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A Wine Lover’s Weekly Guide to $10 Wines – An Organic Canadian Riesling

June 2, 2011 By mwshutup Leave a Comment

I am starting to taste a lot of organic wines. But you won’t see many of them in this column for one very good (actually very bad) reason. Organic wines tend to cost more than other wines. So when I saw this bottle I snapped it up. Actually, I’m sort of cheating. The bottle cost under but it’s only 500 milliliters, 2/3 the size of a regular wine bottle. So I took smaller sips.

FrogPond Farm is Ontario, Canada’s only certified organic winery. They don’t use insecticides, herbicides, synthetic fungicides or chemical fertilizers and even their electricity is green. So I thought that it was only fair to give them a chance. And I’m usually happy to taste Rieslings.

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed:

Frogpond Farm Organic Riesling, 2006 12.2% alcohol about .50

Let’s start with the marketing materials.

Description: Our Quality Assurance Laboratory has determined that this wine contains 6 mg/L of free sulphur. Tasting Note: Made in an almost Alsatian style, this is a racy/fresh version of Riesling. Nose is of orange marmalade, green apple, mineral and lime. Dry, very clean and fresh, with good fruit/mineral replays on the mid-palate. Needs 2-4+ years, or try it tonight with a Cajun catfish, or, if you eschew spice, grilled salmon steaks. (VINTAGES panel, Feb. 2009). And now for my review.

The cork crumbled as I was opening the bottle. I wasn’t impressed, I can’t remember the last time that happened. I started by sipping this wine alone. The first sips were long, moderately sweet with balanced acidity. I started with schmalz herring (a fat herring) in oil.

The wine was appley with good acidity. The meal itself was a hot-weather, don’t turn on the oven ensemble of reheated sweet and sour barbecued chicken wings, potatoes, and a good helping of salsa. The wine picked up strength with the wings. It had a lot of body for a white wine. But it couldn’t quite keep up with a spicy tomato, garlic, pepper, and lime salsa. It weakly, or semi-weakly able to put out the moderate fire. And there was no lime in the Riesling to accompany the salsa’s lime.

The second meal was fried liver and onions. This time I tasted lime in the wine and there were apple notes as well. The wine managed to remove some of the livery taste of the liver. It was more forceful with green beans in tomato sauce.

The final meal consisted of a roasted Atlantic salmon steak in soy and maple sauce accompanied by rice. The Riesling displayed bright acidity but was somewhat thin and not a lot of fruit came through. Dessert was better. With a high-quality vanilla ice cream bar covered in dark chocolate the wine showed nice acidity and sweetness with some fruit.

I finished the tasting with two cheeses. With a Havarti the wine was too acidic. With an Emmenthaler (Swiss) the wine’s acidity was balanced and the nuttiness of the cheese came through.

Final verdict. I’m just not sure. I usually liked this wine but given the small bottle, it isn’t really a bargain wine. Honestly, I never would have guessed that it’s organic but I think that’s the way organic wines are supposed to be.

Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the Internet, but to be honest, he would rather just drink fine Italian, French, or other wine, accompanied by the right foods and spend time with his wife and family. He teaches classes in computers at an Ontario French-language community college. Among his many web sites he is particularly proud of his new love and relationships site celebrating mostly spiritual and on occasion physical love at http://www.loveamourlove.com. You will find a wide range of articles devoted to various aspects of love, and a special collection of love quotes in both English and French (with translations.) Check out his global wine website at http://www.theworldwidewine.com with his weekly column reviewing wines and his new sections writing about (theory) and tasting (practice) organic and kosher wines.

