with juicy grapefruit, lime and papaya. Nice mineral levels that complement the lushness of this Sancerre. This wine has a 14.5% alcohol level and can improve with some cellaring.

Style: White

Grape Type(s): Sauvignon Blanc

Region: Loire Valley, France

Around $50

 

 

Filed Under: Dessert Wine, France, Sauvignon Blanc, White Wine, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , ,
13 October 2011 Putting the Super in Wine Library Super Tasting

Putting the Super in Wine Library Super Tasting

October 13, 2011 By

Monday evening, I took my dad and his spouse, Rolande, to the Wine Library Super Tasting being held at beautiful The Manor in West Orange, NJ.  The event coincided perfectly with my dad’s yearly pilgrimage to see me in New Jersey from Quebec, so I was excited to surprise them with tickets to the tasting.

A portion of the proceeds from the event will benefit The Gateway Chamber of Commerce Scholarship Fund, which is geared toward students pursuing technical and career oriented education.

With over 700 wines being poured, it was imperative that I arrive at the event prepared.  To add to the excitement of attending the tasting, I created a database where names of the wines we wanted to taste along with their table numbers could be added.  From there, I had my dad and Rolande compile a list of wines they would like to sample and I built mine.  There was no overlap – they opted for strictly French and I diversified.  Once the list was compiled, I ranked the wines by table number and also by wine type and printed the grid that we each brought a copy with us.  Simple and efficient!

Here is our master list:

Super Tasting Wines – 101011

Being organized allowed us to taste all the wines we wanted to sample, it kept us focused and it avoided the familiar “where do you want to go next? I don’t know, where do you want to go next?” situation that arises from poor planning.

The 2011 Wine Library Super Tasting was a super event indeed and one I’ll be certain to attend in future years.  Thanks to the friendly staff of the Wine Library for being so helpful, as always and for making its patrons feel much pampered.

Cheers,

Veronique

Filed Under: Culinary Travel Tales, Dessert Wine, Other Neat Things, Red Wine, Sparkling Wine, White Wine Tagged With: , ,
28 September 2011 2005 Château Filhot Sauternes

2005 Château Filhot Sauternes

September 28, 2011 By

Tried the Sauternes on my brand new dessert wine glasses and what a nice treat.  The wine is straw-yellow in the glass and not as unctuous as I’m used to seeing in Sauternes.  On the nose, there’s candied fruit, the typical honey and some ripe tropical fruit.  In the mouth, the 2005 Chateau Filhot Sauternes is full-bodied with a deep sweetness and a very nice level of acidity.

90 points Wine Spectator.

Around $25 (375ml).

Filed Under: Dessert Wine, Wine Reviews Tagged With: ,
27 December 2010 2007 Carmes de Rieussec Sauternes

2007 Carmes de Rieussec Sauternes

December 27, 2010 By

'07 Carmes de Rieussec Sauternes

Although the second wine of Château Rieussec, this dessert (fortified) wine is not a second rate Sauternes in any way.  The color is a rich golden hue.  The nose is honey and ripe citrus.  On the palate, this Sauternes is unctuous, thick, sweet and bold with juicy peach.

Know most of us think of sparkling wine when celebrating, but this affordable Sauternes should also come to mind.  Served this wine with foie gras and confit onion and carrot and it was a fantastic pairing.

Around $25 for 375ml bottle.

Filed Under: Dessert Wine, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , , ,
30 November 2010 2007 Anthony Road Sweet Dream

2007 Anthony Road Sweet Dream

November 30, 2010 By

2007 Anthony Road Sweet Dream

Using Vignoles grapes (French-American hybrid), Anthony Road Wine Company is able to create a dessert wine that’s balanced with a nice level of acidity to cut through the honey and ripe peach flavors and long finish. 8.6% residual sugar.

Around $15.99 (375ml).

Filed Under: Dessert Wine, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,
20 November 2010 2008 Heron Hill Late Harvest Vidal Blanc

2008 Heron Hill Late Harvest Vidal Blanc

November 20, 2010 By

I really enjoy late harvest wines, so was excited to try the 2008 Late Harvest Vidal Blanc.  It offers a honeyed and lush ripe fruit flavors and has a nice spicy finish and 11.7% residual sugar level that I loved.

Style: Late Harvest / Dessert Wine

Grape Type(s): Vidal Blanc

Region: Finger Lakes, NY

Around $17.99 (375ml)

Filed Under: Dessert Wine, Wine Reviews Tagged With: , , ,
13 November 2010 Anthony Road Wine Company – A Seneca Lake Jewel

Anthony Road Wine Company – A Seneca Lake Jewel

November 13, 2010 By

Anthony Road Wine Sign

On a recent visit to the Finger Lakes wine region of New York, I had the pleasure of visiting Anthony Road Wine Company at the recommendation of Lenn Thompson of the New York Cork Report.  My initial reaction to seeing the beautiful structure the tasting room resides in was – wow, what wines might be waiting for me in such a facility?

