SF Chronicle awards announced

CLOVERDALE, CA -- The monumental, week-long task of judging more than 5,000 different wines has been completed, and the five sweepstakes winners -- as well as dozens of other medalists -- have been selected in the 8th annual San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition.

The event, which for all eight years has held the title of "Largest Competition of American Wines in the World" racked up 4,913 entries last year and topped it this year with 5,050 from 23 states.

Judging was conducted at the Cloverdale Citrus Fairgrounds in Sonoma County. Wines were awarded as bronze, silver, gold, and double gold (unanimous gold by the judges). In addition, there were "Best of Class" awards and the prestigious Sweepstake Awards.

The major sweepstakes awards, by category:

• Sparkling: 2006 Gloria Ferrer Carneros Brut Rosé ($42)

• White: NV St. Clair New Mexico Gewurztraminer ($11)

• Pink: 2010 Barnard Griffin Columbia Valley Rosé of Sangiovese ($12)

• Red: Tie between 2008 Thacher Triumvirate Paso Robles Zinfandel ($36) and 2008 Ecluse Wines Lock Vineyard Paso Robles Cabernet Sauvignon ($32)

• Dessert: 2009 Alapay Cellars Late Harvest Paso Robles Sauvignon Blanc ($30)

The full list of award winners is available here.

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Newcomer doubles up in PA competition

Scott Bubb shows off his double trophies.

HARRISBURG, PA -- Seven Mountains Wine Cellars isn't a widely-known operation, but it certainly has a higher profile today than it did a week ago.

The Centre County facility, which won't even mark its first anniversary until August, on Saturday became the first entrant ever to win the Governor's Cup top awards in both grape- and non-grape wine categories of the Pennsylvania Farm Show competition.
Seven Mountains' grand-prize winner in the grape category was its 2009 vidal ice wine. Its 2009 cranberry won for the fruit category.

Scott Bubb is the owner and winemaker who runs the facility with his wife, Mary Ann. When they received advance word they were in the running for awards, they chartered a bus to whisk them and 46 supporters to the show. The Bubbs were presented with their trophies by Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding at a ceremony at the Farm Show.

Thirty-seven Pennsylvania wineries submitted a total of 244 wines for the competition.The best-in-show wines in six categories were chosen from among the gold medalists, and from those six wines two were chosen for the Governor’s Cups.

Scott Bubb is a native of Mifflin County. He got into winemaking in 1976, making his first batch from Concord grapes picked in his Aunt Sylvia's back yard. He became a professional when the manufacturing plant that employed him closed.

He earned numerous regional and national awards as an amateur, including being ranked 12th on the American Wine Society's list of the "Top 50 Amateur Winemakers in the United States." Now, his professional status seems equally promising.

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Washington considers wine/beer sampling

This is how it's done in California.

• From the Seattle (WA) Times:

OLYMPIA, WA — Following in the steps of grocery stores, farmers markets soon may be allowed to offer wine and beer samples to customers.

Sponsored by state Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles, D-Seattle, Senate Bill 5029 would authorize a pilot program for limited wine and beer tasting at farmers markets.

Kohl-Welles ... proposed the program in the previous legislative session, but it failed to reach a vote on the Senate floor.

"We have a longer amount of time to get ... bills through, and I believe it would be very helpful to our farmers markets, which I strongly support and are growing across the state of Washington," she said. " ... And I think particularly for our small wineries and small craft breweries, they have a harder time marketing to the public. This gives our potential customers the opportunity to taste the product."

The Legislature convened today for a 105-day session that will be dominated by wrangling over the state budget.

The bill would direct the state Liquor Control Board to choose 10 farmers markets for the pilot project, which would run from July 2011 to September 2012. Only one winery or microbrewery could offer samples at a market per day, customers would have to stay in a designated tasting location, and food would be available to customers as they drink their samples of two ounces or less. ...

As of December, 195 groceries in Washington were authorized to provide wine and beer samples.

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NY wine-in-markets debate flares anew

Speculation is one of New York State’s major industries. Speculation about one of its other major industries takes things to a different level.

With the arrival of Andrew Cuomo as governor, and his appointment of people to various key advisory and regulatory positions, the matter of wine sales in supermarkets quickly has come up once again. Given that it got a lengthy walk in the spotlight from the State Legislature last summer before once again disappearing under an avalanche of hysteria, you can expect the matter to be kept at the top of the agenda for many people.

Tim Morral

How the pro-market forces will fare under Cuomo is an unknown at this point. Even people on the same side of the issue already are disagreeing. For example, the respected blogger Tim Morral writes on his blog NY Wine Guy, “Is Cuomo New York wine’s knight in shining armor? … Although he may find it difficult to match Governor Paterson’s entertainment value, Andrew Cuomo is making a lot of noise about rebuilding the state’s economy. If he succeeds that could be good news for the New York wine industry.”

Among the “signs” he cites:

• The election of ex-Rochester mayor and police chief Bob Duffy as lieutenant governor. He has long been exposed to the business power and potential of the ever-growing Finger Lakes wine community.
• The appointment of Danny Wegman, of the Wegmans grocery store empire, to an Upstate Business Council that Cuomo has promised to create. His stores in other states already sell wines.
• The fact that the governor’s girlfriend, Sandra Lee of Food Network fame, is a big wine fan and would seem to have the ear of the man in charge.

Carlo DeVito

However, Carlo DeVito doesn’t buy that. DeVito, a New York City publishing executive and owner with wife Dominique of Hudson-Chatham Winery in Columbia County, writes on his own blog, “Where my fellow blogger is wrong is that he thinks “it would mean a significant revenue boost for New York wineries. A greater emphasis on the wine industry in Albany would be nice, but selling wine in grocery stores is a start.” I am sorry, but that’s bullshit.

