Official State Portal

Arkansas is the home of three AVA’s (American Viticultural Areas); all located in the northwestern portion of the state—the large OZARK MOUNTAIN AVA (which Arkansas shares with MISSOURI and OKLAHOMA) and the smaller AVAs of ALTUS and Arkansas Mountain, both subzones of the Ozark Mountain AVA. In the early 1900s, Arkansas enjoyed abundant vineyards, mostly of CONCORD grapes, an indigenous American variety of the VITIS LABRUSCA species. Unfortunately, wines from these grapes don’t have the popular appeal of VITIS VINIFERA species (the basic European varieties like CABERNET SAUVIGNON and CHARDONNAY). Today, Arkansas winemaking is mostly from HYBRIDS and Vitis vinifera grapes.  Area wineries produce a variety of STILL WINES from Cynthiana (NORTON) grapes or hybrids (like NIAGRA and SEYVAL BLANC), as well as from Cabernet Sauvignon, MERLOT, and Chardonnay grapes. Arkansas also produces SPARKLING WINES. The Wiederkehr Winery, which was started in the late 1800s, is in operation today by the founder’s descendants. It has shifted from American varieties and hybrids to grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon, RIESLING, and MUSCAT.

Back in 1880, two European families settled in the Arkansas River Valley, attracted by its fertile sandy soil and moderate climate. The two pioneers of the American wine industry were Jacob Post, who came to America in 1872, and Johann Wiederkehr, who immigrated to Altus from Switzerland in 1880. (*Check out this short 6 minute video of an interview at Post Familie Vineyards in Altus). Area conditions reminded them so much of the fine wine-making regions of Germany and Switzerland that they each established vineyards, which was the beginning of a wine heritage and viticulture in Arkansas. Wine was made from grapes, berries and fruit native to their new homeland. Since those early years, each added new grape varieties, and cultivated, improved and expanded their vineyards. Today, fourth and fifth generations of these two families, plus Robert Cowie and Audrey House, have contributed to making Arkansas the largest and oldest wine producing state in the South. Paris, Ozark and Altus are located in Arkansas Wine Country, just off Interstate 40 northwest of Little Rock and east of Ft. Smith, near where the Arkansas River winds between the Ozark Mountains and the Ouachita Mountains.

Several area wineries that offer free tours, wine tastings and special events are: Chateau Aux Arc, (pronounced “ozark”) established in 1998 by Audrey House, is known for chardonnay and cynthiana grapes; tasting room open daily 479-468-4400 or 800-558-WINE.

Mount Bethel Winery, owned and operated for more than 100 years by a Post family member, produces a wide variety of locally-grown fruit wines: sip some blueberry, strawberry, blackberry, elderberry, peach, wild plum and, of course, grape! 479-468-2444.

Post Familie Vineyards & Winery, Taste some wine, shop for gifts and local wine, juice, jelly and vinegar; tours available by request. Established in 1880. Open daily. 479-468-2741

Wiederkehr Wine Cellars and Vineyard Tour the original wine cellar (listed on the National Register of Historic Places), which has been converted into the Weinkeller Restaurant, which serves Swiss and European specialties, and wine. Closed major holidays. 800-622-9463.

In Paris, Cowie Wine Cellars Vintner Robert Cowie began making wine in 1955; free wine tastings following tours of the cellars; wine making supplies for sale; amateur wine making competition held in April; home to the Arkansas Historic Wine Museum. 479-963-3990. Visitors to the area can also learn more about the region’s coal mining history at the Altus Heritage House Museum 479-468-4684.

Keels Creek Winery opened in 2006 in Eureka Springs in the Northwest Arkansas Ozark Mountains. In addition to its own label, Keels Creek offers one of the largest selections of Arkansas wines in the state. The 10-acre vineyard contains more than 10 varieties of grapes. Co-owners Doug Hausler and Edwige Denyszyn estimate that the optimal production from the vineyard will be about 40 tons of grapes which will make about 5,000 gallons of wine. The retail wine sales and tasting room are located in a Spanish-style building that is shared with Keels Creek Art Gallery. 3185 East Van Buren. 479-253-WINE (9463)

Arkansas’s newest small farm winery, Raimondo Family Winery, operates its tasting room and produces its wines at Blue Lady Resort in Gamaliel. The Raimondo Family Winery has been producing wine in California for more than two decades.

