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Whether you are searching for a holiday gift or a tasty sip to pair with a meal, I recommend the following five wines from Argentina, Italy, Oregon, Washington, and Virginia to add to your shopping list!  Photo credit: Penny Weiss Unánime Signature Malbec 2018 Mascota Vineyards is located in La Consulta, San Carlos, a small wine-growing sub-region in the southern Uco Valley of Mendoza, Argentina. Winemaker Rodolfo Sadler founded Mascota and has crafted wines for over 30 years. This 100% Malbec is aged for 14 months in French oak barrels.  Photo credit: Penny Weiss Nose: Violets, fresh red fruit, and baking spice. Palate: Bing cherries, red plum, with a hint of dark berries and subtle notes of dark chocolate, espresso, and pepper on a lengthy finish. Smooth and balanced with complex layers. Alcohol: 14.5% SRP: $40 Pairing suggestions: Hearty stews, roasted meat, fowl, or mushroom risotto. Intrinsic Red Blend 2021 Intrinsic Wine Co is a Washington state wine brand created by Juan Muñoz Oca, head winemaker at Columbia Crest, and his team. Columbia Crest and Intrinsic are both owned by the largest wine company in Washington, Chateau Ste. Michelle Wine Estates. According to available information, the Intrinsic Red Blend 2021 is a blend of Malbec, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon, originating from the Columbia Valley region of Washington state.  Photo credit: Penny Weiss Nose: Lovely notes of raspberry, dark cherry, and sweet plums, along with hints of violet, tobacco, and herbs. Palate: This rich and juicy blend shows off notes of chocolate, espresso beans, and pepper that blend well with ripe fruit. Silky tannins and well-balanced acidity lead to a long finish with spice and berries lingering on the palate. Alcohol: 14.5% SRP: $20 Pairing suggestions: Sip on its own or head to the dessert table with your glass! FIOL Prosecco DOC Extra Dry FIOL (pronounced FEE-yol) means “son” in Venetian dialect and “chap” in English. FIOL was founded in 2011 by Gian Luca Passi and co-founder Giovanni Ciani Bassetti. They are childhood friends who grew up surrounded by Prosecco. “Most local winemakers have been drinking sparkling wine for 50 years and need an extraordinarily strong bubble to really feel it. We wanted something gentler, more subtle, more fruity.” says Gian Luca Passi.” This sparkling wine is 100% Glera. Prosecco DOC requires a minimum 30-day secondary fermentation in tank. This wine remains in tank 40 days for extra depth and complexity.  Photo credit: Penny Weiss Nose: Green apples, a touch of white flowers, and citrus. Palate: Smooth bubbles with emphasis on the grape. It is crisp and refreshing with notes of apple, pear, minerality, and a touch of lemon zest. Alcohol: 11% SRP: $19 Pairing suggestions: Enjoy as an aperitif, in cocktails, or with appetizers, entrees, and dessert! Appassionata Andante Pinot Noir 2017 J. Christopher Winery, located in northern Willamette Valley, Oregon, is owned by iconic winemaker Erni Loosen, creator and owner of Germany’s Dr. Loosen and Villa Wolf estates. Following his passion for Pinot Noir, Erni set his sights on J. Christopher, eventually purchasing 40 acres and planting the Appassionata Vineyard. The grapes for this 100% Pinot Noir are sourced from 33-year-old vines in the Dundee Hills appellation. The wine was aged for 20 months in French oak barriques (25% new). The wine is released five years after vintage. Andante means ‘gently, unhurried.’  Photo credit: Penny Weiss Nose: Exotic flowers, brioche, red berries, red plums, baking spice, herbal notes, and a whiff of orange. Palate: This is a lively wine that balances delicate and savory. Silky texture with bright cherry, pomegranate, baking spice, and orange zest. A long and tasty finish awaits. Alcohol: 13.5% SRP: $135 Pairing suggestions: Roasted fatty fish such as salmon, stuffed artichokes, duck, grilled meat, venison, and most cheese. Early Mountain Rise 2021 Early Mountain Vineyards is owned by Jean Case, who started the company in 2012. They are located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Madison, Virginia, with more than 55 acres of planted vineyards. Rise is reserved for only the finest vintages with specific selections from exceptional mountainside vineyards. It is a beautiful blend of 58% Merlot, 17% Petit Verdot, 15% Tannat, and 10% Cabernet Franc. The wine is aged for 20 months in French oak barrels (52% new) and 18 months in bottle prior to release. If properly stored, this wine will drink well from 2024-2050.  Photo credit: Penny Weiss Nose: Floral, dark berries, plum, cedar, baking spice, and forest floor.
