Informal

Many grapes are what we call “cool climate grapes.” Think Riesling, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc or Rkatsiteli. Also consider a number of cooler climate hybrid grapes like Seyval Blanc, Vidal Blanc, and Marquette. Such grapes reflect their true typicity when grown in cooler growing regions. These grapes can also grow in warmer regions; but,…

Our next Wine Wednesday episode on February 9th at 7:00 pm Eastern/New York time is “Wines from Indigenous Grapes.” This topic almost screams “Italy!” The Italian peninsula is home to nearly 25% of the world’s 1,200+ recognized wine grape varieties. But, many other wine regions and countries can also claim a number of wine grapes…

This week’s Wine Wednesday episode on February 16th at 7:00 p.m. Eastern focuses on one of my most favorite wine regions in the whole world, i.e. that of Piemonte (Italy). This region is in the northwest of Italy and is bordered on the western side by a mountain range that separates Italy and France. It…

Our topic for Wine Wednesday on February 23rd at 7:00 pm Eastern time examines the wines of Veneto, Italy. This region is in the northeastern corner of “the boot” that describes the peninsula that is Italy. It is generally a cooler climate for growing grapes. The Veneto region produces more whites than reds under the…

Our next Wine Wednesday on March 2nd at 7:00 pm Eastern (New York) Time features “the Wines of Tuscany, Italy”. Tuscany is the land of the Sangiovese grape. This wine region is located on the western coast of central Italy and is home to Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano red wines…

Our next installment of Wine Wednesday on March 9th at 7:00 pm Eastern Time embraces the wines that emanate from the Rioja region of Spain. The Rioja (phonetic spelling RREE’-OH’-hah) is the oldest Designation of Origin in Spain (1925) and the first to earn Calificada status (1991). A broad yet landlocked geographic expanse stretching from…

Our next Wine Wednesday on March 16th at 7:00 pm Eastern Time will examine the wines from Washington State. Such a vast expanse of potential wine growing acreage, Washington State is only scratching the surface of what it will eventually achieve, both in terms of grape varieties that are continually being added to their region…

Our Wine Wednesday episode for March 23rd at 7:00 pm Eastern pertains to a relatively “new” wine growing region on the northwest coast of the United States. That region is the State of Oregon, which has built a reputation for its Pinot Noir wines and, for white wine enthusiasts, its Pinot Gris. Still developing its…

Our next installment of Wine Wednesday on March 30th takes us to Northern California’s vast wine regions! What do you know about this wine region? That is your research assignment for this chapter of Wine Wednesday! You may already have a favorite region in Northern California, such as Alexander Valley, Russian River Valley, Carneros, Calistoga,…

New York State brought recognition and established prominence to New York State as a winemaking region as early as the 1930’s and has since driven a stake in the ground as a world-class producer of (among other varieties) Riesling! Tell us about some of your favorite New York State wines and/or wine regions, from the…

Our next Wine Wednesday offering on April 13th at 7:00 pm Eastern will feature Pennsylvania and other Eastern American wines. Some of us may crinkle their noses when they think about wines made in the Commonwealth or other States east of the West Coast, but there are enough great wine producers around the Pennsylvania Wine…