It all started at 602 Detroit Street Sheboygan Falls Wisconsin, in 400 square feet.  We had two main rooms, and used our office to put our appetizers together for wine tastings. 

In September 2007, The Wine House decided to move to a bigger location 900 square feet.  217 Pine Street.  This location was just a space over from where we were.  We literally walked our stuff down the sidewalk.  We were closed for about a month to get everything moved and settled in the new space.

Over the years we have done many events.  I look back and can see all the lives we touched with knowledge of wine.

Summer of 2009, Schel & I (with the help of our friends) planted 42 vines in Sheboygan Falls.  It has been amazing to see these vines grow.  We have planted St.Pepin, Frontanec & Edelweiss grapes so far.  Now, the vines have been planted a year and their progress has been amazing.      

I hope you enjoy the pictures below of our memories of being in business for 5 years.  Please feel share to leave your comments with us.

Wine Styles Part 4: Medium Dry (Semi-Sweet) & Dessert Wines

White Wines

White wines in this section present a number of extraordinary flavors.  The common and most obvious characteristic that makes these wines different is their mild to rich sweetness.  Some dry wine affictionado’s  would say that med-sweet wines are not real wines; my position is this, one’s palate should be open to all the flavors of the rainbow.  Wines in the semi-sweet should be balanced in it’s components (acidity, sugar, alcohol & tannins).  The wine should have a ripeness as if you were actually eating the fruit it mimics.  Dessert wines offer a rich intense, concentrated mirad of flavors.  We explore two types: fortified dessert wines which another type of alcohol has been added and non-fortified no alcohol added.  These wines for some are like it or leave it, but with explanation there’s a lot to discover.  Three of the most recognizable wine types are Eiswein, Sauterns & White Ports.  I will tell you these dessert syle wines are not just for sweets (even though you could end the meal with these delicious wines being dessert.)  We at The Wine House like to think outside the box and utilize these wonderful wines with savory foods as well.  Some grapes to explore in this style will be: Chenin Blanc, Eiswein, Gewurztraminer, Late Harvest, Muller-Thurgau, Muscat, Riesling, Sauterns, Sylvaner, and Viognier.

These wines can be enjoyed for any occasion.  If you are looking for something to excite your palate and your meal, pair these wines with savory, fried or spicy foods.  I enjoy wines in this style to be served slightly chilled about 48 to 55 degrees.

Red Wines

I know you are probably wondering if a red wine actually comes in this style?  The answer is Yes it does.  Red wines in this category are similar to the light & fruity styles with a twist.  They will have a red fruit character with a touch of sweetness.  Just like the white wines balance is the key factor here.  Remember the components (acidity, sugar, alcohol & tannins).  You would look for a wine that has varietal character for example: cabernet, syrah, etc. but satisfying to your palate.  Some wines in this style would be like drinking grape juice with alcohol, which at times I do enjoy for a change of pace.  These wines are made for summer drinking or Sangria mixing.  Dessert style wines would include Ports or Port style wines.  When I say Port style I mean a port taste and quality.  Some grapes I have tasted made in the port style would be Zinfandel & Syrah (Frontanac in Wisconsin).  These wines can be fortified or not.  Definately worth exploring as with the whites mentioned above.  I like to move outside the box and explore the endless possibilities of wines they make in this style.  Some grapes to explore in this category: Blaufrankish, Dornfelder, & Pinot Noir.

Red wines in this style pair well with simple dishes or rich dishes with a little spice.  Ports and Port Styles with stews or chili in the cold winter.  These reds are great with a slight chill about 48 to 55 degrees.

