Thursday 28 May 2020

Top East Coast Wines

Top Twenty East Coast Wines

Our Favorite Local Wines

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New York Wines

 Hermann J. Wiemer

Hermann J. Wiemer Reserve Dry Riesling

The wines are stunning, pure Rieslings that speak of Seneca Lake with more than a little reference to the Mosel.

 

Our top pick is Hermann J. Wiemer Reserve Dry Riesling

 

Channing Daughters

This South Fork, Long Island winery is run by winemaker Christopher Tracy, a natural winemaker and delightful lunatic.

 

 

Our top pick is Channing Daughters “Mosaico” White

Dr. Konstantin Frank Old Vines Pinot Noir, Finger LakesDr. Konstantin Frank

 

The winery that changed the course of winemaking in the Finger Lakes. Located on Keuka Lake.

Our top pick is Dr. Konstantin Frank Old Vines Pinot Noir

 

Damiani Wine Cellars

Located on the eastern shores of Seneca Lake, they excel at red wine production like no other Finger Lakes winery. 

 

Our top pick is Damiani  Cabernet Sauvignon 

 

Harbes Family Vineyard Hallock Lane Merlot (North Fork of Long Island)Harbes Family Vineyard

In 2003, Harbes Vineyard was planted on a boulder-strewn, south-facing slope near the coast of Long Island Sound (North Fork)

 

Our top pick is Harbes Family Vineyard Hallock Lane Merlot

Bedell Cellars Cabernet Franc, North ForkBedell Cellars

Vineyard & farm located in the small hamlet of Cutchogue, on the North Fork of Long Island.

 

Our top pick is Bedell Cellars Cabernet Franc

Pennsylvania Wines

Galen Glen Stone Cellar Gruner VeltlinerGalen Glen Winery

Based in the Lehigh Valley, they have the oldest Gruner vineyard in America, planted in 2003. 

 

Our top pick is Galen Glen “Stone Cellar” Gruner Veltliner

Va La “Prima Donna”Va La Vineyards

The original natural wine destination in PA.  Their vineyards, which was planted in 1997 with an eccentric assortment of Italian varietals.

 

Our top pick is Va La “Prima Donna” Orange Wine

Waltz “Crow Woods” Cabernet Sauvignon

Waltz Vineyards

Waltz Vineyards was established in 1997 by Jan and Kimberly Waltz. The vineyards are situated on a hill between Lancaster and Lebanon

Our top pick is the Waltz “Crow Woods” Cabernet Sauvignon

Fero Vineyards & Winery 2017 SaperaviFero Vineyards

Estate vineyard in the Susquehanna River Valley. Planted in 2012 to Eastern European varietals. *

Our top pick is the Fero Saperavi

Mazza Vineyards TeroldegoMazza Vineyards

Since 1973, Mazza has been producing wine on Lake Erie. The recent move towards their Italian roots is welcome.

 

Our top pick is Mazza Vineyards Teroldego

Vineyards are all on gentle slopes at low altitude about a half hour from Philly. Slowly becoming PA’s cult winery.* Our top pick is Penns Woods Ameritage ReservePenns Woods Winery

Vineyards are all on gentle slopes at a low altitude about a half-hour from Philly. Slowly becoming PA’s cult winery.*

 

Our top pick is Penns Woods Ameritage Reserve

Virginia Wines

king family ViognierKing Family Vineyards

Located in the Monticello AVA, the winery is located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Our top pick is King Family “Skin Contact” Viognier

 

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Virginia Wines

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source https://www.vinology.com/top-east-coast-wines/

Wine Taster’s Guide Now Available for Pre-order! (That’s “Published Author Joe Roberts” to You!)

Shiz just got very real, folks!

My new book, Wine Taster’s Guide: Drink and Learn with 30 Wine Tastings, is now officially available for pre-order ($14.99 for the paperback)! Shipping and whatnot begins on July 21, 2020.

The Guide is the main course meal to the Wine Taster’s Journal starter (the handy, portable companion which gets released on July 7, 2020). I’m pretty stoked, and for some time will likely insist that people address me as “Published Author Joe Roberts,” at least until I calm down (it could be a while).

FWIW, I really dig the cover design and how both books’ designs compliment one another (not to mention how well they capture the incredible, thirst-inducing shades of the wines). I, of course, had nothing directly to do with any of that.