“An emphasis on growing the wineries is a great idea. Where’s some tourism dollars? Where’s the funding that wineries in Maryland and Virginia, and other states are getting to promote their wine industries and tourism? Now, I’ve played many games on the playground, and I know the old rubric ‘Money talks, bullshit walks,’ but this is too much. Name which wineries will actually score big. I can tell you who: The five largest wineries in the state, one of which will be Canadaigua. Then it will be California, Australia, Chile, and Argentina.

“I used to live next to a Wegmans. They sold four or five NY state wines, and then the rest were everything else — from Cakebread and rare French Bordeaux’s and Burgundies to Yellow Tail and Franzia. I’ve had someone tell me from one of these larger wineries that with my own winery I could probably sell a couple of delis that I couldn’t get in before. Gee, thanks! Where’s the revenue boost? Wegmans will get a sweetheart deal on taxes and pay into the coffers, and a number of smaller, ill equipped wine stores will bite the dust. When the small stores falter, the small wineries will falter as well. It’s only the big store chains that will make something happen.

“The reason the wineries haven’t helped make this deal happen yet is pure and simple. In the main, it won’t help the NY wineries, or they would already have gotten it done. Out of the more than 300 wineries in NY State, Wegmans has only ever carried five or six. What happens to the other 294? … I say to Duffy and Cuomo, let’s have a meeting. Let’s have a discussion. Ask a few dozen winery owners to the state capital. Let’s see what they say. I say to the wineries, better get off your hands, or someone will chop them off for you.”

And so, Let the debate go on from here.

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Italian bubblies now outsell Champagne

If you are among those who uncorked a bottle of bubbly to usher in the new year, there's a strong chance it wasn't Champagne.

The iconic French wine was outsold in 2010 by Italian sparkling wines -- to the tune of 10 million bottles more, according to statistics just released by Assoenologi, the Italian winemakers association.

Assoenologi estimated global sales of spumante and similar wines collectively known as "bollicine" at 380 million bottles. Additionally, Coldiretti, an Italian agricultural association, said exports of spumante and prosecco, the most popular Italian sparkling wines, were up 17% in the first nine months of 2010.

"I see so many international sparkling wines, and many of them are just as good quality as Champagne," Beppe Juliano, editor of the Italian wine magazine Euopisa, told UPI.com. "The difference is that small producers from Italy or England are not charging you for a brand."

France's Champagne region has been producing less Champagne because of successive bad harvests. In addition, both Italian and English sparkling wines have entered the market at 25 to 75% less than their French counterparts.

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Guest comment: Don't pour my wine!

• The writer is chairman of the Electoral College of the Vintners Hall of Fame. He is a former wine writer/editor for the San Francisco Chronicle. This commentary was written for Palate Press, the online wine magazine.

By W. Blake Gray

Traditionally in haute cuisine wine service, a waiter refills wine glasses, and the diners never need sully their hands on the bottle. But traditional haute cuisine service is just about dead. Instead, the main reason servers refill glasses today is to get the bottle off the table and encourage you to buy another one.

I spend many meals in fine restaurants these days trying to play defense against every passing server topping off a glass I don’t want refilled. Let my guard down for a second -- laugh at a friend’s joke -- and suddenly I have a full glass I didn’t want.

Perhaps I’m unkind to think servers are only looking for a 20% tip on a second bottle. Many are just trying to do a job. But servers can’t keep track of each diner’s individual needs, nor do I want to give them a rundown of our personal situations each time we sit down.

[Go here for the full commentary.]

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Georgian wine exports on the rebound

There is no definitive proof of where wine originated on this planet, but many places claim to be its home.

One of those is in the former Soviet republic of Georgia, which cites archaeological finds suggesting viniculture began there as much as 8,000 years ago, well before it reached western Europe. Most authorities on wine history concede it probably was No. 1.

That aside, it is the more modern status of the country's wine industry that concerns it, in the wake of a 2006 ban on imports of Georgian wine by Russia, which had been its primary customer. The move was made during mounting political tensions between the two countries that eventually erupted into a brief war.

Now, according to just-released statistics from the Georgian agriculture ministry, sales numbers for 2010 showed a definite upturn although the exports are nowhere near the pre-ban level.

Ministry spokesman Giorgi Chaduneli today said 15 million bottles of wine were exported over the past year, a 34% increase over 2009. Production had dropped by about 80%, severely damaging the industry. At one time, Georgia exported as much as 59 million bottles, mostly to Russia. Its main customers now are fellow ex-Soviet countries Ukraine, Belarus and Kazakhstan.

Although there are 500 or so of grapes, only 38 are officially grown for commercial viticulture in Georgia. Most wine grapes are grown by small farmers and sold to wineries. Few of the grape varieties are known in the U.S., although one, Rkatsiteli, is coming into vogue more and more in New York State. It is the top white wine grape grown in Georgia.

Georgian wines are readily available in the U.S. Here is a link to one importer.

A Georgia farmer as shown on the Georgian Wine Society home page.

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Brown-Forman may sell off a winery

BILL DOWD PHOTO

A tractor driver at a Sonoma-Cutrer vineyard in the Russian River Valley.

In the wake of news that Constellation Brands has sold 80% of its stake in its wine holdings comes news that beverage giant Brown-Forman Corp. is exploring “strategic alternatives” for its Mendocino County, CA, wine holdings.

However, a spokesman for Brown-Forman, best known to the public for its Jack Daniel's Tennessee whiskey, Woodford Reserve bourbon and Finlandia vodka, said the Louisville, KY, company has no plans to sell its Sonoma County winery, Sonoma-Cutrer.

"We concluded we’re very pleased with its brand-building model and that it can continue to do well in our hands," spokesman Phil Lynch told the Santa Rose, CA, Press-Democrat.

Brown-Forman says it is exploring strategic alternatives, including a possible sale, for the Fetzer winery, bottling facility and vineyards in Mendocino County and its other Hopland-based brands.

Last week, The Wall Street Journal reported Brown-Forman was putting its wine business on the block after several years of sluggish sales.

(Go here for a report on my visit to Sonoma-Cutrer at harvest time.)

