WineIntro.com - Website Wednesday

To say that this website WineIntro.com by Lisa Shea is a "Wine Intro" is an understatement. Yes, she does cover the basics of wine, etc., but OMG! there's a ton of information on her site.

I found her bio and background information very interesting. Reading about her computer experience back in the "pre-world wide web" years took me back to my days in elementary school where the school had a "computer" like she describes with a dial-up phone coupling, form-fed printing, etc.

WineIntro.com is certainly up-to-date with many internal links full of good wine information including Wine Books, Wine Movies, Wine Songs, Wine Quotes, etc. and I've never seen so many different recipes for Sangria in one place! So keep that in mind - it will be Spring soon!

O Canada - Canadian Wines for the Olympics

Now that the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics are in full swing, I felt it was time to draw attention to the fact that Canada produces its' share of wine. Most of what I've seen in the Kansas City area consists of ice wines, but I understand they produce a good amount of the more traditional styles (although not all your traditional varietals). I found a website for the Canadian Vintners Assoication that I need to explore further, and I'm sure there's much more out there on the web. Check it out for yourself and at least take a look at, ask about (or pick-up) a Canadian wine the next time your at the wine shop or liquor store.

Orvieto and Torrontes - Two Unique Winter Whites

Last week, I offered my customers the opportunity to sample two unique white wines - an Orvieto from Italy and a Torrontes from Argentina.

The Orvieto Classico produced by Bigi and imported by Opici Imports was a very pleasant, light, crisp white. I sensed a slight chalk or limestone quality and several others tasted a hint of lemon. I think wine drinkers looking for the lightness and citrus qualities of a sauvignon blanc yet not the over-the-top grapefruit found in some, would enjoy Orvieto. You might find this or similar wines for around $11-$15.

Orvieto is an Italian wine region located in Umbria (central Italy), centered around the commune of Orvieto. It is primarily known for its white wines made from a blend of mostly Grechetto and Trebbiano, which is sold under the Denominazione di origine controllata (DOC) Orvieto and Orvieto Classico. What struck me as I researched Orvieto was its' beautiful setting (see photo above). The city of Orvieto is situated on the flat summit of a large butte of volcanic tuff.

The Don Rodolfo Torrontes showed a nice floral nose and fuller body with a hint of fruity sweetness. Kind of like a viognier, but different - you just have to try it for yourself. Torrontes has become the signature white of Argentina and the fact that most are reasonably priced make it worth checking-out the next time you're looking for something different.

This particular wine comes from the Cafayate Valley which at 6,000 feet is among the world's highest-altitude viticultural regions.

I encourage you to expand your experience by trying these or other unique white wines like Viognier, Gewurtztraminer, Soave, Grillo, Albarino, etc.

Cheers!

tomswinesense.com - The New Website

I am now officially online with a new website Tom's Wine Sense.com
The site includes contact information plus details on what I can do to help you or your group, office, team, etc. make sense of wine, learn more about wine and have fun in the process.
Check it out and I welcome any feedback, comments, suggestions, etc.