wine tasting

Hot Air Ballon Ride and Four Wine Tastings: A Perfect Australia Travel Day

We at Luxist are wary of writing about every travel package that comes our way, but once in awhile, we come across an experience so absolutely exquisite that we're ready to book it ourselves -- and that's when we share it with you. This package is specific to Melbourne, Australia travel, but it's a single day worth flying down under for. How could one day be so utterly alluring it could justify a 15+ hour flight from Los Angeles? Well, it starts with a morning hot air balloon ride over the marvelous city of Melbourne, Australia and the lush Yarra Valley, then continues on to visits to four wineries, at each of which you'll enjoy a tasting. If you can recall a better day than that in recent history, count yourself lucky!

Tags: australia, hot air balloon, melbourne, travel, vineyard tour, wine, wine tasting, wine tasting package, wine tasting tour, wineries, winery tour, Yarra Valley

Continue reading “Hot Air Ballon Ride and Four Wine Tastings: A Perfect Australia Travel Day”

Boston Wine Expo Celebrates 20th Year

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine, Events

Boston-area wine lovers are eagerly anticipating the 20th Anniversary Boston Wine Expo coming up this weekend, January 22-23, 2011 at the Seaport World Trade Center. This year's event includes the "Founding Chef" culinary series with celebrity chefs and local favorites Ming Tsai of Blue Ginger; Todd English of Olives, Figs and Kingfish; Jasper White of Jasper White's Summer Shack; Gordon Hamersley of Hamersley's Bistro; Michael Schlow of Radius, Via Matta and Alta Strada; Marc Orfaly of Pigalle and more.

The Boston Wine Expo also features keynote speaker Ray Isle, Executive Wine Editor of Food & Wine. The main event is the Grand Tasting showcasing over 300 international and domestic wineries pouring over 1,500 different wines. There is also an exclusive Grand Cru Wine Lounge, featuring high-end vintages; and a Seminar Series designed for all levels of wine enthusiasts. Tickets for the Grand Tasting are $110 each after that date and two-day tickets are $145. Grand Cru Wine Lounge ticket prices are $175. Seminar and other events are priced separately. For more information on chef demonstrations, seminars, participating wineries and to purchase tickets, go to www.WineExpoBoston.com.

[via MetroWest Daily News]

Tags: boston, boston wine expo, wine event, wine events, wine tasting, wine tastings

Luxury Wine Tour in Tuscany: A Wine Tasting Extravaganza

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Wine

Wine Tours Through Tuscany with Cellar Tours.

When it comes to visiting wine country, there's the standard booze bus variety-and then there's the exclusive week-long Tuscany Wine Tour, a Luxist Awards' nominee in the Best International Summer vacation category.

When you touch down in Florence, Italy, your personal chauffeur will be waiting to whisk you away in a Mercedes to the Piazza Santa Maria Novella hotel where you'll spend your first night (the boutique resort is actually a small mansion down the street from the Renaissance church of the same name down the street). On day two, you'll be driven out to the Chianti Classico region for a private tour of the Badia a Coltibuono property, where you'll savor wine and olive oil before continuing along to another estate, ending the day at the hilltop castle in Siena for an overnight stay.

Wake up the next morning for a red wine tasting in the nearby village of Montalcino and lunch at the Poggio Antico's Michelin-spangled restaurant; you'll round out the afternoon with a stop at the hillside town of Montepulciano before heading back to your castle for the night. Days four and five bring more wine tastings, small village sightseeing and overnights at a villa-style hotel. The last day of the trip includes a visit to the medieval village of San Gimignano before returning for one final night in Florence.

The Tuscan Wine Tour sure beats the booze bus, but it's also more expensive: Trips start at 500 Euros per person, per day, for one couple. For two couples touring together, prices start at 450 Euros, airfare not included.

Vote for the International Summer Vacation destination that you think is the best of breed. The winner will be announced on September 1st.

Tags: awards-main, best international summer destination, Cellar Tours, chauffeur, Italy, luxist-awards, Tuscany, wine tasting, wine tours

A New "Vintage" at Sonoma's Applewood Inn

by Alison Wellner (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Wine

Wine country can be something of a scene these days, with enthusiasts trying fit in as many wineries as possible, swirling, spitting, purchasing -- realizing they've bought too many bottles to fit in their suitcase, frantically figuring out how to ship wine home, which sometimes requires an alcohol-soaked brain to figure out complicated interstate wine shipment regulations....