Anyway… there is so much that I want to tell you about the inception and creation of this book… and I will be getting to that soon in a follow-up post or two here on 1WD. For now, I’ll share the PR-styling intro that Rockridge Press put together for the release…

Uncork your understanding of wine and develop your palate with 30 tasting lessons

Ever wish you were the one to confidently grab the wine list and make a fantastic choice for the table? Wine Taster’s Guide is your step-by-step manual to understanding why different wines taste the way they do through 30 tastings. You’ll learn how grape varieties, wine-making processes, and regional styles impact the wine you drink.

Find out how aging can affect the final flavor of a wine. Discover why swirling the wine in your glass will have a huge impact on what you smell. Before you know it, you’ll be drinking and discussing wine like a sommelier at a winery in the French countryside.

The Wine Taster’s Guide includes:

  • Tasting 101―Learn about the science of how we perceive aroma and flavor as well as the steps of wine evaluations―look, swirl, smell, and taste.
  • Regional wines―Head straight to the source with a chapter on the major wine regions of the world, including France, Italy, the United States, and others, plus wine-tasting suggestions that will introduce you to the styles they are known for.
  • Pairings galore―What is wine without food? Learn how to partner like a pro, whether it’s brie or blue cheese, steak, or sushi.

Learning everything there is to know about wine has never been more fun and easy than with the Wine Taster’s Guide.

Just as with the Wine Taster’s Journal, for a limited time you can request a preview e-copy (in the hopes that you will, in turn, leave an honest review on the book’s Amazon.com page). If interested, contact me.

Cheers!

 

Grab The 1WineDude.com Tasting Guide and start getting more out of every glass of wine today!

Shop Wine Products at Amazon.com

Copyright © 2020. Originally at Wine Taster’s Guide Now Available for Pre-order! (That’s “Published Author Joe Roberts” to You!) from 1WineDude.com - for personal, non-commercial use only. Cheers!

source http://www.1winedude.com/wine-tasters-guide-now-available-for-pre-order-thats-published-author-joe-roberts-to-you/

Tuesday 26 May 2020

Wine Courses

wine courses

An Overview of Wine Courses

The world of wine is wonderful. Its mastery opens opportunities in all sectors, from the hospitality industry to retail, from education to marketing, from distribution to production. Wine jobs are not only appealing, but they’re lucrative too.

Wine professionals, like any other specialists, need credentials, and constant knowledge updates. The wine world comprises dozens of countries, hundreds of wine regions, and thousands of grape varieties. The laws, the climate, the soil types, and the people, they all form part of a wine specialist’s knowledge.

Getting Wine Certified

If you want to get your foot in the door, you’ll need to hit the books and find the right association, school or study program to help you in your learning, but also to vouch for you. These are the most important wine education and certification programs, find out which one is for you.

Our preference for wine certification is well known: we love the programs coming out of the National Wine School, so we are totally biased. If you want a neutral source for information, we recommend either the Sommeliers Choice Awards or SOMM.

wine courses

Wine and Spirits Education Trust

The Wine and Spirit Education Trust, or WSET is based in the UK, but now runs programs all around the world through third parties. You can take any of their courses at any major city in the US and other countries.

The WSET is very methodical; they offer programs on different specialties like wine, spirits, sake. Advancing from levels one through four in most programs, the difficulty increases dramatically. A level four Wine Diploma is one of the most coveted and hard to get certifications in the industry.

Wine regions, tasting but also a strong focus on the business side of wine, WSET is great for people on the commercial side of the wine industry.

Court of Master Sommeliers

The Court of Master Sommeliers is a sommelier certification program based in the UK, now with a big branch in the US. There are four levels to accomplish before becoming one of the few Master Sommeliers in the world. There are just over 400 wine professionals with this high title.

Founded in 1977, it had a big boom after the SOMM documentary was released in 2013. The organization focuses strongly on wine service in restaurant scenarios and on deductive wine tasting, a skill that enables sommeliers to not only asses the quality of any wine but to identify its vintage, grape variety, and provenance.

Institute of Masters of Wine

The Master of Wine qualification is gained after a challenging three-year program organized by the Institute of Masters of Wine. Founded in 1955, the organization requires students to know everything there is to know about wine, but also to write appropriately about it.

A series of essays and exams take the students to their limit, becoming some of the better-prepared professionals in the industry. To start the program, students must already have wide experience in the field, high qualifications like the level four WSET diploma and the sponsorship of a Master of Wine.

Wine Scholar Guild

The Wine Scholar Guild is an approachable study program provider. The ability to study traditionally in a classroom or online allows students to tackle the Wine Scholar Guild programs in their own time from anywhere in the world.