As we take the final journey towards understanding wine styles, I hope that it is now easier for you to select a wine that will work best for you.  I know its not easy to taste all those delicious wines!  I hope that you continue to explore the many styles and share you journey with us.  “Let Your Palate Be The Guide”

Wine Styles Part 3: Rich full-bodied (mouth filling)

White Wines

White wines that are rich full-bodied are complex with flavors.  The color of the wine has darker golden hues than the other white wine styles.  The winemaker takes the simple sweetness of the fruit and refreshing acidity and blends in oak to give the wine a richness and long lasting finish.  Some of these wines are age worthy and can be stored, depending on the wine for 5 years or more.  Some grapes to explore in this style will be: Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon & Viognier.

Rich full-bodied whites can be enjoyed at any occasion.  They are good with equally rich and savory foods.  Pair these wines with richly flavored chicken, fish & shellfish with buttery sauces.  I enjoy wines in this style at a temperature roughly between 58-62 degrees (just slightly chilled).

Red Wines

Red wines that are rich full-bodied are intense, concentrated and richly satisfying.  To produce these wines takes careful handling in the winery.  They try to extract the maximum color and flavors by leaving the juice in contact with the skins longer and fermenting at a higher temperature.  The wine is then aged in good quality oak to give it more structure.  These wines are definately age worthy from 2 to 8 years or more depending on the type.  Some grapes to explore in this category: Bonarda, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carignan, Grenache (old vines), Malbec, Monastrell, Pinotage, Sangiovese, Shiraz, Syrah & Zinfandel.

These rich full-bodied reds are ideal for cool fall breezes and cold winter nights.  They are good with rich and savory foods.  Pair these wines with most meat dishes and well as richer or deep flavored stews.  I prefer to serve these wines at a temperature of 63-65 degrees.  These wines can be opened about an hour before serving.

Your journey in wine should be a pleasure.  Experiment with the many wine styles and enjoy!  Share your style journey with us, and “Let Your Palate Be The Guide”.

Comments are welcome, we would love to hear about your experiences, or if you have any questions.  Next month we will explore Wine Styles 4 Aromatic & Medium Dry (semi-sweet) Wines.

Wine Styles Part 2: Smooth, medium-bodied

White Wines

To start your exploration in this wine style category will be easy.  These smooth, medium-bodied dry whites are just a little more complex than the crisp dry white.  They have a perfect balance of fruit, acidity and light oak.  Some grapes to explore in this style will be: Chardonnay, Chardonnay Blends, Chenin Blanc, Colombard, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris & Semillon. 

Smooth, medium-bodied dry whites are adaptable to most any occasion.  They are good with fish, chicken and pasta with a cream sauce.  Fruitier styles can handle spicier flavors.  I enjoy wines in this style at a temperature roughly between 55-60 degrees.

Red Wines

Red wine in this category will be similar but with these differences: a dark fruit character will exist with some complexity of other flavors due to some oak aging, the grapes will be different and serving temperature is different.  Also, these wines do have a some light oak flavor.  Some grapes to explore in this category: Cabernet Sauvignon, Chianti, Malbec, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Shiraz Blends & Syrah.

Red wines in this category are made to drink on a daily basis.  They are good for everyday meals as well as special occasions.  Smooth, medium-bodied reds are good with most types of meats, spicy or adventerous flavors.  I prefer to serve these wines at a serving temperature of 60-65 degrees. 

 The experience of drinking wine is as much about its feel in your mouth as it is flavor.  Experiment with the many wine styles and enjoy!  Share your style journey with us, and “Let Your Palate Be The Guide”

Comments are welcome, we would love to hear about your experiences, or if you have any questions.  Next month we will explore Wine Styles 3 Full-Bodied Wines.

It is very unlikely that only one style will fit you.  It may change depending on your mood, the time of the year or  what you are eating.  What I did was pick a style and explore the different grapes, countries and regions.  Thereby, introducing my palate to different wine characteristics.  Wine Styles can be separated into 4 catagories for both white and red.  They are as follows:

1. Crisp fresh fruity dry
2. Smooth, medium-bodied
3. Full-bodied
4. Semi-Sweet

Doing this 4 part blog on wine styles I hope to encourage your palate on a journey of discoveries. 

