Think local for a low-cost wine-tasting trip

by Katie Hammel on

When most people think of going on a wine-tasting trip, their thoughts tend to head west – to California, Washington, and Oregon. It’s not surprising. From Napa Valley in California to Walla Walla in Washington, these states are some of the biggest producers of wine in the US. But if you don’t live in one of these states, there’s no need to venture far from home for a weekend of swirling and sipping. In fact, almost every state in the US has at least one winery, so you can enjoy a low-cost wine tasting vacation in a long weekend. Check out these wine-tasting regions in every corner of the country.

Midwest
The Midwest states have traditionally been agriculture centers. Now many farms are trading potatoes and corn for grapes, and opening their doors to tourists. Illinois is home to around 80 wineries located on six wine trails within a few hours of Chicago. Most of Michigan’s 50 or so wineries are located in the west and southwest, near Traverse City or along the coast of Lake Michigan. Even Missouri has five wine trails scattered around the state.

Northeast
New York’s Finger Lakes area is the jewel of the northeast wine region. Nearly 100 wineries are spread along three main wine trails, which surround four beautiful lakes. Not to be outdone, Maryland has almost 30 wineries open for tastings, and even tiny Rhode Island has five.

Southeast
Kentucky is now making a name for itself in the wine world, with over 30 wineries clustered in the north central area of the state. Florida is home to over 15 scattered wineries and Virginia, the largest producer in the region, has nearly 150 wineries on several easy to follow trails.

West/Southwest
Grapes in Arizona? Yep, there are over 20 wineries in the state, most just south of Tuscon. New Mexico has almost 40, most of which are clustered around Albuquerque and Taos, and Texas is home to over 80 wineries, predominantly in Hill Country, south of Austin. Colorado, which has over 60 wineries, boasts the highest grape-growing elevation in the country, and even Nebraska has more than 30 wine producers operating in the state.

Canadian wine?

by Sean McLachlan on

When you think of Canadian food products, wine doesn’t exactly spring to mind. Back bacon and maple syrup, yeah, but wine? Mention Canadian wine and the first reaction you’re likely to get is either laughter or a blank stare.

That’s beginning to change as vintners in the Great White North are proving themselves.

The history of Canadian wines goes way back. Even the Vikings, who visited eastern Canada a thousand years ago, called the place Vinland after the vines of native grapes they found. The Native Americans (called First Nations up here) only used the grapes for eating, but it wasn’t long after British and French immigrants showed up that the first attempts at wine production were made. By the mid-nineteenth century it had become big business.

The major wine growing regions are British Columbia (shown here) and Ontario, with much smaller levels of production in Quebec and Nova Scotia. It should come as no surprise that most of vineyards hug the southern border and much of the wine they make is icewine.
Icewine is produced from grapes that have frozen on the vine. They aren’t harvested until the temperature dips lower than -8 Celsius, which means harvest is often as late as December. The frozen grapes only produce a tiny bit of juice rich with acid and sugar. The resulting wine is a very sweet dessert wine that comes in smaller bottles and is best served chilled and in small glasses. The expensive production process leads to a corresponding price tag. Canadian icewine is considered some of the best in the world.

Some Canadian producers actually import grapes and press them in Canada or mix them with Canadian grapes. These are labeled “Cellared in Canada” and are not true Canadian wines. All Canadian ice wine is the real stuff. Frozen grapes aren’t hard to come by here.

But icewine isn’t the whole story. According to the Canadian Vintners Association, more than thirty varieties are produced in the country. The Rieslings of Ontario were the first to show promise back in the Seventies, and Vidals, Chardonnays, and other varieties have become prominent. Pinot Noir, grown in Niagara, has done so well that Boisset, the largest producer in France’s famous Burgundy region, has joined with Vincor International, Canada’s largest wine company, to build a winery in Niagara dedicated to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

If the French have faith in Canada’s potential, that means something. Who knows? With global warming, Canada may become the new southern Europe.

Auckland’s Waiheke Island: wine paradise

by Jeremy Kressmann on

New Zealand in recent decades has established itself among the world’s wine hot spots, boasting increasingly famous wine-growing regions like Marlborough and Hawkes Bay. But New Zealand visitors thirsty for great wine need not leave greater Auckland to enjoy some of this beautiful country’s best vintages. Instead, just a short ferry ride from downtown is Waiheke Island, home base for the Mudbrick Vineyard a laid-back winery with killer food and wine and some of greater Auckland’s most astounding views.

Getting to Mudbrick from Auckland is a snap, but it feels worlds away from the city’s fast pace. Start by boarding a ferry for the 30 minute ride from downtown, during which you’ll be treated to panoramic views of Auckland’s scenic harbor and skyline, dotted by the plenty of sailboats. Soon you’ll arrive at Waiheke Island, a land mass formed by a long-extinct volcano. After a quick taxi ride from the ferry station, you’ll arrive at Mudbrick.

