It has been nearly three years since I last hosted Wine Blogging Wednesday but my choice of theme was easy. Wines made from Rhône varieties are among my personal favorites and I was hoping to learn about many more new wines from participants this month. There were 25 bloggers posting reviews from all over the [...]
Davis Bynum is a venerable name in California Pinot Noir having made their reputation back when Joseph Swan was still with us. Founded in 1973, Davis Bynum was the first to produce a single-vineyard Pinot Noir from the Russian River Valley; from the now legendary Rochioli Vineyard. And this heritage lives on even after the sale to [...]
You know a book is good when you're bummed to be deplaning a cross-country flight before you've finished reading. But that's what happened to me with Evan Dawson's Summer in a Glass: The Coming of Age of Winemaking in the Finger Lakes recently. The book tells the stories of 13 winemakers in the New York State wine region, each extensively researched and told in a narrative non-fiction format. I found the approach particularly effective in conveying each winemaker's story and raising their wines to a higher level of understanding and potential enjoyment. On several occasions I found myself wanting to seek out specific wines described in the book. If the idea of reading winemaker stories leaves you uninspired I think I might know how you feel. For me, most winery stories sound similar: Guy makes boatloads of money in a non-related industry, dumps it into the sexier wine trade and is now producing wine made with unparalleled standards at unbelievably high prices. That said Summer in a Glass succeeds by relating stories in a way the winemakers themselves might have trouble conveying with a similar level of intrigue. Perhaps that's because the author is a storyteller by trade anchoring the news desk at Rochester's ABC affiliate. He's also a wine writer who contributes regularly to online wine publications - primarily the highly regarded New York Cork Report. Dawson is the kind of writer I find interesting regardless of the subject he's writing about -- whether it's migraines, Barbaresco or Finger Lakes Riesling. Impressive On a Number of Levels First and foremost there's the undeniable charm of being transported to a region like the Finger Lakes. Given its duration and intensity, winter in the Finger Lakes makes summer all the more appreciated and Dawson captures the essence of each season beautifully. It's never in your face with metaphors but the notion of how special warm summer nights are comes through brilliantly. At its best Summer in a Glass weaves chapters together in near-cliff hanger style showing the interconnectedness of winemakers in the region leaving the reader wondering how each winery will fare. The work Dawson put into researching the stories relayed is evident and pays dividends. Dawson's wide-open, inclusive personality comes through brilliantly as he embeds just enough of himself in the story to draw the reader in. One of the most difficult things to do as a narrative story teller, I think, is convey a story about the less-likeable character. It's relatively easy to tell the story of a gregarious German like Anthony Road's Johannes Reinhardt but revealing the essence of a highly regarded but not-so-collaborative winemaker like Hermann Wiemer is a different challenge. As an author you know the subject will read what you've written - and might not be happy with it - but Dawson finds a way to find the best lighting for each personality while painting an accurate picture. Conclusion and Recommendations After reading Summer in a Glass in some ways I regret not visiting the region already. But at the same time I feel I now have a reliable guide pointing me some of the best producers in the region and an interest in tasting the wines to compare notes with what's described in the book. If you're a content creator you might find yourself wondering as you read the book: Could I write something on par with this about another wine region? Regardless of the answer the fact the book has you asking that question is, I think, an inspiring achievement in itself. I highly recommend Summer in a Glass for anyone interested in good stories about wine, especially in the Finger Lakes, and especially if you're headed there for a visit any time soon. More info here: http://evandawsonwrites.com4.5/5 Stars WWP: Highly Recommended
Coming Thursday April 14th, 2011 to Boston is Taste of the Nation - an expo style event where you can taste food from local restaurants along with wine from around the world. Beer, cocktails and entertainment too. I attended last year on a press pass and enjoyed the quality and breadth of the offerings. Interesting wines, creative dishes, and festive yet manageable crowds. There was something for everyone and proceeds go to a good cause. A sampling out the participating restaurants:
Craigie on Main
Hamersley's Bistro
KO Prime
L'Espalier
The Oak Room
Redbones
Jasper White's Summer Shack
From their press release:Boston?s Culinary Icons Come Together for the City?s Largest Hunger Fundraiser Share Our Strength?s Taste of the Nation Boston Hosts 23rd Annual Fundraiser on April 14th Boston, MA ? Inspired by a passion to fight childhood hunger, Boston?s hottest chefs, restaurants and mixologists will gather for Share Our Strength?s Taste of the Nation® benefit, the city?s premier culinary event. Taste of the Nation Boston, which will be held on April 14, 2011 at the Hynes Convention Center, will raise the critical funds needed to support Share Our Strength?s efforts to end childhood hunger in Boston and across the nation by 2015. Since 1988, Taste of the Nation has raised more than $73 million for organizations in the United States, Canada and abroad, including more than $1.4 million in Boston alone. Area charities that will benefit from this year?s event include The Greater Boston Food Bank; Food for Free Committee; Cooking Matters, formerly known as Operation Frontline ? Massachusetts; and Project Bread/The Walk for Hunger. WHAT: Share Our Strength?s 23rd annual Taste of the Nation Boston WHEN: Thursday April 14, 2011 from 6:30 p.m. ? 9:00 p.m. EST; VIP reception beginning at 5:30 p.m. EST WHERE: Hynes Convention Center, 900 Boylston Street Boston, MA WHO: More than 65 of the city?s finest chefs and restaurants will participate in the gastronomic event. Along with Andy Husbands of Tremont 647 and the last season of Hells Kitchen, and Jody Adams of Rialto, participating restaurants will include Gargoyles on the Square, Hamersley?s Bistro, L?Espalier, Sel de la Terre, Summer Shack and Oceanaire. Attendees will also be able to sample over 100 different varietals of wine and sample a variety of cocktails prepared by some of Boston?s premiere mixologists. DETAILS: Tickets for Taste of the Nation Boston are $90 in advance / $100 at door for General Admission tickets are $150 in advance / $160 at the door for VIP and can be purchased by calling 1-877-26-TASTE or visiting www.strength.org/boston or www.TasteOfTheNation.org. For more information about Taste call 202-478-6516. To purchase tickets or to get involved, visit TasteOfTheNation.org.
It?s that time of year again. Bud Break is all around and the vines begin a new growing year in the wine country. That dreary, cold, and raining period is over and tourists now can flock to the tasting rooms again. Wineries are ready to receive and pamper all tourists. Continue reading →
Since I posted my review of Rex Pickett’s new book ‘Vertical’ I’ve received email asking for more details about the author. While I hope to be able to interview Mr.Pickett on the podcast, Blake Gray has posted a no-holds barred interview with him at Palate Press. The fascinating discussion sheds the most light I’ve yet [...]
Washington State wine consumers have it bad. Not only does the state make it illegal for in-state and out-of-state retailers to ship to Washingtonians, but the Washington wineries, in the form of their own trade organization the Washington Wine Institute,...