Wine Culture

What's an appropriate wine to serve at a Boston Red Sox themed party? What wine would be a good gift for a hard core Red Sox fan? If you've ever been to a Boston Red Sox baseball game, you already know that the Red Sox Nation, as the team's fans are known, is loyal to the point of obsession. Even at away games, you will see a literal sea of red shirts, worn by the Red Sox' devoted fans. Forbes Magazine named Red Sox fans the "best sports fans in the nation" for 2010. Which wines would be best to serve to these dedicated Red Sox fans? What wine would you buy as a gift for a citizen of the Red Sox Nation?

What's an approriate wine to serve at a New York Yankees themed party? What wine would be a good gift for a hard core Yankees fan? No matter what time of year it might be, spring training is "just around the corner," either as a continuation of a favorite baseball team's good year or as a beacon of hope for a better season. New York Yankees fans, in particular, usually have something to celebrate. This storied Major League Baseball franchise, named "World's Most Valuable Sports Franchise" by Forbes.com, has captured 28 World Championships and seen 48 players (so far) named to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. For New York Yankees fans, there's no better way to celebrate Yankee baseball than with a bottle of baseball-themed wine.

When considering the unofficial lists of “First Growths of the Right Bank” in Bordeaux, Chateau Pétrus must be included. Pétrus is located in the tiny commune of Pomerol on the right bank of the Gironde River. The wines of Pomerol have never been classified, but there is no doubt that Pétrus is in the highest echelon of wines produced there. It is also one of the most expensive wines sold anywhere in the world. While the name of the estate is Chateau Pétrus, there is no grand Chateau on the premises. There is a modest two story house on the property. Perhaps because of that, or perhaps just due to its reputation, the wines are often just referred to as Pétrus. The name is homage to St. Peter whose picture appears on the label. Pétrus does not have the long history of many of the great Bordeaux wines. Thomas Jefferson most likely never drank it. The estate property was originally owned by the Arnaud family since the mid 1700s. At that time, the estate was 17 acres. The name Pétrus can be found in records dating back to 1837. In 1868 Chateau Pétrus was ranked in quality behind two other Pomerol estates: Vieux Chateau Certan and Chateau Trotanoy, as listed by Cocks and Fèret , one of the leading Bordeaux reference’s of its day.

France's Burgundy wine region produces some of the world's truly great wines. This is a region completely dedicated to terroir and tradition. Even the grapes planted in Burgundy are restricted to a few traditional varietals, with pinot noir and chardonnay holding pride of place – as they have for many, many centuries. Burgundy's Winemaking History Burgundy's winemaking history dates back at least to ancient Roman times, possibly earlier, although documentation is scanty prior to the Romans' arrival. Catholic monks cultivated vineyards during the Middle Ages, and the ruling Dukes of Burgundy involved themselves in the grape-growing process in an effort to improve the quality (and, no doubt, export value) of Burgundy wines. It was during this period that pinot noir became the red wine grape of choice in Burgundy. Vineyards shifted from Church ownership to individual owners during the Renaissance, and, in the aftermath of the French Revolution some 300 years later, all remaining Church vineyards were privatized. These privately-owned vineyards were divided and re-divided under Napoleonic law, which forced families to split holdings among heirs instead of willing all inheritable property to one descendant. This division of the vineyards led directly to the system used in Burgundy today; hundreds of growers sell their grapes to négociants , or buyers, who use the grapes to make wine.

IntoWine recently caught up with Sunset Ridge Vineyards Co-Founder Linda Stinson to discuss winemaking: What inspired the name Sunset Ridge Vineyards? The view next to our vineyard has a ridge and the sunsets here in Paso Robles are inspiring. How did your foray into winemaking come about? It all...