I was just reading a blog posting on another wine site about the points reviewers give to wines. I find it odd that lately I've read several things on how useless a point system is, one of them was even written by a reviewer! What amazes me is that while I'm well aware of the fact that wine tasting is highly subjective and depends a great deal on what you're eating while you're drinking it, because it is such a broad and at times confusing area for novices there is bound to be some type of rating system. Assigning a rating to something as intricate as wine makes it much more accessible to the average consumer. 



Personally it's not the whether or not a wine received a 92 or a 98, but the fact that it received a relatively high score from someone. It's more like a recommendation from a "friend" than anything else. Now if only I truly counted Robert M. Parker, Jr. as a friend! 



My point is that a rating system simply lets others know what might be a good wine for them to try. Don't take it any more seriously than that, and you'll probably be safe.

The South Beach Food and Wine Festival kicked off this past Thursday. This year, SOBE is the host of the first ever Food Network Awards (the awards will be aired on February 15, 2007 @ 9pm). There are sure to be a host of Food Network stars at the event, including Emeril Lagasse who will MC the awards. 



This is the sixth annual SOBE Fest, and showcases wines from national and international vineyards, paired with food from local restaurants and students at Florida International University. 



If you're interested in reading more, you can visit the official site here. 


Biodynamic is the newest trend in wines, Time magazine says to think of it as überorganic. The farming method is based on the principles of Austrian philospher Rudolf Steiner, best known as the inspiration for the Waldorf school movement. Biodynamic farming combines organic practices with "mystical" ideas, such as planting and harvesting according to the position of celestial bodies. One biodynamic farmer even places speakers around his vineyard, claiming that listening to Mozart helps his vines grow. 



While it all sounds a bit too "new age" for me, some of the world's greatest vintners have adopted at least one line of biodynamic wines. Domaine Marcel Deiss of Alsace and Alain Dugass of France's Château La Nerthe are just a couple of them. 



According to some, there is a benefit to the palate of these organic wines. Though they are likely to cost you a pretty penny. 


Here is a list of some upcoming classes at the International Wine Guild in Denver. If you're in the area, I highly recommend going to the Guild Open House. It's a great way to learn more about the instructors, the guild itself, and the classes they offer. Plus they serve free wine and food!






February 

23-American Regional Food & Wine of the World: The South 

26-Surah & Petit Sirah 

27-Piedmont and NW Italy 



March 

1-Pinot Noir 

2-Intro to the Rhône Valley 

3-Guild Open House 

6-Germany & Austria 

8-Tuscany & Central Italy 

9-American Regional Food & Wine of the World: The West and SW 

14-Grenache & Mourvedre 

15-Merlot 

16-German Wine and Cheese 

17 to 18-Guild Certification Seminar

I just got an email about a great upcoming event in Colorado. 

Red Rocks Country Club Community Wine Tasting 

The event will feature over 100 wines, along with food and entertainment. 

March 10, 6-10pm 

Red Rocks Country Club (Morrison, CO) 

$45 in advance, $50 at the door. 



If you can't make it to the Colorado Springs Wine Festival events, this would definitely be a fantastic substitute.

There are a couple of big wine events coming up in Colorado Springs. 





This one happens monthly. On the first Thursday of every month the Fine Arts Center hosts a tasting of four wines, that are paired with cheese and bread. This month's event is on March 1st from 5-7pm, and is featuring Pinot Noir. Costs is $10 for FAC members, $14 for non-members.

16th Annual Wine Festival of Colorado Springs
This is one of the biggest wine events in the Front Range area, and this year features Pinot Noir from around the world. The Festival features several events, including seminars on wine making and Pinot Noir, a grand tasting and wine auction, and a wine dinner. Tickets start at $30 for one event and go up to around $300 for the entire festival. March 9-10.

For a town that doesn't have a lot of wine happenings, March is looking to be a fantastic month! Count on seeing me at both of these events!

Joseph Gallo, younger brother of winemakers Ernest and Julio, died Saturday at his home. In 1933, the boys' father shot and killed their mother and then himself. That same year the older brothers started E&J Gallo winery. After serving some time in the Armed Air Forces during World War II, Joseph returned to work on his brother's winery. He worked there for 20 years while developing his own vineyard and cattle business. It wasn't until 1979 that Joseph opened his first dairy. Joseph Gallo Dairy & Cheese Co. was founded in 1982, but quickly had to change names when Ernest and Julio sued Joseph for the use of the Gallo name. Labels were soon changed to read Joseph Farms.

