Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Which wine regions do you want to see in our future quizzes?

Thank you so much for all of you who helped us decide which logo we should keep. That was greatly appreciated.
Now we need your help again...
Which wine regions do you want to see in our future quizzes? To get started we have already picked two very famous wine regions for you: Champagne in France (will be posted tomorrow) and the Douro Valley in Portugal (will be posted next Wednesday).
Please post your comments here on send us an e-mail to: contact@thewinehub.com 
Pick as many as you want!

Cheers,
LA


























www.thewinehub.com
One of the  pillars of TheWineHub is Wine Tourism. Whether you are a wine maker, or a wine drinker, we all enjoy    having discoveries... TheWineHub exists to  help you with that. 

Friday, November 26, 2010

BEYOND WINE...WHAT "IMPRESSIVE" SPIRITS GIFTS SHOULD I BUY FOR THE HOLIDAY?? by Philip S. Kampe

THANKSGIVING is over.
BLACK FRIDAY has come and so BEGINS the GIFT SEASON.
As a believer in WINE as gifts, I also believe that SPIRITS also are wonderful gifts for those special people who have an Advanced Palate.
Wine fills the palate with hundreds of flavors.
Beer does the same.
And so do Spirits.
At a recent Spirits tasting, aimed at Holiday Consumers, I found several possibilities for Gifts that are fairly priced, contain beautiful packaging and are of Top Quality.

++++++++++++++++++++RECOMMENDATIONS++++++++++++++++++++++++++
#1 VODKA is the number one selling spirit in America. There are hundreds of choices in the marketplace. I sampled RUSSIAN STANDARD Vodka and found this to be the BEST VODKA I had ever had.
The vodka is a true expression of Traditional Russian Vodka. RUSSIAN STANDARD Vodka owes its name to DMITRI MENDELEEV'S classic formula, which was commissioned by TSAR ALEXANDER III.
Traditional vodka has a wheat taste from Russia's winter wheat combined with clarity from the soft glaciers of the frozen north. RUSSIAN STANDARD has a bitter, soft bite that is typical of Russian vodkas.
VODKAPHILES comment on Russuan Standard:
' I spent four years in Russia and and tasted them all. Ruskie Standart was by far the best. It went down smooth and didn't hurt you the next day. This is the premier vodka of Russia'.
' Simply the best vodka I had ever had'
' In a class of it's own....Simply the best'
' I like a vodka that I can tatse and savor. This one has a very appealing nose, and is smooth, yet loaded with mouth feel. Enjoy this one with about five minutes of ice melt, and the flavor opens up, winter grains, wheat berries and soft water. Big and round with a slight vanilla sweetness. Clean finish, pleasent warm feel, not hot and no burn. A big Classic Russian Vodka'.
To learn more about the vodka and to see the bottling, visit: http://www.russianstandard.com/
Russian Standard retails at $17.99 a bottle. The Holiday bottle, even comes with a scratch-off ticket for a chance to WIN a Special edition Russian Standard t-shirt or a Signature Rissian Mule copper mug.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
#2 Fifth generation distiller, Cyril Camus was anticipating demand for lighter and more elegant cognacs. The public wanted this, thus the creation of CAMUS XO ELEGANCE COGNAC .
Cyril Camus explains his creation, ' CAMUS XO ELEGANCE calls on venerable eaux-de-vie from exceptioanl vineyards, with a strong presence of the signature Camus Borderies. The unique bouquet of floral aromas and palate tinged with dried fruit, licorice and spicy notes culminate in a persitent, leathery finish'.
The cognac is light and fruity with a minimal oak influence. Cyril Camus only uses aged oak barrels to create a less harsh product.
Wine Enthusiast scored Camus XO Elegance with 95 points and says ' The nose discovers scents of buttered toast, baked apple and pear pastry, cinnamon and nutmeg with subtle notes of worn leather, pipe tobacco, cigar wrapper and burnt sugar. Palate entry is modestly sweet: midpalate flavors of vanilla, toffee, dried cherry and lanolin vie for dominance. Finishes light and elegant'
Priced at $110, the Limited Edition Gift box contains two crtstal tulip cognac glasses and a bottle of CAMUS XO ELEGANCE.
Visit http://www.camus.fr/ to learn more about this 95 point cognac.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 
#3 LUCID ABSINTHE SUPERIEURE
I am a New Orleanian (my first 24 years) and ABSINTHE has played a large role in social circles of the Crescent City for decades. In 1797 Major Dubied opened the First Absinthe Distillery in Couvet, Switzerland.
Absinthe was created as an ELIXIR by Dr. Pierre Ordinaire and was launched as a ' miracle cure all'.
Today, LUCID Absinthe is distilled at the historical Combier Distillery in Samur, France (Loire Valley) using the distilleries original antique copper absinthe stills and apparatus, much of which was designed in the 1830's by Gustav Eiffel.
LUCID is the first genuine absinthe made with real GRANDE WORMWOOD to be available in America in 95 years. LUCID is crafted with whole herbs and neutral spirits. The green color is all natural.
Visit http://www.drinklucid.com/ to learn everything everything about Absinthe.
The striking bottle with cat's eyes starring at you intrigues everyone who sees it. Once you open the bottle, the aroma of anise and spice take over the room. At 62% alcohol, I understand why the traditional, cloudy drink is mixed with a splash of water and sugar. Immediately, I noticed fennel mixed with anise on the palate, plus the additon of wormwood, which was new tatse for me. The spiciness on my palate finished with a hint of pepper.
Lucid is a very balanced Absinthe and a great Absinthe to give as a gift. The Holiday goft box contains two glasses and the typical and necessary Absinthe spoon.
At around $55, this is a gift that will be remembered forever. The gift pack contains everything you need to enjoy the tradional Absinthe experience, which is full of history and mystery.

