*This started off being a single post, however, as I got into writing it… I realized I had too much to say to put it into one post. This first post focuses on Hungarian history and it’s not so distant Communistic control. Mike and I recently returned from Villány as guests of the Franc &…
It may be winter and a slow time at the winery, but these quiet moments have been well-earned. Our Cabernet Franc is sleeping in barrels and our Rosé is in tank awaiting to be bottled. But in order to get to this time, there was a roller coaster of harvest decisions. This post, is a…
Effect of Altitude on Wines You see it all the time in wine conversation. The tech sheets often state what the vineyard altitude is. By definition altitude is the height of an object or point in relation to sea level or ground level. So why is this so important in wine production? Well, the biggest…
Nature’s first green is gold, Her hardest hue to hold. Her early leaf’s a flower; But only so an hour. Then leaf subsides to leaf. So Eden sank to grief, So dawn goes down to day, Nothing gold can stay. ….Unless it’s golden Bordeaux! What is Bordeaux Golden? When people mention Bordeaux, the first thing…
What is Winephabet Street, you ask? Think of it as Sesame Street for Winelovers! It is a livestream/podcast/blogpost interactive discussion all about wine. Winephabet Street is a collaboration between Debbie Gioquindo, aka HVWineGoddess, and myself. We will be working our way through the alphabet discussing wine varieties and regions. So grab a glass and join…
In the End The Dude Abides Have you ever met someone with the same name as you? It was quite the shock when I received an invitation to the English Honor Society at my college. First, I was a Biology major and secondly, I was only a sophomore. It turned out that there was another…
When you receive an email from Laura Fiorvanti , one of only 33 female Master Sommeliers in the world, asking if you would like to participate in a virtual tasting, you say yes. When you find out that the tasting is going to be about one of your favorite varietals, Garnacha, your answer changes to Heck Yeah! Old…
What is the definition of being successful? Is it making more money than you know what to do with? Is it having letters after your name that people aren’t even sure what they mean? Or is it simply being happy? When Mike and I decided to enter the wine business, we knew it wasn’t going…
Do You Know Glera? Prosecco is actually another name for the grape variety Glera. In order to be classified as Prosecco, the wine must be composed of a minimum of 85% Glera. Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, Perera, Verdiso, and Bianchetta Trevigiana can be used for the additional 15%. Chardonnay and Pinot Nero can also be…
When asked about the vision of her winery, Ilaria Petitto, managing director of Donnachiara winery, responds; “To make beautiful wines, you must have beautiful grapes.” Donnachiara may only be twelve years old, and in relative terms a smaller winery producing 12,500 cases, but I think they are going to be a winery to winelovers will begin…