Specializations in important wine-producing countries like France, Spain, and Italy make this organization an ideal way to stand out from other professionals.

Master-level programs include a regional approach to most French wine regions, from Champagne to Bordeaux. Immersion trips that include high-end tasting in the heart of the wine country and mentorship from highly trained professionals complete the learning experience.

The International Sommelier Guild

Established in 1982, the International Sommelier Guild offers an extensive wine education program through third-party schools in the United States, Canada, China, Mexico, South Africa, Thailand, and many other countries.

Standardized, relevant textbooks and a complete curriculum fed by ISG instructors are a powerful tool to certify capable sommeliers. Different levels lead students to a very high proficiency level, including a teacher program that helps grow the guild’s reach. A new online learning platform will help the International Sommelier Guild have an even broader reach.

National Wine School

The only wine program founded in the United States, the NWS offers programs are (not surprisingly) uniquely American. For starters, the wine trade is very different in the states than other countries. Working in restaurants isn’t as lucrative nor as respected as it is in Europe.  Instead of being a trade school certification, the NWS is more like a bachelor of arts degree. They expect their students will work in many parts of the wine trade, including winemakers, wine educators, and importers, and their curriculum reflects those realities.

For wine students in the USA, we think the National Wine School is the best option. Their programs have been adopted by many colleges and universites in the states. However, their programs are not available in England or Europe.

Gabrielle Vizzavona wine critic

If you want to become a certified sommelier, or you simply wish to increase your wine expertise, these are the most popular organizations worldwide. As long as you have a passion for wine and a commitment to keep on learning, you’ll find any goal achievable, and any certification level within reach. Welcome to the wine world, an ever-growing community of wine lovers.

The post Wine Courses appeared first on Wine School of Philadelphia.



source https://www.vinology.com/wine-courses/

Holy Crap! Wine Taster’s Journal Available for Pre-Order!

Wine Taster's Journal

Holy crap!!!

I am tickled pinker than a CƓtes de Provence rosƩ to tell you that the first of my two (yeah, two) upcoming books is now available for pre-order, to be released on July 7, 2020!

For reasons that will be obvious from the title, Wine Taster’s Journal: Drink, Rate, Record, and Remember by yours truly is being released in portable paperback form for $10.99.

This little gem is meant to accompany you during your wine tasting, and now competes with something like 10,457,632 different wine journals currently on the market. Mine, of course, is better than all of those because you know me, right? Right?!??

Anyway…

This first release is part of a duo, an amuse bouche to the 1WD book main course: Wine Taster’s Guide: Drink and Learn with 30 Wine Tastings which will also be available for pre-order shortly (more on that soon)…

I never do this, but since it’s my book, I’m reproducing the PR-style description:

Sip, savor, record, repeat―a wine journal for your wine-derful memories

Uncorking a brand new bottle of wine and wafting in its flavorful aromas is a great experience―and tasting it is even better. With the Wine Taster’s Journal you won’t forget what you sample. Its pages will serve as your taste memory, allowing you to record your thoughts on the wines you love and the ones you don’t.

This helpful wine journal also provides you with a list of the most frequently used adjectives in wine evaluation so you can identify that certain something you’re detecting in the aroma or flavor. There’s also space to make a note of your favorite bottles as well as wines recommended to you by other enthusiasts.

This engaging wine journal includes:

  • Tasting 101―Use the primer at the beginning of the wine journal to learn the basics of proper wine-tasting techniques.
  • You’re judge & jury―Fill-ins and helpful prompts allow you to accurately capture your observations.
  • Hope you’re hungry―The prompts also include a section to assess how the wine paired with your meal.

Easy to use and portable, this wine journal helps you get the most out of wine tasting.

So… why are you still reading this when you could be ordering copious quantities of this little ditty for you and everyone else that you know?

[ Up until the release date of July 7, 2020, if you’re interested in a pre-release e-copy (in the hopes that you will leave an honest review of it on Amazon), please contact me. ]

Cheers!

Grab The 1WineDude.com Tasting Guide and start getting more out of every glass of wine today!

Shop Wine Products at Amazon.com

Copyright © 2020. Originally at Holy Crap! Wine Taster’s Journal Available for Pre-Order! from 1WineDude.com - for personal, non-commercial use only. Cheers!

source http://www.1winedude.com/holy-crap-book-1-now-available-for-pre-order/

Monday 25 May 2020

Wine Reviews: Weekly Mini Round-Up For May 25, 2020

I taste a bunch-o-wine (technical term for more than most people). So each week, I share some of my wine reviews (mostly from samples) and tasting notes in a “mini-review” format.
 
