The Vineyard

[Night Hides Not]

I love wine: talking about it, drinking it, visiting wineries, etc. My first real exposure to wine was during my tour in Germany, from 77-81. My unit was 6th Battalion, 56th ADA (motto: Night Hides Not). Our mission was airbase defense at Bitburg, Spangdahlem, and Hahn AB's. I was at Hahn for two years (Charlie Battery), and Spangdahlem for two years (Battalion HQ). Being stationed at Hahn afforded me the opportunity to live off base, and the Mosel River was only 12 miles away. I found an apartment in Traben-Trarbach, where I would live for nearly four years.



During the summer, I would spend my weekends driving up and down the Mosel in search of a weinfest...usually there would be at least a couple every weekend. During my last year, I found the best time to go was on Monday nights, after the tourists had left.

I hope this thread will be inviting to one and all. The wine industry is unbelievably diverse, and I probably know less than 1% of what a typical sommelier knows. I'm aware of the major varietals, but that's about it. I simply enjoy visiting wineries, and kicking back.  Although my "retirement" is likely to be postponed, my vacation and weekend time will be available for visits to Fredericksburg, or for longer trips to Napa, Roseburg OR (Umpqua Valley AVA), and other regions.

"My" winery is the Lost Oak Winery in Burleson, TX. I've been a member there for a bit over two years. Not only do they produce award winning wines, but they are family friendly with a dizzying array of activities.

http://www.lostoakwinery.com/

[mountaineer]

Thanks for starting this thread, NHN!  I took a wine course in culinary school and am far from expert, despite consuming as many fine wines as time, money and sobriety have permitted.

I've visited a few vineyards in Germany, France and Spain, and try to purchase regional wines when I can (and if they're not too sweet.

I'd love it if folks made recommendations for good wines they've run across, both red and white -  particularly in the "under $15" and "under $25" categories.

Personally, I like a good Malbec or Zinfandel with steak, but otherwise am more of a sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio fan.

[madmaximus]

I love a good dry red. I don't care for the really sweet wines. I prefer dry, red wines. Also love beer.

[mountaineer]

I also prefer dry whites, which seems to leave out a lot of German wines. However, many folks will recommend a Gewurztraminer to accompany spicy foods, e.g., hot Thai cuisine.

What has been your experience, NightHidesNot, in your Mosel travels? As an aside, I'm trying to get my hands on Weingut St. Urbans-Hof Riesling, which is a favorite of a friend who hasn't been able to find it around here.

[geronl]

My only exposure to wine is this


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdgKkjM4DTs

wine... wino... it's similar! 

[Night Hides Not]

I also prefer dry whites, which seems to leave out a lot of German wines. However, many folks will recommend a Gewurztraminer to accompany spicy foods, e.g., hot Thai cuisine.

What has been your experience, NightHidesNot, in your Mosel travels? As an aside, I'm trying to get my hands on Weingut St. Urbans-Hof Riesling, which is a favorite of a friend who hasn't been able to find it around here.

My experience?  It's all good. Not very helpful, I know. lol

Try a bottle that has "Trocken" on the label. That signifies a dry wine. I've found Riesling from the Alsace region to be drier than Mosel.

I'm partial to Piersporter Michelsberg, because it gets a bad rap. I call it the "Walmart of the Mosel", but it meets the German government's standards for classification as a Spatlese or an Auslese. Although I'm sure pros like sommeliers can distinguish between that and, for example, an Urziger Wurzgarten, I can buy a Piesporter Auslese at the local store for less than $15 (sometimes a Spatlese will be priced at less than $10), while an Urziger will be priced between $30-$50.

For those who enjoy sweeter wines, I have become enamored with Rieslings produced in the Texas High Plains AVA. During a recent stop at the Llano Estacado winery in Lubbock, their 2014 Riesling was as pleasing to my palate as any similar Mosel vintage I've tasted. My winery (Lost Oak) makes their Rieslings from grapes produced in the Texas High Plains. Summers in North Texas are not meant for Rieslings.

Why is Urzig pricier? Compare the terroir with the Wurzgarten vineyards vs. Michelsberg:





Over 2/3 of the grapes in Urzig (and many locations on the Mosel) are grown at slopes greater than 60 degrees. Everything has to be done by hand.

As a result of my four wonderful years of living near there (I drove through Urzig every work day), I have developed a deep admiration and respect for all viticulturalists and winemakers. If I come across a winery that produces an inferior product, I simply remain mute.

[Night Hides Not]

I love a good dry red. I don't care for the really sweet wines. I prefer dry, red wines. Also love beer.

Hey, I love beer, too!  lol

My favorite of all time remains Konigsbacher, from Koblenz. Regrettably, they don't export to the US, but Shiner, Ziegenbock, and Rahr breweries fill the void.

It's not just the beer, but the memories. We took our platoon on a tour of the brewery, thanks to my Platoon Sergeant's wife. After the tour, we were fed a complete meal, and drank free beer for 3 hours, until closing time. Their restaurant serves bock beer daily, and it has a beautiful view of the Rhine river.



Here's a chart that I found helpful, and it includes whites:

[Night Hides Not]

I've been looking at a few wine blogs, to obtain a few ideas on where to take this thread. To date, a vision hasn't grabbed me yet. I'm ok with a meandering thread, though.