The first 8 minutes of Riesling, Episode 6 of Jancis Robinson’s Wine Course. www.jancisrobinson.com to buy the full five-hour set of the multi-award-wining tv series Jancis Robinson’s Wine Course. The sixth episode of Jancis Robinson’s Wine Course – a beautifully filmed tour of the world of wine presented and written by Jancis Robinson and based on dozens of stunning locations in four continents. Each of the ten half-hour programmes is centred on a major grape variety or theme but provides a complete wine education including how wine is made, tasted, stored and enjoyed. See more at www.JancisRobinson.com – updated daily and the only place you’ll find all of the Oxford Companion to Wine and all of the World Atlas of Wine maps online. For my money, the site worth paying for is www.jancisrobinson.com’ – LA Times survey of wine websites. A 2-disc PAL version of the DVD is available from Amazon UK. It is distributed by B-motion of Holland in Europe.
Video Rating: 4 / 5

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Clare Hotels: Blend Of Natural Beauty With Riesling Wine

June 2, 2011 By mwshutup Leave a Comment

Article by Rahul Sharma

The best route, which is easily accessible to the Clare valley, is flying to Shannon International Airport from anywhere you belong and take the road or the local rail network getting into the Clare valley. Before boarding your flight to Shannon Airport, you must ensure that you have already booked a car so that you must not have to fight with the long queue of the car hire and can admire the countryside more than anything else.

The total driving from the Shannon Airport to the Clare valley is of roughly about 140kms, if you drive through the Ennis town and decide to stay there, and wish to admire the natural beautiful landscape of the valley or you can continue your journey to Galway, and Limerick city will also be an option for having an admirable look of the Gods extraordinary sculpted creation.

After visiting the Ennis you will move forward to Ennistymon, the drive from Ennis to here is take hardly around half an hour and will give a spectacular look of the countryside of Clare County. This is a pleasing town situated near a narrow wooden valley.

Our next destination is the town of Lahinch – country’s most favorable and tourist visited seaside, mainly famous for the enormous opportunities for the water sports like surfing, etc. and several outdoor activities like beach volleyball. The Lahinch is famous for its golden-haired sandy beaches, which gives a superlative view of the country seaside.

The Clare valley is also very famous for its exotic Rieslings – kind of wine-grape found in Germany, Austria and in some part of Clare valley as well. It was first started in Germany in 1435-1437 for making the finest Grape-Wine. The Riesling grape is populated of having the dark color stem with the rounded green color fruit over it. Riesling is also well-known as Weisser Riesling, Rheinriesling, Riesling Renano, and Johannesburg Riesling

There is a lot of variety in the flavor, aroma and blend. They are classified according to the harvesting time of the Riesling, if it is harvested early, then it will produce the dry Riesling wine which comes with the crispy aroma and a very small amount of sugar level. In-between the vaguely dry wine is produced, and ultimately the considerable sweet smelling wine is produced when harvested a little late and the reason for its sweetness is the contamination of the fruit from fungus (Grey mold-dried up the fruit water), which increases the sugar level in the Riesling fruit, and because of Riesling smell sweet.

In other words the Clare Valley is the perfect blend of the natural beauty and exotic grape-wine – Riesling wine. This will for sure enhance the level of enjoyment of your holidays and, of family or friend get together or a business deal in such a spendthrift place to reside. All these qualities of the Clare valley will give you, a heavenly experience during your visit.

The Author has been writing articles on different topics from last three years. With this article he wants to share information about Clare valley and Clare Hotels

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The Riesling Trail

June 2, 2011 By mwshutup Leave a Comment

27km between Auburn and Clare is the old railway track called the Riesling Trail. Famously regarded as, the Riesling Trail, it’s one of several primary clues of their local’s huge passion for wine and wine making. It’s actually a trekking and cycling trail that joins one side of a wine region to the next. Obviously, it’s this regal white variety of wine in which the Clare Valley is best known for. Perhaps you can get a big possibility in hanging out with the wine maker if you will visit in one of the wineries for tasting. Until now, wineries promote learning and appreciation to their vacationers on how this undying tradition has embrace generation of families to keep on producing premium wines for more than a century and a half.

