Virginia Wine Festival - Top 10 Festivals

If you are in the Washington DC/Northern Virginia area check out the
Virginia Wine Festival, September 18-19, 2011 in Centreville, VA. It has been recognized as one of the Top 10 Wine Festivals in the country.


The festival offers several workshops & seminars including "wine an food", "wine appreciation" and "wine 101 plus".

Virginia Wine Festival

Saturday, Sept. 18th & Sunday, Sept. 19th, 2011

11am-6pm

Bull Run Regional Park Special Events Center

14925 Compton Road

Centreville, VA 20121

Tickets $25 (adv) $30 (gate)

Information at www.virginiawinefestival.com

Summer White Wine Sangria

As summer temperatures reach seasonal highs, a cool glass of white wine sangria could be an appealing source of relief.  Check out the mix below. 

INGREDIENTS

• 3 bottles pinot grigio
• 1 1/2 cups brandy
• 3/4 cup orange liquer
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 orange, thinly sliced
• 1  blood orange, thinly sliced
• 3 kumquats, sliced
• 1 lime, thinly sliced

Directions

In a large pitcher, combine the wine, brandy, and orange liqueur. Pour in the sugar, stir or shake the pitcher thoroughly to mix. Add all citrus slices at once. Allow the mixture to sit for 1 hour before serving to allow the citrus flavor to come through.

Wine Festival Tips

One of the perks of summer is the diversity of food and wine festivals. These can be great venues to not only satisfy your palate, but also a low-key and super easy way to learn more about wine. Here are a few tips to make the most of festivals:

1. Sample from a wide variety of wines. Make a point to jot down on a notepad selections you like the most, and feel free to chat with the winemakers.
2. Remember to pace yourself. The goal is to taste the wine and not get intoxicated. As a precautionary measure, it is always a good idea to have someone serve as the designated driver.
3. As you taste hold each sample in your mouth for about 15 seconds before spitting it into a convenient cup or spittoon. This will ensure that you have a better chance to discern the subtleties of flavor. And yes, spitting is actually an acceptable practice at a tasting.
4. Eat before going to the festival and eat again while there. You definitely do not want to taste on an empty stomach.
5. Start sampling at the end of vintner displays. Most people start at the beginning. Starting at the end (or back) will allow you to deal with a smaller crowd.
6. Dress comfortably. At most festivals, you will be walking and standing quite a bit. Also, you might want to carry a small bottle of “Wine Away” or a Tide Stain stick for those unexpected wine accidents.
7. Most importantly, have fun. Wine festivals are about savoring the moment with all your senses.

Chef G. Garvin Shares Wine Picks for Three-Course Meal

Check out a feature in People Magazine about Chef G. Garvin's wine selection for a three-course meal.  Click HERE for the article.

 

Featured Wine Store: Harlem Vintage

Eric Woods and Jai Jai Greenfield, co-owners of Harem Vintage

Next time you are in New York City, be sure to travel uptown and check out Harlem Vintage. Store owners Eric Woods and Jai Jai Greenfield with their charming, unimposing style are on an ongoing mission to educate and share their passion for wine. Although the store carries up to 300 different labels, the boutique vintner has a special “Wines of Color” selection, which features wines made by African Americans. 

 

“Harlem is such a special place,” says Greenfield, “and we wanted the store and selection to reflect its rich history.”

Woods decided to open the store because of his difficulty in finding a decent bottle of wine in his Harlem neighborhood. So the ad exec-by-day and wine enthusiast-by-night teamed up with college pal Greenfield to break new ground in Harlem's flourishing restaurant scene.

“People were so ready for us,” recalls Woods. “We had a sign in the window that read ‘Wine Store Coming’ and people kept peeking in asking ‘When are you opening?’” 

Green and Woods have also expanded their business by opening a wine bar, Nectar,  next door to the store.

Harlem Vintage and Nectar are located at 2235 Frederick Douglas Boulevard, Harlem, NY.  Click HERE to view the Harlem Vintage web site.

Wine, Soul Food & Wine-Simmered Collard Greens

Have you ever considered wine and soul food?  The two surprisingly can be quite complimentary.  By expanding the imagination, you could be substituting a glass of sweet tea for wine.  Check out a few suggestions for the next time you are preparing a soul food (or southern cuisine) meal.

  

• Pair Viogner wine with fried chicken.  This white wine has a rich full bodied taste and can be a satisfying compliment with the "gospel bird."

• At the next cookout, consider a Rosé pairing with your potato salad.  This red wine has a combination fruity, acidity and refreshing taste. Zinfadel (red, dark fruit) is also an excellent compliment with the traditional soul food side dish.