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Adulterated Chinese wines seized

In what is no shock to anyone aware of the adulterated products China keeps pumping into the global marketplace, several wineries in what is referred to as "China's Bordeaux region" have been shut down and bottles of their wines pulled from stores after authorities found wine containing several chemical additives.

A report on Chinese state television today said the incident in Changli county in the central province of Hebei -- where a third of China's domestic wines are produced -- showed wineries were doctoring their beverages with sugar water, coloring agents and artificial flavorings, and then falsely using famous brand names.

Huang Weidong, an industry expert, said the additives could cause cardiac irregularities and headaches, and possibly are carcinogenic.

"We are highly concerned about this behavior. To ensure safety measures, we have already started to remove the suspected wines from the shelves," a spokesman for Beijing area Wal-Mart stores told the Global Times newspaper.

The Xinhua news agency reported that provincial authorities had shut down nearly 30 wineries and corporate financial accounts have been frozen.

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Constellation sells off wine supremacy

VICTOR, NY — New York State used to be home to the world’s No. 1 wine producer. That no longer is the case.

Constellation Brands, headquartered in this Rochester suburb, has announced it is selling 80% of its British and Australian wine operations to a private equity firm in Australia for $230 million. That makes Gallo the world’s largest wine producer.

Constellation Brands continues to own Robert Mondavi wines in California, along with such brands as Svedka vodka and such beers as Corona from Mexico, Tsingtao from China and St. Pauli Girl from Germany.

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Study: Wine shipments won't tempt youths

• From the Washington Examiner:

A report from Maryland's comptroller found that allowing shipment of wine from out of state does not contribute to underage drinking, deflating the most comment argument for the state's current ban -- and lawmakers are already lining up to repeal the law.

Comptroller Peter Franchot also found that shipment from out-of-state wineries would not hurt the local liquor industry, although imports from out-of-state retailers could have an impact.

His office examined the 37 states that allow direct shipment along with the District, and identified practices that minimize the risk of underage alcohol consumption. For example, packages should be labeled as containing alcohol, and services such as FedEx and UPS should deliver only to adults 21 or over.

But minors generally were not interested in abusing a direct-ship system to get an illegal fix, said Joseph Shapiro, spokesman for the comptroller's office.

"Their No. 1 one concern is immediacy," Shapiro said. "Your parents are going out of town this weekend, let's have a party, that type of thing. With direct ship, the shipment just takes too long."

[Go here for the rest of the story.]

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A wine business on the block

• From the Associated Press

NEW YORK — There may be two more wine businesses up for sale as some parts of the industry struggle with weak sales volumes and pricing.

Brown-Forman Corp., the maker of Jack Daniel's whiskey, is putting its wine business on the block, The Wall Street Journal reported online late Monday, citing unnamed sources. The company, based in Louisville, KY, has reportedly hired Rothschild to run the auction process after its wine business -- which includes brands such as Fetzer and Bonterra Vineyard -- delivered sluggish sales for several years.

The deal could fetch a few hundred million dollars, according to the report. Brown-Forman and Rothschild declined to comment.

The paper also said that people familiar with matter expect Constellation Brands Inc. to sell the bulk of its non-U.S. wine business to an unknown buyer as soon as this week. That deal is reportedly valued between $300 and $400 million.

Constellation Brands, based in Victor, NY, did not return calls seeking comment.

[Go here for the rest of the story.]

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Veritas' return stars Châteauneuf-du-Pape

NEW YORK -- The Big Apple's largest commercial wine cellar is again available for consumer now that Veritas has re-opened.

Park B. Smith's restaurant, which returned Tuesday after being revamped and re-staffed since the summer, has an immense wine list of 3,300 selections that range all over the globe and all over vintage years.

Smith's favorites are his Châteauneuf-du-Pape segment, which he is offering at discounted prices although most still will be costly, given their provenance. The wines, from the Rhône region of France, are from a variety of estates, including Domaine Pontifical and Domaine de la Mordorée.

Veritas, after dismissing its staff and locking its doors without public notice back in August, now offers New American fare rather than its former pricey a la carte menu. It is located in the Flatiron District at 43 East 20th Street, between Park Avenue South and Broadway. Phone: (212) 353-3700.

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Winds of controversy at NY winery

• From BuffaloNews.com

CAMBRIA, NY -- The owners of Arrowhead Spring Vineyards are planning to sue the Town of Cambria over last week’s rejection of their request to install a wind power turbine on their property.

After a crowded public meeting showed solid opposition last Monday, the town Planning Board voted unanimously against the winery’s proposal.

Owners Duncan and Robin Ross said they shouldn’t have even had to go before the board in the first place, since they say state law is written to encourage windmills on agricultural properties. But, Planning Board Chairman William Amacher and attorney Gary Billingsley said the applicants misled the board by saying that the windmill would have powered only the wine making operation. Once the board found out the windmill also was going to power the Ross home on the site, the project no longer qualified for a simple site plan review under the town’s ordinance, Billingsley said.

That shouldn’t be a big deal, Robin Ross said. “Like 90% of farms in New York State, we have one electric meter,” she said.

“It does make a difference,” Billingsley said. “Under normal circumstances, [Arrowhead] would have needed a special use permit, which requires a public hearing. [Duncan Ross] said it was only for agricultural purposes, which requires only site plan review.”

To obtain a special use permit, a noise study also would be required, Billingsley said. Anonymous fliers distributed around the town helped drum up a hostile crowd.

[Go here for the full story.]

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A celebri-quote: Sofia Coppola

• New York City-born Sofia Coppola, 39, daughter of iconic movie director Francis Ford Coppola and a very competent filmmaker in her own right, discussed her family's California winery during an interview with New York magazine's Grub Street staffers. 

Q: Your father owns a vineyard. Do you ever take any interest in that at all?

A: In the vineyard?

Q: Yes, or in the wine-making process. Are you into that at all?

A: Yeah. My brother made a wine, and I don’t know as much about it as I feel like I should, but I’m going there for the holidays, and I love to be involved in it and visit and see what they’re making. I’m learning. ...

