Cheers! 

 from Vintage Connections 
Dean and Lisa Foster 

Wine Educators and Consultants  

Thanks for feedback from some of our regular readers and wine friends.  See our responses to your feedback below.

Please let us know what topics you would like to read about and please provide feedback on our content and the wines we describe so we can better meet your needs.

Reader Feedback

Thanks to Frank who said it is frustrating to read about wines he cannot find locally.  Each week we'll try to describe a wine you can find in the Tri-county area (Berks, Montgomery, and Chester counties).  This may be a wine from a PA winery (visit them for a tasting or order on-line) or a wine available at PLCB stores within the three counties.  But, we'll also describe wines (wineries, wine trails) outside the area that you may want to visit while away from home. 

Last time we described three white wines from Galen Glen Winery near Andreas PA.  Yes, it is a long (but beautiful) drive for most readers, but you can order their wines on-line.  See each PA winery's website for ordering information and costs. 

More Reader Feedback 

Again, thanks to Frank for reminding us about Morse Code Shiraz Padthaway, Australia.  This is a wonderful and very affordable ($9.99) bold red.  PLCB code 19975 but as of yesterday, according to the  PLCB product search page), only the Lionville store (Chester County) had any (8) bottles left. 

 

Betsy wrote that she just enjoyed a bottle of TRIO, a bold red blend jointly produced and sold by Manatawny, Pinnacle Ridge, and Allegro.

Also "thanks" to other readers Sarah and Rob for their emails welcoming back our newsletter. 

 

Wine Tip(s) of the Week  Sauvignon Blanc

Here's a great wine bargain that is widely available in PLCB stores.

We often write about Sauvignon Blanc and for those of you who are already fans of this wonderful wine, we apologize for the reminder that Sauvignon Blanc is a refreshing summer wine that pairs well with a wide variety of food.  It is one of the only wines that pairs well with salads, especially vinaigrette dressings.  We prefer the style produced most often in Marlborough, New Zealand with its grassy, herbal, and grapefruit aromas and flavors.  But, Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé from Loire Valley (France) and many white Bordeaux are also wonderful.  California sauvignon blancs are also excellent (and are usually named fume blanc when they have some oak aging).  Buy bottles from several parts of the world and compare!

An easy-to-find and reasonable Sauvignon Blanc is Monkey Bay (Marlborough NZ), now on sale for $9.99, PLCB code 9396.  Or, using the PLCB search page, search on sauvignon blanc and scan to your heart's delight.  Better yet, just go to a local PLCB store and scan the shelves for New Zealand, California, France, and Australia.  New York's Finger Lakes wineries are now producing some excellent Sauvignon Blancs as well (but you cannot find them locally or ship to PA from NY). 

 

An "Old" Chardonnay 

Friends found a 2001 Chardonnay from Heron Hill (Finger Lakes) in their cellar and figured it had gone bad.  So, they served it to us.  Well, it was wonderful.  Oaked Chardonnays sometimes cellar well because the oak acts as a preservative.  The oak influence also fades leaving a more clean aroma and flavor.  Good white Burgundies and Champagnes (traditionally a blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir) age well because of the oak (and careful processing by the winemakers).  This Chard from Heron Hill aged wonderfully.  Don't expect an aged Chard to taste like a new, oaked Chard, but do expect a treat if you find one.

 

Fun Fact

White Bordeaux is usually a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon.  The Sauv Blanc provides acid and floral, herbal, and/or mineral notes (depending on the source of the Sauv Blanc).  The Semillon provides body and some sweetness (which varies depending on the source and the amount of Semillon in the blend). 

Sauv Blanc predominates in less expensive blends, while Semillon predominates in the more expensive blends. Compare to a straight Sauv Blanc and smell and taste the difference! 

 

See our previous post for links to some of our favorite wineries, wine trails, and wine spots.