101 Wines...a Cheap Plug for Gary's Book!

Greetings from the Lake Erie Islands!

A shout out to my pal, Gary Vaynerchuck with the release of his new book this week (May 12, 2008). Gary is the host of Wine Library TV, and is a frequent guest on the Television talk circuit.

Always looking to make a buck (and that doesn't make him bad) Gary is releasing, "101 Wines Guaranteed to inspire, delight and bring thunder to your world." OK, so it's a long title and I haven't gotten an advanced copy yet (maybe the mail is slow), but knowing Gary it should be great!

A book tour is planned and there are some neat offers for people purchasing two or more copies. The book will be available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Borders. The book lists for 19.95 but you can get it for around 13 and a half bones!

Congrats, Gary.

A Few Wines for the Weekend!

Greetings from Akron, Ohio!

Here are a few new wines that you might want to look for in the stores for this coming weekend. All are inexpensive and have a great QPR. (Quality/Price Ratio)

2006 Castle Rock California Cuvee Pinto Noir. In my never ending search for a good Pinot under 20 bucks, this one fits the bill nicely. The Castle Rock 2006 Pinot Noir is a medium bodied (not as light as most) wine with a nice nose of cherries and spice. On the pallet is is smooth with rather mild tannins and the distinct taste of cherries and a hint of iced tea, with a spicy but not peppery finish. At 13.99, this one rates 88 points and a great bargain.

2006 A to Z Oregon Pinot Noir. This is my first experience with this jammy fruit bomb. It is one of Wine.com's top sellers and now I know why. The label says "aristocratic wines at democratic price" and they are correct! At 17.99 a bottle the 2006 Pinot Noir is a refreshing mix of red cherry and red raspberry with good acidity and a hint of spices. Just what you would want from a Oregon Pinot. At 17.99 a little more expensive, but when you look at all of my Oregon favorites that used have this price point now over $30 bucks a bottle this one is a bargain. This is a 90 pointer!

2006 Windmill Estates Lodi Old Vine Zinfandel. What can I say, always one of my favorite Zins for the price, Michael and David Phillips have done it again with the 2006. This one reminds me of the 2001 with huge fruity plums and prunes, some Asian spice and black pepper on the long finish. A bargain at 11.99 and 88 points.

2005 Columbia Crest Two Vines Vineyard 10 Red Wine. This vibrant blend of of Washington State Syrah, Sangiovese, and Cabernet Sauvignon, brings aromas of strawberry and some spice with blackberry and plum flavors on the mid-pallet and an nice smooth finish. And at 7.99, a really nice everyday wine especially with pasta and pizza. 86 points and a good QPR.

Cheers! Have a great weekend.

Oh my,,,I'm a Locavore...You might be too!

Greetings from Catawba Island, Ohio!

Every year the New Oxford American Dictionary declares its word of the year. In 2007, it was Locavore. Loosely defined, it's someone who prefers buys their food and wine locally. It came out of the local food movement, which encourages people to develop their own local or regional food economies. A locavore, is a person who would rather shop at the farmers market, stop a local roadside stands, and consume locally produced and grown foods and yes, wines!!

I was talking with a friend in Michigan who recently returned from Italy and all he could talk about was the local fruit and vegetables and local wines. He couldn't believe how fresh and flavorful they were. As we talked we both commented about how in the United States we eat food from all over the world but most is picked before it is ripe and then must be shipped to the US distributor then to the local stores. It never tastes as good as it looks. It just isn't as good as local.

For me my favorite tomatoes are grown in my back yard. And what national distributor can beat Seiberling Farms corn, sold from their roadside stand in Norton? One of the nice things about living on Catawba Island is the opportunity to get Catawba peaches right off the tree at the roadside stand on NW Catawba Road. Or to purchase Ohio apples from Bergman's on Route 53 or the famous Rittman Orchards.

The same goes for wine. It's a wonderful thing to drink the local wines from Ohio. It's no different that dinning at a local Trattoria in Italy. If you ask for a wine list, they'll simply say "house wine" and fill a carafe from a unlabelled barrel or jug. Montepultiano has never tasted better than the local house wines of Abruzzo.

So Ohio, let's make it our goal this summer to shop the local farmers markets. There is a nice one in Downtown Akron every Saturday morning. And stop by those local roadside stands. And when your near Lake Erie or the Ohio River, stop in at one of the Ohio Wineries and check out the local wines. They'll be glad to see you and you might just discover that you are a locavore as well.