Q: Does anybody stomp on grapes there?

A: Not anymore, but there’s a bottle somewhere from when we first moved there. I was a little kid and stomped on some grapes, and they bottled it and called it Lafitte Sofia. So there’s a bottle somewhere from 1977 or something. [Laughs.] It’s probably in our cellar somewhere. But we don’t stomp on the grapes anymore. It’s more high tech.

[You can read more comments in my Celebri-Quotes archive by clicking here.]

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1st 'Soiree des Grands Crus' set for January

NEW YORK -- Everything you wanted to know about Bordeaux wines may be at your fingertips in January, when 82 Mercer in SoHo hosts the first Soiree des Grands Crus, a social event and vintage wine tasting that will play host to 17 châteaux owners.

They are billed as the new generation of grands crus de Bordeaux estate owners. The wineries make up about 5% of the total production of wines produced in the Bordeaux region. Among featured estate wineries will be Pessac-Léognan, Sauternes, Saint Julien, Margaux, Pauillac, Saint Emilion and Pomerol.

Early Access tickets in very limited number are going for $250, with general admission tickets priced at $185.  Admission includes the fine food and wine pairing  event, featuring 23 Chateaux. Also included is free registration  and participation in the Wine Challenge to win Grands Crus de  Bordeaux. Tickets are available online.

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Musings on a different kind of bug

I was sitting around with some friends the other day, sipping on a lovely Finger Lakes wine and wondering aloud about malolactic fermentations.

OK, so I lied.

But, luckily for those of us who enjoy a lovingly constructed wine, there are people who do think about such things, Take Peter Bell (right), for example. He's the winemaker at Fox Run Vineyards, located on the west side of Seneca Lake, midway between Geneva and Penn Yan. He writes on the vineyard's blog:

"People often stop me on the street and say, 'What do winemakers talk about in late November?' Well, probably the number-one question we ask of each other in this profession is 'So, d’ya getcher deer?'

"Just kidding. It’s 'How are your MLs doing?' MLs in this case are winemaker shorthand for malolactic fermentations. You may recall seeing a picture ... in an earlier post, initiating the process ... with little cups of freeze-dried bacteria. That was a few weeks ago. By now, our MLs are either well under way or wrapped up entirely.

"What’s the point of this procedure? A guaranteed modest reduction in the acidity of the wine, associated with the conversion of malic acid to lactic, is rarely a bad thing in our cool climate. But we also expect an increase in aroma and flavor complexity."

That may be a nugget of wine knowledge many of you didn't have before. Now you do, and it's a fascinating process. You can read the full blog entry by clicking here.

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Pinot Noir again No. 1 in New Zealand

AUCKLAND, New Zealand -- A 2009 Pinot Noir has been  named "Champion Wine of the Show" in New Zealand's premier competition, the Air New Zealand Wine Awards.

Peregrine Wines' Central Otago Pinot Noir 2009 joined its 2008 Riesling -- a winner announced earlier -- among gold medal wines. The facility itself also won the trophy for Champion Open Red Wine.

Steve Smith, chair of judges, said the Peregrine pinot noir was "the finest example of the finest red wine variety in this country" with "wild flowers, thyme and black fruits on the nose."

The question about such awards from many consumers usually is, can I actually find it at my wine merchant? In this case, chances apparently are good.

Grey Hay, co-owner and marketing director of Peregrine, said winning the trophy in the open red wine category was equally important as it meant the pinot noir was produced in a volume that made it available to the public in a reasonable quantity.

"It's not a small volume selection." he said. "That is our standard pinot noir that has been made to that quality. It's a wine that the public can get access to quite easily."

This is the second consecutive year a pinot noir has claimed top honors at the awards, which are organized by New Zealand Winegrowers. You can access the full list of winner here.

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Burgundy auction posits higher prices

• From the Reuters news service

Prices for Burgundy wine jumped by more than a fifth at the 150th annual Beaune Hospices charity auction Sunday, with growers hailing a high quality vintage and a recovery in foreign demand.

The sale of wines from the Hospices domaine, conducted by auction house Christie's, traditionally gives an indication of price trends for the latest vintage and is one of the highlights of the French wine calendar. ...

Burgundy, where viticulture stretches back to at least Roman times and was nurtured during the Middle Ages by Catholic monasteries, is home to some of the world's most expensive wines. Its vineyards nestle in the valleys and slopes west of the Saone River, a tributary of the Rhone in eastern France.

Growers said the 2010 vintage produced unusually low volumes due to a late harvest and small, intensely flavored grapes.

"The very rare coincidence of these two phenomena suggests a high quality vintage," said Roland Masse, manager of the Hospices de Beaune domaine.

[Go here for the full Reuters report.]

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Former USSR state making whiskey

ABC photo

The former Soviet Union republic of Azerbaijan is about to become the first whiskey producer in the Caucus region of Central Asia.

Naig Mammadhasanov (right), general director of the wine-centric beverage company Tovuz-Baltia, told the Azerbajian Business Center's ABC news office that the company has just begun entering the market.

It plans to finish 15,000 bottles by the end of this year, and "the future will depend on market reaction to our new product. At the same time, German businessmen have already expressed interest in whiskey of our production. They say that there is demand for such output."

Tovuz-Baltia already exports 80% of its other output to European Union and and Commonwealth of Independent States markets in Europea and Asia. Only 20% is sold in-country.

The company was founded in December 1989 and focuses primarily on the cultivation of grapes and the production of wine and wine products such as cognac. However, Tovuz-Baltiya has recently introduced new technology and is producing fruit- and berry-based wines and spirits.

"We decided against bringing spirits from Ukraine, Iran and Russia and are producing vodka with our own raw materials. We have started the production of a new brand of alcohol from watermelon, quince, pomegranate and other fruits," Mammadhasanov said.

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Guest comment: Texas victory needs asterisk

By Fred LeBrun
Albany Times Union

ALBANY, NY -- Texas beat New York badly in the first Grape Gridiron Classic, held a couple of weeks ago in Dallas, but at least there should be an asterisk in the record book.

