The Shenandoah Valley Wine Growers Association

It occurred to me the other day as I was quietly enjoying my back yard, listening to the excitable Blue Jays causing a commotion in my birch trees, that real, true friends are hard to come by. I set out the wine baskets on the patio table waiting for a dear friend to visit. It had been years since I had seen this woman, whom I have known since sixth grade. We survived the angst of those difficult teenage years together, and later when we had children, we anxiously compared notes as to how best to raise them, hoping they would all grow up to be happy adults.

Here she was, looking no worse for wear in the five years since I have seen her kind and open face. We dug into the wine baskets and each had a glass of shimmery Pinot Noir, happily catching up on time lost. After the sharing of family photos and reminiscing about our youth, it was time for her to leave.

Both of us promised to stay in touch, knowing it would probably be another five years until we saw each other again, but true friends last forever.

I am recently exploring the idea of inviting people to come through my vineyard where I grow approximately ten acres.  Currently, I have confined visits to my property to just tastings of my wine for guests and I was thinking of offering a more all-encompassing experience for the guests. 

People taking the time to come out to my estate deserve a little more than a quick tasting with a few appetizers.

The worry I have with this addition of a tour around the vineyard is whether the land can take the constant traveling over the area.  I do not want anyone touching anything in fear of disturbing the process and I will have to cut my normal groups I invite up in half in order to keep the rules enforced. 

However, I feel this is necessary because I feel that smaller and more intimate groups may experience the vineyard a lot better.  Have any of you all tried this?  Has it yielded any negative side effects for any reason?

Wine tasting parties are a wonderful way to gather a few close friends together, for a night of fine wines and delicious cheese. It is best to decide ahead of time what varieties of wines and cheese pairings will be best suited to your particular guests. Many wine guides can be found, that can assist you in choosing the appropriate cheese to compliment a particular wine. You should start with selecting a few good bottles of wine from your wine gift baskets. Make sure to keep the wine tasting experience interesting, by providing a mix of red and white wines.

Take care to set the table in wine inspired linens with an appropriately themed centerpiece, such as red and white grapes, arranged in wicker gift baskets. Don’t forget to offer an assortment of crackers as well, to compliment the cheese and cleanse the palette in between wine sampling. Some wine and cheese pairings to consider: Chardonnay and Parmigiano-Reggiano, Beaujolais and Muenster, Riesling and Monterey Jack.  There are many more combinations, depending on what wines you decide to offer.  Whatever you serve, the wine tasting party will sure to be a fun filled evening.

Wine tours are a fun, relaxing way to spend the day with a group of friends, or that certain someone. Wine tours come in a variety of shapes and sizes, from the “get on the big bus and go with us” tours to hiring a driver and seeing the trail at your own pace and even the let’s-draw-straws-and-the-looser-is-the-designated-driver tours. No matter which you choose, here are a few simple things you can do to make the day go smoothly.

The most important thing is to know who your driver is. Honestly folks, a little taste here and a little taste there really can add up. Have your designated driver lined up and supplied with non- alcoholic beverages. The second most important thing is to know where you are having lunch, or at least have an idea of where lunch is. You do not want to be doing a day long wine tour with no food. Many wineries today have very restaurants as well.

Last but not least, keep a note book, or have your designated driver keep notes for you so you can recall your favorite wines and be able to pick them up at your local supplier long after the tour is over. Do all of these things and you are going to have a wine tour experience to write home about!

Anyone have a corporate summer party this year? I used to love the company picnics. I got to meet the spouses and children that my co-workers always talked about and I could mingle with the bosses without the stress of the office. The only thing I didn’t like was trying to figure out what to take and in what container.

I usually ended up taking my famous cinnamon rolls. Not because they fair well in the summer heat, or
because I could transport them in a couple ziplock baggies and arrange them on a paper plate after arriving at the get together, but because people always requested them! My co-workers would see me arriving and literally come out to my vehicle so they could get a few before the rush.

