At The Traveling Vineyard, we’re passionate about wine!
Our mission to demystify wine, by offering fun and
informative in-home wine tasting events.
Taste wines from boutique wineries from all over the world,
while enjoying a wine tasting lesson.
Email Shannon for more information.
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Read about it today, experience it tonight.
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Bonny Doon NV Bouteille Call, Syrah Port, California
"NV Bouteille Call - Framboisified Port of Syrah - a very naughty beverage!"
Fortified California syrah with a touch of raspberry juice.
So tasty, so drinkable, fantastic with chocolate.
Syrah is very berry like to begin with,
adding raspberry juice to it makes it berries².
-BF
500ml $16
Little Raven Vineyards and Corks carry this wine.
Are you a retailer that carries this wine?
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us and we'll add you to the 'where to find it' listing.
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Triebaumerg NV Muscato, Austria
What a tasty treat!
Bubbly, bright, rich, with notes of
angelfood cake, apricots, honey, and peaches.
Great with dessert, as an aperitif alone, or as a welcome drink for guests.
It is a touch confectionary, but its balance and ripeness
make it irresistible.
$18
KaCee's Wine & Spirits, Davidsons, Lukas Liquors, and Bubbles carry this wine.
Are you a retailer that carries this wine?
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us and we'll add you to the 'where to find it' listing.
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Gloria Ferrer NV Blanc de Noir, California
Creamy, with flavors of raspberries, apples, and peaches.
The finish offers notes of fresh baked biscuits drizzled with honey.
The color indicates that it was made with pinot noir,
which delivers a rich canvas of flavors.
$18
Bonnie Brae, Joy Wine & Spirits, Corks, Divino,
Wilbur's Total Beverage, Crossroads Wine and Spirits in Grand Junction,
and Heritage Wine and Liquors carry this bubbly.
Are you a retailer that carries this wine?
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us and we'll add you to the 'where to find it' listing.
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Bartolomeo NV Rosato, Italy
Raspberries, strawberries, and hints of ginger,
this bubbly is as romantic as it gets.
Bring your love a bottle of this and some fresh berries.
Its pink hue is the color of love.
$12
Divino Wine, Bonnie Brae, and Spirits, Wilbur's Total Beverage, and Wilbur's Total Beverage carry this wine.
Are you a retailer that carries this wine?
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us and we'll add you to the 'where to find it' listing.
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Dream Italia tells tales of true love . . .
The folks at Dream Italia have put together a short compilation of
love stories.
From Romeo and Juliet to Sophia Loren and Carlo Ponti.
Check out their web site filled with beautiful photos of Italy.
Dream Italia tours are about the experience, the senses,
the moments that transform. If you like to explore more deeply into
a region and are interested in authentic travel experiences,
but don’t want to miss something meaningful by spending your time
looking for a parking place or getting caught in a long line,
you have the spirit for a Dream Italia tour.
Dream Italia ~ 303-504-5161
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Quady Electra Orange Muscat, California
A great value for the money.
It is rare to find a dessert wine in this size bottle.
Electra is ripe with apricots, orange peal, and honey.
It is lush with a lingering finish.
The alcohol is only 4%, so you can share it with Grandma or have an extra glass yourself.
-BF
750ml $12
Lido Wine Merchants, County Line, Wilbur's Total Beverage,
KaCee's Wine & Spirits, Heritage Wine and Liquors,
Crossroads Wine and Spirits in Grand Junction,
and Joy Wine & Spirit carry this wine.
Are you a retailer who carries this wine?
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us and we'll add you to the 'where to find it' listing.
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Quady Essensia White Muscat, California
While Electra is delightful, Essensia is exponential.
Mouthwatering acidity offer a complimentary facet to the
tangerine, nectarine, cranberry, orange blossom, and honey flavors.
Heavenly elixir. -BF
750ml $22
County Line, Bonnie Brae, Corks, Wilbur's Total Beverage, and Heritage Wine and Liquors carry this wine.
Are you a retailer who carries this wine?
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us and we'll add you to the 'where to find it' listing.
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Quady Elysium Black Muscat
Black muscat offers red fruit flavors like raspberries, cherries, and cassis.
Quady Elysium Black Muscat is a great pair with bitter dark chocolate.
The intense sweetness compliments the sultry flavors of the chocolate. Yummy! -BF
750ml $22
County Line, Bonnie Brae, Heritage Wine and Liquors, and KaCee's Wine & Spirits carry this wine.
Are you a retailer who carries this wine?
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us and we'll add you to the 'where to find it' listing.
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Balistreri Wine Gifts are sure to please just about anyone.