Really, it can cause more of a headache than a hangover.

One remedy for all of this is Applewood Inn in Guerneville, California -- which is in the midst of its first season under new ownership.

When you look at Sonoma County, Guerneville isn't really in the middle of it all. This chic-shabby town lies to the west of the where most of the county's wine action is, heading out towards Sonoma's (largely unappreciated) Pacific coast. Applewood is set among young redwood trees, and its award-winning restaurant and its 19 guest rooms are mostly arranged around a peaceful courtyard, complete with a fountain that trickles merrily.

Room décor is also not striving to be in the middle of anything like a current design trend, although there are flat-screen TVs, fireplaces, and so on. Think cozy country motifs, cabbage rose bed spreads, Tuscan stripe upholstered chairs, gleaming wood throughout. Indeed, new owners Carlos Pippa and Sylvia Ranyak envision something of a Tuscan theme for the property.

You'll get to know Carlos and Sylvia as they're gracious on-site managers as well as owners. Running an inn and a restaurant turns out to be their idea of retirement -- Carlos owned a business in Texas that sold parts related to industrial painting. Upon retiring, he and Sylvia loaded up their RV with motorcycles and went on a multiple-month adventure from Mexico to Rio de Janeiro. It was in the rural portions of this journey that they realized they wanted to be in a more bucolic environment than Plano. The Applewood Inn is their next act. Be sure to ask them about their South American sojourn if you go.

Gallery: Applewood Inn, Guerneville, California

Applewood's Peaceful Setting Among Young Redwood Trees

Tags: applewood inn, BedAndBreakfast, california, guerneville, sonoma, sonoma county, wine country, wine tasting, WineCountry

Rediscover Winter and Wine at Ski Portillo Wine Weeks

by Alison Wellner (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Wine, Sports

If summer isn't your favorite season, escape it and hit Ski Portillo in Chile. Not only will you be reunited with snowy slopes, but from July 31 to August 7th, you'll also get to experience the ski resort's annual Wine Week. A different Chilean winemaker is on hand each weekday to present their vineyard's offerings during après-ski, with representations from the San Antonio, Mapio, Colcagua, Apalta and Casablanca Valleys.

If you can't make those dates, you can warm up for the North American ski season during Wine Fest, August 28th to September 4th. There's no additional charge for either wine event, prices for the week (including accommodations, lodging, four meals a day and lift tickets run $990 to $1,590, in US dollars.

Tags: Chile, chilean wine, Portillo, ski, wine, wine tasting

Summertime Travel: Hidden Meadow Ranch

by Laura Malesich (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Wine, Events, Pets

At some point in one's life I think most of us get the urge to experience a piece of the American West with a vacation centered in an upscale cowboy resort. Look no further than the White Mountains of Arizona at Hidden Meadow Ranch where luxury isn't left behind but the hubbub of urban life is. Unique packages beginning this month lure you into the rustic surroundings at an 8,500 feet such as:

'Indulge Your Senses' Package: In the month of May guests can enjoy a package for two including private cabin accommodations, three gourmet meals daily, all non-alcoholic beverages and ranch activities such as fishing, horseback riding, hiking, archery and more. Additional sensory-packed amenities will treat guests to guided wildflower and wildlife hikes through the national forest, a complimentary CD filled with soothing mountain sounds, a specially prepared menu of light and fresh dinner fare, a gift basket brimming with spa essentials, and two complimentary one-hour in-cabin massages. (Priced at $550/night)

Gallery: Hidden Meadow Ranch

Source

Tags: arizona, hidden meadow ranch, horseback riding, travel, vacation, white mountains, wine, wine tasting

Continue reading “Summertime Travel: Hidden Meadow Ranch”

Ma(i)sonry in Napa Valley: Wine Tasting with an Artistic Twist

by Zack O'Malley Greenburg (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Wine

Ma(i)sonry in Napa Valley for Wine Tasting

Walk through the door at Ma(i)sonry and you won't find the usual faux-Italian or French décor that typifies tasting rooms in Yountville, Calif. Instead, you'll discover a space haunted by gold-plated skulls, abstract sculpture and giant chrome contraptions that look like the ancestors of the modern spotlight.

