Greetings from Vintage Connections! 
This week's wine tips.


Cantina Zaccagnini Montepulciano d’Abruzzo -  Reprise

We reviewed this wine over a year ago and thought it would be good to re-review this excellent Montepulciano in case some of you didn’t get to read it back then.

We have used Cantina Zaccagnini Montepulciano d'Abruzzo from Italy for several events and find it to be an excellent, medium-bodied dry red wine. It has the distinctive fruity flavor of a good Montepulciano.  It has a nose of strawberries and ripe plums, with a hint of leather and flavors of cherries, peaches and plums and a hint of tobacco. Great with rich, flavorful cheeses, lasagne and other pastas with red sauce.  Each bottle is decorated with a small cutting from the vine. It sells for $13.99 at most PA Wine and Spirits stores. It's PLCB code is 4560.

Lake James Cellars Gewurztraminer NV
This excellent Gewurztraminer from Glen Alpine, NC just outside of the Yadkin Valley is a full, rich-bodied gewurztraminer.  It is a beautiful golden color with rich honeysuckle aromas.  The flavor of apricots was the first thing that came to mind at the first sip of this delicious white wine.  It has a wonderful long finish, making it a great summer sipper.  It is available not only at the winery, but at many retail stores in North Carolina.

Up-coming Events

Private Tasting of 6 USA Red Meritages (or similar red blends)
Sunday, July 11, 4-6 PM, we are hosting a private (blind) tasting of six USA Red Meritages.  Two seats are available at $25 each.  As we prepare for Bottle Shock Revisited on September 18, we are tasting wines that we may use for that event.  Join us and help determine what wines we will use as the finalists on 
September 18.

Please email us at VintageConnections@Comcast.net if you have questions or want to reserve these two remaining seats.

The Great PA WIne Toast
August 14
Across the Commonwealth
Let's Toast!
More Info Coming Soon

Bottle Shock Revisited!
USA vs. France blind wine tasting
Saturday
September 18
6:30 - 9:30 PM

Benefits the American Wine Society Educational Foundation

Wine and Appetizer pairing and
"blind tasting" 
of USA vs French wines.

Taste and vote for your favorites!

Perkiomen Valley Library, Schwenksville
$49 per person
$90 per couple
$350 per group of eight.
More details coming soon!
Visit the Perkiomen Valley Chapter of AWS.

Mom's House
Benefit Wine Dinner 

Saturday, October 23 
Five course dinner, each course paired with a different wine.  
Kimberton Arts Center  6:30 PM
For more information about Mom's House, click HERE

Contact us to schedule an event in your home, at your business, or for your organization.

Greetings from Vintage Connections! 
This week's wine tips.


Private Tasting of 6 French Red Burgundies

This Sunday, June 27, 4-6 PM, we are hosting a private (blind) tasting of six Red Burgundies.  Two seats are available at $25 each.  As we prepare for Bottle Shock Revisited on September 18, we are tasting wines that we may use for that event.  Join us and help determine what wines we will use as the finalists on 
September 18.

Please email us at VintageConnections@Comcast.net if you have questions or want to reserve these two remaining seats.


Mud House Sauvignon Blanc 2009 
This great summer wine is from Marlborough, New Zealand. 

This wine has aromas of passion fruit and sweet flowers, with flavor of tropical fruits and citrus.  It has good balanced acidity making it food friendly as well as easy sipping.  It has a medium finish.  It also is currently a Chairman’s Select.  Alcohol content is 13% by volume.  PLCB product code is 18385 and sells for $8.99 at most PA Wine and Spirit stores.  
This is an unbelievable bargain! 


Up-coming Events

The Great PA WIne Toast
August 14
Across the Commonwealth
Let's Toast!
More Info Coming Soon

Bottle Shock Revisited!
USA vs. France blind wine tasting
Saturday
September 18
6:30 - 9:30 PM

Benefits the American Wine Society Educational Foundation

Wine and Appetizer pairing and
"blind tasting" 
of USA vs French wines.

