Nathan was a California attorney who loved wine. He practiced personal injury law in Beverly Hill, which I can only imagine must have been lucrative. He taught a wine appreciation course at UCLA Extension. He wrote a weekly wine column for the Lose Angeles Times and in 1973 a book called The Treasury of American Wines. He was the reason a lot of people had the opportunity to cellar some of the best vintages California ever produced, including many judged in the spring of 1976 as superior to the French, by French judges. Until that singular moment the French claimed a monopoly on the world’s highest quality wines. His weekly newspaper column was devoted to the growing wine culture in California’s salad bowl valleys of Monterey and Sonoma. He tracked the changes in agriculture as fruit and vegetable farmers began tearing up fruit trees and vegetable fields and planting wine grapes. He got a lot of things right before most even knew there was a California wine culture.

I picked up his book at a sale at my local library (fill a bag for $2.00!). These sales make me happy and sad simultaneously. I think of libraries as safe havens protecting the printed page from extinction, preserving it for future generations. They are becoming more like arboretums everyday – places where we visit the books and obtain digital downloads. So I rescued the book for giggles to read what was being written about American wine back in the 70’s, which, as an easterner, I remember as the time of jug wine. I didn’t know what I was getting, and that it would become one of the cherished additions to my own wine library.

He began by summarizing wine appreciation such as it was back then. Remember that these were the days of literally jug American wine, sold by the gallon by the likes of Gallo and Masson. This was all most Americans knew about wine if you didn’t live close to the source. Americans had not yet developed its palate and preference for wine over other adult beverages such as spirits and beer. Those with more refined tastes indulged in wines from Europe, as they were believed to be the only fine wine. Prohibition, that noble experiment, all but eliminated any consciousness Americans may have had of wines of quality being produced domestically.

Parker developed his million dollar nose on Bordeaux. Nathan Chroman wrote mostly about local wine but his book was not limited to California. He did know of the work of Dr. Konstantin Frank, a Hungarian immigrant who first believed that vinifera could be grown successfully in the Finger Lakes region of New York. While more prominently writing of the wine regions of the Northern California, he did not neglect to note the indigenous Catawba in Ohio and the hybrids being created in Michigan, Delaware, and even Pennsylvania.

California was a magical place for wine in the 1970’s. It was on the launchpad (crushpad) of the world stage. Nate Chroman was a man in the know from early on. In his book he wrote of the “Visionaries” and the “Prodigies” and he made predictions for the future. He rated the wines of the day with a personal system of one to four x’s. He wrote of the origins of California wine from the time of the Spanish missionaries’ need for sacramental wines and development of the Mission grape, to the Gold Rush era migration of another Hungarian immigrant – Agoston Haraszthy, who brought European vitis vinifera vines. Haraszthy operated the Buena Vista Winery among his many accomplishments. The winery is one of the few to survive Prohibition and helped give birth to the modern American wine industry. Nathan attributes Haraszthy with bringing Zinfandel vines to California (the origins of which is still being debated today, even after numerous DNA studies), while many still believe it to be a native grape. Nathan remarked that in the 1860’s the industry was gigantic, with as many as 10.5 million vines planted. Today the number is closer to 275 million. I wonder what he would think.

Nathan died in 2012 at age 83 and was one of the most influential people on the subject of American wine. He lived to see the U.S. overtake the French as the largest wine consuming nation in the world. He noted that California produced 84% of U.S. wines in the 70’s and today it produces 90%, keeping pace with the rest of the country, with wine being produced today in every state. Personal wine consumption was 1.44 gallons per capita in 1957, 2.43 gallons in 1973, and stands at 3.03 gallons as of 2012. He quoted a Wells Fargo Bank of California report projecting that level of consumption to be reached by 1980.
He predicted that by the year 2000 the Salinas Valley would have over 100,000 acres of wine grapes under cultivation. Today the number of acres is roughly somewhere near 40,000.

Where he was so dead on in the book was how he picked the wines and winemakers. Of the Visionaries he called Andre Tchelistcheff of Beaulieu Vineyard the “winemaker’s winemaker” and rated his wines with four x’s. He considered David Bruce wines some of the finest Chardonnays made. In the 70’s he only rated Buena Vista wines as two x’s. He wrote glowingly of Chalone wines and the Chenin Blanc of Chappellet. Concannon, Freemark Abbey, Hanzell, Heitz, and Inglenook also received some of his highest praise. Back then California was still calling its sparkling wines Champagne and Korbell rated three x’s. Of the Prodigies he cited Robert Mondavi, Louis M. Martini, Paul Masson’s, Schramsberg’s, and Martin Ray’s Champagnes, Mayacamas, Mirassou, Ridge, Souverain, Sebastiani, and Wente. Of these wines Ridge, Heitz, Mayacamas, Freemark Abbey, Chalone, and David Bruce went on to win high marks against the French at the famous Judgment of Paris competition. He never mentioned Chateau Montelena, featured in the film Bottle Shock, as being anything special. He actually only listed them under “Other California wineries”, not far from Franzia (today a leading boxed wine), E & J Gallo (Hearty Burgundy), and Boone’s Farm (who doesn’t remember the precursor to wine coolers?).

