Simple Hedonisms

Archive for the ‘Education’ Category

Welcome to the 1st (Hopefully annual) Sparkling line up. It has been a fun, busy lineup to work through. Because of the many bottles received (and not all reviewed) & purchased I decided to divide the summary into two parts, US and Imports.

Noticeably missing from this line up is ‘champagne’ that is to say sparkling wine that orginates from the Champagne region in France. Even the French are not allowed to call it Champagne if its not from Champagne.

The Champagne Bureau in France declined to send or arrange any samples, but did ask that I make it clear to readers:

“Whatever you recommend, please make sure to note that Champagne only comes from Champagne, France.”

Done. Now onto some (not so) serious business. I love bubbles, but am hardly a snob when it comes to this category. It should be fun and enjoyable.

I tried to focus on bubbles that were affordable and widely available. Its not really much fun for you the reader to hear about something that isn’t available unless you are wealthy or write for wine publication.

Spain & Cava

Spanish Cava represents a huge value in sparkling wines, and the quality and value will surprise you. This summer I toured through out Spain on a media Tour, visiting a number of Cava producers, including Cava kingpin Freixenet. I was blown away by the care and quality of this producer. Hundreds of tons of cava grapes, all hand picked, each year.

N.V. Segura Viudas Cava Brut Rosado – *Top Pick*

A crowd pleaser Cava Brut Rose’, great QPR. Tiny bubbles, excellent mousse. Essence of strawberry, raspberry. Very pleasant in mouth.Grab a bottle, you will be glad. This is a sleeper brand.  ~$10

N.V. Paul Cheneau Cava Lady of Spain

Decent bubbles for price; crisp, nice acidity, green apple  $10

N.V. Freixenet Cava Cordon Negro (Brut)

After 150 years, there is a reason why the ‘Black Bottle’ remains the king of Spanish Cava. Despite the large production all grapes are hand harvested, not machine. Clear pale yellow, tiny mousse (bubbles). Nose has lemon, apple, pear. Crisp dry finish with some minerality. If you have shunned the black bottle because its what your parents drank, try it again. And do take the tour if ever nearby, its impressive. $10 (or less)

N.V. Segura Viudas Cava Brut Reserva Heredad 

If the sexy bottle doesn’t get you, the bubbles should. Vibrant pale color, tight tiny bubbles, nose that is yeasty,pear. Bright citrus, green apple. A step or two up in price from traditional Cava, but unique and complex enough to merit it, and a good bridge flavor profile wise. $20

Italy – Prosecco

Prosecco has become a hot sector in the last few years, and duly earned, the quality of Prosecco coming into the US has jumped up. People avoid Prosecco because it is fermented via the charmat method – meaning it achieves its bubbles in a stainless tank, not in the bottle via méthode champenoise.  My experience with domestic sparkling produced this way is mostly poor, but I have learned from experience not to shun Prosecco because of this, and you should too.

N.V. Valdo (Italy)  - *Top Pick*

New to the US. Nose of pear, green melon, bread yeast. Tiny bubbles. Mostly dry, creamy mouthfeel. Nice finish. An excellent value for $10. Recommended buy. Nice apertif wine easily quaffed.

 N.V. LaMarca Prosecco di Treviso Prosecco (Italy, Veneto, Prosecco di Treviso)

Pale yellow, tiny bubbles. Green apple & spice on nose. Mostly dry, Nice citrus, touch of asian pear, green apple. pleasant in mouth, fair QPR. Consumer friendly bubbles, available at Wholefoods, Safeway. Worth putting in the cart and taking home.

France

N.V. Lucien Albrecht Crémant d’Alsace Brut Rosé *Top Pick*

Wonderful! Pink with a slight orange hue; excellent tiny bubbles. gorgeous nose of strawberry & yeast. Strawberries & Cream, hint of raspberry. Fermented in bottle; 80% Pinot Auxerrois, 10% Pinot Blanc and 10% Chardonnay.  ~$18

2007 Domaine Rolet Crémant du Jura Crémant Brut (France, Jura, Crémant du Jura)

A nice bottle of bubbles for $17 from K&L. tiny bubbles, nice citrus, tart green bubbles, nice clean, lingering.

