CorkSavvy

Celebrate Thanksgiving at the Willamette Valley 2008 Wine Country Thanksgiving

Tue, 18 Nov 2008 19:47:00 -0800

On November 28, 29 and 30 at the 2008 Wine Country Thanksgiving over 100 wineries will be open to the public. Some of the wineries are not open to the public any other time of the year. Activities at the individual wineries include music specialty foods, barrel tastings, tastings of new releases and older vintages. The Willamette Valley is Oregon’s leading wine producing region with over two-thirds of the state’s wineries. It is known to be one of the world’s leading Pinot Noir producing regions.

The Willamette Valley is a large area with six sub-appellations: Chehalem Mountains, Dundee Hills, Eola-Amity Hills, McMinnville, Ribbon Ridge, and Yamhill Carlton. It is sixty miles wide and has a long gentle growing season and compares favorably with the Burgundy and Alsace regions of France. For visitors, the valley is a 45 minute to 2 hour drive from Portland, Oregon.

Participating vineyards include:
Amalie Robert Estate
ADEA Wine Company
Adelsheim Vineyard
Airlie Winery
Alloro Vineyard
Amity Vineyards
Anan Cara Cellars
Ankeny Vineyard Winery
Anne Amie Vineyards

Be Smart About the Price You Pay for Wine at Restaurants

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 11:05:00 -0800

The pricing of wine in restaurants has always been a mystery. Now thanks to Juliet Chung of the Wall Street Journal in her article “Cracking the Code of Restaurant Wine Pricing," it is quite clear that there is no rhyme or reason for wine prices. For example a bottle of 1999 Dom Perignon Champagne is listed for $155 at Legal Seafood in Washington, DC,$250 at McCormick & Schick’s in Washington, DC, $450 at Carnevino in Las Vegas NV, and $595 at Per Se in New York City. So, here is the same bottle of champagne that differs in price by more than $100 within the same city and by more than $400 between different cities.

If you take it one step further and compare a bottle of wine being served at the same restaurant chain in different cities the price discrepancy is also significant. At Ruth’s Chris Steak House in Dallas, TX the price was $96 for a 2005 Duckhorn Merlot and $160 for the same Duckhorn Merlot in Ruth’s Chris Steak House in Pittsburgh, PA.

Keeping in mind that the standard restaurant markup for a bottle of wine is about 3 times the wholesale price or about 2 times the retail price with inexpensive bottles having a 3 to 4 times markup above wholesale and expensive bottles having a 1 to 1 ½ times markup, one would have assumed some similarity in pricing from city to city and restaurant to restaurant. Even taking into account state taxes, shipping costs, bulk purchasing power, there appears to be no practical justification for the dramatic discrepancies in pricing.

Green Point Shiraz 2005, Victoria, Australia

Mon, 17 Nov 2008 10:00:00 -0800

Green Point Shiraz 2005, Victoria, Australia
Rich with blackberry and pepper notes.

CorkSavvy Wine Journal - Now on Facebook

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 10:22:00 -0800

CorkSavvy's Wine Journal and Bottle Rack are on Facebook!

People all over the world are already sharing their journal entries and wine purchases with their friends. It's easy to link your Facebook account to CorkSavvy.

Just "Allow" the application and enter your CorkSavvy username/password. Once your account is linked, you can view, edit and create new entries directly through the Facebook application.

Bookmark the CorkSavvy application for easy access by clicking on the wine glass icon at the bottom of the Facebook page.

Click Here to View CorkSavvy on Facebook.

Create Wine Journal Entries from Your Phone

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 07:47:00 -0800

Use your camera phone to create wine journal entries. It's easy as 1, 2, 3.

Beaujolais Nouveau – a Thanksgiving Wine

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 11:31:00 -0800

Every year on the third Thursday of November the new vintage of Beaujolais, Beaujolais Nouveau, is released. The date is not coincidental; in fact it is set by French law passed in 1985 turning the release date into a traditional event. The Gamay grapes are handpicked in the Beaujolais region (part of Burgundy), after carbonic maceration (which ferments the whole grape without extracting the bitter tannins from the grape skin), pasteurized and bottled for the midnight release on the third Thursday of November which is a mere six weeks after the harvest. There is competition to see whose wine can reach the bars first. There are over 65 million bottles consumed of this young wine worldwide within several months.

Beaujolais Nouveau is a fruity, light, fresh wine with almost no tannins that is meant to be served chilled. It is frequently purple-pink in color. The dominant flavors are strawberry and raspberry. This wine is a favorite for Thanksgiving feasts because it pairs well with the traditional foods served on the holiday.

This year Georges Duboeuf, the largest maker of Beaujolais Nouveau, is releasing his first eco-friendly Beaujolais, 2008 Beaujolais Nouveau Special Cuvee, in 100% recyclable PET plastic bottles which has a 50% lower carbon footprint. Boisset, the second largest maker of Beaujolais Nouveau as well as Laboure-Roi, the third largest maker of Beaujolais Nouveau will both be releasing their wines in PET plastic bottles. In addition Laboure-Roi will be planting one tree in Mali, the seventh largest country in Africa and also one of the poorest, for each bottle of wine purchased in conjunction with the United Nations Environment Programme worldwide Plant for the Planet: Billion Tree campaign to help fight climate change and restore the earth’s ecosystems.

San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival November 12-16, 2008

Wed, 12 Nov 2008 07:40:00 -0800

This year from November 12-16, you can enjoy the Fifth Annual Wine & Food Festival in San Diego, CA. Sixty of San Diego’s top chefs will be preparing gourmet feasts. There will be more than 700 wines being poured by 160 wine & spirit purveyors many of which are popular California vineyards such as:
Adelaida Cellars in Paso Robles, CA
Alexander Valley Vineyards in Healdsburg, CA
Anglim Winery in Paso Robles, CA
Arroyo Robles Winery in Paso Robles, CA
B Cellars in Napa Valley, CA
Bonneau Wines in Sonoma,CA

To Decant or Not to Decant - That is the Question

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 12:03:00 -0800

The easiest way to answer the question of whether or not to decant a wine would be to leave the choice up to the sommelier in a fine restaurant. However when serving a wine to guests in your home the decision of whether or not to decant the wine is yours to make. After considering the history and purpose of the decanter, it will make the decision of which wines to decant easier.

A decanter is a container with a stopper used to hold liquids. A similar container, but without a stopper, is referred to as a carafe. The ancient Romans were the first to use glass decanters. After the fall of the Roman Empire, glass production was reduced to such an extent that alternative containers were substituted made out of silver, gold, earthenware or bronze. During the Renaissance, the Venetians reintroduced the use of glass and also introduced the shape used today with a long slender neck and a wide bodied base. In 1730, British glass makers introduced the glass stopper. The decanter remains the same today.

Originally the reason to decant a wine was to eliminate any sediment in the wine by pouring the wine from the wine bottle into the decanter transferring the clear liquid to the decanter and leaving the sediment in the original bottle. Older wines may have sediment, but with modern winemaking, even older wines do not produce as much sediment as they age.

Top Chef Stephanie Izard: Apple-celery Root Soup with Tarragon Vinaigrette

Mon, 10 Nov 2008 10:49:00 -0800

Apple-celery Root Soup with Tarragon Vinaigrette from Stephanie Izard from Top Chef Season 4 on Bravo.

Expensive Wine Becomes another Victim of the Credit Crisis

Sat, 08 Nov 2008 06:22:00 -0800

Approximately one year ago, Domaine Romanee Conti (DRC) 1990 sold for $20,000 per bottle while last week according to auction house Hart Davis Hart, the same bottle sold for $6,500 more than a 67% drop in value. Through September 2008 the major auction houses, Sotheby’s, Zachy’s, Christies, and Hart Davis Hart, have witnessed over a 90% sell through rate which is how they measure the success of their auctions. Just one month later the sell through rate has dropped to an average of 79%.

The head of North American Wine Sales at Christie’s, Charles Curtis, said there was “a softening of some prices, demonstrating that current economic conditions have made for a buyer’s market”. At the Christie’s November 1 sale in Los Angeles, CA only 44% of the lots sold.

In addition to the auction houses, the Liv-ex 100, the wine industry’s leading benchmark dropped almost 16% from its high of 262.71 in August to 221.62 at the end of October 2008.