No New York wines received x’s of any number but he did single out Dr. Konstantin Frank’s Vinifera Vineyards, Bully Hill, Widmer, Boordy, Great Western, Gold Seal, and Taylor (I grew up with Taylor and Great Western Champagnes). Washington State’s sole mention was Ste. Michelle Vineyards, and Oregon received no mention at all.

If you don’t already own it, and I am sure it is out of print now, but if you ever have a chance to visit it in your local library it is a wine book well worth browsing. I think a great number of wineries owe a tremendous debt of gratitude for the attention he paid them early on.

The Ribera del Duero region is located approximately 80 miles north of Madrid and sits on a plateau with a wide river valley running through it. The wine region is literally located along either side of the banks of the Duero River as it runs west to east (through Portugal where it s called the Douro before it empties into the Atlantic) through the four Spanish provinces of Castile and León, Burgos, Segovia, and Valladodid. The climate is Mediterranean with Continental influences and the vineyards are planted at altitudes as high as 3,000 feet. The growing season is short with a favorable diurnal temperature exchange of hot days and cool nights, and rainfall of only about 17 inches per year, which makes for great growing conditions. The soil variations range from alluvial deposits with some sand and clay at the lowest elevations to layered limestone, marl, and chalk up towards the steeper slopes. This arid mesa land is dotted with medieval castle/fortresses called alcázars where 15th and 16th century catholic Spain fought off the islamic Moors who had controlled much of the country from the time of the Reconquista in the 8th century through the Spanish Inquisition (complex history).

Vines here are known to grow untrellised on upright gnarled bushes, many into old age, 40, 50 years or more. The Tempranillo grape grows as a small berry in loose clusters and is characterized by its plum, cherry, raspberry, blackberry, and spice flavor descriptors. It is known for producing well-balanced wines that express fresh fruit, good acidity, rich color and well-controlled tannins. Oak aging contributes vanilla, toast, and leather to the final product. The wines of the Ribera del Duero region show elegance, depth, and complexity. Many give you pause to think and consider while tasting.

The classification system adhered to by the D.O., as in most regions, is strict. There are requirements for the use of oak and aging, as well as maximum yields per acre, grape varieties, vineyard management, alcohol levels, and more. Ribera del Duero wines are classified as follows:

Cosecha, or Joven – these wines are young and meant to be drunk soon after harvest. They are fresh and fruity in style. Joven Roble or Joven Barrica see three to six months in oak.
Crianza – requires two years of aging with at least one year in an oak barrel. They are allowed to be released after the first of October, two years after the harvest.
Reserva – wines are aged for three years, with a one year minimum in oak. They are released after the first of October, three years after the harvest.
Gran Reserva – these wines are only produced in years with an exceptional vintage. Aged for a minimum of five years these wines require at least two years in oak barrels, followed by additional bottle aging.
Rosado – Ribera del Duero’s rosé wines, meant to be enjoyed while young and fresh.

In April I had the pleasure of attending an event sponsored by Drink Ribera. Drink Spain. hosted by Jonathan Alsop at the Boston Wine School. There was a brief seminar followed by a walk around tasting complemented by regional tapas prepared by Deborah Hansen of Taberna de Haro. It was a celebration of Ribera being named Wine Region of the Year by Wine Enthusiast magazine. Fifteen winemakers were listed on the program but somehow many more managed to be displayed on additional tables. I never turn my nose up at these sponsored events. Some wine geeks see them as self-serving and blatant marketing, which they are, and intended to be. It is also my opportunity, short of traveling to the region itself, to taste through the different classifications and styles, and to learn something about food pairing that go well with the wines.

At the end of this post I will list some of the wines I enjoyed but an interesting part of the event was the food. There was Salchichón, a Spanish style salami, chorizo sausage, Manchego cheese, and Jamón ibérico (Spanish version of prosciutto) sliced by chef Deborah Hansen, all of which were predictable pairings. The interesting choice to me was the Morcilla, common to the region but not often served in the U.S. Morcilla, also known as black pudding, is, quite literally, blood sausage. An acquired taste for most, this is something I was more familiar with as what my mother called Hutka. My great grandmother was from Budapest and while growing up in New York we frequently travelled to Manahattan to a part of the lower east side where a little Hungarian community still sold the delicacies of home. I now know that what my mother called Hutka was actually véres hurka. In Spain morcilla is made from pork blood, with rice, fat, onions, and sometimes liver and head meat (did I mention that it is an acquired taste?). The Hungarian version I grew up with was prepared in a skillet and sauteed until the sausage burst and the black organ bits and rice got crispy. When I was a kid I didn’t know anything about this other than my mother couldn’t pass it off with the “tastes like chicken” line, but I liked it. The Morcilla served by Taberna de Haro was more elegantly presented than I remembered from childhood. This is waste not want not peasant food at its best.