Just a month or so ago, the Texas Department of Agriculture came up with the idea for a friendly competition between these two wine-producing states, and it's a good one. Using a hurry-up offense, a Dallas-based wine educator and blogger, Jeff Siegel, and Texas wine blogger Russ Kane came up with 11 wines chosen from the 200 wineries in the Lone Star State. Jim Trezise, president of the New York Wine and Grape Foundation, picked New York's team.

The wine-to-wine blind taste-off in various red and white categories, with 40 Texas winemakers, sellers and members of the trade participating, took place at El Centro College the same evening the New York Giants were beating up the Dallas Cowboys.

Virginia wine consultant and blogger Richard Leahy and I were the non-Texas voters in the room, and I certainly agree that Texas beat us that night fair and square, wine against wine. We hang our heads.

However, here's why there's an asterisk.

[Go here for the rest of his commentary.]

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NY college, winery teaming up

Freedom Run Winery photo

 CAMBRIA, NY -- While some people are concerned about college students paying too much attention to alcoholic beverages, at Niagara County Community College the interest is being channeled in a positive way.

NCCC and Freedom Run Winery have entered into an agreement for the business to host a school vineyard and serve as the working lab for students studying "Winery Operations," the college’s newest two-year degree program. Also part of the effort is the Niagara Falls Culinary and Hospitality Institute.

The partnership, announced Monday at the winery (part of the tasting room is shown above), "is our first concrete step (in opening) the culinary institute," said NCCC President James Klyczek. "It’s a significant development."

The degree program will consist of 20% classroom work and 80% hands-on experience in all aspects of viniculture, from the planting of vines to picking and processing of the fruit through bottling and sale of finished wines, Klyczek said.

Freedom Run Winery donated an acre of land last spring on which the school's first 300 grape vines were planted. Half are Merlot, half are Chardonnay. Klyczek said the school’s long-term goal is to see wine produced under the Culinary Institute name and served and sold in its restaurant and its wine boutique which is stocked with Niagara Wine Trail wines.

"There’s a real need in Niagara County for anyone with winemaking experience," said Kurt Guba, cellar master for Freedom Run Winery. "It’s exciting to think you can study at a local college and get a job, a career, locally."

Niagara Falls Culinary and Hospitality Institute is to be the new focal point of the college's culinary and hospitality/tourism degree programs, sited in a section of the former Rainbow Mall in downtown Niagara Falls.

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Blowing the dust off a good find

Bill Dowd photo

Sometimes a wine gets lost in the cellar, under coats of dust and indifference. Sometimes they're well past their drinkability when re-discovered. Sometimes they're a pleasant surprise.

The creators of this red Bordeaux, a 60-40% blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, said at the time of its release "It has excellent balance  and flavor which makes it enjoyable when young." What they didn't say -- or perhaps couldn't reliably predict -- was that it is enjoyable at the ripe old age of 13.

The northern Médoc region of France is recognized as an excellent terroir, with its fine gravel soil that allows strong root growth. As part of the appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) of Bordeaux, its bold wines are noted for their longevity.

I found this cru bourgeois on a long-neglected shelf in my cellar while looking for something with some body to sip with Constant Companion on a chilly evening this week. We both were pleased with the rich, ruby color and the bold, fruity nose. On the palate, notes of blackberry and plum joined together to lead the way to a long, dry finish.

If you can find a bottle of this '97, seize the wine. Suggested retail price: About $25.

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Wine tips for holiday imbibers

Traditional dining centerpieces for American holiday tables are, by generations-long consensus, turkey for Thanksgiving and ham or roast beef for Christmas. Side dishes may vary, thus allowing for some individuality such as ethnic preferences or personal likes and dislikes. But, when it comes to the wines accompanying the feasts, we're all over the map.

Again, some of that has to do with personal preferences, but in my experience I've found that too often the wines are chosen to appeal more to people who rarely drink except at holiday gatherings. (As an oldtime comedian put it, I feel sorry for such people because when they get up in the morning that's as good as they're going to feel all day.)

I took an informal survey of wine vendors at the recent Pride of New York Harvest Fest held in Albany to see what New York State wines -- not necessarily made just with grapes -- they would suggest to appeal to such occasional drinkers as well as to people with more experienced palates sharing the meal with them. Here's what we came up with, along with my tasting notes from the event.

• Glenora Wine Cellars Cranberry Chablis ($9.99): This is part of Glenora's Fruit Series, and the cranberry aspect is perfect for a turkey dinner. The lightness of the chablis base is a nice starter before cranberry juice from concentrate is added. There is virtually none of the tartness one associates with cranberries; instead, there is a certain freshness and crispness to the concoction, with a slightly sweet and clean finish.

• Knapp  Loganberry ($9.95): The loganberry once was a staple of American home winemakers, but is a comparative rarity these days. Knapp, known for a wide variety of fruit wines, uses a Vidal Blanc base, then adds berry juice from concentrate. While the alcohol content is a touch higher than in many other fruit wines (6% vs. 4%), this is not a "hot" wine that might bother the less experienced imbiber. Fruit-forward taste, bold enough to stand up to those rich pies and cakes we serve as holiday desserts.

• Pazdar Blackberry ($15): This wine is strictly what its name says it is -- 100% blackberry, with no grape base. The deep, dark color and the crisp, satisfying taste of the berry makes this a great wine with heavier meats such as roasts, or even a good dessert wine that pairs wonderfully with chocolate.

• Anthony Road 2008 Cabernet Franc Lemberger ($17.99): This well-constructed blend has only been out a few weeks, and it is immediately drinkable. It will go with any menu, given its medium body, stone fruit notes and  hints of pepper and cocoa.

• Thousand Islands Winery Seaway Blues ($13.49): I was surprised by this wine, packaged in blue glass that gives no hint of the color or density before pouring. It's a potent blueberry style I'd recommend as a dessert wine that isn't terribly sweet (12% residual sugar) and has a clean finish one wants in a final wine note for the meal.

