Are you trying to find something different to do now that the weather is getting nicer? Do you care to learn more about the local wine industry? Are you interested in helping your local economy rather than sending your hard earned cash out of state or overseas? If you answered yes to any of these questions, let me suggest you visit a winery near your home very soon. I recently learned that there are now wineries in all 50 states so chances are there is at least one in your area.
There are several reasons to grab your wine tote and visit a local winery and today I’m going to share a few of them with you. First, almost all local wineries offer low or no cost tastings and tours. You’ll have the chance to sample many different wines and then take home only your favorites. You’ll also be able to check out the winery and vineyard and learn how they make the wine. Someone will be there to answer your questions and you might even be lucky enough to talk to the owner.
When you visit, be sure to pack your picnic basket because most wineries have picnic areas or decks where you can sit down and have a picnic lunch and a glass of wine. Since wineries are usually located in the country, they offer scenic views of the surrounding areas. Can you think of a better way to relax than with a romantic picnic in the country?
Another feature that many wineries offer are Friday outdoor concerts. You can kick back and enjoy some fantastic wine as local talent shares their music with you. If sitting back isn’t your style, many wineries offer dancing as well. Many let you bring your own food so call your friends, pack your picnic backpacks and make an evening of it.
Make plans to go to your local winery very soon. You’ll find the surroundings relaxing and entertaining. Whether you go for a tasting and tour, a romantic picnic for two or an evening concert, you’ll have a fantastic time and you might even find a new hobby.
The Californian wine makers E&J Gallo think they have spotted a gap in the market and have made a wine range aimed at men.Although wine has a stronger associated with a women’s choice of drink, E&J Gallo think that a gap in the market is there for men’s wine. The news of this new product follows the announcement that they will be reducing the amount of wine they make in 2009 by offering less wine deals to retailers. Instead, they aim to create more individual and “reliable” wines that people will trust and buy more of during the recession.
The range, called ‘Redwood Creek’ is aimed at men who are interested in the outdoor lifestyle and aged between 35-65 years old.It will look to go after the type of people they class as ‘active in nature’ rather than the heavily active or extreme sports sectors. Fishing, hiking, camping and hunting are activities that have been cited as inspiration and Gallo is looking to dominate the whole domain. They have already created links with the woodland trust, the Tourist Board of California,Riedel Glasses plus the clothing label ‘Regatta’. This technique of creating partnerships has worked well for the winery in America and they hope it will do the same in the UK.
The new range of wines includes a simple Chardonnay and a couple of reds, a Merlot and a Cabernet Sauvignon. Iain Newell marketing director for Europe has suggested the new wine charms the very soul, with a rugged quality and a rich taste. “They will be everything you associate with nature and activity” Newell states, “freshness, passion and full flavours” are all qualities that this wine range includes. A great deal of research was put into investigating the market and developing the products and early feedback from the US suggests they could be on to something.
Vineyards are located in many parts of the world and are central to the wine industry. A vineyard is a place for growing grapes that are used for making wine, raisins or table grapes. Vineyards have a significant historical background, dating back to Biblical times. During the Middle Ages, it was the responsibility of the monks and the Church to maintain vineyards. To this day, many fine wines are made in monasteries.
Vineyards take an a lot of resources to maintain, which is why the early church often handled a lot of the vineyards in earlier days. Vineyards in different parts of the world are planted with different types of grapes, making for a variance in the amount of resources that are needed to maintain a vineyard today. In fact, some vineyards require little attention in order to grow a suitable harvest of grapes.
There are many factors that refer to the vineyard and its ability to grow the perfect grape. Good grape growing vineyards will have the proper “terroir”. Terroir refers to the combination of factors that influence the land, such as the soil and the underlying terrain. Any underlying rocks, inclination or altitude and orientation to the sun are also part of the terroir at a winery. A winery pays close attention to the terroir of their vineyards because it can mean the difference between a good and bad crop of grapes in a particular season.
In the Northern part of the world, there are general rules for making wine in vineyards. A vineyard tends to be on the side of a hill where the quality of soil is not particularly good. The notion is, however, that the “worse the soil, the better the wine”. This translates into utilizing an area of land that gets an a great deal of sunlight and creates perfect grape growing conditions for as much of the season as possible.
There are many variables that vineyard growers are using to improve their crops. Many follow the advice of noted wine critic Robert M. Parker Jr., who suggested the notion of “green harvesting”. This refers to the removal of whole grape clusters during the growing season to improve the quality and quantity of the overall yield. Many vineyards around the world are following that principle.
The vineyard is certainly the key to the wine industry. Interestingly, vineyards function today pretty much the same as they have throughout history. This comforting constant is a result of the fact that many of the fundamentals for growing grapes are the same as they were hundreds of years ago. Some of the particulars may have changed due to technology, but the main features of vineyards are still the same as they always were.
