Some Wineries are Banning Buses to Avoid ‘Limo Lushes’

by Martha Edwards on

Some California wineries are taking action against ‘Limo Lushes’ — those uncouth hooligans who head for wineries for the purpose of getting drunk, rather than sampling wine. The nerve! Who would have the audacity to go to a winery to get drunk. Um …. well, me, for one. Call me crazy, but I think one of the appeals of visiting a winery is the chance to get a buzz on in the afternoon for free, provided you’re not driving and you don’t get too obnoxious or out-of-control. But then again, I don’t have the most sophisticated palate (I think that much is obvious)

Some wineries are going to start banning tour buses, and they’ll even start charging for samples too. In Long Island, some wineries even have a policy in which they can kick out too-rowdy tasters. Here are suggestions for following proper winery etiquette:

  • Don’t treat the tasting room like it’s happy hour. You’re there to sample, not go crazy
  • Don’t monopolize the tasting counter — let someone else have a try.
  • And for the love of pete, don’t get rowdy and obnoxious. Stealing is not funny. This isn’t your neighbourhood pub.

Perhaps in the future, I’ll choose brewery tours over wineries. I think it’s more my style.

(via Reuters)

Sustainable Farming Wine Tours (In California, of course!)

by Neil Woodburn on

Here’s a nice little responsible twist to the wine tasting industry.

Oenophiles interested in protecting the environment while polluting their own can now tour wineries that practice sustainable agriculture.

Sustainable Vine Wine Tours, based in Santa Barbara, California whisks guests throughout the Santa Ynez Valley visiting responsible wineries and socially conscious viticulturalists. There’s plenty of product sampling, of course, and opportunity to try out some very fine wines that aren’t produced at the expense of the planet.

This, of course, now makes getting drunk a socially responsible activity. Cheers!

Clif Bars now Producing Wine

by Neil Woodburn on

Clif Bars are a staple part of any backpacking trip I’ve ever been on.

These chewy energy bars, in my opinion, are the best on the market–they are neither too much like cookies nor too much like paste. They’ve got great flavors such as Cool Mint Chocolate, Peanut Toffee Buzz, Crunchy Peanut butter and they are all packed with carbohydrates, protein, and fiber to increase blood sugar levels and boost energy.

The family owned business, which has done quite well providing outdoorsmen with all the healthy nutrients they need, are now branching out to a product with entirely different benefits: wine.

Clif Bar Family Wines comes to us from a plot of land in Napa Valley on which the family practices sustainable farming. So far, the vineyards have produced just four vintages:

The Climber, 2004 North Coast Red Wine
Kit’s killer cab, 2003 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Gary’s Improv, 2003 Napa Valley Meritage
Syrah, 2004 Napa Valley

Bottles range from $15 to $35 and can be purchased here.

I haven’t tried any myself but certainly will. In the meantime, it brings a smile to my face that after decades of getting us to the top of mountains, the Clif family is now providing entertainment for us once we’re there.

Warwick: Sip Wine at Applewood; Dine at Ten Railroad

by Kelly Amabile on

I meant to write about Warwick last week, so you’d still have enough advance notice to make a visit for the Shawangunk Wine Trail Festival. But it’s too late now, so you’ll just have to make note for next year. The event has a really cool travel theme — every year for Around the World in 80 Miles each of the 11 participating vineyards represent a different country. They serve international cuisine that complements the local wines, and provide cultural entertainment about each country.

Two weeks before this annual event I visited one of the participating locations, Applewood Orchards and Winery, where for just three bucks you can taste six wines. The actual space where the tastings take place is fairly small, but the scenic grounds include a rose garden, barn with rotating art exhibits and a few token sheep and chickens.

We snacked on oyster crackers while sipping wines, but decided to head into downtown Warwick afterward for a late lunch/early dinner. The village was much quieter than Rhinebeck, partially because it was a Sunday afternoon, but also because Warwick is tucked away in a different part of the Hudson Valley — still accessible by train to NYC, but located on the opposite side of the river in more rural Orange County.

An artist at the winery told us to try Ten Railroad, which serves a well-done mix of Spanish, Italian and American dishes. The waitress told us that the chef was fairly new — I’m not sure how new, but it didn’t matter. The food was delicious and very affordable. Portions were generous and tasty — calamari, shrimp scampi, salmon — and service was excellent. The owner is originally from Asturias in Spain, so there is paella on the menu too. I’m guessing it’s pretty darn good.

Places in America: Travelistic

by Erik Olsen on

I’m a bit of a video snob, but I love wine, so I was a bit conflicted watching this new video from the good folks at Travelistic. The video, part of a series called Places in America takes us on a tour of the Fess Parker winery in Northern California. We even get to meet Fess Parker himself, a one-time movie star (remember the black and white Daniel Boone?), though that aspect of who he is is not fleshed out in the vid (I had to google him).

Anyway, as I say, since I produce video stories for a living and am both a traditionalist and someone who enjoys a certain rawness, I both loved and hated this video.

Jerky camera movements are one thing, but when it seems like the cameraman is drinking wine while he’s filming, well, that’s too raw. And the rather weak acting scene here was kinda silly and distracting. That said, it’s a nice little piece of travel journalism that takes you to the winery and teaches you a little bit about running one. I give it a hesitant thumbs up.

Overall, though, the folks at Travelistic are dong some killer work, and urge you to go over there and browse their ever-growing selection of online travel vids.