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The Texas Whiskey Festival Collaborates with Modisett and Sons Distillery on a Brandy Finished Single Malt

January 9, 2022 by evebushman

AUSTIN, TEXAS (PRWEB) – The Texas Whiskey Festival and Modisett & Sons announce the release of a collaboration whiskey, Single Malt finished in used brandy barrels.

Tejas, the Spanish spelling of the ancient Caddo word for “friend” or “ally”, is a collaboration between the festival and various Texas distillers to create unique offerings that showcase their methods and character. Each bottling will be a limited release available only through the respective distiller.

Tom Roy from Modisett & Sons is a 18 month old single malt aged one year in used barrels, then finished six months in used brandy barrels. Named after the dad in the father son duo this single malt uses a unique barley called Golden Vienna Pilsner that is packed with incredible flavor. The brandy barrels are former homes to an orange muscat brandy from Andalusia Whiskey Co. The combination creates a flavor profile best described as orange creamsicle pie.

“I love the history of this project,” said Texas Whiskey Festival Co-Founds and creative director for the Tejas series Jake Clements. “Before the barrels aged the brandy they held the first ever Bottled in Bond Whiskey released in Texas.”

This is a limited release available in 375ml bottles. It will be available exclusively through Modisett & Sons tasting room. “It was incredible to see how the flavors changed in a short amount of time,” said Modisett & Sons Co-Founder Tom Roy Modisett. “It created flavors I fell in love with.”

Tejas came to embody the character of the weathered and resilient settlers who saw the wide-open west as their destiny. This series pays homage to their intrepid resolve by bringing together our favorite Texas distilleries in a spirit of friendship that exemplifies the pride we take in proclaiming, “We are Tejas!”

For more information about the Texas Whiskey Festival visit http://www.txwhiskeyfest.com and for more information about Modisett & Sons visit http://www.modisettandsons.com

About the Texas Whiskey Festival
The mission of the festival is simple: To help promote and enhance the brands of the many great distilleries throughout Texas. Along with promotion, we want to educate whiskey lovers about the many top-of-the-line whiskeys being produced in our great state – and we’re doing it all while having fun, drinking great whiskey, and building memorable experiences. As an organization, we know that Texas has some of the best distilleries and whiskeys in the world. The Texas Whiskey Festival is an opportunity to showcase that. For more information, please visit https://txwhiskeyfest.com.

About Modisett & Sons
What started as a father and son bucket list golf trip to the Old Course at St. Andrews ignited a passion and love for scotch. Modisett & Sons strives to bring the classic qualities of scotch to Texas by following traditional Scottish distillation methods. In order to ensure the highest quality we utilize Scottish copper pot stills and premium malted barley. Being aged in second run American Oak barrels in the capricious Texas climate sets Modisett & Sons apart from all other Single Malt Whiskies.

Filed Under: Guests Tagged With: Barrel, brandy, distill, festival, flavor, fruit, muscat, single malt, tasting room, texas, whiskey

Eve Gets In On: The 47th Annual US Amateur Wine Competition with Cellarmasters LA

July 16, 2021 by evebushman

What do you know about home winemaking? Or better yet, what do you know about judging home winemaking efforts? I learned about both when I was installed as a judge for the 47th Annual US Amateur Wine Competition put on by Cellarmasters LA. Check out the Competition Score Sheet (photo) that covered a lot of information. These winemakers are not just looking for a medal, they also want to learn from the reasons why we awarded a particular Gold, Silver, Bronze, Honorable Mention or none at all.

From fellow judge and friend, Denise Lowe, Goddess of Wine I learned that “The Cellarmasters have been doing it for a long time, and they’ve got their system worked out. The most important difference between professional competitions and home winemakers is that you want to encourage the winemakers to improve, so whatever ranking you decide on (Gold, Silver, Bronze, No Medal), your notes should reflect your decision, and you are free to suggest improvement ideas, if you so choose. The winemakers get copies of the scoring sheets, so they see how the decisions were made.”

In the past competitions I’ve worked on it’s been more like speed dating: aroma, taste, evaluate, score and move on as you usually have quite a lot to taste in a flight. Once you have completed evaluating your flight you then go back and discuss each wine with your panel – and be prepared to defend any medal you may have awarded. All of the judges, and this was the same for Cellarmasters, have to agree on the medal, and in some rare cases when a wine is faulty, the non-medal.

So this is how it was for me with Cellarmasters. Before we got started with our panel and the serious work of studying our wine samples, we got a great lesson on how to use the Cellarmaster Home Winemaking Competition Score Sheet with member Andy Coradeschi. We were to start with 20 points for each wine and take away half or full points if a wine didn’t hit the mark in several categories.

If you look at the photo you can see all of the categories we were to study and evaluate. The area on the right side of the form, the empty boxes, are for us to share some of our thoughts with the winemakers that would be getting a copy of all of our notes. Some were thoughts on how to improve the wine, and some were specific positive and negatives we wanted to make sure they knew. (I asked if I could take some blank score sheets home to share with wine friends that may want to use in any wine tasting, of course they said yes.)

We had about 17 wines per day to judge, red Rhônes the first day and whites the second. Didn’t seem like very much to me, but in using the score sheet and being aware that the winemakers would be reading them, I took quite a bit of time really thinking about what I thought of a particular wine, and of course, if the winemaker may benefit from my notes. Many of the wines were sent in solely for feedback and it was a learning process for the winemakers. (Another long-standing judge confirmed this.) It was a great learning process for me as well and I look forward to honing my skills again with the group.