Clare Valley Riesling Trail
The Riesling Trail serves as a pathway used both for walking or cycling that follows the old regional railway which is now not being utilised.

The trail is 27 kilometres long and ends in the atrium of the Clare Valley from Clare to Auburn. If you happen to chose to take this trail, you’ll be able pass several fine-looking townships as well as some local wineries.

The lengthof this trail is as follows: 7 kilometres (Clare to Sevenhill), 5 kilometres (Sevenhill – Penwortham), 5 kilometres (Penwortham to Watervale), 2 kilometres (Watervale to Leasingham) and 8 kilometres (Leasingham to Auburn)

The Riesling Trail is being used in both directions and features several signposts for entrances and exits in every single town and between towns. It features a user-friendly ascent and is best suited for cyclists and hikers in numerous areas of life and skill. The full track could very well be cycled for 2 hours approximately. Parking spots are also provided by four locations en route. This is situated in Clare, Sevenhill, Watervale and Auburn. Loop paths are also around. These trails is going to take you where you started excluding the trails you passed before.

Other portions of this track are hiding from the vision of mankind by means of bush lands and undergrowth. Several stretches expose their beauty during seasonal views in the Clare Valley. From corner to corner, look back to the roofs of Watervale, to the magnificent view to the slopes circling around town, several vineyards, paddocks, and bush land while you are on your way south heading for Leasingham. Majority of the trail go along the contours and formation on the valley, giving detailed insights into its location.

Clare Valley Cycle Hire will provide visitors bike rentals. You could choose the bike yourself or deliver it anywhere in the region, and having 24 hour prior notice, they’re going to deliver food in a picnic basket too.

The things you Need to Do and see
If you are looking for gifts to take home or class A snacks, you may as well take a look at Clare Epicurean, a food shop that has specialized locally manufactured foods and items something like quince jelly, spiced honey and Quandong chutney and jam.

One of the places you must drop by is the Sevenhill Cellars situated in College Road, Sevenhill. Sevenhill Cellars is the oldest and therefore the only winery in Australia that is being operated by a religious order. The Order of the Jesuits built the winery in 1851 for producing sacramental wine. Until now, sacramental wines are still being made there. Go exploringon the cellars as well as the St. Aloysius church and crypt which near to the area. If you have an interest in amazing wine cellars, you may even walk in to the Sevenhill Hotel and take a look to their stunning wine cellar. Nearby the Hotel is the Lica Scarlet. They specialise in newly picked cherries during December.

Quite close to the Riesling Trail is the Anglican St. Mark church which was constructed around 1850. It is positioned nearly outside of Penwortham. The church is on top of a hill looking over the township but still holds mass on sundays. If you need food while you’re on visit in Penwortham, one could dine in at Walnut Cottage which is open from Friday – Sunday and have your meal inside the 19th century building or one of many amazing cottage garden available.

Several well maintained hundred years old building exists in Auburn. You can also enjoy a bite in Tatehams Restaurant or on their not far away neighbor The Rising Sun Hotel. Take pleasure in the accommodation in Clare Valley with great food, great chef and impressive cellars.

Accommodation in Clare Valley is going to be more complete if you would go to see The Riesling Trail. You will definitely get to take pleasure from the place, the localsand the wine. All the info for this place is on the internet where you could book your accommodation in Clare Valley.

Clinton Bernat writes articles for Book Accommodation Online. He is currently writing articles for Clare Valley Accommodation. You can read more about Accommodation Clare Valley on the website.

Though Riesling is usually made sweet, it isn’t always. Riesling is a great wine for sushi and smoked foods. Learn more about Riesling in thisfree video from a wine sommelier. Expert: Jane Nickles Bio: Jane Nickles is the author of “Wine Speak 101.” She is also a wine writer for “The Texas Wine and Food Gourmet” and “Eat and Drink Magazine. Filmmaker: MAKE | MEDIA
Video Rating: 5 / 5

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