Palate: A perfect dance of structured tannins merging with acidity leads to an elegant wine. Aromas segue onto the palate with lingering notes of chocolate, spice, and decadent berry pastries on a long finish. Alcohol: 14.8% SRP: $150 Pairing suggestions: Hearty stews and soups, roasted red and white meat, mushroom risotto, pasta, seared tuna, charcuterie board, and spinach quiche. I hope these wines have aroused your curiosity. Your palate will appreciate it! Happy tasting! Until next time… Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at [email protected] In September of 2019, I embarked on a whirlwind tour of distilleries located throughout the state of Virginia. I met with 25 distillers and toured numerous distilleries. My big take away from this trip (aside from the amazing spirits) was the overall emphasis on community spirit and a palpable non-competitive support system between the distillers. They all share the same goal and passion for the industry and are dedicated to working hard to promote Virginia Spirits. It is quite awe-inspiring! What is also awe-inspiring, but not surprising is how many of these distilleries have opened up their hearts and turned their businesses into the manufacturing of hand sanitizers.  If anyone had asked me several months ago if I would be interested in covering a story about distilleries making hand sanitizers, I would have laughed. But here we are today in the middle of a pandemic of epic proportions and it is no laughing matter. Hundreds of distillers across America are switching production from spirits to making hand sanitizer and providing front-line healthcare workers, first responders, hospitals and their communities with a much-needed product during the COVID-19 pandemic. With column stills and other necessary equipment already in place, the transition is easier, even though necessary adjustments need to be made to comply with FDA and WHO. According to federal and WHO guidelines, the recipe for hand sanitizer calls for 80% ethanol (which is highly flammable), water, hydrogen peroxide and glycerol. Fortunately, distillers are prepared and used to working with high-grade alcohol of which there are strict regulations that need to be followed. The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau that oversees the spirits industry amended parts of the law on March 18th waiving the requirements that distilleries must obtain permits to produce hand sanitizer. This has made it easier for more distilleries to begin production. Here are some thoughts shared by two distilleries in Virginia who are now making hand sanitizer. Vitae Spirits This is a family-owned crafts distillery located in Charlottesville, VA. The distillery was founded by Ian Glomski, Ph.D., former Professor of Microbiology at the University of Virginia School of Medicine. His specialty is infectious diseases. Vitae translated means “of life”. The distillery’s main focus is rum, but they also produce gin. And I can attest to the quality of the many delicious varieties of rum that I sampled with Ian.  Ian Glomski Photo credit: Penny Weiss September/2019  Photo credit: Penny Weiss Today the copper stills are being put to another use. Ian said, “At some level, it hurts me to turn our tasty rum and gin into sanitizer, but in times like this it's the right thing to do. We focus our hand sanitizer delivery to non-profit and front line organizations that are directly fighting the pandemic at a number of different levels, i.e. health care providers/food services, etc. We also reserve a small portion for our customers as a thank you for their patronage. I look forward to the day we are laughing and drinking our spirits with a crowd of friends again.” With the scarcity of hand sanitizers available to the public, Vitae made a valid and helpful suggestion on their website. Why didn’t I think of this? “REMEMBER: Hand sanitizer is a backup measure for washing hands thoroughly with soap and water and should be reserved for times when one does not have access to soap and water. Please consider carrying a bar of soap and a water bottle with you instead of relying on hand sanitizer.” KO Distilling Bill Karlson and John O’Mara, life long friends, joined forces in 2013 to make spirits using local ingredients with the intent of embracing the local community with their new adventure. Bill is CEO & Marketing/Sales Director and John is President and Head Distiller. The above photos were taken in September/2019. From left to right is Bill Karlson and John O'Mara. Photo credit: Penny Weiss KO Distilling was incorporated in 2013 and construction began in 2015 to create a state-of-the-art production facility and local tourist attraction in Manassas, VA. After initially offering un-aged whiskey and gins, Bill and John produced their first aged spirit in November 2016 called Bare Knuckle American Wheat Whiskey. I had the opportunity to taste a variety of their whiskey and bourbon while visiting the distillery. On March 12, 2020, Bill Karlson closed the distillery and tasting room to the public to protect the health and well being of his employees and customers. Bill said, “During the ensuing weeks, the severity of the pandemic and, importantly, the demand for hand sanitizer became clear, and we knew we had to join our distillery colleagues in producing this important tool for first responders. When coming up with a name for our hand sanitizer, it was fitting for us to use Bare Knuckle. We are glad to be able to help the community fight the good fight during this coronavirus pandemic.”  Photo is courtesy of KO Distilling The distillery plans to produce approximately 2,000 gallons of Bare Knuckle Hand Sanitizer each week and initially plans to donate supplies to Manassas area first responders, hospitals, charitable organizations, and nursing homes. Additional quantities are being sold through government channels or to essential businesses to help cover production costs and support the continued employment of their 15 employees.