And on the wines, just a splash, we had a killer blood-orange colored Black Muscat. It was our final wine on the last day and it hit all of the sweet spots for our panel. Yep, we gave it a Gold Medal.

The Cellarmasters Mission Statement: The Cellarmasters of Los Angeles Home Winemaking Club is dedicated to educating, improving, and spreading the craft of home winemaking. The Club has sponsored and presented the Annual U.S. Amateur Home Winemaking Competition for the past 47 years.

https://cellarmastersla.org

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video (over 16k views), authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru and the Global Wine Awards. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits.

Filed Under: Eve Bushman Tagged With: bronze medal, cellar, competition, gold medal, honorable mention, LA, muscat, points, silver medal, tasting notes, tasting sheet, wine judge, winemakers

Tasting and Lesson with Stacie Hunt: Mexico’s Valle de Guadalupe

May 31, 2019 by evebushman

Had the pleasure of sitting in on a lecture of the wines of the Valle de Guadalupe with the LA Wine Writers at our favorite spot for a wine paired luncheon, Napa Valley Grille, a few weeks ago. Will share what I learned and tasted below, or you can just skip to the story in photos here.

Some Things We Learned

There are over 200 years of wine history in the area, with the first grapes, table grapes, being planted before the 16th century. Jesuit priests reactivated winemaking in the Tijuana area in 1791. In the 1800s the Dominicans came in, the Jesuits were out, and planting began north of Ensenada. By the 1900s Russian Molokans fled Russia and they too settled in Baja.

Over the years winemaking has changed due to new technology, growing techniques and water issues. (Underground aquifers are being exhausted due to drought. Drip systems can help control the salinity of the wines.) Most days reach 85 degrees, however the nights are at least 20 degrees lower and breezy. Stacie said that the fog creeps over in the morning and like a cat’s paws.

Some of the red wines being produced, with ABVs between 14-15%, include Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Cabernet Franc, Carignan, Grenache, Merlot, Malbec, Syrah, Petit Verdot, Tempranillo, Nebbiolo, Dolcetto, Barbera, Petite Sirah, Pinot Noir, Mision, Sangiovese and other Italian reds.

Whites, with ABVs between 12-13%, include Chardonnay, Chasselas, Chenin Blanc, Macabeo (aka Viura), Muscat Blanc, Palomino, Riesling, Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Mision Blanco, Albariño and a variety of Italian whites.

There are many notable wineries including Casa de Piedra, Casa Magoni, Paraleo, Mogor Badan, Monte Xanic, L.A. Cetto, Montefiore and more. There are approximately 200 bonded wineries in total.

There is no system presently, for classifications on the labels, however, like California, bottles have to be made of 75% of one singular variety to have that variety’s name on the label. The only other items on a label have to be the producer’s name, region and the alcohol content.

One of Stacie’s mentors is winemaker, educator and a leader in the field, Hugo D’Acosta. He created an educational facility for budding winemakers in El Porvenir, has vineyards in Bordeaux and Pyrenees and partners with Wente in Napa and Milagro in San Diego.

These wines are “not your daddy’s wine” Stacie said, not like the wines of Bordeaux or Italy though they share similar varieties. The terroir makes a difference in the varietal character, which you may see via my tasting notes below.

The Wine and Pairing

This four course wine paired luncheon, one of many I’ve enjoyed with the LA Wine Writers, was outstanding as usual. Below are the courses, the wines (all retail for $35 and under), notes on the wines and the pairings.

 

Poached Bosc Pear with Burrata and Endive

Cavas Maciel, Venus Rosa of Merlot

100% Merlot Rose

Valle de Guadalupe

Aroma: Pink grapefruit, pear, pale florals, pebbles, flint.

Flavor: Peach, crisp acidity and then palate drying, a slight salinity.

Pairing: Very refreshing on the palate.

 

Diver Scallop Crudo with Cucumber Brunoises, Blood Orange Reduction

Monte Xanic, Sauvignon Blanc

100% Sauvignon Blanc

Valle de Guadalupe

Aroma: Lemon-lime, fruit cocktail, white peach.

Flavor: Meyer lemon, crisp, clean and low acid.

Pairing: The fruit in the dish and in the wine made for a good pairing.

 

Seared Cumin Crusted Seabass, Coconut Cauliflower Puree

El Cielo, Chardonnay 2015

100% Chardonnay (oaked)

Valle de Guadalupe

Aroma: Toasted oak, butter, cream, Golden Delicious apple, rich mouthfeel with some salinity.

Flavor: Lemon, oak, hay, balanced fruit and acid.

Second wine: Vinos Lechuza, Chardonnay 2016

100% Chardonnay (stainless steel)

Valle de Guadalupe

Aroma: Unsalted butter, banana, kiwi, pale oak.

Flavor: Golden Delicious apple (again), oak, buttery with a long finish.

Pairing: I preferred the oaked Chardonnay over the stainless with this dish.

 

Pasta Arrabbiata with Romano Pecorino

Vinos de la Reina, Sangiovese 2015

100% Sangiovese

Valle de San Vicente

Aroma: A slight vegetal aroma blew off in a few minutes, then I got plums, perfumy, char and a dusty quality.

Flavor: Red to dark fruit, pepper, tannic, dry, jammy. (Stacie said the jammy quality comes from the heat in the area.)

Pairing: Most of the writers inhaled this pairing and who am I to argue? But maybe I was just saving myself for the grand finale.

