Category: Wine

On Colonial Spirits of Acton’s wine blog page, you will find posts from our team of wine experts. Topics range from trends in the wine industry, appreciation for and personal recollections of wine, and debates on the growing and production of wine. Good wine blogs cannot exist without the participation of our friends and customers, so we invite you to get in on the discussion and post your reactions to our entries. You can also jump over to our beer blog if brew is your thing. And if wine and beer are not your cup of tea (or alcohol), check out our liquor blog for thoughts and opinions on all things spirits. Whatever topic in the liquor industry interests you, Colonial Spirits wants you to join the conversation. Post here or contact us with questions, suggestions, and comments. Or feel free to come in to meet us at one or our weekly wine tasting events. Leave the computer behind and talk to us face to face about your favorite wine, while sampling new and old vintages alike.

Challenge accepted!

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I have been taunting my hoppy colleague, Tim for quite some time about the ‘overuse’ of hops (particularly in American brews). ย Playing devil’s advocate, I’ve compared their use with the excessive use of oak in the wine world. ย My suggestion wasn’t merely a simple taunt. ย I was (and remain) curious over the role of hops in brew, particularly in American ones and how they compare with the use of oak in wine. ย Some may find it silly to compare the two, but I really don’t think so.

Now just a little about myself for you brew folks… Continue reading Challenge accepted!

NO F’ING MERLOT!!!

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I remember the first time I saw the scene in Sideways, I was a sophomore in high school on a first date. ย I saw Miles scream his opinion about Merlot, and even then I knew that people were going to take this drunk and miserable fictional creation seriously. ย And, boy, they have.

Although nationally Merlot is still the best selling red wine in the US (fancy that), around here Pinot Noir has taken over as the accepted standard. ย I can’t tell you how often I meet people who, upon learning that I study wine as both a hobby and profession, immediately deride Merlot with this sort of “See, I’m on the team” earnestness that, frankly, I find disappointing. ย The sad truth is that there is a lot of bad Merlot out there, but the grape can’t help that. ย It’s people getting in the way that makes Merlot bad. Continue reading NO F’ING MERLOT!!!

Oregon & Washington Wine: Looking to the Future

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Oregon has just had its best vintage ever in 2008; pinot noir across the board got great press and scores from every wine snob, enthusiast, spectator,ย connoisseur, and critic. ย But a new challenge lies ahead: can these up and comers produce other styles of wine? ย The answer is, of course, yes. ย They already do, most of which is not distributed on the east coast due to the lack of demand. ย This is especially true since there are only about 5 varietals that are not pinot noir, chardonnay or pinot gris available in Massachusetts from these states; the limited quantities of each are arguably too obscure and uncommon to create demand. Continue reading Oregon & Washington Wine: Looking to the Future

Bittersweet Emotion

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Wine is personal. I’ve always maintained this, and, despite what we wine professionals tell you, wine is often more subjective than objective. Much of this has to do with how we relate to wine.

Some of my fondest wine memories are inextricably linked to people and places that I care deeply about. ย It’s amazing how a glass (or bottle) can transport you to a moment in your past were your mind’s eye allows you to experience all your senses and memories as if you were really there. These memories are powerful, and they often come back to us when we least expect them and need them most.

Let me share with you some of my moments… Continue reading Bittersweet Emotion

Wine’s greatest weakness

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One of the great pleasures of drinking wine is that it gives you the opportunity to experiment with a vision of living in which few Americans get to partake. Sure, this month’s โ€œWine Enthusiastโ€ might have an article about the beautiful Bed and Breakfasts of Pfalz, Germany, and perhaps there’s a recipe from Seattle’s hottest new restaurant that would take 48 hours and a kitchen brigade to be able to replicate at home… but let’s not kid ourselves, these are occasional indulgences, not the lifestyle they’re being sold as.

I was on vacation last week, spending it at the lakehouse my family owns in a small town on the border between Maine and New Hampshire. There are two restaurants that I can find in this town, and I’m quite certain that the wine selections come from a Franzia box at each. Of course, working at Colonial, I packed accordingly. I was determined to not drink beer, to prove to myself that I am quite capable of living a magazine article. This was nearly a disaster. Continue reading Wine’s greatest weakness

Washington State Red Wines: California & Bordeaux Have Met Their Match!

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It wasn’t too long ago (30-40 years) that Bordeaux was THE red wine, and no other wine could compete. ย Thanks to the Tasting of Paris in 1976, this was proven to be false; California could also make red wines equal in caliber to those from Bordeaux. ย The most recent contender in this on-going battle is Washington State.

In 2009, Wine Spectator named Columbia Crest Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 the #1 wine of the year; not many wineries can put that on their resume. ย A bottle of Quilceda Creek Estate Cabernet Sauvignon can cost $150-$175, depending on the vintage, but show me a Bordeaux or a Napa Cab that has those same scores and costs about the same; there aren’t many. ย Washington State wines are the newest gems in the wine world and, little by little, they are getting noticed. ย I love that Washington State wines are still in the dark because the quality of wine isn’t compromised by sales. Continue reading Washington State Red Wines: California & Bordeaux Have Met Their Match!