Whether they are loved ones out of state, special friends here
in town or a good customer that you would like to thank.
We have many basket options and can also customize any gift to fit your needs.
The Sweet Heart Basket with the flowers comes with your choice of Balistreri Wine,
Fresh cut flowers, and Chocolate truffles for $60.
Balistreri's offers another basket featuring cherry wine and
chocolate cherry cordials is called The Very Cherry for only $28.
Because Balistreri's is a winery,
they can sell their baskets with olives, cheese, chocolates, jams,
candies, etc.
Go to the web site to see the list of tasty treats you can include with your wine basket.
www.balistreriwine.com/gifts.html.
Liquor stores are unable to do this because they can't sell food,
and florists are not allow to do this for you because they can't sell alcohol.
Balistreri creates a complete basket for you.
Just give them a call, and they will help you order that special gift.
Balistreri Vineyards: 303-287-5156, Toll free 866-896-9620 Fax 303-287-0045,
info@balistreriwine.com,
www.balistreriwine.com
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Alcyone NV Late Harvest Tannat, Uruguay
This wine makes you do a doubletake.
Late harvest tannat offers notes of mocha, licorice, dates, caramel,
Tar-like, intense, with a burst of acidity.
Tannat is know for being a robust red wine,
if you've got a red wine drinker in your life with a sweet tooth,
you'll win their affection with this deep, dark beauty.
-BF
375ml $24
Are you a retailer that carries this wine?
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us and we'll add you to the 'where to find it' listing.
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Dessert Wine
As with any wine, you have to start with good grapes in order to make great wine, dessert wine is no exception. A dessert wine grape is any grape that hangs on the vine after the regular harvest is completed. While most any grape can do this, there are a few varieties that are better at it because they ripen faster. Late harvest grapes are tasted daily in order to balance the remaining acidity with the gaining ripeness.
Alcohol levels can only reach about 16% before the yeast becomes dormant. The super-ripe grapes have far too much natural sugar to be fermented completely dry, so some of the grape sugar remains after fermentation is complete. Many dessert wines have a splash of brandy added to them. This is called fortified wine, the same process used to make port. White grapes such as muscat and riesling are very popular, but you'll find many different white grapes used in dessert wines. Red grapes are used as well, but are not as common.
Late harvest wines are nectar like with respectable levels of alcohol and hopefully a dose of mouthwatering acidity. Although they can be pricey, they represent a unique wine with crowd pleasing appeal, which is easy to do when you have a crowd of two.
There are two additional styles of late harvest wines. Botrytis cinerea is a mold that causes grapes to shrivel and lose water. It is also called noble rot because only royalty was able to afford these wines in the past. Today, botrytisized wines are available and sometimes affordable.
Ice wine is made by freezing late harvest grapes and then gently pressing to leave behind the water crystals. This process expresses juice that is extremely concentrated. In German, where this wine is called Ice Wein, it is against the law to freeze the grapes by mechanical methods. The rest of the world is not so particular however producers in Canada have taken to producing this exotic treat in the traditional manner. A dessert wine can happen to be both an ice wine and botrytisized.
The key to pairing desserts with dessert wine is to remember that the dessert wine must be sweeter than the dessert you are serving. Bottles come in half bottles at 375ml and even smaller at 187ml, which is about a glass. Like slender slices from a cheesecake, a bottle of dessert wine goes a long way.
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Bodegas Domecq NV Venerable Pedro Ximenez, Jerez, Spain
Pedro Ximenez is a dark, intense dessert wine.
Fantastic over ice cream, it offers
concentrated flavors of tamarind, black licorice, sassafras, and black coffee.
PX for short, is addictive.
-BF
500ml $30
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us and we'll add you to the 'where to find it' listing.
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Francoise Chauvenet NV Brut Blanc, Loire Valley, France
Silver Cap, as it is called, is made from a blend of
chardonnay, colombard, and ugni blanc.
Chardonnay and colombard are two classic
sparkling wine grapes; chardonnay is used in Champagne,
and colombard offers crisp, refreshing acidity.
This wine offers a canvas of citrus with soft peach and pear notes.
The price to quality ratio is so good that you would be wise to keep
an extra bottle on hand.
No one has to know you didn't spend a couple of Jacksons on it.
$10
Reserve List and Costco in Arvada carry this wine.
Are you a retailer that carries this bubbly?
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us and we'll add you to the 'where to find it' listing.
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Peter Lehmann 2005 Botrytis Sémillon, Barossa, Australia
This wine evolves in the mouth with bright flavors and musky tones.
Sémillon offers flavors of melon and peaches.
