Archive for "Dec 2010"

Old Zin in Calaveras: Not the chocolate Ghirardellis, these still own their name

“Our family vineyard has survived and the Ghirardelli Chocolate Company was sold long ago.” Welcome to the oldest Zinfandel vineyard in Calaveras County, California. Calaveras County lies south of Amador County within the larger Sierra Foothills AVA (American Viticultural Area). Summer days are warm here, but evenings in the Sierra Foothills cool off, particularly at [...]

Sylvaner: A blank slate grape to showcase old vines and a great vineyard site?

Sylvaner is a white wine grape variety that is grown primarily in Alsace and Germany. In Germany it is a blend component in Liebfraumilch, although the expansion of Liebfraumilch (Blue Nun) production in the 1970s contributed to increasingly reduced quality. Generally, the Franconia region of Germany is best respected for Sylvaner. In Alsace, Sylvaner is [...]