Temecula and Ramona Wine Tasting – Introduction

Posted on May 22, 2013 by Ken

Date:
May 16th and 17th, 2013

General Location:
The Temecula Valley is roughly 40 minutes south of Riverside in the inland empire of the greater LA area.  The Ramona Valley lies midway between San Diego and Temecula and is about 20 minutes off of Highway 15.

Introduction:
Our trip to the Temecula and Ramona areas involved more Wineries than we originally planned on visiting so we’ve broken this up into four tasting posts with this serving as an introduction. That allows us to keep the length down for those us with short attention spans. There are/will be (depending upon when you are reading this) two posts for the Temecula Valley wine tasting and two for the Ramona Valley, and frankly, you couldn’t find two areas as geographically close together, that offer such different wine tasting experiences. Continue reading →

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Temecula Valley Wine Tasting – Part 1

Posted on May 22, 2013 by Ken

Bud Break in Temecula

Bud Break in Temecula

Date:
May 17th, 2013

Explorers:
Karen – Ken
Check out their tastes and bios here

Wineries Visited:
Bel Vino Winery – production ? cases
Lorimar VIneyard and Winery – production 3,000 cases
Masia De Yabar– production: ? cases
Callaway Vineyard and Winery

General Location:
The Temecula Valley is roughly 40 minutes south of Riverside in the inland empire of the greater LA area.   It can be reached from either the Rancho California or the Temecula Parkway exits off of Interstate 15.

Details:
Bel Vino Winery is new to the Temcula wine scene, having taken over the facilities from Stuart Cellars in the last year. It sits on a ridge above many of the vineyards which afford any one on their picnic grounds, a beautiful view of several other Wineries and the arid mountains that surround the Temecula Valley. Continue reading →

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Winemaking: How Much Wine in a Vine?

Posted on May 7, 2013 by Ken

Grapes ready to turn into wineWine connoisseurs may be able to tell Chianti from Pinot Noir, but even these self-proclaimed experts do not know all the facts about wine. Here are a few common questions and answers about winemaking that every wine-lover should be able to answer:

How much wine is in each bottle?

Wine is measured in milliliters. The standard amount of wine in each bottle is 750 milliliters, which is equivalent to 25 fluid ounces.

How many grapes are used to create each bottle?

It takes approximately 2.5 pounds of grapes to make each bottle of wine. Although grapevines vary widely in their ability to produce grapes, an average vine can generate somewhere between 15 and 20 pounds of grapes over a three-year period. This means that a typical grapevine can turn out six to eight bottles of wine in about three years. As grapevines age, they grow significantly longer and wider, producing more grapes and, thus, more wine.

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Great Ideas for Pairing Syrah Wine with Food

Posted on May 6, 2013 by Ken

Syrah Red Wine SignSyrah is a great food wine. It’s extremely versatile because it is made in so many different styles. First things first, let’s clarify a common misconception.

Syrah vs. Shiraz

Is there a difference between Syrah and Shiraz?  Not really. Genetic testing has proven that they are actually the same Varietal. Stylistically, “Shiraz” will often be made in a lighter, fruitier style while the more traditional Syrah has more body, tannins, and acid.

Shiraz has become Australia’s “national” red wine and some of the best Shiraz comes from down under. Wine that is called “Syrah”, more often than not, are a little deeper in color, with less fruit and a little more tannins and acid on the finish but this is strictly the whim of the winemaker. For this post, we’ve chosen foods that go with the heavier Syrah style. If you are looking for Shriaz food pairings, click here.

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Winemaking: How is Wine Made?

Posted on May 5, 2013 by Ken

Harvesting grapes at a vineyardMaking wine is actually a much easier process than one might expect. Although winemaking is a skill that predates most recorded history, many wine aficionados do not understand the basic process. This article attempts to break down the winemaking process into five simple steps for transforming vineyard grapes into delicious wine:

Step One: Extracting Flavor

The luscious flavor and aroma must be extracted from the fruit before any other step in the winemaking process. This can be accomplished by chopping, crushing, pressing, boiling, or soaking the grapes. Before taking any of these actions, the fruit must be properly prepared. Sometimes, the grapes are peeled and the seeds are removed, though neither of these actions is essential to the procedure. Before extraction, all grapes with brown spots or signs of mold or rot are rejected from the winemaking process.

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Winemaking: When Did Winemaking Begin?

Posted on May 3, 2013 by Ken

Preparing Grapes for WinemakingThe creation of fermented beverages has been around for almost as long as recorded human history, and is closely tied to developments in agriculture and manufacturing. Historians have confirmed that wine was in existence 7,000 years ago, but it is plausible that wine even predates the introduction of pottery at around 11,000 BCE. The oldest winery on record dates back to 4,100 BCE in Armenia, but given the level of development present, it is clear to archaeologists that the techniques for developing wine predate the winery substantially. Evidence of wine production is abundant in early Middle Eastern and Chinese history, but there is no clear birthplace for wine.
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