We've got the full spectrum of wine fodder this Friday! Of course, the beginning of wine is really the making of wine....
Turns out the UK is experimenting with a new version of city wine-making. Rather than purchasing fruit from here there and everywhere and then inviting you to come crush and blend et.al., a London-based company called The Urban Wine Company uses local grapes to make uber-local wine - and you are involved in the whole process. Here I am trying to keep from killing my house plant, but it sounds like these guys might even be able to help turn my brown thumb green - while giving me the chance to make my own wine. I'm terroir believer when it comes to making great wine - and am certain great grapes can make great wine, while bad grapes have no chance of doing so. But the project sounds like a great opportunity to understand first-hand how all this works, more or less. Too bad I'm Boston-bound! Would you be interested in such a project if given the opportunity?
On the trade side of life, this week we've been on "the trade circuit" tasting quite a bit of vino at various Spring Tastings being hosted by our suppliers to get us excited about new vintages and new wines in their portfolios. I had the pleasure of running into Mike Helman of Shawsheen Liquors. Turns out he's gearing up for the annual "Hair of the Dog" wine/beer tasting event, supporting the MSPCA. This event features a wine and beer tasting, art show and the White Street Band. Raffle prizes will abound, too. Tickets are $30 at the door or $25 in advance. Pop over to Shawsheen Liquors to find out more! The event is scheduled for next Friday, April 30th, 6 - 9pm.
Last but not least, we have wines that are made with a bit more... oomph. There is definitely a conversation in the wineosphere about The Hot Factor... Are wines over 14% alcohol bad? Not necessarily, I believe, so long as the wine is in balance. But that's a bigger story for another day. In the meantime, check out this Wall Street Journal article on "Wines That Pack". What's your opinion about alcohol content in wine?