West Grove, PA -- Kreutz Creek

Normally I don't write up wineries in the blog unless I'm blown away by them, but Sarah insists that this is an incomplete approach, and it also puts too much of the blogging burden on her ;).   After all, I don't want to be like Andrew Zimmern on Bizarre Foods.   He pretends to like just about everything, and after a while you're thinking he must be full of bull***t.   Some of that stuff he's eating must suck, right?  

So, with that being said, here's my write up on Kreutz Creek.   Now to be fair, I'm not saying Kreutz sucked.   In fact they had some decent wines.   I actually liked their Chard's, although Sarah, the white wine drinker, wasn't blown away.   You don't see a lot of Chardonnay in these parts.  Their reds were "clean" - my wine tasting word for not having any kind of funky smell or taste - but on the other hand I didn't think they had any depth or character.   Overall, nothing remarkable.  I had high hopes for this winery since it's only 3.5 miles from my house.  And while I'll definitely go back, it's not going to be my go-to place.  

I do admire their owner and story - a guy who started out making kit wine and was probably in a boring day job, and then made the leap to commercial wine making.   He's got my respect.   Also, the scene and ambiance there in their vineyard was very nice, and the staff friendly and knowledgeable.   

As an aside, Kreutz has a tasting room in West Chester that looks (from the website and Yelp reviews) to be a pretty happening kind of spot.   They are open late, have bands, food and the like.   So it would seem that unlike a lot of other wineries, they have the sales and marketing side down pat.  

In summary, they are worth a stop if you're in the area, just don't make a special trip.  They have lots of sweet wines on the tasting list which was a red flag for me, but if you're into that kind of thing, then you will definitely like.

Chester County, Pennsylvania -- Penns Woods Winery

I've been super excited about this post ever since visiting Penns Woods Winery a few weeks ago.   In fact we've already been back once.  This might be my new fave east coast winery, certainly my favorite here in the Brandywine Valley, which is a part of the Lancaster Valley AVA.  

Penns Woods produces about 3,000 cases a year and focuses mainly on vinifera wines.  Their cab franc is loaded with pepper, oak and smoke, just like I like.   Sarah loves their viognier.   The alcohol content of their reds is more of the old California style - 13 to 14% alcohol, which I like because I can drink more of it before falling over.   On my second trip I bought a bottle of their 2005 Ameritage blend and took it home.   I saved it for a few days (lol) and then broke it out for a steak dinner and was not disappointed!  It was fantastic right out of the bottle and had great acidity and spice, which if often lacking in local wines.

This winery has a fantastic setting with an old barn and a huge lawn for kids to play on.   Plenty of picnic benches and breeze, this is a fantastic place to spend your Saturday or Sunday afternoon.   Unlike a lot of wineries this one is very kid and family friendly.   You and yours can enjoy a bottle while they wear themselves out, all while looking out over their beautiful 20+ acre vineyard.

The staff is super friendly and as near as I can tell it's largely staffed by members of family.   On one of our two visits we saw the owner checking up on things as well.   When I find PA wine this good it encourages me to start growing my own (hobby only - not commercially!) given what the potential is.   If you're ever in the Wilmington/Philly area, I strongly encourage you to make a trip over to Penns Woods.

Linden, Virginia -- Linden Vineyards

Already miss this place...

This was one of our favorite wineries to visit when we lived in Virginia.  A winery that is as old as I am, both born in the early 1980s.  It appears to have aged better than I have though.

Sitting on abandoned hardscrabble (poor soil with harsh conditions) on the top of the Blue Ridge Mountains is where you will find Linden Vineyards and the beautiful views that is embraces.  The below picture is taken in February of the view from the back patio.

Linden's appeal is the tranquil environment that welcomes intimate and personal enjoyment.  Having visited a lot of wineries in the Virginia area, Linden was the first that I visited to inhibit large groups and wine bus tour groups.  A setting that is now becoming more and more popular at more and more wineries.  An intimate setting that I prefer.  

Don't be surprised if you bump into the owner or his dog while you are there.  Both are very friendly and while the owner is usually hard at work, his dog is often greeting you at your table on the patio.  

The scene inside the tasting room and back patio is just as intimate as the scene from windows.  During warmer days, the doors are open and the air is fresh.  

Not only is the environment exactly what I love in my visits to wineries but the wines are also some of best that I have had in Virginia.  Being a split couple (Ben loves reds and I drink whites) it is hard to find a winery that indulges both our preferences...but Linden always does.  I highly recommend the Seyval, and for something a little sweeter (but not to sweet), try the Riesling Vidal.  The Hardscrabble (named after the  land) is a red that is always a great combination of fruit and dryness.  To accompany the wines, Linden makes fresh bread and provides delicious meats and cheeses.

Ben -- before starting to taste some Linden wines.  Why the frown, Ben?

After tasting the wines at Linden and enjoying a glass on the patio...much better!

And, me enjoying my delicious Seyval and staying warm and cozy by the fireplace.  

