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The Best Wines I Tried in June

July 4, 2016
Chateau des Charmes 2012 Chardonnay from Niagara, Canada

June was a pretty impressive month for wines in my life. I had the opportunity to taste so many new-to-me wines that I hardly know where to start. Some of them will have to wait for single event posts, but below you’ll find many of the wines that kicked off my summer in style.

Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard 2013 Riesling Reserve DryHermann J. Wiemer Vineyard – 2013 Reserve Dry Riesling – In July, Shawn and I are spending several weeks in Germany, so we had to slip in a few Rieslings to get us in the mood. For my money, Hermann J. Wiemer’s Finger Lakes winery is making the closest thing to authentic German Riesling that I’ve tasted in North America. This had pear, lime, green apple and a hint of petrol on the nose and a lovely sweet pear note on the palate. A delicious example from one of the best wineries in the Finger Lakes.

Pol Roger ChampagnePol Roger Champagne – Reserve Brut – Shawn’s band was playing on our seventh wedding anniversary in June, but he knew that a good Champagne would keep me from being disappointed that my anniversary was spent in a club and not having a fancy dinner. He chose a good one, as this had lively, crisp bubbles, apples, citrus and biscuit notes on the nose and lovely apple, peach and pear notes on the palate. He was definitely in my good graces after this bottle.

Debbie Travis Pinot GrigioDebbie Travis Fine Wine Collection — Pinot Grigio – I had a fabulous time meeting Debbie Travis at the launch of her new Pinot Grigio. She was absolutely engaging to chat with and I was so interested in hearing all about her retreat in Tuscany (I’ve definitely added a week there to my bucket list). I am always a little bit leery about celebrity wines, but I was impressed with her interest and knowledge about Italian wine and happy to learn that Niagara’s Pillitteri Winery is making her wines – they are known for their high-quality winemaking and this was no exception. A lively and well-made Pinot Grigio, this is an easy-drinking summer patio wine that I have already suggested to a few people looking for a good value wine to enjoy at the cottage.

 

Chateau des Charmes – 2012 St. David’s Bench Vineyard Chardonnay – With butterscotch, pineapple, lemon and a hint of smoke on the nose, pineapple on the palate and a smoky butterscotch on the finish, this full-bodied wine paired very well with our summer barbecue during a recent cottage stay. With our mustard and beer marinated chicken wings and macaroni salad, this was a creamy, dreamy combo from one of Niagara’s best wineries. And if oaked Chardonnay isn’t your cup of tea for summer sipping, this is a wine that will age well so you can hold onto it for this winter and several to come.

Ox-Eye Vineyards 2012 Cabernet FrancOx-Eye Vineyards – 2012 Cabernet Franc – I was lucky enough to be gifted this Cabernet Franc from the Shenandoah Valley by a fellow blogger and I was so glad. For fans of Niagara or French Cabernet Franc, this may be a surprise, as it’s more fruit forward and I got little of the bell or black pepper notes I’ve come to expect from a Cabernet Franc. For a student of wine, it was such a pleasure to see how terroir really does influence a wine and I look forward to trying more Virginia wines in future.

Columbia Crest Chardonnay from Washington StateColumbia Crest Wines – I can’t choose a favourite from the recent Columbia Crest Wines tasting with iYellow Wine Club. Shawn and I both loved the lively and refreshing Chardonnay, which had lemon and orchard fruit on the nose, balanced acidity and tropical fruit on the palate. It was a nice, light summer option. The Merlot, which had strawberry, chocolate and coffee on the nose, which followed through on the palate was impressive for the price-point. The Cabernet Sauvignon had some earthy notes on the nose, alongside plum and blackberry. The palate held chocolate, blackberry and a hint of anise. All of the wines clock in at under $20 at the LCBO, making them a great value for the quality.

Columbia Crest winemaker Juan Muñoz-Oca was an engaging and entertaining speaker who had everyone in the room wanting to head to Washington State to check out the wines. Of Spanish descent and from a winemaking family who had settled in Argentina, Juan fell in love with Washington winemaking after his first visit. He had anticipated a wet, dreary region and was shocked to discover that they get almost no rainfall in that area, making it practically high desert viticulture. This has meant he can determine exactly how much water his grapes receive, giving him so much control over the concentration of his grapes. This tasting has me excited to discover more of Washington’s delicious, value-priced wines.

And a special shout-out to the girl’s night out I had recently where each lovely lady brought an amazing wine. While the night was not about tasting notes, I was blown away by the quality of the selections. From a 2014 Domaine Chatelaine Pouilly-Fumé to a Brut Cattin Crémant D’Alsace (quality pink bubbles at a value price), to a complex and delicious 2012 Red Stone Riesling, the white wines were on point. The Ruffino Riserva Ducale Oro paired perfectly with pizza and the 2013 Blason Del Valle Malbec won my heart amongst the reds. This was an evening about friendship, but I am certainly blessed to have friends with such great taste in wine.