• Amici Vineyards Marechal Foch Frontenac ($13.99): This is an 80-20% blend of the two cold weather grapes. It provides both spice and tartness good in a main-dish wine. Smooth on the tongue, clean and lengthy finish.

• Heron Hill Eastern Wild Turkey Blush ($9.99): The winery's Game Bird Series offers red, white and now this delicate blend of Riesling and Cabernet Franc. It's a festive bright rosé pink color. Opening aromatic notes are a mix of florals, cranberry and citrus. Finishes clean with just a hint of spice.

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Oklahoma growers may leave grapes to rot

• From The Oklahoman's NewsOK website:

Harvest is under way at Oklahoma vineyards, but some grapes will be left to rot on the vine because of poor sales, growers said.

Mack Hayes quit watering some of his vines this summer when it became clear he wouldn't sell all his grapes to wineries.

"If you can't move them, there's no need to harvest them," said Hayes, owner of Ozark Grapes in Mayes County.

Andrew Snyder, president of the Oklahoma Grape Growers and Wine Makers Association, said about 50 tons of grapes will go to waste this year because most Oklahoma wineries are buying bulk wine or juice concentrate from out of state to bottle and sell here. That's worth about $312,500 in unproduced wine.

"It's cheaper to buy bulk wine from California and put it in a bottle than it is to grow grapes in Oklahoma and bottle true Oklahoma wine," Snyder said. "There are enough Oklahoma grapes out there. It's just a business model decision that many wineries are making."

[Full story here.]

Pennsylvania wineries target world toasting record

Pennsylvania wineries are thinking big this month. Very big.

At 4 p.m. on Saturday, August 14, concurrent wine tastings will be conducted in 30 counties across the state, linked by video for what is being billed as "The Great Pennsylvania Wine Toast."

Wine lover and motor of Nazareth, PA, will serve as toastmaster for the event, leading the crowds at 58 different locations in a simultaneous toast by video link under the sponsorship of the Pennsylvania Winery Association.

The current record is held by the United Kingdom. Last year, 17,429 participants at 400 pubs across the UK set that record by raising their wine glasses in unison.

Participating wineries:

Adams County:
Adams County Winery (Ortanna) (717-334-4631)
Hauser Estate (Biglerville) (717-334-4888)
Reids Orchard (Orrtanna) (717-677-7466)

Bedford County:
Briar Valley Winery (Bedford) (814-623-0900)

Berks County:
Blair Vineyards (Mertztown) (610-682-0075)
Kog Hill(Morgantown) (610-913-6609)
Long Trout Winery (Auburn) (570-366-6443)
Manatawny Creek Winery (Douglassville) (610-689-9804)
Pinnacle Ridge (Kuttown) (610-756-4481)

Bradford County:
Antler Ridge Winery (Rome) (570-247-7222)
Grovedale Winery (Wyalusing) (570-746-1400)
Laddsburg Mountain Winery (New Albany) (570-363-2476)

Bucks County:
Crossing Vineyards (Washington Crossing) (215-493-6500)
Sand Castle Winery (Erwinna) (800-PA2-WINE)

Butler County:
Rustic Acres (Butler) (724-283-6236)

Centre County:
Seven Mountains Wine Cellars (Spring Mills) (814-364-1000)

Chester County:
Black Walnut Winery (Sadsburyville) (610-857-5566)
Chaddsford Winery (Chadds Ford) (610-388-6221)
Paradocx Vineyard (Landenberg) (610-255-4159)

Clarion County:
Deer Creek Winery (Shippenville) (814-354-7392)

Clearfield County:
Evergreen Valley Winery (Luthersburg) (814-583-7575)
Stone Mountain Wine Cellars (Pine Grove) (570-739-4418)

Dauphin County:
Cullari Winery (Hershey) (717-533-8985)
Westhanover Winery (Harrisburg) (717-652-3711)

Erie County:
Arrowhead Wine Cellars (North East) (814-725-5509)
Courtyard Wineries (North East) (814-725-0236)
Heritage Wine Cellars (North East) (800-747-0083)
Lakeview Wine Cellars (North East) (814-725-4440)
Mazza Vineyards (North East) (800-796-9463)
Penn Shore Vineyards (North East) (814-725-8688)

Elk County:
Winery at Wilcox (Wilcox) (814-929-5598)

Fayette County:
Christian W. Klay (Chalk Hill) (724-439-3424)

Franklin County:
Tuscarora Mt. Winery (Chambersburg) (717-261-9463)

Indiana County:
Windgate Winery (Smicksburg) (814-257-8797)

Lancaster County:
Mt. Hope Winery (Manheim) (717-665-7021 x129)
Tamanend Winery (Lancaster) (717-560-9463)
Twin Brook Winery (Gap) (717-442-4915)

Lehigh County:
Blue Mountain Winery (New Tripoli) (610-298-3068)
Clover Hill Winery (Breinigsville) (1-888-CLOVERHILL)
Vynecrest Winery (Breinigsville) (800-361-0725)

Luzerne County:
Bartolai Winery (West Pittson) (570-388-8466)

McKean County:
Flickerwood Wine Cellars (Kane) (814-837-7566)

Mifflin County:
Brookmere Winery & Vineyard Inn (Belleville) (717-935-5380)

Montgomery County:
Boyd's Cardinal Hollow Winery (North Wales) (215-661-9580)

Northampton County:
Amore Winery (Nazareth) (610-837-1334)
Franklin Hill Vineyards(Bangor) (610-588-8708)

Perry County:
Hunters Valley Winery (Liverpool) (717-444-7211)

Schuylkill County:
Benigna's Creek (Klingerstown) (570-425-3090)
Galen Glen Winery (Andreas) (570-386-3682)

Snyder County:
Shade Mountain Winery (Middleburg) (570-837-3644)

Sullivan County:
Eagle Rock Winery (Laporte) (570-946-7767)
Winterland Winery (Lopez) (570-928-7771)

Westmoreland County:
Greendance, The Winery at Sand Hill (Mount Pleasant) (724-547-6500)

York County:
Allegro Vineyards (Brogue) (717-927-9148)
High Rock Winery (Hanover) (717-633-1288)
Hummingbird Ridge Winery (York Haven) (717-315-0209)
Moon Dancer Vineyards & Winery (Wrightsville) (717-252-WINE)
Naylor Wine Cellars (Stewartstown) (800-292-3370)

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Poll: Drinking moves from bars to homes

• From TIME magazine

When the going gets tough, the tough, um, go drinking. That's the word from a new Gallup poll showing that 67% of Americans are hitting the bottle, the most since 1985. Another sign of challenging economic times: more and more of those rounds are happening in the kitchen, not at the corner pub.