While this might not necessarily be considered wine news, I think it's an important event in the lives of one of the most known wine families in the US. If you'd like to read more about Joseph Gallo, click here.

Women & Wine is an online community for women who "love wine, food, travel, and other great things in life." Because the world of wine has been so traditionally male dominated, Women & Wine's goal is to open up the world of wine to women so that they can make knowledgeable and personalized choices in their wine selection. 



The 'Trusted Source' designation will be Women & Wine's way of letting consumers know that this is a store that's willing to educate and assist you in your wine choices, regardless of your budget. Choices for 2007 will be posted on www.womenwine.com after March 30th. 



I'd never been to this website before today, but it seems like a good source of information. They offer several wine clubs based on your budge and also have a store with some really fun wine themed items.

Doctors at Kaiser Permanente have found that moderate consumption of wine reduces not only the risk of death from coronary and vascular disease, but also reduces the risk of ischemic strokes, diabetes and even gallstones. While other research suggests that moderate consumption of wine may help suppress E. coli bacteria, reduce the incidence of colorectal and gastric cancer, and even help to improve cognitive function as you age. 



While this is great news for wine enthusiasts, even better news may be that the typically recommended 1 or 2 glasses a day may be rising. Benefits seem to increase with 3 to 5 glasses of wine day. 
   
You can read more about this article here.

For some time Alaskan law has prohibited the shipment of wine to other states and countries. Today, Rep. Gabrielle LeDoux, R-Kodiak, has proposed a law to allow licensed wineries to ship orders under 5 gallonsof wine to anywhere mail-order wine is allowed.

With half a dozen small wineries around the state, internet and niche sells would be extremely useful in making Alaska wineries more competitive in the market. 

Personally I would love to try an Alaskan wine. Made from ingredients such as salmonberries and rhubarb, it's sure to be distinct! 

More information here.

Bag-in-box wine containers (also known as casks) have been one of the fastest growing segments in the wine market because of the convenience and longer shelf life they offer to the average consumer. Unlike wine bottles that must be uncorked and once opened allow air to contact the wine, casks prevent contact with the air because the bag inside contracts as the volume of the wine decreases.

The Australian wine market was the first to really pick up on this type of packaging and now almost 50% of the market uses casks rather than bottles. France is now starting to appreciate the cheaper price, as well as the extended shelf-life (even for more expensive wines) that cask style packaging provides.

Read more here.

While California and New York have been hailed for years as wine and food destinations, but recently Virginia has emerged as a new top destination. In the past 3 years, 17% of American travelers have participated in culinary and wine-related activities while on vacation. And wine travelers tend to spend almost one-fourth of their budget on wine-specific activities. 

Virginia is home to nearly 120 wineries, and ranks fifth in the nation for wine production. Wine has become so important to Virginia, that they've named October as wine month with special tours, events and tastings taking place during the month.

If you're interested in checking it out for yourself, take a look at the Virginia Tourism Board.

Today I used my other Valentine's Day Present (a gift card to Bed, Bath and Beyond) to pick up some fun new wine accessories. I got a Crescendo Decanter by Luigi Bormioli along with a set of two Riedel "O" Pinot glasses. Riedel is considered to be "the" wine glass company, so I thought I should at least have a couple of their glasses.

I'll be sure to take some pictures once I get to use these, and let you all know what I think.

For Valentine's Day my fiancé bought me a wonderful bottle of wine. Here are the details:


2005 Flora Springs Barrel Fermented Chardonnay
Cost ~ $30USD

Sight: Clear straw yellow
Smell: Strong and acidic.
Taste: Sweet, yet acidic. With hints of fruit.

I drank it with a garlic shrimp and salmon meal, and it was absolutely wonderful. The seafood really brought out the fruit accents in the wine. Overall I gave the wine a 7 (on a scale of 1-10). It was overall a fantastic wine, but could have been a bit smoother for my taste.

You can purchase a bottle for yourself by clicking on the image below.

     

I highly recommend trying it. Let me know what you think!