My friends at the Nantucket Wine Festival asked me if I had any wine lovers who might be able to help out…

The Nantucket Wine Festival, taking place on May 14-18, is looking for food and wine lovers to volunteer for the festival! Mix and mingle with winemakers from around the world and top chefs from Nantucket, Boston, New York and beyond! We are looking for people to help with all aspects of the festival – wine pouring, ticket taking and registration, seminar and wine tasting set-up, food serving, and more. Volunteer and receive a free ticket to the Sunday Grand Tastings. For more information, email volunteer@nwfest.net or visit http://nantucketwinefestival.com/about/volunteer

Cheers!

We have scheduled our 2014 Wine Tasting Events and the line up looks pretty exciting, if we do say so ourselves!

Wines of Italy – 3/29/14 – $50 per person

Italy, a country synonymous with winemaking, consistently produces the most wine of any other winemaking country in the world. Think of Italy and one thinks of fine food and lots and lots of wine. Sometimes known for its lower quality “straw basket” Chianti wines of the 1970’s and 1980’s, Italy has emerged over the last few decades as a producer of high quality, oftentimes high-value wines. The combination of superb recent vintages, improved viticulture and improved winemaking techniques has elevated Italy to new heights. At this event we will taste several wines from a wide variety of regions within Italy, showcasing the renewed quality and value that is now defining Italian wine.

Wines of Burgundy – 4/26/14 – $75 per person

Burgundy, like Bordeaux is a classic wine region with a long-standing tradition of fine wine production. Unlike Bordeaux, the wines of Burgundy are not as well-known, largely because the complicated arrangement of appellations and vineyard ownership. Home to Pinot Noir (red wines) and Chardonnay (white wines), Burgundian wines can be magical and remain the benchmarks by which other Pinot Noir and Chardonnay producers measure their success. At this event we will taste several wines from the key regions in Burgundy.

Wines of South Africa – 5/31/14 – $50 per person

It has been several years since we last studied South African wines. In that time, South African wines have continued to flourish, improving and maturing into to true World-class competitors. For the uninitiated, South Africa has a long and prestigious wine making history, which was derailed for a time during the brutal period of apartheid, but which has since rebounded in recent years. At this event we will taste several wines from the many regions of South Africa, each underscoring the great diversity that is South Africa.

Summer Sippers – 6/21/14 – $50 per person

Summer is a time for easy drinking, high-value wines that require very little thought or demand even less contemplation. The wines of summer should be light and refreshing, pairing well with the usually light repasts or foods from the grill. At this event we will examine several wines, both white and red that are light, refreshing and represent good value.

Wines of Bordeaux – 9/13/14 – $50 per person

Bordeaux is perhaps the best known wine region in the world, with elegant, age worthy wines celebrated, and imitated across the globe. At this event we will enjoy several wines from the Bordeaux region, each one selected to underscore the taste and quality of the area.

Art of the Cocktail – 10/18/14 – $50 per person

It is believed that the cocktail was invented in the US sometime early in the 19th century.  Largely thought of as the sporting crowd’s answer to fruit laden punches of the day, the classic cocktail has little in common with today’s Slippery Nipple.  The classic cocktail is little more than spirits, bitters, sometimes a mixer and sometimes ice, but in the correct combinations, these elements can yield “a quite serviceable concoction.” At this event we will practice the art of mixing the classic cocktail – from the Sidecar to the Old Fashioned.

Wines of California – 11/15/14 – $50 per person

I have yet to dedicate an entire class to the wines of California, so this event is probably long overdue. California is the largest wine producing region the US, holding a commanding lead over every other contender in the market. The blessings of near perfect climate, along with the unique geography that promotes the growing of the vine almost gives California an unfair advantage when it comes to making wine. That said, sometimes these riches are squandered with the result being wines lacking both distinction and value. However, when California gets it right, their wines are among the best in the World. At this event we will taste several wines from California, showcasing many of the well-known and not-so-well-known regions. We will also taste some “older” bottles to help confirm, or debunk the proposition that Californian wines don’t age well.

Champagne – 12/13/14 – $100 per person

Holiday celebrations would somehow be diminished without the inclusion of fine Champagne. In the past, we’ve looked at the overall category of sparkling wines, all very nice. However, sometimes there is nothing like the real thing to set one’s heart aflutter. At this tasting we will sample several wines from Champagne, including many vintage and tête du cuvee bottles.

All of our events are held in Wrentham, Massachusetts and they fill up very quickly!

Make sure to make your reservation now – contact us through our web site: Musings On The Vine

Cheers!

Seats are still available!

