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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.

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Special Issue - Benefit Wine Tastings, Pottstown Library and Mom's House


Cheers from Vintage Connections 
Dean and Lisa Foster 
Wine Educators and Consultants  

This Special Issue features information about two upcoming Wine Tasting Benefits.

Friday, October 21 at Columbia Station in Phoenixville to benefit Mom's House of Phoenixville


 Saturday, November 5 at the Pottstown Regional Public Library to benefit the Library

See below for detailed information. 


Mom's House Wine Tasting
Friday, October 21 at Robert Ryan's Columbia Station.  Begins promptly at 6:30 PM. 

Five course, sit-down dinner, each course featuring  a specially chosen wine and food pairing.  

Wine presentation and comments by Vintage Connections, Dean and Lisa Foster. 

Silent Auction featuring over 100 items.

Support Mom's House and its Mission

$75 per person, $525 for a table of eight.

Reservations at 610-935-7711 or on-line at   

www.momshouse-phoenixville.org


Wines of the Southern Hemisphere

Wine Tasting to benefit the Pottstown Regional Public Library at the Library, 
500 East High Street, Pottstown.

Taste 6 wines, each from a different country in the Southern Hemisphere.   

Wine presentation and comments by Vintage Connections, Dean and Lisa Foster.

Each wine paired with an appetizer prepared by Jerry DeLena and his Magic Grillability.

Music by Dillan Taylor, classic guitarist.

Saturday, November 5, beginning promptly at 6:30 PM.

$40 per person in advance. 
Tickets available at the Library or call at 610.970.6551.  

 
Vintage Connections
Lisa and Dean Foster
Wine Educators and Consultants
Members of the American Wine Society

Vintage Connections provides Wine Education and Consulting Services including wine classes and seminars, food and wine pairings, and wine tastings.  In our newsletter and blogs we provide information and recommendations about wine, wine events, and the world of wine, primarily in the Montgomery, Berks, and Chester Tri-County Area of Southeastern Pennsylvania. We focus on affordable and accessible wines, mostly priced under $20 and available at PA Wine and Spirits stores or at wineries located in Eastern Pennsylvania.

posted by Dean and Lisa Foster at 1:06 PM 0 Comments

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Wine Tips of the Week - Ninety Plus Shiraz/Viognier and Rocca Dei Sanniti Vino Spumante Sparkling

Cheers from Vintage Connections  
Wine Educators and Consultants  

Dean and Lisa Foster 

We're publishing our newsletter and blog about twice a month.  We still welcome contributions of wine reviews and other wine related information from guest writers.  Send us your wine reviews, etc., we'll edit as needed and post in the newsletter and on our Grapevine blog in the Pottstown Mercury.



90+ (Ninety Plus) Shiraz/Viognier
Lot 4 2008
This surprising blend of shiraz and viognier comes from McLaren Vale in Australia. Though a blend of white and red grapes, this wine is  definitely a red wine.

The addition of the viognier to shiraz adds a delightful complexity to the wine.  90+  is medium-bodied and deep dark red in color. The shiraz and viognier are co-fermented and then aged for 14 months in French oak barrels. It has aromas of dark red fruits and just a hint of black pepper, with flavors of juicy dark berries and well integrated oak. The finish is long and savory.

Alcohol is 14% by volume. PLCB product code is 3732 and sells for $13.99 a bottle. This wine is available at most PA Wine and Spirit stores. Though a one time buy, this wine is also available as a SLO, PLCB product code 510571 and sells for $14.79. We plan on using 90+ at the upcoming Pottstown Library Tasting in November.



Rocca Dei Sanniti Vino Spumante Sparkling White Wine 2009

This delightful sparkling wine comes from the hills of the Sannio countryside near the ancient town of Benevento in Italy.  

This wine is a blend of 60% Falanghina, 20% Malvasia and 20% Trebbiano. It is not as sweet as an Asti, nor as dry as a Proseco, but falls pleasantly in between.  Light straw yellow in color, the bubbles are tiny and plentiful. Aromas of light summer fruits abound with flavors of pears, apples and white peaches. The finish is bright and fairly long for a sparkling.

Alcohol is 9% by volume. This wine is currently a Chairman's Select at many PA Wine and Spirit stores. PLCB product code is 13604 and sells for $13.99. We hope to use this sparkling wine as the aperitif at the Mom's House Wine dinner in October. 