Look for Part II – Domestic later tonight. (Tomorrow we head to France to tour Burgundy & the Rhone). Cheers!

As a wine reviewer, geek, and consumer, wine preservation is one of my largest challenges. I regularly have 2-4 bottles of wine open at a time, often special ones I want to keep preserved.

Over the years I have tried many techniques and gadgets, with varying success. Fodder for another article, but let me just say, air is bad for wine and that vacuum pumps don’t cut it.

Peter Jackel, the developer of VinAssure Argon wine Preservation, is a wine geek and love, we chatted live prior to this article.

Why VinAssure

VinAssure grew out of a simple desire not to waste wine, and a practical business need to make good use of every last drop. For years Peter was the owner and proprietor of a small wine store and tasting bar. One day he calculated the dollar cost and waste of  tossed  wine that had just become an accepted sunken cost of the business. Even with a small program the numbers were staggering, as he realize he was pouring potential revenues down the drain.

Ditch the ‘Can’

Peter first took the ‘band-aid approach’, and started using the disposable gas-in-a-can for preservation. This method was pricey for the low quality of preservation, but Peter was complacent with my hasty preservation solution., Then one day when a regular customer sitting at the tasting bar happened to see me gassing a bottle with the disposable can stuff. This sparked an in-depth lesson and virtual tongue lashing on how gas-in-a-can was a mixture of gases including Nitrogen and Carbon Dioxide that produced a drastically inferior barrier of protection against oxidation.

Peter quickly learned that experts and industry professionals resoundingly agree the best method is to seal in the aroma and flavor of wine by creating a layer of 100% pure argon gas, the heaviest and most dense of all colorless, odorless gases that can be used to preserve wine. This conversation peaked my interest, and sparked what would become a three year journey to discover and develop the most effective, efficient, and affordable wine preservation system possible.

VinAssure is Born

One of the first high-pressure systems developed saw daily use in Peter’s  wine shop and tasting bar for over three years. It was so simple and economical that they decided to develop variations of the basic system for use in both home and commercial settings. Using the finest quality industrial parts, they have created a lightweight, hand-held device which holds a great deal of argon gas under high pressure. This allows VinAssure™ to last much longer than other systems, lowering the per-use cost to a fraction of some comparable preservation systems.

VinAssure is simple and easy to use, check out this video in action.

The Perfect Gift for the Wine Lover (Or your Tasting Room/Wine Bar)

I bought one for myself I was so hooked after seeing it in action at a local tasting room. Its a biggest investment than the small cans, yes, but its a superior solution, refillable, and more environmental. Your wine aficionado will love you for it.

I have been amazed how many tasting rooms use the little cans…spend a bit more now to save money long term, and preserve your wine much better and long. The ROI on this should be pretty short.

Other Geeks Agree!

http://www.princeofpinot.com/article/872/

http://www.examiner.com/wine-in-newark/spotlight-vinassure-wine-preservation-system-review

http://partnersinwineclub.wordpress.com/2010/11/01/vinassure-review-1/

http://www.grapeadvice.com/index.php/2010/11/vinassure-wine-preservation-system/

Cheers!

Guest Post by Diane Thompson.

I asked Diane to share information these amazing products, all of which would make an amazing gift for a wine lover. We had one of the wine totes made with our new wine brand, Two Shepherds, logo added, and it looks wonderful! Cortizza sells fashion, business, wine and travel accessories, all made from sustainable cork fabric.

Learn about how these products are made below, then check out their website and products. These items are great as gifts, and also available wholesale to wineries for tasting room merchandise.

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Cork – It’s Not Just for Wine Anymore!

I’d like to introduce you to cork.  But, you say, you already know cork?  Sure, it’s that cylinder that you pop out of a wine bottle.  Maybe you’ve seen cork flooring or a cork bulletin board,  but, how about cork fabric?  No?  Well, you’re in for a treat!

Sometimes called cork leather or cork skin, cork fabric starts out the same way as those familiar wine corks, but develops into an entirely different form factor.  Cork fabric is a beautiful, exotic and sustainable alternative to animal leather.