A new report by Mintel International, a market-research firm, shows that a growing number of Americans are guzzling down wine and spirits at home as opposed to in bars and restaurants, and many are trading down to cheaper brands as they seek fiscally conscious ways to party in a sluggish economy.

[Go here for the full story.]

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Stone Hill tops in Missouri again

COLUMBIA, MO -- Stone Hill Winery has emerged as winner of the Missouri Governor's Cup wine competition for the second consecutive year.

The cup is awarded to what the judges claim is the best wine in Missouri. It went to Stone Hill's 2009 Vignoles at the Missouri Wine Competition that drew 242 entries from 35 Missouri wineries last week.

The Governor's Cup-winning Vignoles was selected from a field of 12 "Best of Class" honorees:

• Sparkling -- Brut, Les Bourgeois Vineyards
• Dry White -- 2009 Dry Vignoles, Stone Hill Winery
• Semi-Dry White -- 2009 Steinberg White, Stone Hill Winery
• Sweet White -- 2009 Vignoles, Stone Hill Winery
• Dry Red -- 2008 Cross J Vineyard Norton, Stone Hill Winery
• Semi-Dry Red -- 2009 Steinberg Red, Stone Hill Winery
• Sweet Red -- Mellow Red, Pirtle Winery
• Blush -- 2009 Spring Rose, Chaumette Winery
• Fruit -- Blackberry Mead, Pirtle Winery
• Late Harvest/Ice -- 2008 Late Harvest Vignoles, Stone Hill Winery
• Dessert/Fortified -- 2006 Port, Stone Hill Winery
• Distilled -- Peach Eau de Vie Brandy, Montelle Winery

"Vignoles wines are made from one of Missouri's most versatile grapes," said Missouri Wine and Grape Board Executive Director Jim Anderson (shown above with Danene Beedle, marketing director). "This award symbolizes Stone Hill's commitment to their industry, the quality of a true Vignoles and excellence in winemaking."

The awards were based on blind tastings by 10 judges from around the U.S, including two from California and two from New York. Judges awarded 41 gold, 75 silver medals and 72 bronze medals during the two-day competition. A complete list of medalists is available online.

This year's award-winning wines will be on display in the Agriculture Building at the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia from August 12 to 22.

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South Dakota wineries emerging

The other day on another of my blogs, I posted a report on wine sales in New York that contained a comment about New York grapegrowers selling their produce to such offbeat places as South Dakota to make wine.

Even though I know there are wineries in every state in the nation, I confess to not knowing much about such enterprises in South Dakota. So, I went in search of information.

Here's the opening information I found in a story in the Sioux Falls, SD, Argus-Leader about a brand-new winery that brought me very much up to date:

"At the edge of a corn field, in the middle of what looks like an endless prairie, a sign advertises 'winery' in block lettering. An arrow points down a gravel road, which leads to White Headed Robin The winery is housed in a red barn built in the 1940s. Inside, a fully-stocked wine rack holds fruit wines with custom-designed labels and names like 'Partridge in a Pear Tree' and 'Pi,' pear and cherry wines. ...

"Most people don't associate South Dakota with grapes or wineries. But wineries and vineyards dot the state, from Belle Fourche to Brandon. Last year, South Dakota had 16 farm wineries, according to South Dakota State University's Agriculture Experiment Station."

If your curiosity has been piqued, you can go here for the full story.

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Wine Institute picks international trade head

The Wine Institute has appointed a successor to its retired director of international trade policy.

Tom LaFaille (right), who had been member relations director, succeeds Joseph Rollo, who retired as of June 30.

The Wine Institute represents more than 1,000 California wineries and related companies. It functions as the trade association and lobbying group for its members.

LaFaille, a lawyer, will work with state and federal government agencies and industry groups to reduce foreign wine trade barriers and open new markets overseas, according to the Institute, representing the California wine industry on the World Wine Trade Group, the USDA’s Agriculture Trade Advisory Committee, the California Council for International Trade and other groups. He also will manage the Wine Institute’s International Public Policy Committee and serve on the institute’s Technical Advisory Committee.

Britta Purcell, who had been coordinator of member relations, succeeds LaFaille in the manager position.

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The 'sommelier's sip' -- service or impertinence?

• From The New York Times

By ERIC ASIMOV

Stephen Silberling, a tax lawyer who considers himself a knowledgeable wine drinker, could not contain his astonishment as he told me of his recent experience in a New York restaurant. He had ordered a 2007 Chapoutier Côtes du Rhône Belleruche, a wine he and his date had enjoyed so much the previous week that they decided to drink it again. As they sipped their first glass, however, they both thought the wine tasted different, and they debated whether it was flawed.

Listening to the conversation, the sommelier piped up.

"He said, 'I’ve tasted the wine, it’s fine,' "Mr. Silberling recalled. "He tasted the wine? I was very surprised. I had never heard of that being done before."

Few issues of wine etiquette seem to cause as much consternation as the increasingly common practice of a sommelier taking a small sip of wine, usually unbidden, to test for soundness. Diners often are surprised to learn that their bottle has in effect been shared with the restaurant, even if it’s just the smallest amount.