Situated at one of the island’s highest points, the vistas from Mudbrick alone make it worth the trip. As you enter the property, the vineyard’s vast fields of grapes slope down toward Auckland harbor below in near picture-postcard beauty. Tiny luminous insects dance over the vines in the shining sun and the faint silhouette of Auckland’s skyscrapers is visible in the distance. Once you’re done with the view, make sure to enjoy a wine tasting or a top-notch lunch at the complex’s al fresco patio. As you look out over the rows of grapes from your table, green leaves rustling gently in the salty breeze, a plate of fresh swordfish and glass of Sauvignon Blanc in front of you, you’ll understand why you made the trip. It’s this combination of unspoiled beauty, amazing views and top-notch wine that make Mudbrick Vineyard truly worth the visit.

The wine is green at Kimpton

by Annie Scott on

If you’re into wine and also into taking care of our planet, consider Kimpton Hotels and restaurants for your next jaunt out of town.

As an addition to their lauded EarthCare program, Kimpton restaurants have been refining their wine lists to provide us with more sustainable sustenance. By January 2010, participating restaurants in 21 cities will be stocking a minimum of 30 percent eco-friendly, biodynamic, and organic wines.

So, is green wine any different from regular wine?

“Yes, I find that they’re better wines. I think that extra level of care really translates into the product,” says appropriately named Kimpton master sommelier Emily Wines.

Wines told Tonic.com all about how wine can be made greener — she especially recommends Oregon house Sokol Blosser, where they keep an eye on the local salmon, and rather than air conditioning their cellars, they built a hill over them to keep the wine cool.

To find a participating Kimpton restaurant (maybe even in your own town), visit the website!

Five Travel products for the wine lover

by Scott Carmichael on

Traveling with (or for) wine is not as simple as it used to be. I’m by no means a wine expert, but before 9/11, even I traveled with a pocket corkscrew and foil cutting knife. For a brief period, the TSA banned any and all corkscrews. Nowadays the rules have been relaxed a little – corkscrews are once again permitted, as long as they don’t have a blade.

Of course, wine is a different matter altogether, and unless you are able to pour your bottle into small containers, and store them in a Ziploc bag, you are going to have to check those bottles in your luggage.

In this lineup, I’ve listed five wine related products that can help travelers transport, open, enjoy and learn about their wine.

Packable plastic wine glasses

If you have ever been unlucky enough to have to drink a $100 bottle of wine from a plastic bathroom cup, you’ll learn to appreciate portable plastic wine glasses.

Sure, they may not be as charming as a good set of crystal glasses, but they sure beat the alternative. These glasses are BPA free (which is all the rage nowadays).

Price: $14.85 (for a set of two, with travel pouch)

Where: magellans.com



TSA approved corkscrew

I’ll admit right away that “TSA Approved” isn’t really something granted to a corkscrew. But the Oxo Good Grips corkscrew is one of the better rated corkscrews that doesn’t violate any of the rules laid out by airport security.

That said – when traveling with a corkscrew, it does make sense to keep the product in an outside pocket, because sooner or later, one of the screeners is going to confuse it for a lethal weapon.

This corkscrew is simple to use, and comes with a built in bladeless foil cutter.

Price: $24.99

Where: Amazon.com and most Oxo retailers


BottleWise Duo wine travel bags

Wine travel bags don’t get more sophisticated than this – the Bottlewise Duo holds two bottles of wine (or other bottles).

Bottles are double-protected, from breakage and leakage. Because lets be honest – the only thing worse than losing your wine, is losing it all over your clothes and toiletries.

Price: from $48.95 (for the black version)

Where: www.bottlewise.net


Tide Stain remover pen

Bet you didn’t see this one coming in a lineup of wine accessories?

Anyone who has enjoyed (a little too much) wine on the road will know what a hassle it can be when you spill. Even the smallest drop can ruin a shirt, and possibly screw up your entire wardrobe if you traveled very light.

The Tide To Go mini stain remover pen is brilliant. Unlike a lot of other fabric product promises, this thing really works. I’ve used it on red wine stains on a white shirt, and after applying, and letting it dry, the stain was nowhere to be seen.

Price: about $4.50 at your local store, or $33.06 for a pack of twelve through Amazon.com

Mobile Phone wine applications

When it comes to wine, there are three kinds of people – those that know their wine, those that pretend they know their wine, and those that don’t know and don’t care. I’m in the middle. I like to pretend I know what I’m talking about, and I’ll swirl my glass making it appear like I know what I’m smelling.

For those of you like me, you may want to look into some of the fantastic applications that are available for your mobile phone. One I can highly recommend is “Hello Vino” (for the iPhone/iPod Touch). This free application lets you search for wine pairings based on meal, occasion, taste/style and country/region.

Its database covers thousands of wines, and shows the year, label, star rating, winery, region and flavor description.

Never again will you be at a loss for words when you are asked to describe a wine!

Price: free

Where: iPhone/iPod Touch App store