Winos - er, oenophiles - and beer lovers unite! Here we go galavanting after the grape and the hop, and there are of course scores of fetching - and sometimes surprising - countries & regions to choose from. Cheers!

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The wine country around Solvang, southern California

Fess Parker Winery And speaking of vineyards, Solvang is also surrounded by more than 125 wineries producing some of the world's best vintages and many accepting visitors for tours and tasting; among of the most popular are half-century-old Firestone Vineyard, Fess Parker Winery (above, founded in 1988 by the actor famous for playing Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone on TV in the 1950s and 60s), and Sunstone Winery, in business since 1990 and with an enphasis on environmental sustainability. read…

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Discovering wine and more in New York State's Finger Lakes region

Luke Petrinec/Steuban County CVB As a member of the International Food, Wine, and Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA), I was fortunate to attend a webinar on the Corning and the Southern Finger Lakes presented by Kevin Costello, president and CEO of the Steuben County Conference and Visitors Bureau, and Dave DeGolye, the bureau’s communications manager. I was only somewhat familiar with this wine region, so was pleased to learn more about its wineries as well as to be introduced to all its…

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Saying 'G’Day' to some fine Australian wines

      Some weeks ago, our Southern California Wine Council greeted 2022 with a tasting of five wines from the Land Down Under which are exported to the United States.  Four of these wines are produced by Eight at the Gate in the Wrattonbully wine country located along the country's southeastern coast, about 280 miles from Melbourne and stretching throughout the hill country of the Stewarts and Naracoorte mountain ranges.  This area has a temperate climate, long growing season, and significant…

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Prost! Munich's beery Oktoberfest is back!

  Holzijue/Pixabay From September 17 to October 3, the legendary celebration of German beer, cuisine, and culture in Bavaria's capital is returning after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Unsprprisingly, it's necessary to make your arrangements months in advance, so if you've always wanted to experience Wies'n (as it's known in Bavarian), take note here for 2023! read post  

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  • Hello Jose,
    Sorry that my first post did not go through. For some reason, it isn't saved if I leave the post and return. Anyway, the wine from Corleone Winery is called Narciso and it is a Nero d'Avola. I tasted it in 2005 but expect it was probably a 2004. I liked it so much that I tried to order it directly from the NYC distributor but wasn't able to. They only distribute to restaurants. Did you taste the Nero d'Avola in a restaurant or were you able to buy it in a shop? Below is the link to my stock library. If you type in Sicilian wine or Nero d'Avola, a photo of this wine should appear. If it doesn't, let me know.
    http://www.ozimages.com.au/portfolio/sfrost.asp
  • Hi Susan, I agree with you about Oregon Pinot Noirs. Unfortunately, there are many in our country who do not appreciate those lovely wines (at least the best of them). I have traveled to Oregon and visited some of those wineries. Their Pinot Noirs, as well as their Pinot Gris and Pinot Blancs often find a place in our dinner table.

    On your Sicialia comment: Do you mean Narcisco d'Avola or Nero d'Avola? ILast night I had a 2007 Pincipi di Butara Nero d'Avola that was absolutely delicious. Sicilia has really gone north in their wine production.
  • Those of you going to Sicilia (Sicily) in the near future, arrange a visit to Corleone Winery. It has the best Narcisco d'Avola and also offers a fabulous Italian lunch along with your tasting and tour.
  • Don't forget Oregon wines. We have some of the best in the world and it is now over a billion dollar industry. Yesterday, I was pleased to discover a new winery called Seven of Hearts on Main Street in Carlton, Oregon. They specialize in Burgundy style Pinot Noirs and their tasting room is shared with Honest Chocolates. What a great combination--handmade chocolate truffles and a glass of Pinot.
  • Just 25 minutes from downtown AUCKLAND is New Zealand's original commercial wine producing region of KUMEU. As part of Tripadvisor's No1 Auckland attraction, you'll have free wine-tasting at one of the original wineries there.

  • There is nothing wrong with "eastern" wines. We are starting to import 4 whites from Slovenia that are just stunning!
    On my recent trip to Sonoma I went up to Lake County and found a small winery "Beaver Creek" that is run by 2 Czech guys - they even had a huge picture of Schweijk in the Cellar - and their wines - bio-dynamic - were exceptional!
  • Fabulous may be a bit of a stretch! ;) Yes, I think you'll find some much better vintages have emerged since your visit David, but wine producers still have a long way to go, and part of the problem is probably marketing related. They are trying though, last January was the inaugural Prague Wine Week and winerys are starting to visit many of the international fairs; I know they went to the London one in May and some producers are winning awards. Yes, if there's interest would love to write a future blog about Czech wine!
  • I remember touring Znojmo, Mikulov, Valtice, and other Moravian wine towns when doing an article back in '99; I even got to visit the Valtice wine fair. Both then and when I lived in Prague several years earlier, I recall some of the vintages were pleasant enough but most were less than "fabulous." But never mind, that was sooner after Czechoslovakia's emergence from Communism, (which of course was notoriously indifferent to quality) and certainly I can imagine that a decade later their techniques and the overall situation have improved somewhat. I'll be looking forward to verifying that on my next trip. And in the meantime, Jacy, maybe one of these days we could get you to blog for us on the undersung vinos of Bohemia and Moravia!
  • And what about the fabulous Czech wines?!? ;) We are gearing up for our fall wine festivals all over the country. Most popular offering at these "vinobranis" is burcak, or young wine. Tasting like a sweet juice, this not quite fermented wine goes down nice and quick, and packs a late arriving punch. You'll find the biggest and best vinobranis in Moravia, the eastern half of the country. The cities of Znojmo and Mikulov have the biggest. In Bohemia, whose wine isn't as appreciated, Melnik holds the most popular vinobrani. Intrigued? Learn more here: http://www.wineofczechrepublic.cz/en.html
  • I know Brunello 06 is supposed to be superior - about the current one I'll tell you after my return - I'm there after and even still during harvest
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