Bringing the Finger Lakes Home to Vancouver

Despite having to endure an unexpected overnight stay in Chicago - with no excitement to be had following our late arrival at the hotel we were put up in (hence no wine to add to The List from Chicago) - the trip home from the 2015 Wine Bloggers Conference has me back home and looking to reach the heralded 2001st bottle and the "finish line" for this blog.

Although I would have loved to have done so, I wasn't able to bring much wine back with me from WBC15. Indeed, I was dinged for duty at Canadian Customs for the "extra" wine that I did bring back.  Turned out I paid duty on a bottle that didn't even make it back to Vancouver in tact. I'd packed a bottle of Fox Run's Hedonia in my luggage - wrapped in a couple of socks - only to find broken shards of glass and some rather wet clothes when I finally opened the bag.

Not that this comes remotely close to being a silver lining, but it was pointed out to me that Hedonia is a dessert wine and that my dirty socks had never smelled so sweet.

Luckily, the other bottles made it home safely and I figured it was only fair to open one of the Finger Lakes wines for Boo since he didn't partake in any of the excitement that was WBC15.

1981.  2014 Hermann J. Wiemer Dry Riesling (Seneca Lake AVA - Finger Lakes - New York)

Among the few things that I remotely knew of the Finger Lakes before departing for WBC15 were that its winemaking history as a region was rather similar to BC's own Okanagan Valley and that it was probably best known for its Rieslings. Being the Riesling fiend that I am, I was particularly looking forward to the chance to sample some of the higher praised Finger Lakes labels.

One night while dining out in Manhattan, Boo and I started chatting with the table next to us as we couldn't help but hear that the majority of their conversation related to wine. It turned out that all three of the diners were involved in the New York wine trade. So, naturally, I wanted to canvas their thoughts on New York Rieslings and ask for a few suggestions. All three of them recommended Hermann Wiemer as one to try. Coincidentally, the proprietor of the bottle shop just around the corner from our hotel made the same suggestion. So, the quest was set.

I never actually saw a wine shop near our Conference hotel but, luckily, I'd noted that Miss Selfie, The Suje and Gone Girl were cavorting amongst the vines on their way up to WBC15. So, I asked them to pick up a bottle of Hermann Wiemer if they happened across one. Naturally, Miss Selfie made it a priority to do just that - and Boo got to be an additional beneficiary.

According to their website, "Hermann J. Wiemer is regarded as one of the pioneers of the wine industry in the Finger Lakes." Coming from a family with 300 years of winemaking experience in Germany's Mosel Valley and relying on his own winemaking and viticultural studies, Mr. Wiemer emigrated to the Finger Lakes in the 1960's, long before anyone thought that the region could support vinifera grape vines. His own experiences led him to believe that the region could realistically grow and ripen Riesling and Chardonnay grapes and that the warming effect of Lake Seneca could help the vines survive the winter chills.

Relying on "German folk wisdom" that "Riesling grapevines would flourish where black cherry trees thrived," Mr. Wiemer purchased 80 acres of land which has since become the HJW Vineyard. His wines have been lauded by magazines and critics and the winery has been named one of the top Riesling producers in the U.S. on numerous occasions.

The winery currently boasts nine Rieslings in its portfolio - ranging from dry through single vineyard to dessert wines like the cherished TBA or Trockenbeerenauslese. Our bottle is the winery's classic, signature wine and, as you might expect, it had a definite Germanic profile.

Both Boo and I thought the praise was well deserved. More nuanced than most New World Rieslings (particularly if you're thinking Clare Valley or New Zealand), the acidity was well balanced with subdued citrus notes and minerality. We were singing Miss Selfie's praises loudly.

I only wish I had more Wiemer wines in order to do a little taste comparison with some of my favourite BC Rieslings. I'll have to see if I can make that happen over the next thousand wines or so. I think it'll be worth the effort.

A Sense of Seneca

This is my third Wine Bloggers Conference and it's been the same story at all three: the surprise winery visit is a guaranteed highlight. The conference sets up a series of side trips and the delegates just board a bus without knowing what their destination will be. The toughest task is trying to coordinate your crew so that you all get on the same bus. Like herding cats I tell you.

We were likely the last bus to load and some of our folks more-or-less just ignored where they were being directed to get on our bus but the gang somehow managed to stay intact - and, as luck would have it, I think we happened on to a lovely outing.

As with the Pre-Conference Excursion, our bus wound its way back to the shores of Seneca Lake - although this time we travelled up the eastern shore to the Banana Belt that we'd previously heard about. The "tropicality" of the sub-region was manifested more as rain forest than equatorial sunshine however - at least for a brief portion of our visit to the vineyard. A little shower did nothing to dampen our moods or the vista though. Everyone's biggest concern was that the rain might be watering down the wine in our glasses.