The Distilled Spirits Council (DISCUS) is tracking spirit makers that have converted their facilities to create hand sanitizer. DISCUS is a national trade association that represents producers and marketers of distilled spirits sold in the United States. They have created a map that identifies which distillers in 50 states have announced their plans to make the sanitizer. Visit their website at www.distilledspirits.org I am sending a huge shout-out and an abundance of gratitude to all distilleries and breweries throughout the USA and beyond that are stepping up, donating and helping to ease the hand sanitizer shortage during this very scary and uncertain pandemic. Bravo! Until next time… Stay Safe, Stay Home and Be Well! Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at [email protected] It was the year 1620 at the Berkeley Plantation in Charles City, Virginia where colonist George Thorpe is credited with distilling America’s first batch of corn-made whiskey. It was the prelude to corn-made moonshine and bourbon. One might think that it all began in Kentucky, however Bourbon County, Kentucky was part of Virginia until the late 1700s!  Photo credit: Revel Photo Co. Also, in the late 1700s, a Baptist preacher by the name of Elijah Craig who lived in Orange County, Virginia is at times credited for being the first person to age whiskey in charred oak casks, thus creating bourbon. And let’s not forget George Washington who began commercial distilling in 1797 at his Mount Vernon property in Virginia. It was the largest whiskey distillery in the country during that time. Most of the whiskey he produced was a blend of 60% rye, 35% corn and 5% malted barley.  Photo credit: Penny Weiss The above video is of the Gristmill.  Distillery Photo credit: Revel Photo Co. After a fire in 1814 destroyed the building, Washington’s distillery was eventually reconstructed in 2007 and it now produces small batches of whiskey each year.  Tasting George Washington's whiskey. Photo credit: Penny Weiss Today, there are over 60 licensed distilleries located throughout Virginia, spanning from south to north and east to west. In fact, there are more craft distilleries here than in both Kentucky and Tennessee. And the variety of whiskey being produced in Virginia is impressive. In addition to whiskey, bourbon and moonshine, many distilleries are also making such spirits as gin, rum, vodka, brandy, aquavit, pastis, absinthe and flavored liqueurs. Most of these distillers use only locally sourced ingredients to ensure a quality product in addition to working with and supporting the community and local farmers. Virginia is celebrating 400 years of making distilled spirits this September with many events and festivities scheduled throughout the next few months. www.virginianspirits.org Through the generosity of the Virginia Distillers Association and Virginia Spirits Org., I was recently invited to meet with 25 distillers, tour seven distilleries, participate in a cocktail seminar and dine on exceptional culinary delights. It was a four-day whirlwind tour that also included a stopover at the historic Berkeley Plantation and George Washington’s Mount Vernon Distillery. Our Virginia Spirits Trail began in Newport News and ended in Leesburg. At the beginning of the tour, we were given a passport that was stamped with each visit. I thought the ice cube stamp was clever!   Our tour bus was graciously provided by Virginia Hop On Tours co-owned by Jon Craig (pictured here). Jon provided us with everything we needed, including some local history and entertaining stories. When planning your spirits/wine/beer tours, I highly recommend you contact Jon. www.cvillehopontours.com  Virginia Hop On Tours Photo credit: Penny Weiss  Jon Craig Photo credit: Revel Photo Co. As I embarked on the tour I became aware of a common thread of agreement between the distillers. For the most part, they all seem to be focused on producing farm to bottle spirits and distilling small batches while making a spirit that reflects the “terroir” and community. My big take away from this trip (aside from the amazing spirits) is the overall emphasis on community spirit and how the distillers work closely together and support each other. They don’t look at making spirits as a competition between each other because they all have the same goal and passion and are dedicated to working hard to promote Virginia Spirits. It is quite awe-inspiring! Each distiller and distillery has a unique story. And I am impressed by their creative approach to making spirits. Over the next few months, I will be writing about the distilleries that I had contact with on this trip. And of course, I will also discuss and review some of their spirits. Let’s begin with the oldest operating distillery in Virginia, A. Smith Bowman Distillery.  