Taste and vote for your favorites!

Perkiomen Valley Library, Schwenksville
$49 per person
$90 per couple
$350 per group of eight.
More details coming soon!
Visit the Perkiomen Valley Chapter of AWS.

Mom's House
Benefit Wine Dinner 

Saturday, October 23 
Five course dinner, each course paired with a different wine.  
Kimberton Arts Center  6:30 PM
For more information about Mom's House, click HERE

 

Contact us to schedule an event in your home, at your business, or for your organization.

 

Greetings from Vintage Connections! 

This Week's Wine Tips

Artesa Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
This rich, deep red wine comes from two counties in California.  Sixty-three percent of the cabernet came from Napa County and thirty-seven percent came from Sonoma County.  

The aroma is full of dark red fruits with flavors of spice, leather, cassis and cherries.  Tannins are still noticeably present, but not overpowering.  The finish is long and satisfying.  Alcohol is 14.2% by volume.  PLCB product code is 15925 and is currently a Chairman’s Select.  It sells for $12.99 a bottle and is available at many PA Wine and Spirit stores.
 




Clover Hill Vineyards Riesling 

This semi-sweet Riesling from Clover Hill Vineyards in Breinigsville, PA has a unique aroma and flavor not usually associated with most other Rieslings.  It is very light yellow in color with floral and mineral aromas.

The flavor was definitely floral, but not what you would expect.  It has 3% residual sugar and is available at the winery and numerous tasting rooms around the area.  It sells for $10.99 a bottle.


Up-coming Events

If you know of an up-coming local wine event, let us know and we will add it to our calendar.

Blues in the Barn at Pinnacle Ridge
June 19 and 20

Summer Solstice Festival at Manatawny Creek Winery  
June 19

The Great PA Wine Toast Saturday, August 14

 

Bottle Shock Revisited!

Saturday September 18, 6:30 - 9:30 PM 
Seen the movie? Read the book?  
Now try it yourself!

Blind tasting of USA vs. French wines. Appetizers included.
Benefits the American Wine Society Educational Foundation

$49 per person, $90 per couple, $350 per group of eight.

Perkiomen Valley Library, Schwenksville
See more about the Perkiomen Chapter of AWS.


Mom's House
Benefit Wine Dinner

Saturday, October 23

Five course dinner, each course paired with a different wine.  

Kimberton Arts Center  6:30 PM, $75 per person or $525 for a table of 8.  

For more information about Mom's House, click HERE

This Week's Fun Fact!

The largest cork tree in the world (on record) is in Portugal.  It averages over 1 ton of raw cork per harvest, enough to cork 100,000 bottles of wine. (From the Amazing Book of Useless Information).

Greetings from Vintage Connections! 
This week's wine tips.

Pinnacle Ridge Naked Chardonnay

This crisp refreshing unoaked chardonnay is a great wine to sip this summer.  From Pinnacle Ridge Winery just north of Kutztown, this chardonnay was fermented and aged in stainless steel allowing the wonderful fruit aromas and flavors of the chardonnay grape to shine through.  Available only at the winery, it sells for $10 a bottle.  Alcohol is approximately 12% by volume.  As summer gets into full swing, we’re looking more and more towards those wines that are cool and refreshing.  This crisp, delicious un-oaked chardonnay is a perfect example.  

Saintsbury Carneros Pinot Noir 

Carneros (Napa), Stanly Ranch, CA  This 2006 100% pinot noir is made from grapes from multiple vineyards in the Carneros region of California, mostly from the Napa Valley vineyards. 

We found this pinot noir to be a good, if not excellent, example of pinot noir at a recent blind tasting of seven Pinot Noirs.  It has flavors of dark cherries and a “spicy oakiness”, with balanced acidity and slightly elevated levels of tannins.  

Alcohol is 14% by volume.  PLCB product code is 13655 and is currently a Chairman’s Select for $27.99.  This is selling out fast and may be hard to find in PA Wine and Spirit stores.  


