New York Wine

Yes! Wine and Texas Chili Dogs, New York and Chicago Dogs…Polish Sausages too.

By in BBQ and Wine, Foodies, New York Wine, Travel and Places

What can be better than a good hot dog. Some folks like them fully loaded. There’s really nothing that can go wrong with a dog if you really think about it. Growing up we had a place called ‘Orange Julius’ and the toppings you could get on a hot dog were unlimited. Onions, Cole Slaw, shredded pork with BBQ sauce. Whatever you wanted.
Times have changed a little. Somehow, the Hot Dog police got involved and made it so it was not as cool or healthy to be able to do that. I still don’t get it because when you go to the ballpark or have a BBQ or party. It’s tops on the menu…along with wings and chips!
For some reason every time I visit Napa Valley I get reminded of how great hot dogs are. It’s one of these things. Either a food truck or some event is pairing up hot dogs and wine. I learned early on that I nice big red Zinfandel is incredible with a hot dog with a  lot of Cheddar Cheese and Jalapenos.
But that’s not the only pairing that’s phenomenal. It’s got me thinking of the basics. Chili Dogs, New York Kraut dogs and nice spicy Chicago dogs. Nevermind that when you go to Chicago, they are hard to find…which makes no sense. A lot of Pizza though…
Let’s start with the New York-frankfurters, with mustard and sauerkraut, Nathans, go great with a Rose or a refreshingly crisp white Zinfandel. It’s affordable too. Yes! white zinfandel the wine that’s usually pushed to the side…Let me tell you, iced cold white zin and a crisp hot dog is fantastic. You can totally quaff it.
Moving out west, we find the Chicago hot dog, with its trademark peppers, pickles and celery salt, which scream for a medium to bodies wine crispiness out for a light-to-medium-weight wine with substantial crispness to match the acidity and spiciness of the toppings. A Sauvignon Blanc or dry German Riesling are a great match — both of which are dry and have a zip to them. A Chardonnay from Burgundy would be delicious as well. The green, grassy component of the wine or the steely unoaked wetness goes well with the pickles, peppers, tomatoes and saltiness.
I also want to mention that at the Sate Fair there’s always Sausages and peppers. Polish Sausages are my favorite. There’s an earthiness to them that just screams out for a big Merlot or Cabernet…just saying.
Lastly for this piece, I think of Texas and a hot decadent chili dog, with maybe beef and beans… chili sauce, onions and cheese. A full-bodied wine like an Australian Shiraz from the Barossa or a big Zinfandel from California hits the spot; even better if it is in a style that has that bit of sweet-blackberry juice and oakiness…sometimes a zin has hints of BBQ grill marks that help wash down the spices or any sliced jalapeños that you pile on. 
Really, It’s all good.

The AVA’s are coming into play in the USA…Similar to the way the French are hooked on the ‘Control’ of their Appellations – The USA is getting more detailed!

By in California Wine, New York Wine, Oregon Wine, Tastings, Travel, Washington State Wine, Wine Chatter and Blather

Here in the USA the more known your wine gets the more independence you want to be able to label your wine from where it comes from. If your wine is actually from Napa Valley or Yountville, you want to be able to say it proud and say it loud.

That’s what the American Vinicultural Area is about – The AVA’s are coming into play in the USA. Very similar in the way the French are hooked on the ‘Control’ of their Appellations – The USA is getting more detailed; which is great for the consumer and great for the winery or the area if it starts to get prevalent. For example, Stag’s Leap, Carneros, Alexander Valley, Paso Robles, Willamette Valley, Walla Walla Valley, Monticello and the Finger Lakes to name a bunch throughout the country.

An American Vinicultural Area (AVA) is a designated wine grape-growing region in the United States distinguishable by geographic features, with boundaries defined by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), United States Department of the Treasury. As of March 2015, there were 230 AVAs in the United States.

And just so you know the TTB defines AVAs at the request of wineries and other petitioners and current regulations push for extra requirements on an AVA.

For instance, the proof that the name of the proposed new AVA is locally or nationally recognized as denoting to the area. Also key is the historical or current evidence that the boundaries are legitimate (using maps); And the evidence that the terroir or growing conditions such as climate, soil, elevation, and physical features are distinguishing characteristics.

Once an AVA is established, at least 85% of the grapes used to make a wine must be grown in the specified area if an AVA is referenced on its label; per the TTB

Keep in mind that the state or county boundaries—such as for Oregon or Sonoma County—are not actually AVAs, even though they are used to identify and designate the source of a wine. The AVAs are reserved for situations where a geographically defined area has been using the name and it has come to be identified with that area. It is meant to be specific. So one can know with more detail where the wine is coming from, to be able to dig deeper to the source.

To illustrate, a vineyard may be in more than one AVA. Case in point, the Santa Clara Valley AVA and Livermore Valley AVAs are located within the territory of the San Francisco Bay AVA, which is itself located within the Central Coast AVA.

FYI, The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) website, the Wine Institute and Wikipedia has a lot of this good listing and information here; for that matter.

So just be aware…The more popular wine areas get the more you’ll realize what’s on the label and be able to distinguish the efforts at better quality wine and how to use your pocketbook for a real distinguishable and solid AVA wine.

A Grand List of Wines (mostly under $25) that will not dissapoint…Seek them out over 2015 and 2016

By in Argentina Wine, Australian Wine, Chile Wines, German Wines, Italian Wine, New York Wine, New Zealand Wine, Travel, Washington State Wine, Wine Chatter and Blather, Wine Scores and Reviews

A friend asked me to put together a wine list and this is what I did. Enjoy the list and happy searching.

