Archive for March, 2011

Posted on March 31, 2011 - by The Vine Guy

VCW – Virginia Commonwealth Wines for March Madness

Virginia Commonwealth University and Viriginia Wines have something in common – Just like the 11^th seeded NCAA Men’s Basketball team, Virginia wines are surprisingly good. And I don’t mean “surprisingly” in a negative or mean way. It’s just that Virginia wines don’t often get the recognition they deserve on the national stage. They are often over-shadowed by more aggressively marketed wines from the west coast. But this weekend, it’s Virginia’s time to shine. Both VCU and the wines of Virginia are finally getting the attention they’ve earned.

DC Examiner March 31, 2011 – Virginia Wines for March Madness – The Vine Guy

Posted on March 24, 2011 - by The Vine Guy

Grenache With Panache!

Grenache is a red grape known more for its supporting role in French Chateauneuf du Pape wines than as the lovely little star of the show it can be. As the weather moves from blustery winter in to mild spring, it is the perfect transitional wine, like the last bowl of oatmeal in Goldilocks – it’s not too big, it’s not too little, it’s just right.

DC Examiner March 24, 2011 – Grenache with Panache – The Vine Guy

Posted on March 17, 2011 - by The Vine Guy

Beers to Enjoy on St. Patrick’s Day!

Of course, the number one choice of beer to enjoy on Saint Patrick’s Day is the national beverage of Ireland, Guinness Stout. As legend has it, Arthur Price, the Church of Ireland Archbishop of Cashel, bequeathed his godson, Arthur Guinness, £100 and the secret family recipe for stout ale. In 1759, Arthur used the money – and the formula – to start Guinness brewery at St. Jame’s Gate in Dublin, taking out a 9,000 year lease on the 4-acre parcel for an annual rent of £45.

They still pour Guinness in the small pub located in the basement of the Archbishop’s former home, and claim that there is no greater Guinness poured that at its birthplace in Cashel. However, if you can’t celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in Dublin, here are a few other alternatives to consider that are a little closer to home.

Here is the Audio Version as heard on WTOP Radio: March 16, 2011 – Beers for St. Patrick’s Day

And here is the more extensive review from the Examiner Newspaper: DC Examiner March 17, 2011 – Beers for St. Patrick’s Day – The Vine Guy

Posted on March 6, 2011 - by The Vine Guy

People Places Wines

Posted on March 6, 2011 - by The Vine Guy

WTOP Radio Wine of the Week – Turley Zinfandel

Like so many other people in the DC area, we have a dog. A big, goofy yellow lab. He was a rescue dog that became part of our family during Hurricane Isabel in the fall of 2003. And like the wind he blew in on, he was a wild and destructive force in our home.

But patience, love and a plethora of dog treats soon tamed the wild beast, which is a good thing, because I am fairly sure that my wife was ready to trade in either the dog or me. In an effort to appease her, my three boys came up with the brilliant idea of re-naming the dog after her favorite wine. So Turley was born – and from the moment we changed his name, he felt like part of the family.

Turley Wine Cellars, located in Templeton, California, is one of a handfull of producers that put zinfandel on the wine map. Their forward-style approach to winemaking not only set their zinfandel wines apart from the ho-hum, mass-produced plunk that dominated the majority of the market, but they actually set a new benchmark for what quality zinfandel should aspire to.

Unfortunately, for a decade or so, demand was so high and production was so limited that most of their wines were tightly allocated to members of their mailing lists and occasionally a few west coast restaurants. But today, Turley now makes zinfandel – and petite sirah – from at least twenty different vineyards scattered throughout central and northern California, so the wines are more readily available through wine shops and specialty grocery stores.

Here are my favorite “hair of the dog” zinfandels that are available in the DC metropolitan area. But be forewarned – many of these wines have very high alcohol levels – hovering somewhere between 14.5% – 16%

 WTOP Radio Wine of the Week – March 4, 2011 – Turley Zinfandel Wines