Blogs > The Grapevine

Wine recommendations and comments from Dean and Lisa Foster, Vintage Connections Wine Educators and Consultants. Most wines are available in Southeastern Pennsylvania and are priced between $10 and $20. Up-coming "wine events" available in the Pottstown Tri-county area are listed.

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Le Bois Martin Sauvignon Blanc and Hob Nob Chardonnay

Greetings from Vintage Connections!  

This week's wine tips!

Le Bois Martin Touraine Sauvignon Blanc 2008

  .   This wine from the Loire Valley in France is made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc grapes.  It is medium-bodied with mineral aromas and flavors of grapefruit and new-mown grass.  Great when paired with shrimp and chevre.  Alcohol is 13% by volume.  PLCB product code is 20602 and sells for $14.99 at a limited number of PA Wine and Spirit stores. 



Hob Nob Chardonnay 2007 

This 100% chardonnay comes from France.  Not what you would expect to look at the bottle.  It is light amber in color and is medium-bodied.  It has aromas of butterscotch and hazelnuts and is fruit-forward and only lightly oaky.  Alcohol is 13.5% by volume.  PLCB product code is 7794 and sells for $11.99 at most PA Wine and Spirit stores.









Up-coming Events

 
The Great PA Wine Toast
August 14
Across the Commonwealth at PA Wineries
Let's Toast!
Check out your favorite PA Winery's website to see if they are participating.


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

This Week's Fun Fact 

The wreck of the Titanic holds the oldest wine cellar in the world and despite the depth and wreckage, the bottles are still intact.  From “Wine Fun Facts”.

There will be a quiz SOON!


Contact us at 610-469-6164 or at Vintageconnections@Comcast.net to discuss a wine seminar, tasting, or other event for your business, organization, or at your home.

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Wine Tips - Preston Vale Chardonnay and Summer Wines

Greetings from Vintage Connections!  

This week's wine tips!   
For more information about these wines, visit our Vintage Connections Wine Blog.

Preston Vale Chardonnay 2008 

From Preston Vale Vineyards in the Geographe Wine Region near Donnybrook in Western Australia.  This is a great unoaked chardonnay.  Great floral and grassy aromas very reminiscent of sauvignon blanc, with wonderful fruit flavors and a long finish.  “depicts youthfulness and zest.  The flavours and aromas encapture fresh citrus, melon with refreshing acidity.”  Alcohol is 13% by volume.  PLCB product code is 22308 and sells for $9.99 a bottle at many PA Wine and Spirit Stores.





Summer Wines  
Now that we are fully into summer, hot temperatures, and lots of sun, it is time to think of what wines go best with all that summer heat.  We thought now would be a good time to give you a list of those “great summer sippers” so you are ready for your next summer get-together.

Manatawny Creek Winery Riesling
Pinnacle Ridge Winery Naked Chardonnay
Chateau Ste Michelle Gewurtztraminer
Cupcake Sauvignon Blanc
Galen Glen Riesling
Casillero del Diablo Sauvignon Blanc
Brancott Reserve Sauvignon Blanc
Manatawny Creek Winery Soleils Jumeaux
St. Supery Moscato d’Asti
Preston Vale Chardonnay 2008



Up-coming Events


Private Tasting of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume
(Sauvignon Blanc from Loire Valley, France)

Two Seats Available
Sunday, July 25, 4 PM.
"Singles Welcome"
$25 per person
Email or call Vintage Connections at 610.469.6164  



Wine, Food, Music, Winery Tours, Craft Vendors, Great Times!
Bring a blanket, chairs, a picnic lunch, and friends (buy your wine at the Festival)

 
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

This Week's Fun Fact 
“Ninety-eight percent of all commercially produced wine is consumed within one week of purchase.”  Wine Trivia by Paula Laurita
There will be a quiz SOON!


Contact us at 610-469-6164 or at Vintageconnections@Comcast.net to discuss a wine seminar, tasting, or other event for your business, organization, or at your home.

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Wine Tips - Chateau Ste. Michelle Gewurtztraminer and Souverain Cabernet

Wine Tips of the Week - Chateau Ste. Michelle Gewurtztraminer and Souverain Cabernet Sauvignon

Greetings from Vintage Connections! 

Chateau Ste. Michelle Gewurtztraminer

Chateau Ste. Michelle Gewurtztraminer 2008.  This semi-dry gewurtztraminer is from the Columbia Valley in Washington state.  If you haven’t tried a gewurtztraminer before, this is one that you should try.  It is light, almost invisible yellow in color with aromas of summer flowers and citrus.  It has a spicy flavor with hints of grapefruit and other citrus and a lingering refreshing finish.   Alcohol is 12% by volume.  PLCB product code is 8065 and sells for $10.99 a bottle at most PA Wine and Spirit Stores.


Souverain Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2005

This excellent deep ruby-colored, dry red wine is actually a blend of 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Syrah, 1.5% each of petit sirah and cabernet franc made by Chateau Souverain.  It has aromas of coffee and black fruits with flavors of plum, blackberries and black currants.  It has a long satisfying finish.  Alcohol is 14.1% by volume.  PLCB product code is 4723 and sells for $19.99 at most PA Wine and Spirit stores.


Up-coming Events


Sunday, July 18 


Saturday, July 24

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

This Week's Fun Fact
Did anyone notice we left last week's Fun Fact in place and only just noticed (5 PM Wed)?
Gewurtztraminer grapes are actually light pink to slightly red in color.  Someday, there will be a quiz!
Contact us to schedule an event in your home, at your business, or for your organization.

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Wine Tips - Pinnacle Ridge Cabernet Franc and Manatawny Soleils Jumeaux

Greetings from Vintage Connections! 

This week's wine tips.

Pinnacle Ridge Cabernet Franc 2008 

This excellent example of a cabernet franc is deep ruby red in color.  It has a very fruity nose with hints of pepper.  It has herbal flavors and a smooth mouthfeel.  It is aged in Pennsylvania oak barrels which gives the wine a “subtle toastiness”.  They feel this is their best cabernet franc yet.   Excellent when paired with hearty foods.  Available only at the winery for $16 a bottle.





Manatawny Creek Winery Soleils Jumeaux  

This tasty, cooling white wine is an excellent summer sipper.  It is a slightly sweet blend of Cayuga white and Seyval Blanc wines.  It is pale yellow in color with aromas of citrus and stone fruits.   Its flavor is crsip and clean and easy to drink with hints of peach and apricot.  It is available only at the winery and sells for $10.95 a bottle.


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 or call us at 610-469-6164 to reserve these two remaining seats.


Sunday, July 18 


Saturday, July 24

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

This Week's Fun Fact
Cabernet Franc is one of the parent grapes of Cabernet Sauvignon, having been bred with Sauvignon Blanc to create Cabernet Sauvignon.  Someday, there will be a quiz!
 
Contact us to schedule an event in your home, at your business, or for your organization.