Fall is just around the corner which means cooler temps, grape-harvest time and of course local wine.  A busy time for winemakers and wineries alike, tasting rooms are busy and new vintages are being poured.  That said I thought it would be a great time to post a list of helpful tips (and products) to make for a memorable visit:

1. Be prepared to wait.  Fall is a busy time and tasting rooms tend to fill up quickly.  If you’re traveling in a larger group, call ahead and make reservations.
2. If you’re familiar with the wineries offerings, purchase a bottle and enjoy outside.  There is nothing better than spending a Fall afternoon with friends on the patio enjoying a nice cheese platter paired alongside a favorite wine.  I recommend packing a blanket, wine opener and a holder for your wine and glasses.  The Picnic Stix Wine Set is the perfect companion for picnics, concerts and more.
3. Plan ahead.  Most states offer web resources that cover their wine industry.  Fall is a popular time for festivals and events, so do your homework before hitting the wine trail.
4. Take notes!  The holidays are right around the corner and nothing makes for a better gift than local wine.  A simple, inexpensive, compact notebook to log all your tasting notes, the DeLong’s Wine Tasting Notebook is the perfect companion guide to refer back to after a day of tasting.
5. Read my 10 tasting rules here.
6. Bring along a friend and introduce them to local wines.

Have a wine accessory that you can’t live without? True Fabrications is generously offering one lucky reader a Cherry Wood 1-Bottle Wine Accessory Gift Set. To enter, visit their website and tell me a product that’s a “must have” for the wine connoisseur.  For additional entries, do the following but leave a separate comment for each (this will allow you additional chances to win).

• “Like” TheOther46.com’s Facebook Fan Page. If you’re already a fan, thank you very much! Just list your name below and indicate that you are.
• Post this giveaway as your facebook status and encourage your friends to enter.
• Follow @TheOther46 on twitter and retweet this contest (you can use the convenient green retweet button above).  You can do this once per day, just make sure to leave your tweet link as a comment daily.
• Subscribe to TheOther46.com’s RSS feed and let me know you have. Already a subscriber, thank you. Just indicate that you are in the comments.
• Have a blog? Add The Other 46 to your blog roll and let me know you did.

Random.org will select a winner on September 19, 2010. U.S. residents only. Winner will be contacted via email and has 48 hours to respond. If no response is received, random.org will select another winner.

Good luck!

I rarely get the chance to enjoy New York wines.  Blame it on distribution or the simple fact I live in Florida, New York wines usually don’t find their way to the shelves of my local wine shops.  So when I received word that TasteNY was coming back for a second year in a row, I jumped at the opportunity to participate.  The event, a project started by Lenn Thompson of the New York Cork Report, has one simple goal.  Get the word (and wine) out to as many people as possible.  A worthy goal and one I applaud.

On Wednesday, September 15th at 8PM EST, bloggers, writers, and wine enthusiasts across the country will have the chance to participate in a Twitter-based event to sample one of New York’s premier wineries, Shinn Estate Vineyards.  Participants will taste three wines:

• Shinn Estate Vineyards 2009 “First Fruit” Sauvignon Blanc
• Shinn Estate Vineyards NV Red
• Shinn Estate Vineyards 2007 Nine Barrels Reserve Merlot

If that lineup isn’t reason enough to participate, Shinn is offering participants 20% off the wines!  $64.80 for all three wines.  I urge all my readers, friends and family to hurry up and purchase online and join in the fun and a taste of New York.  Cheers!

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The 2007 vintage in Virginia was the equivalent of the 2005 vintage in Bordeaux. Classic.  An outstanding vintage for reds especially, the combination of warm, dry conditions from Spring until harvest, helped shape fruit-driven whites and balanced, focused reds.  Delicious out of the gate, cellaring will reward the patient in a few years.

More and more 2007′s are finding their way out of the cellar and into tasting rooms across Virginia.  One in particular, the 2007 Cabernet Franc from Veramar Vineyard, found it’s way to my glass this weekend.  Awarded a very respectable 87 point score from the Wine Enthusiast, the Cabernet Franc didn’t disappoint.  Originally available for $35, the 2007 is no longer available for sale.

On the nose layers of dark fruit, cedar, and vanilla round out with a hint of oak and spice.  On the palate a woodsy blend of ripe dark fruit flavors, nutmeg and a touch of herbaceousness that I love in the variety.  A focused effort from Veramar Vineyards.  Cheers!

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Wine online: Buy 6 or more bottles and get 1/2 off shipping with code “other32″.

