Thanks to All the Sponsors

I just wanted to send a shout out of thanks to all the sponsors for the 2011 Wine Bloggers Conference.

I will write more about the different sponsors in greater detail once I get home.

This was a great weekend of learning, meeting new friends, drinking good wine, and having fun. I have some great ideas to take home for my blog.

Everyone in the Charlottesville area was super friendly. You can tell just how proud they are of their local wine and produce. Keep it up!

Live Wine Blogging: Red Wines

WINE #1

Jefferson Vineyards

Wine by Andy Reagan

2005 Petit Verdot Reserve

This was in flavor magazine.

$45 a bottle

only 7 cases of this left

made 60 cases of this

super mild -- something like pork tenderloin

has some spice to this and best petit verdot I have tried all weekend.

I would totally buy this wine.

WINE #2

From Keswick vineyards

2007 Cabernet Sauvignon

Has some merlot in this as well.

Unfined and Unfiltered wine

Pairs well with grilled meats and should be decanted because it will have sediment as it is unfined and unfiltered.

Sold out of this wine

$34.59 was the price

@KeswickVineyards

WINE #3

From Sonoma County

2007 Talisman Pinot Noir

Winemakers met at Robert Mondavi and married

Make pinot noirs

make about 2,000 cases

Talisman has been around since around 2000

Sells for $46

@talismanwine

WINE #4

2006 Pinotage (typically a south african varietal)only a few making this varietal in new zealand and canada

2,00 cases a year

Lovingston

2006 was a cooler vintage on the east coast

winery located in lovingston, virginia

half an hour south of charlottesville

sells for $24

@lovingstonwine

WINE #5

Tabarrini 2004 Montefalco sagrantino

my mom just got kissed by the winemaker

for lamb, wild boar, deer

going to be at B-21 in Florida in October, friends with bob

@tabarrini

WINE # 6

Williamsburg Winery

Trianon

2007 Cab Franc

Retails for $32

Named for the Trianon de Porcelaine at Versailles.

Winemaker by Matthew Meyer

18 months in all types of oak (french, american, hungarian)

@williamsburgwin

WINE #7

Kings Estate in Oregon

2008 Pinot Noir

92 points by Wine Spectator

Produce 1200 barrels a year of estate pinot noir and only 60 goes into this blend

all organic and largest continuous vineyard

sells for $60

@kingestate

WINE #8

2007 Cabernet Sauvignon

Cornerstone/Stepping Stone in napa valley and williamette valley

Alcohol 14.9%

Sells for $75

Tasting room in Yountville

@cornerstonenapa

WINE #9

Calnaturale

organically grown grapes

Paso Robles, Ca

$12.99 for a litre

2008 Cabernet Sauvignon

French Camp Vineyard

Winemaker is heather

Distribution --> in whole foods and co opts -- in publix in florida

WINE #10

Clif Family Winery

The Climber

Cabernet Sauvignon from California -- comes in 1.5 L

Fruit from central coast -- Napa/Sonoma

if camping -- you could blow it up and use it as a pillow

Sells for $17

Wine is non vintage

Same as a magnum and can stay for 3 months

WINE #11

2008 Centine Toscana from Banfi winery

20% cab 20% merlot and 60%sangiovese

sells for $10

distributed all over the country, including Florida

@BanfiRed

WINE #12

2008 Pinot Noir from WillaKenzie Estate in Oregon

@Willakenziewine

retails for $41

distributed nationwide

Live Wine Blogging: Whites and Rose

HERE WE GO

WINE #1

From Life Goes Better with Bordeaux

* Chateau Le Gay -- from Pomerol, one of the smallest regions in bordeaux.

* Tasting the Bordeaux Rose -- a bordeaux blend of merlot, cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc

* Very refreshing and crisp

* Price point $13

* www.enjoybordeaux.com

WINE #2

Rodney Strong Vineyards

* 2008 Reserve Chardonnay from Russian River Valley

* The Winemaker is Rick Sayre

* 100% Chardonnay

* aged in 100 percent french oak

* Serves well with seafood pasta dishes

* retails for $35-$40 depending on the market

* Not my favorite chardonnay for the price point

WINE #3

DECIBEL Winery (name a shout out to the music industry)