June 15 – Summer Sippers @ 3:00pm

Cost: $50 per person

Location: Wrentham, Massachusetts

Summer is a time for easy drinking, high-value wines that require very little thought or demand even less contemplation. The wines of summer should be light and refreshing, pairing well with the usually light repasts or foods from the grill. At this event we will examine several wines, white, rose and red that are light, refreshing and represent good value along with a selection of artisanal cheeses and breads.

Cheers!

In November I posted the accumulated results of the previous four Napa versus Bordeaux Shootouts: https://blog.musingsonthevine.com/2011/11/27/napa-versus-bordeaux-where-do-we-stand/

As promised, we just conducted match-up number five and have the following to report.

The fifth installment took place on May 11, 2013, matching a comparable set of six wines. The results were as follows:

California clearly clobbered France! A somewhat unexpected result, although the panel was unanimous in stating that this meeting was the best/hardest match-up yet. Each of the panelists had an admittedly difficult time picking their top three favorites, with many vacillating during the tasting.

So after five installments, the results stack up as follows:

France’s lead is narrowed to 3 – 2 in overall wins. Point-wise the French have 149 points to Napa’s 140 points, again holding a narrow lead.

One of our panelists did point out that the Lafite did have the most first place votes of any wine, suggesting that the wine with the most first place votes could be construed the winner and by association, the country of origin of said wine could be called the winner. As tempting as I was to let France rule the day as a result of the fine showing of the Lafite, I allowed a more balanced approach to sort out the results. In the end, clearly California outpaced France.

A few observations are in order… The Bordeaux wines were appreciably older than their Californian counterparts. This was by design and what the group found was that the French wines were all nicely mature with layers of complexity, integrated tannins and impressive structure for wines approaching the quarter century mark. None were tired or showing their age. Truly a testament to a great wine in a great vintage. The Californian wines were also showing very well, but it was clear that with the exception of the Chimney Rock, the 1997 wines were on a downward slide. After spending an hour or so in the glass, the French wines were still vibrant, whereas the Californian wines were muddled and tired. This had been my assumption going in, hence the match-up.

Where does it go from here? Well if history repeats itself, I imagine a sixth match-up in 2015, either in April, or October…

Should be fun, as usual!

We are pleased announce our 2013 Spring & Summer Wine Tasting season!

March 23, 2013 – Wine Judging @ 3:00pm

Cost: $50 per person

Location: Wrentham, Massachusetts

I have written about how being a judge differs from being a critic, the former stressing objective analysis and the suppression of any personal bias to provide a neutral assessment of what’s in the glass. The art of judging wines depends heavily on the utilization of a structured framework and technique along with a practiced palate. While I won’t be able to make everyone who attends this class an expert wine judge, it is my hope to be able to provide the tools and guidance to begin the journey. At this event we will taste several wines, red and white from a variety of regions, grapes and price points in a blind simulation of a wine competition. At the conclusion we will compare our results with those of both professional judges and critics to see how we did.

April 13, 2013 – Old World vs. New World @ 3:00pm

Cost: $50 per person

Location: Wrentham, Massachusetts

Wine making got its start in the Old World vineyards of Europe, some of which chart their beginnings back to the 1st century.  Wine making countries like France have been the standard-bearer for these Old World bastions of wine.  With the migration of Europeans across the globe, wine as a function of their many cultures followed them to their new homes.  The result has created an interesting phenomenon, with distinct differences arising between wines made in the Old World and those made in the New World. At this event we will taste a number of wines from both well-known Old World and New World regions in a comparative analysis. We will also serve a collection of artisanal cheeses from both Old World and New World producers to complement the experience.

May 11, 2013 – Napa/Bordeaux Shootout V @ 3:00pm

Cost: $100 per person

Location: Wrentham, Massachusetts

Back in 2004, we conducted a simulation of the famous 1976 tasting that pitted Cabernet-based wines from Napa Valley against the some of the best that Bordeaux had to offer. In 2007, 2009 and 2011 we again reprised the famous standoff. Popular demand has brought this event back to Musings, so once again we will put these two regions to the test. At this event we will taste at least six wines in a reenactment of the historic 1976 tasting. Of course, the wines will be from more recent vintages, but the experience should be quite similar.

June 15, 2013 – Summer Sippers @ 3:00pm

Cost: $50 per person

Location: Wrentham, Massachusetts

Summer is a time for easy drinking, high-value wines that require very little thought or demand even less contemplation. The wines of summer should be light and refreshing, pairing well with the usually light repasts or foods from the grill. At this event we will examine several wines, both white and red that are light, refreshing and represent good value.

Sign-up soon, because these events will sell out quickly!