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Once you’ve realized that you have a passion for the wine lifestyle, it can be a bit confusing as to just where to begin! There is so much information out there and so many opinions!

All of us at Big Fat Wine want to suggest a few essentials to start your journey into the wonderful world of wine. These are only suggestions but they are from our own personal use and experience(s).

CORKSCREW- Purchase a reliable corkscrew. There are some expensive ones out there that you  may want to try but this one we found to be easy and it always works.

AERATOR- We can’t promise this will make a 20 dollar bottle of red wine taste like a 200 dollar bottle, but we have experienced some amazing affects from aeration. Try it! Some young wines need a little boost and this gadget will certainly do the trick.

FOIL CUTTER- A foil cutter comes in handy. Okay, a knife will work just as well but once you slice your finger open in front of your guests, you will definitely want one of these. They are inexpensive so if you try to use it on a screw-top (okay, I broke mine), it can be easily replaced.

TASTING GUIDE- There are multitudes of books out there we can suggest. This one is simple and easy to carry with you. It’s even waterproof! Included is a step by step method for tasting.

WINE COOLER- You can pick up a larger capacity cooler later on once you begin to start your wine cellar but a small cooler is a must.

STEMWARE- The style and quality of the wine glass is highly important. Read our post on selecting the right glass for the right wine. You only need a few to get you started and it is    an essential investment.

WINE- ……………Enjoy!

AGLIANICO (ahl-YAHN-eh-koe)

Character:

Deep ruby in color with black fruit and earth aromas. Powerful and full bodied structure   with firm tannins, high acidity and a long finish.

Residence:

Southern Italy, primarily in Campania and Basilicata.

Transformation:

Aglianico grapes are used to make Taurasi. When young, Taurasi wines are noted for their roughness and high tannins noticeable acidity and a dense concentration of flavors; they’re definitely built for aging. As these wines mature, they can show great balance with subtle fruit flavors and earthy, tarry and chocolaty characteristics. Prior to release, Taurasi wines are aged for a minimum of 3 years, one of which must be in wood barrels. The Riserva has been aged for 4 years.

The vine originated in Greece and was brought to Campania by Greek settlers. The name may be a corruption of Vitis hellenica, Latin for “Greek vine”.[1] Another etymology derives the name Aglianico from a corruption of Apulianicum, the Latin adjective which indicates the whole of southern Italy in the Roman age. In early Roman times, it was the principal grape of the famous Falernian wine which was the Roman equivalent of a First Growth wine today.

Official State Portal

Alaska is the largest state in the United States in terms of land area – if a map of Alaska were superimposed upon a map of the USA, Alaska would overlap Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, New Mexico and Colorado. The climate varies widely throughout the State and temperatures can range from 22ºC (72°F) in high summer to -28ºC (-19°F) in winter. Alaska has been thawing since the mid 1970s and the Columbia Glacier, big enough to dwarf the mountains through which it flows, is melting. It has retreated 8 miles, leaving a litter of floating ice behind it. The permanently frozen ground which covers most of Alaska is thawing for the first time for 125,000 years. If the thaw persists tens of millions of acres of forest will be turned into swamps. Vines could grow grapes in Alaska’s milder areas like Anchorage in the future. This cyclical “Global Warming” (if that doesn’t get me comments nothing will) may make Alaska the new Napa Valley (for a few centuries). There is good in everything!