Great Wine Escape Weekend in Monterey, California

Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:57:00 -0800

Mark your calendar for the 12th Annual Monterey County Great Wine Escape Weekend from November 7-9, 2008. Monterey is renowned for its Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, but less well known for its excellent Merlot, Syrah, Sauvignon Blanc, and Cabernet Sauvignon. Within the County are nine individual wine growing districts with 40,000 acres planted in varietal wine grapes including: Monterey, Santa Lucia Highlands, Arroyo Seco, San Lucas, Hames Valley, Chalone, Carmel Valley, San Antonio Valley, and San Bernabe. There are over 85 vintners and growers in Monterey County. Those who participate in this weekend will have the opportunity to taste the wonderful wines of Monterey County paired with food from many acclaimed chefs. There will be cooking demonstrations by well known chefs paired with Monterey County wines, wine tastings of top Monterey County Pinot Noirs with explanations by the individual winemakers, dinners pairing celebrity chefs with top local vineyards, a cooking class at the Culinary Center of Monterey paired with wines from Otto Cove, wine tours of the Salinas and Carmel Valley in private motor coaches, and many more opportunities to enhance your wine knowledge.

Some of the participating vineyards include:
Parsonage Village Vineyard
Pelerin Wines
Woodward Graff Wines

Yellow Jersey

Tue, 04 Nov 2008 14:16:00 -0800

The yellow jersey has become a symbol of victory and glory in the Tour de France bike race. Boisset Family Estates, located in the heart of the Burgundy region of France, has used the yellow jersey image to signify their innovative style of wine. The most unique, winning feature of the Yellow Jersey wine is its lightweight, shatterproof and recyclable packaging with a screw cap that protects against oxidation; however, it is meant to be consumed within a year of purchase. These containers also have a lower package weight compared to a glass bottle by more than 90%.

“This new packaging was chosen for reasons of sustainability and performance,” says Jean-Charles Boisset, president of the Boisset winery. “We needed a package that would protect our premium wines. A key driver was our desire to satisfy the LCBO’s [Liquor Control Board of Ontario] environmental initiative, which aims to educate brand owners to consider more sustainable packaging materials. Both the company and I have a firm commitment to environmental preservation.”The bottles are designed and packaged by MPI Packaging.

Boutari Moschofilero 2007, Greece

Tue, 04 Nov 2008 13:25:00 -0800

Boutari Moshofilero 2007, Greece
Floral and fruity white.

Presidential Inauguration Wine

Tue, 04 Nov 2008 07:47:00 -0800

The current election has consumed the minds and hearts of millions of Americans. In the midst of being flooded by campaign phone solicitations, television commercials, and constant news barrages, it may make you feel good to change your focus from the candidates to something you love that is also political: wine at the presidential inauguration. If you are fortunate enough to be invited to the Inauguration Balls or luncheon, you may be able to taste firsthand the wine; like most of us who will be viewing this spectacle on the sidelines, you might enjoy taking an historical journey of Presidential Inauguration wine.

Korbel located in Sonoma County, California, has produced special Inaugural Cuvees for the Presidential Inaugurations of Ronald Reagan in 1985, George Bush in 1989, Bill Clinton in 1993 and 1997, and George W. Bush in 2001 and 2005. Little known fact: Korbel was also the sparkling wine of choice during the Kennedy administration.

Wine Bloggers Conference 2008

Sun, 02 Nov 2008 18:30:00 -0800

Can you imagine a room filled with people who love to blog about wine? From October 24-26, 2008 in Sonoma County, California dozens of wine bloggers got together with industry leaders to share experiences, taste wines, and blog about the event and, of course, the wine. It was so popular among bloggers that it was a completely sold out event.

With hundreds of bloggers throughout North America writing regular wine reviews, time will tell as to how great an influence they will have on consumers and their wine purchases.

Healdsburg Wine Country Half Marathon Was Enjoyed By All

Fri, 31 Oct 2008 08:37:00 -0700

The First Annual Healdsburg Wine Country Half Marathon was a resounding success! Costumed runners enjoyed picture perfect weather running through the spectacular wine country and enjoyed wines from many outstanding wineries. If you missed the Inaugural race, mark your calendar for the 2009 event the last weekend of October. See Corksavvy’s pictures from the Healdsburg Wine Country Half Marathon.

The 10th Annual Russian River Wine and Food Affair

Fri, 31 Oct 2008 06:59:00 -0700

The Russian River Wine and Food Affair on November 1 and 2, 2008 from 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM will be a great weekend of food and wine in the Alexander, Dry Creek and Russian River Valleys where there will be 73 participating wineries. The weekend price is $60 and designated drivers pay only $20. Designated drivers can sample all the food but will receive a mug instead of a wineglass at check-in and, of course, a different color wristband. The price also includes a copy of the cookbook with recipes from each of the wineries and some of the local restaurants and inns if you have preregistered. In addition to the food and wine there are many enjoyable activities including touring the country roads past rural vineyards and farms, biking, hot air balloon rides, canoeing down the Russian River, shopping or dining at any of the outstanding restaurants in the area. Some favorites are: Costeaux French Bakery, Applewood Inn, Cyrus, Dry Creek Kitchen, John Ash & Co., Madrona Manor, and Zazu. For a unique experience try the Starlight Wine Bar & Restaurant where you dine in an historic 1949 Pullman Lounge Car.

If you would like to preview the participating wineries before you attend the event, the following is a list of the wineries to date:
Acorn Winery, Healdsburg, CA
Alderbrook Winery, Healdsburg, CA
Alexander Valley Vineyards, Healdsburg, CA

Halloween Wine – Is That Fact or Fiction?

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 07:03:00 -0700

With Halloween just around the corner, you may be wondering how fun loving adults can enjoy this holiday. That’s a very good question that deserves to be answered with care. First of all Halloween is a holiday that is not just for kids anymore. That being said the question remains how “grown-up kids” can celebrate this most unusual holiday. Clearly for wine lovers the best way to enjoy any day is with a good glass of wine which would be enhanced with a Halloween twist. Here are a few suggestions:

At the Napa Wine Company the celebrated wine at Halloween time is fittingly called Ghost Block. The Cabernet Sauvignon wine is named in honor of the historic 150 year old Pioneer cemetery that it borders in Yountville, California. The Napa Wine Company vineyards are divided into distinctive blocks with specific names that have been used on their wine labels since the late 1990’s. There are 635 planted vineyard acres and it is the tenth largest planted acreage in Napa County. Interesting to note that this vineyard uses organic vineyard management techniques (no chemicals, grape skins and stems are composted, and cover crops are planted between vines to reduce soil erosion and restore nutrients). The vineyard is 100 year family owned and grown grapes. The fruit from this and nearby vineyards has been the focus of many of Napa’s “Cult Wines”. Their 2004 Ghost Block Estate Oakville Cabernet Sauvignon is a well balanced wine with flavors of black cherry, blackberry and aromas of herbs and coffee. Production is limited.

The Political Winery: Bringing the Conservatives and Liberals Together for a Good Glass of Wine

Mon, 27 Oct 2008 10:22:00 -0700

Christopher Trebilcock and John C.Hemboldt combined their passion for politics with their love of wine to form the Political Winery in November 2004 near Grand Rapids, Michigan. In their Unanimous Declaration of Wine Independence, they state:

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that not all wines are created equal, that some are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Great Wine.—That to secure these rights, The Political Winery was instituted, deriving it’s just powers from the consent of the wine consumers.—That whenever any bottle of wine becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to cork it or to finish it, and to open a new bottle, poring it in just samples and sizes, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. In Vino Veritas!”

In pursuit of these goals they created wines for the Red States which include Red Trunk which “draws from Lincoln’s responsibility, Teddy’s tenacity, and Ford’s humility. With a little Red Trunk, you too may become a Great Communicator.” Additionally for the Red States they introduced Elle Blanc which they describe as the “First Mama” of Republican Wines which has its “poised appearance from Laura, her candid semi-dry taste from Betty, and her aged refinement from Barbara. Like that of Ronnie and Nancy, the greatest love affair in the history of political wine is the pairing of Red Trunk and Elie Blanc.”

