Event - Ohio River Valley Ninth Annual Barrel Tasting Tour

Looking for something fun to do next weekend in the Greater Cincinnati area? Well, I've got the event for you, the Ohio River Valley Annual Barrel Tasting Tour! I've been to this before and it's fun and scenic.

Three Ohio Valley wineries and one Augusta KY winery have joined together for their annual barrel tasting. Sample wines straight from the barrel, each winery has a tasting fee which includes tastings and small palate cleansers or lite bites. This is a great chance to meet the winemakers and support the local wineries.

Here's the info:

When: Saturday, November 29th
Time: Kinkead Ridge Winery 10am - 6pm
           Harmony Hill Vineyards Noon - 6pm
           Meranda-Nixon Winery 10am - 6pm
           Baker Bird Winery (Augusta KY) 1pm - 5pm
Ferry's run in between Ohio and KY or take the bridge if you don't want to wait for ferry.
For more information please visit, http://www.kinkeadridge.com/barreltasting.htm.


Pictured: Winemaker of Kinkead Ridge Winery, Ron Barrett and myself at the 6th Annual Barrel tasting. I bought the last bottle of Viognier/Roussanne which he autographed for my collection. 

Boxed Wines Friend or Enemy???

Hello all,

Recently reading the November issue of Wine Enthusiast (WE) and they had an article on the top 100 wines under $15. After reading a few few of the reviews, I realized that I was already drinking most but there were a few I hadn't tried. One review that stood out on the list was BOX WINE review. WTH??? I decided to try it and a test a few other box wines. One great thing about box wines is that they keeps about 4 to 6 weeks compared to an average bottle of wine that might keep for 4 days max.

First, Bota Box 2012 Shiraz, WE gave it an 87 rating which I thought was fair. It's easy to drink with blasts of jam on the palate but not as dry as I would want it to be. It tends to be on the lighter side of reds and for $20 a 3L box (equivalent to 4 bottles) it's worth trying! Goes great with pasta and red sauce.

My next trial is Wineintube Tempranillo, WE didn't review it but I thought since this is a Spanish Tempranillo I should try it. I'm glad I trusted my instincts, it's a floral red with light tannins. Hefty body with over ripe fruits like strawberries, blackberries and plums. I've enjoyed this wine paired pizza, bbq chicken, and of course a juicy hamburger. This wine is meant to be drank every day with  normal foods or just to unwind at the end of the day. Average price: $17 a 3L box (equivalent to 4 bottles).

 
Saving my favorite box wine for last, Big House wines, their wines come in bottles or of course box. They have many varietals including white wine blend, red wine blend and the Cardinal Zin (Zinfandel), Pinot Grigio, etc. Versatile drinkable wines which can be enjoyed (all three of their reds) with steak, hearty pastas,  and other heavy dishes. The white wine blend can be paired with sushi and seafood. All great evenly balanced wines that are so easy to drink. Prices vary from $7 a bottle to $18 a 3L box.



So please enjoy these great wines that will keep longer than a few days and don't be afraid to try something new! I think these wines will be your new friend.

Cheers!