A steam-punk aesthetic pervades the century-old stone house, converted in 2007 to a tasting room that doubles as an exhibition space. Various mammalian vertebrae and reclaimed metal sculptures hang from exposed beams and dot the wooden shelves, an ambiance that could be the brainchild of Georgia O'Keefe and Damien Hirst, had they lived together on a 19^th Century farm.

Gallery: Ma(i)sonry Napa Valley

All of this makes for a fascinating place to taste wines from the 14 small local producers whom Ma(i)sonry represents. Check in at the front desk and head upstairs to one of the quirky rooms in the back. Pass a stack of disembodied men's shirt collars under a specimen glass and ease yourself into a worn leather armchair. Before ordering your first glass of wine, drink up the trinkets: a wooden humidor with a Cuban flag carved in to the cover, a paper bird sculpture made from shavings of Dostoevsky's House of the Dead.

Ma(i)sonry's menu includes an array of both pre-selected and customizable flights from nearby wineries. On a rainy Wednesday, the Collector's Flight ($40) is a sampling of four wines highlighted by the 2004 Husic Vineyards Cabernet, chocolatey with hints of nutmeg and raspberry jam, and the 2006 Rivera Cabernet, tannic and tinted with a taste of blackberries and green tea. All are part of a run of 1,000 cases or less.

Have as many glasses as you like – Ma(i)sonry is a mere five-minute walk from a firmament of Michelin-spangled restaurants (Bistro Jeanty, Bouchon, Redd, and the French Laundry) as well as the posh eco-lodge Bardessono (which was nominated for a Luxist Award for Best Green Spa in March).

Tags: awards-main, bardessono, California, luxist-awards, Maisonry, Napa Valley, wine, wine tasting, wines, yountville

The Local Vine Wins The Luxist Awards' Readers' Choice Award for Best Wine Bar

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine

The Local Vine is the winner of the Luxist Awards Readers' Choice Award for Best Wine Bar

The moment When you pry open the heavy wooden doors at 2520 Second Avenue in Seattle, you'll be struck by the magnitude of The Local Vine's Wine collection. An eternity of bottles soars to the ceiling, some accessible only by ladder. Selection is just one of the many reasons The Local Vine is the winner of the Readers' Choice Award in the best wine bar category.

Founded in 2007 by Harvard Business School graduates Allison Nelson and Sarah Munson, The Local Vine boasts both an air of sleek sophistication and a refreshing accessibility. Free wireless internet, down-to-earth advice on wine, and a casual atmosphere complete with a fully functional fireplace make it more like a coffee house than a strict wine bar.

Gallery: The Local Vine in Seattle

And there's plenty of wine to go around. The Local Vine's list consists of over 100 wines by the glass, with a focus on wines from California, Oregon and Washington. Oenophiles with more exotic tastes won't be disappointed, as the menu is packed with vintages from all around the world, ranging in price from $5 to $485 per glass.

If this all sounds very appealing but you're thousands of miles away from Seattle, don't worry. The Local Vine ships its wares all around the world, and its monthly wine clubs offer an easy and customizable way for patrons to indulge in communal wine enjoyment. Memberships range from the Picks of the Month Club ($49/month), which includes two reds and a white delivered to your home, all the way up to the Collectors Club ($600/quarter), which brings six rare wines to your doorstep every three months. All of the clubs can be purchased in 1, 3, 6 or 12 month increments. (Contact: orders@thelocalvine.com or 206-441-6000).

Tags: Awards-main, Best Wine Bar, Luxist-awards, seattle, The Local Vine, wine, wine tasting, winners-entertainment

Go Wine Tasting With Your Dog At Kunde Family Estate

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine, Events, Pets

Wine tasting isn't usually an activity you can enjoy with your dog but the Kunde Family Estate in Kenwood, California changes that. The family winery offers a series of hikes meant to be experienced with your friendly canine at your side. Tours are conducted by Jeff Kunde, a fourth generation winegrower, and include a moderately strenuous hike from the Sonoma Valley floor up to 1,400 feet into the Mayacamas Mountain range. You and your dog will enjoy beautiful wine country views and learn about the Kunde Family Estate's sustainable winegrowing practices. After all the hard work you are rewarded with a wine tasting and a box lunch with a view. Hikes are scheduled for May 15, July 3 and Oct 9 and cost $45. A portion of the fee is donated to Canine Companions and Sonoma County Humane Society.

