The big news this harvest in Ventura County isn’t COVID, but it’s definitely related to FEVER — FIRE and HEAT.
While an early harvest wine grape overall, the 2020 wine grape harvest is looking good so far according to owners and winemakers in Ventura County at The Ojai Vineyard, Clos Des Amis, Topa Mountain and Pacific View. By late September, just about everything was in with only some grapes destined for late harvest wines are on the vine; I’ll be out picking the Riesling at Clos des Amis on Wednesday.
As if 2020 wasn’t challenging enough, I’ve decided to participate in Blogtober and Sobertober. October is also #MerlotMe, and yes I’m participating in that, too.
October is #MerlotMe. Stay tuned for more Merlot!
Blogtober is where participants try to blog every day in the month of October. Today is October 4, and this is my fourth blog post this month so so far so good. Continue reading →
And because we now live in a virtual world there are more opportunities to learn than ever before about smaller less well known wine regions of the world.
Like Moldova which is celebrating Moldova Wine Day today, October 3 and tomorrow, October 4, with webinars, twitter chats and more (see below).
So where is Moldova and why do you need to get these grapes in your glass?
For Tenuta di Fessina owner Silvia Maestrelli, “I look up to Mount Etna like a daughter would look up to a mother.”
Or possibly a phoenix.
Like a mother, Mt Etna or A Muntagna, as the locals refer to the mountain, is a living organism. Ash, dust, and smoke from Etna, at 11,000′ the highest active volcano in Europe, give the region its distinctive volcanic soil which brings unique flavors, styles, and character to the wines grown there.
Winemaking in Sicily goes back to 4000BC. The Greeks developed viticulture there brought in the 8th century B.C, and with its central location in the Mediterranean, it’s no surprise that The Phoenicians and the Romans traded Sicilian wines which led to their renown.
Located between two ancient lava beds, the volcano and Tenuta di Fessina together create a unique micro climate. In the village of Rovittello, the winery has vineyards on different sides of the mountain, in Rovittello and between Milo and Santa Maria di Licodìa.
First celebrated in 1989, Italian American Heritage Month each October honors and recognizes the centuries of achievements and contributions of the Italian immigrants and Italian Americans. Between 1820 and 2000, over five million Italians immigrated to the United States between 1820 and 2000 bringing with them a rich cuisine, and a tradition of growing grapes and making wine.
Today 26 million Americans of Italian descent live in the United States making Italian-Americans the fifth largest ethnic group in our nation, according to the Order of the Sons and Daughters of Italy and they will be celebrating all month. Here‘s a list of festivals. Continue reading →
— Gwendolyn Alley, Art and Wine Predator (@ArtPredator) September 24, 2020
Unfortunately they did not include any of the video clips I sent them in the digital edition, but you can find some of the violin in the vineyard Continue reading →
wine predator.............. gwendolyn alley 