There are wineries in all 50 United States, but no official vineyards in the state of Alaska, but that doesn’t stop the people from enjoying the grape. There are reportedly 11 licensed wineries operate in the state but I only found 3, typically using a grape concentrate with Alaska berries. Many say they are experiencing strong sales. From salmonberry wine to honey-based meads and yes, onions! read Alaska Wine Wins Hearts

Alaska Wineries

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Official Portal of the state of Alabama

Alabama, “The Heart of Dixie” is known to the rest of us for its peanut industry, sorghum syrup and the NASCAR Super Speedway in Talladega. As difficult as it may be to believe, there are wineries in every one of the 50 states. Although only a handful, Alabama has its share of the wine industry. They love a “good red wan’ like the rest of em’”.  (sorry Bama).

Just by doing a little research about the Alabama wine industry, I was surprised to read that vineyards can only be opened in wet counties where the sale of alcohol is legal. One third of the state is dry! This tends to limit large production which fails to attract national distributors. There are some great winemakers in Alabama but until state regulations ease and legislatures get their nose out the business and in a glass, the rest of us will just have to go to Alabama to enjoy what they have to offer.

The wine industry in Alabama received a significant boost in 2002 when agricultural reforms lifted restrictions on wineries. Most wineries in the state focus on French hybrid grape varieties and the Muscadine grape, rather than vitis vinifera grapes, which are vulnerable to Pierce’s disease. There are no designated American Viticultural Areas in the state of Alabama.  Alabama WineTrail.net has some great driving tours across the state to help you enjoy their wineries. 

Muscadine grapes

Interesting news….

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There are almost as many types of wine glasses as there are wines.  And, yes, the wine glass you use can make difference in the enjoyment of the wine you are drinking.  I wouldn’t go so far as to say that you need a different glass for each type of wine but a cabinet with the basic three can give you great bang for your buck.

A large broad bowled glass for reds.  The fuller bodied the reds you enjoy the larger the glass you need.  A large bowled glass allows for more surface area of the wine to be exposed to oxygen.  Red wine is typically better when well oxidized.    The larger size gives you the ability to get a great swirl going to further aerate your wine and release the bouquet.

A slightly smaller narrower bowled glass for whites and rose.    The smaller narrower bowl helps to keep your white chilled and also helps to focus subtler fragrances making them easier to detect.   While smaller and narrower you still want a glass large enough to comfortably swirl your wine without spilling it.

Finally a good fluted glass for champagne and sparkling wines.  The fluted shape aids in keeping your wine “bubbly” longer and also is really pretty when the bubbles rise the length of the glass.

For all three, look for clear glass or crystal with a thin lip for the best experience.  The clear glass allows you see the color and the thin lip makes sipping more pleasurable.  I know some people who like wine glasses with no stem but for me, unless I’m drinking brandy, mulled or warmed wine, I want a stem.

(tip: don’t hold the glass by the bowl while drinking to keep from warming the wine with your body heat… as we know , wine drinkers are hot blooded)  :)

I suggest that you borrow a selection of glasses from your friends or go to a good tasting bar and ask to test different glassware.   To really get a true idea of the differences drink the same wine from different shape and size glasses.  I was amazed by the difference in a cheap cab when enjoyed from a good glass.  It made all the difference in the world.

By the way, the glasses shown in the photos above and in the strip below are from the Riedel Ouverture series.    This is the everyday stemware that we use at home and love.

As Always,
Love, Laugh, Learn… LIVE!

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Being Washington natives, we often had the same curiosity the rest of you may have….”It rains every day in Seattle, how could they grow any grapes at all?”  But the state is separated into two major regions by the Cascade Mountains. The west which includes the wet and rainy climate we are  not so happily known for, and the east which only averages 8 inches of rainfall (compare to 60 inches in the west). In 1970, there were only 10 wineries compared to more than 500 today! The growth in popularity has been phenomenal, in fact this year the annual Wine Blogger’s Conference took place in Walla Walla, Wa. This was the first time this gathering of approximately 300 wine writers was held outside of the state of California. If it had not been sold out, we would definitely have attended. Are you kidding me? Right next door and we couldn’t get tickets. That will never happen again! The feedback observed so far, has been extremely positive and we believe the attendees were pleasantly surprised at what Washington has to offer in terms of wine production, cultural experiences and outstanding focus on quality and industry practices (and FUN!).