A Heavenly Mix: The Perfect Game of Golf and the Perfect Glass of Wine

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 07:28:00 -0700

If you thought combining a great game of golf with a fabulous glass of wine was like having your cake and eating it too then you have come to the right place. It’s called Cork & Tee and it truly makes dreams come true through its personalized travel adventure experiences customized to accommodate both your skills in golf and your level of expertise in wine from the basic to the sublime. There is no limit to the possibilities:

Learn to refine your palate to better understand flavors that compliment different wine varietals

Assume the role of winemaker during a wine blending exercise

Learn how to start a winery first hand

Participate in a fall harvest

Bouchaine Carneros Pinot Noir 2006, Carneros, CA, USA

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 12:50:00 -0700

Bouchaine Carneros Pinot Noir 2006, Carneros, CA, USA
Rich and smooth with dark cherry flavors.

The 7th Annual Miami International Wine Fair, October 25-27, 2008

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 09:00:00 -0700

If you happen to be in the Miami, Florida area or just happen to be looking for something to do this weekend, check out The 7th Annual Miami International Wine Fair, Florida’s Largest Wine Expo featuring more than 1000 wines from 15 countries.

There are many seminars to attend throughout the weekend (some for a small fee) including:

The Wines of Monterey: California’s Hidden High-Scoring Gems.

Italian Rockstars: From the Classics to the Super Tuscans

Castilla LaMancha Wines: From Value to Collector-Worthy Bottlings

Oregon & Washington: Rising Stars from the Pacific Northwest

If You Thought Wisconsin Was Just For Cheese Lovers

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 08:52:00 -0700

If You Thought Wisconsin Was Just For Cheese Lovers, Check Out the Kohler Food and Wine Experience in Kohler, Wisconsin.

From Thursday October 23 - Sunday October 26, 2008, you can enjoy the Kohler Food and Wine Experience in Kohler, Wisconsin surrounded by breathtaking fall foliage. Tickets are sold separately for each of the food and wine seminars and seating is limited. Some of the events include:

Chablis 101-Single Village and the Crus

Meritage Blending Challenge Presented by Dry Creek Vineyard

The Golden Mile of Spain

The Lowdown on Lodi

Drink Up and Save Miguel

Tue, 21 Oct 2008 07:32:00 -0700

For today’s environmentally responsible wine drinkers, it is not enough to be concerned about the grapes, the grape byproducts, and the wine bottles (glass or synthetic), it is now important to “Save Miguel”. For anyone who has not recently visited Facebook, You Tube, or Flickr you may not know that “Miguel” is in danger because he lives in a cork oak forest (or Montado) in Southern Portugal which he shares with over 40 animals and over 100 plant species. If cork is not harvested from the cork oak forest it endangers both wildlife and flora. With the increased use of synthetic corks and screw top bottles, the number of corks being used is diminishing.

In order to make corks for wine bottles the bark must be removed from the trees. This is a good thing because harvested cork trees absorbed 3 to 5 times more CO2 than non-harvested trees. So that the more corks that are made, the more cork trees are harvested and the more CO2 is absorbed. The bark is renewable every 9-12 years and the trees can live for 100’s of years and continue to absorb CO2 from the atmosphere. After the cork has been used in a wine bottle, it is completely bio-degradable. As the thick bark regenerates it continues to act as a protective fire barrier for other plants and animals in the forest. In fact, its scientific name is pyrophytes which means “Fire Plants.”

Wine Magic - Ultrasonic Wine Ager

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 10:09:00 -0700

Remember when you were a child and went to your first magic show when the magician put a scarf over an egg and said abracadabra and the egg turned into a dove? Well today according to British inventor and entrepreneur, Casey Jones, you can now turn your “run-of-the-mill “ wine into one of the finest bottles of vintage wine simply by placing it in his Ultrasonic Wine Ager. The machine, which looks like an ordinary ice bucket, recreates the effects of aging by colliding alcohol molecules inside the bottle through ultrasound technology all in only 30 minutes according to Casey Jones. Although the directions did not include hiring a magician or saying the words “hocus-pocus”, it couldn’t hurt.

To authenticate his machine, he used one of the bottles from winemaker Andre Jones who produces 40,000 bottles at his family owned Buzzard Valley Vineyard near Tamworth, Staff, UK. Mr. Andre Jones had the following comments:

“I was amazed, it had definitely aged. Obviously it can’t change the grape variety used, but it does mean a relatively poor variety can be made to taste a lot higher market.”

Back to the Past - Manistee, Michigan

Fri, 17 Oct 2008 08:02:00 -0700

Have you ever dreamed of living in a simpler time when you grew your own crops on your own plot of land possibly in a rural community where neighbors pitched in to help neighbors? It may be a stretch of your imagination since those times seem long past, but that lifestyle is attempting to be resurrected in the rolling hills of Michigan all within panoramic views of Lake Michigan. Best of all, in this idyllic community there are already planted acres and acres of vineyards and orchards.

In the small town of Manistee, Michigan, Douglas Valley is transforming the countryside into a sustainable organic community. For those who have never heard of Manistee, Michigan it was formerly known as the Victorian Port City that came of age in the 1800’s during the lumber boom. To this day the elegant mansions, churches and ornate public buildings designed by nationally recognized architects stand as a reminder of the flourishing economy during the Victorian era. Today Manistee continues to be one of the busiest recreational and shipping ports on Lake Michigan. The area is blessed with clean air, cold winters and warm summers. Within the 640 acre development two to six acre farmsteads are being sold where owners can farm their own land or contract with Douglas Valley for farm or vineyard management. Although not required, owners are encouraged to “build green”.

We May Be in a Recession But, Can I Still Afford My Wine?

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 08:12:00 -0700

Housing crisis, sub-prime crisis, financial crisis, world financial crisis, consumer confidence crisis, can it get any worse? If you are like most people you do not want to hear or read about another crisis, all you want is to curl up with a good book and a fabulous glass of wine or go out with friends and enjoy yourself with a fabulous glass of wine or drown your sorrows over which you do not want to waste a fabulous glass of wine. So whatever you choose, there is still a sliver of good news. A good glass of wine is still available no matter how far your “pocketbook” has shrunk.

For those who do not know that there is a financial crisis and have not been affected by it, you may have participated in the fall auction of Chicago’s Hart Davis Hart where they recorded their fourth largest sale ever earning more than $11 million substantially more than the pre-auction estimate. Acker Merrall & Condit and Zachys, the two largest US auction houses have also reported successful sales this fall.

Chalk Hill Estate Bottled Chardonnay 2005, Russian River Valley, CA, USA

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 15:25:00 -0700

Chalk Hill Estate Bottled Chardonnay 2005, Russian River Valley
A balanced yet fruity wine.

Tour de France “Master Class” Wine Series hosted by The Patina Group

Wed, 15 Oct 2008 08:26:00 -0700

Eliminate the Worry of Selecting a Good Wine by Going to a Wine Tasting Dinner where Professionals Do all the Work! The Patina Restaurant Group has launched a Tour de France “Master Class” Wine Series with Sheri Sauter-Morano, MW to toast wines of France this month. Wine tasting dinners are being held at a selection of their restaurants in New York City including Brasserie, Brasserie 8 ½, and Café Centro. The dinner at Brasserie held on October 14th focused on the topic of France: "The Birthplace of the World’s Greatest Grapes" and featured the following wines:

M. Barraud ‘Les Pierres,’ Bourgogne Macon-Villages, Chardonnay 2006
Château Magence, Bordeaux, Sauvignon Blanc 2006
Nicolas Potel, Bourgogne, Pinot Noir 2006
Les Garriques, Cotes du Rhône 2007
Château Fonréaud, Médoc, Bordeaux 2003
Hugel Cuvée les Amours,’ Alsace, Pinot Blanc 2005

Grapes are the new Green

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 06:21:00 -0700

Making electricity out of wine may seem pretty far-fetched, but the possibilities are just around the corner. With the cost of electricity skyrocketing, our landfills accumulating so much waste that space is becoming an issue and the environmental impact of unprecedented growth throughout the world; scientists and industry are finding opportunities based on necessity to address our massive waste products in a productive way. Believe it or not, wine waste products are becoming a business unto itself.