They are meant to be quirky, fun, and (mostly) easily-digestible reviews of (mostly) currently available wines (click here for the skinny on how to read them), and are presented links to help you find them, so that you can try them out for yourself. Cheers!

Grab The 1WineDude.com Tasting Guide and start getting more out of every glass of wine today!

Shop Wine Products at Amazon.com

Copyright © 2020. Originally at Wine Reviews: Weekly Mini Round-Up For May 25, 2020 from 1WineDude.com - for personal, non-commercial use only. Cheers!

source http://www.1winedude.com/wine-reviews-weekly-mini-round-up-for-may-25-2020/

Thursday 21 May 2020

Wine in the Time of Coronavirus, Part Three (Through the Wayback Machine with Hesperian Wines)

Hesperian Cabernet 2007

In this edition of our sipping during the time of SIP (Samples In Progress, during Shelter In Place), we’re setting the Wayback machine for 2004, 2007, 2010, and 2016, as we go back in time and into the samples pool with Napa Valley’s perennially misunderstood Hesperian Wines.

I was provided this in-home vertical tasting opportunity because Hesperian had been following my lockdown advice for wineries even before I made it, offering specials/discounts on direct sales of their library wines to loyal customers.

Hesperian is the labor of love of Philippe Langner, who turned his love of wine into a stint at ChĆ¢teau Clarke in Bordeaux, and then turned that experience towards winegrowing primarily in the Kitoko Vineyard on Napa Valley’s Atlas Peak. For just over fifteen years, Langner has been gaining some devoted fans while simultaneously sometimes pissing off wine critics with his small-batch (typically under 300 cases) production of premium Cab.

Did he piss off this critic? Well… read on…

 

elegant2004 Hesperian Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley, $250)

Langner, on the Hesperian website, introduces his first commercial Cabernet attempt thusly – “2004 is my inaugural Hesperian release. For my first few years in Napa I was content making wine for other wineries. But, being a young and rambunctious I was eager to show the world I could make a classic cabernet that would stand the test of time. Initially, a big robust extracted wine designed to age 20 years plus. Not appreciating it for what it was intended to become the critics panned it.”

 My take is that, over fifteen years on, this Cabernet now shows as the product of a deft winemaking hand. There is definitely still fruit there, some of it stewed in the best sense of the word; while the fruits are red at their core, this wine is dark and moody in how it presents itself. With ice softness in the moutfeel now, and great truffle aromas, this one pretty much proved the critics wrong.

 

crowd pleaser2007 Hesperian Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley, $250)

This wine is in such a great place right now. Just starting to do that stewed/aged fruit thing (think plums and blackberries), with tertiary earthiness coming through among all of the cedar and dried herbal spiciness. It’s supple, like silk, and drinking great, but likely doesn’t have that much bottle time left in it (which, at thirteen years on, isn’t at all a knock against it).

Hesperian Cabernet 2010

kick ass2010 Hesperian Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley, $NA)

This is one of the boldest of the Hesperian Cabs I tasted in this time capsule sample package. Still fruity and expressive – and now quite earthy from its aging. Dense and full of aromatic complexity (with smoke, black licorice, dried lavender, even some wet stone and graphite), it’s got the kind of palate roundness that will make it a lot of friends at the steakhouse restaurant scene (whenever the hell that opens up again, anyway).

 

elegant2016 Hesperian ‘Pawa’ Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley, $NA)

The background on sourcing for this red, as per Hesperian: “50% of this wine comes from earlier picks from the 14.2 acre Kitoko Vineyard high on Atlas Peak, planted to Cabernet Sauvignon in 2000 and 2003. The soils here are extremely rocky, dry, and poor, quite similar to Pritchard Hill to the north, studded with fractured andesite rock and boulders. The remaining 50% of the wine comes from the best barrels of Didier’s “Eagle’s Nest” Vineyard, in between Monticello Road and Milliken Creek in Napa.”

My take: this Cab feels ripe and juicy, with meatiness and a backbone that’s approachable while also having plenty of substance. It really feels like a more reserved take on the “Steakhouse Red” style of Napa Cab that the 2010 presented. And yeah, I’m craving both a steak and a steakhouse experience at this point…

 

Hesperian Witha Cabernet 2016

elegant2016 Hesperian ‘Witha’ Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley, $NA)

Again, from Hesperian on the vinous origins: “58.3% of this wine comes from earlier picks from the Kitoko Vineyard. Named for the Congolese Lingala word for “beautiful,” Kitoko is a 14.2 acre vineyard high on Atlas Peak, planted to Cabernet Sauvignon in 2000 and 2003. The soils here are extremely rocky, dry, and poor, quite similar to Pritchard Hill to the north, studded with fractured andesite rock and boulders. The remaining 41.7% of the wine comes from the Upstream vineyard in Coombsville.”