While wine has been made in the Ribera del Duero region for more than 2,000 years it was being produced primarily for local consumption with less regard paid to quality. Often little attention was paid to wine production and a vintage could be placed in barrels and allowed to ferment on its own with little intervention at all from the winemaker. It was around the mid 20^th century when the number of hectares planted had started to be reduced and quality over quantity took hold, leading up to the 1980’s when the winery Vega Sicilia, along with wineries like La Pesquera began to produce wines of higher quality, helping to secure the D.O status for the region. Bodegas Vega Sicilia had been producing wine since 1864. More than 100 years later they adopted a mindeset of holding off the release of their wines until they were ready, as determined by the winemaker. To this day some Vega Sicilia wines are held in bottle and not released for decades. This determination to be patient and control the release of the wine until the best possible quality could be achieved inspired other winemakers to the produce better wines as well. Now the region can boast of being able to hold its own against the more reknown Rioja D.O. and its designation as Wine Region of the Year by Wine Enthusiast magazine. So the next time you are in the mood for a wine with a little more complexity, one to make you pause to consider what you are tasting try a Ribera del Duero.

You could not go wrong with wines from any of the following producers:

Bodega Emina – the 2009 Crianza is a purple red hue with well-defined tannins and complex structure.

Bodega Matarromera S. L.

Protos B. Ribera del Duero Peñafiel S. L.

Bodegas Trus S. L.

Alejandro Fernández-Tinto Pesquera, S. L. – named for the visionary Spanish winemaker who helped bring this region to a more prominent place in the wine world, helping to secure the D.O. status

Selección de Torres, S. L.

At the end of last year’s bloggers conference a group of us were treated to a trip out to McMinnville, a sub-appellation of the Willamette Valley AVA, about 40 miles southwest of Portland. Rob and Maria Stuart own a winery and tasting bar, R. Stuart & Co. An entire year later I still remember that visit as one of my favorite wine experiences. I cannot rave enough about their gracious hospitality, and the valuable experience they offered. Rob is a smart winemaker. He allows others to deal with the worry and anxiety of getting good grapes to harvest. Then he buys his pick of the best of several AVA’s and blends them into his personal expression of Oregon’s signature varietal.

First we were treated to a sumptuous walk around lunch at the winery, with food and wines at stations set up throughout. We all got to relax, get to know each other, ask questions. Then Rob had us sit down in groups at tables that looked like individual laboratories.

There were beakers and bottles, pipettes, and notebooks to record our data. He offered us six different fermented single vineyard Pinot Noirs to work with. We were told about the distinct characteristics of each wine, similar to the Erath lesson. He gave us basic instructions and an hour to work as a team to come up with our own custom blend. To back up a minute Rob asked us what style of PN we liked – more acidic, tannic, or fruit forward. I was in the group that identified as more acidic. My bloggers in crime were Kelsey Ivey of OregonWinette, Michele Francisco of WineRabble, and Julia Crowley of WineJulia.

Our group had enough trouble trying to decide our own little division of labor. Who would do the measuring, who would do the proportions, etc. We did a lot of tasting. In the end we had to also come up with a name and tasting notes. Maria and Rob were going to treat us to a bottle of the finished product. My big contribution to the group (because I am not good wielding a pipettes or doing proportions) was an idea of the name. I had in mind that I would drink this wine on Thanksgiving because I always serve an American Pinot Noir with my turkey and this would be the perfect way to honor this occasion. I actually think someone at another table shouted out the name Gratitude but it was a good one and it stuck.

Soon enough our time was up and we had decisions to make. Fortunately we had made several blends and had choices. The greatest lesson learned that day was knowing when to stop blending. I know an hour was not enough time but once you get involved in it a little mad scientist kicks in and it seems difficult to know just when to say ok this is the one.
The wines we had available as our raw material were:
Weber