The theme to our excursion was "Senses of Place" and we were first greeted in one of the Hazlitt 1852 vineyards by principals of four local wineries - Hazlitt 1852, Keuka Spring, Heart & Hands and Sheldrake Point - two from Seneca Lake and two from neighbouring Cayuga Lake. Much to my delight, our hosts each poured a Riesling to provide a sense of the terroir as they discussed the region and their particular directions and aspirations for their viticulture and winemaking.

The next step to happiness was a walkabout tasting at Hazlitt's dining pavilion. Each of the four wineries offered a couple of different wines while providing a chance for a little one-on-one discussion.

There were a couple of standout wines on my dance card: the Hazlitt 1853 Cab Franc and the Heart & Hands Polarity, the latter being a "unique white wine made from 100% Pinot Noir grapes" (at least that's what the winery website calls it - sounded like a Rosé to me, but a tasty one at that).

Unfortunately, I didn't have a chance to try all the hard ciders and craft beers that were also on offer before we were called to the dinner table.

1977.  2012 Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards Cabernet Franc  (Finger Lakes - New York)

Although this Cab Franc wasn't one of the wines that was served with dinner, as mentioned above, it was a favourite for the day and I certainly requested enough refills to qualify this as the one bottle to add to The List. Turns out I'm not the only person to take a hankering to the wine. Within a couple weeks of our leaving the Finger Lakes and WBC15, this wine ended up winning the Best Red Wine at the 2015 New York State Fair. Not that I had any extra room in my luggage - or on my Customs declaration - for additional bottles, but I do wish I'd have had a chance to visit the tasting room and pick up at least one bottle of this full bodied and richly flavoured wine to bring home.

A four course menu was prepared by local restauranteur, Dano Hutnick, and paired with a wine from each of the four wineries present. From chilled tomato soup and seafood stuffed cabbage to pork cheek goulash and home grown apricot napoleon, chef aimed to emphasize what was local and fresh at the moment. Our host wineries continued to show their versatility and poured Grüner Veltliner, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Noir and a Riesling Ice Wine.

As leisurely and enjoyable as our outing had been, we were corralled back onto the bus as a reception at the Rockwell Museum had been planned back in Corning. Proving that our hosts were more than just pretty faces, they kept a (by now) much livelier crowd both occupied and amused with craft beer and Riesling tattoo stickers. I tell you, there's never a dull moment at these Wine Bloggers Conferences.

A Party with the Stars

Beyond being simply excited to see all the WBC15 wine bloggers, the folks at Ventosa Vineyards were particularly overflowing with excitement while we were visiting. Turned out, earlier in the day, the winery and winemaker, Jenna Lavita, were advised that they had won the Governor's Cup trophy at the 2015 New York Wine & Food Classic competition. Chosen as the "Best of Show" for their 2011 Lemberger, they were in a particularly celebratory mood.

With that exciting news in hand, the party kept going after our WBC15 dinner had ended. Jenna and her partner, Victor, also operate Lake Drum Brewing and their brewpub was the perfect locale for a little impromptu bash. Jenna invited us bloggers along to their festivities. Joining the fun was a no-brainer seeing as how the pub was just down the road from our hotel.

Taking our wine goggles off for a mix of craft brews, I'm not sure the locals expected their guest Canucks to shake their groove thang to Dancing Queen and a few other old school tunes as the vinyl hit the turntable. Having no dancefloor proved to be no impediment to our determined crew.

Simply heading home to the hotel would have been the wisest plan but, at the time, grabbing another bottle of wine and heading down to dock to watch the Perseid Meteor Shower seemed ever-so-much more exciting. Boo had texted me that the shower was at its peak and the stars are a whole light brighter in Geneva than they are back home. Miss Selfie, The Suje and Gone Girl joined me for for a little laid back action. That is, literally laying back on the dock to look up into the sky.

Except, of course, when we had to sit up to take another sip of wine.

1975.  2013 Forge Cellars Pinot Noir "Les Alliés" (Finger Lakes - New York - United States)

The kids picked up this bottle on their way up to the Conference. Forge Cellars is more of a virtual winery. It's a collaboration of three partners: a vigneron from Gigondas in France's Rhône Valley, a local, newby grape grower and a winemaker/partner of another New York winery. The 2013 bottling was only the third Forge vintage and they currently buy all their fruit and use the other winery's facilities to make the wine.

Unlike many start-up wineries in newly developing regions, the gents behind Forge did not go the route of producing a full range of wines to cover all tastes. They simply look to express what they feel best represents the Finger Lakes. As such, they decided that the two most interesting grapes for the region were Riesling and Pinot Noir and they've only made a couple different takes on the two varietal wines so far - with the Les Alliés being a single vineyard offering from the east side of Seneca Lake.