Daniel P. Brennan is the winemaker

* Single vineyard wines from New Zealand

* 2009Sauvignon Blanc

* 1,000 cases of production

* $16

* can do direct shipping

* Producing Malbec and a Pinot Noir

WINE #4

Afton Mountain Winery from Virginia

*2008 Tete De Cuvee (Sparkling method) Brut

* 50/50 Pinot Noir and Chardonnay

* Not yet available at the winery

* Sells for $30

* 100% estate grown fruit

* 1990 first grapes produced and tasting room opened in 1991

* One of the oldest wineries in the state

* very nice and light -- perfect for a warm day in summer

WINE #5

Viviana 2009 Superiore Cuvee from Texas

*harvest early to keep alcohol down

* goes well with spicy food and seafood

* floral nose

* sells for 22.95

* Similar to Caymus Conundrum

* Kind of like Texas alsace region

WINE #6

Chateau Morrisette -- VIrginia winery near Virginia Tech

* 100% Chambourcin

* 2009 Dry Rose

* stainless stell

* Sells for $14

* Sell it in WEST BY GOD VIRGINIA!!

* their website is www.thedogs.com

* To make the wine more approachable we put dogs on the labels and used the dogs as a theme.

Interesting Fact: Lawyers contacted them from the Black Dog in Martha's Vineyard and let them use the name.

WINE #7

Boxwood Winery from Middelberg Virginia

* Pouring the 2010 Rose

* Blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot

* Follow on twitter at @boxwoodwinery

* 100% estate fruit used in all of their wines

* Vineyard planted in 2004

* make four wines 2 reds and 2 rose's

* family project -- before got into wine industry-- operated washington redskins

* Rachel Martin poured for us. Daughter of the founders and Vice President.

* made first wine in 2006

* soon will be middelberg AVA (make 7 AVA's)

* 180 bottles produced of Rose

WINE #8

* Barboursville, Virginia wine

* 2009 Reserve Viognier

* very sweet and refreshing viognier

* Viogner is the most well known white wine in Virginia

* By time wine released the wine is 15 mo old

* Sells for $20-22

* Produce 16 wines

* has a lingering taste for minutes after you drink it

* 20 miles north of charlottesville

WINE #9

* Serving Tabarrini 2008 Adarmando

* retails between $17-22 a bottle

* 100% Spoletino

* 70 year old vines

* only stainless steel

* From Montefalco in Umbria

* Nice lingering taste and very crisp and refreshing for the summer months

* You can age this wine and would like a Reisling from Alsace

WINE #10

Michael Shaps

* 2008 Viognier from Monticello AVA

* a bone dry Viognier

* single vineyard and he does Bordeaux Varietals

* This is not made for cashflo

* Sells for $32

* Winery is south of Charlottesville

* one of buses is going there tomorrow

* took over a vacant facility to make the wine

WINE # 11

* 2010 Pinot Gris from Jefferson Vineyards

* 1100 cases produced

* sells for $18.95

* Andy Reagan is the winemaker from Norfolk, Virginia

* Jefferson Vineyards makes from 12-15/16 wines

WINE #12

* Sivas-Sonoma from Sonoma County

* Sauvignon-Blanc

* Get this wine from the Russian River

* food friendly wine

* Pairs well with risotto or grilled swordfish or salmon

* could pair it with grilled cheese or asian fusion

* $14 a bottle or could find for $12.99

* first vintage of this wine

* winery near border to Napa

* headquarters is in downtown Sonoma.

Wine Bloggers Conference

I am finally here at the wine bloggers conference and ready to post lots of fun pics and info from the conference.

We are at the opening statements and going to hear form the wine consultant to the royal family, jancis Robinson, in a few moments. Very excited! She has a website at www.jancisrobinson.com.

Will post more later!

Vina Robles

Our second day in Paso Robles was busy and full of wine. We somehow managed to visit 6 wineries and still attend the Tobin James summer BBQ party. It was a FUN day with good friends.

We missed stopping at Vina Robles last year and wanted to make sure we stopped on this trip. This was our first wine tasting of the day.

Kenny was our tasting room guide. He was very friendly and informative. I learned that Vina Robles is owned and managed by two Swiss gentlemen, both named Hans. (that could get confusing haha) Nick de Luca is the winemaker.

We enjoy some of the more widely distributed Vina Robles wines in Florida. We have the Jardine Petite Sirah, Red4, and the 2008 Huerhuero Cabernet. It was nice to taste some different wines that we don't have access to through distributors.

The wine tasting room and bar is nice and large. I loved the huge fireplace made of stone.

We did the reserve tasting, and I was glad they let you keep the logo glass. That is always a nice touch for visitors. We bought a bottle of the 2005 Cabernet that was discounted. It was great paired with pork tenderloin at Charcuterie in Healdsburg, CA.

I still have my Vina Robles patch on my jeans! I will stop back here next time we are in town.