When you are sipping your savory glass of Cabernet Sauvignon, wine waste is not the first topic that might spring to mind, but it is an important energy alternative. It is estimated that at least 1 of every 8 tons of grapes is wasted with some percentage estimates as high as 20%. Wine waste – aka pomace – is comprised of grape seeds and grape skins. Normally, these products are placed in landfills; in Canada, Inniskillin Wines is partnering with StormFisher Bio-gas to turn grape byproducts into clean renewable electricity. StormFisher, an Ontario Canada based bio-gas developer and operator, has bio-gas production facilities throughout North America. The facilities, called anaerobic digesters, cause the decomposition of organic matter to accelerate and create a combination of carbon dioxide and methane. They reduce the emissions of these gasses into the environment, thus reducing the greenhouse effect and converting these gases into electricity and natural gas. Stormfisher is now taking the methane gas produced by the decomposition of the grape pomace, capturing it, and using it to generate electricity in the Niagara region of Canada.

Jim Rollston, Cyrus Restaurant, Healdsburg, CA

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 13:43:00 -0700

CorkSavvy talks to Jim Rollston of Cyrus Restaurant in Healdsburg, CA.

The Ultimate Race

Mon, 13 Oct 2008 09:58:00 -0700

For wine lovers the ultimate race would have to include beautiful scenery, perfect climate, a not to difficult course and of course fabulous wine. You may wonder how you can combine wine with exercise, running no less. On Saturday, October 25, 2008 the Healdsburg Wine Country Half Marathon will be holding its inaugural race where thousands of runners have signed up to run through the beautiful Alexander and Dry Creek Valleys and the Russian River Tributary when the fall colors are most vibrant to celebrate the end of wine harvest. Runner will be in costume to celebrate Halloween along with the end of the wine harvest. Although many are coming from the California area, it is expected that at least one quarter will be from elsewhere.

This is truly the race of all races for the wine drinking runner. Not only will you pass rows of magnificently colored vineyards and farmhouses, but you will actually run past at least 21 wineries many of which will be offering the fruits of their labors at the well placed watering stops. Beginning with the Francis Ford Coppola winery called Rosso & Bianco, you will have a gradual ascent of your first and only hill where you will soon be rewarded by your first watering station at Ridge Winery.

Crush a Wine of Your Own

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 12:40:00 -0700

The ultimate experience for the devoted wine enthusiast has to be physically making your own wine. At Crushpad in San Francisco you can accomplish this. For more than 4 years, Crushpad has been sourcing the finest grapes from Washington, Oregon, and California from over 50 vineyards. Most of these vineyards have their wines rated from 90-100 by Wine Spectator or Wine Advocate with retail prices in the $40-$150 range. You can make one barrel of custom wine which produces 300 bottles or 25 cases with costs ranging from $5700-$10,900 per barrel ($19-$36 per bottle). The harvests are in September and October.

The process of making your very own wine involves many steps. The first step is to choose the vineyard whose grapes you want to use to make your wine. There is a detailed list of vineyards on the Crushpad website. Tasting the wines produced commercially from the vineyards or consulting with the staff at Crushpad can help you decide on which grapes and which vineyard you want to use.

Chelsea Market After Dark

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 11:39:00 -0700

Chelsea Market After Dark at the New York City Wine & Food Festival featured an assortment of different wines paired with tasting bites from the Chelsea Market retail shops. Some included were:

Georges DuBoeuf Beaume de Venise
XYZin Zinfandel
Esser Chardonnay
An Assortment of Yellowtail Wines
HobNob Pinot Noir

Columbus Day Weekend Wine Events

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 08:23:00 -0700

Wolffer Estate Vineyard 20th Anniversary Harvest Party - Sagaponack, NY

Wolffer Estate Vineyard in Sagaponack is hosting a 20th Anniversary Harvest Party this Sunday (October 12, 2008). There will be activities for all ages including live music, hay rides, and a chance to pick and stomp grapes. Tickets are available online.

Panama City Beach Seafood, Wine & Music Festival - Panama City Beach, FL

A celebration of local seafood prepared by local chefs brought together by wine and live music. Some of the participating restaurants include Reggae J's, Breakers, Saltwater Grill, The Back Porch, Firefly, Hammerhead Fred's and Boatyard. Live entertainment includes Blues Traveler and Craig Morgan.

New York City Wine & Food Festival

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 14:48:00 -0700

The inaugural New York City Wine & Food Festival kicks off this weekend beginning on October 9th. Don't miss Chelsea Market After Dark on Thursday night with Food Network Host Bobby Flay. Get a chance to sample tasty bites paired with wine and cocktails offered throughout the night.

The four day festival continues with many exciting, never seen before events being held throughout the weekend featuring international culinary icons such as Ferran Adria, Gordon Ramsay, Tom Colicchio, Alice Waters, and Alfred Portale.

Leek Vinaigrette with Crispy Pancetta

Wed, 08 Oct 2008 12:38:00 -0700

Leeks Vinaigrette with Crispy Pancetta paired with a crisp Pinot Gris

Safaris and Wine

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 16:01:00 -0700

Safaris and wine may not sound like the perfect pairing to you, but you may be in for a big surprise when you visit any of Singita Game Reserves in South Africa. Since the early 1990s, James Fawcett Bailes (the current owner and the grandson of the original owner) has built 5 exclusive game lodges offering incredible wildlife experiences in luxurious accommodations. Due to his overwhelming success, he has extended his locales beyond South Africa to Tanzania and Zimbabwe. Limited number of guests each received intimate experiences with limited impact on the environment. Bailes’s resorts have received awards consistently from Travel & Leisure Magazine and Conde Nast Traveller.

Singita Game Reserves are world renown for their incredible accommodations, but their sommeliers and their 12,000 bottle wine cellars are the real surprise.

Hollywood Wine

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 07:27:00 -0700

In memory of Paul Newman, CorkSavvy would like to toast to his many lifetime achievements. In addition to gracing the silver screen over the last 25 years, Paul Newman donated profits totaling over $200 million dollars to countless charities.

As with Newman’s other products, his wines contain the best ingredients from some of California’s finest vineyards. They are produced by Rebel Wine Company in St. Helena, California – a joint venture between Three Thieves and Trinchero Family Estates, one of the largest wine producers in the San Francisco Bay area. Newman’s Own connects the production and distribution capabilities of Trinchero with the creativity and winemaking talent of Three Thieves. The Chardonnay is cold-fermented with only partial malo-actic fermentation in order to enhance its crispness and vibrancy. The flavor tastes of tropical fruit with a hint of vanilla and oak with grapes primarily from Monterey and Santa Barbara counties.

Chaddsford Rubino 2006, Pennsylvania, USA

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 12:48:00 -0700

Chaddsford Rubino 2006, Pennsylvania, USA
A ripe red wine.

Own a Piece of the Vine

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 09:09:00 -0700

If your passion is wine and you have excess time and money, you might think of buying and running a vineyard. However, if you have slightly lower tolerance for risk, want to diversify your investments and are free to travel, a fractional interest in a vineyard might be for you.

The amount of investment and involvement in fractional wine ownership varies depending on the vineyard, but it usually includes a designated number of bottles of wine annually, housing on the estate grounds for a period of time, and some share in the financial returns of the vineyard. One company involved in fractional ownership in France and South Africa is Wine Estate Capital Management.

Other ways of partaking in the wine industry is investing in a vineyard and hiring a supervisor to manage the vineyard for you. In the Languedoc region of France, Domaine Gayda sells small parcels of the vineyard and contracts to manage the winemaking for a period of years.

Wine Education

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 12:17:00 -0700

Whether you are just beginning your quest for wine knowledge or you are quite the connoisseur, there are education programs aimed at enhancing your wine expertise. Founded in 1969 and headquartered in London, England the Wine and Spirit Education Trust, offers courses and qualifications for those in the trade as well as wine enthusiasts. For Londoners, it is called the London Wine & Spirit School and is located near the London Bridge station. For those living outside London, there are 255 Approved Program Providers that provide onsite teaching in 42 countries. For those who pass the top level of certification (the WSET Diploma) they become part of the Institute of Wines & Spirits.

Whether you are looking for a certification level – such as beginner, intermediate, or advanced certificate – in wine & spirits a professional or international certificate, there are opportunities for everyone to increase their knowledge. If you reside in London there are wine tasting evenings, food and wine pairing events all at the London Bridge location.