There were only 222 cases of this wine produced. So, we were lucky to have our bottle to watch the stars by. Unfortunately, the paper cups and pitch black lighting likely didn't showcase the wine to its greatest potential but it was a completely enjoyable venture - despite the fact that we saw very little meteor action before we called it a night. The show likely got better as the night progressed but it was only a matter of hours before we'd need to get back on our excursion bus. That and the fact we were out of wine.

As Gone Girl later noted, however, "We'll always have Geneva."

Pre-WBC15 Excursion - A Short Dip Into the Finger Lakes

I had no idea, when I started this little blog of mine, that it would morph into such a significant part of my life. Six years ago, I would never have foreseen my arriving for my third Wine Bloggers Conference - and making my way to New York state's Finger Lakes none-the-less. But it has and I am. Indeed, following the marvellously entertaining - and informative - experiences I had three years ago in Portland and two years ago in our own Okanagan Valley, I know that the next five days are going to be jammed pack with wine, wine and more wine.

And I can't wait - particularly because I know very little about New York wines. Except for a group tasting station at this year's Vancouver International Wine Festival, I'd be hard pressed to remember any other exposure to the region's wines back home. If memory serves though, we did run across at least one Finger Lakes Riesling the last time Boo and I visited NYC.

One thing I learned at my previous Wine Bloggers Conferences is that, while the seminars and conference events are all that and more, fitting in some additional visits to the wineries themselves is always an extraordinary bonus. Consequently, I was thrilled to be able to sign up for WBC15's Pre-Conference Excursion. The actual conference kicks into gear tomorrow evening but I was joined on the bus by a handful of bloggers to mosey off and see a bit of the Finger Lakes and its wineries first hand for the balance of today and parts of tomorrow.

Our destination is the Seneca Lake Wine Trail where a series of events have been organized by the Seneca Lake Winery Association.

The Finger Lakes region is a series of eleven lakes that were created upon the retreat of glaciers from the last Ice Age. They range from large and deep to small and shallow and they are now home to around 130 wineries. Those wineries produce about 90% of the wine made in New York state and a majority of them are located near Seneca Lake, a primary reason being that the lake is incredibly deep and, consequently, has an ability to store heat during the winter thereby helping with the viability of the vines through what can be some harshly cold temperatures. All the lakes also have a cooling influence on the surrounding areas, providing some moderating effect through the summer growing season  - another crucial benefit to good viticulture.

There are two other leading sub-regions that host "wine trails" of their own - Cayuga Lake and Keuka Lake but they'll have to wait for another day.

Our first visit was at Bellangelo - about half way up the western shore of Seneca Lake. The Missick family and the folks at Bellangelo teamed up with Kings Garden Vineyards (from the eastern shore of the lake) and one of the local, artisan cheese producers. Together, they offered an in-depth look at Riesling - perhaps the grape I most associate with the region - and at a Cab Sauv vertical, something I would definitely not have expected.

I think it's safe to say that my foremost goal for the Finger Lakes visit was to garner some exposure to the local Rieslings. As anyone who regularly reads this blog will know, I'm a super-fan of the grape. Bellangelo must have known that as they went full bore and introduced us to their "Riesling Experience" - a presentation of nine different examples of their varietal Rieslings. The wines ranged from dry to semi-sweet, covered four vintages and included their Reserve bottling and a single vineyard wine. The range of notes was surprising and I'll readily admit to requesting a second and third pour of the Reserve.

On the whole, I didn't find the acid to be as bracing as with some of my favourite Okanagan Rieslings, but it was a memorable introduction to the region - particularly when paired with any number of the local cheeses, breads and charcuterie that were graciously provided. I've got to say that I'm a long time fan of goat cheese but this was the first time I'd ever been offered a chance to milk a goat. I think the ladies, including the goat herself, will be happier to sell me the cheese and leave the milking to the pros however.

As mentioned, there was also a ten-year Cab Sauv vertical presented by Kings Garden Vineyards and owner/winemaker, Mike Oleksyn. The first words out of most everyone's mouth was "I would never have thought that the region is hot enough to ripen Cab." His reply? "Taste the wines and you tell me."

We hear the same "you can't grow Cab here" statement in the Okanagan and, as Mike pointed out, it's all about where you're located and the terroir you find yourself in and on. He advised that his vineyard is located in a micro-climate known as the Banana Belt and he figures he's been able to consistently ripen his grapes in all but a couple of years. In part due to my extended rendezvous with the Rieslings, I wasn't able to taste the full flight; however, I was intrigued by the wide range of opinions that were voiced as to which years were favoured most by our crew.

Our time allotted at Bellangelo, though leisurely, quickly came to an end and we were back on the bus making our way to our host hotel in the town of Geneva at the northern end of Lake Seneca.

After a quick check-in, we journeyed on to our next destination - a rendezvous with the Finger Lakes Wine Women at Ventosa Vineyards. The Winery Association knew that they were going to host a dinner as part of our excursion and they went all out, canvassing their members to submit concepts for the evening's events. The proposal chosen celebrated the growing presence that women are playing in the wine industry in the Finger Lakes.