Up-coming Events

If you know of an up-coming local wine event, let us know and we will add it to our calendar.

Blues in the Barn at Pinnacle Ridge
June 19 and 20

Summer Solstice Festival at Manatawny Creek Winery  
June 19

The Great PA Wine Toast
Saturday, August 14

Bottle Shock Revisited!

Saturday September 18, 6:30 - 9:30 PM 
Seen the movie? Read the book?  
Now try it yourself!

Blind tasting of USA vs. French wines. Appetizers included.
Benefits the American Wine Society Educational Foundation

$49 per person, $90 per couple, $350 per group of eight.

Perkiomen Valley Library, Schwenksville
See more about the Perkiomen Chapter of AWS.


Mom's House
Benefit Wine Dinner

Saturday, October 23

Five course dinner, each course paired with a different wine.  

Kimberton Arts Center  6:30 PM, $75 per person or $525 for a table of 8.  

For more information about Mom's House, click HERE

This Week's Fun Fact!

What is Claret?  Claret is another name (usually) for a red Bordeaux Blend.  In the 14th century, when France began exporting red Bordeaux to England, the English called it Claret because it was lighter and more clear than the deep, dark red Spanish wines they were used to.  At that time, the red grape skins were removed quickly when making Bordeaux, leaving a much lighter, clearer rose color than we are used to today (from Judgment of Paris, 2005).

There will be a quiz someday.

Greetings from Vintage Connections

This Week's Wine Tips

This blog was scheduled to post on June 1 but something went amiss with the automatic posting function in Blogspot.  We apologize.


Manatawny Creek Winery Riesling

We just learned that the 2008 Riesling sold out over the weekend.  We've heard that the 2009 is "not as fruity as the 2008," so some will like it more than the 2008, some less.  

This softly sweet white wine is an excellent summer sipper.  With bright floral aromas, it has flavors of peaches and apples.

Cool and refreshing, it has low residual sugar that makes it a wonderful accompaniment to spicy Thai or Indian food.  Great all by itself.  Available only at the winery, but why not take a short road trip and visit!?  It sells for $11.95 a bottle.






J. Lohr Fog's Reach Pinot Noir 2007

Deep red-purple with youthful hues and moderate density, aromas of strawberry, cherry and rhubarb jam, with a bouquet of toasted oak and vanilla.  The flavors are reminiscent of stewed strawberry and cherry with oak spiciness. A wisp of fresh herbs with a velvety structure, and a long, lingering finish. Perfect accompaniment to grilled lamb or duck.

Alcohol 14.9% (15.1% per vintner).   PLCB code 30861, is currently a Chairman’s Select (Luxury category) available at many PA Wine and Spirit Specialty stores for $19.99 while supplies last.

Up-coming Events

If you know of an up-coming local wine event, let us know and we will add it to our calendar.

Summer Solstice Festival at Manatawny Creek Winery  on June 19

Bottle Shock Revisited!

Saturday September 18, 6:30 - 9:30 PM 
Seen the movie? Read the book?  
Now try it yourself!

 
Blind tasting of USA vs. French wines. Appetizers included.
Benefits the American Wine Society Educational Foundation

$49 per person, $90 per couple, $350 per group of eight.

Perkiomen Valley Library, Schwenksville
See more about the Perkiomen Chapter of AWS.


Mom's House
Benefit Wine Dinner

Saturday, October 23

Five course dinner, each course paired with a different wine.  

Kimberton Arts Center  6:30 PM, $75 per person or $525 for a table of 8.  

For more information about Mom's House, click HERE

 This Week's Fun Fact

 Like that Pinot Noir?  Like that Cabernet?  Guess what.  Many countries and appellations, including most in the USA, allow up to 25% of a different wine to be blended into a varietal without indicating so on the label.  Often, you can find this information in a specific wine's technical data on the winery's website, but not always.