Toledo Museum of Art Announced Wine By The Glass Pavilion Schedule for June

Image by mmeiser2 via Flickr

The Toledo Museum of Art has announced its schedule for the popular Wine by the Glass Pavilion series. The events are held Fridays from 7 to 9:30 in the Glass Pavilion. During these drop-in wine tastings you can enjoy four wines, light snacks, and a view of glassmakers working in the Hot Shop. Prices are $15 for members and $20 for nonmembers.

• June 3 Summertime Reds
• June 10 Organically Grown
• June 17 Wines for the Barby
• June 24 South American Vinhos

The museum is located at 2445 Monroe St.

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Favorites Abound At Charmed & Cherished Event

There’s a lot to like about the Charmed and Cherished benefit wine tasting held May 19 at the Toledo Club. The event supports Cherished Friends of Ahava which has provided patients who are newly diagnosed or currently in treatment for cancer with a day of pampering at the Ahava Spa.

On top of the very worthy cause, there is some very nice wine. For 2011 the event moved to the Toledo Club from its former location at The Docks. The new locale makes all the difference. For the past two years, the event has been crowded with long lines and barely enough room to raise your glass.

This year the Toledo Club used the main entryway for a nice spread of food. A room on the left was used for the wine tasting and a room on the opposite side was used for the silent auction. The beautiful décor, high ceilings and natural lighting created a light and airy mood for the event. By separating the eaters, auction-goers and wine tasters there was no feeling of being cramped.

Special thanks to Heidelberg Distributing for providing the wine and the friendly servers.

Here were some of the favorites of the TWAV tasting crew:

• 2007 Mt. Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon
• 2008 Sledgehammer Zinfandel, Central Coast
• 2006 Conch Y Toro Reserve Chardonnay Amelia
• 2008 Columbia Crest Amitage
• 2008 Robert Mondavi Private Selection Meritage
• 2008 Chateau St. Jean California Cabernet Sauvignon
• 2008 Banfi Centine Toscana
• 2008 Hogue Genesis Merlot

Technorati Tags: wine

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Lone Oak Vineyard Estate Plans Memorial Day Party

Image via Wikipedia

Lone Oak Vineyard Estate, 8400 Ann Arbor, Grass Lake, Michigan, has scheduled a special party on the deck Saturday, May 28th 11:00 AM to 8:30 PM to kick off summer this Memorial Day weekend! The event will be a day of great wine, great food and great music.

The appetizer menu is available all day, plus some specials that include: Pulled Pork Sandwich, Tropical Chicken Salad in a Multi-grain Wrap, and Grilled Chicken, Pecan & Stawberry Salad w/Raspberry Vinaigrette. All, of course, pair well with the Lone Oak wines.

There will be free live music on the deck by the ever popular local band, "Act III" from 4:30 to 8:30.

To help remembering the brave and selfless service of our armed forces, past and present, and those who made the ultimate sacrifice, Lone Oak Vineyard Estate will donate 10% of proceeds for all wine sales on May 28th to the VFW National Home for Children in Eaton Rapids, MI. This fine organization provides a host of services to the families of veterans and active military personnel. You can get more information at: www.vfwnationalhome.org.

Technorati Tags: wine

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Wine Tastings & Events: May 25-28, 2011

Wednesday, May 25

The Andersons, Sylvania, Wine Tasting. 6-8 PM. We are proud to welcome the Toledo Symphony String Quartet. 1. Picollo GaviI, 2. Gini “Il Novecento” Chianti Riserva, 3. Franciscan Magnificat, 4. Quady Electra Orange Muscat. $10.50 per flight or nominal fee per sample.

Beer and Wine Cave, 4400 Heatherdowns, (419) 382-6221. 6-9 PM. Washington Wines Part 2. $15.

Manhattan’s Restaurant, 1516 Adams Street, Toledo. Wine Tasting with Uptown Vineyard. 6:30 PM. $15. Five wines and appetizers. In Union Square room. Reservations required. Email info@uptownvineyard.com or call (866) 276-1984.

Thursday, May 26

The Andersons, Maumee, Wine Tasting. 5-7 PM. Pizza wines: 1. Marchese Montefusco – Nero d’ Avola – Sicilia, 2. LeVignate – Montepulciano d’ Abruzzo – Italy, 3. 6th Sense – Syrah – Lodi, California, 4. Leese-Fitch – Merlot – California. $4.00 per flight or nominal fee per sample.

The Andersons, Talmadge Road. Wine Tasting. 6-8 PM. Italian Wine Month - Wines from the South of Italy and Sicilia: 1. Tuburno Falanghina, 2. Arancio Nero D’Avola, 3. Tacco Barocco Primativo, 4. Feudo di San Nicola Negromaro, 5. San Pietrana Salice Salentino, 6. Tenuta Cureza Barrique Nerosso, 7. Harmonium Nero D’Avola. Nominal fee per sample.

Beer and Wine Cave, 4400 Heatherdowns, (419) 382-6221. 6-9 PM. Washington Wines Part 2. $15.

Corks Wine and Liquor, Promenade Plaza, 27250 Crossroads Pkwy., Rossford – (419) 872-6800. 6-9 PM.The Best of Solera: Solera is a fine wine importer and distributor based out of Dublin, Ohio. Their portfolio is jam-packed with awesome wine from all over the globe, with a strong emphasis on Italy, France, and California. Join us as we welcome the brand new Solera rep, and real classy guy, Jeremy Fry. He's pretty cool, and has a lot of great wine, so this should be a super tasting! Nominal fee per sample.