Bringing together owners, winemakers, researchers and even a part-time burlesque dancer (on top of her winery duties) from four of the Association's wineries, we learned how these women were making headway in an industry that is predominantly male-centric - once you move beyond the tasting room.

Each of our hosts recounted stories of how she ended up treading the vineyard trail and what some of the trials and tribulations were that she'd encountered along the way. From having to convince a winery principal that, indeed, a woman could operate a tractor to being asked if she was crazy when deciding to give up law school, each woman's perspective was unique. Yet, all of them emphasized their belief that part of the Finger Lakes' strength and growth as a winemaking region stems from a larger than usual proportion of women participating in the local wineries.

Our group was also taken for a tour through part of the Ventosa vineyard, where we were put to work for our supper. Hardly. We did receive, however, some notes on how the growers and winemakers look to evaluate the ripeness of their grapes. We collected a selection of grapes and saw a demonstration on the use of a refractometer to measure to the must weight or amount of sugar present in the grape juice.

After that incredibly taxing activity, we were treated to a four course meal that a pair of wines from each of the four wineries participating: Ventosa Vineyards, Leidenfrost Vineyards, Three Brothers Wineries & Estates and Standing Stone Vineyards.

1974.  2012 Ventosa Vineyards Pinot Noir (Seneca Lake - Finger Lakes - New York State)

It only seems natural for me to add one of our host's wines to The List and Ventosa's Pinot was introduced, along with our sweet corn and cheddar risotto cake, as one of the winery's most popular wines.  Fruit forward and easy drinking,  it was popular at our table as well. In fact, with a little finagling, part of an additional bottle magically appeared for a few re-pours.

The balance of the dinner included a candied beet, melon and arugula salad, Finger Lakes filet with Cayuga blue cheese and a peach and ginger galette. The wines ranged from a Blanc de Blancs and Pinot Rosé, through Gewurtz and Riesling to Cab Franc and a Cabernet Port.

As if that weren't enough, everyone moved to Ventosa's banquet room for a walk around tasting of many other offerings from our four host wineries.

Let's say that, as far as introductions go, the Seneca Lake Winery Association and the Finger Lakes region started off on the right foot.

And, as packed as our day had been, we weren't done yet...

Chateau Smith

1887.  2008 Chateau Smith Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia Valley - Washington State)

Considering Washington state is a short hop across the 49th Parallel, I really don't know much about Washington wines. If Canadian wine duties and travel restrictions (two bottles of wine after 48 hours away) weren't so draconian, my consumption rate would likely be a whole lot more extensive. But they are and, therefore, I'm not. So, I'm limited to the bottles that we might run across occasionally on our travels - some of which I actually know and have tasted and others - like the bottle at hand - that somehow end up in our possession.

I think I know more about Charles Smith as a wild haired iconoclast than I do about him as a winemaker. However, I see that that a prime Mr. Google search claims that Charles Smith "first started K Vintners (in 1999), then the Magnificent Wine Company and now he has the eponymous Charles Smith label, which is dedicated to making wines that pack a punch now, rather than wines that need cellaring to be enjoyed." He's been named Winemaker of the Year by various magazines and Wine & Spirits magazine named K Vintners one of the Best New Wineries of the Last Ten Years and even Winery of the Year in 2008.

I only see a few of his wines up here in Vancouver but I don't think I've seen this Cab. I'm more familiar with his Kung Fu Girl Riesling - most likely because I think the name endears the wine to more than a few of our Asian-influenced restaurants.

The Cab was more to Boo's liking. I found big fruit up front on the initial pour but that the wine rather died out for me as it opened up. For me, it was nicer with dinner than sipping on its own but I don't know that I'd fight to find more of it North of the border.

Another High School Musical

First it was Zombie Prom. Then Urinetown. Now, it's time for In The Heights.

Yes, it's time for another high school musical. This time around, Melmo, the youngest niece, has a featured role in the Broadway hit. Unlike the others, I've actually heard of this show. Don't know anything about the songs or the story but I did know it was a hot ticket on the Great White Way the last time Boo and I were in the Big Apple.

It's a little tough taking an obvious glass of wine to the high school gym; so, we had a quick pre-show dinner at my sister's place before heading off to the school.

1867.  2007 Saviah Cellars - The Jack Red (Columbia Valley - Washington)

I'm pretty sure that this is the first time that I've tried a wine from Saviah Cellars. I don't recognize the winery and I don't tend buy many US wines up here, north of the 49th Parallel, because of the additional taxes and currency exchange. So, I think I probably grabbed this during a Costco run during a naughty weekend in Seattle.

A little visit with Mr. Google shows that Saviah Cellars was established in 2000 as a very small boutique winery of only 300 cases. It has since grown to the point where it produces around 18,000 cases annually and was named "One of the Rising Stars in Washington" by Wine Spectator in 2010.

