Bierzo: Wine on Spain’s Pilgrim Trail

Wines and mines have been part of Bierzo’s history since Roman times. After the remains of Saint James were discovered in the ninth century, pilgrims, too, became part of Bierzo’s heritage. In fact, some locals will tell you that the Mencía grapes grown in Bierzo were first brought to the region by pilgrims headed toward the famous cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, where Saint James is buried. Monks who came to Bierzo from France to serve the pilgrims expanded the area’s vineyards. The history of Bierzo is tied to its vineyards, mineral resources and monastic tradition.

Dessert Wine: Recommendations to Serve with Fruit Cobblers & Crumbles

It's hard to find someone who dislikes a good crumble at the end of a meal (or for a sinister midnight snack). IntoWine.com asked our panel of wine experts to recommend a dessert wine to serve with fruit cobblers and crumbles: To more accurately answer this question, it really does depend on the type of cobbler or crumble. If the fruit base is red berry, then a red based dessert wine is called for. My favorite, crumbles and cobblers are, however, apple and peach. For those, a white grape based dessert wine makes sense. I would look to those from the Loire valley in France. For my money, the very best of these is from the Baumard winery and the Quart de Chaumes appellation. Right now the 2005 and 2006 Baumard Quarts de Chaumes are available in the market. 2005 was a fantastic vintage in the Loire. 2006, while classic, is not far behind. Both have great acidity that makes for a grand food match. Buy the 2005 Baumard Quarts de Chaumes As a bonus, these wines are available in half bottle formats (375 ml). A little dessert wine goes a long way. A half bottle can serve 6 (maybe 8) people for dessert. These wines are not inexpensive though. A half bottle can cost $35. Yet, this is one of the greatest bottles of wine in the world. The wine has wonderful apple and peach notes with hints of vanilla. It is slightly sweet but will not overpower a sweet dessert. The acidity brings everything together wonderfully. It is certain to be the hit of any dinner party. - Loren Sonkin , IntoWine.com Featured Contributor and the Founder/Winemaker at Sonkin Cellars.

2008 Hospice du Rhone Events: Highs & Lows of American Rhone-style Wines Tasted

The Rhone Report: About Rhone and Rhone-Style Wines and Winemakers is part of an ongoing series. The 16th annual Hospice du Rhone events in Paso Robles, California from May 1 to 3, 2008 was an opportunity to consider Rhone-style wines from a fresh perspective. Unlike most tasting opportunities, these events included Rhone-style wines from the Rhone Valley itself (51 wineries), elsewhere in France (4 wineries) as well as from Spain (4 wineries), Australia (17 wineries), South Africa (6 wineries), Chile (2 wineries), Argentina (1 winery) and the United States. The American wines were mostly from California (144 wineries), but a few examples from Arizona (2 wineries) and Washington State (5 wineries) were also included. While this is a California-dominated event, and while many of the Rhone Valley’s best producers aren’t represented, there is still sufficient European and other entries to make for interesting comparisons and contrasts. The events included two general tastings and a series of focused seminars.

Left-Bank Bordeaux Wines: Saint-Julien AC

Located in the middle of the Haut-Médoc district of the Left Bank in Bordeaux, Saint-Julien is the smallest of the fantastic four appellations which include Saint-Estèphe and Paulliac to the north as well as Margaux to the south. So what sets Saint-Julien apart from the rest of the Haut-Médoc ACs?

Red Wine Pairing Suggestions for Grilled Steak

Summertime is the season of backyard barbecues and grilled steak. IntoWine.com asked our panel of wine experts to recommend a red wine to pair with that summertime staple, grilled steak: When I have a grilled steak , it’s a special occasion. The meat itself is a treat, so the wine doesn’t need to be anything complicated or expensive—just solid, red and balanced, with good body and acidity to stand up to the entree. A Bordeaux or one of the more balanced California Cabernets or Bordeaux blends always works well, as does a solid Merlot. The advantage of a Merlot is that it doesn’t need all the bottle age that most Cabs do to be food friendly. California Merlots also tend to be a good value, and some of my favorites, which are ideal with steak, come from A. Rafanelli, Castello di Amorosa, Darioush, Peju Province and Robert Keenan.

Pinot Grigio: Italy's Trentino-Alto Adige Region Produces a Great Summer Sipping Wine

Summertime. For many of us that is the time for a cool white wine. Of course many of them are produced in Italy. One of the more commercially successful whites is the Pinot Grigio from Italy. Specifically, those produced in the north-eastern province of Trentino-Alto Adige. Surrounded the Alps and Dolomites, and bordering Austria and Switzerland, this is the northern most region in Italy. The area is mountainous with only about 15% of the land being farmable.

The Ahr: Germany’s Red Wine Valley

Many years ago, a Navy friend brought us a bottle of German wine as a hostess gift. Brian was elated because he’d found this wine in the U.S. I was surprised to discover that the gift was German red wine from a region I’d never heard of, the Ahr. No surprise, Brian told us – the Ahr is a very small wine region that produces mostly red wines, so it’s very hard to find Ahr wines outside of Germany.

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