 

Santa Maria Grilled Tri Tip Chimichurri, Spring Farmer’s Vegetables, Tri Tip Jus.

Vina Cava, Tempranillo 2016

100% Tempranillo

Valle de Guadalupe

Aroma: Earth, dust, blueberry, blackberry – perfume to my nose.

Flavor: Deep, dark and dusty with black fruit, char and oak. Another wine I will look for again.

Pairing: The spice in this dish enhanced the wine perfectly.

 

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video (over 16k views), authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru and the Global Wine Awards. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits.

Filed Under: Eve Bushman Tagged With: #lawinewriters, Albarino, aroma, baja, barbera, Bordeaux, Cabernet Franc, cabernet sauvignon, California, carignane, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, flavor, food pairing, Grenache, Malbec, Merlot, mexico, muscat, Napa, nebbiolo, Petite Sirah, petite syrah, Pinot Noir, red wine, Riesling, Rose, salinity, Sangiovese, Sauvignon Blanc, semillon, tasting notes, Tempranillo, variety, vineyards, Viognier, wine education, wine pairing, Wine tasting, winemaker, winemaking, wineries, Zinfandel

Vintage Eve Circa 8/15: #Hashtag Wine Tasting

October 16, 2018 by evebushman

#TrendingWine came to life as a fun and interactive way to enjoy wine that also gives back to causes in need. Produced by ME Wine in affiliation with David Fulton Winery in Napa Valley.

David Fulton Winery is the oldest continuously owned and operated family vineyard in California. David Fulton was an innovator and pioneer of the wine industry planting his first experimental grapevines in Napa valley in 1858. He also invented the one horse plow which increased yields allowing for a way to monetize in farming launching the industry of wine.

ME Wine is the next generation striving to be the future pioneers and innovators of the new wine industry.

##

10504929_274476296074827_3538491341250865197_o

From the “Me Wine” Facbook page.

Here is where we, well just Eve at the moment, must interrupt. These wines looked interesting so I called in some bigger guns AGAIN to do the tasting with me.

Joining me for “collective tasting notes” are Simon and Shannon Mee (Owners of Newhall Refinery and Egg Plantation), Bruce and Liz Pack (“Chef Liz” has penned a few recipes for our website) and Claudia Sheridan (Owner Small Business Breakthrough, and like myself, a Level 2 Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust).

Napa Valley #SelfieWine

40% Semillon
, 20% Sauvignon Blanc, 20% Muscat
, 20% Muscadelle

Aroma

Celery, corn, cigarette?

Flavor

Very pleasantly surprised as it was quite opposite from the nose with caramel green apple, dried apricot and oak. 90 Eve pts.

++

Napa Valley #BestiesWine

Dry Rose of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon

Aroma

Lovely salmon color with aromas of rose petal, freshly cut strawberry and toast.

Flavor

Tart raspberry, strawberry, stems and low acid. 89 Eve pts.

++

#BestiesWine

Red Blend

Aroma

Pungent plum, milk chocolate, mint, fig.

Flavor

Balanced, low acid, strawberry, plum and raisin. 90 Eve pts.

A note from Eve again. The notes are all me. My pals liked the wine and loved the marketing. Two went home with the bracelets that came wrapped around the bottles and then social networked photos of the fun labels.

http://www.me-wine.com

https://www.facebook.com/pages/ME-Wine/274457332743390?fref=ts

Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video (over 16k views), authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Long Beach Grand Cru and the Global Wine Awards. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits. You can also seek her marketing advice via Eve@EveBushmanConsulting.com

Filed Under: Eve Bushman Tagged With: acid, aroma, blend, cabernet sauvignon, flavor, muscat, Napa Valley, Sauvignon Blanc, semillon, tasting notes, Wine tasting

Perlis Picks: Hoyt Family Vineyards

September 1, 2018 by Michael Perlis

Have you heard of tiny houses? There’ve been a few television shows about them. My wife Karen occasionally watches them and I’ll sometimes lift my head up from wine-related Facebook conversations to see what’s up.

Basically, people downsize to a minimum level of possessions and space requirements in order to live in very small residences, simplifying their lives in the process. Now what that minimum level is varies from family to family depending on their own situation. The whole idea has never really appealed to me; for one thing, what to do with the wine?

But, to stay in a tiny house in a vineyard on the west side of Paso Robles?

Heck yes, that is very appealing.

The first episode of DIY Network’s “Cabin Brothers” featured the development and construction of two tiny homes on the vineyard property of Hoyt Family Vineyards. The “brothers” are twins John and Ron Daniels [formerly of the show “Redwood Kings”] and their company Daniels Wood Land is conveniently based in Tin City just south of downtown Paso Robles.

The cabins/homes have all the amenities – two bedrooms [one is a master with a queen size bed and the other is smaller with bunk beds], a shower and full kitchen. Our vineyard view cabin gave us a full frontal view of the beautiful vineyard – just be careful not to give a full frontal view to the vineyard workers; this is a working winery, after all. In case you’re wondering, you also have satellite TV and Wi-Fi.

But all this would mean nothing to me if the wines didn’t measure up.

For a little bit about how that started, we have to begin in…Malibu.

Carol and Stephen Hoyt moved to Malibu and planted their Chardonnay vineyard on their property in 2001. Carol, a self-taught winemaker, made her first wine with purchased Cabernet fruit while waiting for the first Chardonnay grapes to be ready to harvest in 2004. Since that time, Hoyt Family Vineyards became known for producing delicious Chardonnay from Malibu.