The Jack brand of wines is Saviah's entry label and it has also enjoyed success, having been named one of the Top Value Brands of the Year in 2013 by Wine & Spirits Magazine. The 2007 vintage of The Jack Red was primarily Merlot (89 percent) that is fleshed out with small additions of Cab Sauv, Cab Franc, Syrah and Petit Verdot.

Although the wine was big-bodied, it was still fruit forward and approachable enough to fill our travel coffee mugs to take with us to the show. We hadn't finished the bottle during dinner and you never know the kind of "support" you might need to get through a high school production.

1868.  2012 Fort Berens Riesling (British Columbia VQA)

When looking for a white to take to Vixen's, I was glad to see that I had a bottle of the 2012 Riesling in the cellar because I hadn't realized that I'd picked up a bottle before it won one of the twelve Lieutenant Governor's Awards given out in 2014. Once a wine is given one of the prestigious awards, it can be next to impossible to find a bottle.

What was quite exciting about the award was that this was the first vintage where the Riesling was made 100% from fruit that was estate grown at the winery's Lillooet vineyard. Being the first winery to set up shop in the Lillooet region, the winery is justifiably proud of the fact that they were able to execute such an award-winning wine so early in the winery's venture. It should certainly turn some heads in the direction of BC's newest wine-producing region.

Even with this vintage's bright lime and minerality, Fort Beren's story should only get more exciting since the home estate vines are still very young and the enterprise has, within the last year, opened a new winery with facilities large enough to make all its wines, cellar them and open a tasting room to help draw wine-loving folks away from the Okanagan for a spell.

There was no Riesling left for the theatre however.

As exciting as the wine was, we were told that Melmo was to have a big solo number in the show. Now, that would be exciting! Terrifying perhaps, but exciting all the same. We were also told, however, that Melmo's character dies six minutes into the show. Naturally, we asked if we could leave after she dies. Turned out that she didn't die until the second act; so, we stuck it out until the end in order to give our little diva her bouquet of roses. After all, she managed to pull off her performance without any cringe-worthy notes.

Guess we'll have one more production to look forward to as Melmo definitely has the stage bug and she doesn't graduate until next year. Given the variety of shows the school drama department comes up with, I'll be intrigued to see what that performance is going to be. Think a high school could get Spamalot? Whatever the show is, I'm sure we'll be there - wine in hand.

Don't Mess With Texas

Being a West Coast kind of guy, I think you can forgive me if my first thoughts of American wines drift to California, Washington and Oregon. Even beyond West Coast wine regions, I can't say that Texas is foremost on my radar. After all, I've run across and tasted New York and Virginia wines previously and I've even visited a North Carolina winery, but I'm always eager to try wines from unexpected sources and our neighbours, Songstress and Cycle Dude, came home from a quick trip to Dallas and brought back a bottle of Texan wine for us.

It took a little research to learn that Texas has a long history in winemaking. Not surprisingly, early winemaking related to the arrival of Spanish missionaries and they have left records that date from the 1650's. As with most of the States, the advent of Prohibition pretty much decimated the Texan winemaking industry but a re-introduction of wineries began in the 1970's and the state has seen a steady expansion since that time.

Today, there are over 280 wineries in Texas and, by volume of wine produced, it is the fourth-largest wine producing state in the US, behind California, New York and Washington - although I did see one magazine post in TexasMonthly that noted not all Texan wineries make wine from purely Texan-grown grapes. They then point out that to qualify as a "Texas Appellation" wine, only 75% of the grapes need to be grown in the state.

Cab Sauv and Chardonnay apparently lead the way in acreage planted but Texas Wine Lover blog reports that Tempranillo is a "very popular wine in Texas." Indeed, TexasMonthly also reports that Tempranillo has "become a sort of signature red grape at many Texas wineries."

As such, it was with great interest that we pulled the cork on the bottle at hand.

1859.  2013 Becker Vineyards Tempranillo (Texas)

Becker Vineyards opened in 1996 and is in the Texas Hill Country appellation, located near Austin in central Texas. Area-wise, the appellation is the second largest AVA in the United States; yet, even still, less than 800 acres are planted with grape vines. Accordingly, there may be quite a lot of potential for expanded plantings and increased production.

Although Becker started off small as a 1500-case winery, they proudly point out that they have already seen their wines served at both the White House and at James Beard House. Their annual production has also grown to just over 100,000 cases as they offer around 20 different wines that cover quite an array of grape varieties and blends. From what I could tell on their website, it appears that all their wines are made entirely from Texas grapes.