Cork 101

Cork is a unique and sustainable material, regardless of its final form factor.  Most of the world’s cork oaks grow in the Mediterranean basin.  Cork oaks typically have a lifetime of about

200 years and play a major role in maintaining the health and biodiversity of the environment.  25,000 species are supported, including endangered birds, plants and wildcats.  Cork is actually the outer bark of the cork oak and is harvested every 9-10 years without any damage to the tree itself.

How Cork Fabric is Made

After harvest, the cork is boiled and then made into a slab.  For “natural” cork fabric, the cork is very thinly sliced and laminated to a fabric backing using a very specialized process.  An almost unlimited variety of cork fabric patterns can be made by combining different slabs in unique “recipes” to create a cork block that is subsequently sliced and laminated.  Sometimes dye is used to add color, as well.  Different fabric backings can also vary the appearance of the cork fabric.

What Makes Cork Fabric Special?

1. Luxurious texture.  Soft and supple, velvety or smooth, depending on the pattern.
2. It’s unique.  Cork fabric can be made in an almost unlimited variety of patterns and colors.  When most people first encounter it, they are puzzled – is it leather?  It feels like leather or suede, but has more visual interest.
3. It’s water resistant.  Water beads up and rolls off.  Easy clean up with mild soap and water.  It can actually be washed in the washing machine in warm water.  Don’t try that with animal leather!
4. It’s durable, fade resistant and lightweight.
5. It’s versatile.  Use it anywhere you might use leather, plus applications where leather would never work – like an umbrella!
6. It’s vegan.
7. It’s hypoallergenic.  A substance in the cork bark called Suberin prevents the cork from absorbing water, dust, dirt, mold and mildew.

I have been so intrigued with the possible applications for cork fabric, that I have built a business around it.  Cortizza sells fashion, business, wine and travel accessories, all made from sustainable cork fabric.

Our products make great gifts for both men and women and they always get a “wow” from the recipient.  Most of our items can also be personalized with a logo or custom text, which we do with laser engraving.  If you’re curious about uses for cork fabric, spend a minute or two looking around our website!

Related Articles

Part 1 of “The 12 Days of Wine Christmas” – Why not Wine? Some Gift Pack Suggestions

Welcome to Simple Hedonisms second annual “The Twelve Days of Wine Christmas” – a series that was a big hit last year. The goal of the article is to share ideas for wine related gifts.

We are off to a late start, and I may be out of pocket in a week, so lets get started, and we may have 2 posts many days.

It’s getting close but its not too late to buy wine and have it shipped as a gift for the holidays, Of course, one can also always treat yourself to a special gift as well.

Tomorrow is officially the ‘last day’ to ship wine and guarantee for Christmas, but if you are a day or too late, don’t fret, especially in California. Besides anyone I know, would be ecstatic to receive great wine a few days after Christmas as well!

Winery Specials

Like many industries, this is the biggest sales volume time of the year, and wine is no exception. Many wineries are offering bundles and Holiday packs, that represent a great value for small lot wines – great for a gift, or for your own holiday enjoyment.

I am going to feature a couple of great picks, but do also check your favorite local winery or wine shop.

Wineries – feel free to post yours in comments.

Bonny Doon Vineyards Holiday Packs

Bonny Doon, American’s trailblazing Rhone producer, and one of our picks for Winery of the Month this year, has a fabulous assortment of holiday bundles.

There are many bundles to choose from ranging from their iconic Holiday Pack ~ Le Cigare Volant Vertical, (including one with Magnums! Feel free to send me a thank you pack!) , the Holiday Pack ~ Le Cigare Blanc Vertical, mixes of both. Is there a Syrah lover on your list – go for the Holiday Pack ~ Syrah Vertical.  Send your green friend the Holiday Pack ~ Biodynamic. 

Bundles start as little as Holiday Pack ~ Fireside. 

Tablas Creek

Another Winery awarded Winery of the Month and second to none in Rhone wines is Tablas Creek.  Right now they are offering a  limited holiday package includes a bottle each of two newest signature wines: the 2009 Esprit de Beaucastel and the 2010 Esprit de Beaucastel Blanc in a special decorative gift box.

