Petit Manseng: The Rising Star of Virginia Winemaking
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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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Exploring the Unique Flavors of Orange Muscat
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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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Legacy of Whitecliff's Olana Vineyard in Hudson NY: A Blend of History and Viticulture
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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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Clinton Vineyards Bought By Milea Vineyards-What It Means for Hudson Valley Wine's Future & Identity
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I wanted to talk to you today about an article that was in the Daily Catch. org. It was written by Scott Davis and full disclosure, I am quoted twice in the article. The article is about Milea Vineyard's plans. with Clinton Vineyards. And if you're not already aware, Clinton Vineyards was purchased by Malaya in 2022. And it was a great article, talks about Phyllis and Ben Feder, how they started Clinton Vineyards, with the Seyval Grapes, because they knew that the Save All Grapes grew well on that property. And they made Meth and Champagnois, still wine. So what they plan on doing with the...
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Nero d'Avola: Sicily's Crown Jewel with VALLE DELL' ACATE's Gaetana Jacono
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I’m taking you on a virtual journey down Winephabet Street, where we dive deep into the world of N for Nero d'Avola, a red wine varietal from Sicily. In this episode of Winephabet Street, our special guest comes from the heart of Sicily, Gaetana Iacono from VALLE DELL' ACATE Winery. Gaetana hails from a family in the wine business for six generations. She has a great affinity for the native wines of Ragusa, Sicily. Determined to continue the legacy, she works hard to promote the value of the native wines of her region. The region is known for it s beautiful...
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Indulge in the Virtual Journey to Argentina's Malbec Magic! with Winephabet Street
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Join us on our journey to South America, where the rich soils of Argentina have produced some of the world's best Malbec wines with guest Veronica Kathuria from Wines of Argentina. Argentina it's located in the southern most corner of South America the South American content And it's about in a better way I have I will speak kilometers and miles because I still go to kilometers but it ranges about 38 kilometers distance from extreme north to extreme south. A Brief History: Malbec's Journey to Argentina Malbec's origins can be traced back to France, especially in regions...
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Lagrein Unleashed: A Journey into Alto Adige's Bold Red with Karoline Walch on Winephabet Street
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In the heart of Alto Adige, a region nestled amidst snow-capped mountains and verdant valleys, thrives a grape as bold and characterful as the landscape itself - Lagrein. Join us on Winephabet Street, as we delve into the fascinating world of this indigenous Italian variety, accompanied by a very special guest - Karoline Walch from the esteemed Elena Walch Winery. The Magic of Lagrein Born from Alto Adige's mineral-rich soils and varying climatic conditions, the Lagrein grape creates an intoxicating wine that commands attention. Its dark fruit flavors, robust tannins, and slight spiciness...
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A Look into the Indigenous Grape Variety from Crete the Kotsifali Grape
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The Kotsifali grape is an indigenous red grape variety from the Greek island of Crete. This grape is an essential component of many Cretan wines and is highly prized for its unique qualities.It is known for producing wines with medium to full body and moderate acidity. The grape is often blended with the Mandilaria grape to create wines with a deep ruby color and notes of dark fruits, herbs, and spices. The Kotsifali grape also produces rosé wines with fresh fruit flavors and floral aromas. The winemaking tradition of Crete dates back to ancient times, and the island has a long...
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The Unique and Rare Jampal Grape: Exploring Portugal's Hidden Gem
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The Jampal grape, also known as Jampel or Malvasia Fina de Jampal, is a unique and rare grape variety native to Portugal. It is believed to have originated in the Douro Valley region. It is predominantly grown in the Terras do Dão region, located in the country's central northern part. The Jampal grape is a white grape known for its high acidity and aromatic qualities. It is said to produce wines with a rich, full-bodied flavor that is often described as having a mineral quality with notes of citrus, green apple, and stone fruits. Jampal grapes are known for their thick skin, which helps...
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Winephabet Street: The Isabella Grape
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In this episode of Winephabet Street, we learned about the Isabella grape with Stephen Casscles, a viticulturist and winemaker from New York's Hudson Valley. His project is where he works with indigenous, native or historically notable grapes and re-introducing them and a national audience to bring these grapes back. Winephabet Street is a monthly series where Lori Budd of 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 (but does change depending on our schedules) and is free, but you must...
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My team the Buffalo Bills made the playoffs. I was so excited for game 1. I was thinking chicken wings and beer. But, quite frankly, beer fills me up and I wanted something I could drink and celebrate with, or drown my sorrows. I though bubbles in keeping with the carbonated beverage and Vilarnau Cava because even if they lost, their beautiful labels would keep me in a decent mood. I could sip cava, eat chicken wings and watch the game. Or so I thought.
I did ask Google what time the game began and I swear it said 4:25pm. About 4:15 I head to the TV and turned on the game to find out that there was 27 seconds left in the Bills game. I popped the cork and stood in front of the tv for the exciting last 27 seconds of the game. Yes, I was screaming and holding my glass of Cava. My dog thought I had gone nuts. Afterward, I sat down and #sampled the Cava and made my chicken wings. All was good!
Why Cava? Cava is a beautiful sparkling wine from the Penedes region in Spain made in the Methode Champenoise where the second fermentation takes place in the bottle. Vilarnau Cava is exciting, beautiful and delicate and rich with history and so reasonably priced.
Vilarnau
The first Cava with the Vilarnau name was produced in 1949 with grapes grown on the “Can Petit I Les Planes de Vilarnau” estate. This vineyard is 20 hectares with beautiful views of the Montserrat mountains, while only 30 kilometers away from the Mediterranean sea.
A little background, the Vilarnau family was of Spanish nobility and settled on this estate in the 12th century. Albert de Vilarnau was the single person responsible for increasing the family’s power in the 14th century. In 1982 Vilarnau was acquired by the Gonzalez Byass family of wineries.
The label which is a bottle wrap reflects the avant-garde imagery of Antoni Gaudi. Antoni was a famous Catalan architect known for his style that reflect freedom of form, voluptuous color and texture. His quote “ Color in certain places has the great value of making the outlines and structural planes seem more energetic.” As beautifully shown on the Vilarnau bottle.
The Cava
Vilarnau Brut Reserva NV SRP $14.99 - A blend of 50% Macabeo, 35% Parellada and 15% Xarel.lo. The wine is aged for 15 to 24 months in the bottle. The Cave featured elegant fine bubbles shooting their way up the glass. Nice acidity and fresh with notes of green apple and a hint of orange rind.
Vilarnau Brut Reserva Rose NV SRP $15.99 - This wine is a blend of 85% Garnacha and 15% Pinot Noir. The grapes come from the vineyards their Vilarneau d’Espiell” winery. The Pinot Noir was planted in 1991 and was one of the first vineyards in the Penedes planted with Pinot Noir. A beautiful pink color and fine bubbles. Notes of red fruit on the palate that shows freshness, yet elegance.
One note I do want to say is don’t save sparkling wine for a special occasion. Wines like Vilarnau Cava are wine that can be poured every day. Remember, there is always something to celebrate.