Hirschy

Courting Hill

Elkhorn Ridge

Temperance Hill

Daffodil Hill

Our final result was 40% Elkhorn Ridge, 45% Daffodil Hill, 5% Temperance Hill, and 5% Hirschy. The Courting Hill and Weber didn’t make into our final blend, but for no particular reason. The small amount of Temperance Hill and Hirschy definitely contributed to the acidity of the wine while the Elkhorn Ridge and Daffodil Hill kept it in balance.
So you think it was easy?  Think about these things when you question the price of the next wine you buy. R. Stuart’s Big Fire wines are all modestly priced under $20 and I would highly recommend them to anyone. Rob doesn’t believe in ratings and awards so you won’t find them on anyone’s 100 point scale but I can tell you that these wines are crafted with love and joy by people who care about the experience you will have when you open the bottle. I can’t wait until the next opportunity I have to visit Oregon again and I will absolutely have a trip to McMinnville at the top of my list of things to do.
The entire group agreed that it would be a good idea to open our bottles at the same time and have a virtual tasting. Due to weather events like Sandy and the east coast Blizzard of ’13 in February we didn’t actually get to have our tasting until April. The folks who were nearby were able to join Rob and Maria at their Wine Bar while the rest of us received a wonderful package with two bottles of our blend along with several bottles of their wines. Big WOW factor. We all enjoyed complimenting the wines, Rob and Maria, and each other. For me this experience has an incredibly long lasting finish because I will be saving my second bottle of Gratitude for Thanksgiving this year, as I originally had hoped. Deep Gratitude indeed to Rob and Maria for such a memorable time.

Reblogged from WiningWays:

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Even though Memorial Day weekend is almost a month ahead of the astronomical beginning of summer this is the big kickoff weekend for the most of us (well, here in my part of the world anyway). This is the time in the wine world when we shift from some of the heavy reds to cool crisp whites, rosés, and yes, sangrias!

Read more… 566 more words

Last year in Oregon I had two opportunities to learn something about blending. Blending does not, by the way, just mean different kinds of wine in varying percentages mixed together like a Rhone style Grenache, Syrah, Mouvedre, voilà. Blending is also part of making a good varietal wine. Most varietal wines in fact are the product of blending. Different vineyards, different blocks, different rows, etc. can be crushed, or not, fermented together, or not, aged separately, or any number of other combinations where the winemaker’s craft takes place. Many winemakers will say that good wine is made in the field, and it does all begin with good grapes but the winemaker has so many ways to interact with the grapes once they are harvested, and so many decisions to make before putting their seal of approval on the bottle.

I have friends who are home winemakers, a couple really good enough to go commercial but just don’t want that much change in their lives (Jason). Other wine friends are in scientific fields and they are really into the processes and measurements of alcohol by volume, malolactic fermentation, residual sugar, cold fermentation, brix, etc. Some of us want to just enjoy the wine in the glass, with food and friends, and maybe be able to describe its flavors. I have learned that I am one of these people.

During the conference there was a seminar conducted by Gary Horne, winemaker at Erath Winery in the Dundee Hills. In this part of the world every vineyard visit comes with a comprehensive geology lesson. The soil type is Jory, a well-drained, red silty clay loam, three to six feet deep. It is also perfect for growing Oregon’s other cash crops – Douglas firs for Christmas trees, and hazelnuts. Jory is actually the official state soil of Oregon. Who knew that a state could have and official soil type?

Gary Horne told us about Pinot Noir clones and how Dick Erath, along with Oregon Pinot Noir pioneers David Lett, Charles Coury, and David Adelsheim experimented with them to bring out the best qualities in each. In winemaking clones are defined as propagation of a grape by asexual cuttings or grafting. The resulting plant carries the same DNA as the parent plant but with slight genetic variations. This allows for grapes to be developed that will adapt, thrive and achieve their own uniqueness in a specific environment. Remember that vinifera grapes (those associated with fine wines) are of European extraction and have been imported all over the world and propagated. This accounts for all of the differences between a Pinot Noir from Oregon and a French Burgundy. All vinifera grapes eventually trace back to their own Adam and Eve. Scientists today are still identifying the lineage of grapes and where they originated. Only in recent years was the Chilean grape Carménère identified as having been one of the original Bordeaux blending grapes that fell out of production during the Phylloxera devastation of Europe. It had been for years classified as Merlot!

Using the French Pinot Noir clones 115, 777, and Pommard (one of the first French clones to be grown in Oregon soil) we got to experience the nuances and layers of all the flavors achieved after blending. The 115 clone is associated with currant, balsam, cardamom, and smokiness – spices and bramble fruits. The 777 clone’s characteristics include cherry, cedar, vanilla, and orange zest. The Pommard clone shows sandalwood, and floral notes but also carries the tannic weight that the first two do not. Gary showed these grapes all vinified the exact same way – 15 months in 40% new French oak, with a final alcohol by volume of 14.5% The final blended wine, their Prince Hill Pinot Noir Dundee Hills expresses itself in many layers, with the dominant characteristics from each of the clones – the sandalwood, berries, baking spices, and vanilla are carried on a lingering finish. Very interesting multi-sensory exercise on how it all builds to a crescendo in the final wine.