In addition, the offer  includes shipping at no extra charge on the gift packs to any address in any of the 32 states they ship to.

Just $95 per pack, and just $76 per pack for VINsider Wine Club members, shipping included.

Esprit de Beaucastel is their flagship, premier wine, you can not go wrong with this is a gift. Click here and hurry before they take it down!

Topel Winery

Last year, almost on a whim, I ran an a article series called the “Twelve Days of Wine Christmas.” 

It was a big success with a total of hundreds of thousands of views when done, one of the top being Part 4 of the “12 Days of Wine Christmas” Wine Clubs – A Review of Different Types and Benefits.

The series, expanded this year with more items and focus, included games, gadgets, books, and more.

Feel free to contact SimpleHedonisms at Gmail.com to discuss your idea. Samples that can be used and photographed or video recorded, always appreciated, if practical. In some cases website information and pictures may suffice.

Items & submissions should be received by Dec 15th at the latest.

It’s the time of the year when people often agonize over what to buy and serve over the Holidays, especially Thanksgiving, which tends to be poultry (gobble gobble) focused.

While I won’t go as elaborate as the article Jon Bonne’, (one of my favorite wine writers) published last week in ‘Three wine strategies for Thanksgiving dinner’ , I will try to be creative and offer a mainstream and an adventurous suggestion.

Throughout the article I have created links, in the name of the varietal, to previous reviews.

The ADHD Version:

If you can’t read for more than thirty seconds: go Bubbles and Pinot Noir. Essentially a white and a red, that pair with, and please, almost everyone.

Where To Shop:

Do not go to your local large grocery store and stare at the massive aisles of wine, that for the most part really offer very little differentiation, despite appearances. If you are wanting to expand your wine knowledge and palate, its time you form a relationship with a local wine shop, that brings in a variety of domestic and

imported wines. The latter both to expand your horizons (Try a French or Australian chardonnay in comparison to California) as well as good values.

Its Thanksgiving, do buy local or American and at least partially support our economy.

Budget – Match it to Your Drinkers…. – er I Mean Guests

I try and match the wine expenditure to the crowd and its levels of wine interest and experience. I will never forget the Thanksgiving a ‘wine lover’ poured half a bottle of Flowers Sonoma Coast Pinot (pricey and hard to come by) into his glass and swilled it down, saying ‘not too sweet’ – arrgh.

This can be hard to gauge for large crowds or a dinner party where you don’t know everyone. If its the family, and wine isn’t their thing, bring some good value bottles, but perhaps hold on to those most special bottles. Or smuggle one in and stash it to pour with your best friend or partner who loves wine as much as you do. Let Uncle Jimmy go to town on that $12 Malbec, while you drink the Arnot Roberts allocation.

If its a dinner soiree in San Francisco with strangers, err on the other side, with at least 1-2 good bottles, to make a good impression.

(1) Wine To Start, Mingling and Apertifs

Mainstream:

White: A good Sauvignon Blanc is something that will please most. (Except those burly types who puff out their chest, and proclaim “real wine drinkers only drink red.” For them roll your eyes and pour them some Two Buck Chuck, and let them have at the Megapurple and wood chip derived concoction. (See the Jon Bonne’ cheap wine article in bottom section.)

Good value Sauvignon Blanc, widely distributed by larger producers like Rodney Strong and Dry Creek Vineyards can be readily found in a pinch and have been previously reviewed and recommended. A little pricier ($22), but more unique and Sancerre style is one of my favorite California Sauv Blancs – from Inspiration Vineyards in Santa Rosa.

Pink – I also recommend a good dry rosé. I have written repeatedly to dismiss the myth that Rosé is strictly a summer wine. This ‘pink’ wine, derived from red grapes, pairs well with food, or standalone, all year round.

Red – Its always good to have a red on hand as well, a decent domestic Pinot Noir should please many. If you want to be really safe, some people always drink Cabernet, the king of reds, no matter what you are serving or recommending.

