wines (94)

Barrister Winery of Spokane, Washington

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Exploring a dynamic portfolio of wine is always rewarding, but when you add in unsurpassed hospitality offered by the winery owners, assistant winemaker and informed staff, you know you’ve arrived at Barrister Winery.  This charming winery, tasting room and entertainment center is located in an old warehouse within the historic Davenport art district of Spokane. In fact, this winery is perfectly situated in a hundred year old brick and massive wooden beam structure, once a car dealership storage

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What Is Vin de Pays d’Oc?

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What is Vin de Pays d'Oc?


Wines of Pays d’Oc are simply more adventurous bucking French wine making convention. Elevated worlds above table wine (Vin de Table) but perhaps not entirely conforming to AOC (origin of control) standards...there is plenty of room for distinctive creativity in the Vin de Pays category. Grown in the South of France's Languedoc Roussillon, over 56 Pays d'Oc grape varieties thrive in world renown terrain stretching from the Spanish border to the Rhone delta. Growing condi

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Wineries in Spokane, Washington

Provided by WineFoodGuide.com       
Barili Cellars of Washington State


Sometimes “smaller is better” when it comes to crafting limited amounts of premium wine. Serious wine lovers and connoisseurs are focusing their palates towards small producers who craft superior wines in small lots, using old world techniques, with limited non-commercial technology. Barili Cellars in downtown Spokane, Washington is one of those artisan venues who create “rare treasures of bottled delights.” A visit to their u

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In 1999 Paolo and Allison Domeneghetti departed careers in the fine and culinary arts to focus on a unified passion of

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bringing the best spirits to market using sustainable partnerships with producers and suppliers. Since then they haven't looked back adhering to their philosophy that culture, art and science are equally expressed through wine and spirits. The craft of production reveals just as much heritage as the way it may taste on the palate. Time honored traditions and just the right ingred

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Gay Vendimia Wine Festival in Mendoza, Argentina

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2012 Gay Vendimia

 

 

By Roy Heale

Mendoza is the fourth largest city in Argentina with a population of approximately one million people. It is the acclaimed capital of Agentina's wine industry and famous for the Malbec vintage. Mendoza is nestled in the foothills of the Andes, about 1000 meters above sea level and is also a center for skiing in the nearby mountain peaks during July, August, and September. Attractive streetscapes, the beautiful parks and lakes, and pulsing nightlife are establishing

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New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc

I love Sauvignon Blanc in all its forms, but I especially enjoy the New Zealand style. So when marketing rep Catherine Seda recently sent me a sample of the Mt Beautiful 2009 Sauvignon Blanc to try, I quickly ripped open the mailer and threw the wine in the wine refir to chill it down a bit.

I know Sauvignon Blanc works well with many appetizers, including cheese and vegetable trays. Its crisp, herb, citrus and mineral-nuanced flavors are usually perfect with light salads or meals that have green

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How hard can it be when just the two of you want to get away? No kids to pack for or consider…just stuff your essentials into a duffel bag and you’re off to reliving the passion of your first dates or honeymoon…right? Well maybe at first flush it seems that easy until you check into your hotel room and ultimately get down to deciding what to do. I’m assuming you were spontaneous enough not to bother with pre-trip research or formulating an itinerary. After all, it’s only the two of you with the

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A unique wine tasting phenomenon is going on in the Temecula Valley Wine Country, located about an hour north of San Diego.  While it’s not surprising that the wine aficionados here get together and drink good wine, eat good food, and discuss what they’re eating and drinking, it is interesting that there are several organized groups that meet not just for socialization but for the specific purpose of tasting and reviewing wines from all over the country and the world.  These groups are organized

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Undoubtedly the best way to experience other countries and cultures is to visit them in person. But no need to despair if lack of cash or time have you restrained! Virtual travel is alive and well especially with our ever burgeoning technological advances. But don’t just bury your head in your tablet or smart phone vicariously living off other traveler experiences. Create your own cultural journey by tasting it. Buy some Fleur de Sel salt harvested by hand off the coast of Brittany, sprinkle on

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There are so many lovely things to do on the Tulbagh Wine Route. It is a picture perfect town with many of the Cape Dutch buildings restored to their original structure. Only 2 hours away from Cape Town, it is the perfect weekend break.