But we all know that there is more to wine than Chardonnay, yummy as it is, and in 2011 the Hoyts purchased 86 acres on the west side of Paso Robles in the very highly regarded Willow Creek District, with neighbors like Booker, Tablas Creek and most recently Clos Solene [in other words, a pretty darn good neighborhood], to expand the estate offerings of Hoyt Family Vineyards. After much work [some still ongoing] on the vineyards, which now consist of two adjacent properties totaling 140 acres with 30 acres planted, they now also produce Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Viognier, Grenache and Petit Verdot.

Tastings are available by appointment at the vineyard property, which is especially convenient if you are staying there. But we wanted to check out the new tasting room in downtown Paso Robles. Located just north of the busy park square, the Hoyt Family Vineyards tasting room is a wonderful addition to the downtown tasting room scene. It is now literally possible to spend a day (or more) tasting wine strolling around without ever needing to drive into the surrounding countryside, should you so choose.

We went through the whole lineup of wines, which I am pleased share with you here, including the winery’s notes:

White  

Hoyt2Hoyt Sparkling Wine: Our newest addition, a sophisticated Methode Champignon sourced from Sonoma County. Light, crisp and refreshing. Perfect for a celebration or a Sunday morning. Dry, with notes of pear and apple, delicately tickles your fancy.      

2015 Chardonnay: Our newest release! We have taken our Malibu estate grown Chardonnay through 100% malolactic and aged it in new and used French Oak. This is the wine that put us on the map! Crisp, with hints of oak and butter this Chardonnay’s acid is well balanced on your palate and could look forward to it aging beautifully, if you can wait, but we don’t think you will want to! It is our classic “Drink it all day Chardonnay”!  Case Production 325  

Muscat:   For those of you who expect this wine to be overly sweet, we have a surprise for you! Made with no residual sugar, this Muscat presents itself as beautifully dry with a fragrant nose of citrus, clean and crisp. This is a onetime wine from our estate with a small production, get it before it’s gone! Case Production 30                                                                        

Rosé

2017 Pinot Noir Rose: Sophisticated and elegant, best describes our estate Grown Pinot Noir Rose. This Rose, already turning heads and making a splash, claimed 99 points, double gold and best of class from the California State Fair. Notes of strawberry, and citrus make this perfect for the summer or for that matter anytime.   

Red  

“Dylema” Our fun red blend. Originally created for the Malibu Chili cook off, this has become a house favorite. A Cab based blend with a little bit of everything else thrown in. Smooth and easy on the palate, we were hard pressed as what to call it, so we named it after our kids, Dylan and Emma. Enjoy our “Dylema”. GOLD Medal Winner    

Grenache:   Our first Grenache! And we are delighted with its lovely gardenia and soft smokey pepper and burnt Cherry undertones. Case Production 80      

2012 Tempranillo: Fruit forward, well balanced. The velvet feel rolls in your mouth, with magical notes of black currant, blackberries, blueberry, vanilla and cooking spices. Very limited production of this hand picked estate fruit.  Case Production 55    

2013 Petite Sirah: Our 2013 Petite Sirah is totally amazing. Big bold fruit, beautiful legs, rounded mouth feel, we think it’s like “sex in a bottle”. Very limited production, and we feel it will be winning Gold Medals- we expect nothing less!  

2012 Cabernet Sauvignon: Already winning Best of Class by the San Francisco Wine Chronicle, this is our favorite Cab yet. It’s unbelievable round mouth feel, is chewy, fruit forward, leggy and lovely. A sophisticated Cab, very limited production, this wine won’t last!   Case Production 96                        

These are very well made wines. The awards they are getting, such as the one from the Chronicle, are about as legit as they get. The Rose really knocked us out and the Petite Sirah is aptly described as amazing. As you can see, production is tiny on many of these so blink and they might be gone. But whatever they are pouring next will be sure to please.

Thank you to Nancy Hoffman of Hoyt Family Vineyards for hosting us at the property and at the tasting room, as well as giving us a whirlwind vineyard tour and pointing out the best places to enjoy a glass of wine at sunset. She is a joy to work with – don’t believe just me; check out the reviews on Airbnb. https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/23712572

So, am I ready to give it all up and move into a tiny house? Probably not. But I would definitely stay again in a tiny cabin in a beautiful vineyard, especially this vineyard and this winery: Hoyt Family Vineyards. You should too.

Hoyt Family Vineyards

Tasting room:

1322 Park Street, Paso Robles, Ca. 93446

Vineyard:

2015 Township Rd, Paso Robles, Ca. 93446

Cabins:

2110 Township Rd, Paso Robles, Ca. 93446

Michael Perlis has been pursuing his passion for wine for more than 25 years. He has had the good fortune of having numerous mentors to show him the way, as well as a wonderful wife who encourages him and shares his interest. After a couple of decades of learning about wine, attending events, visiting wineries and vineyards, and tasting as much wine as he possibly could, he had the amazing luck to meet Eve Bushman. Now, as Contributing Editor for Eve’s Wine 101, he does his best to bring as much information as possible about wine to Eve’s Wine 101 faithful readers. Michael is also Vice President of Eve Bushman Consulting (fka Eve’s Wine 101 Consulting) http://evebushmanconsulting.com/ and President of MCP Financial. Michael can be contacted at michaelthezinfan@aol.com or michael@evebushmanconsulting.com.