Contact: paul_malagrifa@musingsonthevine.com to reserve your seats today!

We’re still updating our 2013 Event Schedule, which will be published on the web site soon, but we are reprising an event and wanted to let folks know about it!!

February 16, 2013 – Wine & Chocolate

Adventurous chocoholics and lovers of fine wine are invited to join us as we experiment with various wine and chocolate pairings. At this “experimental event” we’ll examine different combinations of chocolate and wine to better understand how they can be paired for maximum enjoyment. We will taste a variety of milk and dark chocolate artisanal Candies, Chocolate-covered Strawberries, and Chocolate-Dipped Biscotti, and pair our delicacies with appropriate wines including Port, Sauternes, and Sparkling wine. We’ll compare a wine in both its dry-fermented and dessert forms, and see how each pairs with chocolate. Join us for this indulgent experience, and learn how to match the flavors, sweetness, acidity, and texture of wines with chocolate.

The cost: $50
Location: Wrentham, Massachusetts
Time: 3:00 PM

Space is limited – Make sure to sign up today:
http://www.musingsonthevine.com/events.shtml

Cheers!

We are pleased to continue our 2012 wine tasting season with two fun and exciting events, one in October and one in November…

*NEW DATE* October 20, 2012 – Chateauneuf du Pape @ 3:00pm

Cost: $100 per person

Location: Wrentham, Massachusetts

And…

*NEW DATE* November 17, 2012 – Wine & Food Pairing @ 3:00pm

Cost: $50 per person

Location: Wrentham, Massachusetts

Cheers!

We are pleased to continue our 2012 wine tasting season with a fun and exciting event in September…

September 8, 2012 – Blends vs. Varietals @ 3:00pm

Cost: $50 per person

Location: Wrentham, Massachusetts

Make sure you hold the date – August 10, 2012 – so that you can attend part two in our collaboration with the Duxbury Rural and Historical Society: “Wine and Spirits in the 19th Century,” Session Two: Historical Rums (Click Here to Learn More).

In preparation, I’ve been doing much research, tasting a bevy of rum from many of the far flung islands of the Caribbean, as well as a host of locally produced spirits… Tough work, I know, but someone has to do it and it might as well be me…

I think Wayne Curtis, author of “And a Bottle of Rum,” said it best: Rum is the history of America in the glass. Rum embodies the American laissez-faire attitude more so than any other spirit – Rum can be whatever it wants to be… Rum also owns the title of oldest, commercially-produced spirit, dating to 1703! Given this pedigree, you owe it to yourself to come and learn about this “most noble of quaffs…”

Here’s a tease of what we will be sampling at the event:

Zaya 12 year old – Trinidad Rum

• Sweet, caramel nose with vanilla, cocoa and orange peel essence – lovely. Smooth, with sweet chocolate, caramel, vanilla and butterscotch notes – very easy drinking.

Plantation Extra Old Reserve – Barbados Rum

• Intense caramel nose, sweet with light vanilla and floral hints – pretty. Smooth, creamy with a long smoked caramel aftertaste.

Ron Zacapa Solera 23 year old – Guatemala Rum

• Very light, spicy nose with floral and nutmeg hints. Smooth caramel with coffee and anise. Long, complex finish – almost Brandy-like in character.

Hurricane – Nantucket Rum

• Sweet nose with hints of caramel and vanilla. Smooth, creamy with light caramel and toffee notes – a trifle hot on the finish.

Folly Cove – Gloucester Rum

• Earthy nose with caramel and vanilla – briar wood hints. Light and refreshing – creamy with an edge on the finish.

I anticipate that we will taste between eight and twelve rums, accompanied by a nice selection of heavy appetizers to keep the ship righted…

Yo Ho Ho!

The STAR CHEF DINNER SERIES comes back to Gracie’s in July – Don’t miss what promises to be a remarkable event!

Wednesday, July 11th, 2012

Chef Maria Sinskey

6pm reception

7pm Chef’s tasting

$100.00 per guest plus tax and gratuity

Reservations required (graciesprovidence.com)

Complementary valet parking

Gracie’s welcomes the Sinskey family back to Providence! The award-winning husband and wife team return as part of our Star Chef Series for what is sure to be a memorable evening in July. Chef Maria Helm Sinskey will be collaborating with Gracie’s Chef Matthew Varga in a very seasonally-inspired menu showcasing some of the freshest local ingredients around.

The Savory Grape will be on hand teaming up with Robert Sinskey, vitner, of the family winery, as he talks to guests about the great wines made from vineyards of theirs in the Carneros and Stags Leap District of Napa, and Sonoma Valleys.

Cheers!