PHILIP S. KAMPE
philip.kampe@thewinehub.com


www.thewinehub.com
One of the  pillars of TheWineHub is Wine Tourism. Whether you are a wine maker, or a wine drinker, we all enjoy    having discoveries... TheWineHub exists to  help you with that.

Austrian Wine Marketing Relaunches www.austrianwine.com

With more than five million visitors per year, the website of the Austrian Wine Marketing Board (AWMB) is one of the most visited wine websites in the world. And now, the site – also the world's most comprehensive website on Austrian wine – has been relaunched. On November 18th, the new www.austrianwine.com <http://www.austrianwine.com>  went online. Work on the relaunch had been underway for more than two years with a fresh new conceptualization, newly built-in features, and new and exciting contents.

“We remodeled our corporate design last year, and now our new online appearance completes our expectations for state of the art style, information and design,” said an enthused Willi Klinger, general manager of the AWMB.

Responsibility for realizing the new website was held mainly by Christian Dworan, the AWMB’s segment manager for computer technology and the internet, along with the agency future bytes communication, which has been serving the AWMB website since its creation. Together, Dworan and Future Bytes developed the new site's appearance and implemented its essential innovations.



Exciting features of the new austrianwine.com
·      All information offered in five languages: German, English, Russian, Chinese and Japanese
·      Detailed press archive dating back to 1997:
http://www.austrianwine.com/news-media/news-from-us/
·      Calendar of important Austrian wine-related events:
http://www.austrianwine.com/news-media/events/
·      New maps of Austria and its wine-growing areas:
http://www.austrianwine.com/facts-figures/maps/ <http://www.oesterreichwein.at/daten-fakten/kartenmaterial/>
·      Picture gallery featuring the domestic wine-growing areas, grape varieties, culinary themes, glasses, bottles, etc:
http://www.austrianwine.com/news-media/gallery/
·      Comprehensive wine glossary with translation function:
http://www.austrianwine.com/servicelinks/glossary/
·      Overview of AWMB activities and offers:
http://www.austrianwine.com/about-us/campaigns/
·      AWMB publications such as training materials, brochures, exhibitor catalogues,…:
http://www.austrianwine.com/about-us/publications/

Additionally, each page can be sent easily and quickly to interested friends via email or social media channels including Facebook, Twitter and MySpace through a share button. Also, the administration area for winemakers has been newly programmed and represents an important registration and information tool for the Austrian wine sector.

And, as always, all information about the Austrian wine-growing areas, grape varieties, vintages, market statistics, the wine law as well as analyses through the Documentation of Austrian Wine, worldwide search for winemakers and dealers, important addresses, an award databank and much more can be found immediately – and newly designed, of course - at www.austrianwine.com <
http://www.austrianwine.com>
 


Further information is available at: www.austrianwine.com <http://www.austrianwine.com>




www.thewinehub.com

One of the  pillars of TheWineHub is Wine Tourism. Whether you are a wine maker, or a wine drinker, we all enjoy    having discoveries... TheWineHub exists to  help you with that.
 

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Portugal: Our journey through its vineyards and cellars (part 1 - Alentejo)


The Alentejo region in Portugal is well worth a visit. Lots of light, unrelenting sun, endless undulating plains, cork trees, olive oil, lamb stews, big modern wineries and wines fermeted in old clay-pots; and very nice and hospitable people.
 

In ancient history, its vines were cultivated by Phoenicians, Greeks and Romans.  In the 21st century, they are planted on vast farms and wine-producing estates and their excellent wines have put the name Alentejo among the best in Portugal.

Its culinary tradition is regarded as one of the most tasty and original of the country. A world of different flavors... something that may require time to understand and appreciate – just like the region itself...

These pictures were taken by Arnaldo and I during our journey through the vineyards and cellars of France, Spain and Portugal during the summer of 2009.

I hope you enjoy them.

Cheers,
LA

www.thewinehub.com

One of the  pillars of TheWineHub is Wine Tourism. Whether you are a wine maker, or a wine drinker, we all enjoy    having discoveries... TheWineHub exists to  help you with that.




 

40 Years of Winemaking at Russian River Valleys Sonoma-Cutrer by Philip S. Kampe

 Innovation in Winemaking at Sonoma-Cutrer began forty years ago. The focus has always been innovation for this Russian River Valley winery....