In the interim, I came across an aroma chart that could come in handy.

[sinkspur]

Well, this is great. I am a wine afficionado and have been for my entire adult life (48 years).  From  Blue Nun, to Riunite, from cheap Gallos to Mateus, I graduated to Germans and sweet California whites.

I was bowled over when I first tasted a  French St. Estephe quite by accident at a dinner.  How rich!  I could almost chew it!

Still like whites, but, having visited California, and France and Italy and sampled light Pinots and big heavy Tuscans, I'm mostly a red wine fan now.  Nothing like a Cabernet from the Stags Leap area of California with a steak!

My wife and I have been into Pinot Noirs lately, and have settled on Oregon as producing some of the best domestically.  Drilling down even further, the whole cluster Pinots, such as this one:



are really our favorites.   The entire cluster of grapes, including the stems, are thrown into fermentation.  This produces a richer, deeper, smoother wine and also, interestingly enough, reduces the alcohol content which improves the overall flavor (and you can drink more!

I hope to come here often.  We drink a little wine every day, and love to try new ones.   

If you want a Pinot that tastes nearly like a Zin, try Meomi.  Price is anywhere from $15-20, but it is so good. 

As a treat for a special occasion, for you Zinfandel lovers look for wines from The Prisoner Winery:

https://www.theprisonerwinecompany.com/index.cfm?

We've tried the Prisoner (pricey at around $45) and Saldo ($26 ).  Both are some of the best wine we've ever tasted.  The legs on the glass after swirling are many, so the alcohol content is high.  But I can only afford one bottle, so that's OK.

As with cigars, a good wine is any wine you like.

[EC]

Every summer I was home, we'd load the kids in the car the Friday night that school ended and head off to the south of Italy to see the in-laws. It's a 1500 mile trip (1500.7 miles, door to door, in fact) by our route, so we'd have two stops en route.

Stop one was in the Saone valley in France. We had friends with a hotel/restaurant there, in a little town called Tournus in the heart of Burgundy, that we would always stay in. Marilise and Christophe (guy had a Michelin star, FFS) would shut the restaurant for the night and we'd catch up over a brilliant meal and about a gallon of the local red - Beaujolais Macon. It's one which is better aged for several years and is so ridiculously rich you can almost cut the bouquet.

The following day, it'd be through the mountains to the Valle d'Aosta. We'd often stop at Susa or Oulx, but in later years (when the kids were big enough to sit in the car for the extra 2 hours) we'd stop just outside Asti for the night. The wife would dive eagerly into a glass of the spumante. Me - a Barolo first, to unwind from the drive, then a couple of glasses of Barbera with the best damned steak outside of Texas.

[Night Hides Not]

Well, this is great. I am a wine afficionado and have been for my entire adult life (48 years).  From  Blue Nun, to Riunite, from cheap Gallos to Mateus, I graduated to Germans and sweet California whites.

I was bowled over when I first tasted a  French St. Estephe quite by accident at a dinner.  How rich!  I could almost chew it!

Still like whites, but, having visited California, and France and Italy and sampled light Pinots and big heavy Tuscans, I'm mostly a red wine fan now.  Nothing like a Cabernet from the Stags Leap area of California with a steak!

My wife and I have been into Pinot Noirs lately, and have settled on Oregon as producing some of the best domestically.  Drilling down even further, the whole cluster Pinots, such as this one:



are really our favorites.   The entire cluster of grapes, including the stems, are thrown into fermentation.  This produces a richer, deeper, smoother wine and also, interestingly enough, reduces the alcohol content which improves the overall flavor (and you can drink more!

I hope to come here often.  We drink a little wine every day, and love to try new ones.   

If you want a Pinot that tastes nearly like a Zin, try Meomi.  Price is anywhere from $15-20, but it is so good. 

As a treat for a special occasion, for you Zinfandel lovers look for wines from The Prisoner Winery:

https://www.theprisonerwinecompany.com/index.cfm?

We've tried the Prisoner (pricey at around $45) and Saldo ($26 ).  Both are some of the best wine we've ever tasted.  The legs on the glass after swirling are many, so the alcohol content is high.  But I can only afford one bottle, so that's OK.

As with cigars, a good wine is any wine you like.

Keep bringing it sinkspur, great stuff!

I was born in Oregon City, a stone's throw from the Willamette, although I am now a naturalized Texan.

While doing research for future installments, I spent an hour on Southern Oregon and the AVAs down there. I was ready to hop in my car and drive there! We barely scratched the surface during our last visit to Roseburg, Oregon two years ago. There's roughly two dozen wineries there, and we visited five over a two day period.

I'm also planning to take a couple of days off in the next couple weeks, to make a solo trip down to the Hill Country. My son will be in Band Camp then, and my wife had her vacation last month with her family in Orlando. I don't do that trip anymore, too much drama whenever she and a few of her sisters are in the same zip code.

Feel free to pass on any ideas on winery reviews. I'm looking for unique categories, i.e. best family friendly winery, best adults only winery, etc. I'll be upfront in saying that my reviews will only be positive. We all know how difficult it is to grow grapes and make wine, and I remember my experience from living on the Mosel, where 2/3 of the grapes are grown on slopes of 60 degrees or more.