Photo credit: Penny Weiss The family tree is impressive and reads like a history book. For instance, brothers John, Abraham, Joseph and Isaac Bowman were Virginia militia officers in the American Revolutionary War. And A. Smith Bowman Jr.’s daughter married Jay Adams, a relative of John Adams, John Quincy Adams and James Buchanan. The names on each bottle of whiskey pay homage to a relative. John J. Bowman Single Barrel Bourbon is named after Colonel Bowman, the first military commander and governor of Kentucky County. And the two stills are nicknamed Mary and George to pay homage to George Bowman and Mary Hite (eldest daughter of Jost Hite), parents of the Bowman brothers. Abram Smith Bowman, purchased Sunset Hills Farm in 1927, a 7,200-acre property in Fairfax County that was used as a dairy and granary. (In 1964 the farm became the planned community of Reston, Virginia.) After the repeal of Prohibition in Virginia in 1933, Bowman built a distillery on the estate that was completed in 1934. With all the excess grain that his farm was producing, it made sense to make spirits with it. The distillery’s hallmark bourbon called Virginia Gentleman was first produced in 1935 with the help of Bowman’s two sons, Abram Jr. and DeLong. Up until the 1950s, A. Smith Bowman was the only producer of legal whiskey in the Commonwealth of Virginia. In 1988, the distillery relocated 60 miles south of the original location to the historic city of Fredericksburg. Today, A Smith Bowman, a micro-distillery, produces award-winning whiskeys led by Colorado raised Master Distiller, Brian Prewitt. Using the latest technology and time-honored tradition, they produce premium spirits made with the best natural ingredients. Although they produce vodka, rum, gin and several experimental spirits, they are best known for their whiskey, especially bourbon.  Photo credit: Penny Weiss  Photo credit: Revel Photo Co. After tasting several Bowman bourbons, the standout for me was the Abraham Bowman Sweet XVI Bourbon that was released in 2018.  Photo credit: Penny Weiss This bourbon represents Bowman’s experimental, limited-edition line. It was made from a selection of bourbons aged in Missouri charred oak barrels with four different entry proofs - 125, 114, 105, and 90 proof. After 16 years of aging, the barrels were blended together producing a rich and seductive spirit. The nose was sweet with caramel, vanilla, leather and charred oak. Considering it was a 114 proof release, it was smooth but definitely heat infused. Notes of molasses, baking spice, oak, and anise filled the palate with a warm, creamy and sweet finish. This was a limited edition that is not available anymore. However, if you like bourbon, I highly recommend seeking out one of the many A. Smith Bowman bourbons that are now on the market. https://asmithbowman.com
More stories and coverage of the distilleries from my Virginia trip to follow soon. In the meantime, why not book a tour of Virginia’s Spirit Trail and enjoy all that Virginia has to offer? Or, stop by your local spirits store and pick up a bottle of Virginia spirits. Either way, you’re in for a treat! Until next time… Cheers, Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at [email protected] I’m flying out on a press trip this weekend to spend several days immersing myself in the world of Virginia spirits. Did you know that Virginia is the birthplace of American distilled spirits and will be celebrating 400 years of spirits making? It all began in 1620…(to be continued when I return from Virginia.)  Credit: Virginia Spirits Org. I will be sampling many varieties of distilled spirits such as bourbon, whiskey, vodka, rum, gin, moonshine and craft cocktails! It will be a whirlwind tour that includes meeting with many distilleries and visiting a few historical sites.  Photo credit: Virginia Spirits Org. Stay tuned for some interesting stories! And in the meantime, follow my Virginia adventure on Instagram @thewineknitter.  Until next time…
Cheers! Penina To leave a comment or if you have an inquiry, please contact me at [email protected] |
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