Fun:

Bubbles are almost a universal pairing wine; from salty potato chips from desert. Nothing is as festive or widely received. If someone in your house won’t drink bubbles, tell them Bah Humbug and hand them a Coors Light. Sparkling wine also can run the gamut of good value for $10, usually imported. For value sparkling, look for a good Cava from Spain. High quality Prosecco from Italy has emerged as a hot market this last year as well. There is a wide selection of $20-$60 mid priced Napa and Sonoma sparkling wineries, and then of course ‘true’ Champagne. Adjust your selection and budget based on the previous crowd suggestion.

Adventurous:
Vinho Verde, Dry Gewurtzaminer, Gruner Veltliner, Grenache Blanc

(2) For the Main Course:

I actually like to allow guests, room permitting, to have 3 or 4 glasses at their setting. If a sparkling or a rosé was poured previously, its often fun to continue to pour these, and try them with food pairings. Let people sip and nibble and try a myriad of food and wine pairings.

White Wine:

Mainstream: Chardonnay is the Queen of California whites. Our classic California oaky, buttery Chardonnays goes decently with Turkey, but a better match is a Chardonnay, that is leaner, less oaky/buttery, a trend many winemakers jumping on. One can even play with unoaked Chardonnay, although I’d suggest leaving a crisper wine like that for starters.

Adventurous: Go Rhone. Look for a Rhone white blend that contains 25%+Roussanne – a denser white varietal (sometimes referred to as a winter white.) This may also be blended with Marsanne, Viognier, and Grenache Blanc. The Roussanne (and the Marsanne) provide some mouthfeel, weight and density that will pair well with food. Avoid overly floral Viognier dominant blends, or overly acid Grenache Blanc based if you aren’t familiar with the wine.

Red Wine:

Mainstream

Some will argue Cabernet is a great Thanksgiving match – while it certainly does please the typical wine consumer, its generally better for roasted meats at Christmas, if turkey is your Thanksgiving meat, I’d recommend a Pinot Noir.

Pinot Noir varies widely by region and producer. For mass appeal, most Russian River or Central coast bigger Pinots are a hit. For those who like their Pinot leaner, and higher in acid, steer to Pinot Noir from Anderson Valley, Sonoma Coast, or Oregon. (Please note this is a general rule of thumb – each region has a full range of styles.)

Adventurous

Following the path Pinot Noir and softer reds, try a Grenache. This Rhone red, when left to express itself, is a pretty, soft, red wine. Avoid dark color, over oaked, or a high blend of Syrah added. Grenache is naturally a lighted red. I have many favorites including Holly’s Hill, David Girard, Bonny Doon, Philip Staley, Wind Gap, Tablas Creek, Mounts, Quivira, and more.

The most important thing – relax, have fun, and enjoy the moments with dear friends and family – these are after all also a part of ‘simple hedonisms’ – life is short and precious, enjoy it.

cheers!

Related Articles:

‘Three wine strategies for Thanksgiving dinner (Jon Bonne’)

Pinot and Rhone-style whites for Thanksgiving dinner (Jon Bonne’)

The False Promise of Cheap Wine (Jon Bonne’)

Chardonnay regains respect – now to maintain it. (Jon Bonne’)

Wine Review: Rodney Strong Charlotte’s Home Sauvignon Blanc; suggested holiday pairings

Wine of the Week: Cartograph 2009 Floodgate Vineyard Gewürztraminer

Tasting Notes: Ortman 02 Series Grenache Rosé – Paso Robles

Seeing California Chardonnay in a New Light: #Chardonnay Day Greenhouse Tasting, Attendees Top Picks.

Wine of the Week, Winery of the Month – Tablas Creek 2010 Patelin de Tablas Blanc

Simple Hedonisms has evolved over its (not quite) two year history. I first said I would never do wine reviews, and then changed my position when I saw my CellarTracker.com personal notes would receive hundreds of views. But I stuck to my concept that I would not post 3 sentence reviews as some sites do – wine is as much an experience, as a beverage.

It takes much longer to write than most people realize and appreciate. By the time I craft the story, verbiage, quickly proof it, add photos and web hyperlinks, its usually 2-4 hours. (Which is why I get annoyed when a winery, especially lesser known,  then can’t take the time to share it in a Facebook post, Twitter update, or newsletter. Help me help you…)

I put a decent amount of reviews in Cellartracker still, wine samples are backpiling and pouring in at an increasing rate and need attention.  I’d also like to share my favorite finds with the much larger reader audience,not just Cellartracker. Additionally my reviews now fed to Healdsburg Patch, (as well as Sonoma and Petaluma), the Hello Vino iPhone app (highly recommend), a new website called Consmr, on occasion (when they get to it these days) Palate Press, and am considering cross posting on Natalie Maclean, so there is a wide outlet for these reviews.