Filed Under: Michael Perlis Tagged With: cabernet sauvignon, champenoise, Chardonnay, French oak, gold medal, Grenache, malibu, malolactic fermentation, muscat, Paso Robles, petit verdot, Pinot Noir, red blend, Rose, sonoma county, Sparkling wine, tasting notes, Tempranillo, tin city, vineyard, Viognier, wine tour, winemaker

Vintage Eve Circa 7/2014: A Masterclass on The Wines of South Africa

December 26, 2017 by evebushman

Sure, I don’t mind driving down to the Luxe Rodeo Drive Hotel on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills (with the hoards of summer tourists) and then up to the penthouse suite to learn about and taste South African wines. I knew it would be worth it, and more. This was the info that came with rsvp:

Hi Eve,

We’d be glad to have you. The masterclass will include 12 top South African wines representing a range of varietals, styles, and regions; I’ll be covering history, trends, terroir – all the stuff a sommelier needs to get a good grasp of South African wine today. I hope you can make it.

Jim Clarke

Marketing Manager, WOSA US

Section-Images3Sustainability-4

Wines of South Africa Masterclass

With no money coming from the government, the WOSA (Wines of South Africa) groups represents all of South African wines, and representative Jim Clarke covers all of the U.S.

Clarke explained that the Western Cape is the grape growing region, and is fairly compact.  The first harvest was in 1659 with grapes brought in by the Dutch.  White wines was known to combat scurvy as citrus fruits did, so the Dutch wanted the white wines for their ships.  The French Huguenots arrived in 1688.

KWV was founded in 1918, starting as a cooperative not the distributorship they are today; and most wines were offered in the $10 range.   (From Wikipedia, “The name “Koöperatieve Wijnbouwers Vereniging van Suid-Afrika” is Afrikaans for “Co-operative Winemakers’ Society of South Africa”)

With Nelson Mandela’s release from prison in 1990, by 1994 the country held their first elections, and could start exporting wine again as the sanctions were dropped.  And Clarke said that a “bump in quality” occurred before 2000.  Wines are being made in the old world character, and winemakers are now very big on blending.

The sustainability seal (Sustainable Wine South Africa) is being used by 93% of their producers. Any seal found on a wine or estate brandy “has been certified by the Wine and Spirit Board” and “is a guarantee of origin, vintage, and variety as stated on the label.”

Sauvignon Blanc is the second most planted white wine grape varietal and Chenin Blanc is still the first.  Pinotage is not as common as people think, with only about 6% of the plantings. Pinotage is a unique varietal to South Africa.  It is a cross of Pinot Noir and Cinsault – Cinsault is also referred to as Hermitage, hence the name. The first Pinotage was in 1959 and has proven to be disease resistant and offers a high yield.

From the WOSA, “When the term ‘Wine of Origin’ or the abbreviation ‘W.O.’ together with the name of a production area, such as Stellenbosch, Durbanville or Robertson appears on a label, it confirms that 100% of the grapes from which the wine was made come from that specific area.”

They have a wine school and viticulture school in South Africa; as well as fair-trade and black-owned wineries, and black winemakers due to scholarships now being offered. Clarke said there are lots of efforts being put into those areas now.

Of final note, good wines are available in the $30 to $50 range.  The retail prices of the wines we tasted are below.

Tasting

Aromas and flavors separated by “;”

 

Klein Constantia Perdeblokke Sauvignon Blanc 2012

Fresh crisp and cool, white peach, golden delicious apples, lemon zest; lemon, grapefruit, acidic, long finish.  Need shellfish, thinking icy cold shrimp cocktail. (Costantia region.) $24

 

Downes Family Sanctuary Peak Sauvignon Blanc 2012, some Semillon.

Juicy, herbaceous and floral, peach, apricot, steely; good mouthfeel, acid mid-palate, lemon-lime, softly balanced.  (Elgin region.) $20

 

Simonsig Chenin Blanc 2013

Honeydew melon, cantaloupe, a tiny hint of white pepper, wet pebbles; Nice mouthfeel, sliced apples, acidic, tingly and pleasant. (Stellenbosch region.) $10

 

Botanica Chenin Blanc 2011

Jasmine, anise, orange peel, stemmy; licorice, lemony, sharp and tangy, quite pleasant.  (W.O. Citrusdal region.) $20

 

De Westhof Lesca Chardonnay 2013

Lemon-lime, butter, fresh, hint of suede; lemonade, grassy, acidic. (W.O. Robertson) $22

 

Sadie Family Skerpioen 2012

Tropical fruit cocktail, sweat, anise; Lime, peach, concrete, acidic finish.  (W.O. Swartland region, Chenin Blanc, Palomino.) $55

 

Painted Wolf Guillermo Pinotage 2010

Leather, sautéed mushrooms, black plum, mint, dark chocolate, rich soil; Dry, dark dusty fruit, green peppercorn, lingering black licorice.  (W.O. Swartland region) $18

 

Jardin Cabernet Sauvignon 2009

Blueberry, blackberry, black pepper, milk to dark chocolate, dried wood; Black cherry, spice and pepper in good balance, nice finish, well done. (W.O. Stellenbosch) $20

 

Vilafonte Series C 2011

Plum, pluot, mint, bark; dusty black fruit, smoke, cigar.  (W.O. Paarl. Cabernet Sauvignon blend.) $60

 

Mullineux Syrah 2012

Stewed dark fruit, Mexican chocolate, cinnamon, white pepper; dark dry and tannic, pungent, long finish. (W.O. Swartland) $30

 

Keermont, 100 Syrah, 2011

Blue to black fruit, smooth, pepper blend; Great spice, juicy dark fruits, smoke. Well done.  (W.O. Stellenbosch) $45 approximately.