Wine Law 101

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 09:12:00 -0700

Studying law at America’s finest teaching institutions used to include endless nights of studying mixed with excruciating hours of examinations. You can now enter the hollowed halls and ivory towers of Yale Law School with your wine bottle in hand and enjoy a seminar on wine law with tastings included, of course. Bottles of wine can accompany you on those long, lonely nights in the library. If it sounds too good to be true, it may be if you get closed out of the “Wine Law in America” two part seminar taught by visiting professor Richard Mendelson in September 2008.

“The first class addresses the evolution of Twenty-First Amendment jurisprudence from the repeal of Prohibition to the current litigation over interstate wine shipping to consumers,” said Mendelson. “The second class deals with the interplay between wine brands(trademarks) and geographical indications(appellations of origin), conflicts with the European Union over semi-generic wine names like Champagne and Burgundy, and wine counterfeiting.”

Q&A with Chantelle Pabros

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 08:35:00 -0700

CorkSavvy talks to Chantelle Pabros, Sommelier of L2O in Chicago.

A Great Kosher Wine?

Sun, 28 Sep 2008 07:47:00 -0700

With the Jewish New Year just around the corner, the quest for a great kosher wine begins.

Yes, great kosher wine – it’s not an oxymoron. Years ago, Manischewitz was the only kosher wine in town. With the recent explosion of popularity of wine drinking, kosher wines have been produced worldwide with great results.

The word “kosher” literally means “proper” or “correct,” and the kosher designation refers to a process not simply an appellation. Kosher winemaking laws are the oldest and most enduring, having been established to ensure that there is nothing in the bottle but the grapes themselves.

The origin of kosher law or “Kashrut” comes from the Torah where it was determined what food and drinks Jews could consume. Many of the kosher winemaking laws center around the prohibition on the use of any animal products. Winemakers might use egg whites or gelatin to clarify the wine, while kosher winemakers may use bentonite, a clay material. Further, winemaking equipment must be steam cleaned in scalding water and barrels must be used for kosher wine only. For the highest level of kosher wine, the wine must go through an extra step – it must be “Mevushal” or “cooked” to retain its kosherness if it is going to be opened or poured by a non-Jew. In this process, wine is brought to the boiling point as it starts to evaporate, and is then cooled quickly at which point the rest of the fermentation process continues. With modern technology, Mevushal and non-Mevushal wines are consistently indistinguishable in taste, according to a study at the University of California at Davis, the Nation’s top winemaking school.

Branson Coach House Shiraz 2004, Barossa Valley, Australia

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 20:06:00 -0700

Branson Coach House Shiraz 2004, Barossa Valley, Australia
Smooth with dark fruit flavors.

It's the Law

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 18:25:00 -0700

American grape vines and the resulting winemaking industry did not sprout out of the ground organically – it was developed by colonial settlers. It is thought that British settlers used their winemaking knowledge to produce wines using native grapes in the early 1600s in the Jamestown Colony of Virginia. British officials, as part of British Colonial rule, planned to make the colonies a new, large source of wine for the British Empire. Subsequently, two laws were passed: in 1611, it became a capital crime to steal grapes; and, in 1619, law dictated that every adult male settler was require to plant at least 10 vines on his land for the purpose of making wine. It is unknown, however, how successful this venture was; the long voyages between Britain and the future United States and the lack of proper shipping containers may have prevented wine from ever being delivered in a palatable form.

EXTENDED: Log-in to Win!

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700

SECOND DRAWING ANNOUNCED

We've launched a major upgrade to the MyCellar portion of the website. To celebrate, we're giving away a SECOND Dinner for 2 at Union Square Cafe. For a chance to win, all you have to do is sign up for a new account or just log into your existing account between 5pm (EST) on Saturday, September 20th and 5pm (EST) on Saturday, October 4th.

A Wine of Your Own

Mon, 22 Sep 2008 16:21:00 -0700

Ever wondered what it would be like to have your own vineyard? While not everyone can grow grapes on their country estate, more and more wine connoisseurs are discovering that it’s actually quite easy to make your own unique wines at home.

The basic ingredients are simple. To get started, many specialty stores carry fresh wine grapes from locales such as Napa and Sonoma and will often press them for you. Or you can order pre-pressed grape juice online. You’ll also need a vessel for aging, such as a stainless steel bucket, tank or barrel. If you want to add oak flavor to your wine, an oak barrel isn’t necessary—instead, suppliers offer oak chips that you can add to the mix.

Wine on the Go

Sat, 20 Sep 2008 05:37:00 -0700

“I want my wine, and I want it now!” Wine drinkers cannot be deterred by the inconveniences of traveling with a few bottles of wine. Between the TSA and not-so-gentle baggage handlers, transporting wine today has become an almost impossible challenge.

Now you can have your wine and drink it too – so to speak.

Bottlewise offers a travel bag that can withstand baggage handlers, satisfy security requirements for checked baggage and look damn good while doing it. Two bottles can be separately padded and placed in a secure liquid-tight, lined compartment. Forget the security lines – this bag is a great way to transport your wine to a picnic or a BYO restaurant.

CorkSavvy at Harvest in the Square 2008

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 12:48:00 -0700

CorkSavvy took part in Harvest in the Square last night in Union Square. Attendees were excited to hear about the contest on CorkSavvy.com where they can enter to win a dinner for 2 at Union Square Café. Many of New York City’s top restaurants participated in the event such as Gramercy Tavern, Strip House, and Rosa Mexicana. Ted Allen and contestant Andrew D'Ambrosi from Bravo’s Top Chef were there to taste and mix with the crowd. The event offered an assortment of wines for guests to taste. Wines from California based Robert Mondavi and other vineyards from outside New York were enjoyed by all.

Weekend Highlights - September 20 & 21

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 05:53:00 -0700

The New York Culinary Experience

For the first time, The French Culinary Institute and New York Magazine team up to create an event featuring the top chefs in New York City. This is an opportunity to learn from some of the industry's best with hands-on classes. The program also gives participants access to limited edition and rare wines.

Maryland Wine Festival - Carroll County, MD

This event is held rain or shine featuring wine tastings and wine education seminars. Many events don't allow admission to anyone under 21 but here there is something for the whole family.

Another Glass Ceiling is Cracking

Wed, 17 Sep 2008 13:55:00 -0700

Over the years when you spoke to a sommelier in fine dining establishments, it was inevitably a man. Sommeliers - well dressed in a dark suit, well spoken and very knowledgeable about wine – have had an aura of sophistication and erudition.

Though the sommelier profession has traditionally been dominated by men, women are slowly revolutionizing the field. Women have had a variety of positions in the restaurant industry especially pastry departments. At the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, NY 80% of the student body was male in the mid 1980s. As of last year that number has dropped to 60%.

Although there are no formal requirements or certifications necessary to work in the wine industry, the accreditation from the Court of Master Sommeliers is coveted. Of the 87 people in the US that hold this distinction, 14 are woman, which is an increase of 6 since 1997. The number of applicants in the US taking the qualifying exams has more than doubled since 2003 and has more than quadrupled for women. Men and women are equally qualified to be sommeliers because in this field the key to success is focus, dedication and a true passion for wine – the history, the science and the winemakers.

The US Founding Fathers Favored Wines

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 08:27:00 -0700

Though the Founding Fathers of the United States were busy battling the British and establishing democracy, they also found time to make wines.

Thomas Jefferson had vineyards at his estate in Monticello, yet he was never able to produce a bottle of wine. Wine was his passion. Contrary to popular drinking trends at the time, Jefferson favored wine over whiskey and brandy because he felt it was healthier. He pushed for lower wine import duties and believed that someday America would become a wine producing nation on par with France and Italy. His interest in wine may have dated back to his college years at The College of William and Mary, but his erudition in European wines really began when he was appointed commissioner in Paris in 1784. Traveling through most of the great wine regions of Europe – including Germany, France and Italy – he gained an in-depth knowledge of wines that would be the envy of oenphiles today. He was happy to share his expertise by acting as a wine consultant to his friends in government, including George Washington.

