The Other 46

I know, another Virginia wine.  I promise to the other 45 states, the reviews are forthcoming.  I wanted to take the opportunity to review a red I enjoyed during my recent visit to Northern Virginia.  The wine, a 2007 Cabernet Franc, is produced by Fabbioli Cellars in Leesburg, Virginia.  Another great Loudoun County winery, Fabbioli [...]

After much press, the 2009 GOTEXAN DrinkLocalWine.com conference is here!  Starting Saturday, August 15th, the conference will include 3 seminars focusing on trends in Texas wine, the distinctive grapes that Texans are using to make those wines, and how consumers can work to get more regional wines in stores and restaurants.  The final event includes [...]

Congratulations to the following list of Michigan wineries for their award winning wines at the recent 32nd annual Michigan Wine and Spirits Competition.  The competition only accepts wines produced from Michigan grapes (bravo), and attracted a record 395 wines from 42 of the state’s 64 wineries.  The top award winners were: Best of Class Dry [...]

The Upper Mississippi River Valley American Viticultural Area (AVA) officially became the world’s largest designated appellation on July 22nd.  Encompassing 29,914 square miles along the Upper Mississippi River and its tributaries in northeast Iowa, northwest Illinois, southeast Minnesota and southwest Wisconsin, the AVA unseats the 26,000-square-mile Ohio River Valley AVA. Though the region is big, [...]

The Times Argus published a recent story on the growth of the Vermont wine industry.  The story cites the growing popularity of local wines and the recent success at the Eastern States Exposition contest as important factors that have helped spur the growth.  With 17 wineries on the map, and more to come, Vermont is [...]

I recently had the opportunity to taste the 2007 Persimmon Creek Vineyards Seyval Blanc, received as a sample from owner Mary Ann Hardman.  A gem of a winery located in Clayton on the Georgia Wine Highway, the 110-acre estate in the Northeast Georgia mountains is excelling at Riesling, Merlot, Cabernet Franc (see my earlier post), [...]

Tonight’s pour is a 2005 Reserve Syrah from Sawtooth Winery, located in Idaho, in the Snake River Valley AVA.  The wine was received as a sample and is the first red I’ve tried from the state.  To date, I’ve been very impressed with the white offerings and previously reviewed the Pinot Gris from Sawtooth, which [...]