Uncork Your Mind
Welcome to another episode of Winephabet Street, where we explore the world of wine one letter at a time! This episode features the elusive and extraordinary Usakhelauri – a rare Georgian grape known for its deep color, natural sweetness, and limited production. Join us as we dive into: ✅ The history and origins of Usakhelauri 🍇 ✅ What makes it so rare and highly sought after ✅ Tasting notes and food pairings 🍷🍽 ✅ How it represents the rich winemaking traditions of Georgia 🇬🇪 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more exciting wine explorations! Have...
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If you missed the live episode of Winephabet Street’s this month we talked all about Traminette, Our guest was Michael Migliore, owner and winemaker of Whitecliff Vineyard & Winery. Michael brought 45 years of winemaking expertise to the table, providing invaluable insights into this fascinating grape known for its floral, fruity, and spicy characteristics What is Traminette? Traminette is a hybrid grape, a cross between Gewürztraminer and a French-American hybrid. It boasts the aromatic intensity of Gewürztraminer while offering the hardiness and disease resistance of hybrids....
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In this episode, we dive into the fascinating world of Kopke 1638 Port House with winemaker Carla Tiago. Carla discusses the 400-year history of Kopke, from its German roots to becoming a staple of Portugal’s port wine legacy. She explains the various port styles, including the unique Colheitas, aged solely in barrels and bottled only upon request, preserving their distinct vintages for decades. Carla also shares how Kopke is bringing port into the modern era, with innovative projects like their limited library collection of century-old vermouth and quinine-infused ports. With insights on...
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In this episode of Uncork Your Mind, I chat with Shawn Pearce from Familia Vicente Pearce, a winery with roots in both Buffalo, New York, and Mendoza, Argentina. Shawn shares his fascinating journey from studying wine in college to creating a family-run vineyard with his wife, Celia, in Argentina’s renowned wine region. We explore their sustainable vineyard practices, the artistry behind their wine labels, and their delicious range of wines, including a rare Gamay Rosé and a bold Cabernet Sauvignon. Tune in to hear more about how passion for wine shaped Shawn's path and what makes Familia...
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In this episode of 'Winephabet Street,' co-hosts Lori and Deb welcome guests Jim Quarrella and Larry Coia from Bellview Winery in New Jersey. The discussion revolves around the San Marco grape, a unique variety being cultivated by Bellview Winery in the United States. Jim and Larry share the grape's history, how they imported it from Italy, and its resilience and characteristics that make it promising for New Jersey's climate. The conversation touches on the grape's disease resistance, vibrant acidity, and fruit structure, drawing parallels to well-known varieties like Syrah. As they taste...
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So excited about this episode of Winephabet Street. We are exploring the letter 'R' with one of the wine world's hidden gems, the Rkatsiteli grape. This ancient varietal, which hails from the storied vineyards of Georgia, offers a captivating blend of history and unique flavors that few other wines can boast. Joining us is a very special guest, Meaghan Frank from Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery located in the Finger Lakes region of New York. Meaghan represents the fourth generation of her family's winemaking legacy, bringing both a deep respect for tradition and a fresh perspective to the craft....
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In this episode of Winephabet Street, Debbie and Lori tackle the questions you've been hesitant to ask about wine. Remember, in the world of wine, no questions are considered foolish. Whether you've been pondering about tannins, wine pairings, or curious about corks, now is your opportunity to gain clarity without hesitation. We had such a good show and didn’t get to all the questions, we have a part 2 coming up. I hope you enjoy!
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Welcome to another engaging episode of Winephabet Street, where the world of wine becomes more accessible, one letter at a time. In this episode we're delving into the letter "P" with a focus on Petit Manseng, a varietal that may not be on every wine lover's radar but certainly deserves a spotlight for its distinctive qualities and growing popularity, particularly in Virginia. Lori and I are joined by Lee Hartman from Bluestone Vineyards in Virginia, who shares his deep insights into Petit Manseng. Lee's journey in the wine industry, from his initial reluctance to his aha moment realizing the...
