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European Wines

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By 0European Wines, Rest of the World, White Wine, Wine Reviews

  Tbilvino, established in 1962, has grown into a leading producer of Georgian wines with a 6.5 million bottle portfolio. The company operates two wineries; one in Tbilisi and another in Kakheti. I'd seen their wines around Tbilisi, in fact my regular hotel keeps a display of them in the lobby. However, I'd never tried them until the 2017 New Wine Festival I attended in Tbilisi. I came home from that trip with two of their wines, the Sachino medium dry white and the Special Reserve Kisi. Kisi, from Eastern Georgia, is one of the leading white grape varieties after Rkatsiteli and Mtsvane. From the well-known Kakheti region, plantings of

By 0European Wines, Rest of the World, White Wine, Wine Reviews

  While probably half the wines I buy in Greece invariably end up being Assyrtiko, or Assyrtiko-lead blends, I am always on the lookout for new (to me) grapes. Last year at a wine festival in Athens I tasted a 100% Athiri. Could I find it anywhere to buy? No of course not. Not on that or any subsequent trip. I did, however, get my hands on another grape often blended with Assyrtiko, Aidani. Aidani One of Greece's many indigenous white grapes, Aidani grows mainly in the Greek islands, particularly the Cyclades and Rhodes. Finding it on its own is a rarity. Most often, Aidani gets blended with Assyrtiko as part

By 0European Wines, Rest of the World, Sparkling Wine, White Wine, Wine Reviews

  Continuing my COVID quarantine virtual traveling down memory lane with Austria. I've already (re)visited Austria with my post about Steiermark. This time around I'm focusing not on a region but on a grape: Grüner Veltliner. The closest I've come to Grüner Veltliner territory, or Gru-Ve (as it briefly became known) have been a few flying trips to Vienna. I first visited Vienna while I was in university. I'd just completed a German language summer program in Tübingen, Germany and was doing a two week, whirlwind tour of the "rest" of Europe. My second trip was eight years later. At that time I was a far more seasoned traveler although my

By 0European Wines, Rest of the World, White Wine, Wine Reviews

  This month the #winophiles are embarking on a no holds barred exploration of the Loire Valley. Lead by Jill at L'Accasion, whose original invitation you can view here, the world is our oyster. As long as the world is the Loire Valley and the oyster is any one of the wines produced there! Usually I don't get to participate in the #winophiles discussions. Decent French wine imports in Turkey are kind of outrageously overpriced. However, one small good thing that has come out of the COVID pandemic for me is that I was able to take the WSET L2 certification course and exam online. In fact I just took

By 0European Wines, Rest of the World, Rose Wine, Sparkling Wine, White Wine, Wine Reviews

  As summer heats up Istanbul I remember with some fondness the bone chilling cold when I visited Graz a few years ago. I try to go somewhere in Europe every year for the Christmas markets. Sadly, this year I probably won't be able to go anywhere. Which makes me feel even more nostalgic for past trips such as this. Before this trip I'd never been to Graz. Austria, yes. Several times. But never Graz.  I chose Graz for this trip entirely based on one event the city holds during its Christmas market: the Krampus Lauf. Never heard of it? Not surprised. It's a pretty Austrian/Bavarian tradition. Krampus is the

By 0European Wines, Rest of the World, Sparkling Wine, White Wine, Wine Reviews

  [caption id="attachment_14586" align="alignright" width="300"] At Cinque with Baby[/caption] For most people Greece, especially Athens, means ancient gods, lots of marble columns, islands, and maybe gyros. I've been to the ruins. I've been to an island (although just the one). And I must eat two or three pork gyros (seriously, go to Royal Souvlaki) every time I visit. But for me, Greece means friends and wine. E&M, two of my best friends, moved to Athens a few years ago. For a while I was visiting once every six to eight months. Then this last September they had a baby. Suddenly I'm tia Andrea to a baby who lives geographically much closer than my

By 0European Wines, Red Wine, Rest of the World, Sweet Wine, White Wine, Wine Reviews

  I, like many people, have had my spring/summer travel plans interrupted by COVID-19. In May I was going to return to Budapest. I've been to Hungary a couple few times over the years but last summer I went for the first time for a dedicated wine trip. I've been wanting to go back ever since. [caption id="attachment_14561" align="alignright" width="300"] Budapest synagogue[/caption] On my trip last summer I arranged private tours of the Tokaj and Somló/Badascony wine regions through Taste Hungary. Several days I also dedicated to Budapest itself. Nothing much traditionally touristy having both been there and done that a few times. Probably the only semi-touristy thing I did was

By 0European Wines, Red Wine, Rest of the World, Sparkling Wine, White Wine, Wine Reviews

  It has been so long since I've been to Moldova that I don't even remember what year it was. 2009? Maybe 2010? For a brief couple years I was in Moldova, mostly Chisinau, not infrequently visiting for work. Any free time I had was spent with my local colleagues touring churches and the like. While this was long before I became involved in wine, I was even then conscious of the wine industry there.  Unfortunately, the relatively quick in and out trips and only a passing interest in wine meant that I missed huge opportunities to experience more and learn more about Moldovan wine. Enter Jeff with Food Wine

By 0European Wines, Rest of the World, Sweet Wine, White Wine, Wine Reviews

  [caption id="attachment_14549" align="alignright" width="300"] Park in Bad Homburg[/caption] As part of my ongoing meandering down memory lane, I can across a bunch of pictures from my last trip to Germany. I've been to Germany a handful of times since college. First on a summer study abroad learning German at the Sprachinstitut Deutschland in Tübingen. I've passed through a number of times since then but my last trip was a handful of years ago. I went to visit a friend who'd move to Bad Homburg, a suburb of Frankfurt. In the midst of the multi-lingual trip (English, German, and very bad Serbian-on my part-in their home and German and Italian on

By 1Amber Wine, Amphora, European Wines, Orange Wine, Red Wine, Rest of the World, Sweet Wine, White Wine, Wine Reviews

  [caption id="attachment_14489" align="alignleft" width="300"] Chreli Abano sulfur baths[/caption] Georgia is a perennial favorite destination of mine. I like to go at least once every other year or so. Past trips have been to visit wine regions like Kakheti; once to see the Pope and meet the Patriarch of the Georgian Orthodox Church; another time for a wine festival. My last trip was a whirlwind three and a half days in Tbilisi for an eating and drinking extravaganza. When I'm in Tbilisi I'm generally pretty lazy about where I go. I already have a handful of favored restaurants and wine bars (Vino Underground, g.Vino, Pastorali, Azarphesha to name a few) so I