August 25, 2008
Graves, about 30 miles from the city of Bordeaux, is named after the famous gravel soils that produce lovely red and white wines. The most famouse area and where many of Graves best wines come from is Pessac-Leognan. Chateau Haut-Brian, one of the five First Growths resides in Pessac-Leognan. Aside from red wines, Graves is also famouse for their dry, lively, mineral white wines. Bordeaux makes very few white wines and the majority are from Graves. All white wines from Graves are blends of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc.
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August 25, 2008
McLaren Vale is home to the oldest Australian vineyard, with grapes planted in 1838. It’s a coastal area, the Indian Ocean bordering on the west, which leads to a cooling factor that prevents the grapes from getting too hot. In McLaren Vale, there arevines as far as the eye can see. As in other parts of Australia, Shiraz and Grenache are the top grapes of the region, with some Cabernet Sauvignon planted as well. While red rules, whites are able to hold their own here too. With the warm yet reasonable Mediterranean climate, white grapes like Chardonnay, Semillon and even some Sauvignon Blanc grow well. The wines are round and smooth and the producers in the region are excellent.
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August 25, 2008
Hope Estate, formerly Hill of Hope, was established in 1994 when Michael Hope purchased his first vineyard in the Hunter Valley, comprising 35 acres of vines on a 276 acre property. This parcel of land was ideally suited to whites so a second aquisition of 200 acres of the famed red basalt soil in Fordwich was made. This was planted with 100 acres of Shiraz, and Merlot. The Broke-Fordwich sub-region of the Hunter Valley has been gazetted as one of the first designated Australian vineyard areas to be accorded international registration by the Geographic Indications Commitee (GIC) of the Australian Winemakers’ Foundation.
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August 25, 2008
100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Deep garnet in color, the nose displays bright red currant and black mulberry fruit, backed by ceder-y oak tones. Spicy, vanilla flavors unfold on the palate with cigar box and a hint of pencil shavings, typical of Cabernet Sauvignon. Full bodied with a smooth tannin structure holding lots of promise with further cellaring up to 5 years. The wine is generous in length and can be enjoyed with BBQ’d meats, roasted lamb, steak, sausages, and other hearty fare.
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August 25, 2008
Founded in 1679, the Stellenbosch region is a historic university town with splendid examples of Cape Dutch architecture. Stellenbosch is also the center of South Africa’s wine industry with a rapidly increasing number of wine estates and producers. It is now home to over 100 wineries, all in close proximity to the town’s center and open to the public, making for an easy visit around wine country. Stellenbosch has always been about quality winemaking and has five sub-regions, all with distinct indentities.
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May 22, 2008
Blend: 40% Pinot Bianco, 40% Chardonnay, 20% Sauvignon Blanc
This white blend has rich aromas that tie together the freshness of Pinot Bianco, the fruitiness of Chardonnay and the bouquet of Sauvignon Blanc. A beautiful, clean white with well balanced flavors of stone fruits and minerals. This is a fantastic example of whites from this region - fresh, clean and pretty yet intense and complex. Either sip by itself or enjoy with seafood appetizers, shellfish, fresh salads, soups and mild white fish.
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May 22, 2008
Italy is the 2nd largest wine producing country with Tuscany as its most well known region and home to three of Italy’s most important red wines. Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino, and Vino Nobile de Montepulciano. Although Tuscany is the home to wine drinkers and food lovers, historically it did not make remarkably good wine. This changed with the wine revolution in the 1970’s and 1980’s when “Super Tuscans” changed Italy’s wine image and winemaking traditions. Winemakers wanted more lenience with their winemaking and started incorporating international varietals to make the best wine they could. The most premium ones became known as “Super Tuscans” which don’t adhere to the regions strict wine designation laws. Full Story »
May 10, 2008
100% Pinot Noir. A classic ruby red Pinot Noir with lifted notes of raspberries, blackberries and boysenberries complemented by subtle savory notes. A luscious, medium-bodied wine with a round, soft full palate, well-balanced acidity, supple tannins and lingering flavors. Blackberry and boysenberry dominate the palate and are supported by hints of raspberry and redcurrant. Ideal with red meat dishes, strongly flavored fish dishes, or pasta with tomato-based sauces. Delicious now while young of will age nicely for another 4 - 5 years.
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May 10, 2008
The Marlborough region sits at the northern tip of New Zealand’s south island. It is the most widely recognized wine region in the country and also has the largest wine production. In the 1980’s, Marlborough and New Zealand marked the international wine map with their renowned Sauvignon Blanc with distinctive flavors that it could not be ignored. The racy, vibrant, intense, citrus and sometimes grassy flavored Sauvignon Blanc became New Zealand’s forte and is loved the world over. Although Sauvignon Blanc is the country’s most popular white, New Zealand also produces excellent Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and Riesling.
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March 24, 2008
Historically, Rueda has been one of the most outstanding centers for vine growing since the 18th century. Aura bodega is situated in the town of Rueda, near Valladolid in the Northwest of Spain. Owned by the Velasco family, they have been instrumental to the development of the area and cultivating these lots and vineyards. They have a long tradition over several generations of growing and producing regionally influenced wines.
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