The first of these is being published moments after this goes out, love your reader feedback. These are after all, for you the readers. Cheers!

I have been writing and vocalizing regularly these last few months that Wine Tasting events are going through an evolution. With more and more wineries and associations holding events, organizers are seeking ways to stand out and be unique. This is especially true for the ‘walk around’ tasting format where many producers are under one roof pouring for consumers walking around, such as the many Fort Mason events.

The Evolution of Wine Tasting Events

As someone who attends and covers a wide range of events, both as media and consumer, and who organizes many as well, I feel there are two themes that must emerge:

Smaller, more focused tastings:

The lines of people 4 deep waving their glasses like baby birds demanding food begats little in my opinion. As a consumer (or worse, Media) it means that there is no chance for meaningful dialog with the producer. (Unless you are one of the mannerless that hog the table irregardless.)

As a producer, you may think its great to pour for this many people, but you aren’t leaving an impression with many, but simply doling out ‘juice’.  More is not always better, there needs to be a balance. Being able to successfully target enthusiastic, interested consumers, eager to learn and experience,  instead of just party goers, is a key part of success as well.

A chance to buy, right away, a wine the consumer likes:

Evolutions in handheld and mobile Point of Sale systems (POS) are enabling this, and doing well at events like the San Francisco Vintners Market, the upcoming Taste of Mendocino and more. Many wineries are very small, have limited production and sales distribution. Paying for shipping is a proven barrier to consumer sales. If I loved a taste of something I tried, especially from a remote winery, why NOT buy it then and there. Its only logical.

As a new Board member of the Rhone Rangers, I keenly set my sights on this enabler. The usual challenge and expense of ABC licenses add expense & paperwork, but this evolution is coming, and is beneficial to the local artisan and the economy.

Many consumers are not aware, but these events are expensive, especially for a small winery. They carry the cost of table fees, travel, lodging, and the many bottles of wine they pour. If a winery can sell enough wine to cover their costs, that makes the ROI much more palatable, instead of trying to justify only the ‘soft’ benefits of pouring my wine to new consumers. If they can actually make some money – bingo! After all, winemaking isn’t a non profit venture, although it can sometime feels like it!

Voila – The Vinify Wine Collective Tasting

This Saturday, Vinify Wine Services, a custom crush facility located in Santa Rosa that houses boutique winemakers  from Sonoma County is offering a unique event. Their member wineries, who produce wines from highly acclaimed vineyards all over the North Coast , representing over 12 varietals and 40+ finished wines, will be holding a special tasting, that exemplifies what I just discussed.

These are small, artisan producers, many of whom have no tasting room and limited distribution. At this event, not only can you taste their wines, but you can walk out the door (after you pay) with your favorites.  Some of these are culty producers with waiting lists, others are new emerging stars.

$25 lets you experience these wines, and take home a Riedel Burgundy glass. A variety of cheese & other nibbles will also be available. I attended this event last year, and was impressed, look forward this tasting with great anticipation. Click here for more information, and tickets. Space is limited.  See you there!

Producers Include:

• Baker Lane
• Bjornstad Cellars
• Lattanzio Winery
• Sojourn Cellars
• Westerhold Family Vineyards
• Calluna Vineyard
• Jemrose Vineyard
• Barbed Oak Vineyards
• Argot Wines
• Desmond Wines
• Frostwatch Vineyard and Winery
• Olson Ogden Wines
• Gracianna Winery
• Vaughn Duffy Wines
• Audelssa Estate Winery
• Wren Hop Vineyards & Winery
• Super Sonoman Wines
• Kanzler Vineyards

Related articles:

Mendocino Wine Region – My Growing Love Affair & Weekend Tour; Taste of Mendocino June 13th, A Fresh Unique Format

I have repeatedly given kudos to the Wine Road organization – in my opinion one of the leaders in Wine AVA marketing, innovation, and social media integration. Despite the economic downturn, their events continue to sell out and show year over year growth, no small feat in these last few years. Beth Costa, the Executive Director embraces tools and media, old and new, giving their 190 members a voice that is consistently heard.

