New England Wine

• November 2009

  Attack, I'm in Auburn, which is down near the CT/RI border. I'm about five ... conditions are optimal in New England for what I like. I could just be being closed-minded, though

  Forum post in the topic Central MA, USA? by Girl Drink Drunk

  
  

• November 2009

  Are there any more future tastings planned? These are two of my favorite interests - animals and drinking wine!

  Forum post in the topic Great tastings! Portuguese... by attackdog100

  
  

• October 2009

  Hi Marguerite, Expecting it : I've started to open up people's awareness of ... wines and wineries here in New England (yes, New England produces more than fruit wines!)

  Forum post in the topic What makes a good wine blog? by cigarman168

  
  

• October 2009

  Greg DP et al, First, my apologies for what I now see was not a very clear ... wines and wineries here in New England (yes, New England produces more than fruit wines!) I think you guys at Snooth have done a great job of "bridging the gap" so to speak, and I can only imagine your... Read moreGreg DP et al, First, my apologies for what I now see was not a very clear ... wines and wineries here in New England (yes, New England produces more than fruit wines!) I think you guys at Snooth have done a great job of "bridging the gap" so to speak, and I can only imagine your frustration when you hear comments like mine (or those of your friends). I apologize for adding to that frustration. I continue and will continue to encourage my friends to join - and Greg, to your point, some people are just looking for excuses not to do something. But now I have a personal experience that allows me to relate to what they may be reacting to, and perhaps by understanding their reaction where I didn't necessarily before, I can better allay their concerns. Regards, Marguerite    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic What makes a good wine blog? by MTB

  
  

• August 2009

  Yes, I've read about this too. The idea of the best wines coming from Scotland is a new one. The comment that the south of England might be too warm for grapes by 2080 was the most worrying. Hope not! That would have to be a *very* dramatic change in climate.

  Forum post in the topic Scotch wines and climate change by penguinoid

  
  

• August 2009

  ...which is the damp green bit above England. I was hunting around for a specific Ravenswood Zin that we had in Sonoma last year on hols and stumbled across this goldmine of a site. What a blinder! We (that's me and the missus) are pretty passionate about our wine but in a totally... Read more...which is the damp green bit above England. I was hunting around for a specific Ravenswood Zin that we had in Sonoma last year on hols and stumbled across this goldmine of a site. What a blinder! We (that's me and the missus) are pretty passionate about our wine but in a totally undirected and novice way - we'll have a punt at just about anything unless the price tag is utterly ridiculous. So far, strong sauvignon blanc (the really blunderbuss stuff from NZ in particular) and oaked chardonnay are the major turn offs. Californian zinfandel and a nice cold pinot grigio are the wines guaranteed to make us smile. We've been getting into a few tastings round our neck of the woods which is giving some much needed discipline to our wine education. Next up - Claret. Yum. As well as wine, I'm also a bit of a single malt whisky fan/bore. On that subject I am much more knowledgable, which is quite easy I suppose as there are far fewer distilleries than wineries! Looking forward to hunting down good wine on here and getting some good tips from the forum!    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic A new member from Scotland... by KiltedDrinker

  
  