The practice, which is more common at high-end restaurants with ambitious wine lists, can make diners uncomfortable. Some believe the restaurant may be taking advantage of them by consuming wine that they have bought. Others feel demeaned, that their role of assessing the wine has been usurped.

[Go here for the full blog posting.]

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PA starts wine kiosk trial program

• From United Press International

HARRISBURG, PA -- Pennsylvania is testing the sale of wine at supermarket kiosks and a state lawmaker is pushing legislation to auction off of 750 liquor licenses.

Under the plan unveiled by state Rep. Mike Turzai, R-Bradford Woods, the wholesale and retail operation of the liquor control board would be privatized and auctioning of the liquor licenses to grocery stores would bring in an estimated $2 billion to state coffers, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Two Harrisburg-area supermarkets have begun selling wine at kiosks under a Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board pilot program.

Under the trial process, customers insert their driver's license into a slot to show they're of drinking age while a board official at an office in Harrisburg verifies they're the same persons pictured on the licenses, the newspaper said.

Then the customers blow into a Breathalyzer to ensure their blood-alcohol level is below 0.02.

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Tomasello named NJ's top winery

• From the Press of Atlantic City (NJ):

HAMMONTON, NJ -- Tomasello Winery, the largest in New Jersey and the state’s Winery of the Year this year, has the kind of great entrepreneur story at its beginning often found in family-owned businesses.

Truck farmer Frank Tomasello got to know about the success of Renault Winery in Egg Harbor City when a neighbor married into that family, said Charlie Tomasello, president of the Hammonton winery.

Frank Tomasello’s homemade wine was pretty good, his grandson said, and he was already growing grapes and selling them to New York State wineries.

So as soon as Prohibition ended, Frank Tomasello got in his truck, drove through a storm storm and got in line to get one of the first winery licenses newly available -- No. 68.

Then all it took was decades of hard work, first by him and from the mid-1940s by his sons, Charles Tomasello Sr. and Jack Tomasello, to grow the business by expanding its wine selection and the outlets for it.

What it took to be named Winery of the Year for the first time this year by the Garden State Wine Growers Association was quality work and some fortunate timing, Charlie Tomasello said.

The association awards the honor based on the total score in its annual winemaking competition, so a winery can have medal-winning wines year after year but not enough to reach the top.

“When you have a really special year and have all of your wines firing at the same time, you end up with this combined score that wins you the award,” Tomasello said.

This year’s competition was very special for Tomasello Winery, which won three gold medals, five silver medals, two bronze and the Governor’s Cup for best dessert wine, its Vidal Ice Wine. The ice wine also won a gold medal, as did Tomasello’s 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon and its raspberry wine.

[Go here for the remainder of the story.]

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Glenora's newest wine is in the bag

DUNDEE, NY -- Glenora Wine Cellars likes to rack up firsts.

It was the first winery founded on Seneca Lake and, on the Fourth of July, will be the first winery in the U.S. to adopt the environmentally friendly AstraPouch package.

Glenora will sell its new Trestle Creek Riesling in 1.5-liter pouches. They are manufactured in Penfield, Monroe County, by AstraPouch North America.

The pouches, which take the place of wine boxes, are made of multi-playered plastic and have a one-way spigot to prevent oxygen from seeping in. They measure about 7-by-10 inches, and are two inches thick when filled with the equivalent of two standard 750ml bottles.

Glenora is in the process of bagging the equivalent of 4,000 cases of Riesling at the winery. The first release will be in New York State by Empire Merchants North, as well as in the Glenora tasting room.

“Our next product will be a Chardonnay,” Glenora President Glen Pierce told Wines & Vines.com. “We have limited distribution in two or three other states, and we’re looking for interest. If it turns out as we hope, we’ll be looking for broader distribution.”

Glenora was opened in 1977 by Pierce, Eastman Beers, Edward Dalrymple and Howard Kimball. It now is owned by Pierce and Scott Welliver. The complex has expanded over the years to include a 30-room inn, a restaurant, and expanded tasting facilities. It was named the Tasters Guild International's "Winery of the Year" in 2009.

The complex is located at 5435 Route 14. Phone: (800) 243-5513. The retail shop is open every day except Christmas.

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Chardonnay is king in Washington state

• From the Seattle PI:

Once again, Chardonnay is the king of Washington wine -- at least for now.

Last fall, grape growers crushed 33,400 tons of Chardonnay, the most ever in Washington. This pushed the famous white wine grape ahead of Riesling, which was the top Washington grape in 2008.

Chardonnay, made famous in France's Burgundy region, is the No. 1 white grape in California, too, where it often is made in a big, bold, buttery style.

Washington Chardonnay cannot necessarily be defined in any particular way. It can be rich like California or bright and crisp like Chablis (the French version, not the faux California plonk that isn't actually Chardonnay).

Buttery styles of Chardonnay typically are fermented in oak barrels and aged sur lie, meaning the spent yeast and other sediment are left in the barrel and periodically stirred. This provides a certain level of richness on the palate.

Brighter, crisper styles of chardonnay now are in fashion because of a consumer backlash to the buttery versions. Often, these are aged in stainless steel tanks for just a few months before being bottled and sent to store shelves.

[Go here for the blog's recommended Washington Chardonnays.]

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NY's first 'wine Automat' a new treat

Those of us of a certain image fondly remember the chain of Horn & Hardart Automats, those wonderful food-vending cafeterias that allowed us to pop a handful of coins in a slot and get treats dispensed to us in return.

I was reminded of them by the new wine vending machines at Corks & More, 708 West Buffalo Street on the West End Waterfront in Ithaca, NY.

Customers pop in a debit card in and get wine — by the taste, by the half-glass or the full glass. It is the only such operation in New York State.

Ten vending machines dispense 40 different wines, ranging from Opus One ($50 a glass) to local Red Cat (75 cents a taste) from Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards. The devices are made by Napa Technology.

The California company also offers a scaled-down version for home use at about $5,000. You can get the details online.

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