J. Lohr October Night Vineyard Chardonnay 2006, Monterey, CA

Tue, 16 Sep 2008 08:14:00 -0700

J. Lohr October Night Vineyard Chardonnay 2006, Monterey, CA
Complex with hints of floral and citrus.

Wine Hometowns

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 09:44:00 -0700

Just as New Yorkers and Californians have their own regional identities, so too are their wines. European wines – for example, Bordeaux in France or Chianti in Italy – are frequently classified by their place of origin. This wine hometown conveys a wine identity with a distinct image, quality and price. So it is no surprise that non-European vineyards are beginning to emulate their European counterparts by classifying their wines by regions.

In the United States, Napa Valley in California and Willamette Valley in Oregon are becoming readily recognizable wine locales. In New Zealand, the Marlborough region is gaining recognition.

Buying Sake is Simpler than You Think

Sun, 14 Sep 2008 08:03:00 -0700

So you’re at the wine shop and you see a cool-looking bottle of Japanese rice wine, also called sake. You’ve had it before in restaurants, and now you’re wondering if you should bring a bottle home. But all these choices can get confusing. You can’t know what the sake will taste like without a lot of help, can you?

Actually, it’s easy. Unlike most wines, the a sake’s label will give you quite a bit of information—you just need to know what to look for. First, take a look at the sake’s “meter value,” or nihonshu-do. This tells you how dry or sweet the sake is. A value above two is considered dry, while anything below two is considered sweet.

Next, take a look at the level of acidity. A level of two or below is considered good quality.

Finally, look for the word seimaibuai. This tells you the degree to which the rice used to make the sake is polished. A higher percentage means that more of the grain of rice is left after polishing. The more polished the rice, the more “premium” the sake is considered to be, which means that a lower percentage is considered better quality.

Q&A with Scott McWilliams of McWilliams Wines.

Fri, 12 Sep 2008 15:57:00 -0700

CorkSavvy talks to Scott McWilliams, sixth generation winemaker, at McWilliams Wines.

Sporty Wines: How Far Can a Name Take You?

Tue, 09 Sep 2008 15:02:00 -0700

Some very prominent athletes are learning just how far a name goes. Professional athletes are famous for their athletic prowess, determination and sports related paraphernalia. Some athletes are adding their name to fragrances, soft drinks, and now wines. Like other consumer markets, athlete-wine partnerships provide instant name recognition, helping winemakers reduce their advertising costs.

Greg Norman, winner of two British Open Golf events, has taken his name beyond the golf course and into wine country. He has started Greg Norman Estates selling hundreds of thousands of cases including merlots and chardonnays.

Several other golfers are also venturing into the vineyards to produce their own wine brands. Ernie Els, a former World No. 1, co-owns vineyards in his native South Africa. Luke Donald, a young British golfer, has formed a partnership with Terlato Wines International, forming the Luke Donald Collection. Mike Weir, a 2003 Masters winner, owns the Mike Weir Estate Winery in Canada.

Building your extracurricular resume: Wine clubs

Mon, 08 Sep 2008 15:14:00 -0700

In this social world in which we live, everyone is a member of clubs, social networks, and various organizations. Now the latest clubs gaining popularity are wine clubs. What is the benefit of joining a wine club when you can savor your favorite wine in the comfort of your own home?

There are basically two very different kinds of wine clubs: online/mail-order clubs or social clubs.

The internet/mail-order wine clubs send newsletters, describing the wines they sell, providing information about the vineyards where their wine comes from, as well as wine pairings, recipes and wine tips. Most wine clubs ship two bottles (one red, one white) monthly and offer discounts on reorders. These convenient wine clubs offer a very passive way of increasing your wine vocabulary. The clubs may differ in their focus; one club may specialize in wines from France or the Pacific Northwest or another club may provide only wines that are rated 90 or above by a rating service such as Wine Spectator or Wine Enthusiast. With wine delivered to your door and the opportunity to explore different wines, you can effortlessly satisfy your cork curiosity and cravings.

Inniskillin Cabernet Franc Icewine 2005, Canada

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 11:08:00 -0700

Inniskillin Cabernet Franc Icewine 2005, Canada
A fruity, red dessert wine.

Hudson Valley Wine & Food Fest - September 6 & 7

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 10:21:00 -0700

Hudson Valley Wine & Food Fest will feature hundreds of local vineyards. Be prepared for a full weekend of events. There will be wine-tastings, cooking demonstrations and live music. Tickets are available for individual days or the full weekend as well as designated driver passes. For more information.

Swimming in a Sea of Wine

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 15:18:00 -0700

A glass of wine is not only good for you, according to the American Heart Association, but also good on you!

That’s right, now you can soak in an oak barrel bath with Pinot Noir grapes, cover your face in a Merlot grape seed wrap and exfoliate in a crushed cabernet scrub. It may sound like an oenophile’s fantasy, but these treatments - also known as vinotherapy - are increasingly available worldwide at wine spa hotels.

In the United States, vinotherapy is available at The Inn at Camelback in Arizona as well as The Shore Club in Miami, Florida. Delluva Vinotherapy Day Spa is New York City’s first entirely wine-based spa featuring South African Pinotage grapes.

Although many vinotherapeutic treatments surely date back much further, first wine spa resorts started in France only about twenty years ago. Dr. Joseph Vercauteren, who discovered that grape seeds were rich in antioxidant polyphenol, created skin care products with Mathilde and Bertrand Thomas using grapes harvested at their Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte estate called the Caudalie Skin Care.

Northern Grape Exposure

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 15:08:00 -0700

Alaska may be frigid and snow packed in the winter, but in the summer it is the home of award winning fruity wines. At Alaska Wilderness Winery, located in Matanuska-Susitna Valley on Kodiak Island, home grown fruits - including blueberry, raspberry, rhubarb, black currant and salmonberry (similar to raspberry) - are handpicked to produce most unusual wines. In fact, in only a few years of production, Alaska Wilderness Winery medaled at the Northwest Wine Summit, the largest wine competition in the Pacific Northwest where over 1200 wines were submitted from over 350 wineries. You may wonder why you are not seeing Alaskan wines if they are garnering praise in the wine industry. Only recently, July 2007 has state legislation permitted Alaskan wineries to ship their wines throughout the United States.

In South Central Alaska, at the foot of the Chugach Mountains, you can visit Alaska Denali Winery and enjoy Merlot, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Ice Wine, Pinot Noir and Reisling. Unfortunately, these wines are only sold in Alaska.

Something for Everyone

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 11:51:00 -0700

Expecting a tricky guest? We know the perfect wine.

“Stuffed-suit Stanley,” aka your staunch traditionalist boss: It would be so easy to give him good-old Merlot, but why should you shell out the cash for someone who thinks a subscription to the jelly-of-the-month club is an acceptable Christmas bonus? Grab a bottle of Argentine Malbec, instead—unless he reads the label, he’ll never know the difference. One to try: 2005 Punto Final Malbec Reserva.

“Dinner-date Kate,” aka the gal you’re dying to impress: The meal you just shared probably cost more than her diamond earrings, but you don’t mind now that you’re back at your place for dessert. Treat her to a glass of golden Tokaji, the exotic, surprisingly complex and often very pricey Hungarian dessert wine that’s great paired with sweets or just plain “naked.” One to try: 1999 Royal Tokaji Wine Company Essencia.

“Thinks-she’s-still-in-school Sally,” aka your party-happy college buddy: Your days of downing Jagermeister are long since over. Not so for your friend, who still thinks her liver is invincible. Pick up a bottle (or better yet, a case) of rosé and you’ll both be happy—she’ll think you’ve discovered a new wine cooler for grown-ups, and you’ll have something very drinkable that won’t break the bank. One to try: 2005 Big House Pink from California.

Movie Night

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 21:33:00 -0700

Who says films are better in the theater? Pop in a DVD at home and enjoy your favorite movie treats with wines that match—something you can’t get at the multiplex. Some suggestions:

Popcorn—Pair this classic with a light, buttery, toasty Chardonnay, such as a 2004 Kendall-Jackson Vintners Reserve. For the best results, pop the kernels yourself on the stove or in an air popper, not in one of the microwave bags that uses imitation butter flavor, and go easy on the butter and salt.

Nachos with cheese sauce—Beer isn’t the only beverage that can quench your thirst when it comes to this salty, crunchy, spicy snack. Enjoy a bowl with a light and fizzy Portuguese Vihno Verde.