Official Portal for Washington State

Washington has the nations second highest number of Wineries (511), which ranks them second only to California.

Wine Regions (AVA’s) of Washington: Yakima Valley / Walla Walla Valley / Columbia Valley / Puget Sound / Red Mountain / Columbia Gorge / Horse Heaven Hills / Wahluke Slope / Rattlesnake Hills / Snipes Mountain / Lake Chelan

An AVA, or American Vinticultural Area, is a specific grape – growing area within a state or a region recognized by and registered with the federal government. AVA designation began in the 1980′s and is a system styled after the European system (AOC).

*NOTE: If an AVA is listed on the label, at least 85% of the grapes must come from that region.

Major Grapes:

White – Chardonnay (6,000 acres)          Riesling (4,400 acres)          Sauvignon Blanc (990 acres)           Gewurztraminer (630 acres)

Red – Cabernet Sauvignon (6,000 acres)          Merlot (5,800 acres)          Syrah (2,800 acres)

We have two favorites which we strongly encourage you to explore on your own. One is Chandler Reach Vineyards who make a delicious Parris Estate Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. Their “Villa” is in the Yakima Valley (AVA) and you won’t be disappointed during each and every visit. The Villa has a great story behind it and every time we visit, it just keeps getting better!

Our other favorite, not necessarily in that order, is the Chateau Ste. Michelle Winery located in Woodinville. Their full bodied reds, annual membership concerts and romantic atmosphere at the winery is something you must experience on your own!

Fact: Chateau Ste. Michelle is the world’s largest producer of Riesling.

If you want further information on specific wineries, vineyards or wine bars in Washington, this is a great place to start…

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Alot of the above information was acquired from the following resources; “Windows On The World” Complete Wine Course by Kevin Zraly and The Washington Wine Commission WashingtonWine.org.

From day one, starting Big Fat Wine, we decided to take a “no rules” approach to the entire wine lifestyle. That doesn’t mean there aren’t certain rituals that go with the experience but if you get too carried away with proper etiquette you miss out on some of the romance. Following the basic rules about enjoying wine and sharing the joy with your friends is of primary importance. Don’t get bogged down in jargon or complex rules. Don’t pretend to know it all because you can spend a lifetime learning about wine and yet not know enough.

People, who let themselves get intimidated by wine and let that stop them are missing out. They’re missing out on good conversation because each bottle comes with a bit of history and a slice of geography. There’s no other beverage that excites as much animation at the dinner table. They’re also missing out on really enjoying the full experience of good food, nothing enhances good food like good wine.  It’s one beverage that brings out the best in chefs around the world. There is always a wine that is waiting to be paired with just about everything we eat, with the exception of… (nothing I can think of). That’s what makes the wonderful world of wine so exciting, so full of discoveries that take you by surprise.

But you can spoil the party for others by being a wine snob, dropping jargon that other people find hard to understand. There are no rules of wine etiquette, but there’s definitely an unwritten code, and topping it is the commandment that requires you not to bore the hell out of others

You won’t see us displaying or flaunting our wine certifications or degrees in enology here at Big Fat Wine. For one, they simply do not exist. Secondly, to quote Tommy Boy, “I’d rather take a
butcher’s word for it”. Translation: Listen to your friends that truly enjoy wine. Ask them what they like and why they like it. Practice – practice – practice. Try new wines wherever you go. You will only know what you like by identifying what you don’t like. Comparison shopping made simple.

This is not my private vigil to demean education. By all means, listen to the educated. I have read more material this past year than in my entire life! In fact, plans do exist, to register in some educational courses in the future. So I can flaunt my own sommelier red badge of courage? I think not. Just the idea of  learning more about a subject matter that I am so passionate about is extremely exciting! If the credentials come, it will obviously provide a feeling of accomplishment but I presume it will also be a constant reminder of what I still don’t know and have yet to learn.

And lest  we forget…

Rest in peace Chris Farley! We miss you.

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