Next was what turned out to be one of my favorite experience at the Bloggers conference. I was invited, post-conference, with a group of my fellow wine bloggers to take a ride out to McMinnville to learn how Rob Stuart blends his Pinot Noirs at R. Stuart & Co. And that will be my next post…

While I did try this wine last winter I do believe it will have a place at summer cookouts. My first experience with Deadbolt wine was in February during the big snow dump. On the night of February 9^th we were hunkered down, propane camp stove, candles, batteries, shovels, and all manner of storm prep supplies gathered with us awaiting the big storm that would ultimately dump nearly three feet of snow by morning. We sat in the kitchen playing games, waiting for the lights to go out and I thought that night was appropriate to open my bottle of Deadbolt. Pernod Ricard USA released this proprietary red blend in October 2012. Deadbolt is one of those big, bold, jammy, fruity full-bodied red wines from California, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel, Petite Syrah and Syrah. It is deep, dark purplish red in the glass with cherry, plum, mocha flavors. The mouthfeel is velvety smooth. At 13% abv you definitely get all that bold fruit without the typical California heat. I put this wine in the same category as Apothic Red. The packaging is funky and bold. A second taste this spring has me thinking that this wine will do well with burgers on the grill and chilly summer nights by the fire pit. It retails for around $16/btl but I was able to find it on sale in the Massachusetts market for $10.99. For the summer this wine could also stand up to a little chill or as a base for sangria. Cheers!

Tomorrow and Sunday, February 15-16, 2013 celebrates the return of one of Boston’s premier winter events, the Boston Wine Expo. This extravaganza of wine, food, and the good life will have over 200 wineries from more than 15 countries pouring over 1,800 wines. The expo itself is a two-day event that takes place at the World Trade Center, across from the Seaport Hotel, and has grown into one of the largest and most respected wine events in the country.

In addition to the Grand Tasting, the more exclusive Grand Cru Tasting (showing reds that retail for $75 and up and whites over $45 per bottle), the food pairings from some of Boston’s trendiest restaurants, the hugely popular seminars (many of which sell out early, so register ASAP if you are interested!), this year sees the return of the Vintner Dinner Series which started on February 11th and continues through February 25th. Select wineries will be pairing their best wines at various restaurants around the city in a far more intimate setting than the Expo itself. Between the seminars and the Vintner Dinner Series this event is one of the best opportunities all year to increase your wine knowledge with the help of some of the biggest names in the industry. For schedule and ticketing information visit the website: www.WineExpoBoston.com .

Since 1991 the founders of the Boston Wine Expo, the Boston Guild of Oenophilists, have hosted this marvelous event for wine enthusiasts of every level. Oenophile is a fancy term for wine lover or connoisseur.  Each year the BGO makes substantial donations to various charities in the Greater Boston area, so far exceeding $1.3 million. This year will benefit the Tufts Medical Center’s Summer Camp Scholarship for children with disabilities.

New to the Expo this year attendees will be able to download the new smartphone app from DRYNC Direct which will allow you to rate your favorite wines, and for the first time, order wines to be shipped to your home with FREE shipping included (for wines ordered during the Expo)! This is a huge additional benefit to attending the Expo. Each year attendees taste many wines that later they do not remember or cannot find in the local market. With the DRYNC Direct app you will be able to scan a bottle and if you enjoyed the wine you’ll be able to order it then and there. After the Expo these wines will still be available to order at only $9.99 shipping, or free shipping for six or more bottles. Massachusetts residents who have tried to order wines from the places they have travelled know only too well the roadblocks to ordering wines not sold locally (Free the Grapes!)

In the center of the Grand Tasting this year there will be a Social Media Lounge (use Twitter hashtag #BWE2013). It escapes no one I’m sure that in today’s world our live, in-the-moment events are streamed as they happen over social media. Stop by and see which wines are getting the most buzz and which are the duds. At the Expo last year a local radio station was broadcasting live and using Twitter to offer prizes. I won two upgrades to the Grand Cru lounge and got to experience how the other half, well, one percent live.

I’m personally looking forward to tasting some new wines, some favorites, and some from winemakers I’ve gotten to know over the years. I’ll be on the lookout for Klinker Brick from Lodi, a fave from last year, vintage Ports from Cockburn and Graham’s, Happy Bitch Rosé, a friend from the Hudson Valley in New York, the entire Finger Lakes Wine Country pavilion, Anne Amie from Oregon, several Torrontés from Argentina, and anyone pouring bubbles!

If you are a first-timer, going on Saturday or Sunday (or if you are lucky enough to have a two-day ticket), plan to get there for the start of the day. As the day progresses you’ll find there are those who are there to get their money’s worth and tasting everything in sight, indiscriminately. You can tell who these people are by the level of their inebriation. You won’t be able to try everything so try to do some research on the website or within the DRYNC Direct app to make a plan. Jot down the booth numbers of the wineries you are interested in or save them in the app. When you enter the Expo you will receive your commemorative tasting glass, a full color guide with a map and room for notes (if you’re old school), and a bottle of water. Remember to drink the water. Spitting is allowed and encouraged. Many small tastes add up quickly to a lot of alcohol consumption. Taste responsibly. If you taste a wine you like ask if it available for purchase in Massachusetts. If they say no ask why not. These wineries pay a lot of money for the opportunity to pour their wine at the Expo. They are always looking for new markets. Give them feedback.