 
 
2011 Abadia Retuerta Seleccion Especial Sardon de Duero, Ribera del Duero (750ml)

 

2014 Daou Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles (750ml)

 

2012 Bodega Norton Privada, Mendoza (750ml)

 

2010 Castello di Bossi Berardo Chianti Classico Riserva, Chianti (750ml)

 

2013 M.Chapoutier Domaine de Bila-Haut Occultum Lapidem, Cotes du Roussillon Villages (750ml)

 

2013 Villacreces Pruno, Ribera del Duero (750ml)

 

2012 Montes Alpha Syrah, Colchagua Valley (750ml)

 

2012 Fattoria Poggiopiano Chianti Classico, Chianti (750ml)

 

2011 Frescobaldi Castello di Nipozzano Chianti Rufina Riserva, Chianti (750ml)

 

2012 Freemark Abbey Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa (750ml) $32

 

2013 Ladera Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa (750ml) $29

 

2013 Newton Cabernet Sauvignon Unfiltered, Napa (750ml) $34

 

2012 St. Clement Cabernet Sauvignon Oroppas, Napa (750ml) $39

 

2012 Chateau Haut Bergey Rouge, Pessac-Leognan (750ml)

 

2006 Chateau La Vieille Cure, Fronsac (750ml)

 

2012 La Fleur de Bouard, Lalande de Pomerol (750ml) $29

 

2012 Chateau La Tour Carnet, Haut-Medoc (750ml) $33

 

2012 Saint Damien Les Souteyrades, Gigondas (750ml) $29

 

2013 Saint Cosme, Gigondas (750ml) $34

 

2010 Domaine Pallieres Gigondas Les Terrasse du Diable, Gigondas (750ml) $36

 

2013 Chateau Saint Roch La Chapelle, Côtes du Roussillon (750ml) $29

 

2012 Ridge Zinfandel Three Valleys, Russian River (750ml)

 

2012 Condado de Haza Tinto, Ribera del Duero (750ml)

 

2011 Allegrini Palazzo della Torre, Veneto (750ml)

 

2012 Tikves Bela Voda, Tikves (750ml)

 

2014 Turley Wine Cellars Juvenile Zinfandel, California (750ml)

 

2013 Duorum Colheita, Douro (750ml)

 

2012 Zolo Reserve Malbec, Uco Valley (750ml)

 

Go visit the Finger Lakes region! Talk it up – USA’s Eternal Diamond in the Rough – even if it’s been producing grapes for 200 years

By in New York Wine, Tastings, Wine and Food Pairings

You heard it here first OK…well it’s in New York local papers…

Casinos in the Finger Lakes Wine region???

This week, supporters and opponents will deliberate on three proposals in the Southern Tier-Finger Lakes region for Casinos! … which includes a project planned by developer Wilmorite for Tyre in Seneca County and the other two projects are proposed for Nichols in Tioga County and Johnson City in Broome County, which are both in the Elmira-Binghamton area.

If this occurs it will have a significant impact on the already growing Finger Lakes Wine Country!

Johnson City and the whole Binghamton area is really a sleepy area and it’s really because a lot of factory jobs have been shipped overseas over the past 20-30 years.

But, the Finger Lakes has always been heavily dependent on walk-in traffic such as tourists, accidental tourists, people who really don’t know much about wine.

Most Finger Lake wineries are apt to see a decent amount visitors a year, yet alot of production is tailored to people who like sweet wines.

Arguably, Casinos would bring a lot more attention to the area.

Let’s be clear here…

The Finger Lakes are incredible and it has taken way too long for it to explode; because, and I know I am not alone in this opinion…

The American wine world is honestly lacking the full-on cool-climate viticulture scene. Just like people know Fall Season is here and leaves change; the awareness to the coming of cool-climate wines should be the equivalent.

The future is bright though; now is the time for more promotion; maybe Casinos will be the tipping point.

Not only is there Late Harvest wines, and a plethora of Riesling styles(Bone Dry to Sweet); there is Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc. Cabernet Sauvignon and others… 
plus a whole host of Native American and French-American Hybrids.

It wasn’t until the 1950s, when Konstantin Frank, a Ukraine refugee, arrived in the Finger Lakes and started his Vinifera Wine Cellars, and proved that that vinifera grapes could grow in the cool, wet climate of the Finger Lakes. Dr. Frank planted alot of grape varieties to see which would thrive. In the 70’s is when the emphasis on Reisling took hold.

But really… grape vines have been growing around the Finger Lakes since the 19th century so it’s hard to come to grips with how little acreage of planted Reisling there is there, if you come to think of it.

Now that Reisling is so popular and the fingerlakes can make such diverse reisling – really world class, dry or sweet in a multitude of styles. We are talking Mosel and Alsace potential. Now is the time…really.

The thing is that for years, the Finger Lakes wine industry was dominated by big companies that made cheap hybrid wines, along with even smaller wineries that did most of their business selling hybrid wines out of their tasting rooms. It’s been a slow churning path, considering how great the Reisling can be there.

What’s fascinating is that hybrids in the Finger Lakes region (including vignoles, seyval blanc and aurore) far outnumber vinifera grapes, and there are more concord grapes planted than anything else which are intended for grape juice or sugary kosher wines.

Go visit the Finger Lakes region!  Talk it up – a true diamond in the rough – even if it’s been producing grapes for 200 years or whatever…Seek the killer wines!

The Finger Lakes is home to three distinct wine trails, each offering exciting wine and food pairing events throughout the year.  With events that range in theme from chocolate, cheese, herb, barbeque, harvest and holiday as well.  It’s pretty affordable.  Wine trail event tickets usually are for the entire weekend. Also, all three wine trails individually offer tasting discounts too.

• Cayuga Lake Wine Trail | 15 member wineries, one cidery too

• Keuka Lake Wine Trail | 7 member wineries

• Seneca Lake Wine Trail | 34 member wineries