I loved this wine. It feels complete; it has elegance, despite being quite deep and (of course!) brooding. Structurally, and also especially in its aromatic and flavor profiles, everything in this feels tightly knit, in a good way; plummy fruit, herbs (green and dried), wood, spices, and leather… all interwoven in deliberate, overlapping patterns.

Cheers!

Grab The 1WineDude.com Tasting Guide and start getting more out of every glass of wine today!

Shop Wine Products at Amazon.com

Copyright © 2020. Originally at Wine in the Time of Coronavirus, Part Three (Through the Wayback Machine with Hesperian Wines) from 1WineDude.com - for personal, non-commercial use only. Cheers!

source http://www.1winedude.com/wine-in-the-time-of-coronavirus-part-three-through-the-wayback-machine-with-hesperian-wines/

Wednesday 20 May 2020

Important Details

You are going to love your time at the Wine School! Please respect your fellow students and keep our school fermentation friendly.
1. Groups larger than four are not allowed.
2. Do not wear cologne or perfume.
3. Do not arrive late. Doors open 15 minutes before class.

Full details if you need them: https://www.vinology.com/tickets/

If you are attending a pairing class and have a food allergy, you must contact us ASAP. https://www.vinology.com/student-support/

If you are attending an online class, you will be sent a link to the class by noon on the day of. If you don’t receive the link please contact us at https://www.vinology.com/student-support/

Recent Awards

“Best Wine School in America” Dining Out Magazine
“Best Wine School in America 2019” SOMM
“Best of Philly 2008” Philadelphia Magazine
“Best of Philly 2012” Philadelphia Magazine
“Best of Philly 2014” USA Today

The post appeared first on Wine School of Philadelphia.



source https://www.vinology.com/634067-2/

Monday 18 May 2020

Wine Reviews: Weekly Mini Round-Up For May 18, 2020

I taste a bunch-o-wine (technical term for more than most people). So each week, I share some of my wine reviews (mostly from samples) and tasting notes in a “mini-review” format.
 
They are meant to be quirky, fun, and (mostly) easily-digestible reviews of (mostly) currently available wines (click here for the skinny on how to read them), and are presented links to help you find them, so that you can try them out for yourself. Cheers!

Grab The 1WineDude.com Tasting Guide and start getting more out of every glass of wine today!

Shop Wine Products at Amazon.com

Copyright © 2020. Originally at Wine Reviews: Weekly Mini Round-Up For May 18, 2020 from 1WineDude.com - for personal, non-commercial use only. Cheers!

source http://www.1winedude.com/wine-reviews-weekly-mini-round-up-for-may-18-2020/

Thursday 14 May 2020

Top Wineries Near Philadelphia

Top Wineries Near Philadelphia

Local Wineries Perfect for a Road Trip

Galen Glen

Penns Woods Winery

John Robert Cellars

Chaddsford Winery

Karamoor

Stone & Key Cellars

Va La Vineyards

William Heritage Winery

Amalthea Cellar Farm Winery

White Horse Winery

Hawk Haven

Working Dog Winery

Alba Vineyards

Pinnacle Ridge Winery

Stuck at home and need some wine? Want to support a local winery?  A number of students in our online wine classes asked us for this list, and here it is!  If you have any favorite wineries that are not on the list, please let us know in the comments. 

In the era of COVID-19, most of the listed wineries are offering curbside pick-up. Before you head out, make sure you reach out. Every winery has a different protocol on  how to order wine for pickup. 

These wineries are a short road trip from Philly. To make things a bit more interesting, we also included a few wineries that are worthy of a road trip, just in case you are getting stir crazy.  If you aren’t up for leaving home right now, you can also order wine online.  Cheers!

Pennsylvania Wineries

Our top winery picks. All are less than 45 minutes from center city Philadelphia. 