76291_170198493007363_168280779865801_510786_4529992_n.jpgWe stayed at Oudekloof Luxury Guest Farm which is a restored Cape Dutch Farm House. Built in 1754, the farm is almost 300 years old. The Cape leopard has been spotted in the surrounding hills who roams freely and uninhib
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If an earthquake had started shaking southern California on a recent Sunday night, we might not have felt it at the Thornton Winery, in the Temecula Valley Wine Country, where guests were doing their own kind of shaking to the spirited, heartfelt beat of jazz saxophonist and singer, Mindi Abair. With her high energy vibe, Mindi was the ideal musician to launch Thornton Winery’s 24th Annual Champagne Jazz Series. Mindi and her talented band had everyone on their feet clapping, dancing and singing

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5 Europe Bucket-List Wine Regions

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Who doesn’t dream of tasting some of the best wines in the world in the very vineyards where the grapes are grown? Whether you’re a wine connoisseur, a wine lover or simply wine-curious, you’ll find that there’s something for everyone in these European wine regions.

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Loire Valley, France



The Loire Valley, with its magnificent châteaux and gardens, is one of the most beautiful parts of France. It is also one of the country’s most diverse wine regions, producing all types of wine: red, white, ros

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In Mexico, Good Wine? You Bet, Amigos

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What, surprised? Yep, it’s true that Mexico’s about more than tequila and beer. In fact, vino here dates back to the 16th century, when vines were brought over from Spain – so never mind Argentina and Chile, Mexico is where this hemisphere’s wine heritage was sown, and the Western Hemisphere’s oldest winery, Casa Madero, is still in operation after 432 years. For various reasons – including, in the last century, the disruptions of the Mexican Revolution, and the beer and tequila preferences of

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When wine connoisseurs Linda Kissam and Tom Plant invited me to a wine tasting and food pairing, I was thrilled to attend and the experience exceeded my already high expectations.  Linda and Tom had some special wines for us to taste and we were all encouraged to bring dishes that would go with our assigned wines.  Our group is called the Occasional Wine Council and meets “on occasion” to taste and critique wines along with food prepared by the participants to match specific wines.

 

Our goal is t

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Good Taste: It’s Bordeaux on a Budget

Who said you couldn’t enjoy some exquisitely-tasting wine for under $40?


And mind you, these budget-friendly finds aren’t your typical, over-the-counter bottles with funny brand names. They’re actually from the renowned wine region of Bordeaux!

During a Bordeaux wine-makers dinner hosted by the Fig Tree Restaurant in San Antonio, TX, award-winning journalist Tanji Patton debunked the myth that good wine must put a dent in your wallet.
  • Chateau Mongravey, Margaux – A perfect blend of 70% Cabernet a
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Port Houses & Events in Porto, Portugal

Tourists who are intending to do tourism in Portugal generally complaints about scarcity of reference materials. However, there is information about tourism in Portugal that are scattered around the web in small blocks especially when it comes to Porto Portugal attractions. It is not easy to switch from one website to another to gather as many information about Porto Portugal attractions. Nevertheless, there are of course some websites and blogs that publish useful information just about tourism

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Lying north of Venice, amongst picturesque towns with ancient churches, castles, with vineyards taking up just about every square foot of land, is the Prosecco wine region, source of the wonderful sparkling wine that is served everywhere in Italy. A beautiful spot where we begin one of our Italiaoutdoors Bike the Wine Roads Italy bike toursProsecco has been produced for over 10 centuries in the foothills of the Marco Trevigiana, running from Valdobbiadene to Conegliano in the province of Trevi

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Trapiche Sparkling Extra Brut Wine

tripicheextrabrut-83x300.jpg?width=83'Tis the season for tasty accessible sparkling wines! You need not be a purist and only settle for Champagne to celebrate with the bubbly. Cavas and Proseccosare a great start for party wines to toast a grand occasion with hors d'oeuvres, or to finish off an opulent meal with dessert.

But there are many other low to mid-priced sparkling wines that are just begging to be enjoyed. One great example is Trapiche's Extra Brut made from a blend of 70% Chardonnay, 20% Semillon, and 10% Malbec. These gra

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Santi Moscato: More Than A Dessert Wine

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I'm always impressed when a wine visually reflects its terroir. You actually begin getting to know it just by pouring. My most recent instance of this was when I tasted Santi Moscato Montedoro 2010. Santi Moscato grapes are grown in Italy's Trentino region on foothills of the Dolomite Mountains. The word “Montedoro” is derived from the golden hue reflected on the pointed spires of these mountains at sunset.

Upon first taste, this wine has enough sugar to lull you into the assumption that it can o

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Happy 60th Birthday, Beaujolais Nouveau!


Call it fresh, celebratory wine or phony, immature “cookie dough” (as one critic nicely put it), there’s no doubt the young Beaujolais Nouveau has become one of the wine world’s most successful stories.

beaujolais-arrivee-300x217.jpgLast Thursday, precisely at one minute past midnight, thousands of barrels were festively breached with the traditional cry: Le Beaujolais nouveau est arrivé! Revelers across the globe gathered in bars and restaurants to celebrate the wine’s 60th anniversary. Before 1951, France didn’t allowed t
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