The Curious Grape Wine, Dine And Shop In Shirlington « Miss A™

On Thursday, March 29, The Curious Grape Wine, Dine & Shop opened in the heart of Shirlington. Patrons can enjoy the 95-seat café and restaurant and experience an eclectic menu of appetizers, small plates, entrées, and desserts that complement the carefully chosen selection of wine and beer, which is available for sale in the adjacent shop.  Together, the café and restaurant will offer an assortment of house-made breakfast and dessert pastries as well as a thoughtful selection of soups, salads and paninis available daily during breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Photo Credit: curiousgrape.com

The Curious Grape will have a 10-seat wine bar where guests can enjoy a featured rotating list of international wines available by the bottle, half bottle, glass and half glass.  The restaurant’s wine list is organized by style to encourage exploration and facilitate food pairing. Wines by the bottle range from $24 to $80; wines by the glass range from $6 to $18 and wines by the half-glass range from $3.25 to $8.

For beer lovers, a selection of high quality and seasonal beers will be available by the bottle as well as on tap.  The beer menu is meant to appeal to beer connoisseurs, as well as to customers in search of something new. Prices range from $2.50 to $4 for half drafts, from $5 to $8 for full drafts, and from $4 and $15 by the bottle.

Photo Credit: curiousgrape.com

An outstanding selection of coffee and espresso beverages crafted using beans from the country’s top roasters will also be available.

Eric McKamey is executive chef of The Curious Grape Wine, Dine & Shop. McKamey’s menu will offer an eclectic selection of seasonal starters, small plates and entrées. Ingredients are sourced from the Mid-Atlantic region whenever possible. Dishes will be available in full and half portions to invite guests to experience a greater variety of choices, along with the ability to share with friends. A unique menu layout directs guests to wine pairings for each dish, and also encourages customers to drink what they love. Prices range from $7 to $8 for starters, from $13 to $17 for appetizers, and from $19 and $25 entrées.

WHERE:
Curious Grape Wine, Dine & Shop
2900 South Quincy Street
Arlington, VA, 22206
Ph. 703-671-8700

HOURS:
Retail Shop:
Sunday, Monday: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Tuesday-Thursday: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Friday, Saturday: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Photo Credit: curiousgrape.com

The Café:
Monday- Sunday: 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Wine Bar:
Tuesday, Wednesday: 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Thursday-Saturday: 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Sunday: 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

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Cloudy Bay Winery Enjoys Last Of Sparkling Grapes | Stuff.co.nz

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Hand picked grapes ready for processing.

Soon to be sparkling wine

Winery worker Nick Barsanti scrapes out the grape bins.

Grape juice ready for testing

Lab technician tests sugar levels

Winery worker Lloyd Simpson

Fermenting wine in a vat

Wine maker Sarah Burton tastes the freshly pressed grape juice.

Stephanie McIntyre tastes a ferment next to the mini vats.

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Staff at Cloudy Bay Winery in Blenheim are enjoying what is likely to be a short-lived leisurely work pace as the last of its sparkling grapes are brought in to press, says winery spokeswoman Stephanie McIntyre.

"At the moment, everyone's just taking it easy. You can see there aren't too many people around, but that will all change in a few weeks when all the ripening comes on at the same time."

Cloudy Bay winemaker Sarah Burton anticipated the first lot of grapes for the still variety would be brought in today. There was usually a one week gap before this harvest began, so it was a good way to prepare the crew for what was in store.

"Sparkling is a really cool wine to make because it's like a mini-harvest before the big harvest," Ms Burton said.

It took a special talent to achieve the desired flavours for a sparkling variety, as it was fermented twice, Ms McIntyre said.

"You have to be a bit of a visionary to make sparkling ... there are just so many steps involved along the way. It's a huge challenge."

Harvesting for the chardonnay and pinot noir sparkling varieties began on March 21 and wound up on Saturday.

Vineyard workers were on site handpicking the sparkling varieties from 7am each morning. "Grapes are handpicked early in the day when it's cooler so they retain the more zesty flavours needed for sparkling wine," Ms Burton said.

Although this season's poor weather had presented a few problems for the industry, it depended where vineyards were located, and luckily most of Cloudy Bays' sites were in the warmer Wairau Valley, she said.

The Marlborough Express got an inside view of the winery's second to last day of harvest for its sparkling varieties on Friday.

- The Marlborough Express

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The evolution of the Romanian wines « From Grapes to Wine's Blog

picture courtesy of Vinul din Cluj

The March 2012 edition of Goodwine fair brought more visitors in the first day of opening than any of the previous editions – definitely a big step forward for the Romanian wine sector. There were a lot of interesting new wines launched and, more importantly, there seems to be a significant evolution in the overall quality and commitment to improve at all levels: from small boutique wineries, that produce just a few tens of thousands of bottles, to large, mammoth wineries, producing tens of millions of wine every year. In this respect I was very pleasantly impressed by the new premium wines launched by Jidvei and the new Cotnari division.

picture courtesy of Vinul din Cluj

Jidvei hired Mr. Marc Dworkin as wine maker. Mr. Dworkin is a Frenchman  with a strong Bordeaux background who worked together with Mr. Michel Rolland in the past and already produces red wines from Merlot, Feteasca Neagra and Cabernet Sauvignon in Romania at Aliman (Winero) and from International red grape varieties for Enira, in Bulgaria. For Jidvei, Mr. Dworkin produced for now a Pinot Gris, a Feteasca Alba and a Chardonnay as their first white wines, and a Pinot Noir that still undergoes maturation in oak barrels. I actually attended a private preview blind tasting of these wines in December 2011 while they were unfiltered in tanks and they were already very promising. As the blind tasting was organized by Mr. Dworkin it was clear who the winemaker was but I had, at that time, no clue who was the producer.
At Jidvei’s booth I particularly enjoyed the Feteasca Alba, a wine with very nice floral aromas and very good body, lively and fresh, but keeping an elegant line. I also liked the Chardonnay, aged for 4-5 months in oak barrels that shows very good oak absorption already, elegant, round and long.

The collaboration between Jidvei and Mr. Dworkin will be extended from 100 ha as he’s supervising now to 200+ ha next year.

The same move of associating their name with a prestigious International winemaker was done last year by Murfatlar, when they entered into an agreement with Mr. Razvan Macici – the most famous Romanian winemaker working for Nederbug, a large producer of quality wines from South-Africa.

picture courtesy of Vinul din Cluj

Cotnari, a very large winery that mostly produces modest and unconvincing wines, made also a spin-off winery focused on quality, premium wines. Launched under the Simpozion brand, the wines tasted at the fair are different, better than all previous ones. Feteasca Alba, Tamaioasa Romaneasca and Grasa de Cotnari vinified dry are really interesting to try. If they maintain the same course, the consumers will have a wide range of alternatives to choose from in the future.

picture courtesy of Vinul din Cluj

Liliac is a new winery from Lechinta, near Targu Mures, that recently launched a first line of wines and was also present at this fair. The wines come from very young vines, but the owners made serious investments in replanting, building a new winery and buying brand new, state of the art equipment. The wines are produced by Mr. Willi Opitz, an Austrian winemaker more known for his Austrian sweet wines listed in famous restaurants and locations all over the world. Hopefully, as the vines will get older and offer better fruit, Mr. Opitz will be able to show the potential of this otherwise renowned white wine region. For now, Liliac showcased a Rose, a Feteasca Alba, a Feteasca Regala and a Sauvignon Blanc from the 2011 vintage, but also a sweet wine from 2010 as their whites, and a blend of Feteasca Neagra and Merlot from 2011 as their red.

I tasted the new 2011 whites from Crama Oprisor and their top reds from 2010, 2008 and 2007. The whites from “La Cetate” range are fresh, lively and forward, with fruity aromas and rewarding. I particularly liked the dry Tamaioasa Romaneasca, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, but the white that stood apart was their Rusalca Alba, a blend of four or five white grapes. The wine is elegant, not betting all on intense fruity aromas but also showing a nice complexity.

From the reds tasted I particularly liked the 2008 Nenumita, a wine with an extremely youthful dark red-purple color that shows a developed nose and intense spicy flavors, with a good tannins structure and extraction, having more room for development. (90-91/100)

The 2007 Cutia Paleologu has a red color, showing more evolution both on the nose as the taste, more round and integrated, but with a less intense finish compared to Nenumita. (88/100)

If I had to choose from the two, my bets would go for the 2008 Nenumita. The 2010 Smerenie is supple and spicy, and probably 6 months more of bottle aging will only make it better.

The Hungarian wines from Vylyan are very interesting. I enjoyed a lot their 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon – aged for 14-15 months in Hungarian oak – that shows a real supple character, with enough stuff to make it both interesting and intense in flavors, as well as a very good drink-ability.

Vinarte offered a good surprise this year. At their booth, I tasted 2009 Prince Mircea, 2008 Prince Matei and 2000 Prince Mircea from magnum. 2009 Prince Mircea is a really dense and fleshy Merlot, that shows a rich nose filled with truffles, black fruit and coffee aromas. Rich texture on the palate, with good structure and vibrant red and black fruit mixed with cocoa and plums, the wine has a medium long aftertaste with assertive tannins and long flavors. (89/100)

2008 Prince Matei is more backwards, supple and not revealing itself too much for the moment.

The 2000 Prince Mircea from magnum shows a maturing nose, with plenty of leather, tobacco and game aromas, mixed with bright fruit and coffee, a nose with really good intensity. Unfortunately the wine does not maintain the same intensity of flavors in the mouth, the aftertaste being relatively short. This wine should be drunk now as I do not find any more room for improvement. (86/100)

Avincis showcased also a few new wines, a new white blend and a red Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2007 Avincis Cabernet Sauvignon is already interesting. Stirbey continues to impress with their Extra Brut sparkling made from Cramposie.

I also enjoyed a 2009 Budureasca Pinot Noir Rezerva produced in a limited 2000 bottles release. The 2008 Origini Feteasca Neagra, the 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon and the 2007 Reserva are a bit too tannic for the moment, but the dry top white wine is already rewarding.

My visit at this fair was fairly short, for just a few hours on FRI. However, as short as it was, I could not miss the excitement of the organizers and the wineries representatives present, for the larger number of people that came on this first day of the fair, compared to the previous editions. I guess the revolution and abundance of new and better wines that we experience now is directly mirrored by the enthusiasm and the increasing number of people that want to discover and enjoy better wines.

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Interesting Information about White Wine Grapes | homemade-fruit ...

The flavor and aroma of wine is very variable depending on many factors.

The most important thing it is affected is the grapes making it. Different varieties of grapes produced different wines. White wine grapes are one of the most common materials to produce wines. There are many ways that white wine grapes to produce wines. And red grapes can also produce white wines if make with out the darker skin.

Though there are numerous white wine grapes, yet only a few of them have been recognized as the most enjoyed throughout the world. The wine bottles, each having a particular shape in traditional wine selling are named after the variety of grapes from which it is produced due to the fame of each of these three particular white grapes. There are three types which are most popular namely:

Chardonnay

Chardonnay grapes are traditionally products of Champagne and Burgundy regions of France. However, today this variety of white wine grape can be found in several countries like New Zealand, Australia and South America. The popularity of this variety is due to the fact that the wines produced from this variety are able to take on and luxuriate in the taste of the oak caskets in which they are often matured. Moreover, they are quite versatile and are able to adapt to climate changes which is another reason for their popularity. In addition these white wine grapes can yield a higher quantity of grapes from a lesser number of vines.

As wines produced from these grapes absorb an oak flavor, its taste varies depending on the aging in those oak barrels. If larger amount of oak flavor is absorbed, then you get the taste of spice, toast or vanilla. If there is more an influence of the grapes themselves then the wine can taste like lemons, apples, pineapples and melons.

Sauvignon Blanc

This variety of white wine grapes is mostly found in the Bordeaux and Loire regions of France. The other country where it has become popular in the recent past is New Zealand. The country has become a famous wine producing destination because of Sauvignon Blanc grapes. This variety of grapes is the main constituent of Pouilly-Fumé and Sancerre wines produced in France. Moreover, they are used to produce dessert wines of the region called Sauternes.

Usually dry wines are produced from these white wine grapes. The flavors of wines produced from these grapes can be of minerals, grass or some tropical fruit. Though the thought of a cut grass flavor may not be too attractive, taste them once and you’ll appreciate this taste with clams and other foods. Growing Sauvignon Blanc grapes is not very difficult but they are susceptible to botrytis infections.

Riesling

It is easy to assume that all varieties of great grapes are found in France because of the excellent range of wines found in that country, but Germany is not far behind. The country is famous for producing Riesling grapes. This variety has become popular in some other countries like New Zealand and Australia as well. The name once gained by Germany was tarnished, as sub-standard concoction were introduced by some of the biggest names in wine making during times of industrial wine expansion. However, genuine Riesling wine can never be mistaken.

The range of flavors of these white wines is huge which can include tastes of fruits like limes, tropical fruits or apples. Moreover, there are flavors of flowers as well besides earthy tones of minerals and slate.

Of course there are other ranges of white wine grapes which produce wines of very high quality. However, the flavor of these three variety mentioned above, are essential to know and stand up above the other varieties in popularity and pallet pleasure.

Victor D Williams is a grape growing enthusiast. For more great advice on White Wine Grapes please visit http://grapevinesforsale.com/

Furney’s Nursery is a garden center and nursery with quality plants, garden supplies and advice to help you make the most of your gardening experience. Furney’s Nursery grows their own trees, shrubs, annuals, perennials, bulbs and seeds, edibles. Find plants and supplies for water gardening, fountains, ponds, and water features. For lawn care, we carry fertilizers, pest control, organic products, tools, soil, mulch, and bulk materials. We also have a beautiful gift shop.

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Wine grape metabolism unveiled in critical database | Grapes ...

The Plant Metabolic Network (http://www.plantcyc.org/), which is based at Carnegie’s Department of Plant Biology, has launched four new online databases that offer an unprecedented view of the biochemical pathways controlling the metabolism of corn, soybeans, wine grapes, and cassava—four important species of crop plant. The new databases will serve as a critical resource for scientists working with these species to increase crop production, enhance biofuel development, or explore novel medicines.

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Meeting the ever-expanding demand for food, biofuel and phyto-pharmaceutical production will require a comprehensive understanding of the enzymes, biochemical pathways and regulatory networks that control metabolism in plants. The goal of the Plant Metabolic Network is to facilitate such understanding by providing a detailed, genome-scale view of the chemical reactions taking place in plant cells. These metabolic reactions include those that convert carbon dioxide and sunlight into chemical energy, import essential mineral nutrients from the soil into plant roots, aid plants in defending against environmental stress, and otherwise allow plants to maintain life. By providing rich information on these processes, the Plant Metabolic Network enables efforts to elucidate steps in poorly understood plant biochemical processes, as well as discover unique, previously uncharacterized enzymes important to plant life.

The Plant Metabolic Network research team consists of plant scientists, scientific curators, post-doctoral scholars, and student interns. It is led by Carnegie staff scientist Sue Rhee. The group employs a number of approaches to generate the information housed in each database, integrating techniques and concepts from a wide range of fields including molecular sequence analysis, artificial intelligence, statistics, plant molecular biology, and plant biochemistry.

The team created a computational pipeline called E2P2 to perform metabolism-related discovery on sequenced plant genomes in order to place the rapidly expanding pool of plant genomic and transcriptomic sequence data into a metabolic framework. Importantly, the pipeline allows for a consistent, systematic, and high throughput approach for metabolism-related analysis of plant genome data. The data generated by the pipeline is rigorously reviewed using the scientific literature to ensure the quality of each released database. Up to ten more databases will be forthcoming later this year. Corn, soybeans, wine grapes, and cassava were selected for early release because of their economic and agricultural importance to various regions.

“Wine grapes are an important crop for the state of California; corn and soybeans are the number one and two crops of the United States, both as a source of food and biofuel; cassava—also called manioc and yuca—is one of the most-common sources of food worldwide and a tremendously important crop for combating hunger,” said Dr. Rhee. “That’s why we decided to release the databases for these plants right away, even before we started preparing a manuscript describing this work, to help researchers get started in improving production and yield of these crucial crops.”

The Plant Metabolic Network is funded by the National Science Foundation.

Ep. 140 - Oysters and Wine | Grape Encounters Podcasts

This week’s edition of Grape Encounters Radio comes to you from a skiff gently rolling on the waves in spectacular Morro Bay.  Come with us as we visit the Morro Bay Oyster Company. We’ll give you a first-hand look at an oyster farm that is home to nearly a million oysters! When we get to shore, we’ll teach you how to shuck oysters, share some great preparation recipes and get deeply into pairing oysters with some very delicious wines. It’s a show full of farmers, fishermen, cooks, winemakers and our Gadget Guru who has some amazing new devices to get that Sauvignon Blanc cooled to perfection. So fill up your glass and slip into your hip waders!

Tempting Tempranillo | Kriselle Cellars

Tempranillo is quickly becoming a favorite varietal among Southern Oregon wine producers and consumers. The grape has a long-standing history in its native Spain, and is considered by many to be the “noble grape” of that country. Tempranillo is the main grape used in the Rioja region and those wines are world renowned. The name itself translates to “little early one” referencing the tendency for Tempranillo grapes to ripen earlier than most red wine grapes, and it does, particularly in the region of its origin.

Tempranillo has shown wonderful versatility in wine production styles. It can be enjoyed young; however, the most notable Tempranillos are oak-aged from several months to several years.
In a cooler climate, Tempranillo exhibits acidity and vibrancy. In warmer temperatures the grape develops higher sugar levels and thicker skins – producing deep, rich coloration.

Southern Oregon has Earl Jones, of Abacela Winery in the Umpqua Valley, to thank for recognizing the ideal growing conditions of this area for growing his favorite grape varietal.
Earl searched the nation to find the right conditions for the grape, and it was his first plantings and production that encouraged other grape growers and producers to embrace Tempranillo as an integral part of their wine program. It became clear that the warm summer days and cooler nights of the Rogue Valley – sometime varying as much as 30-40 degrees – were the ideal for cultivating these grapes with distinction. Tempranillo is now grown in Umpqua and Rogue valleys and it is enjoying a fast-growing popularity in both these appellations of Southern Oregon.

Tempranillo is a wonderful wine to pair with food.  Being from Spain, where tapas also originated, it is a sure bet with the varied flavors found in these little plates. Match this wine with medium-bodied to full-bodied dishes, particularly those that are braised, grilled, or smoked. Showing its versatility, Tempranillo is excellent to serve with foods with a degree of spice, or with a sweet berry sauce. Play up the rustic flavors by pairing this wine with game or meats that have herb infusions.  In fact, the wine is so wonderfully versatile for complimenting a meal – it seems to have been designed especially for that purpose.

Kriselle Cellars is proud to introduce our 2009 Tempranillo. The wine is a beauty in color – a rich ruby with a purple rim. The signature Tempranillo aromas of fresh berries and purple plums are met on the palate with vanilla, herb and spice. You will also note a sweet smoke nuance from the oak aging. The wine is dense and focused, with firm tannins that provide a long, lingering finish. This regal full-bodied wine is a treasure for those of us who enjoy a big, juicy wine. The wine will evolve with cellar ageing. Tannins will soften and flavors will become more integrated over the next few years.

Our 2009 Tempranillo can be found at several of your favorite local restaurants. Find our restaurant partners by navigating to “Buy our Wine” – Restaurants on our website.  By the bottle you can purchase our Tempranillo at Harry and David’s flagship store in Medford OR or at The Wine Studio in Gig Harbor WA . You can order on-line and have it delivered to your door!

We hope you will pull the cork on our newest release and enjoy the 2009 Tempranillo with the finest things in life: family, friends and food.