Wine Styles Part 1: Crisp fresh dry light and fruity

White Wines 

In this category when we say dry, what we are saying is a wine that is not sweet.  These wines display ripe fruit characteristics, refreshing crisp and clean.  These wines are also typically tank fermented to preserve its youthful fresh quality.  Some grapes to explore in this style will be: Chardonnay (unwooded), Chenin Blanc, Garganega, Gruner Veltliner, Muscadet, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc & Trebbiano.  The fruity character descriptors range from citrus such as lemon & lime to nectarine or melon.

Crisp fresh whites are perfect for everyday drinking.  They are good with salads or with grilled white meats, or simple snacks.  I encourge you to experiment and find a match that you enjoy or if you have one to share please do. I like to have wines in this style category at a temperature roughly between 50-55 degrees, although I have enjoyed some at around 60 degrees and it was still delicious.

Red Wines

Red wine in this category would be similar with these differences: fruit character will be more red or dark fruit dominant in flavor, the grapes will be different & serving temperature maybe slightly different.  Also these wines, although not common, may have light wood aging.  Some grapes to explore in this category: Barbera, Dolcetto, Dornfelder, Gamay, Grenache, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Sangiovese & Valpolicella.

Light, fruity reds make great wines for summer sipping, when at picnics or just sitting on the deck at home.  They are good year round for parties and informal meals and with simple suppers such as pizza.  I like to enjoy my reds in this category served slightly chilled, between 58 to 62 degrees, particularly in the summer.  (Depending how noticeable the wood is in the wine, I may change the serving temperature.)  There are a lot of fun wines in this category that are both food and people friendly. 

As with tasting wine, styles are subjective as well.  Each individual has their own taste and style preference.  Experiment the many wine styles and enjoy!  Share your wine style journey with us, and “Let Your Palate Be The Guide”.

Comments are welcome, we would love to hear about your experiences, or if you have any questions.  Next month we will explore Wine Styles Part 2 Smooth Medium-Bodied Wines

Let’s talk about healthy wine, meaning from healthy grapes.  Let’s attempt to decode the world of “organic wines” and what makes it organic, as well as sulfites and its use or purpose when it comes to wine.  If a wine contains sulfites, does it mean that the wine is not organic? 

Organic wines- are wines made from organic grapes.  The USDA definition for organic food is as follows: “Organic food is produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations.  Organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides; petroleum-based fertilizers or sewage sludge-based fertilizers; bio-engineering; or ionizing radiation.  Before a product can be labeled “organic”, a government-approved certifier inspects the farm where the food is grown to make sure the farmer is following all the rules necessary to meet USDA organic standards.”

Types of Organic

• 100% Organic- Refers to wines that are produced with grapes that are certified 100% organically and do not have any added sulfites.
• Made with organic grapes- These wines may have sulfur dioxide added as well.
• Biodynamic Farming- a technique that utilize the vineyard’s natural resources to cultivate the highest quality grapes possible without the use of pesticides, fungicides, herbacides, synthetic fertilizers or growth stimulants.  A vineyard that is certified biodynamic meets and typically exceeds the standards and regulations for organic certified farming.
• Sustainable Farming- To keep or maintain, implies long-term support of permanence.  As it pertains to agriculture, sustainable describes farming systems that are “capable of maintaining their productivity and usefulness to society indefinitely without severe or irreversible damage to ecosystem health.

