Things I learn in Prosecco…

27. May 2019
by Rienne
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Allgemein

First, Prosecco is a place that the grape Galera is named after and I didn’t really go to Prosecco. I went to Conegliano Valdobbiadene DOCG.

Sound confusing… Yes it is! Ok, so recap is. Prosecco is a village within the DOC growing area of Prosecco. But everyone calls the wine Prosecco which is what they used to call the grape Galera but now you can only call the wine that. Even more confusing is that Prosecco the town is not where you will find the best Prosecco. That is found in the very complicated to say area of Conegliano – Valdobbiadene. These are the two towns within the hilly area given the top honor of producing the DOCG (=extra fancy) Prosecco.

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Jerez

29. January 2019
by Rienne
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wine travel

Jerez the Region

The white Albariza soil of Jerez

The white Albariza soil of Jerez

Jerez is located in Southern Spain in the Provence of Andalusia. Jerez is the name of the city that gives it’s name to the style of wine Marco de Jerez is the official designation of the region . Jerez is a 15 minute drive inland for the Atlantic Coast. The wine region is made up of the “Sherry Triangle” this being the cities of Jerez -Largest and most inland- El Puerto de Santa Maria- on the coast & Sanlucar de Barrameda- also on the coast. The region is made up of rolling hill covered with powdery white and I mean really really white chalk soil called albariza. Read More

Harvest in the Jura

13. June 2018
by Rienne
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wine travel

Clippers - Harvest time in the Jura

Clippers – Harvest time in the Jura

I strongly believe that if you are a wine professional or think you want to be, you should know what it is like to drag a bucket of grapes up and down steep hills at the crack of dawn. To respect the product and the people who make it we as Sommelier, buyers, waiters and wine lovers should understand the love that must go into making wine at a small estate. I asked my team before we opened our last restaurant if they wanted to take the long weekend that we had as an opportunity to go pick grapes. I am lucky to work with an group of people who are engaged and enthusiastic about  hard work and adventure. I gathered our motley crew of a Bartender,  a Chef, an Assistant Sommelier, Restaurant Managers and a Barista. Everyone was instructed to bring work boots, sleeping bags and sunscreen for the 5am pickup on the corner across from our almost finished soon to be open restaurant Cafe du Sommelier in Dusseldorf, Germany. We had a 7 hour drive ahead of us to reach the Jura Mountains. Coffee and breakfast rolls were packed and the adventure was off to a good start.

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Washington State Wine

13. April 2018
by Rienne
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wine travel
The view from Red Mt. AVA

Washington State is a unique place to produce wine. Much of the world if asked would think of the only the rainy, green Seattle area; home of Amazon, Microsoft, killer whales and ferry boats. However the majority of the State of Washington is more like Southern Spain. A dry and arid high dessert, rolling hill and grass covered plateaus. This is cowboy land! Think of the scenery form an old western movie and you have a good idea of the terrain of this breathtaking landscape. Read More

Douro Valley

31. July 2017
by Rienne
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wine travel
Douro Valley Wine

This Summer I had the pleasure of joining the Douro Boys, a group of like minded quality Port and still wine producers on a trip through the Douro Valley of Portugal. This is a region of epic beauty and rugged steep hills, think Mosel Valley but really really dry! It is breathtaking how man has shaped such a demanding place, the river and the banks. The river was widened and made calm and free of rapids by the port shippers and grape growers.
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Trigone by Le Soula red No.14

5. February 2017
by Rienne
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wine reviews
Trigone No. 14

Le Soula – Terroir d’altitude

I came across Trigone at a shop called Vino Versum on Kaiserswerther Str. in Dusseldorf. The owner Mathias also imports and sells wine restaurants. We chatted about what he imports and where his wines come from, and he is a big fan of older Bordeaux and Southern France. That is how I ended up with this bottle of Trigone.

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Quilceda creek

16. September 2016
by Rienne
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wine travel
Quilceda creek

When it comes to American wine Quilceda Creek is iconic, receiving insane recognition from the worlds best know wine writers. The Golitzin family began making wine at home in 1978. The winery is located in the outskirts of Snohomish a rural town on the western side of the Cascade Mountains in Washington State.

The grapes are grown on the Eastern side of the mountains in the dry semi dessert landscape. I was fortunate to visit with John Ware the general manager this summer. John is the son in-law of the founders. The winery despite it’s fame, and surely many offers to sell, is still in the family. Paul Golitzin makes the wine with the same high standards his father did. From 200 acres of vines, making only four different wines.
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Candialle, Chianti Classico, 2010

16. September 2016
by Rienne
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wine reviews
Candialle - Chianti Classico 2010 label

Made in the classically Tuscan town of Panzano, an area rich with galestro, the limestone rich marl soil. Candialle is a small estate at 35 ha, only 11.5 of them planted with vines. The rest is forest and olive trees. They work closely with Spevis the local organic viticulture research group and local wine making organizations to help support organic viticulture at independent wineries. The winery was founded in the early 2000’s by and international husband and wife team.
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