The good news is that the wine didn't scare us away from Texan wine. I'm not sure that I would have identified it as Tempranillo if I'd been served it blind but, then, the grape can show a wide range of characteristics. Just look at the sweep of flavour profiles you can encounter with Spanish Tempranillo varietals - and Spain is pretty much seen as the starting point for Tempranillo wines. The Becker was definitely on the lighter, fruitier end of the scale but it took us no time to finish off the bottle.

While searching online for some information on the winery and region, I was pleased to read a Texas Wine Blogger post on the "Battle of the Texas Tempranillos" where Becker finished 4th in a field of 28 Texan Tempranillos.  It was also the only bottle priced below $30 that made it in the top seven. So, it would appear that Songstress and Cycle Dude zoned in on a pretty decent bottle.

One of the more interesting quotes I ran across online was accredited to a tasting room manager from one of the region's wineries, which stated that "We are Napa Valley 30 years ago, as far as the growth and the expansion of the vineyards goes...We are finding the grapes that are good for Texas and it's just going to get bigger and better."

I'm pretty sure that I won't still be blogging in another 30 years. So, don't put it in your calendars to check back in a few decades to see if I've managed to snag some more Texan wines and what I might be thinking at that time. I would, however, like to keep an eye out for some additional wines to try and get a better taste and feel for the bigness that is Texas. I was certainly glad to get the chance for this initial try.

Florida Wines?

Boo had to take a short trip to Florida for a family gathering. So, I asked him to keep an eye open and try to pick up a couple local wines as something different to try.

Locally made wine isn't usually the first agricultural product one thinks of when talking Florida, but the history books apparently note the St. Augustine area as being the birthplace of American wine. Spanish missionaries are credited with growing grapes for sacramental wine as early as 1562.

Despite the state's storied past, I don't think there are any Californian winemakers quaking in their boots yet. There does appear to be a couple dozen wineries in Florida nowadays though, producing wines made from grapes and from tropical fruit. Due to the state's tropical climate, traditional vitis vinifera grapes do not grow well and, accordingly, grape growers look more to hybrid varieties that have been developed to flourish next to the beach loving locals. The primary grapes used for winemaking in Florida - like Muscadine, Blanc du Bois and Noble - are hardly varieties that you'd find in Napa, Oregon or Washington but I have seen them grown further up the East coast to be used in making Virginia and North Carolina wines.

I've also seen mention of Florida wines made from tropical fruit like mango, key lime, oranges and grapefruit and I was rather hoping that Boo would bring back an orange or a key lime wine. That was not to be, however, as he didn't see any of those bottles on his limited journeys. Indeed, his kin and most stores looked at him rather strangely when he even asked about Florida wines.

1295.  N.V. San Sebastian Vintners White (Florida)

Boo did manage to find a few Florida wines though and we opened one promptly upon his return. San Sebastian has been around since 1996 and the winery is found just outside of the St. Augustine historical district. They currently produce just shy of a dozen different wines - including cream sherry and a port - and all of their wines are made from grapes.

The Vintners White is made from Muscadine and, although the website proudly trumpets all the awards and medals the wine has won, I don't know that this is the wine that is going to put Florida wineries on the international map. I don't try a lot of Muscadine wines; so, I can hardly speak from any position of authority, but the simplicity of the wine and the decidedly off-dry nature aren't going to result in my lobbying for local wine shops to bring in some Floridian wines any time soon.

I will still look forward to trying an orange or key-lime wine though.

Some Down Home Southern Cookin'

Boo found some fresh catfish filets and decided to go to town, summoning those Southern roots of his, by fixing up some fish fry, okra and hush puppies.  Seemed like an opportune time to open one of the bottles we picked up when visiting his family in North Carolina last year.

1295.  2007 Hinnant Family Vineyards - Norton (North Carolina)

One of the joys of travelling - at least for me - is discovering local wines.  There wasn't much opportunity to visit the wineries that are starting to hit running speed in this burgeoning area of winemaking.  But that doesn't mean that I couldn't stop by a couple of wine shops to check out the local bottles that were available.

Then there's that part of my brain that's always thinking Wine Century Club and gets all tingly when there are new varietals to be tried.  This is actually the second bottle of Norton to be added to The List, but I was pressed for time when the Horton Norton was added about 100 wines back at #1194.  So, I'll try to expand a little bit more on this distinctly American varietal that's been called "arguably the only variety of American Vine Species origin making a premium quality wine" in the Oxford Companion to Wine.

Before discussing the grape varietal itself, I should mention the winery a bit first.  Hinnant's website states that it "is the oldest and largest commercial Muscadine vineyard in the state of North Carolina." But Muscadine isn't the only grape that they make wine from (in addition to their many fruit wines).  Their vineyards now boast 80 acres of grapes - where they grow 14 main varietals.  Two of those acres are currently dedicated to Norton that they brought down from Virginia.  Interestingly, they have also planted another American hybrid grape - the Blanc du Bois - that hails from Texas (but that will have to be another story should I ever run across a bottle).

