Politics and Wine: Greece’s legacy to the world and me
It was 10 years ago this summer that I first visited Crete. It’s a place with incredible history, culture and soul- a place that imprints a part of itself onto you.
I was there for an intensive study on political philosophy and conflict resolution, but it was a summer I’ll never forget for other reasons. Crete was the place I first learned that a drink in a beautiful location can bring the most divergent people together with a sense of camaraderie that simply can’t be forged around conference tables in air conditioned rooms.
It was late night conversations under trellised grape vines on cobblestone streets, at beach bars, and on breakfast terraces that I learned the most that summer. When these political friends ask about my career transition to wine I explain that I now practice diplomacy through wine; they all nod knowingly.
Vessels used to hold wine at the Minoan Ruin, Knossos.
The wines of Crete are in some ways products of political conflict and resolution themselves. As an island along key trading routes, it has been under Minoan, Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman, Venetian and Greek rule. Home to the earliest recorded civilization in Europe, it is no surprise that the Minoan diet on Crete included wine.
Throughout its long and storied history, Crete has maintained its own distinct identity- absorbing bits from each conquerer affecting the island’s culture, religion, politics, and even wine making.
Today, as they have for centuries, Crete produces outstanding wines that reflect the island’s diverse topography and terroir. Wines of Crete guest speaker, Joe Roberts, of www.1WineDude.com, reintroduced us to the oft-overlooked wines from this storied island and its unique native varietals.
I enjoyed two stand out wines during the guided tasting, and was pleased to learn they were made from 2 of Crete’s 11 indigenous varietals.
Alexakis Vidiano was outstanding. It boasted a beautiful bouquet of white peach, stone fruit and jasmine, but I was pleasantly surprised by a creamy mouth feel balanced by refreshing acidity on the palette. This wine would be outstanding with a meaty white fish like Swordfish (I’ll take mine with tzatziki, if you please!) or Grouper.
Boutari Skalani was a full bodied blend of Syrah and the indigenous Kostifali grape- described as the workhorse of red Cretan wine varieties. Incredibly well balanced the red cherry fruit was tempered by just the right amount of earth and a kick of spice from the Syrah. I could imagine it pairing beautifully with roasted lamb or Barbeque.
Enjoying the Boutari Skalini
After the formal tasting released, we retreated outside to enjoy lunch, more tasting, and conversation under trellised grapevines at The Iron Gate– just like I did a decade ago in Chania, Crete.
Tasting wine with Joe after the seminar
I enjoyed an easy drinking rosé from Ano- aromatic with strawberry on the nose and a bone dry finish with my plate of Greek tapa during the expanded tasting. It was perfect for the warm summer afternoon and alfresco dining.
As wine seminars goes, this one got one thing right that others often miss- that wine is at least as much about culture and camaraderie as what’s in your glass.
Yamas! (Greek for Cheers!)
Have you tried Greek wine?
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This week Washington DC is hosting the The Green Festival. The wine industry is currently undergoing it’s own “greening” process, and clients are making more and more informed decisions when purchasing wine.
But what does “drinking green” look like? (And no, I’m not talking about kale smoothies!) It can be a complicated process and there are many ways to go about it!
Although vintners make countless choices in their efforts towards sustainability and environmental harmony, there are a few main categories that have a major impact on how green your wine choices are.
1. Organic Wines:
This one can be a bit misleading, because the meaning of organic wine varies from country to country. The certification process also varies, and can be prohibitively expensive for smaller wineries. Many wineries that grow their grapes organically are not certified for this reason. Often, the bottle will give you an indication of whether the vineyard employs organic practices.
Often, “Old World” (European) wines use fewer and less harsh pesticides than their “New World” counterparts. This is largely due to their environmental laws prohibiting the use of certain harmful chemicals, as well as the wine making tradition of generations working with the land before the advent of chemicals and machinery.
2. Sustainable Wines
Sustainable wine practices include the planting of beneficial plants and wildflowers, use of bio-diesel fuel, water conservation practices, cork recycling programs, or the elimination of machinery. Hand-picking grapes and plowing by horse are just a few sustainable practices winemakers employ to reduce their environmental footprint. Economic viability and impact on the community- such as fair trade practices- are also often taken into account with sustainable wine making. These practices are often used in conjunction with organic or biodynamic practices.
2. Biodynamic Wines
Biodynamic wine making is similar to organic farming practices in that both take place without chemicals. However, biodynamic farming takes a broader approach, viewing the vineyard as an ecosystem, and incorporating astrological influences and lunar cycles. Biodynamic wines also avoid cellar manipulations such as adjusting yeast or acidity.
4. Drink Local
I was recently at an environmental fundraiser that paid careful attention to providing vegan meal options and flying in hi-profile environmental advocates. However, when I visited the bar I was shocked to see them serving non-sustainable, non-organic, non-biodynamic from the other side of the globe?!
I love foreign wine, but the cost and energy of transporting wine is not without its own environmental impact. Although it’s difficult to grow grapes organically in Virginia, many wineries, such as this one are making incredible strides towards reducing their environmental footprint. Drinking local not only helps the local economy, it helps the environment!
Do you try to drink “green”?
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Check out my latest post on Virginia Wine in my Pocket’s blog in which I covered my recent visit to Stone Tower Winery. I had a lovely time and was lucky enough to check out bud break up close and personal.
Bud break in VA wine country
As much time as we all spend shopping for wine and enjoying the fruits of a winemaker’s labor, it’s so interesting to get a behind the scenes look at the vine to bottle process- and this is precisely what Stone Tower offers its guests- in a golf cart led tour, no less!