• July 2009

  In my last post, I wrote about the dilemma I am facing in naming my personal wine project.  I said that I am 99% sure of what that name would be.  And before I unveil it here and my reasons why, let it be said that this is no press release in the vein of Snooth’s Wine Pairing... Read moreIn my last post, I wrote about the dilemma I am facing in naming my personal wine project.  I said that I am 99% sure of what that name would be.  And before I unveil it here and my reasons why, let it be said that this is no press release in the vein of Snooth’s Wine Pairing application.  Kudos to the team for another quality extension of the brand that brings the wine world under rule. In that previous post I queried for some feedback and received a few consistent comments pertaining to the ease of remembering the brand name, the ease in pronouncing it and its ability to be distinguished.*  Words like class, simplicity and minimalism were jousted around.  These defining words can do just that, not only define the brand but also, in my opinion, describe the (label) design.  A hook about this wine I am creating is that it will be a small production effort that will be sold to friends and family, a few select retailers and restaurants in NYC and the Bay Area, California.  I have acquired contracts on six tons of grapes and am looking at a potential 300 cases of white wine.  Not enough to get lost on the shelves of your local supermarket or super wine store.  This doesn’t justify an obscure name choice or design, but the limited supply helps with the early stages of marketing by avoiding the clutter.  My wine will be a hand-sell because of the nature of its composition; I will be producing a unique white wine blend with some (relatively) obscure Italian grape varieties at its core.  That being said, does the “name” mean as much as the fit (with the consumer’s palate, the sommelier’s palate or the restaurant’s wine list)?  Only time will tell. So, it is time to tell.  The winery name will be “Massican.”  And its flagship blend, which on paper at this time, will consist of Tocai, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Ribolla Gialla will be “sub” named “Annia.” What? Massican.  Named after the coastal mountain range on the Southern Italian peninsula in the region of Campania.  Mount Massico garnered its mythological fame from a story of Bacchus’ travels when he was looking for a getaway after the “Carabinieri” (Italian police) were after his ass for being a cult-wino-instigator.  In this particular story, Bacchus took refuge in the foothills of Massico with a farmer named Falernus.  Bacchus was so enamored with the farmer’s generosity that when the farmer slept, Bacchus waved his magic Riedel Urn and turned his host’s hillside fields into the most sought after white wine grapes in all of Italy.  Today that DOC is called Falerno del Massico and is home to Campania’s seductive Falanghina.  My great-great Grandfather was also born in these foothills outside of the city of Caserta.  His father was a farmer who was jailed for this or that and sent his only son to the United States before WWI ensued.  During his imprisonment, the crook asked his neighbor to tend his farm.  When he was released, the neighbor did not want to give the land back.  So, he was stabbed and the criminal in my genealogical tree returned to jail.  Mythology, reverence and personal history all play a part in this (relatively easy to pronounce) name. Since the wine doesn’t have a grape variety to distinguish it by, I will designate the wine with the name “Annia.”  Annia has two meanings.  First, it is a derivative of my mother’s name, Ann (who drinks her wine with ice cubes, even red wine, and I love her for it).  And it is also the name of the ancient Roman High Priestess, Paculla Annia, also from the region of Campania.  Paculla Annia was hunted in the Second Century BC because she was the forebearer in the flesh of what we know today to be etymology of what we consider the “Bacchanal” cult. For you shrewd wine types, you will say, the grapes you chose, Dan, are not indigenous to your naming convention.  Yes, that is true.  But it is hard to find Falanghina in the United States, so I am attacking the Italian style of white wine production from its most prominent region, and as I have said earlier, I truly appreciate and enjoy drinking the modern style of wine coming out of North East Italy.  Although my naming convention doesn’t hone into this region’s history, it claims a history in Italian wine and, as described, a personal history.  So, I leave you with it and the words of Horace: “… whether you bring complaints or jokes, or brawling and insane love affairs, or easy sleep, or whatever purpose you preserve choice Massico, worthy to be removed on an auspicious day, descend, bids me uncork [sic] wine.” - * A note about naming.  “Snooth.”  Not ‘smooth’.  Or what I originally linked it to, “Sleuth” (as in investigated).  Philip told me that it was the nickname for the town he grew up in England.  Maybe he can explain it here. Dan Petroski is Assistant Winemaker at Larkmead Vineyards in Napa Valley. Dan has an MBA from New York University and worked as an Ad Exec in New York for several years, before switching it up and trading his suit for a move out west    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic An Ode to Wine Drinking History by danpetroski

  
  