Egg Harbor City, NJ -- The Historical Renault Winery

There is no better place to be then at a winery when it's this cold and snowing and MISERABLE OUT!

Our weekend took us to a New Jersey winery, a first for us both.  The Renault winery is one of the oldest continuously operating wineries in the US.  The winery tour is a 'must' because there is so much history here to remember, let-along type in a blog.  It was a bit overwhelming but in a good way!

Here are some of the key historical facts...the ones that I remember.  The winery started with Louis Renault who had traveled from France in 1855 to start growing grapes where he hoped, would not be affected by a parasite that had destroyed nearly all of France's wine industry in the mid-1800s. What a sad thing to happen :(   Louie grafted American root stocks (which were resistant to the parasite) onto French vines and the rest is history.  

In 1919 John D'Agostino and his family purchased the winery.  They were able to operate during the 14 years of Prohibition under a special government permit.  Yes, it is safe to assume that D'Agostino might have been involved in organize crime, and yes, he was a genius!  D'Agostino was able to continue the operations of wine making by producing it for religious and medicinal reasons.  Renault Wine Tonic (what is was called and sold as) was sold all over in drug stores and right over the counter.  It had an unbelievable 22% alcohol content.  That is Port Wine status!  The medicinal wine was mixed with a tonic that when it was frozen, the tonic and wine would separate with the tonic frozen on the bottom.  This leaving the wine to float to the top and what we all know would happen, to also then be drunk without the tonic.  I know I would have. 

 Below is one of the actual steel vats that was used during the Prohibition!  Crazy!

Currently, the winery is owned by the Milza family who has brought the winery to resort feel.  There is a hotel, two delicious restaurants, museum, golf course, ballroom and pretty of event space.  See additional pictures below of the winery.  

Ben and I had made a weekend out of it and stayed at the hotel called the Tuscany House.  Below is a picture taken in the lobby.  It is a hotel/B&B kind of feel.  We also had dinner at the Gourmet Restaurant, where the food was delicious, live music was performed and the chef did wine pairings with his suggested entrees.

And, of course the wines were delicious as well!  I do love some Champagne and their best is the Blueberry Champagne...brought some back to VA with me. It's that good! 

One last interesting historical fact about Renault.  Renault's Champagne has been made at Renault for over 150 year and because it was founded by Louie, whose wine making is tied back to France and the original Champagne district, Renault's Champagne was grandfathered into a "Champagne".  The only compromise they had to make with the French Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée is that they must refer to it as "American Champagne".  They are the only US Champagne making winery that can actually call it "Champagne" with a capital "C".  All the other US champagne makers have to label it as "Sparkling Wine".  

Castello Sonnino - Tuscany, Italy

Castello Sonnino winery is located at Castello di Montespertoli in the Tuscany region of Italy.  It is located about 20 km from Florence and within easy reach of Pisa and Siena.  In fact it was originally a customs post between Florentine Chianti and Siena.  If you look at the second picture below you will see a wall that encloses the castle.  The castle was home to many including a great stateman named Sidney Sonnino.  In 1987 the Baron Alessandro and Baroness Caterina de Renzis Sonnino moved into the castle to protect the historical heritage and revive the winegrowing and winemaking.

The Baroness is very lovely lady and is very active around the estate.  Ben and I got the pleasure of meeting her and spending some time with her.  See pictures of the castle below.  And, no...they do not let you in the castle.

The Castillo di Montespertoli sits on a hillslide, below you will see the view from the castle overlooking the vineyard.  This is bad picture-taking on my part...didn't get much of the vineyard.  But, if you look to the top left you will see the grapes.  And, also, it is just a great view!

As you can see the estate is very impressive and, of course, so are the wines.  Being that Italy is one of the oldest wine-producing regions (and one of the largest), they take their wines very seriously.  Italy applies a classification system for their wines.  The wines are classified and regulated by production area/growing territory, specific requirements, viticultural practices, labeling instructions, etc. 

 Castello Sonnino has IGT and DOCG wines.  IGT means Protected Geographical Indication and currently Italy only has 118 wines that can be designated as IGT wine.  DOCG means Controlled and Guaranteed Designation of Origin and is a superior and highly sought after wine.  A DOC (Controlled Designation Origin)(and not made at Castello Sonnino) wine has to be an IGT wine for 5 years and then for a DOC wine to become a DOCG wine (the superior wine), it has to be a DOC wine for at least 10 years.  There are only 73 DOCG produced in Italy.  

We got to taste multiple IGT and DOCG reds plus a IGT white.  Of course, we did not leave here empty handed.  We were even successful at bringing back some wine to the US but most of what we purchased there we managed to drink before living Italy...for space saving in our luggage of course. 

Above are some pictures from the winery tour.  On the top is the wooden vats for fermentation.  The second picture is ceramic vats for fermentation.  Using ceramic vats was more a traditional fermentation process but something they still use here at Castello Sonnino.  There were also steel vats (more current) but those are not pictured here.   