[sinkspur]

I can attest that Becker Vineyards makes a really good Cabernet-Syrah.  Here are two must-visit wineries:

http://www.winespectator.com/wct/region/id/texas-hill-country-wineries

Becker's on this list too; don't know anything about any of the others

http://www.austinrelocationguide.com/5-Hill-Country-Wineries-to-Visit/

My favorite Texas winery is Llano Estacado, but it's in the Cap Rock area in Lubbock

https://www.llanowine.com/

For a pure party wine, for guests, I've gotten lots of compliments on St. Genevieve's Chardonnay and Cabernet:

http://www.stegenwines.com/wines/ste_genevieve.html

[Night Hides Not]

I can attest that Becker Vineyards makes a really good Cabernet-Syrah.  Here are two must-visit wineries:

http://www.winespectator.com/wct/region/id/texas-hill-country-wineries

Becker's on this list too; don't know anything about any of the others

http://www.austinrelocationguide.com/5-Hill-Country-Wineries-to-Visit/

My favorite Texas winery is Llano Estacado, but it's in the Cap Rock area in Lubbock

https://www.llanowine.com/

For a pure party wine, for guests, I've gotten lots of compliments on St. Genevieve's Chardonnay and Cabernet:

http://www.stegenwines.com/wines/ste_genevieve.html

We stopped at Llano Estacado about six weeks ago. GPS Warning: it's about two miles east of where the GPS said it was...weird. From now on, every trip we make to El Paso (in-laws) will include a detour to Llano and/or Bingham Family Vineyards. The latter has a relationship with Lost Oak Winery in Burleson, they make their whites from Bingham's grapes. It's way too hot in North Texas for anything but the hardiest red wine grapes.

During our visit, they had three wines on sale for $6 a bottle. I bought a gewürztraminer and a rose, plus a bottle of their 2014 Riesling...spent $21.

Lost Oak is one of the most family friendly wineries you could ever find. We really enjoy the movie nights they have during the summer, where they show old favorites such as Finding Nemo, Lion King, etc. I've been a member a bit over two years.

Thanks for the links, it will help narrow my itinerary.

BTW, I'm putting together a list of locations to visit. Not a bucket list, though...I'm really not into that.

Grand Junction, CO: two dozen wineries, several with views of the Colorado River.
Davis Mountain, TX: way out in the boondocks/off the beaten path.
Moab, UT: the views HAVE to be spectacular.
Southern Oregon: dozens of wineries, smack dab between Napa and the Willamette Valley.
Roseburg: an hour north of Medford, we've been to several.
Naturally, there are many places in CA and WA to see. I do remember a couple of small, family vineyards on the route to Yosemite. We stopped at one and had a nice relaxing visit on the way to Yosemite.

To be continued...

[Night Hides Not]

My daughter and I discovered a really nice wine for everyday sipping. At Lost Oak, they call it Rosa Blanca, and I picked up a bottle of Grenache Rose at Llano Estacado. A very pleasant wine that's not too sweet nor too dry.

The bottle I picked up at Llano was in their bargain bin for $6...before their military discount.  With our member discount at Lost Oak, I think we paid about $11 for the Rosa Blanca.

I still prefer Riesling, but my inventory has spiked a bit over the past few weeks. My 8 bottle cooler is full, and there's another case in the wine rack. It's about 50/50 whites and reds.

[mountaineer]

We attended a "BYOB" dinner with some old friends a few months ago. We took a pinot noir and a sauvignon blanc. They offered their favorite Riesling and explained how someone had given them several bottles, this was their last one and they hadn't been able to find it anywhere. Glad to say I've found it for them at a Pennsylvania state wine and spirits store (the "premium selection" one in Pittsburgh that has a fairly large, high quality wine selection). It's a Mosel Riesling - Weingut St. Urbans-Hof. A little sweet for my taste and a little more than I generally spend, but it feels good to be able to repay them just a little for their kindness.  ^-^

[Night Hides Not]

We attended a "BYOB" dinner with some old friends a few months ago. We took a pinot noir and a sauvignon blanc. They offered their favorite Riesling and explained how someone had given them several bottles, this was their last one and they hadn't been able to find it anywhere. Glad to say I've found it for them at a Pennsylvania state wine and spirits store (the "premium selection" one in Pittsburgh that has a fairly large, high quality wine selection). It's a Mosel Riesling - Weingut St. Urbans-Hof. A little sweet for my taste and a little more than I generally spend, but it feels good to be able to repay them just a little for their kindness.  ^-^

I just checked out their website. If/when I make it back to Germany, I'll need to devote a week to visit the wineries I've put on a list.  I knew that area like the back of my hand.

Here's their section on their vineyards in Goldtropfchen, an area that I knew well. IIRC, Piesport was about a 20 minute drive from my apartment in Traben-Trarbach. It was no secret that our quarterly Hails and Farewells were held within a 15-20 minute drive from my apartment. The after-party gatherings were memorable, and my landlord and his family loved it, including Oma.  IIRC, the first one sealed the deal with the spouses. We had it in a beautiful restaurant overlooking the Mosel.

The parcels in the Piesporter Goldtröpfchen are among the stoniest and craggiest of the entire Goldtröpfchen vineyard. The rugged nature of the terrain is one reason why they were not included in previous official plot reallocations. As a result one can find many ungrafted vines from hundreds of years ago.