Although the Hinnant family has been growing grapes in 1971, they only started making and selling wine under a family-named label in 2003.  They've grown to the point where they produced 25,000 cases of wine in 2010 but the addition of new tanks recently will allow them to expand to between 40,000 and 50,000 cases down the road.

They must be out of stock of the Norton wine at this point as I couldn't find any mention of it on the website.  With our bottle being a 2007 vintage, I'm not even sure that they still produce a Norton themselves.

Once again, a short online search regarding Norton resulted in my finding the most comprehensive treatise to be Rob Tebeau's post on his informative Fringe Wine blog.  I'll just refer you there for the full goods, but a brief synopsis would be that the Norton grape's history seems to stem from Richmond, Virginia, in the 1820's where Dr. Daniel Norton experimented with crossing grape varietals in an attempt to create a new grape that could both withstand harsher climates and result in a drinkable wine.  Norton seemed to be a grape that couldn't be distinguished from European vinifera grapes and it started taking hold in American vineyards - particularly as the phylloxera louse devastated European vineyards.  A Norton wine, made in Missouri, is actually noted as having won an award for the best red wine in the world at a Vienna competition in 1873.

Norton vines didn't take all that well to soil compositions found in French vineyards when it was experimented with as a solution to the phylloxera riddle and the grape never gained a foothold in Europe.  Prohibition then took its toll on American production of wine - and, by the time, winemaking was being reintroduced in the United States, not many wineries were interested in hybrids and native grapes like Norton.  Most efforts at re-establishing vineyards were directed at the noble vinifera grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

As interest in local grapes gains steam, Norton is seeing a bit of comeback in some American vineyards - particularly in North-East and Mid-West.  I doubt you'll find vaunted Californian Norton, but I suppose stranger things could happen.

I found that I wasn't quite as enamoured with the Hinnant version as I was with the Horton bottle awhile back.  This version was a little lighter in structure and juicier/grapier in its profile.  I'll categorize this as an intriguing, local bottle and chalk it up to experience but we had no issue finishing off the bottle with our catfish.  None whatsoever.

C&C Charity Dinner

I definitely need to get back and write this one soon.  It was not only a bang-up of an evening, but I'm adding some interesting wines to The List tonight.  A Méthode Champenoise Peach Wine, a Hawaiian Pineapple wine and a Hungarian dessert wine.  Not standards in our household by any means.

1196.  Forbidden Fruit - Flirt Sparkling Peach (Similkameen Valley)

2009 Orofino Pinot Gris (Similkameen Valley)

1197. N.V. Tedeschi Vineyards - Maui Splash Pineapple Wine/Passion Fruit (Hawaii)

1198.  2008 Herder Meritage (Similkameen Valley)

1199.  2007 Késöi Szüretelésü Tokaji Sárgamuskotály (Hungary)

(And believe it or not I don't even get a new grape varietal for the the Wine Century Club. Apparently, Sárgamuskotály is a Hungarian name for Muscat à Petits Grains which I added awhile back.  Darn.)

A Little Traminette with that Pulled Pork?

It seemed like Boo and I had hardly arrived in Greensboro and here we were down to our last full day already. Talk about never having enough time.

Our timing dilemma meant that it was now or never for finding us a bit of BBQ before we had to move on. HDR3, the local bro', went through the various options that were available. Not being from the South, I certainly didn't realize that different regions have different BBQ styles. In fact, this part of North Carolina alone has two separate styles - Lexington and Eastern.

We decided upon Prissy Polly's Pig Pickin' Barbecue because it offers both styles at the same restaurant.

Boo asked his mom if she wanted to join us and she looked at him as if he were crazy. It took no further explanation to know that she was coming with us regardless of whether we were offering. Younger bro', Dan-o, joined in on the road trip as well. It took a bit of determination to make our way through the menu and all the options but we managed to come up with an assortment of plates that, not only covered the required pulled pork, but resulted in an array of sides that ranged from fried okra, hushpuppies and fried squash to slaw, baked beans and collards.

I think you might refer to this as being "mighty fine dining" as opposed to "fine dining." All the same, I know we all left fully sated.

We took Mom Mary home after lunch and the boys said some teary goodbyes after a bit of an extended visit.

Turns out we weren't far away from one of the wineries that have started to appear in the area; so, I managed to coax the boys into taking a bit of a side trip by offering to buy them a drink.

I'd read a tiny bit about the wine industry that was developing in North Carolina but I didn't think that we'd realistically get a chance to visit one. Time truly was that tight. With Stonefield Cellars being no more than 15 minutes away though, the opportunity suddenly presented itself.