Up-coming Events

Artisan Wine & Cheese Pairing Weekend   
October 8th & 9th
Noon to 5:00 PM both days!



** Blair Vineyards
Harvest Weekend
September 24-25 
Wine, food, music
 Click to events.
  
** Calvaresi Winery

Music in the Vyneskeller every Saturday, 1-4:30 PM 

Autumn Tours of Vineyard and Cellars 
Sundays 9/25 and 10/2

Mom's House  
Benefit Wine Dinner
at Columbia Station
Robert Ryan Catering
 Phoenixville
(new location and food)
Friday, October 21
Begins promptly at 6:30 PM
$75/person
$525 for table of 8
Benefit Wine Tasting
Saturday, November 5
Begins promptly at 6:30 PM
$40 per person
Call Library at 610-970-6551

Contact Vintage Connections to arrange a customized wine seminar, wine tasting, wine and food pairing, or any kind of wine related event.


Fun Fact
Sparkling wine goes by different names in different countries.  Champagne, Cremant, and Mousseux are French.  Spumante is the generic name for sparkling wine from Italy and is traditionally low in alcohol and high in residual sugar.  Asti (and Asti Spumante) is specifically from the Asti region of Italy and is made from Moscato grapes.  The Spumante featured today is NOT an Asti.





posted by Dean and Lisa Foster at 10:31 AM 2 Comments

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Wine Tips of the Week - Pinotage and Bordeaux Rose

Cheers from Vintage Connections  
Wine Educators and Consultants  

We're going to publish our newsletter and blog about twice a month.  Since we're publishing this week, we'll skip next week.  We still welcome guest writers to contribute.  Send us your wine reviews, etc., we'll edit as needed and post in the newsletter and on our Grapevine blog in the Pottstown Mercury.

Dean and Lisa Foster

Wine Tips of the Week

Neil Ellis 2008 Pinotage

A surprisingly easy to drink Pinotage, this wine is a blend of Pinotages from many different vineyards in Stellenbosch South Africa.  Deep red with just a hint of purple in color, it has light aromas of dark red fruit and tobacco.   The flavors of the fruit stand out in this vintage more than in most other Pinotages, but is balanced nicely with spice and chocolate on the finish.  

This wine received 89 points from Wine Enthusiast.  It is medium-bodied and great when paired with pork barbecue.  We hope to be using this wine at the up-coming Pottstown Library wine tasting (themed "Tasting the Southern Hemisphere) in November. 

Alcohol is 14.5% by volume.  PLCB product code is 19133 sells for $17.99 and is available at many PA Wine and Spirit stores.  

Dourthe Le Grande Cuvee 2010 Bordeaux Rose

At a recent Indian Valley AWS wine tasting we were treated to a variety of roses.  The Dourthe Bordeaux was one of our favorites. 

This wine is a classic Bordeaux blend of 43% Cabernet Sauvignon, 41% Merlot and 6% Cabernet Franc. 

Light pink in color it has aromas of light fruit with just a hint of flowers.  The fruit comes through on your first sip and each subsequent sip with just a hint of toasty oak.  The finish is long and pleasant making this a wonderful sipping wine.  Good with light foods and cheeses. 

Alcohol is 12.5% by volume.  PLCB product code is 29350 and sells for $11.99 at  many PA Wine and Spirit stores.   
 
Up-coming Events
   

Artisan Wine & Cheese Pairing Weekend  October 8th & 9th
Noon to 5:00 PM both days!
  Harvest Festival, Saturday, September 17
Music by AKA from 2-5 PM, winery tours, food and crafters.
Click to events.

** Pinnacle Ridge
Blues in the Barn and Harvest Weekend, September 10-11
Click to events.

** Blair Vineyards
Happy Hour
at the winery
Friday, September 9
5:30-8:30

Harvest Weekend
September 24-25 
Wine, food, music
 Click to events.
  
** Calvaresi Winery
Fall Evening Wine Festival
Saturday - September 10, 2011
6:00 - 10:00 pm
click to events

Music in the Vyneskeller every Saturday.  
Winemaker Tour Saturday, Sept 10, 1 PM 

Harvest Weekend
Sept 10-11
Wagon and Tractor Tours
click to events

Lehigh Valley Wine Trail
All participating wineries.
See website for listing.