Hot dogs—It’s name may sound French, but Pinot Noir still pairs perfectly with this all-American food. One to try: 2004 Dom. Drouhin Oregon Pinot Noir.

Host an Italian Wine and Cheese Party

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 21:13:00 -0700

Stop by the cheese counter or your locally specialty shop for an instant Italian party that will impress even the pickiest guests. To make matching easier, place each cheese on a separate plate, label them with buffet cards, then place the matching bottles of wine next to the appropriate cheeses.

Some of our favorite pairings:

Fontina Val d’Aosta: Serve some of this creamy real-deal Italian Fontina that’s both nutty and slightly tangy with a Barolo, such as a 2003 Prunotto Barolo from Piedmont, Italy.

Grana Padano: Similar to Parmesan but mild enough to eat as on its own, pair chunks of this hard cheese with a dry sparkling white wine, such as Prosecco. One to try: Santa Margherita NV Prosecco from Alto Adige, Italy.

Looking for an Interesting Wine Adventure for Labor Day Weekend?

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 01:45:00 -0700

Sonoma Wine Country Weekend - Sonoma County, CA

Sonoma Wine Country Weekend features more that 200 wineries and chefs. There are organized lunches and dinners as well as auctions and tastings. Truly a must visit if you are in the area.

27th Annual Harvest Wine Celebration - Livermore, CA

Participation from 43 wineries in the Livermore Valley of California. Each vineyard will have complimentary tastings of at least 2 different varietals. Live music throughout the day as well as food for sale from various local restaurants.

Wine + Spice = Sublime

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 14:07:00 -0700

When it comes to highly spiced ethnic dishes, most people are quick to go for beer with their meal. But there are several types of wine that can taste outstanding when paired with these cuisines.

For example, it is great ordering Riesling with Chinese—the subtly sweet wine stands up to the bit of sugar in most Chinese dishes while, at the same time, cooling the spice. Riesling also works well with Thai coconut curry dishes for the same reasons.

Below, some more favorite pairings:

•Moroccan—Tangines made with flavors like cinnamon and saffron taste amazing with a dry Muscat or Muscato.

•Indian—Pair a super-hot vindaloo curry with a Shiraz or Syrah. For milder dishes, try a Muscat or a Riesling.

McWilliams Chardonnay 2006, Australia

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 13:52:00 -0700

McWilliams Chardonnay 2006, Australia
Smooth wine with flavors of citrus and peach.

Bluff Your Way Through Any Wine List

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 10:13:00 -0700

We’ve all got our favorite bottles, but you probably won’t spot many of yours next time you’re dining out, no matter how much the wine list resembles a telephone book. You could take the easy way out, ordering a dependable Pinot Noir or Chardonnay. But keep these wines in mind and you’ll be able to impress your fellow diners with your so-called “extensive knowledge” next time the waiter comes around:

Cava: If your group is on a budget, this sparkly Spanish white makes a wonderful alternative to Champagne, without the (often undue) cheap connotation of ordering Prosecco.

Viognier: If your companions like a fruity Chardonnay, order this creamy, tropical-fruit laden white that goes particularly well with seafood, pork and sweet-and-spicy Asian dishes.

Gewurztraminer: Aromatic like Riesling, this Alsatian white wine can range from dry to sweet, depending on how long the fruit was left on the vine.

Almond Oatmeal Crème Brulee with Orange Essence

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 12:39:00 -0700

Almond Oatmeal Crème Brulee with Orange Essence from Chef David Burke.

Wine in a box…What? Did I say that out loud?

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 11:20:00 -0700

Oh the shock, the horror, the blasphemy! Boxed wines – previously an unspeakable ugly stepsister of bottled wine – are now gaining popularity and esteem in the wine industry. First popular in Australia and also Europe, this contagious trend is quickly spreading to the United States.

Your wine tastes don’t have to poke holes in your wallet, like the declining economy and escalating oil prices. Boxed wines offer cheap, yet still quality alternatives. Wine boxes typically contain 3 liters and cost $10 to $35, while traditional bottles hold 750 milliliters and can retail up to $4000 a bottle.

King Estate Vin Glace Pinot Gris 2006, Willamette Valley, Oregon

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 10:36:00 -0700

King Estate Vin Glace Pinot Gris 2006, Oregon
Organically grown dessert wine.

I Scream, You Scream, We all Scream for…Wine?

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 09:40:00 -0700

There is only one remedy for the summer heat: ice cream! Excitement for this childhood treat does not dissipate with age, it only grows stronger and perhaps more sophisticated. Cork connoisseurs can now delight in their passion for wine while still satisfying that summer treat desires by trying a scope of ice cream of your favorite wine variety.

NY State legislation has passed a bill approving the production and sale of wine ice cream, although the alcohol content is restricted to 5% and you must be at least 21 years old to purchase the treat.

City Winery

Fri, 15 Aug 2008 06:26:00 -0700

The smell of wine slowly aging in barrels, the rustic charm of a winery, the thrill and excitement of creating your own unique vintage – the City Winery, located in the heart of New York City, allows customers to enjoy the whole wine experience without having to leave the city. The space is scheduled to open this fall in the Soho neighborhood of Manhattan. The facility, one of the first fully operational winery in a major urban area, also includes a wine bar, event space, and full catering kitchen to accommodate your gastronomical events. If you are looking for some viticulture erudition, the City Winery will also be offering wine classes.

China Wine

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 14:13:00 -0700

China: a nation rich with history, culture, athleticism, and wine? Yes, wine! Although Chinese grapes have not received much attention from the viticulture industry, China’s vineyards are rapidly revolutionizing the wine market. China’s wine history began over 4600 years ago, but only recently has the China’s wine experienced resurgence.

In the mid 1980s, Michael Parry brought over thousands of grapevines from France, and soon partnered with Hiram Walker Wines and Spirits(HK)Ltd., a subsidiary of British Allied Domecq Group. An important, often overlooked difference between Chinese wines and French wines is the alcohol content. Many Chinese wines contain over 45% alcohol, compared to the 8-12% that most Western wines contain. Western wines, therefore, were an acquired taste for the Chinese market. However, the Chinese economic boom of the early 2000s resulted in a huge increase in disposable income, giving Chinese wine lovers the resources to diversify and cultivate their palates.

E-wines

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 08:52:00 -0700

You have been thinking about it all day: the excitement, the thrill, the elation of taking that first taste of your favorite vintage. But, what if the restaurant does not carry your precious bottle of wine or you cannot remember the exact name of the wine?

Now, you do not have to wait to arrive at the restaurant and peruse the wine list to allay your fears. Corksavvy’s wine list database can keep you informed of the wine selections of thousands of restaurants around the world.

Grilled Heirloom Tomato Bruschetta

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 13:43:00 -0700

Grilled Heirloom Tomato Bruschetta

A Cocktail Party for Wine Lovers

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 13:24:00 -0700

Want to serve a twist on the classic cocktail party? These wine-based drinks are bound to impress.

The Classics:

Bellini (Not just for brunch)
2 oz. peach nectar
½ oz. fresh lemon juice
3 oz. cold Prosecco

Combine peach nectar and juice in a Champagne glass. Add Prosecco.

Choosing the Perfect Glasses

Tue, 12 Aug 2008 15:43:00 -0700

With so much beautiful stemware to choose from, the options can get confusing. Do you really need white wine glasses and red wine glasses? The truth is, you don’t. But each wine glass does serve a purpose—to enhance that particular type of wine as much as possible. Below, a primer:

Red Wine Glass: If you only buy one type of wine glass, this should be it. The wide mouth allows air to reach the wine and let it “breathe,” or oxidize, and makes it easy for the drinker to lean in and get a good sniff.

White Wine Glass: This pretty tulip-shaped glass is fine for whites, which don’t need to “breathe” the way reds do.

How is wine made?

Mon, 11 Aug 2008 11:00:00 -0700

The taste of a fine wine on one’s lips seems so natural, so effortless and so ephemeral. Yet, years of careful planning and months of painstaking work are required for this flavorful fluid to reach your glass.

