Monthly Archives: July 2013

My Wine-y Summer Reading Pick

“Gewurztraminer is very much like a rock band that will perform only if the organizers can deliver on a long list of silly demands.” ~ Evan Dawson

When you’re on vacation, time and space have a tendency to stand still. At least they should. It’s when you get back that everything goes from zero to sixty. I had been hoping to have a few spare moments to sit down and write but reality had its own plans for the last week. And even when I got the rare chance, I’d look at the blank screen and wait for divine inspiration. And wait. And then I’d get a glass of wine and wait. And then I began to think about the moments on the dock when I settled into my book and let time evaporate.

Summer in a Glass by Evan Dawson is a great exploration into the world of winemaking in the Finger Lakes. He takes you to thirteen wineries, giving a detailed back story about how each of the winemakers got their start; how they knew that that they only ever really wanted to make wine,  and what, despite some serious hardships, brought them to the Finger Lakes region to ply their craft. He paints a lucent picture of their highs and lows, and how they all seemed to find a home in these vineyards and, for the most part, with each other.

Dawson’s tome is great study of a region, and of winemakers who ~ against many odds ~ produce some very interesting wines. They are as diverse a cast of characters as you’ll ever find, who do their thing with a lot of heart.

Cheers!

©TheWineStudent, 2013

Tales From the Dockside: Cool Breeze, Warm Zin

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After today’s storms blew through Muskoka, a chill in the air descended. In order to take away the residual chill, I knew I would need a glass of wine that was rich, creamy and warm. Past experience taught me that a great Lodi Zinfandel would fit the bill. so HubbyDoug and I went on a quest: to find a Zin in cottage country. On a ‘staff recommended’ display at the local LCBO, we got lucky and found a ’10 Seven Deadly Zins. Perfect! We enjoyed it with our dinner, and afterwards while lazily watching the kites flying over the evening sky. 

It even went well with our fireside S’mores. I’d say of the seven deadly Zins listed on the label, we indulged in a bit of gluttony and sloth. We’ll make sure we clean up our act by tomorrow. 

Cheers!

 

 

Summer Chiller

ImageI hit the dock and realized I’d forgotten the most essential thing. I’ve been enjoying some great white wines this summer, especially Sauvignon Blanc from a variety of regions. But I had nothing to enjoy with this sunny day. At the local LCBO, I happened to find a blend that looked promising. The ’10 Generation Seven White – a Niagara mash-up of Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc and Gerwurztraminer spoke to me, in part, because of the grape varieties, the label art and because I thought that since it was a’10, there might be a significant melding of essences that might not be present in a younger vintage. 

I found it to be a nice, chill little wine to enjoy on the dock, watching the world go by. It was lightly herbaceous on the nose and tasted of tart apple with an undercurrent of fresh celery. I didn’t pair it with anything but a good book and the occasional ‘how are ya!’ to a passing boater. 

Cheers!

 

Cheers!

ImageIt came in the big envelope, which almost always means good news. I passed my WSET Foundation exam! Scoring a 97, HubbyDoug wondered aloud, “What happened to the other 3 percent?!” Quite the joker, he is. To celebrate, he decided to play sommelier and chose a ’10 Sean Minor Pinot Noir. Lovely! As we sipped, I thought about how long it had been since I had to commit facts and details to memory; it had been a while. As it turned out, I didn’t need to worry. 

My brain isn’t quite as mushy as I thought.

Cheers!