Big Fat Wine

This has been the longest duration between posts since we started BigFatWine and what a strange trip it’s been. It has been extremely difficult to concentrate on writing ever since our oldest daughter shared the fantastic news that she is engaged to be married!

We are all beside ourselves and exuberant as we anticipate what the next 12 months will bring! The “topping of the cake” was when she asked me to walk her down the aisle! I think I have cried every day since! Here I go again….This isn’t a right of passage. Nor is it something I personally consider something that has been earned. It is a gift of honor and I cannot think of anything more special and heartwarming. Enough mushiness.

The wedding is taking place at Maragas Winery just north of Bend, OR. What a cool place to get married. The two of them are wine lovers as well so it obviously meshes with the wine lifestyle. Hopefully we will make the journey soon to visit the winery. They appear to have a great selection of affordable wines and I can imagine the excitement as our daughter and her fiance show us around the property. We promise to share once we check it out!

They are such a cute couple! We are so proud of them both. A few months ago, our  future son-in-law met us for dinner, shared his intentions and asked for our blessings. What an honorable young man! He’s got a great family as well and the two families I hope will be a perfect “blend”. My daughters future mom-in-law couldn’t have stated it better when she said…

My Awesome, Handsome, Amazing Son asked his Awesome, Beautiful, Amazing Girlfriend to Marry him today…..and she said YES!!!!!!!!!

Dittos!

Many “thank you’s” to all of your suggestions and comments! We’ve added more celebrities to our page and will continue to add more as we find more!

Celebs sure know what to do when they want to enjoy life!  Below is a partial listing of celebrities who own commercial wineries, wine brands or vineyards.

Boz Scaggs
American singer, songwriter and guitarist
Scaggs Vineyards
Oakville, California

(If you are a celebrity who owns a winery, wine brand or vineyard or you know of one that we missed, let us know and we will add you/them to the list)

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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!

AGIORGITIKO (Ah-yohr-yee-tee-koh)          Greek name:

Character:

Residence:

The best examples of Agiorgitiko come from the Peloponnesian region of Nemea located on the eastern coast of Greece.

Transformation:

Agiorgitiko is frequently produced by Carbonic Maceration, a method in which whole clusters of grapes are fermented under pressure to acheive maximum extraction from a lighter wine. It is often blended with Cabernet Sauvignon to make the popular table wine Katoi. Agiorgitiko is the 2nd most planted varietal in Greece.  Though lighter in style, when grown at high elevations it can produce serious reds of both quality and ageability, exhibiting aromas and flavors of red and black currants and exotic spices. Agiorgitiko also works well as a rose.

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.

A few weeks ago we attended the annual members concert @ Chateau Ste. Michelle. It is always wonderful and our daughters Fiona and Liesel attended which is always a blessing. One of the great wines of the evening was a Gewürztraminer. While we compared tastes, nobody could comfortably pronounce this wine, with the exception of Fiona. I laughed as she accentuated the syllables and it was just plain fun!

Before the music began, I stood in line to purchase a few extra bottles for the duration of the evening. Of course I asked for some Tempestade but for the life of me, could not get the word Gewürztraminer out of my lips. I simply said wine that begins with the letter “G”.

Now I am not promoting perfect pronunciation to impress your friends or those snobs in the tasting rooms. Take the time to at least learn how to say some key words that will best prepare you to order the right glass or bottle. At least you can order more of a variety, rather than only sticking to the ones you can pronounce.

Below is a partial list of words that will come in handy. Enjoy and learn!

