Exploring the Rich Legacy of Kopke 1638 Port House with Carla Tiago
Uncork Your Mind
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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Discovering Familia Vicente Pearce: A Journey of Passion, Wine, and Connection
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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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From Italy to New Jersey: The Unique Journey of the San Marco Grape at Bellview Winery
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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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Rediscovering Rkatsiteli: A Journey Through Time with Meaghan Frank and Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery
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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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Questions You Always Wanted To Ask About Wine Part 1
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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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Petit Manseng: The Rising Star of Virginia Winemaking
Uncork Your Mind
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...
info_outlineHave you heard of the Graciano grape? I didn’t until we featured it on Winephabet Street in November. Graciano is mainly grown in the Rioja and Navarra regions of Spain. It is difficult to grow, is low-yielding, late harvesting and susceptible to mildew. It is used a lot as a blending grape for its deep color, strong aromas and ability to age.
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 (but does change depending on our sechedules) 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. It is sponsored by Dracaena Wines and Trio North Wildwood.
In this episode we were joined by Josh Harp, winemaker at Jada Vineyards and Winery. Jada is a small winery with a 3000 case production.
The wine we sampled during this webinar was Jada’s 2019 Hell’s Kitchen. It’s a blend of 55% Syrah, 17% Graciano, 15% Grenache and 12% Tannat from the Willow Creek District of Paso Robles. Aromas of cassis, plum and leather escaped the glass. The wine is serious but exciting. Nice expression of tannins, dark fruit, black currant with a plum pepperiness and a touch of earth on the finish. Very easy to drink!
I will add, I did have a bottle of Ser 2018 Graciano in my cellar that I drank recently. Ser is women-owned and located in Santa Cruz, Ca. The grapes for this wine that was 100% Graciano came from Bokish Vineyard in Lodi Ca. It had lots of cherry aromas with hits of violets. This led to a palate that was soft, not complex with silky tannins and full of black cherry. There was a wonderful black pepper spice that is soft and lingers on the finish. Very easy drinking.
Listen to the podcast and hear what Josh has to tell us about the Graciano grape and Jada Vineyards and Winery. If you find yourself drinking a glass or bottle of Graciano, please let me know what you think.