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November 2015
Southern Italian Reds Weekend Part 2
With approximately 350 officially recognized wine styles and as many as 2000 grape varieties, Italy can present a confusing picture to even the most dedicated wine buffs. This is especially true of Sicily and Sardinia, the country’s two most potentially promising wine producing regions. That this should be the case is due in large part to history and politics. As far back as pre-Roman times, both islands shipped wines throughout the Mediterranean region. Over the intervening centuries, however, and even…
Find out more »December 2015
Bordeaux Weekend – Sale and Tasting
Often simply called Bordeaux, France’s most famous wine region is actually comprised of upwards of 35 different sub-regions and 57 AOCs (appellation d'origine contrôlée or "controlled designation of origin"). Divided by the Gironde Estuary and the Garonne and Dordogne rivers, Bordeaux is best known as the home of Château Latour, Château Margaux, Margaux, Château Haut-Brion, Château Mouton Rothschild, and other wines prized by wealthy collectors and sell for hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars a bottle. What many wine consumers…
Find out more »January 2016
South Africa Weekend: Sale and Tasting
The production of fine wines in South Africa is primarily based in the West and Southwestern Cape region where cold ocean currents moderate the intense heat of the African sun. The result is a Mediterranean climate not unlike that of Southern France. Unlike the limestone and clay marl soils of the Rhone, Provence, and Southwestern France, however, those of the Cape are characterized by a rich diversity – from decomposing granite, sandstone, and clay-marl in mountainous areas to the rich…
Find out more »Cabernet Sauvignon Weekend: Sale & Tasting
Cabernet Sauvignon is well known among wine enthusiasts as the principal and, in some cases, the only grape used in the production many of the world’s finest red wines. Unlike wines made from other international grapes, the characteristics of which typically reflect where they are grown, the flavor profile of a Cabernet is unmistakable. Indeed, given a warm climate, well-drained soil, a well-timed harvest, and a skilled winemaker, Cabernet is capable of delivering complex, well-balanced flavorful wines reminiscent of the…
Find out more »April 2016
Rosé Weekend: Sale and Tasting
The growth in the popularity of rosé wine is one of the most remarkable wine industry trends of the past decade. This is due in large part to the changing tastes of American consumers who have gone from sweet, unctuous “blush wines” to enthusiastic drinkers of dry rosé, particularly those from Provence. So popular are these wines that U.S. imports from the region have increased from one-half to five million liters in the past 10 years, making this country the…
Find out more »Italian White Wine Weekend
Most wine consumers are familiar with Pinot Grigio, the Italian white wine that has consistently been at or near the top of U.S. import lists for the past 15 years. As with other wine trends, however, the popularity of Pinot Grigio has cast something of a shadow over many other excellent Italian white wines – Soave, Vernaccia, Verdicchio, Orvieto, Vermentino, and Gavi, to name a few. This coming weekend, the Colonial Spirits wine team plans to cast some light on…
Find out more »May 2016
Spanish White Wine Weekend and Tasting
The world’s third largest wine producing country, Spain is best known for its red varieties, particularly the long-lived and subtly flavorful Tempranillos from Rioja and Ribera del Duero, and the powerful yet seductive Grenache of Priorat. Lost among the many articles and reviews of these and other Spanish reds, however, are the delights of the country’s white wines. Ranging from refreshingly light and crisp to Lost among the many articles and reviews of these and other Spanish reds, however, are…
Find out more »“Europe’s Hidden Gems” Wine Weekend and Tasting
This coming Saturday marks the first year anniversary of the Colonial Spirts Wine Weekend program. We started this series of sale and tasting events with the goal of providing customers the opportunity to sample from the great diversity of wines from around the world. In our tasting sessions, we have covered a number of different wine styles and grape varieties, and discussed the importance of climate, soil, and other natural conditions produce noticeably different flavor profiles of the Chardonnays, Cabernets,…
Find out more »June 2016
ABC Wine Weekend: Sale & Tasting
A tremendously diverse grape, Chardonnay has the remarkable ability to mirror the conditions in which it is grown. At the same time, it is malleable enough to bend to choices made by winemakers. Fermented and aged in American Oak, it delivers aromas of ripe tropical fruit followed by rich full-bodied vanilla and buttery flavors. Grown in cool climates and fermented in concrete or stainless steel vats, it becomes dry and zesty, a perfect accompaniment for a wide variety of foods.…
Find out more »July 2016
Loire Valley Wine Weekend
Do a Google search on the Loire Valley and, regardless of the main topic, you’re likely to find that the most common term used to describe the region is “diversity.” From the river’s source in the central mountainous Massif Centrale, to its mouth at the Bay of Biscay some 620 miles to the west, the region is rich in biological, environmental, architectural, agricultural and historical abundance, making the Loire Valley one of the most popular regional tourist destinations in France.…
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