BIG FAT WINE PRONUNCIATION GUIDE
A phonetic breakdown of popular wines, grapes, and wine terms

• Albariño[al-bah-ree-nyoh]  Albariño or Alvarinho is a variety of white wine grape grown in Galicia (northwest Spain) and Monção (northwest Portugal), where it is used to make varietal white wines.
• Armagnanc[ahr-mahn-YAK] is made from grapes of the Armagnac region in Southwest France (Gers, Landes, Lot-et-Garonne). It is single continuous distilled in a copper stills and is aged in oaken casks from Gascony or Limousin. Armagnac was the first distilled spirit in France
• Barbera[bar-BEH-rah] Barbera is a red Italian wine grape variety that, as of 2000, was the third most-planted red grape variety in Italy (after Sangiovese and Montepulciano).
• Beaujolais[boh-zhuh-LAY] Beaujolais is a French Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) wine generally made of the Gamay grape which has a thin skin and is low in tannins. Like most AOC wines they are not labeled varietally.
• Bordeaux[bohr-DOH] Major wine region of Southwestern France, along the Dordogne and Garonne rivers. Centered around the city of Bordeaux.
• Brut [BROOT] A general term used to describe dry sparkling white wine
• Cabernet Franc[KA-behr-nay FRAHN (FRAHNGH)] A red grape common to Bordeaux; characteristics include an herbal, leafy flavor and a soft, fleshy texture.
• Cabernet Sauvignon[ka-behr-NAY so vihn-YOHN (soh-vee-NYAWN)] One of the noblest red wine grapes, used in Bordeaux , USA, Australia, Chile, Argentina, South Africa and wherever wine grapes grow. The predominant red grape variety in the world.
• Cava[KAH-vah] A Spanish sparkling wine typically produced in the Penedès region of Catalonia.
• Chablis [sha-BLEE; shah-BLEE] A very dry white Burgundy wine originally from east-central France.
• Chardonnay[shar-dn-AY; shar-doh-NAY] A variety of grape used to make white wine, including champagne and white Burgundy.
• Châteauneauf-du-Pape[shah-toh-nuhf-doo-PAHP] is a town and commune in the Vaucluse département in Provence, in southern France. Its name derives from a castle built by the Popes when they ruled from Avignon.
• Chenin Blanc[SHUH-ihn BLAHN (BLAHNGK) A grape of French origin that produces excellent white wines. It has proven itself highly productive in California.
• Colombard[KAHL-hm-bahrd (Fr. Kaw-lawn-BAHR)] A productive French grape that produces a dry and full-bodied good quality white wine.
• Côtes du Rhone[koht deu ROHN] (Banks of the Rhône) is a wine-growing Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) for the Rhône wine region of France, which may be used throughout the region, also in those areas which are covered by other AOCs.
• Cuvée[koo-VAY] Like the words cask and reserve, cuvee is an unregulated term that some wineries use to indicate a special (or reserve) batch of wine.
• Fumé Blanc[FOO-may BLAHN; BLAHNGK] A term coined by Robert Mondavi for California wines made from the Sauvignon Blanc grape in the style of those made of Pouilly Fumé in the Loire Valley of France.
• Gewürztraminer[guh-vurts-TRAH-MEE-NER] White wine grape best known in Alsace, Germany and the US West Coast. Grows best where there is morning fog and milder climates. Can be bone dry to semi-sweet with 3.5 or more sugar. Marries well with spicy foods.
• Grenache[gruh-NAHSH] The Grenache is grown in southern France, where it is partly responsible for the wines of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Tavel, and many others. It is the mainstay of Rioja, makes port-style and light rose wines in California, and is also grown in South Africa.
• Kir[KEER] Kir is a popular French cocktail made with a measure of crème de cassis (blackcurrant liqueur) topped up with white wine.
• Madeira[muh-DEER-uh] A Portuguese fortified wine that is treated with heat as it ages, giving it a distinctive flavor and brownish color.
• Malbec[mahl-behk] Red wine grape used as a nominal element of the Bordeaux blend, where its intense color and extract add to the wine’s body. Also used as a primary grape in the inky red wines of Cahors and in some Argentine reds.
• Merlot[mehr-LOH; mer-LOH] Merlot is a red wine grape that is used as both a blending grape and for varietal wines. The name Merlot is thought to derive from the Old French word for young blackbird, merlot, a diminutive of merle, the blackbird (Turdus merula), probably from the color of the grape.
• Muscat[MUHS-kat; MUHS-kuht] The muscat family of grapes of the species Vitis vinifera is widely grown for wine, raisins and table grapes. Their color ranges from white to near black. Muscat almost always has a pronounced sweet floral aroma.
• Petite Sirah; Petite Syrah[peh-TEET sih-RAH; peh-TEET see-RAH] Often confused with “real” Syrah, most believe it is actually the lowly French grape, Durif. It has, regardless, turned out some good California examples in both dry and sweet styles
