Wine Books, What We've Been Drinking, and Info on our Up-coming Wine Appreciation Classes

Welcome to the FIRST blog written under our new scheme to provide different information in this Vintage Connections Wine Info blog than in our Grapevine wine blog or Vintage Connections Wine Info E-Newsletter.  If you want this week's Wine Tips of the Week, or Up-Coming Events, or even this week's Fun Fact (about wine), please go to the Grapevine, or subscribe to our E-Newsletter by emailing us at Vintageconnections@Comcast.net.


Wine Books
This past week we recommended a couple of wine books to some new wine friends and they recommended one to us, Wine Drinking for Inspired Thinking, by Michael J. Gelb.  Sounds like a book we should buy, but we'll pretend that we'll see if it's in our local library for a couple of weeks, and then resort to buying yet another wine book on Amazon.  Oh, by the way, we recommended the Wine Bible by Karen MacNeil and What to Drink with What You Eat by Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page to these new friends, and recommend them to you as well.

What We've Been Drinking

During the past couple of weeks, we've tasted the following wines.  Our fancy rating system speaks for itself.  These wines are NOT in any particular order (well, maybe they are).  We don't usually list prices or check current availability but do mention a few prices we had on hand.  Google the wineries (or the PLCB product search site) for prices, availability, and sometimes more information.  We think all were under $20 (or we wouldn't have bought them).  Bold-faced winery names are linked to their websites.


Manatawny Creek Syrah - A rather bold red.  We tasted the 2007 that we'd been saving. We hear the 2008 is excellent as well and plan to sample it soon.  We'll buy this one again (this was not our first bottle and won't be our last).  Available at the winery near Douglassville, PA.

Galen Glen Stone Cellar Gruner Veltliner - A medium-bodied white in the Austrian style (dry).  Similar to, but distinctly different from, Sauvignon Blanc.  We'll buy this one again (this was not our first bottle and won't be our last).  Available at the winery near Andreas, PA.

Rockbridge Tuscarora Red - A medium-bodied red blend.  We forgot how good it was and wish we had bought more and will buy it again.  Available at the winery near Raphine, VA.


Goose Watch Villard Blanc - A light-bodied white.  We forgot how good this was and wish we'd bought more.  Similar to, but still different from, Sauvignon Blanc. We wish we'd bought more and will buy it again.  Available at the winery near Romulus, NY (in the Finger Lakes).


Hosmer Sparkling - A white sparkling, made using the methode champenoise.  We wish we bought more and will buy it again.  Available at the winery near Ovid, NY (Finger Lakes).


Veramar Rooster Red - We bought it for the name and label (yes, even we do that).  A nice, dry red blend.  We're not sure if we'd buy this again, but think it's worth a try. Available at the winery near Berryville, VA.


Bernardus Marinus Carmel Valley (CA) Red - A Bordeaux-type blend of Cab Sauv, Merlot, Cab Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec.  Definitely worth at try if it is still available, IF you like hearty dry reds.  This Chairman's Select is $20 (plus tax). PLCB code 12868.  Splurge on this one.


Chemin des Rouvieres, Perfection du Rhone, appellation Vacqueyras - Yes, this one is from France.  Rhones are blends, usually of Grenache and Syrah.  This one is Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre.  It's an excellent blend and we may try again.  This was a gift and we think it is the same as the PLCB Chairman's Select, product code 30879.  If so, it's a bargain ($13) and we recommend you give it a try if you like dry, bold reds.  A nice and affordable alternative to Bordeaux.


Barton & Guestier Chateauneuf-du-Pape - Another red from France.  B&G export big time to the USA and their wines are widely available, a bit pricey, and for our tastes, not worth the cost (this one, not worth buying at any price).  Yep, for us this is a loser and we won't buy it again and don't recommend you do either.  There are so many other, better, more affordable bold reds.

Up-coming Wine Appreciation Classes

Yes, we taste wines in class.  What a silly question!

Thursday, March 24, 6:30-9 PM, 139 East High Street, Pottstown (PDIDA office)
Wine Blending Bordeaux Style

Red Bordeaux (the real stuff) is always a blend, usually Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, and often with a little Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot, and even rarely Carmenere. 

In class, we'll taste a little Cab Sauv, a little Merlot, and a little Cab Franc, and then you can try blending these in different combinations and TASTE the difference. Adding a little of one (or two or three) to the other changes the taste, like adding salt, pepper, or other spices to food. 

Thursday, March 31, 6:30-9 PM, 139 East High Street, Pottstown (PDIDA office)

Wines of the Finger Lakes

Our wine students had a good time tasting and learning about Wines of the Finger Lakes in this class last fall, right after we returned from our week-long tasting trip to the Finger Lakes in upstate New York.  This time, we'll taste a few more wines from the Finger Lakes.  If you enjoyed this class in the Fall, we're sure you'll enjoy this one too.  If you missed this class in the fall, now's your chance!

Thursday, April 7, 6:30-9 PM, 139 East High Street, Pottstown (PDIDA office) 

Surprising Wines under $15

Often it's hard to find decent wines priced under $15, but that's what most of us are looking for.  

Sample some of our favorites in this price range.

Gems from our Cellar - Date TBA
Yes, we're going to open 5 or 6 of those bottles we've been saving.  The vintages we'll be tasting are probably not available any longer, but current vintages should be excellent too.  Originally, we scheduled this class for April 14, but need to be change the date.  More information, including the date of this class, will be posted as soon as possible. 

Cost for each class is $35 per person and reservations are required in advance. 

Make your reservations by emailing us at Vintageconnections@Comcast.net

or call us at 610.649.6164 or 610.310.9942.  Leave a message if we can't answer the phone right away (we're probably out tasting wine).

If you don't already receive our weekly Wine Info e-newsletter with Wine Tips of the Week, Up-coming (wine) Events, and our weekly Fun Fact (about wine), email us and we'll add you to the mailing list. 

We wish you Happy (and responsible) Wine-ing.