Winegrowing here has a special atmosphere: the rays of sunlight reflect off the Mosel, bathing the entire site in a warm, glittering light. The heavy, clayey slate soils offer plentiful water and warmth to the vines, with the dark slate cliffs storing the energy from the sun like a battery.

Wines from the Piesporter Goldtröpfchen are traditionally left with residual sweetness. That natural sugar lends the wines notes of black currants, passion fruit and grapefruit. Even after upwards of 30 years these wines retain their fresh and youthful flavors.
 

Unless the gift is for a wine aficionado, allow me to suggest a bottle from the Michelsberg vineyard. It doesn't have the panache of a Goldtropfchen or Urziger Wurzgarten, but it's less expensive and an excellent wine.

Thanks for stopping by!

[Night Hides Not]

A quick post to keep the thread alive...

While on another thread, I learned about an auction last year, where bottles of a 2003 trockenbeerenauslese sold for 12K Euros per bottle. Obviously, it piqued my curiosity, as I had many opportunities to drink eiswein and trockenbeerenauslese in Germany. My favorite vintage was Auslese, though. It wasn't as sweet as those other dessert wines. Spatlese was perfect with all the jagerschnitzels and kalbsteaks that I ate there.

Attached is a vintage chart for Mosel Rieslings:

http://mobile.winespectator.com/charts/search/country/Germany

My arrival in Germany could not have come at a better time. 1975 was great, and 1976 was one of the best years of the last 50 years. I do remember 77 & 78 as nowhere near 75 & 76.

[mountaineer]

You're a braver person than I. When I studied wines in culinary school and we came to the subject of eiswein, I involuntarily puckered and I still haven't had the nerve to sample one. Sweet wines really do not appeal to me.

As I prefer to enjoy my wines with a nice meal, and haven't had the time recently to prepare a nice meal, my wine drinking has come to a standstill (except for the Malbec we had with filet mignon several weeks back). It's a sad thing.

[Restored]

I enjoyed this wine this weekend. Very well done. Not as sweet as a Riesling can be.

http://www.vintagecellar.com/sku33034.html

[Night Hides Not]

I enjoyed this wine this weekend. Very well done. Not as sweet as a Riesling can be.

http://www.vintagecellar.com/sku33034.html

Nothing wrong with the Rheinhessen wines at all. Thanks for the link, I just added the Romerhof to my list of places to visit.

[Night Hides Not]

You're a braver person than I. When I studied wines in culinary school and we came to the subject of eiswein, I involuntarily puckered and I still haven't had the nerve to sample one. Sweet wines really do not appeal to me.

As I prefer to enjoy my wines with a nice meal, and haven't had the time recently to prepare a nice meal, my wine drinking has come to a standstill (except for the Malbec we had with filet mignon several weeks back). It's a sad thing.

To each his own, and I say that in a positive vein.

My wine drinking has tapered off a bit, too. Thankfully, we're coming up on the next installment of our wine club, which means a trip to pick them up. Since it's an hour from our house to the winery, we'll spend a couple hours there, enjoying each other's company and enjoying a bottle or two.

My fondest recollection of drinking eiswein came from my regular visits to my favorite winery, in Zell-Merl. I'd stop by every 6-8 weeks, and we'd spend 2-3 hours just talking about cars, current events, etc. He honored me by opening a bottle of eiswein, a vintage so limited that he personally typed out the labels.

It was no secret that during my last year and a half in Germany, every quarterly Battalion Hail & Farewell took place within a ten minute drive of my apartment. All it took was one event in Urzig, with the after party at my apartment. My landlord thought it was great, and the spouses were blown away by the beauty of the Mosel. It was about 15 miles from Hahn AB, and 25-30 miles from Spangdahlem and Bitburg. Small distances to many, but worlds away for others not accustomed to being so far away from home.

For the most part, people who didn't like their tours in Germany didn't venture far from the base. For me, it was among the greatest four years of my life.

[mountaineer]

For the most part, people who didn't like their tours in Germany didn't venture far from the base. For me, it was among the greatest four years of my life.

I can imagine. What an opportunity!

I remember once while traveling solo, I got off the train in Heidelberg and went into a nearby McDonald's to get my bearings and a cup of coffee (my sister was living on the opposite end of town and I needed to figure whether I could walk or should take a cab). Inside were several U.S. Army guys and their families eating hamburgers and fries. Perhaps it was a little bit of home to them, but I wondered what I'd do in their situation: completely immerse myself in Germany or just stick with what was familiar and comfortable.

[Night Hides Not]

I can imagine. What an opportunity!

I remember once while traveling solo, I got off the train in Heidelberg and went into a nearby McDonald's to get my bearings and a cup of coffee (my sister was living on the opposite end of town and I needed to figure whether I could walk or should take a cab). Inside were several U.S. Army guys and their families eating hamburgers and fries. Perhaps it was a little bit of home to them, but I wondered what I'd do in their situation: completely immerse myself in Germany or just stick with what was familiar and comfortable.

The great part about European McDonalds was that they served beer in the restaurant. In Koblenz, it was Konigsbacher, in Amsterdam, they served Heineken.

Once I discovered the restaurant at the Konigsbacher brewery, McDonalds never saw a pfennig more of my business. It had a great view of the Rhine River, and bock beer was served 365 days a year...heavenly!