Wine Simmered Collard Greens

Spice up those greens, by simmering them in a white wine such as gewürztraminer .
 
4 tbsp. canola oil
1⁄4 lb. slab bacon, cubed
6 cloves garlic, smashed
1 yellow onion, quartered
1 1⁄2 lbs. collard greens (about 40 leaves),
stemmed and roughly chopped
2 cups white wine, such as gewürztraminer
4 cups chicken broth
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper,
to taste
1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 tsp. sugar

1. Heat 2 tbsp. oil in an 8-qt. stockpot over medium-high heat. Add bacon; cook, stirring occasionally, until bacon is browned and crisp, about 12 minutes. Transfer bacon to a bowl with a slotted spoon.


 2. Add garlic and onions to pot; cook until onions are golden, 8–10 minutes. Using the slotted spoon, transfer the garlic and onions to the bowl with the bacon.


 3. Add the remaining oil and greens to pot; cook until greens are slightly wilted, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and bring to a boil; cook until liquid is reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Add broth, 4 cups water, and reserved bacon, onions, and garlic; season lightly with salt and pepper. Boil; reduce heat to medium low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the collards are tender, about 2 hours. Stir in vinegar and sugar and season with salt and pepper.

SERVES 6 (recipe from saveur.com)

Wine 101: White Wines

White Wines for the most part are appreciated for their light, subtle favors.  They tend to not be as overpowering as the reds so they are often easily accessible.

As you sample white wines, and reds as well, note the flavors and aromas identified.  Wine tasting is about enjoying a sensory experience.  Make a point of trying several of the popular white wine varieties below:

Chardonnay is a versatile wine grape whose flavor and aromas are easily influenced by where it’s grown and how it’s made.  Chardonnay grows well in Burgandy, France and cool coastal area of California. Favorite with seafood.

Riesling is a crisp, clean wine with green apple, pear and lime flavors.  With age, Riesling takes on honey flavors.  Riesling grows well in Germany, the Alsace regions of France, Finger Lakes region of New York, and parts of Australia and Washington State.  Pairs well with spicy foods, poultry and pork.  Try with Thai food.

Pinot Gris is made from grapes that generally produce different styles of wine depending on where grapes are grown.  Pinot Gris grows well in the Alsace region of France, Oregon and New Zealand.  The Italian style, Pinot Grigio, tends to be fresh, crisp and refreshing.  Sample either with seafood and pasta dishes, vegetarian food and poultry.

Sauvignon Blanc is a fresh, crisp, aromatic wine with grapefruit and grassy flavors.  This wine is the star of the Loire region of France.  It also shines in the Bordeaux region and New Zealand.  Sauvignon Blanc is a food friendly wine that goes well with seafood, poultry and vegetable dishes.

 

Common White Wine flavors & aromas

• Citrus (lemon, orange, grapefruit, lime, nectarine)
• Floral (honeysuckle, violets, jasmine)
• Fruit (apple, pear)
• Tropical (melon, pineapple)
• Butter
• Honey
• Herbaceous (grass, herbs)
• Earthy

From Baltimore to Sonoma: Vance Sharp's Amazing Journey

Vance Sharp, Owner of Sharp Cellars

Baltimore native, Vance Sharp, shares how he ended up in Sonoma, California, and started his vineyard, Sharp Cellars, in a video interview with Wine Library TV.  Vance is also a founding member and past president of the Association of African American Vintners.

Click HERE to view video.

Hollywood and Vine: Celebrities Join Wine Business

Jonathan Smith (Lil John)

Besides fame, what do Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, soccer athlete David Beckham, actor Angelina Jolie, and rapper/producer Jonathan Smith, better known by stage name Lil John, have in common? They are winemakers.

Whether as vintner partners or vineyard owners, the world's rich and famous are making their mark in the wine industry.  Beyond the notion of entering the industry as a chic hobby, celebrity vintners are making high quality, award-winning wines.

In 2009, Smith, who owns Little Jonathan Wine Company with winemaker Alison Crowe, surprised the industry by winning a silver medal at the Los Angeles International Wine and Spirits Competition for his Central Coast Chardonnay. 

Could this be a new trend?  

Click HERE for a featured article in MSNBC. Click HERE for an AOL Daily Finance interview with Smith discussing his wine business venture.

Study Finds Climate Change Could Threaten California Wine Industry

Climate change is not just an environmental threat, but a wine industry threat.

