12 Cool Suggestions for the #WineLover >>> Books and Wines (part 1)

Thinking of a present for the holidays (even if intention is to keep it to yourself) and a Penguin is not the easiest thing to find these days?

Well, here are some cool suggestions for books and wines:

 The Wine Bible

THE MOST COMPLETE WINE BOOK EVER. A must for anyone who loves wine, whether they are a pro or an amateur. Thorough, authoritative, and entertaining. (Robert Mondavi, founder and chairman emeritus of the Robert Mondavi Family of Wines)

"The most informative and entertaining book I've ever seen on the subject." (Danny Meyer, co-author of The Union Square Cafe Cookbook)

The essentials: The romance and intrigue of Burgundy of sauvignon blanc and the surprising elegance of Spain's top Riojas. Italy, one of wine's most enchanting and ancient homelands. What makes a great wine great? The reason behind Champagne's bubbles. The precise and food-friendly wines of Germany. California, wine's Camelot. The lip-smackingly good wines of Australia. The complexities of Port revealed. How a vineyard profoundly affects a wine's character.

Find this book on Amazon

 

Chateau des Moriers - Miss Vicky Wine Fleurie 2007 

This Fleurie is fresh, elegant, fun and sexy. You will love its feminine features and gourmand flavors of ripe cherry and red currant.  Soft and crispy in the mouth, it is also a bouquet of flowers to give you a breath of spring.  It would be a perfect accompaniment with summer dishes or on its own.  This wine goes very well with poultry, soups, lightly spiced dishes, goat cheese or Camembert.

Find this wine on TheWineHub store

The Oxford Companion to Wine
 
Published in 1994 to worldwide acclaim, the first edition of Jancis Robinson's seminal volume immediately attained legendary status, winning every major wine book award including the Glenfiddich and Julia Child/IACP awards, as well as writer and woman of the year accolades for its editor on both sides of the Atlantic. Combining meticulously-researched fact with refreshing opinion and wit, The Oxford Companion to Wine offers almost 4,000 entries on every wine-related topic imaginable, from regions and grape varieties to the owners, connoisseurs, growers, and tasters in wine through the ages; from viticulture and oenology to the history of wine. Tracing the consumption and production from the ancient world to the present day, the Companion is a remarkable resource for gaining further appreciation for a beverage whose popularity has only increased with time.

Now exhaustively updated, this third edition incorporates the very latest international research to present over 400 new entries on topics ranging from globalization and the politics of wine to brands, precision viticulture, and co-fermentation. Hundreds of other entries have also undergone major revisions, including yeast, barrel alternatives, climate change, and virtually all wine regions. Useful lists and statistics are appended, including controlled appellations and their permitted grape varieties, as well as wine production and consumption by country.

Find this book on Amazon

 

Kloster Eberbach - Assmannshauser Hollenberg - Spatburgunder trocken. 

A lovely Pinot Noir from the "Name of the Rose Monastery". Lots of red fruit both on the nose and palate with the finesse you would expect from Pinot Noir grapes grown in the cool climate of the Rheingau in Germany.

Find this wine on TheWineHub store

 

The Oxford Companion to Wine, 3rd Edition

 Hailed by critics worldwide as “extraordinary” and “irreplaceable,” there are few volumes that have had as monumental an impact in their field as Hugh Johnson’s The World Atlas of Wine: sales have exceeded four million copies, and it is now published in thirteen languages.

World-renowned authors Hugh Johnson and Jancis Robinson once again combine their unrivalled talents to enhance this masterpiece of wine knowledge. There are now 48 extra pages, including 17 new color illustrations, 20 new maps, and—for the first time ever—double page spreads and full-page photos in the atlas section for maximum visual impact. New World coverage has been extended for both Australia and South America; some New World regions even have their own entries for the first time, including Rutherford, Oakville, and Stag’s Leap from California; Mendoza (Argentina); Limestone Coast (Australia); Central Otago and Martinborough (New Zealand); and Constantia (South Africa). And Old World coverage has grown too, with the addition of Toro (Spain), the Peleponnese (Greece), and Georgia. It’s a truly incomparable book, and an essential addition to every wine lover’s or professional’s library.

Find this book on Amazon

 Bonomonte Formichi - Chianti Classico 2006 
Looking for a nice Chianti Classico with a fantastic price? Look no further! For US$ 11.84 a bottle and the lively flavors of Sangiovese that will pair well with any red-sauce based meal that you prepare...  you will come back for more!