[Night Hides Not]

Disclosure: I am not an investor, nor am I employed by Lost Oak Winery.

Last Saturday, my daughter and I trekked down to Burleson to pick up our bimonthly wine club selections. We both are on the lowest rung, i.e. two bottles every two months. On occasion, I've seen folks leaving with 6-12 bottles.

We tasted a Shiraz bottled exclusively for club members. It's offered at $35 a bottle, a bit pricy for me, but its taste was divine. My daughter and I split a bottle of "Raindance Red", a blend of merlot, tempranillo, and ruby cab. The food pairings were lasagna, burgers, and grilled veggies. We had a cheese tray, and it went well with that, too.

"Raindance" goes for $25 a bottle, which IMO is more reflective of the growth they've enjoyed. I love the place, it's pure Texas.

If you live in DFW, it's a great place to hang out, and enjoy really good wine.

They're doing fine without my endorsement...lol.

[Night Hides Not]

I received wonderful news over the weekend!  I came across the website of my favorite winemaker in Germany. They responded to my email, and gave me the great news that they ship to Texas.

That may not seem like much, but Texas laws make it difficult to ship wine from outside the state.

I'll post more details when my shipment arrives. For those Riesling aficionados out there, it doesn't get much better than this. Even with shipping costs averaging $5 a bottle, I'll be paying less than half of what it would cost retail.

I know my wife won't understand why I'm going to buy a larger wine refrigerator to handle my increased inventory, but I've been buying more of the "special occasion" vintages vs. the "daily sipping" stuff recently. lol

[mountaineer]

Good news, indeed. It can be frustrating when you know exactly which wine you want, only to find it's not available locally (as was my friends' problem, described above). I live in somewhat of a wine wasteland (small town with not very sophisticated tastes) and usually stock up when I cross state lines and hit the big city.

[Night Hides Not]

Good news, indeed. It can be frustrating when you know exactly which wine you want, only to find it's not available locally (as was my friends' problem, described above). I live in somewhat of a wine wasteland (small town with not very sophisticated tastes) and usually stock up when I cross state lines and hit the big city.

Tell me about it...I found several intriguing Spatleses and Ausleses that were priced well at Truly Fine Wines, only to discover at checkout they don't ship to Texas. I went to Wine.com, and ordered a few, including a Spatlese that was priced at $33 a bottle. A bit pricey, but it was before I found the other website.

The Texas wine industry is becoming more of a player with each year. Don't have the link, but in-state consumption was such there wasn't much left over for sales outside the state. Anecdotally, I see it at Lost Oak winery: they now schedule bimonthly wine club pickups for two weekends, they just completed a major expansion of their banquet facilities, and they're selling some wines for "members only."

For couples that desire to get married at Lost Oak, you need to book it at least a year in advance. It's become one of the most favored locations for weddings in the Metroplex.

I need to get off my butt and reserve a spot for my daughter's 30th birthday party in July...lol.

BTW, I taught my 6 YO grandson the proper pronunciation of "hochgewachs" yesterday...lol.

Riesling-Hochgewächs [7] | German | PDO (1) | White quality wine, exclusively produced from grapes of the wine grape variety Riesling, the must used for production has shown a natural alcoholic strength which is at least 1,5 % by volume higher than the natural minimum alcoholic strength prescribed for the specified wine-growing zone or the part of it in which the grapes have been harvested, and which has achieved a quality number of at least 3,0 in the quality test.   

Last summer, I was in Fredericksburg on vacation, at one of the many wine bars/stores there. Everytime I've been there, I've found really good German wine. While I'm talking with the sales lady, she asked me for help, "someone came in asking for a Riesling that had an "h" word with it."

Immediately, I replied they must have been referring to hochgewachs. LOL, she was impressed, saying "you pronounced it perfectly."

[mountaineer]

"Gewürztraminer" took a few tries before I pronounced it correctly. 

[Night Hides Not]

"Gewürztraminer" took a few tries before I pronounced it correctly. 

I only say that word when I'm sober...

[Night Hides Not]

The shipment arrived last night, several days ahead of schedule. I opened a bottle of Spatlese, and it was as good as I remember, though the memories that came back were even better.

The process from start to finish was simple, as they have a PayPal account.

If you are a wine enthusiast, I highly recommend Weingut Eduard Kroth in Briedel, Germany. They ship to Texas, which is a rarity, so I think they ship to most states.

http://www.weingut-kroth.de/

I knew Bartho's father well, as I'd visit the winery at least every six weeks my last 3 years in Germany. The winery was about a 10-15 minute drive from my apartment in Traben-Trarbach. We just hung out and shot the bull for 2-3 hours at a time. I recall how he loved to talk about cars, and he really liked my Volvo 242 GT. He educated me during every visit, while going through a typical wine tasting. He started with Kabinett, followed by Spatlese, Auslese, and depending on time, Beerenauslese and Trockenbeerenauslese.  Every now and then, he'd open a bottle of Eiswein from his personal stock. It wasn't for sale, as he typed the labels himself.

As to my first purchase, I bought a case consisting of six Spatlese and six Auslese, all were silver or gold medal winners. The recent strength of the dollar vs the Euro reduced my cost further. Including shipping, I paid less than $200 for the case. Judging by prices I've seen for similar vintages, I paid about 40% of retail.