Designing a Game Plan:
The planning stage focuses on three main factors: grape variety, region and environment.
For grape variety, it’s the age-old question: red or white? Whether this is a simple question or a deep moral dilemma, the decision will determine the optimal climate and soil conditions for the wine.
Depending on the grape variety, it is necessary to select a vineyard location that will provide the most advantageous amount of sunlight, nearby trees, fertile soil and temperature. Once a location is chosen, the time of harvest will be an important factor in producing a quality wine, and it is determined by finding a delicate balance between the color, variety, grape acidity and flavor.

Joh. Jos. Prum Graacher Himmelreich Auslese 2006, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 12:36:00 -0700

Joh. Jos. Prum Graacher Himmelreich Auslese 2006, Germany
A crisp, well-balanced white

D.U.W.I.: Driving under the Wine Influence

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 09:39:00 -0700

Remember that moment – we’ve all experienced it. You just finished dinner with friends. The wine was flowing, the food was delicious and the laughter was endless. When taking out your car key, suddenly the thought crosses your mind, “Did I have too much to drink?”

Instead of relying on your potentially impaired judgment to help you decide, take out a personal breathalyzer. Don’t worry, a SWAT team won’t be swooping in to arrest you if you fail the test. It’s solely for your benefit and the safety of the road.

A bottle is worth a thousand words

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 15:10:00 -0700

As you drink a glass from your favorite vintage, pay homage to its carefully crafted bottle. The combination of glass bottle and cork protected this wine from harsh elements, allowing it to age into the flavorful fluid that quenches your thirst and delights your palate. Without proper storage, the wine is subjected to oxidation and contamination that will snatch its enjoyable essence.

Laurent Tourondel of BLT Restaurants: Smoked Sea Salt and Black Pepper-Crusted Rib-Eye

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 12:59:00 -0700

Smoked Sea Salt and Black Pepper-Crusted Rib-Eye from Laurent Tourondel of BLT Restaurants.

Robert Craig Affinity Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2005, Napa Valley, CA, USA

Tue, 29 Jul 2008 12:11:00 -0700

Robert Craig Affinity Cabernet Sauvignon Blend 2005, Napa Valley
Flavors of cherries and dark berries with a long finish.

Podcast talking about New Phone Application on CorkSavvy.com

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 16:28:00 -0700

Check out Jill Sloane, Editorial Director, appear for a podcast on Ultimate Foodie talking about the new phone application on CorkSavvy.

Dr. Wine

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 07:35:00 -0700

Doctors have often received gifts from grateful patients. Gone are the days of a simple thank-you, a kind note, a homemade pie. Instead, patients are choosing to share their favorite vintage with their favorite doctor. Maybe, wine is the universal currency of gratitude.

Sommelier: The Ph.D. of Wine

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 14:27:00 -0700

Sommeliers have an aura of erudition, culture and sophistication. They sweep into the room gracefully, knowledgably describe a variety of wines and skillfully pour from the bottle – all without disrupting the precisely placed white cloth resting delicately on their arm. Sommeliers were not born with an extensive vino vocabulary and impeccable etiquette; they must undergo extensive training to truly be called a sommelier.

The Wine Lover's Diet

Tue, 22 Jul 2008 07:58:00 -0700

Calories count, unfortunately. And, we wine lovers are ingesting hundreds of liquid calories to satisfy our sophisticated palates. Most diets call for reduction of alcohol consumption, but that might leave you longingly staring at your favorite bottle of vino, imagining the savory sensation of the wine hitting your lips. Do you have to sacrifice your svelte figure for the benefit of your taste buds?

No! The answer is low calorie wines. Low calorie wines have only recently gained popularity, and they are sometimes difficult to find. Since those convenient nutrition tables are not listed on wine labels, one has to be a savvy investigator to seek out these little-known light wines.

The Judgment of Paris

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 19:57:00 -0700

It’s an epic battle. French wine v. American wine. France reigned as the invincible ruler of top quality wines. That is, until 1976, when British wine merchant Steven Spurrier organized a blind tasting – the Judgment of Paris – of chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon wines from France and California. To the shock of the entire wine world, the underdog Californian wines dethroned the dominant French wines, besting the competitor in each category.

Girlan Toretto Bianco 2006, Italy

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 11:40:00 -0700

Girlan Toretto Bianco 2006, Italy
A fresh, fruity white wine.

It's Not You, It's the Alcohol

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 11:33:00 -0700

Looking for a wine that will cleanse your palate but not leave you light-headed in the summer heat? Abstaining from alcohol because of pregnancy, a strict diet or designated driving duties?

You don’t have to surrender your rights to the savory taste and satisfaction of wine – try a non-alcoholic wine. Though these unfermented grape juices may not have the cache of true wine, they are a sweet, flavorful and healthy alternative. That’s right, healthy. Nonalcoholic wines still contain the antioxidants that improve cardiovascular health, but they have an extra benefit – one-third to one-half the calories.

Finger Lakes Wine & Food Festival - July 18-20

Sat, 19 Jul 2008 13:36:00 -0700

Tens of thousands of wine drinkers traveled to Watkins Glen International Racetrack to sample the best of the Finger Lakes wines. In true bacchanalian spirit, the Finger Lakes Wine Festival launched with a toga party on Friday night. The official event, held on the NASCAR track, began on Saturday and featured over 75 local vineyards. Wine highlights included Vidal Blanc Ice Wine 2006, a sweet dessert wine, from Hunt Country Vineyards, and the Dr. Frank 2006 Rkatsiteli, a very dry wine of an unusual grape variety.

CorkSavvy at the New York Philharmonic

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 07:56:00 -0700

CorkSavvy enjoyed wine with 60,000 of our closest friends at Central Park's Great Lawn in New York City.

Channing Daughters Envelope 2006, Long Island, NY, USA

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 19:57:00 -0700

Channing Daughters Envelope 2006, Long Island, NY, USA
Well-balanced white with floral scents.

NEW FEATURE!

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 07:14:00 -0700

Send wine labels from your camera phone directly to the wine diary.

In three simply steps, you can snap, log, and view you favorite wines with CorkSavvy.com’s newest application for camera phones. Never again will you forget the delicious bottle of wine you had with dinner.

Make the most of this new application by 1. snapping a photo of the wine bottle label using a camera phone; 2. emailing the photo to mycellar@corksavvy.com and adding a description like "Crisp, Fruity, and Delicious"; and 3. logging into your personalized CorkSavvy My Cellar account and add further descriptions, arrange photos, and catalogue entries.

Cool Reds for Hot Days

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 15:03:00 -0700

On sweaty summer days a cold glass of wine is the perfect refresher. So why should whites have all the fun? There are plenty of red wines that taste great cold, too.

Just about any red that’s high in alcohol will be better after twenty minutes in the fridge, as the cold will take the "heat" out of the wine. Big reds from sunny climates like those in California and Australia will taste notably "cooler" after a quick chill. Those that are low in tannins are great at even colder temperatures, so feel free to keep them in an ice bucket or refrigerate them an hour or more. With that in mind, here are a few wines we’d like to put on ice:

Saving Champagne for a special occasion? Don't!

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 09:53:00 -0700

Champagne and other sparkling white wines are perfect for toasting, but why stop there? Between the bubbles and the citrus-y acidity, they go well with just about every type of food, from appetizers like sushi and crispy fried potato skins to main dishes like lobster, butter-topped steak and creamy risotto to desserts including rich chocolate truffles and sweet fresh strawberries. It can range from dry (brut) to sweet (sec), and from full-bodied to light. It can be as expensive as Cristal or as affordable as a Spanish Cava.

Turkey Flat Shiraz 2005, Barossa Valley, Australia

Sat, 14 Jun 2008 10:37:00 -0700

Turkey Flat Shiraz 2005
A rich, spicy Shiraz from Australia.

Food & Wine Classic Chef Spotlight: David Chang, Jean-Georges Vongerichten

Sat, 14 Jun 2008 09:48:00 -0700

James Beard Award winner David Chang (of Momofuku restaurants) captured audiences with demostrations of his famous pork buns (from Momofuku Noodle Bar) and the Bo Saam (from Momofuku Saam Bar). Uncovering the secrets of the soft, steamed dough filled with melt in your mouth pork belly, scallions, cucumbers and hoisen was the highlight.

Grand Tasting at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen

Sat, 14 Jun 2008 08:23:00 -0700