Lynfred Winery 2009 Illinois Seyval Blanc

Home to more than 90 wineries and 450 vineyards, Illinois is proving great wine can be produced in the Prairie State.  Known for its unpredictable weather and temperature swings, winemakers have focused their efforts on French Hybrids, which make up 75% of the states total grape acreage.  Popular varieties include Chambourcin, Vidal Blanc, Vignoles, Chardonel, and Seyval, the focus of today’s post.

Founded by Fred and Lynn Koehler, in Roselle, Illinois in October, 1979, Lynfred Winery is the oldest and largest, continuously-operating, bonded winery in the state.  Producing over 50 varietals and 25,000 cases per year, Lynfred sources fruit from California, Washington, Michigan and Illinois.  The 2009 Seyval Blanc is from Correl Vineyards in Newton, Illinois.

The nose is ripe with melon, peach and tropical fruit.  Light to medium-bodied, the food-friendly, crisp wine displays nice minerality and lemon characteristics.  A delicious wine to open on a hot summer day.

Each September is Illinois Wine Month, and a perfect excuse to visit and enjoy a glass of Illinois.  A short drive from Chicago, be sure to visit Lynfred Winery and tell them TheOther46.com sent you.  Cheers!

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At an elevation of 951 feet, Bluemont Vineyard offers visitors a spectacular, panoramic view that stretches from Loudoun County, Virginia to Washington DC.  I finally had the opportunity to take in the views firsthand while visiting during the DrinkLocalWine.com conference in April.  After making my way up the long and winding driveway, I was excited to see I had the winery and the breathtaking views to myself.  Once inside, I was warmly greeted by Loree Rupy who expertly guided me through their current lineup of wines.  During my tasting, we were joined by winemaker Bob Rupy who gave me a rundown of vineyard happenings and spent time answering my questions.  Both were gracious hosts and made my visit extra special.

On the white card, the 2009 Vidal Blanc (The Cow) won unanimously.  Their most popular wine, the Vidal Blanc retails for $18 and is stainless steel fermented.  Nice citrus notes on both the nose and palate, the semi-sweet wine is the perfect accompaniment for a warm summer day.  I also recommend their 2009 Viognier, The Goat.  Before moving to the reds, Loree poured a glass of their Donkey, a Rosé produced from eight different grapes.  I was never a big fan of Rosé prior to my trip to Virginia, but walked away very impressed with the many offerings I sampled during the week, with Bluemont included.  Before moving onto the reds, I chatted with Bob about future plans.  He was excited about future plantings of Petit Manseng and Norton, two varieties that were big talking points during the conference.

I sampled four reds which included two Merlots from the ’08 vintage that retail for a reasonable $20.  The first was produced from 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon.  A classic Virginia Merlot with delicious red fruit and good balance.  The second, also my favorite, was a blend of 90% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc and 3% Malbec.  More red fruit on the nose with notes of vanilla and spice.  On the palate, a medium-bodied dry wine with spice, pepper, red cherries and a hint of green pepper on the finish.  My wine of choice to enjoy on the patio and featured in the pics below.  Before making my way to the patio with the Merlot, I finished my tasting with two Nortons (The Pig), a non-vintage and the ’08.  Deep red color in glass, both were rich, full-bodied dry wines with spicy overtones and berry flavors.  Retailing for $22, kudos to the Bluemont team for producing not one but two delicious Nortons that can be enjoyed by all (read my review of the $50 Veramar Vineyard Norton here).

The view, the wine and the team at Bluemont Vineyard is first class.  If you haven’t experienced Bluemont Vineyard, what are you waiting on?  Enjoy the view from the top and be sure to tell them TheOther46.com sent you.  Cheers!

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Get 50% off shipping of 6 or more bottles of Italian wine with coupon code “other74″.

I decided to take this past Monday off to relax and catch up on chores, and much to my surprise, the TODAY show ran a special segment on the best wines in America.  Winemaker and restaurateur Joe Bastianich takes viewers through a flight of 7 wines from the other 47 states:

1. Brut Méthode Champenoise NV – Gruet Winery, Albuquerque, New Mexico ($13.75)
2. Ed’s Smooth Red NV – Fall Creek Vineyards, Austin, Texas ($11.99)
3. 2009 Chardonnay – Jefferson Vineyards, Charlottesville, Virginia ($14.99)
4. 2008 Century Rosé – Biltmore Winery, Asheville, North Carolina ($14.99)
5. 2007 Norton – Augusta Winery, Augusta, Missouri ($14.00)
6. 2007 Chambourcin – Alba Vineyard, Milford, New Jersey ($15.99)
7. 2008 Dry Riesling – Dr. Konstantin Frank Wine Cellars, Hammondsport, New York ($14.99)

I’ve featured a few of the above wineries on TheOther46.com and was ecstatic to see them featured.  Wine is being produced in all 50 states, so why not go out and eat and drink locally this weekend!  Cheers!