 Above is a picture of the barrel room.  This room is directly under the castle.  It's the type of room that looks like it belongs under a castle.

The above picture is not something you normally see at wineries.  This is the attic space above the restaurant and tasting room.  Although the process is not going on right now, this is where they dry the grapes for the DOCG red wines.  It is called Amarone and creates a dry but sweet wine.  They grapes dry between these straw mats (obviously in a hot and dry area) after they are harvested in October.  The drying process lasts about 120 days and then the grapes go through a dry low temperature fermentation process that can last 30 to 50 days.  

Castello Sonnino is a must-visit winery if you are ever in the Tuscany region!  If you don't  get the chance, definitely check it out online: http://www.castellosonnino.it/en/

Principe Corsini - Tuscany, Italy

Sarah and I had the opportunity to go to Italy earlier this year.   With the downtime at Thanksgiving we're now getting around to posting about our winery experiences there.   The wines at Principe Corsini are of the classic Tuscan type - predominantly Sangiovese with the DOCG designation.   The wines were good and like most Italian Chianti, a great value for the money.   And if the wines were good, the experience was great.   Principie Corsini has been operating for several hundred years.   They can trace their ancestry back to Italian royalty, hence the "principe" in the name, meaning "prince" in Italian.

As far as the winemaking goes, they farm 80 hectares and also produce olive oil, which we sampled.   It was quite good!  Their wines are aged in very large oak barrels like the one pictured above with Sarah standing beside it.   Because the barrels are so large, there is very little oak in the wines and the cherry flavored fruit really comes out.   I have to admit that I like the Piedmont varieties better than Sangiovese, but again, Principe Corsini's wines were very good.   The cellar was ancient and one had to love the old world feel of it.   However, modern winemaking theory emphasiszes cleanliness and any California or Oregon vinter would be frightened by the amount of mold on the walls.   The objection being that barrels breathe and it's almost certain that some of that mold finds its way into the wine.   That's not a health objection, but more of a concern for the quality of the wine.   Nonetheless the vintages at Principie Corsini seem to survive ;).

Even better than the wines were the grounds that surround the cellar.   As you can see from the pictures below, they have immaculate gardens and beautiful views.   Sarah and I enjoyed a leisurely stroll around the estate which includes a large Tuscan villa that dates back a few hundred years.

All in all it was a great experience, and I highly recommend the trek to Principie Corsini if you ever find yourself in Tuscany.   You can find out more about this traditional Italian winery at their website http://www.principecorsini.com/en/home/.   

Dundee, OR - Peter and Paul's Wine

Recently I had an opportunity to visit my friend Paul Vorvick's winemaking operation in Dundee, OR.   Paul and I work together at Serena Software.   Paul's partner in this project is a man named Peter Bouman.   Peter is the leader of this two man band, and is a long-time Oregon resident.   Peter and Paul don't make wine commercially, they do it for their own enjoyment and that of their friends.  I don't know exactly how much they make, but I'm sure well within the limit that Oregon law prescribes for "homemade" winemaking ;).

I have to say that the wines I sampled at Peter and Paul's were some of the best I've ever had.  Their Pinots, Syrahs and Cabernets would easily fetch $50 and more at a wine store (and double or triple that in a fine restaurant).   The hand crafting that goes into these wines is amazing.  Making great wine requires much care and feeding, and Peter and Paul are devoted parents to these vintages.

One of the things that struck me on this trip is that making wine is a lot of work.   Not just at harvest time, but for several months thereafter tending to the wines every need.  I've included a picture of their basket press above.   This is a "bladder press" meaning that the basket has a rubber bladder inside it.  The bladder is attached to a hose when it's time to press the grapes.   The pressure from the bladder squeezes the juice from the grapes.   That's a little easier than a traditional hand crank press.  As you can imagine, Peter and Paul's winemaking building is complete with carboys, barrels, and all the accessories.  They've also got some great tunes on the radio and plenty of sampling equipment handy!

Peter and Paul make wine near Hyland Estates, which also has some great wines.   http://hylandestateswinery.com/.   They do some serious volume too - check out the barrels that are just waiting for wine.

I definitely recommend you checking it out if you're in the area.  You might ask how Peter and Paul are so well connected in the Oregon wine scene.   Well, Peter's day job is pretty cool.   He's a vineyard broker so he knows anybody and everybody around Dundee OR which is in the heart of the Willamette Valley.   That's big time Pinot Noir country for anybody that knows the basics of American wine.   It's the same lattitude as Burgundy in France, hence the affinity for Pinot and to a degree Syrah as well.

So, in closing, if you're inspired by this blog to start your own winery in Oregon, check out Peter's website at http://oregonwinecountryproperties.com/ and see if there's a vineyard that's just right for you ;).   And if you're inspired by the notion of releasing better software faster, check out serena.com and buy something from Paul and I.  We're saving up for our own wineries as well!