Penns Woods Winery

Penns Woods Winery

124 Beaver Valley Rd, Chadds Ford, PA 19317

A hotbed for wine production in PA has always been located around Chad’s Ford. They have become a specialist in Cabernet Sauvignon, and their reserve bottlings should be sought out.  Their planting of Cabernet vines dates back to 1997, making them some of the oldest vines in the state.  These wines show what is possible to achieve here.

website: https://www.pennswoodsevents.com/

John Robert Cellars

John Robert Cellars

301 Wanamaker Ave, Essington, PA 19029

A new winery located in what could be called South-South Philly (It’s actually in Essington). They are an urban winery, sourcing fruit from both Calfornia and Chile.  Going strong after their first vintage. Of note is their Petite Sirah from Suisun Valley. 

website: https://www.facebook.com/JohnRobertCellarsPA/

Chaddsford Winery

Chaddsford Winery

632 Baltimore Pike, Chadds Ford, PA 19317

A classic winery that was hugely influential in the PA fine wine scene in the late nineties and early oughts. After a decade of decline, Chaddsford has rebounded into its former glory. Of particular note is their Cabernet Franc, which is on par with their 2001 vintage. Their Artisan Series is a very promising line of fine wines. 

website: www.chaddsford.com

Karamoor Estate

Karamoor Estate

40 E Skippack Pike, Fort Washington, PA 19034

A winery that is all but a transplant from Napa Valley. The wine production here focuses on Bordeaux blends.  A project by the influential Karabots family, the winery is located on their sprawling Fort Washington estate. It the bonafides and resources far beyond the reach of any other Philly winery. 

website: www.karamoorwines.com

Stone & Key Cellars

Stone & Key Cellars

435 Doylestown Rd, Montgomeryville, PA 18936

While a local winery, they source grapes from across the world. Of particular note are their wines sourced from Columbia Valley in Washington State. The Obsidian bottling is a worthwhile splurge. Much of the top production staff earned their wine certification here in Philly. 

website: stoneandkeycellars.com

Worth The Drive

A few Pennsylvania wineries over an hour away that are still worth the journey.

Galen Glen Winery

Galen Glen Winery

255 Winter Mountain Dr, Andreas, PA 18211

Located just outside Jim Thorpe, this winery is one of the great wineries on the East Coast. It shows mastery in an obscure but demanding field of winemaking: Austrian wine styles and varietals. The Gruner Veltliners and Rieslings here are extraordinary. 

website: www.galenglen.com

Pinnacle Ridge Winery

Pinnacle Ridge Winery

407 Old U.S. 22, Kutztown, PA 19530

A rising talent for white wine production in Pennsylvania, especially for GrĆ¼ner Veltliner.  Their bubbles are exceptional, in particular their CuvĆ©e Chardonnay.  They do dip their winemaking toes into that murky pool of sweet wines; keep to their dry wines and you’ll be rewarded. 

website: pinridge.com

Va La Vineyards

Va La Vineyards

8820 Gap Newport Pike, Avondale, PA 19311

The original natural wine destination in PA.  The wines are sourced solely from their own vineyards, which was planted in 1997 with an odd assortment of Italian varietals. Nebbiolo from the chilly & hilly  Piedmont region is planted near Primitivo (Zinfandel) from hot & flat Apulia. Like many in the natural wine movement, the choices made here are unique and against the grain. What has been consistent is the high quality and uniqueness of these wines.  These are wines that are often cited as the best of the East Coast. 

website: www.valavineyards.com

New Jersey Wineries

Our top winery picks. All are less than 45 minutes from center city Philadelphia.

William Heritage Winery

William Heritage Winery

480 Mullica Hill Rd, Mullica Hill, NJ 08062

A longtime favorite at the Wine School. The wines here are ever-evolving. A decade ago, they were focused on Bordeaux blends, and their BDX bottling has been a standard-bearer for luxury East Coast red wines. They moved into sparkling wine production, which has earned national praise. I expect they will continue to evolve and push the NJ wine scene forward. Their tasting room experience is one of the best in the region. 

website: www.williamheritagewine.com

Amalthea Cellars Farm Winery

Amalthea Cellars Farm Winery

209 Vineyard Rd, Atco, NJ 08004

To love Amalthea winery, you really need to meet the owner and winemaker Louis Caracciolo. He’s been making Bordeaux blends in Jersey longer than anyone. He has gained a long list of ardent fans, including the best selling author George Taber. Of particular note is the Europa series of wines. 

website: www.amaltheacellars.com

White Horse Winery

White Horse Winery

106 Hall St, Hammonton, NJ 08037

A new winery that has great potential. Their vineyards were planted in 2013 and pulled their first harvest in 2018. While still young, their 50-acre vineyard is showing promise. Of note is their estate white wines, AlbariƱo and Vidal Blanc. For reds, the reserve Cabernet Franc is very good. Philly Magazine named their Chambourcin as “Best of Philly” in 2019. 

website: www.whitehorsewinery.com

Worth The Drive

A few New Jersey wineries over an hour away that are still worth the journey.