What could be more decadent on a cold winter’s day with sub-zero wind chills than a farmers’ market in the tropical environment of Russell’s Garden Center’s greenhouses. Agricultural Tourism thrives all year-long in Massachusetts! MASS Grown and the Massachusetts Dept of Agricultural Resources has a wealth of information on the vibrant winter farmers’ market program.

The first thing we saw was the huge oven fire of VESTA Mobile Wood-Fired Pizza. Suzanne and I both said at once, “We’ve got to get some of that.” Little did we know that we would be saying that again and again.

The farmers’ market in Wayland will take place every Saturday from 10-2 at Russell’s until March 9^th. In and amongst their displays of flowers, and houseplants vendor tables are set up for you to wind your way around. A huge number of vendors were there (see list and websites at the end of this post) – far more than I expected for a winter market. This particular day nine of the Massachusetts Farm Wineries were offering tastings, which was the entire draw for me to spend my day’s energy on. I was utterly (no dairy pun intended, though there were several artisanal cheese producers there) blown away by the beautiful produce and agricultural products being offered. I nibbled on one of the fattest, sweetest carrot slices I ever tasted.

Back to the wine. If you know me you know I always come back to the wine. We first spotted Running Brook Vineyards and tasted several whites, including their 2010 Reserve Chardonnay and Vidal Blanc which we already knew we liked.

We brought a limited amount of cash and of course our idea of being conservative is telling each other that we don’t have to buy from the first vendor we see, so we moved on. Next we visited Kip Kumler’s Turtle Creek Winery from Lincoln, MA. I am familiar with Kip’s winemaking and was happy to taste examples I had not yet had the opportunity to try. We had both attended a Finger Lakes Riesling event in 2011 during the Summer of Riesling so I had an idea of his palate. His 2011 Riesling grapes were sourced from Hobbit Hollow, on the west side of Lake Canandaigua, in the Finger Lakes. Deliciously off-dry with a well-rounded mouthfeel and enough acidity not be bracing but to contribute to the wine’s overall balance.

Rounding a corner we stopped by Extra Virgin Foods where they were sampling and selling artisanal Greek olive oils and olives. I was not sure what the Massachusetts agriculture connection was but I chose to taste their boldest flavored oil and their barrel aged sun-dried tomato olives. We liked the oil but bought the olives.

Our next stop I’m embarrassed to say was new for me – embarrassed because for years I have passed them, sometimes daily for years along the highway and never stopped in. I do plan to now. Alfalfa Farm Winery was making their first appearance in Wayland and they were very pleased with the turnout and sales. We had the opportunity to taste their Chardonnay (soft oak), Cranberry (great cranberry expression without being too tart – a great picnic wine in my book), and their Red Table Wine. I spoke with Trudi Perry and plan a proper visit and future post.

Well placed after these tastings we came upon Bagel Alley bagels and Nobscot Artisan Cheese. Great placement, whoever set up the market tables. I am from New York City originally so it goes without saying that I am a bagel snob (and a pizza snob, and a Chinese food snob…oh well, we need not go into that here. Let’s just say I am food snobby.). The bagels had names like Health and Energy Bar and were packed with great grains and fruits. We picked some favorites such as egg, pumpernickel, and cinnamon raisin along with the ones with interesting names. Then we spun around and visited Nobscot Artisan Cheese where Sue Rübel, a former 30 year educator has teamed up with Doug Stephan at Eastleigh Farm in Framingham to make raw milk cheeses with his “Jersey girls”. There was Herbes de Provence, Chive, Lavender and Honey, and others. We bought the Sun-dried Tomato, Garlic and Basil for our bagels for breakfast the next morning.

By this time I was losing my energy and knew I would not be able to last through all nine wineries. We stopped by Coastal Vineyards where Dave Neilson said he was enjoying the farmers’ markets and has been selling at several this winter. We tasted his Estate Chardonnay, Vidal Blanc, Ocean Breeze, and White Wave. We bought the Chardonnay (deep golden color, whole cluster fermented, with citrus, apple and pear notes) and White Wave (an off-dry sipper). Coastal Vineyards is a member of the Coastal Wine Trail, located in Southeastern Massachusetts, blessed as some of the most favorable land for grape-growing in the state, and less than a hour’s drive from Boston. Click here to learn more.

While browsing the beautiful produce here and there we saw Obadiah McIntyre Farm Winery (Charlton Orchards) which I had tasted at the Big E this past year. Known for their fruit wines we tasted and bought their Pear wine which was delightfully balanced and none too sweet. I could see this wine pair well with many different foods.

