Wine Openers - Blog
By Dave Buchanan
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Paula Mitchell, whose most-recent book, “Exploring Colorado Wineries — Guidebook & Journal,” is now available, will be in the Grand Valley this week to reinforce friendships with some of Colorado’s long-established wineries. Unfortunately, Mitchell’s whirlwind schedule doesn’t allow for a formal book-signing on this go-around, but a future signing (Colorado Mountain Winefest, perhaps?) could happen if her series of hour-long visits to local ...
By Dave Buchanan
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
This weekend (May 12-13) is Mother's Day. Yep, the whole weekend and if you know what's right, it's the whole year.
Saturday's event is the annual Wine, Buffalo and Chocolate Mother's Day Trail hosted by Leroux Creek Vineyards, Liliputian Winery and Dave and Sue Whittlesey's High Wire Elk and Buffalo Ranch.
All the venues are on the verdant Rogers Mesa, between Austin and Hotchkiss, and it's a lovely break from the dry climes of the Grand Valley, where ...
By Dave Buchanan
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
The DrinkLocalWine conference last weekend in Denver was a hoot, with plenty of wines (mostly good), seminars (all good) and frank talk (mixed) about Colorado’s wine industry.
The general reception seemed to be Colorado winemakers are on the right track and making decent to very good wines but overall the industry needs a few more years to mature and find itself. That’s neither shocking nor new, even though there are some winemakers here who already have found their niche ...
By Dave Buchanan
Monday, April 9, 2012
A nation of wine writers descends on Denver April 27-29 to get a grape’s eye view of the state’s wine industry during the fourth annual DrinkLocalWine conference.
What they’ll find, particularly those who think the wine-making earth ends just east of San Luis Obispo, is the water here is safe and so is the wine.
The DrinkLocalWine movement was initiated by wine blogger Jeff Siegel (The Wine Curmudgeon) and Washington Post wine writer Dave McIntyre, both of whom want ...
By Dave Buchanan
Monday, March 26, 2012
Wine consumers could be paying higher prices as the world-wide glut of wine and wine grapes shows signs of ending.
Reports from several major wine-trade websites are saying a series of low harvests worldwide along with a global rise in wine consumption point toward the possibility of a wine shortage, something unthinkable a few years ago when the world seemed awash in wine.
Shanken News Daily reported California has suffered two consecutive small harvests, which means wine makers are ...
By Dave Buchanan
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
It's not what you think, and maybe that's a good thing.
The wine goddess in this case is Edesia, and she's the namesake of the Palisade's “Edesia, a Palisade Culinary, Wine and Spirits Adventure” on March 18 comes to the Wine Country Inn.
Edesia is said to be the goddess of banquets and food preparation and she usually hangs with partner Bibesia, goddess of drink, the two ensuring any party they hit is a great time. They certainly are benevolent goddesses, ...
By Dave Buchanan
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Sunday’s snowstorm and cold temperatures may have come as a shock to those already thinking spring had arrived in the Grand Valley but it was a good thing for the area’s grape crop. While the moisture was needed, it’s the return to cold temperatures that’s really welcome.
That the winter has been warmer than usual doesn’t surprise many people, but the degree to which it’s been warmer might. "Our average (daily) high is running about 5.5 degrees ...
By Dave Buchanan
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
On the Wine Trail:
Saturday (Feb. 11) is your chance to enjoy the Valentine's Day edition of the Wine, Buffalo and Chocolate Lover's Trail as it winds through Rogers Mesa near Hotchkiss, visiting Leroux Creek Vineyards, Liliputian Winery and the High Wire Ranch.
Winetasting, Yvon Gros' terrine, paté and chocolates and Leroux Creek Spa products at Leroux Creek Vineyards, 12388 3100 Rd.; wine and homemade truffles at Liliputian Winery, 31424 Colorado Highway 92 (next ...
By Dave Buchanan
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
There’s long been a saying in the wine industry that customers “talk dry but drink sweet.” That’s more true now than even 10 years ago, given the recent rise in popularity of sweet wines. These range from the dessert-style wines (Port, ice wines, fruit-and-chocolate wines) to the more-subtle but still noticeably sweet red wines many winemakers now offer.
So popular are sweet wines they were the topic of a symposium sponsored recent,y by the Robert Mondavi ...
By Dave Buchanan
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Don't be surprised to see wine prices increase this year, says the always entertaining and informative writer W. Blake Gray on his blog, The Gray Market Report.
Gray lists smaller vintages in California, Italy and Spain as warning signs that the world's ocean of wine has shrunk considerably over the past few years, forcing prices up as demand, particularly in the U.S., continues to grow.
Forget arguing over to what degree quality affects wine prices, he says.
"Pricing ...
By Dave Buchanan
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
A wine-art poster contest won by a poster done in wine.
Gary Hauschulz’s Winefest Art Competition-winning painting “Red, White and Fruit” features Colorado wines and found inspiration ranging from cruise ship guests, an American Pop-art painter and a Dutch Golden Age artist known for his group portraits.
The painting, which shows a smiling face lifting a glass in toast with another, also denotes which wines Hauschulz used in the making. The theme, said Hauschulz, ...
By Dave Buchanan
Monday, January 2, 2012
Surely it’s not too late for a few New Year’s resolutions?
It's seems too soon to be a few days into the New Year. I was busy trying to find last year’s list, just to see what I missed out on procrastinating about.
Just say I’m just well-practiced in putting off making (and breaking) those pesky resolutions. So here goes, a partial salute to the New Year and a look ahead to months of swirling, sipping and scribbling.
Taste more Colorado wines – ...
By Dave Buchanan
Friday, December 30, 2011
It’s almost New Year’s Eve, and the popping already has begun.
Not the fireworks, although those too will surely come as the clock counts down to midnight, but the sound of corks being jettisoned from bottles of sparkling wines. For many people, ending one year and beginning the next with Champagne or some other sparkling wine is a tradition.
If so, it’s one indelibly linked to the economy. According to the Wine Institute, which tracks things like this, in 2007, ...
By Dave Buchanan
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
The days between Thanksgiving and Christmas often prove uncommonly strenuous, a period when the demands of housework, cooking, cleaning, and shopping merge to make what should be a joyful time one of stress and worry.
One way to relax – other than locking the front door, turning off the lights and hiding under the blankets – is to get out and enjoy the holiday celebrations at some of the local wineries.
This weekend in particular offers several opportunities for you and ...
By Dave Buchanan
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
It’s the third Thursday in November, which means Thanksgiving is near and Beaujolais Nouveau is here.
It’s hard to miss notice of the arrival of Beaujolais Nouveau, the vin de primeur so renown it has its own release date and coming out parties, sort of a Fat Tuesday (on the third Thursday of November) for wine. Noting the success Beaujolais Nouveau producers have had with their up-front “How do you like me so far?” introduction, other wine regions now have ...
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