Ravines 2007 Cabernet Franc

I know, I know, another post on New York wine.  What can I say, I’m in a New York State of mind, especially after tasting the Ravines 2007 Cabernet Franc.  A wine like this makes me want to rename my website TheOther47.com or better yet, EastoftheWestCoast.com.  You never know what the future holds…

Ravines Wine Cellars is an award-winning, boutique winery located in the Finger Lakes wine region in upstate New York on the eastern slopes of Keuka Lake.  I first read about Ravines on the New York Cork Report and then had the opportunity to sample their excellent Pinot Noir courtesy of Lenn Thompson and the Finger Lakes Wine Country Tourism Marketing Association during the TasteLive event in March (read more here).  After the first sip, I was hooked.

The 2007 Cabernet Franc retails for $19 and clocks in at 12.5% alcohol.  A beautiful bouquet of red fruit, spice and a hint of vanilla greets the nose.  Raspberries, dark cherries, and more of the same spicy, herbal notes exhibited on the nose help carry this wine through to the finish.  A medium-bodied wine with great balance and complexity.  In summary, a wine I will be ordering more of for myself and a wine sure to impress family and friends.  Ravines hit a home run with this one, and at $19, the wine represents one of the best quality price ratio Cab Francs on the east coast.  Bravo Ravines!

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Drum roll please…  After an online vote against steep competition, Charlottesville, Virginia has been selected to be the host of the 2011 Wine Bloggers Conference to be held July 22-24.  Coming off a successful 2010 conference in Walla Walla, Washington, the selection of Virginia is a win for local wine and demonstrates the growth and maturity of the other 46 states.  Selection is based on a wide variety of factors including geographic diversity, strong wine community, eager local partners and most important, your vote.

Conference registration is already open to the public.  The cost of the conference is $95 for citizen wine bloggers (those unaffiliated with a business or organization), $195 for industry wine bloggers (those whose blog is affiliated with a winery, retail store, or other business or organization), and $295 for non-blogger participants (industry, media relations professionals, friends and family, etc).

A special thank you to the many who voted and to the Virginia Wine Board, Virginia Tourism, the WBC, and last but certainly not least, Charlottesville, Virginia, the birthplace of American wine.  Cheers!

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I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, I love sparkling wines.  I especially love sparklers that hail from the other 46 states.  Wineries in New York, Virginia and New Mexico are quickly earning a reputation for producing excellent value sparkling wines that are competing directly with California and France.  Quality is rising and the mainstream media is taking notice.

I recently had the opportunity to check off another state from my list of excellent sparkling wine producers when I opened the 2006 Château Reserve Méthode Champenoise Blanc de Blancs from Biltmore Estate.  Located in Asheville, North Carolina, Biltmore is producing a quality Blanc de Blancs from 100% North Carolina Chardonnay grapes that retails for a very fair $29.99.

Tiny bubbles set the stage for a lovely and balanced wine sure to impress.  Paired with food or served solo, the sparking wine from North Carolina is a winner.  Cheers!

Biltmore Estate Château Reserve Méthode Champenoise Blanc de Blancs - 2006 North Carolina

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I recently sipped and tweeted along with other local wine fans for the Taste Texas event hosted by friend and fellow wine blogger Ben Simons of Vinotology.  Ben focuses on his home state’s wines and is helping to spread the word about the quality of Texas wines.  I’ve highlighted some of the states offerings in the past and was happy I could participate.  Located in Driftwood, Texas, Mandola Estate Winery is in the Texas Hill Country AVA, southwest of Austin.  Growing native Italian varieties such as Pinot Grigio, Sangiovese and Moscato, Mandola Winery is bringing a taste of Italy to Texas.

I wasn’t able to participate in the full tasting which included 4 wines, I was however able to sample 2 of their Italian varieties, Sangiovese and Dolcetto.  First up included the 2008 Mandola Estate Sangiovese.  I’m a big fan of the variety and love the fact Mandola is giving it a go in Texas.  Retailing for $24, red fruit dominates both the nose and palate.  Cherries, strawberries and plum abound with a touch of cinnamon.  Light to medium-bodied.

The second pour and my wine of the night featured the 2008 Mandola Estate Dolcetto.  Retailing for $26, this is an easy drinking, everyday wine.  The medium-bodied wine displayed notes of dark fruit, black licorice, blueberries and sweet tobacco.  Price was the only negative on my tasting sheet.  Kudos to Ben and Mandola Estate for an evening of great wine and great conversation.  Cheers!

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