What Sparkling Wine Will You Toast The New Year With

2010 went by quickly.  With the many different types of "Sparkling Wine" what will you be toasting in the New Year with?  I am not sure myself but I am thinking about trying something different.

• Hudson Valley Sparkling Wine 
• Brotherhood Blanc de Blanc or Carpe Diem
• Clinton Vineyards Seyval Naturel, Jubilee, Peach Gala and Royale
• California Sparkling
• Gloria Ferrer
• Schramsberg
• J Vineyards
• Champagne
• Dom Perignon
• Moet & Chandon
• Mumm
• Perrier-Jouet 
• Cremant
• De Chancey Cremant
• Domaine des Baumard
• Deligeroy
• Prosecco
• Bellenda
• Mionetto
• Cava
• Cristalino
• Montsarra
• Agusti Torello
• Sekt
• Schloss Biebrich
• Solter 
• Reichsrat Von Buhl

Happy Holidays

This week is going to be a very busy week.  Many of you will be finishing up your holiday shopping and preparing for Friday and Saturday festivites.  I am right there with all of you.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a Happy Holiday! For the New Year,  I hope it is filled with happiness and good health.

Happy Holidays

Debbie Gioquindo - Hudson Valley Wine Goddess

Certified Wine Snob

I passed.  What you may ask....a 100 question multiple choice test administered by the Society of Wine Educators.  You must get 75% + correct to pass and achieve the status of "Certified Wine Specialist."  Well I did!!  Although some friends of mine prefer to call me a "Certified Wine Snob."  The CWS designation is no easy task. Quite frankly after I achieved the CTC (Certified Travel Counselor) designation 12 years ago, I didn't think I would take another course again.  But I was wrong.  You have to follow your passion.

So what did I have to know for this exam.  Just about everything about wine, viticulture, the wine regions of the world, what is grown where, along with soil types etc...  You name it, we had to know it.

• What Pradikat level may be vinified dry?
• How many grape varieties are allowed in a Chateauneuf-de-Pape?
• Where is Monthelie located?
• Good sweet valued wines are found in what region of Austria?
• What is the term used to describe an estate bottled wine from Germany?
• An unpleasant odor in wine described as smelling like garlic or onions is?
• The soil type of the Champagne region in France is?

I studied and ignored my family Thanksgiving weekend, and it did payed off.  But my education doesn't stop here.  I don't know if I will go on to become a Certified Wine Educator, but I do know that understanding wine is an ongoing education that I will continue to study.

Winter Celebration of Art & Wine

It was a long day Friday that ended at the Winter Celebration of Hudson Valley Art & Wine at Locust Grove.  Very rarely do we get a family picture, but my husband attended and my daughter was there checking everyone in for Hudson Valley Wine Magazine.  This was a private event, only open to the wineries, artist, tourism officials and press.

The wineries were there serving their wine and the artist displayed their preliminary art work that they have created from spending time at the winery they were paired with.  I was very impressed with the talent that was present in the room!  The artwork ranged anywhere from the use of recycled water bottles, photographs, the use of old oak barrels, to tile art.

The finished artwork will be on display May 20 & 21st at Lyndhurst in Tarrytown, NY during the Grand Celebration of Hudson Valley Art and Wine.  Tickets are on sale now for this event.  Click here for information.(If you purchase tickets before 12/24 use code ART11 for a 15% discount)  The art show will then travel throughout the Hudson Valley making stops in Catskill, Cornwall and ending at the Albany County Visitors & Convention Center.

I tasted some very good wine during this event.  Wines that stood out were Hudson-Chatham's Old Vine Baco which I think is the best Baco yet that they have produced.  Brotherhood Winery had a very good Pinot Noir.  Whitecliff's Sky Island was tasting very good especially with the chocolates.  Palaia's 2008 Traminette was my favorite white for the evening.

Enjoy the short slide show of the event.

Cookies and Merlot

It's that time of the year again where the annual cookie swap comes into play.  With less than one week notice I had to make 8 dozen cookies for our "Wine Night" swap.  So Friday evening found me slaving over my oven and kitchen aid to bake my cookies.  I couldn't do it alone, so I pulled out a 2008 Whitecliff Vineyards New York State Merlot.

A little wine for me, and more wine for me as I made the Coffee and Cream Drops.

When I opened the wine the first aromas that came to me was earth and mocha. I thought that was fitting since the cookies I was making had coffee and chocolate in them.  The earth and mocha gave way to hints of plum and black cherry.

I first tasted the wine before I tasted any of the cookies I was making.  I got a black cherry, bright fruit flavor with hints of raspberry.  The wine was thin with a bitter finish.   Then I had to see how the cookie and wine pairing tasted.  I will say the cookie softened the bitter finish and the black cherry flavor became loud and prominent.

I didn't know much about this wine before I opened it, but I must say it was a nice pairing.  A note to myself, if I am going to make cookies with coffee in them, bake then in the morning.  This way when you eat a couple from each batch, you won't be up all night from the caffeine.

Happy Holidays from the Babysitter

I am singing Christmas carols and decorating my tree , thanks to Brotherhood Winery getting my Christmas spirit charged up.  Tonight I went with two of my crazy girlfriends(only ones kidless)to their Tree Lighting, we enjoyed a bottle of Riesling inside the beautiful warm tasting room. We giggled and enjoyed the art work on the walls, look carefully their are hearts in the stones….

 The tree lighting was beautiful with festive tunes and we all sang along. Santa was there to help and after the lighting there were movies for the kids in the main house.   

Of course where there is Santa there will be cookies and hot cocoa for all…. Great memories and an awesome time with good friends…. I highly suggest you mark this event on your calendar as it is all free except the wine and definitely fun for the entire family.

Season's Greetings on the Hudson Berkshire Beverage Trail

Tis the season of holiday trail events.  This season marks the inaugural holiday event on the Hudson Berkshire Beverage Trail "Season's Greetings."

Can you say CHEERS?  CHEERS is what you are going to receive this weekend when your travel the trail that spans from Germantown, NY to Castleton, NY over into Richmond and Great Barrington, MA. Visit all the trail members this weekend and you will receive a sequined wreath bottle necklace that spells "CHEERS"

To participate in this event just purchase your trail passport at any of the locations on Saturday or Sunday for $15, $5 for your designated driver.  Each passport will entitle you to beverage samplings, snacks and a wine charm at all Trail venues.  Event hours are 12pm - 5pm Saturday and Sunday.  Remember, you must visit all members during the weekend to complete bottle necklace that spells "Cheers."

For more information visit the Hudson Berkshire Beverage Trail.  CHEERS!