Find this wine on TheWineHub store

 1001 Wines You Must Taste Before You Die 

This highly opinionated, addictively browsable compilation of 1,001 "must try" wines offers the most enjoyable drinking experience for novice and connoisseur alike. Included in the list are classics as well as groundbreaking new up-and-comers from all major regions of the world. Divided into four sections: red, white, sparkling, and fortified wines. The informed selections offer a complete history of the most famous vintages as well as introducing the daring new blends and varietals that are exciting the cognoscenti. Special attention is paid to the world’s classic wine regions like Napa, Chianti, Barolo, Bordeaux, and Burgundy, but the book also takes very seriously recently established areas like Rioja or Australia’s Barossa Valley. Also, the book examines emerging regions just finding their place on the oenological map, like Argentina’s Mendoza, which can provide enormous pleasure at a reasonable price. Each entry comes with an authoritative yet opinionated description of its origin, history, and character as well as anecdotes about the winemakers, the vineyard and the region. This book will immediately appeal to wine fans everywhere and will be a perfect gift item.
Find this book on Amazon

 Borgo dei Posseri - Arliz 2008
This is a Gewurztraminer from the Trentino region in northern Italy. It has straw yellow color, pronounced, lingering bouquet, with hints of elder flower and passion fruit. Full, savory and lingering flavor. This may well become your new passion for Italian whites...
 Find this wine on TheWineHub store


  
How to Taste: A Guide to Enjoying Wine by Jancis Robinson

Hailed by Jerry Shriver in USA Today as "the woman who makes the wine world gulp when she speaks," J. Robinson created in How to Taste a classic for connoisseurs of all levels and the first introduction of its kind to focus on practical tasting exercises. Now fully revised and updated, Robinson's renowned guide proves once again that learning about wine can be just as engaging as drinking it.
Written in Robinson's trademark accessible style, the new How to Taste features thoroughly updated vintages and producers as well as up-and-coming wine regions and styles. Incorporating wines that are both easily obtainable and reasonably priced, Robinson's lessons are separated into complementary portions of theory and practice to help you both learn and taste your way to wine expertise.
Find this book on Amazon

 

Ca'Nova Estate - Vigna San Quirico 2003

Bright Ruby, brilliant. Perfume of dark cherries, slight chestnut, and hint of vanilla;, sweet licorice and rhubarb, after a short aeration, neat mineral notes typical of the High Piedmont terroir. Nebbiolo grapes showing their perfumed character, intense fruit, and a very solid frame. You will love it with your favorite steak.

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Vino Italiano: The Regional Wines of Italy by David Lynch and Joseph Bastianich

At one time, Italian wines conjured images of cheap Chianti in straw-wrapped bottles. More recently, expensive “Super Tuscans” have been the rage. But between these extremes lay a bounty of delicious, moderately priced wines that belong in every wine drinker’s repertoire.

Vino Italiano is the only comprehensive and authoritative American guide to the wines of Italy. It surveys the country’s wine-producing regions; identifies key wine styles, producers, and vintages; and offers delicious regional recipes. Extensive reference materials—on Italy’s 300 growing zones, 361 authorized grape varieties, and 200 of the top producers— provide essential information for restaurateurs and wine merchants, as well as for wine enthusiasts.

Beautifully illustrated as well as informative, Vino Italiano is the perfect invitation to the Italian wine experience.
 Find this book on Amazon

 La Gigliola - Camporsoli 2005

Ruby red colour with garnet reflections. The wine has a fruity aroma of wild berries with spicy scents of black pepper and vanilla. A soft flavourful approach with long aromatic finish.

Lovely Sangiovese from Tuscany. Got pasta?

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That's it for now... 

A very happy (and healthy!) Holiday Season to you and your family!

Cheers,

LA

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Celebrate "NOUVEAU NIGHT" with HIP HOP, ART and the Uncorking of 2011 BEAUJOLAIS NOUVEAU by Philip S. Kampe

DANCE the night away at STAGE 37, 508 West 37th Street (NYC) on Wednesday, November 16th from 10pm to 1:30am. Enjoy small bites, an ART show with MR. KAVAS and the Uncorking of the FIRST BOTTLE opened in New York of GEORGE DUBOEUF'S 2011 BEAUJOLAIS NOUVEAU.

According to George Duboeuf, "CELEBRATE THE ART OF BEAUJOLAIS NOUVEAU WITH OUR MOST VIBRANT HARVEST YET".

