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January 11, 2006
2004 Casal Garcia
My wife and I love Vinho Verde. We first tried it about 7 years ago, on the recommendation of a long-forgotten employee at a trusted wine store. It is a cripsp, bubbly, refreshing white wine that goes well with seafood, cheese, fruit, and other light fare. My wife feels it is the perfect table white.
You can find it in the Portuguese section, though most shops I know do not have much of a selection. It's just not popular - I have been told by a few Iberians that it is not the American taste, and I agree. Vinho verde gets its name from the fact that the Portuguese drink it so young - while it's still metaphorically "green". I thank an Iberian houseguest for the explanation.
Tonight we opened a 2004 Casal Garcia Vinho - fairly green. It was fantastic. Our fledgling Atlantic Wine Guild does not have a rating system yet, but I strongly recommend everybody try some Vinho Verde, despite its lack of popularity. And this wine in particular is a very good Vinho Verde. It had a fantastic taste with a touch of citrus and a fine effervescence. Highly recommended.
Posted by Wulf at 8:59 PM | Comments (0)
January 8, 2006
2006 Wine Fest at the Beach
Mark your calendar now, Rammage. September 29 and 30, 2006, Eleventh Annual Mid-Atlantic Wine Festival in Ocean City, MD. How is it that we have never attended this?
Posted by Wulf at 6:37 PM | Comments (1)
Official Virginia Wine Lover
Wine enthusiast Frank Britt is the owner of Britt Marketing in Lynchburg, Virginia, and he is launching a new magazine, the Official Virginia Wine Lover, in 2006.
“The purpose of the magazine is to promote Virginia wines and Virginia’s finest products,” he says.
The goal is go get the quarterly magazine out before the festival season starts in June, and Britt says he plans to distribute it in all 107 wineries. Plus “we’re looking for more distributors,” he says. “We’d love to get it in one of Virginia’s large grocery chains.”
The magazine will cover pretty much any wine-related topic imaginable, he says - including tips, trivia, recipes from chefs at wineries, wine pairing suggestions, maps and festival details.
“I want to do a really nice, quality magazine that’s of the caliber of ‘Bon Appetit,’” he says. “That kind of look.”
Posted by Wulf at 6:25 PM | Comments (0)
January 2, 2006
Computers join quest for perfect wine
Andrew Buncombe in the Independant:
...a scientist from Pittsburgh is using computer modelling to try to improve one of the most fundamental aspects of the winemaking process - fermentation.
[Lorenz Biegler of Carnegie Mellon University] has been working with scientists and winemakersfrom Chile to try to see whether the development of computer modelling can have an impact on the end product. They are trying to solve the problem of stuck batches - those where fermentation has stalled, which means thattoo much residual sugar is left in the wine. Much of the work is being carried out at an "aroma lab" at Pontifical Catholic University in Santiago where industry-sponsored researchers are trying to isolate the chemicals that produce desirable fragrances and flavours. The aim was to make winemaking more efficient, consistent and profitable Mr Biegler said. Similar computerised systems are used at chemical plants, oil refineries and pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities, he added.
I can imagine the sour reaction of purists those who didn't think of it first.
Posted by Wulf at 10:23 AM | Comments (0)