The Vision of the App – More Timely, Updated Information in the Hands of Consumers

Launching an AVA (region based) wine app isn’t new.  But bleeding edge isn’t always leading edge and early release of an app that has minimal value in today’s crowded world of iPhone apps means you risk losing attention after a poor first impression. The Wine Road app is a great example of ‘measure twice, cut once.’ Premature launch can be the death of a product or concept.

Beth said she is thrilled to finally have this option to tell guests about when they are planning to visit the Wine Road.

Historically we have been known for our printed winery map, but in the past few years more and more travelers rely on their phone for directions and information. We are also seeing more last minute travelers, who don’t have time to order a map in advance. We needed to address the changing needs of our guests and this app  hit it right on the head. The Twitter feed is also a great way for folks to join in the conversation with all of our winery and lodging members and I know customers are going to appreciate our Wine 101.

Are you an Android user? Not to worry, Beth  confirmed that a droid version is in the works!

Getting It Right

This app gets it right in a several key functional themes.

First – much of the reference information is available without Internet access. This is critical as Internet access, via phone or WiFi, is not assured when in many wine regions, and Wine Road has its dead pockets, just like any other.  (Although I can’t encourage wineries enough to put WiFi in their tasting rooms.) North Sonoma is full of small, non palace wineries, off the beaten track.

A online only map to your next location,or a directory, isn’t a lot of good if you don’t have 3G access on your phone. Yes, even Verizon has pockets of spotty coverage.

This core benefit isn’t  by accident, the developer is Darwin 3D, the brilliant husband and wife team who have designed apps for Hospice du Rhone and Paso Robles to name a few. The former being the best based event app I have used, the latter representative of a wine region who has a fair number of wineries who also have no 3G coverage.

Sorting and filtering is a another key feature. In the first release you can tell the app to filter by the 5 ‘regions’ in the Wine Road maps. (Russian River, Dry Creek, etc.) Thus you can tell the app to only show you the venues in say, Healdsburg.  In the second phase, due shortly additional criteria will allow for very specific information filtering, such as varietal, picnic areas, tours and more.

Mapping – Online & Offline

When you open the app, it immediately wants to know your geographic location, and requests permission. This allows the app to hone in on wineries close to you. You can of course over ride this, and choose between maps one of two ways: (1) Google based maps or (2) Wine Road Maps (offline) by clicking the 3rd button ‘Maps.’

Google Maps

This can actually be used if offline, but it’s best functionality is when connected. Like many iPhone apps, you can ‘pinch’ with two fingers to zoom in and out. In my opinion the best ‘wired’ mapping integration comes from clicking the second button ‘Wineries’ then “Distance’ and then a list, in order of distance from you, is displayed. You can then click a winery and see all its details. Then you can click on its address, and go to the Google Maps app, which will give you turn by turn driving directions. (Note, do not drive and do this. Its obviously not safe, and if witnessed by the law, comes with a big fine, even at a stop light.)

Key iPhone app direction tip: If the list of wineries by location close to you is wrong, your iPhone needs a map ‘nudge’. This happens frequently in my experience with any location based app. To fix it, launch the Mapss app that came  pre-installed, and let it triangulate your location. If THAT needs a nudge, click the tiny arrow in the lower left of screen.

Offline Wine Road Maps

If you touch ‘Mapss’ then ‘Wine Road Maps’ you now have the ability to view the same maps as on the Wine Road website and printed map, with the very latest updates and new members. It starts with the overall view, which is good only for reference. Too see wineries, you left and right scroll, and choose between the various sub maps like Dry Creek, Russian River, Healdsburg. You can then pinch to zoom in and out as desired.

Sorting

The last button of the app, Settings, allows you to filter wineries, restaurants and lodging by the 5 Wine Road sub regions. Simple touch which ones you want in or out, and thats all you will see. Very useful to unclutter the app and just focus in on where you are. As mentioned earlier, the next release will expand upon this theme greatly.