• Pinot Blanc[PEE-noh BLAHN (BLAHNGK)] A white wine grape which makes a dry, full white wine. A good alternate to Chardonnay. Usually less oak than a Chard, since it is rarely fermented in wood but rather in stainless steel tanks. One often denotes scents of melon in Pinot Blanc.
• Pinot Gris[PEE-noh GREE] Pinot gris is a white wine grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. Thought to be a mutant clone of the Pinot noir grape, it normally has a grayish-blue fruit, accounting for its name (“gris” meaning “grey” in French) but the grape can have a brownish pink to black and even white appearance.
• Pinot Noir[PEE-noh NWAHR] Pinot noir is a red wine grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. The name may also refer to wines produced predominantly from Pinot noir grapes.
• Pouilly-Fuissé[poo-yee fwee-SAY] Pouilly-Fuissé is an appellation (AOC) for white wine in the Mâconnais subregion Burgundy in central France, located in the communes of Fuissé, Solutré-Pouilly, Vergisson and Chaintré. Pouilly-Fuissé has Chardonnay as the only grape variety.
• Prosecco [praw-SEHK-koh; proh-SEHK-koh] Prosecco is an Italian wine — generally a dry sparkling wine — made from a variety of white grape of the same name. The grape is grown mainly in the Veneto region of Italy, traditionally in an area near Conegliano and Valdobbiadene, in the hills north of Treviso.
• Riesling [REEZ-ling; REES-ling]  Riesling is a white grape variety which originates in the Rhine region of Germany. Riesling is an aromatic grape variety displaying flowery, almost perfumed, aromas as well as high acidity. It is used to make dry, semi-sweet, sweet and sparkling white wines.
• Rioja[ree-oh-hah] Rioja is a wine, with Denominación de Origen Calificada (D.O.C. Qualified designation of origin) named after La Rioja, in Spain. Rioja is made from grapes grown not only in the Autonomous Community of La Rioja, but also in parts of Navarre and the Basque province of Álava.
• Rosé [roh-ZAY] A rosé (From French: rosé, ‘pinkish’) wine has some of the color typical of a red wine, but only enough to turn it pink. The pink color can range from a pale orange to a vivid near-purple, depending on the grapes and wine making techniques.
• Sancerre[sahn-SEHR]  Sancerre is a French wine Appellation d’origine contrôlée (AOC) for wine produced in the environs of Sancerre in the eastern part of the Loire valley, southeast of Orléans. Almost all of the appellation lies on the left bank of the Loire, opposite Pouilly-Fumé.
• Sangiovese [san-joh-VAY-zeh; san-jaw-VAY-zeh] This red is the predominant grape in Chianti. Makes a hearty, dry red, with flavors of black cherries.
• Sauternes[soh-TEHRN] Sauternes is a French dessert wine from the Sauternais region of the Graves section in Bordeaux. Sauternes is made from Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Muscadelle grapes that have been affected by Botrytis cinerea, also known as noble rot.
• Sauvignon Blanc[SOH-vihn-yohn BLAHN; SOH-vee-nyawn BLAHNGK] Sauvignon blanc is a green-skinned grape variety which originates from the Bordeaux region of France. The grape gets its name from the French word sauvage (“wild”) and blanc (“white”) due to its early origins as an indigenous grape in South West France.
• Semillon[say-mee-YHON; she-mee-YOHN]  Prevalent in France’s Bordeaux region, Semillon is a white wine varietal that’s often found in a blend with Sauvignon Blanc, a unique combination responsible for the region’s dry white wines and their famed sweet dessert wines from Sauternes
• Sommelier [sum-muhl-YAY]  A sommelier (, ), or wine steward, is a trained and knowledgeable wine professional, commonly working in fine restaurants, who specializes in all aspects of wine service as well as wine and food matching. The role is more specialized and informed than that of a wine waiter.
• Syrah[see-RAH] Syrah, originally from Rhne area of France, also known as Shiraz which succeeds admirably in Australia.
• Terroir [teh-RWAHR] French term which has no simple translation into English. It refers to the external influences on the ripening grapes, including the soils (depth and type), bedrock, exposure to sun and wind, water table and so on.
• Verdelho [vehr-DEH-lyoh] Verdelho is a white wine grape grown throughout Portugal, though most associated with the island of Madeira, and also gives its name to one of the four main types of Madeira wine. At the turn of the 20th century it was the most widely planted white grape in Madeira
• Verdicchio [vehr-KEEK-kyoh] A classic Italian variety of the Marche on the eastern coast of Italy, Verdicchio produces bright, lemony wines with high natural acidity.
• Viognier[vee-oh-NYAY] The classic (though rare) white grape of the northern Rhone Valley of France where it makes the expensive wine known as Condrieu. In the early 1990s, more than thirty top California producers began making viognier to much acclaim.