Tags: dog tour, hikes with your pet, kunde family estate, sonoma valley, wine hike, wine tasting

How to Chill Wine Quickly

by Amy Meyer (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine

How to chill red and white wines Serving wine at the right temperature can make all the difference when it comes to how they taste. Wine that is served too warm or too cold can alter the flavor and hence ruin the experience.

First, find out what is the correct wine serving temperature for the variety of wine you are planning to open. Once you are armed with that information, be careful that you don't damage the wine which can easily happen by exposing it to very warm temperatures (sometimes done by those who are trying to compensate for a bottle of wine that is too cold). The best method to chilling a bottle of white wine is to do so slowly in a refrigerator, however if you are short on time, you might want to check out a few of these tips:

1. How to chill wine in six minutes: Simply place the wine bottle into an ice bucket and fill with ice, water and a handful of salt. The salt is important as it will help break down the ice, which will make the water colder, faster.

2. Keep an empty wine bottle or a decanter in the freezer. When needing a quick chill, transfer the wine that needs chilled into the frozen vessel. The wine will be ready to drink in about ten minutes.

3. Although there are plenty of naysayers who believe that putting a bottle of wine in the freezer will damage its integrity, those who are daring (and in need of quick results) might choose to do so. But don't leave it in any longer than 15 minutes. It will chill even faster if you wrap a wet paper towel or hand towel around it before placing it in the freezer.

4. Purchase an "ice jacket" (a gel-filled sleeve) that you keep in the freezer. Wrap it around the wine bottle for approximately ten minutes. A benefit to using this method is that you won't have to worry about forgetting how long you left it on ice or in the freezer.

5. Wet a hand towel, wrap it around the wine bottle and put it in the refrigerator to chill. This method will take a little longer, but you won't have to worry about damaging its integrity.

This post was contributed via Seed.com, AOL's new platform for freelance writers.

Tags: chilling wine, ChillingWine, luxist-awards, main-pedia, wine, wine chiller, wine tasting, wine-pedia, WineChiller

Giant Bordeaux Tasting Planned For London

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine, Events

Londoners with a hankering to get an early taste of the 2009 Bordeaux vintage can get the inside oenological track at Lords Cricket Ground, St John's Wood on April 21. That's when Bibendum, one of the leading premium wine merchants in the UK, will hold a one-night-only tasting. The capital's largest Bordeaux tasting is a chance to preview more than 150 wines en primeur and to meet the winemakers and chateaux owners who created them. Over 85 chateaux including Lynch Bages, Leoville Barton, Montrose, Angelus, Pontet Canet, Cheval Blanc, and Pichon Baron will be pouring the 2009 vintage alongside more mature vintages to add context. Tickets are available from Bibendum and cost £30 each.

Tags: bibendum, bordeaux, london, vintage, wine, wine event, wine tasting

The Anatomy of a Wine Glass: Size & Shape Matter

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine

It's the question that burns in the mind of every novice wine drinker: do all the different sizes and shapes of wine glasses really matter?

The short answer: Yes. Although wine glasses are often admired for their beauty each element, from the bowl to the stem to the foot, serves an important purpose in making sure the wine is served up and enjoyed in its most perfect state. Here's how the basic anatomy of a wine glass breaks down (no pun intended).

The Foot The foot is the flat base that allows the wine glass to stand on its own and not tip over, especially when filled.

The Stem The stem was created so that a wine drinker's hand need never come in contact with the bowl and risk either smudging the glass (and ruin the view of the wine) or warm it with body heat.