The fruit flavors are concentrated, while the finish is shimmering.
The botrytis is a mold that makes grapes shrivel lose moisture.
This reduction in water makes for concentrated juice.
Botrytis cinerea is also called noble rot.
375ml $15
County Line carries this dessert wine.
Are you a retailer that carries this wine?
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us and we'll add you to the 'where to find it' listing.
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Paradise Ranch Ice Wine, Canada
Ice Wine is made by leaving late harvest grape on the vine to freeze (on purpose).
These grapes are already concentrated when they are frozen.
It is at that moment when the grapes freeze,
they are picked and gently crushed, leaving behind the ice crystals.
The resulting juice is incredible.
Mango, nectarine, honeycomb, lime zest, and tangerine flavors
evolve in the mouth as intense layers.
Yeah, it's expensive, but one sip and you'll totally understand why.
375ml $60
Are you a retailer that carries this scotch?
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us and we'll add you to the 'where to find it' listing.
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Trevor Jones, Jonesy Tawny Port, Australia
Big, dense, serious notes of coffee dominate the palate of the wine at first.
A second later, the palate unfolds with fig, caramel, licorice,
and a hint of bitter dark chocolate.
The price on this is irresistible.
Try it over ice cream.
500ml $10
Divino Wine and Spirits, Corks, Hampden Liquor Warehouse, Wilbur's Total Beverage, Reserve List, and Joy Wine & Spirits carry this dessert wine.
Are you a retailer that carries this scotch?
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us and we'll add you to the 'where to find it' listing.
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The Essential Wine Tasting Guide
It comes in a handy little clear plastic case.
It unfolds to show information on flavor descriptors, recommended serving temperatures,
a color reference, and descriptions of flaws.
A wine reference that offers color, aroma, and flavor descriptors for specific
grape varieties.
If you like to take notes about wine,
or like to be able to describe wine with exact descriptors,
this is a great reference for you.
The size of a standard playing card,
it is perfect for carrying in a wallet.
Look for The Essential Wine Tasting Guide at these retail outlets:
Colorado Liquor Mart, Total Beverage in Northglenn, Tony B's Winelist at Tony's Market on Dry Creek,
Mondo Vino in the Highlands,
Ken Caryl Village Liquors on West Ken Caryl Avenue--off 470,
Divino Wine & Spirits, Davidson's Liquors, Daveco Liquors, and Wine Complements
$6
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Vocabulary
Each week we'll include a few wine (or beer or spirits) terms.
To read more terms go to the
vocabulary
page. This page will grow as we add more terms.
botrytis cinerea:
is a mold that affects many different plants species.
When it infects grapes it cause two different outcomes.
One is called gray rot.
Gray rot causes the berries to rot and usually means the whole cluster must be destroyed.
The other infection is called noble rot.
Noble rot causes the grapes to shrivel on the vine, concentrating the sugars and flavors.
Botrytis does not happen to a vineyard each year,
so the advantageous results are rare.
Botrytis causes the grape to be intensley flavored and often imparts a musky undertone.
Ice Wine:
is made by freezing late harvest grapes and then gently pressing to
leave behind the water crystals. This process expresses juice that
is extremely concentrated. In German, where this wine is called Ice Wein,
it is against the law to freeze the grapes by mechanical methods.
The rest of the world is not so particular however producers in
Canada have taken to producing this exotic treat in the traditional manner.
fortified wine:
is wine that has had spirits added to it to give it longevity.
When the only transportation to the new world was an unrefrigerated ship,
wine would often spoil during the journey.
Some clever sailor poured a bit of brandy into a
barrel containing wine and the rest is history.
The spirits allow the wine to withstand warm temperatures often
experienced at sea.
This is the technique used to make Portos.
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Brews
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Do you make your own beer?
If you make your own beer we are interested in your thoughts, recipes, and experiences.
If you would like to share with our readers, we will include you on our weekly newsletter and-or
add your contribution to our Do It Yourself section.
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Events
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Valentine Tango & Wine Tasting
Saturday, February 17, 2007 from 6pm to 10pm at the Denver Turnverein.
Tickets at the door are $30.00, but if you buy them online they are only $25.00.
http://www.primovino.net
This event will be held at the Denver Turnverein
1570 Clarkson Street (behind the Fillmore on Colfax).
This event will feature over 30 wines from Argentina.
Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door.
All ticket purchases are qualified as tax deductible donations to the Colorado Children's Fund
www.coloradochildrensfund.org.
Tom Stermitz and Melinda Quiat of www.tango.org
will be on hand to offer free Tango lessons,
as well as many experienced dancers to demonstrate more advanced styles.
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