What were your favourite wines in June? Have you tried any of the above? If so, what did you think? Share your thoughts in the comments or on social!

*The Chateau des Charmes was a sample. The Columbia Crest and Debbie Travis wines were tasted at events where I was a guest. All opinions are my own, as always.

Food & Wine, Wine Travel

‘Wining’ Your Way Through Woodinville by The Traveling Winers

July 22, 2015
The Vineyard Trail team!

One of the best parts of attending the Wine Bloggers Conference (which I’ll be doing again this August) was meeting so many other bloggers who were as passionate about wine as I am. Three of my favourite people were from The Vineyard Trail in Oklahoma, who write about their collective adventures ‘wine trailing’ across the U.S.

I know many of my readers are as interested in wine travel as I am, so I’m excited to share this guest post about Woodinville, Washington from these ‘winers’! If you like it, please visit their website and check out some of their other extensive wine travel pieces.

Shawn and I are off to Europe this week – so there will be no post next Wednesday. Be sure to follow our adventures on Twitter in the meantime!

‘Wining’ Your Way Through Woodinville

by The Traveling Winers

Impromptu trip to Seattle, Washington….what to do, what to do? Well, of course, the first thing that pops into The Traveling Winers’ heads is to go wine trailing. We can’t think of a better way to spend the afternoon.

A quick Google Maps search of the area with the local attraction search term ‘wineries’ unveils a number of choices readily available for our choosing. So choose we did and Woodinville became our destination.

JM Cellars

In the early 1900’s, the property was once a very prosperous dairy farm.  The then owner gave seven acres of the land to his daughter and her husband, who were both horticulturists.  Their land, called Bramble Bump, was their passion, and they filled it with all variations of amazing and rare plants and trees.  To this day, the current owners  have barely made any changes as they want to preserve the beauty that was carefully planted so many years ago.

JM Cellars produces a very nice quality selection.  From their 2012 Chardonnay, which won 33rd in the WORLD from Wine Enthusiast, to their 2012 blend named Bramble Bump Red (makes you just want to give it a whirl), to their 2012 Klipsun Syrah, which they describe as having “a hint of bacon fat with a lasting finish.” All of their wines were quite tasty and worthy of shelling out some bills to take a few bottles home.

Mark Ryan Winery

The tasting room is located in a small strip mall. It has these cool double wide garage doors, pulled open to invite wine-lovers to come on in, sit back, relax and taste some wine. We found the wooden floors, and motorcycles and skulls decorating the garage and bottle labels, to be an interesting combination. Mark Ryan explains the combination with “Well, they’re fun, aren’t they?” Mark also says that “Traditional is stuffy” and he just wants to make wine fun and approachable.  We think he has succeeded.

Mark’s wines are original, both in flavor and nomenclature. With names like Numbskull, The Chief, Lonely Heart, Dead Horse, the Long Haul, Lost Soul, Wild Eyed and Crazy Mary.  Kind of makes you want to taste them all. Some of our favorites were the Long Haul, which was quite dry, oaky and full of spice, and the long-finished Lost Soul. While we had our favorites, all of Mark’s wines were amazing.

Sparkman Cellars

In the same strip mall, we found Sparkman Cellars.  This establishment is truly a family affair as is evidenced by the listed owners, Chris and Kelly Sparkman and their two beautiful daughters, Stella Mae and Ruby Leigh.   The overall feel is ‘family, fun & friendly’.  They strive to be fun and unpretentious, and claim that “everyone gets a hug!” Sounds like a place that would be fun to come spend a couple of hours with friends, doesn’t it?

We found their wines to be well structured, approachable and easy to drink.  A few of our favorites were the 2013 Pearl Sauvignon Blanc (very unique flavor tasting of grapefruit and guava), 2012 Ruby Leigh (black cherry, and a touch of pepper), and the 2012 Hallelujah Port (pure heaven, so had to buy a bottle!). Also of note is their Kingpin Cabernet Sauvignon, which every year is celebrated by Chris dressing up as Elvis.

Chateau Ste. Michelle

This winery, the oldest in the state of Washington, captures well the essence of a French countryside estate. Housed on 105 wooden acres, it is exactly what you would expect from a brand that is so well known.

They have a free tour and tasting experience, where you not only get a glimpse of their white wine production, but can also take a walk down memory lane among their photographic collections. The tour ends with a guided tasting and is very nicely done.

Sometimes it is simply not just about the wine, which by the way, was excellent. It is also about the ambiance. And at Chateau Ste. Michelle there is an abundance. Sprawling grounds offer the visitor the opportunity to stretch their legs, the lovers a quiet secluded spot to have a private picnic, the children a place to, well, just be kids and the person missing European culture, a brief escape.

Learn more about the Traveling Winers’ adventures: http://www.thevineyardtrail.com/