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In December on Winephabet Street we learned about the Orange Muscat grape with our special guest, Andrew Quadi of Quadi Winery. Nestled in Madera, California, Andrew and his wife have been crafting exceptional wines since the late '70s, transitioning from an engineering background to the art of winemaking. Orange Muscat, is a grape variety that boasts a fusion of orange and apricot flavors that fascinate the senses in a surprisingly delightful way. Despite its green skin, the wine reveals a captivating golden orange hue and an irresistible aroma, The winemaking process for Orange Muscat...
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Back in the fall, I had the opportunity to spend an afternoon with Michael Migliore, owner of Whitecliff Vineyard and Winery, at their Olana Vineyard in Hudson, NY. This is a 10 acre site just over the Rip Van Winkle Bridge on the Hudson side, in the shadows of the Olana Estate and on the banks of the Hudson River. Michael established and started farming this land in 2015 with Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir, Gamay Noir, and Chardonnay. The vineyard is situated on land that has a long agricultural history dating back to indigenous peoples who inhabited the area over 3,000 years ago....
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Welcome to Winephabet Street Season 2 Episode 16- P is for Petite Sirah
Winephabet Street is a monthly series where Lori Budd of Draceana Wines and I work our way through the alphabet exploring wine and wine regions one letter at a time. The show is live on the third Monday at 8pm and is free, but you must register to attend. Put it on your calendar, pour yourself a glass of wine and hang out with us.
February was all about Petite Sirah. We had special guests Steve Tenbrink from Tenbrink Vineyards and his daughter Lisa Howard from Tolenas Winery. Steve is a big Petite Sirah grower and we did a deep dive into Petite Sirah.
First some facts on Petite Sirah:
- Petite Sirah is known as Durif a grape named after its founder Dr. Francois Durif. He was a grape botanist and breeder who in 1880 released the variety that he grew from a cross between Peloursin and Syrah.
- In 1884 Petite Sirah was imported to California by Charles Mclver for his Linda Vista Vineyard at the Mission San Jose in Alameda County.
- 1900 Petite Sirah became a popular variety in California
- 1920’s - Petite Sirah was shipped from California to home winemakers in the East during Prohibition
- 1930’s There were approximately 7,500 Petite Sirah acres planted in California
- 1960’s acreage was down to 4,500
- 1976 California acreage of Petite Sirah is up to approximately 14,000
- 1988 A big decline in California’s Petite Sirah crop to just 5,000 acres between Napa, Sonoma, Monterey and the Central Valley
- Today according to an article in the Napa Valley Register article dated Nov 2016, Petite Sirah acreage is roughly 7,500.
Steve Tenbrink and Lisa Howard
Steve and Lisa are located in the Suisun Valley and they explain whythe Suisun Valley is the Petite Sirah Capital of the world. Many winemaker were coming to the Suisun Valley to purchase Petite Sirah and said that the grapes purchased from there makes the best wine. The favor structure is what shines. The tannins in the Petite Sirah in the Suisun Valley are so soft, not mouth gripping like the grapes grown in other regions. The tannins are still very structured, but they aren’t overdrying abrasive tannins. They believe it’s from the shift in temperature and they are a tad warmer than other areas growing Petite Sirah.
Steve and Lisa go into the physical growth of the grapes. Talking about the cover crops, planting and the weather. The need to thin the grapes down. It’s all about what happens in the vineyard then comes the wine.
2017 Tolenas Suisun Valley Red Blend This is a blend of 50% Petite Sirah, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Zinfandel. The wine is all pressed and aged on its own and then comes together in the bottle. The Petite Sirah is put in an 8 ton wooden fermenter. The wine gets gentle pumpovers and is fermented at a high temperature.
The wine has beautiful aromas of sweet herbs and blueberry leading to a soft and silky palate with notes of black cherry, blueberry and black plum. The tannins bit on the finish as the acidity brightens the palate.
Typically Petite Sirah is dark and inky - think purple teeth! It’s a big bold wine and can be very tannic. It has great structure and a unique flavor.
Suggested food pairings for Petite Sirah are red meat, pasta, cheese. It’s a great food wine.
Listen to the podcast or watch the webinar. Unfortunately for this episode I kept getting booted off. Weather, minor technical difficulities, but Lori carried on….
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