Virginia Wines Go To London
April 21, 2010
What do Virginia wine and England have in common? Answer: history and today’s interest in pursuing quality wine. This year is the 400th Anniversary of the founding of Jamestown by the English settlers. Several events have been planned to commemorate the founding of Jamestown in 1607. One of the events planned will be the tasting of Virginia wines at Vinopolis in London. The theme is “Virginia, First in Wine.” “First in Wine” refers to the quality of Virginia wines and to the established fact that Virginia was the first place in the new world for the English to attempt the cultivation of grapes and winemaking. In February, a number of Virginia wines were judged at White Hall Vineyards in a wine tasting event. The purpose was to choose wines to go to England for a tasting. On April 30, Virginia will present wines at a VIP invitation only tasting at Hampden House (a historical house) in the middle of Chiltern, England. On May 2, the Virginia wines will be tasted at Vinopolis, a world wine center in London. Will the Mother Country be impressed?
Will Thomas Jefferson’s dream of producing fine wines in Virginia be met? After all, an attempt was made to grow grapevines very early in the 1600′s. When the first settlers arrived in Jamestown, native grapes grew in abundance. Wine produced with these native grapes in 1608 was unlike wine in Europe. Wine from Virginia was bitter and did not travel well. England was hoping the colonies could provide wine for the Mother Country. Laws requiring the growing of grapes were passed. Failure to grow grapes would result in severe penalties. By 1619 the House of Burgesses required each adult male to plant grapevines. However, at this time vineyards and vine growing requirements were not well understood. By the late 1700′s, Thomas Jefferson had visited grape growing areas of France and fully believed that Virginia could grow grapes and produce wine as good as any other country. Jefferson said, “We could, in the United States, make as great a variety of wines as are made in Europe, not exactly the same kinds, but doubtless as good.” Jefferson tried growing his own vineyards and participated in a venture with a vineyard planting next to Monticello. The vineyards did not survive. Despite Jefferson’s firm belief that Virginia could grow grapes and produce fine wine, he was unable to make a single bottle of wine before he died. George Washington also tried growing grapes but the vineyards were not productive and he replaced the vineyards with orchards.
During the 1800′s, Americans attempted to grow wine grapes throughout the country. Again, due to lack of knowledge about vineyard diseases, success was elusive. As time went on, an accidental hybrid began to grow successfully and after the Civil War, vineyards were beginning to flourish. Then came a manmade disaster in 1919. Congress approved the 18th Amendment and by 1920 the amendment was ratified. This decimated many of the existing vineyards and in combination with the Depression in later years most vineyards could not survive. By 1933 when the 21st Amendment repealed Prohibition, much damage had occurred to the wine industry.
Today, after Prohibition, Virginia is making much progress towards becoming a well-known area for growing grapes and producing fine wine. To prove this point, 65 wines from 28 Virginia wineries were chosen to provide wine for the wine tasting at Vinopolis in London. Vinopolis is a wine museum, tasting facility and restaurant all rolled into one building. Wines from all around the world are available for tasting at Vinopolis. However, until now only wines from California have been represented of wines produced in the United States. If you have the opportunity to visit London on May 2, stop by Vinopolis and check out the Virginia wines.
How will Virginia wines fare at Vinopolis? On our recent visit to Vinopolis we shared a bottle of Pearmund Cellars Ameritage with Tom Forrest, the Tour Development Manager. He shared the bottle with other tasters and had the following comment, “I retasted the Pearmund Ameritage last night. It seemed to have really developed after opening. It was full of rich fruit cake aromas and flavours. Still smooth and soft, the spicyness of the Malbec element shone through the red and black forest fruit flavours. It impressed the members of the tasting team. So I look forward to tasting the wines in May.” Anyone who has visited wineries in Virginia and talked to the winemakers knows that Virginia wineries are intent upon making fine wine from the best grapes available. England, we hope you like Virginia wine.
Kathleen Sullivan
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/virginia-wines-go-to-london-133013.html
French Red Wine – A Good Treat
March 27, 2010
Out of the three kinds of wine available- red, white and rose- red wine is among the most common. It is the wine talked about when the myriad of health benefits are in the picture. These include cardiovascular protection because of the reduction of blood cholesterol, antioxidants which are involved in the natural Detox system among others. All these goodness is probably brought about by the presence of the grape skins which remain intact and are part of the red wine making process. In the making of white wine, the skins are usually removed. White wine is the basic table wine, but as far as fine dining is concerned, good red wine takes the lead. It ‘completes a meal’ to say the least.
Wine making countries are not in their abundance considering the number of wine drinkers, but they do a splendid job keeping enough wine bottles on our shelves. The most common include Italy, Spain and France which are all European countries. Among these France holds the best reputation as far as the fermenting of exquisite wines is concerned. The French vineyards are expertly attended to and the wine that is got from them is nothing short of outstanding.
Wines are mainly distinguished by their color, flavor, aroma and alcoholic content. They can be deep red, white or rose depending on the juice concentration and length of time the concoction was allowed to ferment. Although for most connoisseurs, they can tell which country the drink came from because the wine tastes of the place where the grapes were cultivated.
French red wines have become very popular in quality and use; in particular they go well with red meat such as beef, roasts, lamb and duck, veal and more. But its popularity can be attributed mainly on the controversies surrounding it – made by experts who discovered that consuming good red wine in moderation is good for the heart. Red wines are known to contain anti-oxidants that help prevent damage to the arteries by eliminating the formation of fatty lesions and blood clots, lower blood pressure, cholesterol and stroke.
Drinks & Beverages : History of Sangria
January 10, 2010
Sangria is a wine punch that originated in Spain and Portugal that consists of red wine, citrus fruits, a dash of brandy and carbonated water. Make different variations of sangria with Sprite, white wine and various fruits using instructions from a wine specialist in this free video on sangria.