Working Dog Winery

Working Dog Winery

255 Winter Mountain Dr, Andreas, PA 18211

Hands-down one of the great wineries of the East Coast. Their syrah has earned praise from other winemakers ask well as international wine critics. The winery started the same year as the Wine School (2001) and grew over time. Their wines started to get notices by the national press in 2010 and it’s reached a fever pitch now. They are legit rock stars in the Jersey wine scene now.

website: www.workingdogwinerynj.com

Hawk Haven Vineyard & Winery

Hawk Haven Vineyard & Winery

600 S Railroad Ave, Rio Grande, NJ 08242

The leading winery in Cape May, Hawk Haven has produced stellar wines for a decade now. I first wrote an article praising their wines in the iconic (but sadly defunct) Philly Beer Scene magazine. They produce an excellent Chardonnay, and their Viognier has great potential. Their white game is very strong.  If you are a fan of natural wines, then seek out their Pet-Nats. 

website: www.hawkhavenvineyard.com

Alba Vineyards

Alba Vineyards

269 County Rd 627, Milford, NJ 08848

It’s possible that slivers of New Jersey are going to become the premier white wine-producing regions in America. Their grand reserve estate chardonnay is spectacular. They also are making some Pinot Noirs that are compelling. They are pricing the best Pinots on the East Coast right now, and I expect they will continue to push the envelope. 

website: www.albavineyard.com

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source https://www.vinology.com/top-wineries-near-philadelphia/

The First Rule of Book Club Is, You Do Not Talk About Book Club (Book Update!)

So… about this whole “book” thing… I’ve got an update for ya!

I’m in the final sprint to finalizing the new book. Technically, it’s actually two books, which will all make more sense when I get the OK to share titles, covers, and the like. For now, the first rule of Book Club has to be… we do not talk about Book Club.

But since these are my upcoming books, I’m going to bend the rules just a teensy-weeny, little bit. The on-sale dates for both books will very likely be in June.

So, for those of you who aren’t entirely sick of me yet, chances are good that over the coming Summer season you will have ample opportunity to become very sick of me as things heat up on the book release front.

Next week, back to our regularly-scheduled programming, including coverage from my most recent jaunt to Alentejo

Cheers!

Grab The 1WineDude.com Tasting Guide and start getting more out of every glass of wine today!

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Copyright © 2020. Originally at The First Rule of Book Club Is, You Do Not Talk About Book Club (Book Update!) from 1WineDude.com - for personal, non-commercial use only. Cheers!

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Monday 11 May 2020

Wine School May Be The Safest Place on Earth Right Now

Our safety protocols are at the bottom of the page if you want to jump ahead. 

 

And We Are Going To Keep It That Way

Have you noticed there are two types of people in our COVID-19 world?   I have one neighbor whose entire reason to exist is to walk up to me and talk about the news of the day. Just what I wanted, a pandemic synopsis by someone without poor personal boundaries. The rest of my neighbors run across the street when they see me, pulling up their masks like I am an overweight Attila the Hun with halitosis.

Which are you? The walker-upper or the runner-away? It doesn’t seem like there are many people in between these two camps.

 

One Tough Grandma

A few days ago, I was walking my dogs and ran into one of my older neighbors. She just came from hiking a local trail, the same one she has for the past 30 years. Despite being in her seventies, she can easily knock out a mile or two. Before she set out, she took precautions like charging her phone, packing sanitizer, and bringing a second mask, just in case the first one broke.  She was halfway into a pine forest when a band of bicyclists barreled down on her. None were wearing masks.

She got away unscathed, but she was shaken. As she was telling me this story, another neighbor ( the walker-upper) started getting agitated. Why didn’t she just stay at home if she was worried? Those cyclists were just out getting exercise, after all. And a mask won’t save your life, donchaknow?

 

Masking The Feels

Neither of these instincts –fear or fearlessness– is rational: we are all idiots in the face of a pandemic. If we are honest with ourselves, how could it be otherwise?  But I think we all have the same goal:  to get out of our homes and get on with life. When it comes down to re-opening Philadelphia, our opposing instincts will make it harder to accomplish.

Personally, that’s why I wear a mask and keep my six feet of distance. When someone sees me walking down the street, I want them to feel safe. That’s the philosophy I have moving forward with opening the school: everyone should feel safe & happy here. We are staying shut until we are legally allowed to open, but we aren’t waiting until then to be the safest place on earth.