Harvest Weekend - The Butcher, The Baker and The Winemaker
September 10 & 11
click to events

Mom's House Benefit Wine Dinner
Friday, October 21
Begins promptly at 6:30 PM
$75/person
$525 for table of 8

Pottstown Public Library Benefit Wine Tasting
Saturday, November 5
Time and Cost TBD

Contact Vintage Connections to arrange a customized wine seminar, wine tasting, wine and food pairing, or any kind of wine related event.
 
Fun Fact
Pinotage is a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault (also known as Hermitage) giving it its combined name of Pinotage.  
 

posted by Dean and Lisa Foster at 11:02 AM 0 Comments

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Wine Tip of the Week - The Deck Carmenere

Cheers from Vintage Connections  

We're back from taking a much-needed break.

We're going to experiment with writing our newsletter and blog about twice a month.  And, we welcome guest writers to contribute.  Send us your wine reviews, etc., we'll edit as needed and post in our Vintage Connections Wine Newsletter and on this Grapevine blog in the Pottstown Mercury.

Dean and Lisa Foster 
 Vintage Connections: Wine Educators and Consultants

  
Wine Tip of the Week

The Deck Carmenere 2006
  
This week's wine tip was provided by our wine friends and loyal readers, Bob and Jacki.  Thanks! 

We have trouble finding a Carmenere that we like, often because they are just a bit too dense for us without much, if any, hint of fruit.    

The Deck Carmenere 2006 from Chile (of course) overcomes that problem blending in small amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and Malbec.    

The 2008 vintage of this wine is available in PA by Special Liquor Order (SLO) from the PLCB, code 504259, with a minimum of 12 bottles at $17.49 per bottle.  If you're traveling to other states, you may find this wine by the bottle, maybe at a lower cost.   

Below is the information provided by Bob and Jacki.  This may be more technical data than some of you would like to know, but we've found some of our friends and readers, especially the winemakers who read our newsletter and blog, find this level of detail interesting.  

TASTING NOTES
Dark red color. In the nose it has red cherries and plums with a touch of toasty oak. Hints of chocolate and berries. Round tannins, soft but well structure.  (We agree!) 
  
APPELLATION: Central Valley (Chile)
 
HARVEST
Hand picked. Depending on the variety, between end of March to
beginning of May.

VINEYARDS
Grapes coming from vineyards located in Maule and Rapel Valleys. The soil is stony and shallow.

WINEMAKING
Grapes were cold macerated for 2 days. Fermented in stainless steel tanks at a temperature between  25° and 28° C.  Malolactic fermentation done in tanks. 40% of the blend was aged with American and French oak. Macerated for 15 days. 

Up-coming Events
   

Artisan Wine & Cheese Pairing Weekend  October 8th & 9th

Noon to 5:00 PM both days!

** Manatawny Creek Winery 
Harvest Festival, Saturday, September 17
Music by AKA from 2-5 PM, winery tours, food and crafters.
Click to events.

** Pinnacle Ridge
Blues in the Barn and Harvest Weekend, September 10-11
Click to events.

** Blair Vineyards
Happy Hour
at the winery
Friday, September 9
5:30-8:30

Harvest Weekend
September 24-25 
Wine, food, music
 Click to events.
  
** Calvaresi Winery
Fall Evening Wine Festival
Saturday - September 10, 2011
6:00 - 10:00 pm
click to events

Music in the Vyneskeller every Saturday.  
Winemaker Tour Saturday, Sept 10, 1 PM 

Walking Tour of the Vineyard, Sept 3, 4, 5, at  noon only.  Please wear sturdy foot gear. No reservations required and weather permitting.

Harvest Weekend
Sept 10-11
Wagon and Tractor Tours
click to events

Lehigh Valley Wine Trail
All participating wineries.
See website for listing.

Harvest Weekend - The Butcher, The Baker and The Winemaker
September 10 & 11, 2011
click to events

Fun Fact
Carmenere is one of the original six grapes permitted in red Bordeaux, although it is rarely grown or used in Bordeaux today.  When it was transplanted from France to Chile in the 19th century, Carmenere was often confused with Merlot. 



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posted by Dean and Lisa Foster at 12:51 PM 0 Comments