As you view the offerings, consider that the Euro is now less than 1.1 to the dollar. However, don't expect your significant other to buy the rationale of "this is a play on the Euro"...   

My wife didn't...but she hasn't tasted it yet. She's always liked Rieslings, as I found out on our first date nearly 35 years ago. I took her to a restaurant I had taken other "first dates" to, and they had a "special wine list" that you had to ask for. On that list were several Mosel wines, giving me the opportunity to talk about the town of origin, and what it was like to live in Germany. It was a great icebreaker.

[mountaineer]

Great memories, NHN, and thanks for the tip about ordering from the winery.

[Night Hides Not]

As expected, my wife didn't buy the "Euro play" meme...lol.

However, she didn't seem too upset over my purchase of an 18 bottle, dual zone wine cooler. It's able to handle up to a dozen of the elongated bottles that are more prevalent these days.

I think it was reasonably priced, $200 +/-. If/when we move to another house, I think I'll look for a built-in model.

[Night Hides Not]

Just a mid-week bump...

My daughter and I picked up our wine club selections on Sunday, mine included a frizzante gewürztraminer and a blended red. I also picked up a couple bottles of Shiraz. That limited vintage was going fast.

My grandson was well behaved, and made some new friends at the winery. Like his Opa, he's not afraid to strike up conversations with people. He cracked me up while pouring his can of Sprite into a cup, he said, "Opa, this is my hochgewachs!"

[Night Hides Not]

Llano Estacado winery just received a big endorsement from a surprising source:  my wife.

They stopped on the return home from El Paso for a nephew's graduation. I was glad to stay home and supervise a son who had to study for tests this week.

She bought 3 bottles...she never does that!  lol  Seriously, if you're ever traveling through Lubbock, a trip to Llano Estacado will be well worth your time. I recall they had three levels of wine tasting, and I found their "free" level to be quite good. Next time, I'll try their $20 level for "educational purposes."

On an unrelated note, I can happily confirm that a good Riesling Spatlese pairs perfectly with spicy chile. We're having a chili cookoff at work today, and my batch had a nice kick to it. Opened up a bottle of a 2013 Spatlese that I bought from the German winery, and it cooled down my mouth immediately.

My recipe was simple: two pounds of veal, large can of tomato puree, large can of diced tomatoes, a large jar of Hatch chili, one can of black beans, one red onion diced, and assorted spices...maybe I should have avoided the teaspoon of cayenne, that might have been overkill. Next batch will likely have two cans of black beans, but there's a few people I work with that prefer chili without beans. I also added a bottle of Hofbrau Original.

[mountaineer]

The idea of Texas wines is intriguing, not that I'll have the chance (or reason) to visit the Lonestar State anytime soon. One of these days Mr. M and I should visit a local winery. I suspect the offerings will be sweeter than we like, but no harm in tasting. We bought a bottle of local wine when we visited Gettysburg (can't remember the variety) and it was just okay. We passed a few wineries in eastern Ohio on our way to visit relatives north of Canton a few days ago; perhaps we'll give 'em a try.

[Night Hides Not]

According to the AT Wineries interactive map at www.atwineries.com, there are 15 wineries in West Virginia. I find that extremely intriguing.

Which raises the question, could the state transition from a coal economy to a wine and tourism type economy? I look at how Lost Oak Winery has grown over the 3 years we've been wine club members. They've added facilities to handle events such as weddings and birthdays, and they're currently unable to meet the demand for their wine, i.e. they bring in grapes from elsewhere, such as Lubbock/Texas High Plains AVA.

I don't know the percentage of growth in their staff, but I see new faces along with the old during every visit. Their bimonthly wine club pickup now takes place over two weekends due to the growth they've experienced.

The Texas wine industry has exploded, yet their production has yet to sate local demand. Hopefully in 2017, they'll be exporting more. I doubt CA, OR, & WA gives us a thought, but that's ok with us.

[Night Hides Not]

Damaging insect found in Colorado's largest wine region

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/state-news/damaging-insect-found-in-colorados-largest-wine-region

DENVER (AP) -- State officials say an insect that attacks grapes has been found in Colorado's largest wine producing area.

The state agriculture department said Wednesday that federal officials had confirmed the presence of phylloxera (Fa-LOX'-ah-rah) in Mesa County's Grand Valley wine region, home to nearly 75 percent of Colorado's grape acreage.

The department says it and Colorado State University are investigating the source of the aphid-like bug and working with the vineyard owner to eradicate it. They're also working to determine the extent of the infestation.

The insect is native to the eastern and southeastern United States. It has spread to many wine regions around the world and devastated vineyards in Europe in the 19th century. According to the state, this is the first time it's been detected in a commercial vineyard in Colorado.

This is a situation that needs to be watched closely.

[Night Hides Not]

Not a recent article, but interesting nonetheless. IMO, it bodes very well for other wine states, such as Oregon, Washington, and Texas.

The bustling Napa and Sonoma County real estate market continues to thrive into summer 2016.

http://vineyardandwinerysales.com/newsletter/napa-and-sonoma-county-real-estate-market-elements-vineyard-values-and-wine-grape-prices/

[Idaho_Cowboy]

Not a recent article, but interesting nonetheless. IMO, it bodes very well for other wine states, such as Oregon, Washington, and Texas.