 

wine fire extinguisher

This product actually exists. I can’t believe it: https://safe-t.us/products/wine

Safety and the Wine School

The school has always been a place where people feel safe and have a great time.  In the era of COVID-19, we are going to keep that 20-year trend going. Here is how we are going to keep you safe once Philly is open again.

  • Each classroom desk is equipped with a sneeze/cough guard.
  • All classes are limited to 50% of capacity, to maximize distancing.
  • Instructors wear PPE when within six feet of any student.
  • Prior to every class, classrooms are disinfected AND sterilized.
  • Students and teachers are screened for potential infection prior to entering the school.
  • No-Touch facilities have been installed. Sinks, Toilets, and soap dispensers are all motion activated.
  • No-Touch sanitizer stations are located at bathrooms and entrances.
  • Students must wear masks upon entering and maintain social distancing.

These are the strict and comprehensive guidelines we are complying with. We do this because we want everyone to feel safe and enjoy spending a few hours at the Wine School. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to post in the comment section below.

 

The post Wine School May Be The Safest Place on Earth Right Now appeared first on Wine School of Philadelphia.



source https://www.vinology.com/covid/

Israeli Wine

israel wines

Israeli Wine History

Wine has been produced in this region for thousands of years. However, the modern wine industry has started only in the late 1800’s with the help of Baron Edmond James de
Rothschild, who helped with the establishment of “Carmel Winery” which is one of the oldest and biggest Israeli wineries that still operates till this day.

As years passed, the industry grew, making a big leap during the 1980’s, and now having over 300 active wineries through Israel ranging from boutique wineries to big players such as Carmel Winery, Barkan, Golan
Heights winery, and Binyamina.

While the focus used to be on Kosher wines, that foucs has been changing. Wineries continue to produce Kosher wines, but a lot of smaller producers also produce a non-Kosher bottlings. There has been a drive to produce luxury wines for the world.

Alhough a small country, Israel has a surprising number of  wine regions. The six main regions are as follows:

Golan Heights

The coldest, highest area of Israel, located in the north-east of Israel, it spans between the Sea of Galilee to the Hermon Mountain, mostly volcanic soil, very suitable to grape varieties which
thrive in colder areas.

Galilee

Divided into the Northern Galilee and the Southern one, usually tends to be quite rainy regions, although there are some spots which are less rainy, is probably one of the most prevalent grape
growing regions in Israel and is located in the north, the soil varies from Clay to Terra-Rossa to volcanic.

The Judean Hills

The hills surrounding Jerusalem and slightly to the south, one of the most sought after regions, usually high elevated vineyards and being a cold area, the wine produced here has a great
feel to it, and it’s highly respected. Some of the vineyards are past the border to the Palestinian Authority which causes heated political debate in both Israel and the world at large.

Samson

Samson wine region is composed of the central coastal plain, Shefela and the gently undulating Judean Lowlands that lie just west of the more famous Judean Hills. Having a
Mediterranean climate, we’ll find more Mediterranean grapes here.

Shomron

The Shomron area is located just south of Haifa and spans slightly to the south, probably one of the most important modern wine regions in Israel, being the first area planted with the help of Baron
Rothschild.

The Negev

The southern part of Israel, a desert. Israel is a leading country in agriculture technology. The developer of drip irrigation planted vineyards right in the middle of the Negev desert
This is one of the most rapidly developing regions, producing wines that are seen nowhere else.

The Future of Israeli Wines

Despite its ancient origins, Israel is considered a “New World” wine country. It produces a vast variety of grapes, mostly grapes that were brought during the late 1800s, and “International” grapes varieties, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah,  Cabernet Franc, Riesling, Chardonnay, Merlot, and Sauvignon Blanc. In the past few years, as Israeli winemakers expanded their knowledge of fine wine production, many
wineries started leaning toward  Mediterranean grapes. If 20 years ago, it would have been hard to find a wine who’s not a Cabernet Sauvignon or a Merlot, these days it’s possible to find
grape varieties such as Grenache, Viognier, Grenache Blanc, Petite Sirah (Durif), Marselan, Mourvedre and more southern France oriented grapes.

As time goes by, the quality of the Israeli wine keeps improving, landing great scores in International markets as well. Want to learn more about Israeli wines? Check out our wine class on the subject: https://www.vinology.com/class/israeli-wines/

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source https://www.vinology.com/israeli-wine/