Wine and Sulfites

• NSA wines (no sulfites added)- fermenting yeasts present on all grape skins generate naturally occuring sulfites in amounts ranging from 6 to 40 parts per million (ppm).  Totally sulfite-free wines are therefore an accident of nature but wines low in sulfites or free of added sulfites do exist.  Wines can be labeled as “NSA” if no sulfites have been added and the total does not exceed 10 ppm per bottle.  These wines are usually made with organic grapes.
• Vegan wines- a vegan wine has more to do with a process than a type of wine.  First understand that conventional and organic wine makers use ‘animal products’ during production to clear or ‘fine’ the wine, to keep it from turning cloudy or to remove off tastes.  The fining agent acts as a magnet and collects the unwanted matter in the wines which sinks to the bottom of the tank.  Then the clear wine is racked or decanted off the sediment into a clean tank.  Since the wine is finally filtered at the time of bottling, no traces of the fining agents are left in the finished product.  Fining agents of animal origin commonly used are egg, egg whites, egg albumin, casein (milk protien), gelatin (derived from animal bones), and isinglass (derived from fish).  In order to make the wine vegan acceptable other fining agents are used that do not contain any animal product, one example would be bentonite clay.

In conclusion, we would like to advise you to taste the different grapes, brands, and styles to find the wine for your palate.  This spring & summer we will have a small selection of organic with sulfites as well as organic no sulfites added wines.  Feel free to add a comment or a question and remember “Let Your Palate Be The Guide”.

Maryhill Winery is on the edge of a cliff overlooking the grand Columbia Gorge and provides an inspiring view of Mount Hood to the Southwest.  The facility is just outside of the Columbia Gorge National Scenic Area.

The most enjoyable aspect of Maryhill is the wide variety of grapes the area will support-including several difficult-to-grow varietals.  Contracting with growers all throughout the lower Columbia Gorge to select premier vineyards to produce wine showcasing the rich and pleasurable flavors of this unique growing region.  Maryhill produces 18 different varietals and 27 different wines.

In 2001, Craig & Vicki Leuthold (pictured left) opened Maryhill Winery.  They started with 4,300 cases of wine from the 1999 vintage.  The wines were delicious.

The history and the beauty of the land has caused the Leuthold’s to have bigger dreams.  They built a 4,000 seat ampitheater just below the winery.  It is the idea of listening to great music, sipping wine and watching the sun set over the Cascades.

The Leuthold’s have been able to exceed their goals by turning them into a premiere destination winery in the Pacific Northwest and was named 2009 Washington Winery of the Year!

Today Maryhill has grown to 80,000 cases of wine, making it the state’s 15th largest winery. 

 

Craig & Vicki Leuthold

The first time I decided to have a “Wines with Chocolate” wine tasting, I had to do the research of finding out the truth about which wines go with what chocolate.  I went to a local chocolate shop and purchased several different chocolates.  The chocolates I purchased were truffles, chocolate covered fruits and chocolate covered nuts.  The chocolates were covered in milk or dark chocolate.  

I was excited to make my discovery, I headed back to my wine shop and at that time had a few wines open to sample with my chocolates.  I poured myself and Schel some wine and laid out my array of chocolates.  We both took small bites of chocolate and a sip of the wine.  The first wine wasn’t very good with any of the chocolates!  This feeling of panic came over me and I wondered “why did I choose this theme for a wine tasting, its obvious that wine doesn’t go with chocolate”.  That afternoon I sampled all the wines I had open and then some with these chocolates.

Here we were, in the middle of the afternoon with a sugar high and a buzz from the wines.  I then vowed we wouldn’t do that again.  For the future we decided to incorporate chocolate when we were sampling wines for our inventory.  Sampling chocolates with the wines throughout the year helps us to pick new and different wines every year for our “wines with chocolate” tasting. 

I have learned from this lesson that pairing wines with chocolate is an individual taste.  Please comment if you have a “wines with chocolate” experience.  “Let Your Palate Be The Guide”

For The Wine House, it is important to plan our tastings tenatively for the year and start brainstorming the ideas.  Every year, trying to top what we did the year before.  The holidays is our opportunity to take a break from the crazy wine tasting life.  In January we set aside time for group parties, either in the store or in people’s homes.  In this business, there is always research, selection and wines to taste for parties or individuals. 

We welcome the new year and the new beginnings and hope it be prosporus.  Please feel free to share a holiday “wine” memory, or a new beginning with us.  Let your palate be the guide!