The bustling Napa and Sonoma County real estate market continues to thrive into summer 2016.

http://vineyardandwinerysales.com/newsletter/napa-and-sonoma-county-real-estate-market-elements-vineyard-values-and-wine-grape-prices/

Interesting. Seeing a definite expansion of Vineyards in this area at least by my drive by noticing of them.

[Night Hides Not]

Interesting. Seeing a definite expansion of Vineyards in this area at least by my drive by noticing of them.

I learn something new every day. The Nampa/Twin Falls area looks like a great area to visit. Of course, I'd also add Coeur d'Alene to my route, owing to its closeness to Spokane, where I went to college.

Looks like a great area for wine (Nampa), south of the 45th parallel. Grapes for wine are found between 50-70 degrees latitude. By comparison, the Mittelmosel area is at 50 degrees latitude. Calgary is at 51 degrees, and I located a few wineries in Alberta.

There is apparently room for further growth in the industry. I believe Texas has advanced to the 6th largest state, and last year's production was barely enough to satisfy local demand. The dominance California has in terms of production is simply staggering, over 80% of US production. The increasing land cost in California is obviously sending investors/growers to other states.

My palate is not sophisticated enough to notice the difference between a $150 Napa cabernet and a $25 cabernet from my favorite winery. The most important lesson I've learned about wine is, if you like it, it's good wine.

Here's a great website, from Jeff Siegel, the Wine Curmudgeon:

https://www.winecurmudgeon.com/

Jeff's a self-styled expert on "cheap" wine, with a targeted price of under $12. I'm looking forward to his "2017 Hall of Fame" to be announced in about ten days.

[Idaho_Cowboy]

I learn something new every day. The Nampa/Twin Falls area looks like a great area to visit. Of course, I'd also add Coeur d'Alene to my route, owing to its closeness to Spokane, where I went to college.

Looks like a great area for wine (Nampa), south of the 45th parallel. Grapes for wine are found between 50-70 degrees latitude. By comparison, the Mittelmosel area is at 50 degrees latitude. Calgary is at 51 degrees, and I located a few wineries in Alberta.

There is apparently room for further growth in the industry. I believe Texas has advanced to the 6th largest state, and last year's production was barely enough to satisfy local demand. The dominance California has in terms of production is simply staggering, over 80% of US production. The increasing land cost in California is obviously sending investors/growers to other states.

My palate is not sophisticated enough to notice the difference between a $150 Napa cabernet and a $25 cabernet from my favorite winery. The most important lesson I've learned about wine is, if you like it, it's good wine.

Here's a great website, from Jeff Siegel, the Wine Curmudgeon:

https://www.winecurmudgeon.com/

Jeff's a self-styled expert on "cheap" wine, with a targeted price of under $12. I'm looking forward to his "2017 Hall of Fame" to be announced in about ten days.

If you come now bring your skis. 

Thanks for the link. I'm all about "cheap" I bought a bottle of Woodworks cabernet sauvignon so I could make BBQ sauce out of it and that felt like a splurge. It was good though it was almost as good as a French Bordeaux I picked up for comparisons purposes.

Here's the recipe if anyone is interested:
http://www.fieldandstream.com/blogs/the-wild-chef/recipe-woodwork-wine-bbq-glaze

[musiclady]

Anyone here like Liebfraumilch?

I'm a fan, but I'm kind of an alcohol wimp.  ^-^

(I like Riesling best).

[Night Hides Not]

Anyone here like Liebfraumilch?

I'm a fan, but I'm kind of an alcohol wimp.  ^-^

(I like Riesling best).

@musiclady Liebfraumilch? You came to the right place. Get thyself to your local liquor store and ask for a bottle of Mosel Spatlese. Pronounced "shpAt-layze", it's a German term loosely translated as "late harvest". German wine terms are primarily designations as to the amount of sugar in the grape when harvested.

In a wine class I took a few years ago, I asked several presenters as to why Mosel Riesling hasn't made a bigger splash in the US. Americans, particularly women, enjoy sweeter types of wine, and German Riesling is world class. They all responded, "German wine is too difficult to explain". I chuckled, as I had four years living along the Mosel.

Ok, back to business. You won't have to spend $30+ a bottle for quality Spatlese. Ask for a Piesporter Michelsberg Spatlese. Piesport is the town, Michelsberg is the vineyard. Michelsberg gets a bad rap, I call it the Walmart of Mosel vineyards, as its slopes are not very steep. As a result, it doesn't have the panache of an Urziger Wurzgarten, where the grapes are grown at slopes in excess of 60 degrees. You should be able to buy a bottle for 8-10 dollars. A higher quality auslese, more of a dessert wine, can be had for $15. Urzig wine normally goes for more than double.

Piesport:



Urzig:



BTW, this was the view that greeted me on my drive home from work my last two years in Germany.

German wine standards are very exacting, and higher quality wines will have an official approval number on the label. It may look something like this:  A.P. NR. 2  606  319  011  07.

I've been getting a bit more confident in recommending Riesling to restaurants that don't have it on their wine list. For example, one restaurant/sports bar offered chardonnay and cabernet, yet they had some spicy dishes, such as an excellent venison chili. Riesling is a perfect pairing, as the acidity balances out the spiciness of the dish. I offered my suggestion that they add a Riesling for their spicy dishes, and the fact that most women prefer a sweeter wine.