 

Klein, 100% Muscat, 2008, late harvest, no botrytis.

“Natural Sweet Wine.”  Honeysuckle, rose petals, pear liqueur, gentle, compelling; lovely viscosity, honey and acid play off each other. (W.O. Constantia)

$65.

Filed Under: Eve Bushman Tagged With: beverly hills, cabernet sauvignon, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, chocolate, fruit, grapes, harvest, muscat, pinotage, Sauvignon Blanc, semillon, sommelier, south Africa, sustainable, Syrah, tasting, tasting notes, varietal, wine education, winemaker

Motivations and Preferences of Consumers Who Drink Rosé

September 13, 2017 by evebushman

Yountville, CA (PRWEB) – The Wine Market Council announced it has completed its Rosé Wine Consumer Survey, a survey that was conducted to get a closer look at the consumption habits of rosé drinkers.

Eve sampling Rose.

“Nielsen data shows that rosé has grown 57% in sales dollars over the 52 weeks ending June 17, 2017, outpacing the overall wine category which is growing at 3% annually,” said Danny Brager, Senior Vice President of the Beverage Alcohol Practice Area at Nielsen and Chair of Wine Market Council’s Research Committee. “This Wine Market Council survey looks at the subject of rosé from the consumer’s point of view, providing members with more insight into the experiences, motivations and preferences of rosé drinkers.”

The survey was conducted among respondents sourced from Survey Sample International (SSI). The study polled 838 U.S. adults over the age of 21 who drink wine at least once a week and drink rosé at least occasionally.

The report on the survey is available to Wine Market Council members. However, several key findings from the survey include the consistency of consumer consumption, as well as wines consumers say they would substitute for rosé.

Some 60% of those respondents indicated they drink rosé consistently throughout the year, while 23% of them reported they drink rosé much more during the warmer months of the year. Only 12% of the respondents said they drink rosé infrequently, including every few months or several times a year.

Wine Market Council also found that when respondents were asked what wine they would substitute for rosé if they were in the mood for rosé but it wasn’t available, survey participants most often said they would choose Moscato/Muscat (38%), Chardonnay (36%) or Pinot Grigio/Gris (32%). Three in ten or fewer would choose a red blend (31%), Riesling (29%), White Blends (29%), Pinot Noir (28%), Champagne/sparking (28%), Sauvignon/Fumé Blanc (21%), or Gewurztraminer (10%).

The complete 2017 Rosé Wine Consumer Survey and all resulting data are now available to Wine Market Council members.
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To become a member or inquire about membership visit the Wine Market Council website WineMarketCouncil.com or email Wine Market Council Membership Director, Mark Chandler, with your inquiries at mchandler(at)winemarketcouncil(dot)com. Media questions and requests should be sent to contact(at)teplinnuss(dot)com.

About Wine Market Council
Wine Market Council was established in 1994 as a non-profit (501c6) trade association whose mission is to grow and strengthen the wine market in the U.S. on behalf of all segments of the industry by providing ongoing U.S. wine market research. More information can be found at WineMarketCouncil.com.

Filed Under: Guests Tagged With: alcohol, Chardonnay, drink, moscato, muscat, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Gris, Rose

Vintage Eve Circa 1/14: High Desert Cellars Tasting with Chavez Cellars

August 22, 2017 by evebushman

After I tasted wines from the California High Desert AVA with Wine of the Month Club’s president Paul Kalemkiarian via YouTube, I got an email a few weeks later from another winery in the high desert, High Desert Cellars Chavez Vineyards. They wanted me to taste their award winning wines (see “From the Winery” below) and write up some tasting notes for you, our Dear Wine Friends.

287643_206126379442118_82428_oNot one to turn down a bottle, err, I mean an opportunity to try a new bottle of wine, I readily agreed to the tasting. (If you want to try them they have a tasting room open to the public Thursday through Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 6 p.m.: 3045 90th Street West, Rosamond, CA, 93560, 661-256-6203.)

Tasting

2010 Tempranillo, 13.9% alcohol

Stewed mushroom, green bell peppers cooking in fajita seasonings, black pepper, leather, blackberry; lovely dark peppery fruit, juicy blackberry, black pepper again, good tannins. Pair with grilled steak or any meat-based dish in my humble opinion. Drink now.

2010 Zinfandel, 13.9% alcohol

Floral rose petals, plum, dark chocolate, leaves, wet earth and leather; red fruit, tannic, black pepper, smoke, bark. I could steadily sip this wine alone – and I did – or enjoy with food. Drink now or up to 5 years of down time.

I liked the alcohol content and didn’t get any of the heat accompanied with high alcohol percentages. With that said, for a Zinfandel, it was fairly easy drinking with only a mild amount of pepper and spice.

2010 California Syrah, 15.6% alcohol

The color of seedless blackberry jam; dark fruit, plum, plump raisins, tobacco, milk chocolate, leather, mint; dried black fruits, juicy yet palate-drying on the finish, smoke, and firm tannins. Very pleasant, may be strong without food for some but not for me. Drink now or up to 5 to 7 years of down time. (Note from my Contributing Editor Michael Perlis: High Desert Cellars’ Syrah is from the same vineyard that was used for Golden Star’s.)

From the Winery

Three of our wines have won medals from the 2014 San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition! Our 2010 Syrah won GOLD. Our 2010 Merlot won SILVER. And our Zinfandel won BRONZE. We are thrilled to receive this honor!