During our lengthy visit with Tasting Room manager, Michelle, (lucky for us that no one else showed up while we were there) we were advised that Stonefield recently celebrated its 5th anniversary and it seems to be creating a bit of niche for itself in the area. The estate vineyard is only 1.5 acres but they make around 20 different grape wines and another couple fruit wines - production, however, is still limited to about 2000 cases. They grow a dozen varietals at their estate vineyard and they bring in grapes (maybe 50-60%) from other growers - all within 40 miles of their location. A few of the varietals included in that list are a godsend to someone wanting to build up their Wine Century Club tasting list. I can't say that I recall running across Canadice, Cayuga, Niagra or Symphony before. Most of those intriguing varietals go into blends and aren't made into single varietal wines though.

991. 2006 Stonefield Cellars - Traminette (Virginia - US)

One of the unexpected varietals is made into a varietal wine, however, and that's the one we asked Michelle to open for us out on the winery patio. The Traminette grapes must be one of the varietals that is sourced from another vineyard because I notice that the appellation area on the bottle is shown as Virginia. We weren't far from the state line, but I wouldn't have guessed that our first North Carolina wine on the trip was actually made from Virginia grapes. Oh well.

The Traminette grape is a relatively new varietal. It was created in 1965 at the University of Illinois, Urbana/Champaign when the Gewurztraminer grape was crossed with an American/French hybrid grape called Johannes Seyve 23.416 by French biochemist, (you guessed it) Johannes Seyve. Seyve's intent was apparently to produce a large table grape that exhibited the flavours of a Gewurztraminer. There was a bonus, however, when the new cross was found to have qualities that were quite suitable to making a nice wine as well. Production of the grape seems to be limited primarily to the US, but its cold hardiness might make it a candidate for BC too. Who knows, we may well see BC Traminette down the road.

Stonefield's Traminette is made in an off-dry style but it was certainly a decent enough sip and I could see quaffing some down with a plate of pulled pork, especially if there's a bit of bite to the seasoning.

In the meantime, I'm a happy guy in that I not only got to visit a North Carolina winery but I get another varietal to add to my Wine Century Club list.

Does This Bottle Remind You of The Space Needle?

Part of what I like most about our short trips to the States is the opportunity to browse around in the wine shops to see all the different wines that are sold here, wines that we likely wouldn't run across at home. I'd never expect to see a BC wine being sold South of the border - it just doesn't seem to be done - but we do see some Washington State wines (as well as Oregon and California) at home. The choices available are just so sadly lacking - and, for whatever reason - the prices seem to skyrocket as soon as the wines cross the border.

We're always told that it's just because the BC government taxes alcohol so highly, but I see plenty of the same foreign labels down here as at home and some of the prices aren't all that different. There's got to be something more to it.

In any event, there's precious little in the way of Washington wines back home and these infrequent jaunts allow us a brief opportunity to discover and try some Washington labels that we likely would never see otherwise.

Not knowing much about Washington wineries, however, means that I don't know what to reach for or order at all. So, we pretty much put ourselves at the mercy of the wine shop assistants or restaurant sommeliers. That's how we came about our first wine for this trip. Since we were in Seattle, we couldn't help but succumb to the siren call of having coffee and a bit of lunch. We headed up to Capitol Hill and then stopped in at the wine section at QFC. It's kind of crazy to us BC folk to imagine a wine shop as nice, if not nicer, than most of the private bottle shops in Vancouver in the middle of a local supermarket. Boo and I had a great little wander around and discussion with one of the attendants there though.

He pointed us in the direction of this bottle, saying that they'd just happened on a case of it and that, being a 2003 and already aged, it would be a great start to the weekend. In fact, I think his exact words were that, "it should be drinking like great sex."

780. 2003 Reininger Merlot (Walla Walla Valley - Washington State)

Reininger is one of those labels that I can't remember having ever seen or hearing about previously. Having been established in 2006, Chuck Reininger was a senior mountain climbing guide for a Washington company until married a local Walla Walla girl and caught the wine bug. They now strive to produce premium wines under both the Reininger label - which features only Walla Walla Valley fruit - and the Helix label, which sources grapes from throughout the wider Columbia Valley.

We had a choice of heading down for some of Seattle's apparently famous "Friday Night Happy Hour" or opening the bottle in our hotel room and having a bit of a rest and a glass of wine before heading out to find some dinner. We chose the latter and found the bottle going down rather easily.

Harkening back to the shop clerk's comment, I suppose if you like your "sex" all juicy and full of structure and ripe, dark fruit, this wine will be right up your alley. This vintage was made with a touch (4%) of Cab Franc and, indeed, it was a nicely balanced wine.

We probably were pretty lucky to come across the bottle because there were under 1200 cases produced of the 2003 vintage. The fact that there was still the better part of a case hanging around - particularly in a fairly busy location - was a great find. Coming in around $30, it's not an entry level price, but then it didn't drink like an entry level wine and I'd hate to see how much it would go for back home.

Not a bad start to our little Seattle jaunt.

Walks, Brothers & Wine

595. Biltmore Estate Chardonnay Sur Lies (North Carolina - US)