I was getting ready to call it a day and Suzanne gathered up all of our packages to bring back to the car (her fatal mistake) since we had just about spent all of our cash. Then I spotted off in another of the several greenhouses my particular favorite, Westport Rivers. Of course my plan was to say hello to Bill Russell but he wasn’t there and Suzanne had not come back to collect me yet so I checked to see what they were sampling that I had not yet tasted. Having enjoyed several pretty special memories with some of Westport’s sparklers I knew that Bill had been taking leaps into previously unexplored directions. A few years ago he made a sticky fortified Chardonnay called Grace, made with their own estate grown eau de vie. Not a dessert wine, Grace is best served before the meal as an aperitif. Since then they have created Grace Pinot Noir and Prodigiosa (which, sadly, was not available for tasting that day), a luxury Vermouth which purports to be infused with its own New England character. Note to self – plan trip to Westport Rivers to see what I am missing. Bill has successfully created his own version of the Three Graces. Since I was left to my own devices, and they did take credit cards, I made the most expensive purchase of the day and bought the Grace Pinot Noir. This wine truly lives up to Westport Rivers tasting notes: Wonderful aromas of crème brulee, caramel, dates, figs and warm toast. We blended our estate grown Pinot Noir “clear brandy” with ripe Pinot Noir juice and aged it in French oak. Then I hightailed it out of there to meet up with Suzanne who was just approaching the entrance. She saw the bag in my hand and asked me what I bought and when I told her she said, “For that little bottle!” ($25/350ml). I said it was her fault for leaving me alone. I got the look. I’m sure you know the one I mean. It was a great day. After all of this tasting and excitement I was ready for a good nap.

On Sunday I made a dinner to go with the Coastal Vineyards Chardonnay. It was breaded chicken breast with broccolini and a buttery lemon creme sauce (a Julia Child worthy amount of butter went into this sauce). If you’d like to know the sauce recipe request by leaving a comment. Don’t forget to scroll down to see the links to all of the vendors attending Wayland’s Winter Farmers’ Market. It is a treat!

Some of us went on excursions before the conference to wine regions in Oregon beyond the Willamette Valley. We were instructed on the correct pronunciation with the helpful phrase “Willamette Dammit”. I learned something new. Some of us were invited in small groups to spend the day at one winery. We met interesting people and virtual friends became real. We met legends in the wine biz like Randall Grahm of Bonny Doon and Rex Pickett, author of Sideways and the sequel, Vertical. We were entertained by Rex’s comfortable use of colorful language. We enjoyed instructional seminars and gathered to discuss our role as writers in the grand scheme. We were feted to a sumptuous and meticulously paired five course wine dinner by King Estate Winery. We attended some special sponsored, some private, and some off the hook parties after the day’s official agenda was over. Some of these parties offered the best tastings, like the Jordan Magnum party where one could taste side by side magnums and 750ml bottles of the same vintage to compare, and the Dundee Hills party where I hung with the locals and enjoyed roasted hazelnuts and truffle popcorn that was a little addictive.

Last year I attended as a scholarship recipient and I felt awed by the people I met in Virginia. This year I was a conference veteran and a scholarship donor. I felt no less awed in Oregon. People write amazing, well-researched, detailed posts on the varietal, the technical, the regional, and every other angle from which to approach wine. If you have any interest at all in wine you should start to follow some of these writers. I think my blog has evolved into the experiential. It is what is most important to me about wine. In my real life (as opposed to my virtual life) back in the world (as opposed to the total immersion of a Wine Bloggers Conference) my friends don’t understand my social media life. I think some of them consider my wine friends like avatars in a video game, and therefore not real. It’s a funny exercise staring at someone’s chest with whom you are engaged in conversation and trying to figure out their real name when you only know them by their Twitter handle. A warm smile comes across as recognition finally dawns. You leave a conference like this with real and not just virtual friends. For me it is the greatest gift the conference bestows.

Oh wait, I said I didn’t want to just recount my four days immersed in wine bloggery. I want to tell about some of the unique experiences I had while I was there. I’m practicing living in the moment, and consequently I may miss a detail while my fellow bloggers and wine geeks are juggling their smart phones, tablets, and laptops in an attempt to capture and document every moment as it happens. It’s hard not to do this by the way. I told myself that it would be better to contact someone after the conference for any details I could not recall (and that happens after all that “tasting”). It keeps me in touch with the people I met and allows me to fully experience what goes on around me. I promise that my next post will begin to tell of these experiences. For now I do want to extend my heartfelt thanks to the following:

Zephyr Adventures– for putting together a conference worthy of a much higher price tag but so grateful they don’t charge it (and please don’t’ get any ideas that you should!).

Stoller Family Estate – for inviting me to spend the day at their winery, when I was unable to join the pre-conference excursions – for providing me with the opportunity to spend the day with some fine people, drink some great wines (Pinot Camp school bus ride aside Sebastien), and for the gift of a bottle of their excellent 2008 vintage Pinot Noir .

R. Stuart & Co. Winery – for inviting me to spend the day after the conference at their winery – for their exquisite hospitality, and for the incredible learning experience it provided (more on this to follow).