Anthony Road Winery was opened in 1990 by Ann and John Martini in a farm shed on their property.  It has since prospered into an award-winning Finger Lakes winery.  Johannes Reinhardt is the winemaker and comes from a German winemaking family involved in the business since 1438.

Here are the wines sampled during our visit:

  • 2009 Semi-Sweet Riesling: Offers cantaloupe and lime aromas with slightly sweet notes and a crisp finish. $14.99.
  • 2007 Chardonnay – No Oak: Light, straight-forward wine with creamy finish. Not a buttery Chard for certain. $12.99
  • 2008 Cabernet Franc / Lemberger: Perhaps the best example of Lemberger I’ve seen in the Finger Lakes – medium-bodied, cherry on the palate with a dry finish. $17.99.
  • 2009 Pinot Noir: Fermented and aged in French oak, this wine offers red fruit, but in the form of ripe strawberries versus the typical cherry found in many Pinots.  There are hints of cocoa there that make this wine slightly earthy. $19.98.
  • Tony’s Red: Was boasted as the ‘pizza red’ and it was – light and fruity wine to be enjoyed with casual fares on any week night. $8.99.
  • 2007 Sweet Dream: Using Vignoles grapes (French-American hybrid), Anthony Road Wine Company is able to create a dessert wine that’s balanced with a nice level of acidity to cut through the honey and ripe peach flavors and long finish. 8.6% residual sugar. $15.99 (375ml).

You can find Anthony Road Winery products online at the winery’s web store, at nearby liquor stores and at the winery located at:

1020 Anthony Road

Penn Yan, NY, 14527

Social media fans can ‘like’ Anthony Road Wine Company’s Facebook page.

Filed Under: Culinary Travel Tales, Dessert Wine, Red Wine, White Wine Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,
7 November 2010 Heron Hill Winery – Finger Lakes Wines Done Well in a Gorgeous Space

Heron Hill Winery – Finger Lakes Wines Done Well in a Gorgeous Space

November 7, 2010 By

Photo Credit: Heron Hill Winery

Since its first vintage in 1977, Heron Hill has grown from a small 5,000 case winery that only made white wines into an award-winning, dynamic, 20,000 case production facility and entertainment destination for more than 50,000 people every year.

Overlooking scenic Keuka Lake, the winery’s tasting room is a sprawling, beautiful space with neat architecture and a friendly staff.  At the recommendation of Lenn Thompson of the New York Cork Report, my tasting party met with tasting hall manager, Tambi Schweizer during a recent visit to the winery.  Tambi’s knowledge of her products and her enthusiasm for the wine business is palpable and made my party’s time at the winery all the more enjoyable.

Our tasting focused primarily on comparing various wines of the same varietal against one another with a peppering of other neat finds.

  • First on the list were the 2008 Ingle Vineyards Chardonnay Unoaked ($14.99) and the 2009 Classic Chardonnay Unoaked ($12.99).  Both wines are light and refreshing with notes of green apple, but the former is super well-balanced with lemony undertones and mineral-infused, longish finish. Both enjoyable, but Ingle Vineyards will only found at the winery (which I did).
  • Second, and being sampled alone, was the 2008 Reserve Pinot Blanc ($17.99).  Nice all-purpose wine with crisp green apple nose and the right level of acidity that would make it likeable with food or without.
  • Next on agenda were the 2007 Reserve Old Vines Riesling ($24.99), the 2008 Classic Dry Riesling ($12.99) and the 2007 Ingle Vineyard Riesling ($14.99).  All three are nice examples of Finger Lakes Rieslings, but the Reserve with its bold juicy citrus bouquet and crisp finish reminded me of the best tastings in Mosel.  The Ingle offers the characteristics I enjoy in a Riesling: lemony, tart green apple but with a richness and crisp finish I crave to pair with shellfish.
  • Tambi offered a nice treat, the 2009 Classic Muscat ($12.99).  Tropical flower nose, tropical fruit flavors. Neat wine.
  • We moved on to sweeter Rieslings with the 2008 Classic Semi-Dry Riesling ($12.99) and the 2009 Classic Semi-Sweet Riesling ($12.99).  The Semi-Dry is Heron Hill’s most popular Riesling – for good reasons. It’s sweet on the palate, dry on the finish with a nice amount of acidity.  The Semi-Sweet is super with its mouthful of juicy pear/peach and its flowery nose – craving spicy Indian food just remembering it.
  • Next on the agenda were the Pinot Noirs: 2007 Ingle Vineyard Pinot Noir ($14.99) and the 2007 Reserve Pinot Noir ($29.99).  The Ingle Vineyard is light in color and offers a silky mouthfeel and cherry/raspberry flavors.  The slightly smoky reserve is fuller-bodied, boasts of bright cherries in the glass, on the nose and on the palate.  Nice wine.
  • Next were the 2007 Classic Cabernet Franc ($12.99) and the 2006 Eclipse Red ($13.99).  The Cab Franc is a nice example of a varietal that not all vineyards in the Finger Lakes do well.  Food-friendly wine with big mouthful of ripe raspberries and oaky finish.  Can’t wait to pair this wine with my porcini risotto.
  • Last but certainly not least were the Late Harvest wines: 2005 Late Harvest Chardonnay ($44.99) and the 2007 Late Harvest Vidal Blanc ($17.99).  Love late harvest wines, so was excited to try these.  Both offer a honeyed and lush ripe fruit flavors but the Vidal Blanc has a nice spicy finish and 13.5% residual sugar level that I loved.