The batch would usually be almost gone before I got from the parking lot to the field - Now that’s an entrance! Cinnamon rolls - the perfect corporate party dessert.

• Napa Valley is California’s number one tourist attraction.
• One average bottle of wine contains 0 .75 liters.
• It takes approximately 2 1/2 pounds of grapes, eight bunches, to make one bottle of wine.
• 2 1/2 lbs of grapes is about 800 grapes.
• This equals between three and five bottles of wine per grapevine, depending on the yield.
• 85% of the vine’s flowers will not set and become grapes.
• One acre will yield approximately two tons of grapes which will produce right around 4000 bottles.
• Each typical glass of wine is about 6.4 ounces.
• Each serving has between 130-150 calories depending on the type,whites having less that reds.
• Grape juice has about 130 calories.

Icewine is very rare. it is one of the most delicious luxurious wines you will ever find. 1794 was a very harsh cold year. So as not to waste the precious grapes, wine makers pressed the frozen orbs anyways. Each grape only produces one drop of juice when pressed frozen. Incidentally they found that the wine made from these icy fruits were smooth and and extremely sweet.

The taste is initially a well-balanced fruity, acidic flavor and ends with a crisp, refreshing burst. The cost of Icewine can range from $45 to over $300 due to the risk involved in allowing perfectly fine grapes to sit on the vine until deeply frozen.  Once you’ve tasted the magical flavors, you will be hooked. Pair this with some gourmet snacks and you have the perfect compliment to your dinner party.

The Bordeaux region of France produces over 700 million bottles of wine each year. It is one of the largest wine growing regions, second only to La Rioja, Spain, and produces some of the most expensive and respected wines. In the late 1800s, every vineyard in the region was destroyed by an infestation of phylloxera, a small root eating insect. This region has survived many hardships. It has persevered and produced popular varieties such as Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and many more. There are a few great books that will teach you about this historical region.

Noble Rot: A Bordeaux Wine Revolution by William Echikson

Bordeaux: A Consumer’s Guide to the World’s Finest Wines by Robert M. Parker

These books make outstanding additions to every home library and are excellent gifts for any wine lover you know. Pair them with a Picnic a la Francaise basket for a gift they will never forget.

A memorable gift should be easy to find for the wine lover in your life. It just takes a little bit of preparation. When visiting, take notice of what excites that person. Is it certain types of wine, classy trivets, or  corkscrews? Many people collect corkscrews. Corkscrews come in lots of different styles, some contemporary and others fun. Wine totes are another good choice. Totes will keep that perfect bottle safe and cool while riding in a vehicle or basket. Going to a party? Wine tasting kits can be a fun gift for the host or hostess. Decanters are timeless gifts of many shapes and styles.

The neatest one I’ve seen so far is globe shaped. Imported wines are sure to please the gift recipient. The Wines of the World Cellar Collection offers wines from four different regions. After you purchase the wine, one will always need someplace to properly store their wine so investing in a good wine rack for him/her is greatly appreciated. With a little investigating and some Internet searching, you are sure to find that perfect gift.

Local wines all around the world are favored by tourists and visitors for their unique blend and taste. If you visit any of the wine producing areas, then most probably your host would make you taste the local specialty.

Moreover, you can also ask for the local wines from the bartender at the local pub or the restaurant. They would be happy to serve their best flavor. If you like the flavor you can opt to purchase the wine at the bar or even look for the wine baskets online. The local wine baskets are available aplenty on the Internet and most of them offer prompt deliveries at your doorstep.

Have you ever gone to a wine valley before?  If not, the time has come for you to make that journey.

If you are a true wine lover, you will fall in love with a great wine valley.  Shenandoah Wine Valley Country provides some of the best wines on the market.  They offer free wine tasting’s and plenty of opportunities for you to decide what you like.

If you have acquired a taste for wine, then going to a wine valley would force you to take your acquired taste to the next level.

We want to remind you to take the plunge.  Get out there and see what’s available.

There’s way more than you can think of.