Enjoy the Harvest by attending New York's BEST Beaujolais Nouveau Party in history. It is RARE that the public has the OPPORTUNITY to join GEORGE DUBOEUF Opening the FIRST BOTTLE of the 2011 Vintage. Add HIP HOP Music, Small Bites and Good Company. These are all of the ingredients needed to create a Memorable night.


Tickets are only $25.
You must be3 21 to attend.

ALL proceeds will benefit CITYMEALS-ON-WHEELS.
To PURCHASE TICKETS, visit: www.CelebrateNouveau2011.eventbrite.com

PHILIP S. KAMPE
philip.kampe@thewinehub.com

Brought to you by:

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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.

Celebrate "NOUVEAU DAY" November 17th in STYLE with KAREN PAGE and ANDREW DORNENBURG by Philip S.Kampe

Well that time of year is upon us.

"NOUVEAU DAY", by French Law, is the Third Thursday in Novemeber. It is known Worldwide as BEAUJOLAIS DAY and will occur, this year, on 17 November.

Normally, the release of 2011 BEAUJOLAIS NOUVEAU would highlight the day. But this year is different.

This year there is a twist: KAREN PAGE and ANDREW DORNENBURG are RELEASING their long-awaited new book "THE FOOD LOVER'S GUIDE TO WINE" (Little Brown) on "NOUVEAU DAY".

In association with "LES DAMES d'ESCOFFIER New York", a wine (Beaujolais), food and Book Signing will take place at GALLERY 15, 132 West 18th Street, from 5:30-7:30pm.

Bottles of 2011 BEAUJOLAIS NOUVEAU and 2011 BEAUJOAIS CRU will be flowing while Hors'Oeuvres from Chef Robert Gurvich (Alison Eighteen) will be served. While the festivities take place, KAREN and ANDREW will be signing their sure-to-be CLASSIC "Food Lover's Guide to Wine" book.

Tickets are $65 for the public and are available by sending an RSVP to: Nora@QWwineexperts.com

PHILIP S. KAMPE
philip.kampe@thewinehub.com

TheWineHub Store

http://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.

"The Wines of Burgundy" by Clive Coates MW

Some excerpts from the excellent book by Clive Coates MW

  "The Wines of Burgundy"