I can speak from experience. A couple of weeks ago, I made veal chili at home that included "medium" Hatch chiles. It had a nice kick to it! I opened a bottle of Spatlese and it cooled the fire almost immediately. It also pairs nicely with Chipotle seasoned black bean burgers that we get from Costco.

Enjoy!

[Night Hides Not]

Jeff's an interesting fellow, and an expert at "cheap wines". He now teaches the Wine and Viticulture Course at El Centro CC in downtown Dallas. I took the class from a teacher who retired at the end of the semester. Best $150 I ever spent.

His website is an excellent resource, https://www.winecurmudgeon.com/, and I strongly recommend it. I love his annual "$10 Hall of Fame."

[musiclady]

@musiclady Liebfraumilch? You came to the right place. Get thyself to your local liquor store and ask for a bottle of Mosel Spatlese. Pronounced "shpAt-layze", it's a German term loosely translated as "late harvest". German wine terms are primarily designations as to the amount of sugar in the grape when harvested.

In a wine class I took a few years ago, I asked several presenters as to why Mosel Riesling hasn't made a bigger splash in the US. Americans, particularly women, enjoy sweeter types of wine, and German Riesling is world class. They all responded, "German wine is too difficult to explain". I chuckled, as I had four years living along the Mosel.

Ok, back to business. You won't have to spend $30+ a bottle for quality Spatlese. Ask for a Piesporter Michelsberg Spatlese. Piesport is the town, Michelsberg is the vineyard. Michelsberg gets a bad rap, I call it the Walmart of Mosel vineyards, as its slopes are not very steep. As a result, it doesn't have the panache of an Urziger Wurzgarten, where the grapes are grown at slopes in excess of 60 degrees. You should be able to buy a bottle for 8-10 dollars. A higher quality auslese, more of a dessert wine, can be had for $15. Urzig wine normally goes for more than double.

Piesport:



Urzig:



BTW, this was the view that greeted me on my drive home from work my last two years in Germany.

German wine standards are very exacting, and higher quality wines will have an official approval number on the label. It may look something like this:  A.P. NR. 2  606  319  011  07.

I've been getting a bit more confident in recommending Riesling to restaurants that don't have it on their wine list. For example, one restaurant/sports bar offered chardonnay and cabernet, yet they had some spicy dishes, such as an excellent venison chili. Riesling is a perfect pairing, as the acidity balances out the spiciness of the dish. I offered my suggestion that they add a Riesling for their spicy dishes, and the fact that most women prefer a sweeter wine.

I can speak from experience. A couple of weeks ago, I made veal chili at home that included "medium" Hatch chiles. It had a nice kick to it! I opened a bottle of Spatlese and it cooled the fire almost immediately. It also pairs nicely with Chipotle seasoned black bean burgers that we get from Costco.

Enjoy!

Wow! Thanks for all that incredibly valuable information!

It's particularly good to know that Riesling mitigates the spiciness of foods.  My entire family likes to go to restaurants where the food is a bit spicy for me (Indian, Thai, Mexican), so now I know for sure that Riesling is the wine to buy.

I do like cabernet and chardonnay, but Riesling is best for my palate.

All my kids like beer, and I've tasted some fruity beers I really liked, but my staple is a good white wine.

Thanks for the tip on Spatlese.  I've been to Germany twice, years and years ago (and to the Frankfurt airport many times since) and really loved seeing your photos.

Lots of German immigrants came to Ohio because, I think, parts of Ohio have the same beauty as Germany.  Just slightly different architecture!  ^-^

[Night Hides Not]

http://www.elixrr.com/blog/?p=994

Excerpt:

It was the best of times, and the worst times. Or, to sum up the 2016 vintage in the Mosel region of Germany, it was a nerve-wracking vintage with plenty of ups and downs.

Hail storms in the spring damaged vineyards between Wehlen and Graach and the cool, wet conditions led some to report mildew and botrytis. This was a year that required diligent, expert vineyard management.

By October 8th, the vineyard manager at Weingut S.A. Prϋm selected out the hail damaged and botrytis effected grapes and showing nerves of steel, left the remaining harvest to ripen for an extra two weeks to up sugar levels. The risk paid off. A whopping 99.2% of Weingut S.A. Prϋm’s 2016 harvest consists of prädikat level wines with the following break-down:

30.5% Kabinett

63.0% Spätlese

5.5% Auslese

[Silver Pines]

@Night Hides Not

I would like to report that I am drinking a substandard wine---Apothic Dark.  It was a gift from a friend, and I sort of forgot I had it.  I opened it tonight...the aftertaste is just...bad.

But hey, it's free!  And I love the bottle.

[Night Hides Not]

I found a recent review here: http://www.honestwinereviews.com/2014/01/apothic-dark-wine-review.html. Some of the comments were a hoot!

The only thing that matters about wine is, do you like it?

[Night Hides Not]

@mystery-ak

I'm flattered that you would move my thread to the top echelon of the BR Tavern. I better get off the schneid and post new material.

Thank you!

[mountaineer]

I think we need to get off the schneid and start drinking more wine, @Night Hides Not !