Friday, May 27

Aficionado Wine and Cigars, The Shoppes at RiverPlace, 26567 N. Dixie Highway, Suite 135, Perrysburg, (419-873-4444). 5:00 – 8:30 p.m. Picnic Wines: 1. Uvaggio Vermentino, 2. Chateau de Campuget Rose, 3. Mi Terruno Bonarda, 4. Valckenberg Dornfelder. $10 tasting.

Corks Wine and Liquor, Promenade Plaza, 27250 Crossroads Pkwy., Rossford – (419) 872-6800. 6-9 PM.The Best of Solera: Solera is a fine wine importer and distributor based out of Dublin, Ohio. Their portfolio is jam-packed with awesome wine from all over the globe, with a strong emphasis on Italy, France, and California. Join us as we welcome the brand new Solera rep, and real classy guy, Jeremy Fry. He's pretty cool, and has a lot of great wine, so this should be a super tasting! Nominal fee per sample..

Saturday, May 28

Aficionado Wine and Cigars, The Shoppes at RiverPlace, 26567 N. Dixie Highway, Suite 135, Perrysburg, (419-873-4444). 5:00 – 8:30 p.m. Picnic Wines: 1. Uvaggio Vermentino, 2. Chateau de Campuget Rose, 3. Mi Terruno Bonarda, 4. Valckenberg Dornfelder. $10 tasting.

The Andersons, Woodville Mall. 1-3 PM. Saturday wine tasting: 1.FlipFlop Pinot Noir, California, 2010, 2. Villa Sorono Pinot Grigio, Italy, 3. La Fiera Moscato, Italy, 4. Red Rock Reserve Merlot, California, 2007. $2.00 per flight or nominal fee per sample.

Walt Churchill’s Market, 3320 Briarfield. Maumee, (419) 794-4000. Memorial Day on the Patio – A Three-Course Cafe-Style Wine Lunch. $50. Limited to 30 people. Lunch starts at 1:00pm.  Must buy tickets in advance. The Patio opens with this casual, yet delicious Café fixed-price menu that recalls the outdoor dining of Western Europe, but with an American flair. Each course is perfectly paired with a delicious glass of wine.

 

Walt Churchill's Market, 26625 Dixie Hwy, Perrysburg, (419) 872-6900. 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM. Summer whites and Barbeque Reds. Live entertainment. Nominal fee per sample or by the flight.

Technorati Tags: wine

[Information on tastings can be sent to TWAV@ATT.NET.]

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Karlo Estates 2008 Pinot Noir VQA Prince Edward County

Although I’ve tasted a fair amount of Ontario wine, I’ve never tasted any from Prince Edward County, which is on the north shore of Lake Ontario. The area was named a designated viticultural area under Canada’s VQA system in 2007 and now boasts 30 wineries. At TasteCamp North I was fortunate to receive this bottle of Prince Edward County Pinot Noir.

The driving force behind Karlo Estates is owner and winemaker Richard Karlo, who was making award winning wines for 20 years before opening his own winery.The initial planting of the vineyard was in 2006 and includes Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Fontenac Noir. The wines are made in the Old World style, with lower alcohol levels and less use of oak. The limestone soil and cool climate allow for wines with character.

This Pinot has a delicate black cherry flavor with slight pepper notes. The body is very light. Although enjoyable, complexity is needed to elevate it to the level of really good Pinot.The bottle shows promise not only for this winery, but for the wines of Prince Edward County as well.

Technorati Tags: wine

 

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A Wine From Canada… Really? Niagara Winemakers Seek Respect on the World Stage



The elegant Chateau Des Charmes winery,

 The first of our reports from TasteCamp North, a special Niagara wine event on both sides of the border for international wine writers.

I can’t be the only person who is more familiar with the wines from France, Chile, Spain, Italy and Australia than with the wines of our northern neighbor. It’s simply much easier to stroll into a wine shop and bag a wine from the Loire, let’s say, than find a Chardonnay from the Niagara Peninsula, which is thousands of miles closer.

It’s a crying shame. The wine industry in Ontario has grown and matured for nearly 200 years. The fruits are now apparent in glorious wines that cover a wide spectrum, world class wineries and skilled winemakers that are trekking to this up-and-comer on the world stage. Oh yeah, the Americans are also taking advantage of the spectacular terroir with the growth of the Niagara USA wine region.



Chateau Des Charrmes vineyard'

 Ontario wineries take advantage of a temperate climate, enhanced by the diversity of glacial soils and the moderating effect of the Great Lakes, to produce mature fruit and complex wines. Ontario wine country is located similar in latitude to southern France. The daily temperatures fluctuate providing conditions for balance between acidity and fruitiness.

Some observations.

• The Niagara wineries offer an outstanding variety, not just ice wines. Get ready for some outstanding Merlot, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc and Meritage blends in addition to great Cab Franc, Riesling and Gewürztraminer.
• Many of the wineries are huge operations but unknown to us since the wines aren't widely distributed in the U.S.
• Some of the winery buildings are architectural masterpieces with a tendency toward clean, modern lines. The winery tasting rooms range from wine country casual to world class showrooms.




No one went hungry at TasteCamp North.


• You will enjoy a top shelf wine tasting experience. Forget cheap industrial glasses or (gasp) plastic. Most wineries we visited served samples in high end crystal stemware including Reidel.
• Much of the wine is pricey with costs of $35 to $45 Canadian very common. Sixty-nine percent of a wine’s price in Canada is taxes. It is one way the country funds its health care system.
• The quality wines are just the “cherry on top” of a great wine country experience that includes superb scenery, cultural events and top tier restaurants and dining.

More TasteCamp reports will follow. In the meanwhile,these two links will serve to whet your appetite.
Wine Country Ontario
Niagara Wine Trail USA


Special cellar tasting at Vineland.



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