• Great White Burgundy is ripe but dry, austere in the best sense, rich without a suggestion of residual sugar, nutty, honeyed, gently oaky, subtle, profoundly elegant and persistent on the finish. It can age almost as well as a red wine.
• Winemakers can destroy, you will be told, through incompetence or ignorance, but they cannot make any better wine than the potential quality of the fruit, the "matiere premiere", will allow in the first place. The more you manipulate the wine, the more you risk reducing what is good and individual about it. The greater the quality of the fruit at time of the harvest, the better the possibility of the wine.
• In the Cote d'Or there are some 5,550 hectares producing some 250,000 hectoliters (2.75 million cases) of wine a year, of which 75 percent is red wine from the Pinot Noir grape  and 25 percent is white wine from the Chardonnay grape.
• There are a total of 539 premiers crus and 32 grands crus. It is the land in Burgundy, not the winemaker or his estate, which is classified.
• The code Napoleon abolished primogeniture, however, and thus began the fragmentation of ownership which has led inexorably to the morcellation of Burgundy today.
• The Cote d'Or consists of a 40-kilometer southeast-facing slope where, in the middle of the incline, lie all the physical characteristics of the "right place" on a soil and sub-soil of the "right type", and great wine can be produced.
• The Cote d'Or is largely limestone, but limestone of a number of different types, thicknesses, permeabilities, hardnesses and colors and with a variety of percentages of clay therein.
• The Golden slope (Cote d'or) is divided in 2 halves. In the north, the Cote de Nuits, the aspect is, in principle, to the east; the slope is generally steeper; and the width of the vineyard is narrower, hardly a couple of hundred meters at Premeaux. Beyond the hill of Corton, the orientation of the Cote de Beaune turns toward the southeast, there are more valleys into the hillsides, the slope is more gentle and the east-west extent of the vineyards is wider - almost 4 kilometers at Savigny and Chorey.
• Burgundy is both cooler and sunnier than Bordeaux, not so much because it is less hot in summer but because it is colder in winter, and the days are longer.
• Pinot Noir is sensitive to cold, both during the winter and during the flowering. It buds early, making spring frost a potential hazard, and it ripens early. It produces a small cylindrical-conical cluster of densely-packed, slightly oval berries. As a result of their being close together, and the Pinot Noir skin being thin, grey rot can be a serious problem if the weather turns humid towards harvest time.
• Wine made from Pinot Noir is much more susceptible than other varieties to overproduction. The concentration and character dissolve rapidly if the yield is excessive. A Cabernet or a Merlot can yield satisfactory wine at 55 or even 60 hectoliters per hectare. The limit for Pinot Noir is 45, and apart from exceptional years such as 1990 and 1999, anything over 35 for grand cru and 40 fro premier cru is an admission that the grower has not set his sights as high as he should.
• A Pinot Noir wine is rarely a blockbuster. Fragrance, finesse and delicacy are the key-notes, not size, muscle and overwhelming tannins. Because of the thickness of the skins is less than, say, that of Cabernet Sauvignon or Syrah, there is less color, Pinot Noir has less tannin and less body. Nevertheless, there should be no lack of intensity, grip, depth and complexity.
• The flavor of a young Pinot Noir is of slightly sweet, freshly crushed soft summer fruits: a fragrant, silky, multifaceted and delicately elegant combination of raspberries, strawberries, cherries, mulberries and currants of different types.
• As a Pinot Noir evolves it takes on a totally different character. As with all wines the spice elements of the flavors of maturity begin to emerge. The oak changes into cedar or sandalwood. An animal, gamey, almost vegetal character begins to emerge. The fruit flavors deepen, incorporating hints of damson and blackberry. The whole thing becomes more sensuous. The residual flavors are sweet, but naturally sweet - ethereal, multifaceted and totally magical.
• Chardonnay yields: 38 hl/ha for grand cru, 43 for premier cru and 48 for village wine
• Chardonnay grows well on soils with more limestone and less clay. It can make good wines where the red results would be a bit weak and thin: hence the preference for Chardonnay up in the valleys at higher altitudes and on west-facing slopes.
• The best Cote d'Or white Burgundies are, of course, vinified in wood, a percentage of which will be new. If the vineyard has not been over cropped, then Chardonnay, with its blend of ripe, subtle, opulent, peachy or nutty-buttery fruit and oak, and with its round, rich mouthfeel, can be one of the great wine flavors of the world. And it can age exceptionally well in bottle.
• Rootstocks in Burgundy for: Pinot Noir: 161/49C, or Fercal - Chardonnay: Riparia, 3309C and 101-14MG (in Chablis you will find 41B, a vinifera-berlandieri hybrid)
• Densities of up to 12,500 vines per hectare (less than 1m between vines and rows) are commonplace; 10,000 (1 m by 1 m) is the norm.
• The optimum alcoholic strength for red Burgundy is between 12.5 and 13.5 for Premier and Grand cru. The more concentrated and full-bodied the wine, the more it should approach the upper limit.

You can buy the book here: The Wines of Burgundy: Revised Edition

Cheers,
LA

This was brought to you by MissVickyWine

Now you can buy her lovely Fleurie in the US:

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

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On the go at the International London Wine Fair #ILWF

When you work in wine, it’s very important to go meet the wine crowd on the field. Sending emails, facebooking, blogging and Twittering are only the tools that will help you make it happen. Sharing your wines in real life is what makes it all… and it’s also fun when not too tiring.
Wine exhibitions are the highest example of these meetings where you ought to be because they are big and gather everyone: friends, importers, producers, journalists, restaurants owner… It’s where you meet the people that love your wine, the ones that don’t know it and all the ones that have wine for passion.
For me, these wine events – like the International London Wine Fair a few weeks ago – are a real challenges! As well as pouring my wines and organizing tasting evenings, I want to try the wines of others, chat with my wine geek friends, make new ones, hang around the 2.0 corner… and go out for a beer after to rince my palate. This necessitate organization, energy and self confidence.
At the end, there is not a single minute for me to sleep or breath. What’s odd is, even if I come back home very white and very down, I always have the best memories of these very crazy moments when I come back home. Each time I learn and hope I’ll make it better the next time!
The Access Zone settle by Vrazon was a real cocoon for me at the London International Wine Fair. It felt great having a living room to connect with my wine friends and learn to more about wine and social media. Thank you to Rob, Ryan and Gabriella!
All the smiles, busy crowd and good wines on the Beaujolais stand were also a really good surprise. I feel like Beaujolais wines are going better, Beaujolais people joining forces for the best of all. GO BEAUJOLAIS!
Hope I’ll make it to the end of Vinexpo … saying that..If you come, I can’t wait to see you there!

And her Fleurie Cru Beaujolais is available in the US!
http://bit.ly/kSiab3

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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. 

 
Beaujolais: The Complete Guide