The 2014 SFCWC had a record number of 5,825 entries from over 1,500 wineries from 25 states in America – the largest competition of wines in America. The Public Tasting Event will be held at the Fort Mason Center in San Francisco on Saturday, February 15, beginning at 1:30PM, and we are making plans to attend and pour our wonderful wines.

Efren Chavez is the proud owner of High Desert Cellars – Chavez Vineyards and he has been in the grape growing business since 1978, starting in Sonoma County in the Russian River Appellation, Alexander Valley. In 1999 Efren started Chavez Vineyards on 20 acres located in east Palmdale, in the Antelope Valley of the California High Desert. Producing wine from grapes of uncompromised quality, including red varietals of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Syrah, Merlot, Zinfandel, Tempranillo, Malbec, Barbera, Alicante Bouchet, and white varietals of Chardonnay, Semillon, Viognier, Muscato, as well as rose wines of Merlot and Syrah. The first bottles of wine under the Chavez Cellars label were bottled in 2009.

Efren’s ambition of opening a tasting room for his wines became reality in June 2011 – High Desert Cellars Winery and Tasting Room held its grand opening. The beautiful tasting room offers fines wines for tasting, as well as beer, soda, water, snacks and unique gifts. Our wines can also be enjoyed in the outdoor garden area, along with a picnic lunch if desired.

Filed Under: Eve Bushman Tagged With: alcohol, Alicante Bouchet, barbera, bottling, cabernet sauvignon, California, Chardonnay, chocolate, floral, food pairing, fruit, gold medal, grapes, Malbec, medal, Merlot, muscat, palate, petit verdot, Rose, san francisco, semillon, silver medal, smoke, Syrah, tannins, tasting notes, tasting room, Tempranillo, vineyard, Viognier, wine of the month club, Wine tasting, Zinfandel

Color Up Your Summer with Brazilian Wines

July 19, 2017 by evebushman

New York, NY – Attention, wine lovers: the Wines of Brazil have made their way to the U.S. and are ready to take the country by storm. Internationally celebrated for its soccer players and its Rio Carnival, Brazil is also home to a variety of flavorful wines that will delight American consumers in search of young and fresh wines, at great value for money.

The Drinks Wholesaler magazine

Photo: The Drinks Wholesaler magazine

In a region known for its at times excessively powerful wines, Brazil stands out for its production of lighter, friendly and easy-drinking wines. Brazilian wines offer a surprising and high-quality alternative to your usual wines choices, being generally pressed from the varietals you love: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot, both still or sparkling. Embodying the soul of the country, Brazilian wines are lively, aromatic and colorful, and will be the life of the party!

Brazilian Sparkling wines – the taste of celebrations

Shake up your habits and pop a Brazilian sparkling wine for your next festivities. Characterized by an exceptional acidity and freshness, they are ultimate crowd-pleasures. Many of the producers follow the méthode traditionnelle – the same as Champagne – Brazilian sparkling wines are mainly produced from Chardonnay, Italic Riesling, Pinot Noir and Muscat. Aromatic and vivacious, they can be enjoyed on their own as an aperitif, or with all kinds of every day food such as sushi and light salads.

Brazilian Red wines – the flavor of passion

Brazilian reds will delight every red wine lover: from fruity to earthier reds, the region is home to a palette of vibrant reds pressed mostly from Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, which produce elegant and structured wines. With lower alcohol contents than similar New World wines (around 11-12.5%), they can be sipped during the day, without fears of headiness. The wines’ aromatic flavors combined with mild tannins make them a perfect addition to the dinner table: fresh and young, they will not overwhelm your meal’s flavors. Sip them with a BBQ-grilled meat to feel like a proper Brazilian enjoying a churrasco, the country’s iconic ember-grilled steak.

A look inside Brazil

There are six wine regions in Brazil, covering an almost 2,500-mile distance along the country’s eastern border. 90% of the wineries are in Rio Grande do Sul, the state located in the southernmost part of Brazil,  bordering Uruguay. The state is also on the same latitude as Argentina and South Africa:

  • Serra Gaúcha – the leading region in terms of production, representing 85% of all wines produced in Brazil, it is recognized for its fruity reds and fine sparkling wines. The basaltic soil, humid climate and mild nights produce wines with a distinctive personality.
  • Campos de Cima da Serra – known for its aromatic whites, and elegant and sophisticated reds, the region enjoys moderate temperatures and consistent winds, which guarantee healthy vines.
  • Serra do Sudeste – celebrated for its low-yield vines and delicate wines with great minerality, this mountainous region is recognized as one of the most promising wine areas in Brazil.
  • Campanha – located in the south, bordering Uruguay and Argentina, the region is devoted to vinifera grapes, including Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, but also Tannat and Tempranillo, and is recognized for its flavorful reds.
  • Planalto Catarinense – known for its high-altitude vineyards, Planalto Catarinense is celebrated for its fresh still and sparkling whites. The region is also developing an interesting  organic and biodynamic wine production.
  • Vale Do São Francisco – the most northern vineyard in Brazil, its grapes have higher sugar levels, creating bold and fruity wines. The region is also known for its full-bodied reds, high-quality Moscato sparkling wines and exceptional yields with two harvests a year.

About Wines of Brasil

Wines of Brasil, is an organization that represents 34 wineries that produce wines in six appellations: Serra Gaúcha, Campos de Cima da Serra, Serra do Sudeste, Campanha, Planalto Catarinense, Vale Do São Francisco.