• Majority of definitions gathered from Wiktionary.org

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The members concerts at Chateau Ste. Michelle are one of the highlights of our year.  Because we have duel memberships we get 4 tickets every year and usually attend both events.  This year they set the members events to fall over one weekend.  Woodinville is only about an hour away from home but since we had events both Saturday and Sunday we  booked a room so that we didn’t have to drive home in between (also so we can write about the Willows Lodge in Woodinville, but that’s another blog).

Our two oldest daughters meet us at the winery every year(they are both members too).  After Joel’s surgery Friday I wasn’t sure that we were going to make it, but Joel refused to be kept away.  Spending time with the family is our top priority so we packed up the car and and headed out.  Our timing was perfect.  We arrived, parked and made our way to the line just as the girls walked by.  It couldn’t have been better choreographed if we had planned it ahead of time.

We were also meeting friends and they had gotten in just ahead of us and were setting up our spot just to the left of the stage.   Over the next five minutes we had blankets down, cooler and picnic basket set, plates out and headed up to get our glasses.  The lines for tasting weren’t too bad this year so we had our first tastes quickly.  Over the next two hours we tasted, we talked, we laughed and we enjoyed the perfect day.

Joel bought a couple of bottles of the 2006 Columbia Valley Tempestade – Limited Release  for the concert.

2006 Columbia Valley Tempestade – Limited Release WINEMAKER NOTES
“This is the second Tempestade Red Wine from Chateau Ste. Michelle. Sourced from Portuguese varietals in our Cold  Creek vineyard, this earthy wine delivers pronounced aromas of chocolate, coffee and spice. On the palate, the Tempestade is dense and full, with a rich, layered finish. It is a very bold wine not for the timid.”

And what a bold wine it was.  There were six wines to taste but this was our favorite.  Me, flavors of chocolate and coffee?  You can’t go wrong with that.

The Girls liked the 2009 Columbia Valley Gewürztraminer.

2009 Columbia Valley Gewürztraminer TASTING NOTES
“A fan favorite, this Gewürztraminer is such an enjoyable wine with exuberant fruit and clove spice. This is a lush style of Gewürztraminer with a lot of floral character, yet it still maintains the grape’s natural crisp character. A touch of Muscat offers citrus notes and a deeper spice character. Try this wine with Thai food or any cuisine with a little “bite” to it.” -Bob Bertheau, Winemaker

Natalie MacMaster came on stage and the place lit up.  Ms. MacMaster is entertaining, and plays the hell out of that fiddle. The crowd wanted good music to go with the wonderful day and they weren’t disappointed.  There is something so right about a summer evening, great wine and fiddle music, it just feels natural.

I didn’t know much about Ms. MacMaster before the concert (it never matters who is playing, we always have fun) but I will certainly pick up a couple of CD’s for in-car enjoyment.

We had a wonderful time at this event and this is only the beginning of one fabulous weekend.

As Always,
Love, Laugh, Learn… LIVE!

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