November 24, 2009
Cellar 4201, a limited-bottling boutique in East Bend, has nice wine and, to my mind, the most memorable wine label in North Carolina. That label speaks to how centuries ago, the Yadkin River area was home to such Native American tribes as Cherokee, Saura...
Read More
November 4, 2009
The two Argiolas reps walking me through their tasting are personable, animated and boast deliciously thick Italian accents.
Read More
October 27, 2009
Buck Shoals Vineyards in Hamptonville – in the heart of the Yadkin Valley wine region – works with both vinifera and hybrid grapes. Winemaker Dana Acker’s formula for Bryan’s Legacy is telling of his philosophy on semi-sweet wines.
Read More
October 13, 2009
Over the years, this has been Michael Helton’s signature red from Hanover Park Vineyards, always providing a medium-bodied red with restrained fruit and an earthy, old world charm.
Read More
October 7, 2009
The doctor's Rx for a child who would not eat: "Pour some red wine in a glass and cut it with water. The wine will spark his appetite." I know this because I was that child, served wee drams of Manischewitz before dinner. Fermented Concord juice...
Read More
September 22, 2009
This one dish wonder has it all. Put it on in the morning and you have dinner waiting after work. Try this with the 2006 Buck Shoals Chambourcin. Chambourcin remains a mystery. This French-American hybrid grape was developed in the early 1960s and release...
Read More
September 8, 2009
Gene and Pam Reneger launched Allison Oaks Vineyards, a 6-acre vineyard, on an old airplane landing strip a mile east of Yadkinville. On that limited acreage is planted a stunning variety of grapes: Syrah, Chardonnay, Viognier, Merlot, Zinfandel, Cabernet...
Read More
September 2, 2009
LEXINGTON -- Childress Vineyards winemaker Mark Friszowlowski glides among diners amid the oak barrels. At tonight's winemaker's dinner, he's doing what I remember he does best: some history here for the uninitiated, some grape physiology there for the en...
Read More
August 11, 2009
Pinot Gris seems one of those quintessential summer wines, crisp yet bursting with pear and apple hints. Childress Vineyards in Lexington produced a winner from the 2008 vintage.
Read More
July 28, 2009
This rich, round dish calls for a rich round wine. The 2005 Shelton Vineyards Merlot ($16) hits the spot. The drought conditions of 2005 helped craft some marvelous red wines in North Carolina and this is one of them. The wine showcases black cherr...
Read More
July 14, 2009
This is a fun pairing with the 2008 Shadow Springs Vineyard Viognier ($17). A lighter-styled Viognier is the perfect accompaniment to grilled seafood. The Shadow Springs Viognier is a little more restrained than many domestic Viogniers. This shows orange...
Read More
July 1, 2009
Before summer heat really settles in, here's some recommended relief. The whites are on the crispy or off-dry side, the reds fruity to medium bodied. All are bargains at respective price points but the batch skews $15 and under because, well dang, when wi...
Read More
June 23, 2009
A fun wine, fun winery and fun dish – and very simple. Sean McRitchie, the winemaker at McRitchie Winery & Ciderworks, oversaw planting 180 acres at Shelton Vineyards in Dobson and helped lay the foundation for that massive winery before opening...
Read More
June 9, 2009
Shelton Vineyards is one of North Carolina’s largest wineries. Brothers Charlie and Ed Shelton, whose fingerprint is on much of the commercial real estate development across the state, chose to site their winery on old dairy land near Dobson. The Sh...
Read More
June 3, 2009
North Carolina’s major wine festivals are winding down, leaving me wondering: What hath wineries wrought with doctored-up confectionery concoctions that elicit oohhs and aahhs from tipsy festival-goers? North Carolina’s wine industry — 1...
Read More
May 26, 2009
This is a dandy rose crafted from Traminette, Cabernet Franc, Vermentino, Chardonnay and Orange Moscato and finished in a dry style. Cherry, raspberry, and cranberry flavors. Raffaldini Vineyards near Rhonda positions itself as “The Chianti of the C...
Read More
May 12, 2009
Grove winemaker Max Lloyd makes a stunning array of wines, including Traminette – a cousin to Gewurztraminer. His 2006 vintage was a drier style and he followed it with an off-dry style in 2007.
Read More
May 6, 2009
Preparing for a UNCG wine class, I pull cork from a 2005 Marques de Caceres Rioja Crianza. I'm folding Marques de Caceres into the lineup because it was my first introduction to Spanish wine. I remember the year was 1984 because the wine label glued in my...
Read More
April 28, 2009
ngredients: 4 cups of unpeeled but diced eggplant ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil 6 cups chicken broth 1 teaspoons of garlic 3 Tablespoons minced shallot 5 anchovy fillets, minced 1 ¾ cups Arborio rice 1 cup white wine 3 Tablespoons chopped fre...
Read More
April 14, 2009
Chambourcin is a French-American hybrid grape that’s proved popular among East Coast growers. Hanover winemaker Michael Helton has long been a fan of Chambourcin and his 2005 vintage – aged three years in neutral oak – may be his best ef...
Read More
April 1, 2009
Two of North Carolina's bigger wine festivals open next month. A relative newcomer to the scene is Salute! The N.C. Wine Celebration. It's May 9 in downtown Winston-Salem. Expect wineries from across North Carolina -- about 80 at last count. Not that they...
Read More
March 24, 2009
The 2006 Uwharrie Merlot offers gobs of cherry and plum and blueberry fruit with only the faintest of tannin. With about six and a half months in oak, the winemaker was trying to get hints of coffee on the finish. Uwharrie Vineyards is among North C...
Read More
March 10, 2009
For many, the Viognier grape is evocative of dry tropical fruit and a certain nutty, honey-like quality. We thought the rich ingredients of this dish married well with the fruit overtones of this grape, one of which is often peach. Childress Vineyards in...
Read More
March 4, 2009
1974 was a great vintage for California Cabernet Sauvignon. Too bad I missed it. I was only in 11th grade in Florida. This is not to say some fermented product hadn't passed my gums in a year when the Doobie Brothers recorded "What Were Once Vices Are Now...
Read More
February 24, 2009
RayLen Vineyards near Mocksville has always shown a deft hand with red wines. Cabernet Sauvignon can be a real challenge in North Carolina but RayLen has acquitted itself with the grape. The 2006 Cab has a bell peppery tinge to it which evoked a pizza-lik...
Read More