Head on over to Nancy’s site to read more about my time at this trailblazing winery and check out other fantastic posts in her learning issue.
I first met Nancy, an authority on the VA wine scene, at Frank Morgan‘s Annual Sparkling wine tasting. The VA wine world is a small one, and I enjoy running into (and drinking wine with) Nancy at various Virginia wine events.
Enjoying VA wine with Nancy at last week’s Great Grapes of Loudoun event.
In addition to her blog, Nancy has created an essential app for all VA wine fans- VA Wine in My Pocket. It’s currently the only app offering a comprehensive and interactive guide to navigating your way through Virginia’s wine country. It includes information on Virginia wineries, wine trails, nearby inns, dining, and GPS mapping (let’s face it, who hasn’t gotten lost on those country roads?!)
© Virginia Wine in my Pocket
So the next time you’re planning a visit to Virginia’s Wine Country give Nancy’s app a try! It will be a great help when you inevitably get lost in the backwoods.
Have you visited Stone Tower Winery? Do you have a favorite wine app? Do tell!
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Tasting in the Barrel room
One of the first things that strikes me at North Gate Vineyard is the sense of hospitality and warmth- something this Georgia girl often misses dearly in a time when the little things seem to mean less.
This hospitality (or lack thereof!) is the first quality I notice when scouting potential wineries for custom excursions for Bon Vivant DC clients- even before tasting the wine.
I first experienced North Gate at the intimate rehearsal dinner of some dear friends in 2012, and was delighted to experience it again as a guest on a recent tasting visit. The tasting room manager, Dave, puts everyone at ease and is quick with a smile, a story, or even an original recipe to go along with your tasting.
Dave is quick with an anecdote, or even an original recipe to go along with his favorite wines!
A case of locally sourced chocolate truffles greets you at the door- available for purchase as gifts, or a custom pairing with your wine tasting for an additional $5.
Viognier with white truffle pairing
North Gate has an overwhelming commitment to operating a “green” winery. The Leed Certified property produces all of the energy they consume, thanks to careful planning and solar panels. The materials used to build the winery are green too, right down to the beautiful bar imbedded with recycled wine bottles (pictured above).
The owners, Mark and Vicki Fedor, are at the forefront of the “green” wine making movement, stating on their website, “From the tasting room to the wine production to the vineyard, we strive to be the most environmentally friendly winery on the planet.”
Vicki told me that it’s important for she and Mark to “live off the land, to sustain us, to be respectful of the land.” They are also in touch with viticulture specialists at Cornell University who have produced the first hybrid grape varietal with the ability to be grown organically in Virginia’s notoriously difficult climate.
North Gate produces reasonably priced and quality wine- their 2011 Meritage landed a coveted spot in the Governor’s case this year at $22/bottle! This Bordeaux blend is well-balanced and easy drinking, despite being a notoriously difficult vintage for Virginia wine. I enjoyed it so much, a bottle came home with me!
2013 Governor’s Case Cup Winner
It’s the little things that go a long way at this small winery in Loudoun County- their commitment to sustainability, hospitality, sourcing local products, and even supporting community charity.
$1 from the sale of each bottle of Apple Wine goes to the local Greyhound Rescue Organization, where they adopted their own dog, Josie. Crisp and refreshing, the Apple Wine is quite similar to a hard cider, produced from locally sourced fruit. At $14 a bottle it’s a “taste good, do good” treat for animal and wine lovers, alike!
Mark and Vicki’s rescue greyhound”Josie” running through the vineyard. Photo Courtesy of Vicki Fedor.
North Gate is open Thursday through Monday, from 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Their tasting fee is $7/person.
Have you visited North Gate yet? What was your favorite wine?
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I’m excited to announce a giveaway of two tickets to an Italian winemaker dinner at one of my favorite local businesses- Sona Creamery and Wine Bar! The winner will receive 2 tickets to the exclusive event next Tuesday, April 22, a $150 value!
Sona Creamery and Wine Bar
For a chance to win, enter in the rafflecopter widget below! The winner will be chosen at random and announced on Monday!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
The dinner starts at 7:30 and will include a four-course tasting menu, plus dessert! The tasting menu will be specially prepared by Sona’s Executive Chef Frank Paris.
Luca Martini di Cigala, renowned San Giusto a Rentennano wine maker and proprietor, will be visiting Sona Creamery to present a selection of red wines, paired with a specifically paired with each dish.
Featured wines include:
- “La Ricolma” – Made from 100% Merlot grapes especially slected from prime vineyards and hand-picked when perfectly mature.
- “Percarlo” – Made from 100% estate grown Sangiovese grapes, especially selected buch per bunch, from the best zones of the San Giusto vineyards. It is a robust expression of the San Giusto a Rentennano terroir and a powerful, intense expression of Sangiovese. One of the elite wines of this Tuscan vintage. 98 points.
- “Chianti Classico” – The San Giusto a Rentennano Chianti Classico is a blend of 95% sangiovese and 5% Canaiolo grapes, hand-picked when perfectly mature. It is fermented in glazed concrete and stainles steal vats for 14 days: during fermentation the skins and must are puped over and punched down a number of times to extract the maxium qualities form the grapes. After the wine has been racked, the skins are soft-pressed in a horizontal press and the juice thus obtained to be added to the wine. Aged in medium sized casks and oak Tonneaux for 10-12 months.
- “Le Baroncole” – Chianti Classico Riserva le Baroncole is made from 97% Sangiovese and 3% Canaiolo grapes. It is first processed in the same manner as the Chianti Classico and aged secondarily in French oak barriques for 16-20 months, depending on the vintage.
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