• May 2009

  Hello All - Some recent forum discussions appear to have generated interest ... portion of the Southeastern New England AVA. If you're not familiar with the Connecticut Wine Trails, check out www.ctwine.com - there's a map of both trails and a list of all the wineries. Given... Read moreHello All - Some recent forum discussions appear to have generated interest ... portion of the Southeastern New England AVA. If you're not familiar with the Connecticut Wine Trails, check out http://www.ctwine.com - there's a map of both trails and a list of all the wineries. Given people's work and vacation schedules, I thought it best to start the organization early. At present the plan is (very loosely and subject to change at any moment)... the NY area folks would rent a van (or something) to drive up into CT. We'd identify a starting point on the wine trail for anyone from CT or other nearby states/areas to meet up with us so we could all proceed together. Those interested in biking the trail could bring their bikes and follow along behind the van. There are still lots of logistics to work out (which trail: east or west; how many wineries, etc.), but I thought we could start by figuring out who is interested and when seems to work best for everyone. So, please reply to this forum post and let us know a). are you interested, b). do you prefer July or August, and c). do you prefer Saturday or Sunday? Once I get some responses, we'll begin tossing out some specific dates for people to respond to and start firming up details.    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic Snooth Road Trip to the... by MTB

  
  

• April 2009

  Spring is finally arriving here in the Northeast, and the wineries of the ... two AVAS: the Southeastern New England AVA (most of the wineries on the Eastern trail) and the Western Connecticut Highlands AVA (the Western Trail). The climate is diverse: the coastal areas along Long... Read moreSpring is finally arriving here in the Northeast, and the wineries of the ... two AVAS: the Southeastern New England AVA (most of the wineries on the Eastern trail) and the Western Connecticut Highlands AVA (the Western Trail). The climate is diverse: the coastal areas along Long Island Sound are the warmest areas of the state, and grow a slightly wider range of grapes; the Connecticut Valley, which is influenced by the Connecticut River and "protected" by the surrounding foothills, and the highlands, both East and West, which are among the coldest areas of the state. Highlands' vineyards tend to grow hardier grapes such as cayuga, marechal foch, vidal and seyval. Connecticut's wineries produce a wide range of wines - there is a broader range of white varietals overall, but the reds are well represented. There are also excellent fruit wines (even if you're not a fan of fruit wines, do try Connecticut's - they tend to be drier and more interesting than other fruit wines), a few sparkling wines, and impressive dessert and late harvest wines. The drives along the two wine trails are lovely any time of year - in the Spring everything is lush and green; in the Summer the sunsets over the hills and lakes are breathtaking, and in the Fall - well, there's not much that compares to the glory of a New England fall. Come join us at the Connecticut Wines group here on Snooth (http://www.snooth.com/region/usa/connecticut/). Each month we post lists of upcoming special events either hosted by local wineries or featuring local wines. We're also maintaining the 2009 barrel tasting schedule. You can also post your comments and reviews as well as questions you may have about the region, the wineries or the wines, which we'll do our best to answer. Look forward to seeing you at Connecticut Wines!    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic Spring on the Connecticut... by MTB

  
  

• January 2009

  HI y'all, I'm new to Snooth and and I have question. For christmas my husband and I went wine hunting and was hoping to find something wonderful and light for us and my-in-laws. We found Bartenura Moscato d'Asti 2007 and it was wonderful. Let me just say, we are not seasoned wine... Read moreHI y'all, I'm new to Snooth and and I have question. For christmas my husband and I went wine hunting and was hoping to find something wonderful and light for us and my-in-laws. We found Bartenura Moscato d'Asti 2007 and it was wonderful. Let me just say, we are not seasoned wine drinkers and only enjoy light and fizzy wines. We had the best and our favorite in England, Bonarda Dolce from Tuscany, Italy. It tasted like grape juice but fizzy and yummy. So, naturally, the Bartenura was well received by our family and friends. My problem is that in the small village, were we currently reside, it is almost impossible to run into this wonderful italian wine. So, please help me find something similar in taste, not too sweet, but definitely fizzante!! Thank you :)    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic New Snooth!! by qutins

  
  

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