According to a Standford University Study released last week, the effects of global warming in the next 30 years could adversely impact wine production in California's Napa and Santa Barbara Counties. The Los Angeles Times reports that high-value vineyards in California could shrink by 50% because of climate change.

These projections could heavily affect California's $16.5-billion wine industry, which produces more than 5 million gallons per year on 500,000 acres of vineyards and accounts for nearly 90% of the nation's total wine production, according to the Wine Institute, a state winemakers trade organization.  Also note that a majority of African American owned vineyards (6 out of 12 registered with the Association of African American Vintners) are located in California.

Tip of the Week: Uncorked Wine

So you have just finished enjoying your last glass of Merlot but you still have some left to savor for another occasion, now what?  How long should it keep to maintain quality? What steps can you take to maintain taste?

These are the types of questions wine lovers confront regularly and argue about endlessly.  And there are many methods, savy or not, that people use to make uncorked wine last just a little longer.

Sadly, the solution often hangs on the dreaded word "depends."  How long a wine will last depends on what kind: red or white, sweet or dry, made to age or ready for drinking. 

 All wine will live to drink another day at least 24 hours with a cork in it.  Most wines will go three days, and richer wines a week, with proper care.  Below are a few tricks to make wine last a while longer: 

• The more wine in the bottle, the longer it will last. A bottle with a few inches of wine has more air and thus oxidizes faster.

• Buy a few of the half bottles that are popular now. After finishing those, save them for nights you don't finish a 750ml bottle. Transfer the remains into the smaller 375ml bottle and it will keep longer.

• Purchase a wine stopper, vacuum or nitrogen device. These will help keep oxygen out which causes flavor and quality deterioration.

• Store wine in as cool, dark, and vibration-free a place as possible. Keep them on their sides, so the cork does not dry out. A dried-out cork will let in more oxygen than a wet one, and too much oxygen causes wine to age too quickly.

The Fifth Annual Divas Uncorked Wine+Food Festival

”Wine is about your taste…Once you figure out your tastes, you can find any wine on the shelf to match that,” according to Divas Uncorked founder Stephanie Browne (Article by Steve Heeimoff, winemag.com)

 “Since forming in 1998, the vivacious African-American women of Divas Uncorked work to expand to reach new consumer markets, specifically women and people of color, with the mantra -Wine savvy, not wine snobby." From Uncorked Divas Facebook Page

Mark Your Calendar!

The Fifth Annual Divas Uncorked

“Wine & Food Festival”

August 11-14-2011

Martha’s Vineyard

Activities includes: Books for Wine Lovers, Wine & Dine Island Dinner Party, Vintner Reception & Dinner, Grand Wine & Food Tasting Event, Wine Wisdom Seminars and more.

For a complete schedule visit http://www.divasuncorked.com/

Wine & Notes

Wine and music are a perfect combination on any warm summer night.  For that perfect relaxing evening with that glass of pinot blanc, be sure to consider Boney James' new project entitled "Contact" for your playlist.

James with his infusion of R&B and Contemporary Jazz once again delivers smooth sounds of relaxing escape. This experience is amplified with brilliant collaborations with vocal artists Mario, Donnell Jones, Heather Headley and Letoya Luckett.

The harmonies of the single "When I had the Chance," featuring Luckett are dynamically enchanting.

Get re-familiar with Boney and his stellar musicianship.  Check out James and Luckett when they appeared on the Mo'Nique Show.

Great Summer Wines Under $20

Planning a weekend trip or a one day beach rendezvous with your significant other, and want to know about some great summer wines to take along?  Consider several recommendations, under $20, from Wall Street Journal wine columnist Will Lyons:


Beaujolais-Villages 2009
Price range: $12-$15
Origin: Beaujolais France
Description: “crunchy, raspberry, cherry, robust”

Bruno Clair Marsannay Rose 2008
Price range: $12-$15
Origin: Burgundy, France
Description: “powerful, lean and dry”

Chateau Meaume Reserve du Chateau 2003
Price range: $15-18
Origin: Bordeaux, France
Description: “deep red-berry, cedar notes, superb”

Chateau Saint Roch-les-Vignes 2009
Price range: $11-$14
Origin: Cotes de Provence, France
Description: “soft, light and floral, slight smoky trace”

Les Abymes, Andre & Michel Quenard 2008
Price range: $12-$15
Origin: Vin de Savoie, France
Description: “thirsty-quenching, fresh acidity”

Lindauer Special Reserve Brut Cuvee NV
Price range: $15-$18
Origin: New Zealand
Description: “crisp, marked fruit character”

Click HERE for the full article in the Wall Street Journal.