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!
   

Avondale, PA -- Va La Vineyards

Sometimes I get to caught up in the drinking of the wine that I neglect to take pictures for documenting...this would be one of those times.  However, I have this great picture of my man with his wine! 

Everybody's taste buds and wine preferences are different...I like whites and am a bit of a wine amateur, Ben likes reds and is very advanced with his wine knowledge.  The wine selection and production at Va La is small but they make a white (Prima Donna) and two reds (Silk and Mahogany) that make this winery stand out from the other PA wineries.  So far, this winery has the best wines we have tasted from the PA of vineyards.   Obviously we have a lot more wineries to venture too and a lot more wine to drink!

One thing we noticed about Avondale, PA area, and particularly around the area this winery is placed, was how moist it was.  You could feel it in the air, see it on the ground and smell it...oh wait...that was mushrooms we were smelling.  Apparently it's not only ideal for grape growing but also for growing mushrooms.

Absolutely beautiful area to visit...between the scenic appearance and delicious wines, I am already to head back as soon as I can.  Maybe take this hunk above with me too.

Landenberg, PA -- Paradoxc Vineyard

Interesting enough this vineyard's name came to be because two couples--all four doctors--got together and decided to start a vineyard...get it...PARaDOCx.  The vineyard is located in the beautiful Landenberg, PA, area. 

A few unique (possibly preferred depending on your preferences) things about visiting this winery:

1) You get to pick your flight for tasting and can take to your seat.  Each  tasting glass comes with a card that provides details for each wine.  Not only do you get to pick the flight that tickles your taste buds but you can do it with out a vineyard employee watching every facial expression and comment after your taste.

2) You can take home a liter...a liter of wine from what looks like a paint can and has a little spout on it!  

Delaplane, VA - Delaplane Cellars - Part 2

Almost forgot about this pic!  The hubs enjoying his time looking really comfortable (one bottle down) at Delaplane Cellars.  Love u xo

Delaplane, VA - Delaplane Cellars - Part 1

Mine...all mine!  The WINE IS COMING WITH ME!  Me at Delaplane Cellars in VA. Oh ya...the wine is that good.

This is a view from the outside patio at one of our favorite local (1 hr 20 mins away from home) wineries here in Virginia.  This was a beautiful summer day and at one point we got so hot that we went and sat inside...my body does not deal well in heat.

The wines are as enjoyable as the atmosphere.  Plenty of space and on weekends they have a 2-guy (sometimes only one of them makes an appearance that I noticed) musical entertainment.  Like some other VA wineries around this area, they like to keep it personal and intimate.  No parties more than 6 and NO wine tour buses.  No worries because we roll as a couple.

Thurmont, MD -- Catoctin Breeze

Yesterday, as Ben and I were making one of our regular car trips from Harrisburg, PA, to Arlington, VA (a trip we make often between "city home" and "weekend home"), we decided to stop and enjoy the scenery at a fairly new winery (opened for tastings in May). 

If you get the chance to drive through PA versus fly over it, you are missing out if you choose flying over it.  The beautiful scenic drive is only explainable if you see it with your own eyes.  As you head south on highway 15 and PA flows into MD, about 10 miles south of the PA stateline, you enter the area of Thurmont, MD.  After many many drive-bys of a particular winery called Catoctin Breeze, we decided that yesterday was the day to give in to our desires...wine desires. 

The vines on the hillside immediately put your mind at ease and put your mindset into a "relaxing day at the winery" mindset.  As we circled around the back of the hill and begin to pull up the lane we started to feel a little hesitation.  The tasting room was in a little barn with a johnny-on-the-spot for...well, you know, and although there were cars there we were concerned about the quality of the wine.  After the discussion in the car (should we get out or should we pretend we are just lost and doing a turnaround), we decided to try it out.  End result...we couldn't have been happier with our decision to stay.

Catoctin Breeze's vines are only a few years old and the official tasting room and cellar will not be complete until next year but their wines are beyond ameatur wine makers.  I highly suggest trying their Chardonnay.  Their reds will be ready (for the first time) in about 2 weeks and best believe that we will be back there as soon as we can to try them!  

Wrightsville, PA - Moon Dancer

Welcome to our happy little winery tour blog thingy (because wine = happy)!  Follow us as we blog about our winery tour experiences and thoughts. 

I'm a little backlogged because I've been a bit lazy.  A few weeks ago we visited a winery in Wrightsville, PA.  It is called Moon Dancer...I know, you are probably picturing a partial moon with stick figure arms and legs dancing weirdly...me too! 

Beautiful view, and although not pictured below, they have a lovely tasting room and back patio.  Also, they host weddings so if you are looking for a venue, picture you, your groom, and your wedding party standing here and this being your backdrop.  Hard to resist. 

The wines are sweet and fruity, flavors such as blueberry, strawberry, peach and mango. 

Welcome!

Welcome to Sarah and Ben's (aka the Happy Couple) blog that reviews wineries from around the world!   Sarah will do most of  the postings, because she's more fun that way.   We've got some interesting stories to share from Virginia to Italy and everywhere in between.   We'll kick things off with some reviews of some local wineries that we went to this weekend in the Lower Susquehanna AVA.   Over to you Babe...