King Estate Winery – for caring so much about what some citizen bloggers would think of their wines, their foods, their sustainable practices, their stewardship of the land, and how much they cared about locally sourced foods.

Willamette Valley Vineyards – for being wonderful hosts to busloads of wine geeks with cameras and all manner of electronic recording devices, and for teaching me how to correctly pronounce Willamette, dammit!

Oregon Wine Board  - for being great conference hosts and providing so many opportunities to get to know their fine wines and people.

To all of the sponsors who keep the cost of this conference affordable for those of us who write for pleasure over money – THANK YOU ALL!

Grand Sponsors

Oregon Wine Board

King Estate Winery

Winebow

Erath Winery

Don Sebastiani & Sons

Premier Sponsors

14 Hands

Cork Forest Conservation Alliance

Nomacorc

Franciacorta

Chianti Classico

Jacob’s Creek

Rias Baixas

Napa Valley Vintners

WinesTilSoldOut.com

WineJobs.com

Pocket Wine Journal

Virginia Wine

International Wine Night

Esporao Group

Conseil Interprofessionnel des Vins du Languedoc

Cognac/EU

New Wines of Greece

Alsace Wines

Rias Baixas

Casa Vinicola Zonin USA

Discover Beaujolais

Wine Country Ontario

Brancott Estates

Virginia Wine

Event Sponsors

Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, San Francisco

Stoel Rives LLP

Washington Wine

invino

Partners

Palate Press

Touring and Tasting

Women for Winesense

WBC Scholarship

Mutineer Magazine

I recently had the opportunity to sample TastingRoom.com. They are one of many new online retailers trying to distinguish themselves from the rest with a variety of innovative options. Their concept allows you to sample or taste wine in a way that suits you – either by the taste, the glass, or full bottle. Their try-before-you-buy idea is similar to a winery tasting room flight. You can choose a sampler that provides six generous 50ml pours of wines grouped together by varietal, region, or theme. Through partnerships with the wineries they are able to re-package from source bottles (most often 750ml bottles) into smaller bottles, reproducing the original label and bottle information. The re-packaging is accomplished through the use of their own patented T.A.S.T.E. technology and done in a zero oxygen environment to ensure the quality of the wine in the smaller format bottles. Having been re-packaged into smaller format bottles they even have the bottling date on the label and suggest that they be consumed within six months of receipt. These bottles are never intended to be held.

I received one of their Super Flights called Food-Friendly Reds. I was extremely impressed with TastingRoom.com’s  attention to  every detail. The sampler was shipped mid-August and came in an insulated box with a large ice pack that was still mostly frozen when I opened the box.

The packaging was not just some small bottle shipper. It was gift-boxed, elegant, high quality, and strong, as if I had just purchased it at a high-end boutique. It came with instructions and tips, and a food pairing card with full recipes.

The instructions tell you that the wines are arranged in order from light to full-bodied and should be tasted from left to right.

Also enclosed in the Super Flight is a TastingRoom.com Super Flight card redeemable for two full-sized bottles of any of the wines from the sampler.

A very cool variation on try-before-you-buy. This particular Super Flight retails for $59.99. Below are the wines I received in the Food-Friendly Reds. The selection was heavily weighted towards California. I would have liked to see a more diversity on the choices but they are in fact food-friendly reds and pair well with summer BBQ fare, and  Labor Day is just around the corner.

Sticky Beak 2009 Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast, CA

Il Cuore 2009 Barbera Mendocino County, CA

Amalaya 2009 Red blend Valle Calchaquí, Argentina

Clayhouse 2009 Old Vine Petit Syrah Red Cedar Vineyards Paso Robles, CA

Vina Robles 2008 Huerhuero Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles, CA

Jax 2009 Y3 Taureau Red Blend Napa Valley, CA

I went through the entire tasting over the course of an evening where we enjoyed steak tips on the grill, simply prepared with only salt and pepper. I will probably choose Vina Robles Cab and the Amalaya Red Blend from Argentina for my two full-size selections. I will definitely buy from TastingRoom.com in the future.

TastingRoom.com’s  other options include samplers by varietal, region, or theme without the opportunity to select two full-size bottles, starting at only $19.99. Their Wine Your Way option allows you to buy Wines by the Glass, in 100ml bottles.

TastingRoom.com also has a Taste Explorer club. No option requires you to lock into any future commitment or purchase. If you give them feedback about what you liked or didn’t like about any wine and rate them you can earn even more discounts on future purchases. I was very pleased with everything  I received, and how it was presented. The messaging enclosed spoke to me as an intelligent person interested in learning about the wine, where it came from, and what it paired well with, but not in a way that was over a novice’s head, or dumbed down for experienced enthusiasts. As a writer who does not often write reviews I can assure you that I would not have written about this if I had not been pleased with my experience, regardless of how the product came to me.