The main mission of the Wines of Brasil project is to promote the quality of Brazilian wines in the international market. To achieve this goal, its work starts within the wineries, providing producers with guidance on how to export, which results in promotional campaigns in different parts of the world, including the participation in wine fairs and direct contact with trade agents and opinion makers.
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The Brazilian wineries produced for the export market over 2.2 million liters and commercialized to 36 countries from January to December 2016. The exports to the USA market have increased 34.
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64 % in 2016.

Visit www.winesofbrasil.com for more information, or follow Wines of Brasil on Instagram (@brazilianwines), Faceebok (Wines of Brasil) and Twitter (@WinesofBrasil)

Filed Under: Guests Tagged With: acidity, alcohol, argentina, aroma, biodynamic, brazil, cabernet sauvignon, Chardonnay, climate, earthy, food pairing, fruity, harvest, Merlot, minerals, moscato, muscat, new world, organic, Pinot Noir, red wine, Riesling, south Africa, Sparkling wine, still wine, Syrah, Tannat, tannins, Tempranillo, u.s., vines, vitis vinifera, wineries

Vintage Eve Circa 8/2013: Tasting, and Learning, from Louie Lucas of Lucas and Lewellen Vineyards

June 20, 2017 by evebushman

Walking into the Lucas and Lewellen Vineyards tasting room on the popular Copenhagen Drive in Solvang, I was pleased to have my winery appointment set up with Louie Lucas himself. Before we even sat down he started giving us some history of his winery.

1907866_10152191815716558_942951687_o

Louie Lucas is on the far right, with his hands on his award-winning grapes. Photo from Facebook.

With 400 acres, and four different properties, Lucas and Lewellen grows 25 grape varietals. The tasting room had been open for 10 years – serving up to 25 wines. The planting began in 1970 and Lucas has been in the area for 40 years.

The current winemaker for the last five years is Megan McGrath Gates, who went to UC Davis for her wine credentials.

Wining Awards For Others

Lucas and Lewellen Vineyards has a long history of selling grapes to Napa wineries as well as more local winemakers.  So, his grapes “win awards for others”.  And he also makes wines for others, like actress Jane Seymour.  Amongst his list is Chardonnay to Kendall Jackson, more goes to Jed Steele of Steele wines, Muscat to Napa’s Castello di Amorosa, Gewurztraminer to V. Sattui and Syrah to winemaking legend Heidi Barrett.

I asked Lucas if I could mention this in my article, he hesitated for two seconds and then agreed, saying, “Its too late for them to get me!”

Lucas’ father and grandfather were grape growers, and what they produced had to be perfect and blemish free, even the stems had to be cured. “You grow good grapes,” Lucas said. “And you get good wine.”

“Today we buy from catalogs when shopping for root stocks,” Lucas said in regards to how things have changed in 40 years.  “So many more variations then we had before, and all are supposed to be resistant to disease, we shall see.”

Lucas and Lewellen has 1200 French oak barrels, and buys both new and used.  They added 300 new barrels last year and are experimenting with hybrid barrels that are made from half American and half French oak.

Tasting

2011 Blanc de Noirs Brut Sparkling wine, 80% Pinot Noir, 20% Chardonnay

Juicy fruit strawberry and peach on the nose, nice toast and jam on the palate.  They don’t make the wine, instead they use a sparkling wine facility to make it, and only use their handpicked grapes. Outstanding.

 

Viognier 2012

A touch of stainless steel, followed by peach, kiwi, candied ginger and pear on the nose. Very balanced on the taste. Perfect.

 

2009 Chenin Blanc

White peaches, lime, green grapes, green grass.  Great viscosity, mouth coating, not acidic.

 

Gewurztraminer 2011

Lemons, earth, peppermint on nose.  Same gentle mouthfeel and low acid.

 

2011 Old Vine Moscato

2% residual sugar. Candied orange, wet wood, cloves.

 

2012 Pinot Noir Rose (100% Pinot)

Cherry, stems, rose petals…again, that nice balance and viscosity.

 

2009 Santa Barbara County Pinot Noir, Estate

New clones since the “movie” (a nod to “Sideways”), and now making outstanding Pinot Noir wines from 10 different clones.

Good dark cherries, dry, green peppercorns.

 

2010 High Nine Pinot 667 clone, Santa Maria.

Smokey, charred, bright red fruit, long finish.

 

Malbec 2010

Blue and red fruit, dry, medium length. A favorite.

 

2007 Petit Verdot

Inky black color, blue fruit, blueberry jam rolled up in a pancake on the nose.  Mature and tannic on the palate. Another fave.

 

2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Cote del Sol (means “The Sun side”)

Balanced red and blue fruit and tannins, very good, long finish.

 

2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Valley View

83 cab percent and all other Bordeaux grapes

Balanced, dusty, plums bell pepper.

 

2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Clone 6

Dark purple, jammy, dry toast, plums.

 

http://www.llwine.com

Tasting Room: 1645 Copenhagen Dr., Solvang, CA 93463

Filed Under: Eve Bushman Tagged With: acid, award, balance, barrels, Bordeaux, cabernet sauvignon, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, clone, estate, French oak, Gewurztraminer, grape, grape grower, hybrid, Malbec, muscat, Napa, nose, palate, petit verdot, Pinot Noir, root, Rose, Santa Barbara, solvang, Sparkling wine, stainless steel, Syrah, tannic, tasting notes, tasting room, UC Davis, varietal, vineyard, Viognier, viscosity, Wine tasting, winemaker, winery

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Eve Bushman

Eve Bushman, owner Eve’s Wine 101 and Eve Bushman Consulting.

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