The Bowl The bowl of a wine glass is perhaps the most important element, as well as the most stylized. The shape and size of the bowl affects how the aromas are trapped and circulated, how much aeration occurs, and how the wine is showcased

Source

Tags: luxist-awards, main-pedia, wine, wine glasses, wine tasting, wine-glasses, wine-pedia, wine-tasting, WineGlasses, WineTasting

Continue reading “The Anatomy of a Wine Glass: Size & Shape Matter”

Around the World in 80 Sips

by Ariston Anderson (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine, Events

Wine lovers rejoice. This Friday, Around the World in 80 Sips returns to New York, showcasing the finest offerings from top local wine shops. Brought to you by Bottlenotes, the Palo Alto based company bringing the best of wine to e-commerce, the online wine community unites enthusiasts with customized wine recommendations and exclusive information. (You must sign up on the site if simply to receive their daily e-mail wine tips.)

If you often find yourself wandering around the wine store, not sure of whether to pair that Spanish red or new Portugal white with your penne rigate, then this is the event for you. Sample your favorites and try new countries, as Around the World in 80 Sips presents the best flavors from both new and old world: Argentina, Chile, China, France, Italy, Lebanon, New Zealand, Spain, South Africa, and the U.S. It's a fun, informal setting where you can ask every question you ever wanted to know about wine, while enjoying the Friday night fare. Drink without a conscience, because a portion of ticket sales benefit Robin Hood, a New York non-profit which fights poverty daily.

Click here to purchase tickets for this not-to-be-missed wine gala. And now till Friday, just for our readers enter the code LUXIST to save $10 off tickets.

Friday, November 13 6:30-8:30 PM
583 Park Avenue
New York, NY

Tags: around the world in 80 sips, AroundTheWorldIn80Sips, bottlenotes, new york city, NewYorkCity, wine, wine tasting, WineTasting

How Long Does Wine Keep After It's Been Opened?

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wine

It's a question that's been tossed around for centuries, since the first cork was popped: How long does wine keep once it's been opened?

As with all things wine, it depends on many factors. Red wine, white wine, young wine, old wine, the list goes on. Oxidation is both a friend and an enemy. A freshly opened bottle often benefits from sitting open for a few minutes before serving in order to allow the oxygen to seep in and bring out the flavors and aromas in their full-bodied glory, but too much time exposed to the air and all those wonderful characteristics start to slowly turn unpleasant and eventually the wine will be dull, sour, and not nearly as fragrant. It's a slow process and it really comes down to personal taste, because no matter how long an opened bottle sits it won't become unsafe to drink -- just unpleasant.

The quick, very general answer on how long an opened bottle of wine keeps is 3 days. All wines will keep at least one day without changing for the worst, and many aged reds can last up to a week. Factors to keep in mind:

The age of the wine The longer the wine was aged the longer it will retain its desirable characteristics after being opened. Young wine is more susceptible to the effects of oxidation.
How much is left The fuller the bottle the longer the wine will last, due to less room for oxygen. Consider transferring leftovers into a smaller bottle
Sugar and alcohol content Sugar and alcohol act as preservatives so dessert wines, ports, and sherries can keep much longer (up to a year in some cases).

When it doubt smell it and taste it. If you like it drink it! If you don't, either discard it or find another use for it. There are no hard and fast rules so make your own.

Tags: main-pedia, wine, wine bottles, wine storage, wine tasting, wine-pedia, WineBottles, WineStorage, WineTasting

Taste Of The Beach Florida Event

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Events

Wine, food and beautiful surroundings are the lures of the Taste Of The Beach Florida event. The four-day culinary and cultural celebration runs from November 5-8, 2009 on Northwest Florida's Gulf Coast and benefits children's charities. The festival is comprised of seven events ranging from wine tastings and film screenings to winemaker dinners and a charity auction all taking place in an area full of white sand beaches, boutiques and golf courses and other temptations. This stretch of Florida includes Escambia, Destin, Panama City Beach and many other towns an area that is often too warm in the summer months but very pleasant in the fall.

This year's events includes: Taste of The Harbor, Taste of Bay Wine & Food Experience, Al Fresco Reserve Tasting at Ruskin Place, Telluride MountainFilm on Tour, Seeing Red Wine Festival, a series of wine maker dinners at area restaurants, and the Taste of The Beach & Charity Auction. Various events range from $35 to $145. Tickets are available at the Taste of the Beach website.

Source

Tags: events, food, wine, wine dinner, wine tasting, WineDinner, WineTasting

wine tasting

Featured Galleries

HuffPost AOL Social News Most Popular

Also on AOL