Expert: Adrien Matthews
Contact: www.taystrestaurant.com
Bio: Adrien Matthews runs the wine program at Tayst Restaurant and Wine Bar in Nashville, Tenn.
Filmmaker: Dimitri LaBarge
Duration : 0:1:20
Wine Making In Tuscany – A Perfect Tour
December 29, 2009
What do France, Italy, Spain, Australia, Chile, the United States of America, Romania, Germany, Portugal, Moldova, Hungary, South Africa, Croatia and Argentina have in common? Wine and wineries. These fourteen countries lead the world in the export of “vino.”
Italy is second only to France in the production of wines, and it’s all thanks to the famous region of Tuscany – or Toscana as the natives call it.
You’ll find Tuscany in the center of Italy. The famous fashion capital Milan is far to the north, near the borders of France and Switzerland, while Rome is a little to the south. Tuscany is a jewel set between the Tyrrhenian Sea on the west and the Apennines mountain range on the east. It consists of ten provinces, including Pisa (famous for the Leaning Tower of Pisa). The capital city is Florence (and it is here that you will find the historic Uffizi Gallery.)
Wine making in Tuscany is just as historic as Italy’s architecture and art. Indeed, it extends as far back as the beginning of time.
The History of Tuscany
Tuscany was first settled by the Etruscans in around 800 BCE, who quickly discovered the wild vines growing in abundance on the “sun-drenched” hills, and these grapes were carefully cultivated to improve their flavor.
Several varieties of grapes are grown in the region. Some of these grapes stand on their own when it comes to wine making – for example Cabernet Sauvignon comes only from the Cabernet Sauvignon grape, and the Lambrusco grape produces a variety of dry red wines: Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro, Lambrusco di Sorbara, Lambrusco Salamino di Santa Croce, and Lambrusco Reggiano).
Other wines are a blend of grape varieties. The famous Chianti is a blend three grapes -two red: Sangiovese and Canaiolo, and Malvasia, a white. (Although, there’s a story there. Until the 19th century Chianti was made only from the Sangiovese grape. A famous Italian statesman, Bettino Ricasoli, decreed that chianti should be made of the blend of three grapes. But since 1995 that practice has been dying out and most Chianti these days is again made only with the Sangiovese grape.)
The history of the evolution of a certain wine is just as fascinating as the history of the vineyards from which they come.
If you are a wine lover taking a vacation in Tuscany, you’ll want to visit a vineyard or two. Or more! You’ll find fourteen “wine roads” throughout the region – each one famous for the wine production from a particular type of grape. Follow each road and stop in at those companies and cellars which are open to the public.
Each of the provinces of Tuscany have at least one wine road – Florence and Grosseto have three each. Each road has its own sign system that indicates the wine it deals with, and the towns or places to stop of interest on it.
So renowned is Tuscany for its wine-making that several international travel firms offer tours devoted strictly to the wine lover. If you don’t feel like exploring the Italian countryside on your own, one of these tours – with like-minded people, will be just the thing for you.
Alastair Hamilton
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/wine-making-in-tuscany-a-perfect-tour-87477.html
Who are the Wine Makers
November 30, 2009
For centuries now, vintners and great wine makers have been tirelessly fermenting grapes, other fruits and flowers to produce the wine that is served at feasts, parties and dinner tables.
There are thousands of varieties or types of wine to choose from. White, sparkling, red or rose wine are just some of the “colors” that you can choose from.
Wine making is a very lucrative venture because there is a worldwide market. France, Italy, Australia, Spain, Chile and the United States have their share of the worldwide market and are the leading countries which export and produce wine.
Meanwhile, South Africa, Argentina, Portugal and Germany aren’t far behind.
California is the state which boasts the most of wine producers in the US. Vineyards are mostly found in Sonoma Valley, Monterey, Paso Robles, Santa Ynez and Napa Valley.
Here are just some of the popular wine makers in the country:
1. Greenvale Vineyards & Winery
This vineyard is located in Portsmouth, Rhode Island. They produce red and white wines located from grapes which are locally grown.
Chardonnays and Cabernets are produced from the fertile soils of Greenvale Vineyards.
2. The Mount Pleasant Winery
Located north of St. Louis in Augusta, the Mount Pleasant Vineyards and Winery produces the best wine out of quality grapes.
With Chambourcin grapes, a Nouveau-like wine is aged and fermented. Chambourcin is a type of red grape grown mostly in states located on the East.
3. Domaine Drouhin
Located in the Red Hills of the Dundee in Oregon, this vineyard claims a sense of history since it is owned by the Drouhin family.
Their wine has received worldwide recognition due to class and quality. The Pinot Noir wines that they produce have the distinct flavors of berries and vanilla for an exquisite taste.
4. Savannah Chanelle Vineyards
Located in the mountains of Santa Cruz in California, the Savannah Chanelle vineyards produce Zinfandel, Cabernet Franc and Pinot Noir.
Pinot Noir is mostly produced in the vast vineyards of Savannah Chanelle and are on the top of the list when it comes to this type of wine.
5. Chappellet Winery
California, being the wine-producing state in the US, includes the Napa Valley region.
This is where the Chappellet Winery is located and they produce Chardonnay, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. This winery produces wines which undergo as little processing as possible.
6. Sanford Winery
This vineyard is located in Buellton, California in the Santa Ynez valley. They make Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
When deciding which wine to serve your family, consider the bottles produced by such popluar wine makers and you can’t go wrong.
Jerry Shannon
http://www.articlesbase.com/food-and-beverage-articles/who-are-the-wine-makers-711577.html