The wines are enjoyable and showcase Finger Lakes favorites in a positive light.  Visiting the winery around lunchtime?  Don’t hesitate to grab a tasty bite at the Heron Hill Café located on the premises.  Ask for the ‘adult grilled cheese’ not featured on the menu, it’s a winner.

To order Heron Hill wines, visit the winery online or better yet, stop by the tasting room located at:

9301 County Route 76

Hammondsport, NY 14840

Telephone: 800-441-4241

Follow Heron Hill Winery on Twitter at www.twitter.com/heronhillwinery or like its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/heronhillwinery.

Filed Under: Culinary Travel Tales, Dessert Wine, Red Wine, White Wine Tagged With: , , , , , ,
4 November 2010 Hermann J Wiemer – The Fame and Attitude are Warranted

Hermann J Wiemer – The Fame and Attitude are Warranted

November 4, 2010 By

Most fans of Finger Lakes wines and Mosel-style Rieslings have heard of Hermann J. Wiemer, and the fame, awards and accolades are well-deserved.

The winery’s history is rich with Hermann J. Wiemer’s mother coming from a family of Mosel winemakers dating back 300 years and a father who was a skilled nurseryman.  Hermann J. Wiemer is regarded as one of the pioneers of viticulture and winemaking in the Finger Lakes.

During a recent visit to the winery, I encountered an attitude I had not experienced at any other Finger Lakes wineries that was reminiscent of some French vineyards.  The attitude was pure – ‘you’re privileged to be tasting our wines in this space today’.  Do I think the attitude is warranted?  Mostly, yes for the following three reasons:

Wiemer Building

First, the ‘barn’ housing the winery is fabulous.  The winery was designed in 1982 by an award-winning team of Cornell architects. Enclosed within the shell of the 70-year-old scissor-trussed barn is the wine shop, the tasting room and the production facilities.

Second, our tasting was conducted by Michael, a catering company owner from Manhattan who makes weekend trips to Hermann J. Wiemer to share his passion and wine expertise with winery guests.  Loved him.

Third, most of the wines are simply great.  Our tasting included the following wines:

  • 2008 Dry Riesling: What Wiemer’s known for – crisp, light lime floral bouquet with a minerals-laden long finish. Around $17.50.
  • 2008 Semi-Dry Riesling:  Rich, peachy bouquet and an almost orangey flavor. Unctuous finish that lingers. Think – spicy Thai food. Around $17.
  • 2009 Gewürztraminer: Ripe pear with nice spicy finish. Around $22.
  • 2008 Frost Cuvee: A blend of Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Cuvee of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc, this is an easy-going wine that’d be perfect sipped on a warm summer day at an outdoor party. Not complicated, with peach aroma and a dry finish. Around $12.
  • 2009 Late Harvest Riesling: This Spätlese-style wine is full bodied, rich with a 5.9% residual sugar. Mouthful of honey and ripe green apple.  Around $23.
  • 2007 Cabernet Franc: This wine sees new and old French oak barrels and is bursting with bright fruit and offers soft tannins. Around $25.

Hermann J. Wiemer wines are relatively easy to find at local wine stores, at least compared to some other Finger Lakes wine brands.  You can also purchase wines online at http://wiemer.com/shop/ and at the winery’s story located at:

3962 Route 14

Dundee, NY 14837

Click HERE for driving directions

Telephone: 607 243 7971

Make a point to visit this winery when touring the Finger Lakes wine region.

Filed Under: Culinary Travel Tales, Dessert Wine, Red Wine, White Wine Tagged With: , , , ,
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