Other Key Features

If you start at the home page of the app, you can see a number of features.  Some, (the Buy Tickets, Book a Room, and WineRoadWine101 buttons) launch to external website. Others are completely integrated such as Lodging, which like wineries supports and lists lodging by distance and region; and Concierge, which does the same for restaurants. There is some basic Twitter integration in Phase 1 (you must first authenticate the app) with more coming in Phase 2 and beyond.

Phase Two of the App, and Shiny New Wine Road Website – Coming Soon

Targeted for mid July the Wine Road is gearing up for a major new website update. Substantial effort has gone into redesign to clean up the look of the new site and really focus on the pages that  customers use frequently: events, maps and the videos.

One of the new features will be a “Wine Road on the Road” link where wineries will be able to post all of the special tastings they are participating in throughout the country. If you live in Phoenix and can’t get to here, you can see who will be pouring in YOUR area.

The site will offer an expanded photo gallery, more videos and every member will have links to their Facebook and Twitter accounts. Wine Road also wanted to make it as easy as possible for visitors to share any and all pages with their friends, so they have  included “share this” buttons on most pages, and have updated to Google maps.

Other useful features like lists of new wine releases and an easy to use “book a room” feature with Wine Road lodging members.

iPhone App Phase Two

The new web site release then triggers Phase 2 of the iPhone app which will offer more search features for the wineries, such as varietals, tours, wineries with picnic areas, and their tasting fee structure. Annual event information streamlined along with their full event calendar and a small version of our photo gallery… so you can see what you are missing, if you’re not here along the Wine Road. New members, events, release etc will be updated in real time -  every time they update the website, it will automatically update the information on the app!

Download the App  – Its Free – and Give it a Whirl

You can search in the iTunes store for Wine Road or simply click here. Don’t forget these work on iPad and iPod Touch as well!

I am pleased to have been able to personally help with its progress and criteria. Wine Road Executive Director, Beth Costa reached out to me for input for suggestions and design criteria, knowing my technology background, combined with my social media and marketing integration focus. The Wine Road and its members are dear to my heart, and after using too many Wine apps that didn’t hit the mark, I was happy to assist. I think the end result is excellent, and Phase 2, only weeks away, even better.

Please feel free to post comments, questions, and suggestions here.  Thanks for reading – and if you find the article useful, take a second to share it with your Facebook and Twitter friends, cheers!

In a few hours I hit the road to Paso Robles, for the 19th Hospice du Rhone a mecca of education & tastings of Rhone Producers all over the world. (See: A Rhone Event Like No Other – Hospice du Rhone April 29-30 Paso Robles (OR – The French are Coming!)

Coming along with me are the ‘tools of my trade’ as a wine writer for live coverage.

• Netbook (way faster to take/tweet Tasting notes, and software tools on a PC are much better than a smartphone
• Laptop (most for the IRL job emergencies)
• iPhone 4 – for immediate upload of pics, and tasting notes during the walk around tastings, and the AWESOME iRhone iPhone app.
• Verizon Mifi – Portable Internet for the Netbook, and iPad, iPhone when AT&T conks out
• iPad 3G – not sure I will actually use, but I always schlep it so I feel like I bought it for a good reason.
• new DLSR camera (still don’t know how to use properly. )
• Messenger bag to place all said items and stuff in goodies, literature, and energy bars.
• wine stems, wine, and microbrew (need I explain?)

How to Follow HdR in More Than Just Spirit

Not able to attend some or any of the event, but want to follow along? Not on Twitter? Thats ok, all you need is a web browser.

Participants will be Tweeting under the hash tag (a sorting mechanism) of #HdR2011 . To follow along simple go to http://twitter.com/ and under the search window type #HdR2011 or  click here.

If you want to focus in more narrowly you can simple follow my Tweets or the HdR tweets Type in (or click here)  @sonomawilliam or @HospiceduRhone to follow along.

I will also be uploading some pictures and updates as I go on the blog Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/SimpleHedonisms.

If you are attending, please do come introduce yourself – I always love to meet wine people!

Cheers and lets get ready to Rhonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnne!