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robin@42aspens.com
Crushed Grape ChroniclesCrushed Grape Chronicles
Adventures in Wine Exploration
the stories behind the vines
  • CGC Home
  • The Stories
  • the places
    • Australia
      • Hunter Valley
      • Mudgee Wine Region
      • Shoalhaven Coast
      • Southern Highlands
    • California Wine, Wine Makers & Winery’s
      • Los Olivos, California
      • Paso Robles, California
      • Santa Barbara County
      • Napa Valley
      • Sonoma Valley
      • Temecula Wine Country
    • Central Coast Wine Country, a flash trip in 6 days
    • France, the wine regions
      • France, Alsace region
      • Champagne 101, the region
      • Côtes de Bordeaux
      • the wines of Alsace, France
      • the wines of Bordeaux, France
      • the wines of Champagne France
      • the wines of Languedoc Roussillion
    • Discovering Italy the Wine Regions
      • Abruzzo on Italy’s East Coast
      • Italy-Friuli-Venezia Guilia & the Colli Orientali
      • Vini di Valtellina
    • Oregon Wine Country
      • Willamette
    • Yakima Valley Wine
      • Red Willow Vineyard
  • the Philosophies
    • Biodynamics in Wine Production
    • Champagne & Sparkling Wine
  • Food & Wine Pairing
    • Tempting Spoonfuls: Pairing single bites with glorious wines
    • Food & Wine Pairing Recipe Videos
  • from dirt to glass
    • Wine Basics
      • the grape vines
      • the grapes
      • the seasons
      • the Wine harvest
      • the winemakers
      • Wine Faults
    • Crushed Grapes & Open Minds, Event
    • 12 Days of Wine, a holiday Wine list 2019
    • 12 Days of Wine, a holiday Wine list 2020
    • 12 Days of Wine, a holiday Wine list 2021
    • Uncommon Wine Festival at Vista Hills Vineyard 2018
    • Top Places to Taste Wine in California!
    • The Scenic Route 2021
    • The Scenic Route, a Flash Wine tour
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  • 12 days of Wine 2022

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12 days of Wine 2022 Portugal Day 4 Graham's Six Grapes Reserve Port
12 days of Wine 2022 Portugal Day 4 Graham’s Six Grapes Reserve Port

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Tempting Spoonfuls: Pairing single bites with glorious wines (On Sale Now on Amazon)!

Tempting Spoonfuls: Pairing single bites with glorious wines Paperback – August 29, 2022

Tempting Spoonfuls: Pairing single bites with glorious wines Paperback – August 29, 2022

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Last night did a bit of pre-trip prep, meeting a f Last night did a bit of pre-trip prep, meeting a friend at my favorite LV wine bar @garagiste_lv . Eric has a beautiful Mintepulciano d'Abruzzo on the list this week from @cristianatiberio . Organic, lush, and delicious! This time next week, I will be on my way there! #abruzzo #montepulcianodabruzzo #seeyousoon
Valpolicella wines of Zenato. Valpolicella wines of Zenato.
May 25th – International Chardonnay Day #Chardon May 25th – International Chardonnay Day #ChardonnayDay Celebrated each year on the Thursday before Memorial Day, this holiday was started by Rick Bakas. Chardonnay has lovers and haters, but this grape is undeniably one of the most popular in the world. Grown around the globe in more than 40 countries, it can be bright, crisp, and minerally as in Chablis, or buttery and ripe like those made famous in California. It is truly a grape that takes on the character of the climate and can be molded by winemakers. In the US, it is delicious from the cool climate of Santa Barbara’s Sta. Rita Hills, as well as from the Willamette Valley of Oregon! How about some pairings for the different styles? Try roasted chicken with a buttery oaked warm climate Chard or a Petit Chablis with raw oysters. I have friends who LOVE Chardonnay (even more than I do) and proclaim themselves #chardcore (I’m lookin’ at you @girlsgograpedotcom !) This is the day to celebrate! Cheers to Chardonnay! #chardcore #ChardonnayDay
May 24th - Anniversary of the Judgment of Paris T May 24th - Anniversary of the Judgment of Paris This holiday is mainly celebrated in the US. The name is a takeoff on Greek Mythology. The original Judgment of Paris was a means to get Zeus out of trouble. Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite vied for the title of fairest, and Zeus, not wanting to choose himself and be in the bad graces of any of the goddesses, had Paris judge and decide. Hera promised Paris riches and lands, Athena pledged victory in battle, and Aphrodite promised him the love of the most beautiful woman in the world. Paris chose Aphrodite, which led to him meeting Helen and the Trojan War. But the “Judgement of Paris” that we celebrate is another and comes historically much later. Here’s the deal. Steven Spurrier, a British Wine Merchant, had tasted some wines from off this tiny dirt road in this place called Napa, California. He and a colleague set up a blind tasting in Paris in 1976 with Chardonnays and Bordeaux-style reds from Napa, California, and France. The Judges were all French. (Steven Spurrier sadly passed in 2021. This whole story can be seen in the movie “Bottle Shock”) The top wines? For the Chardonnay, the 1973 Chateau Montelena Chardonnay, and the 1973 Stags Leap Wine Cellars Cabernet for the reds, both wines from the Napa Valley. Spurrier, sadly had bet on the wrong horse, as he only sold French wines in his shop. So…at this Judgement of Paris, it seems that Napa was the fairest! Celebrate with a wine from Napa! If you can get your hands on a Stag’s Leap Cab or a Chateau Montelena Chard, do that! I will mention that the winemaker who made that Chardonnay in 1976 was Mike Grgich, who later opened Grgich Hills in Napa. (Mike Grgich actually just turned 100 on April 1st.) Curl up on the couch and find “Bottle Shock” on your streaming service. Cheers! #TheJudgementofParisWine #napavalley @stagsleapwinecellars @chmontelena @napavintners @grgichhills
Current POV. Feet up with a glass of Prosecco we Current POV. Feet up with a glass of Prosecco we didn't manage to drink! What a spectacular party with my "Sisters on Purpose!" Thank you to all of you who joined us today for a joyful afternoon, making "Tempting Spoonfuls" and pairing our bites with delicious wines that You found! It was a joy to have my home filled with this splendid group of amazing women! Oh, and NOW Loki comes out to explore!
#Samples I'm betting that you have never tasted a #Samples I'm betting that you have never tasted a Malbec Nouveau before (if you have, you are one of the lucky ones). Domaine Bousquet sent me this wine as a media sample, and I had an opportunity to do an online video session with the owner and winemaker! Malbec Nouveau...it's named like Beaujolais Nouveau, that wine made of Gamay by the Carbonic Maceration Technique, that is the first wine to release each year in France. This wine is made in the same way, but from Malbec, from Argentina. We paired this Gaia Malbec Nouveau from Domaine Bousquet with spice-seared ahi tuna and a berry, balsamic, tea gastrique. It was delicious! (the video gives you the gastrique recipe!) *Bonus! This winery is Regenerative Organic Certified and is focused on its care for the land and people! So sipping this, you are doing good things for the planet! Oh, and the label has a secret...read the whole article on CrushedGrapeChronicles.com for the details. @domainebousquetwines
#PinotGrigioDay Cavit Winery in Trentino in Northe #PinotGrigioDay Cavit Winery in Trentino in Northern Italy established this holiday in 2017. Cavit was a pioneer in bringing Pinot Grigio to America in the 1970s. The winery is devoted to Eco-Friendly practices. Pinot Grigio is the same grape as Pinot Gris in France (and Grauburgunder in Germany). This white wine is a clonal variation on Pinot Noir (along with Pinot Blanc). Grigio (or Gris) both mean “Grey,” and the color of the grape has a greyish tint. In Italy, Pinot Grigio is grown in the Veneto and Trentino-Alto Adige, known as the Delle Venezie in northeast Italy. This wine is made in a fresh, unoaked style that is popular with wine lovers. It goes well with seafood (being near Venice). I will do a shout-out to one of my favorite Pinot Grigio Producers, Albino Armani. They make a variety of styles of Pinot Grigio, and they are passionate about ethical, sustainable agriculture. They are also working hard to protect endangered grape varieties. Pinot Grigio is easy to find! Grab a bottle and celebrate! @albinoarmani_1607 @cavitwines @dellevenezie
Marcel Zanolari has vineyards at the eastern end o Marcel Zanolari has vineyards at the eastern end of the Valtellina Valley. This is not your “typical” Valtellina Winery. He has multiple parcels all over this end of the region, including some on “The Dark Side.” These vineyards on the south side go a full 2 months without sun each year. He also has vineyards on the North side, which are grown in the Girapoggio method so that they allow for partial mechanization. The really cool thing? He grows 115 different varieties, including the Arinarnoa grape. He has many PiWi grape varieties, which are developed to be resistant to disease. He plants these varieties on the valley floor, on higher vineyards, and then at an even higher altitude to see how they do! He grows biodynamically and has a herd of goats, which do public works (chopping down weeds in drainage ditches) when they are not weeding the vineyards. He has a farm and fruttaio with Peppa and Masha, who guard the goats and other animals. At his winery, he often uses terracotta eggs. Plus, he has great views! We tasted 2 versions of his Vagabondo Bianco, one in stainless steel and one in amphorae. This wine is a blend of 18 different grape varieties. You will find the whole story and the video on CrushedGrapeChronicles.com. @marcelzanolari_vinivivi @vinivaltellina #valtellina #NebbiolooftheAlps #piwivarieties #biodynamics
National Moscato Day was created in 2012 by Gallo National Moscato Day was created in 2012 by Gallo Family Vineyards. In 2011 and 2012, Moscato was growing fast! Everyone seemed to be drinking it. It can be a little kitschy, and currently, you can find “blue” Moscato out in the market. This is Moscato wine that has a blue color added, often from blueberries or blackberries. It is kind of flashy! Moscato is the Italian name for Muscat. In Italy, there are several varieties of Muscat, including Moscato di Canelli, which is the most widely planted and is the same variety as Muscat Blanc a Petits Grains in France. Muscat of Alexandria is also known as Zibibbo in Sicily. In the Piemonte region of Italy, Moscato Bianco is the oldest known variety, and here in the Asti region, they make it into the sweet fizzy Moscato d’Asti. These can be tasty sweet grapes. While most wine grapes are not the type you would typically munch on, muscat or Moscato definitely can be. Marcel Zanolari in Valtellina has a Zibibbo growing on the front of his cellar. He added steps so people walking by on their way to church could grab some to munch on. While there are several more, I’ll mention one other Muscat here, the Italian Moscato di Scanzo from the region of Bergamo in Northern Italy. The Moscato di Scanzo DOCG covers just 33 hectares (It is the 2nd smallest DOCG in Italy!) This Moscato is a dark-skinned grape that grows on the hills around the village of Scanzo that makes a delicious sweet red wine. We had the opportunity to visit this tiny region last year! They designed a specialty glass to best enjoy this delicious wine. Moscato is generally a sweet wine and, as such, goes well with spicy, salty, and or sweet foods! While there is plenty of Moscato out there on the shelf, much of it is on the bottom shelf. I encourage you to dig a little deeper and try to find smaller producers. While it is not widely available, ask your local wine shop about Moscato di Scanzo! If they have a bottle, give it a try! It goes beautifully with blue cheese risotto! #MoscatoDay #DiscoveringWineHolidays #discoveringwinecountry @consorziomoscatodiscanzo
In case you missed this article on Crushedgrapechr In case you missed this article on Crushedgrapechronicles.com! We spent part of a day with Marco Triacca at his winery and vineyard La Perla di Marco Triacca in the Valgella sub-zone of Italy's Valtellina Valley! @vinivaltellina @laperla_marcotriacca Catch the full video and read the story at CrushedGrapeChronicles.com! #valtellina
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