Happy Vernal Equinox!

The daffodils and crocuses are peeking out of the earth, robins are returning to the backyard and slowly, slowly the days are getting longer.  Ahh, spring is in the air!  Clean off the grill, pull back the pool cover, and dust off the patio furniture.  The winter doldrums will soon be a distant memory.  Time to celebrate!

 

Throughout history, wine has played an important part in spring rituals.  The Greek god of Wine, Dionysus, is synonymous with many of these rituals.

Greek religion is dominated by the cycle of life, death, and re-birth  and viniculture is an integral part of this cycle. Grapevines bud in the spring, fruit ripens in the summer and fall, and then lie in wait during the winter in anticipation of the cycle to begin again. Dionysus was a dying god, who like the grapes, was ritually killed each winter only to be reborn in the spring.

In April, around what the Greeks considered their new year, was the Anethesteria. Anthesteria, one of the four festivals in honor of Dionysus was held annually for three days.  At the center of this wine-drinking festival was the celebration of the maturing of the wine stored at the previous vintage, whose vessels were now opened, and the beginning of spring.  It must have been quite a party. 

The first Greek wine I consumed was during a trip to Greece many years ago-  the ubiquitous Mavrodaphe wine.  It was inexpensive, easy to pronounce, and easy to drink.  Greek wine has come a long way over the years and there are now many more options.  Check out New Wines of Greece to learn more.  

And what better way to serve your wine than in the aptly named Dionysus glasses.  Grab some feta, olives, a nice loaf of bread and celebrate spring!

Stick a Cork in It

Recyling, reusing, repurposing are all part of our lexicon today.  Everything from plastic bags being converted to fashionable handbags to outwear that is made from "pre-used" materials can easily be found. 

So, for the wine lover, what are some things you can do with your used corks?

Here are some of my ideas-

Wine Trivet Kits:  Save the corks from your favorite wines and create a trivet or serving tray

Tabletop Decorations:  There are a variety of containers from oversized wine glasses to cork holders.  You can buy them in the shape of a dog, owl, or even a rooster.

Picture Frames:  take a plain, inexpensive frame and using a hot glue gun, simply stick your corks around the frame.  Some people will cut the cork lengthwise to make a flat surface, but it works equally well- and is much faster- to leave the corks whole.

Jewelry:  Make necklaces, earrings and bracelets from your corks.  Leave them natural or for a unique look paint each one.  This works best with natural corks. 

Tell us what unique ways you reuse and repurpose your corks. 

YAY for Chardonnay!

I like Chardonnay. There, I admit it.  Even with all of the press about the health benefits of red wines, the French Paradox, and the proliferation of gourmet steak houses, given a choice, I always choose Chardonnay.  It is the perfect wine  to unwind after a hard day at the office or with a group of friends.

It seems I am not alone in my love for Chardonnay.  According to The Wine Institute and Nielsen , a leading global provider of information and insights into what consumers watch and buy, wine sales in U.S. off-premise measured channels from all domestic and foreign production sources grew 2 percent on volume and almost 4 percent on value.  Most of the growth was with wines from California and other U.S. states, up 4 percent in volume, while imports shrunk 1 percent in volume.

Within table wine, Chardonnay remained the most popular with 21 percent of the volume, followed by Cabernet Sauvignon, 12 percent volume share; Merlot, 10 percent volume share, Pinot Grigio/Gris, 8 percent market share, and White Zinfandel, 7 percent market share. 

Why is Chardonnay so popular?

Chardonnay grapes are easy to grow and can be crafted into many different types of wines. Perhaps they are also so popular because they have little innate character of their own and instead inherit the characteristics of the soil and climate where they are grown. Chardonnay's strength is its structure and its ability to age rather than its aromatic intensity. In general Chardonnay wines are medium to full bodied, with medium acidity and an attractive creamy, buttery character on the palate. Aromas and flavors range from citrus, green apple and pear in cooler climates to more stone and tropical fruit in warmer climates.

While prized Chardonnay wines can be pricey, you don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars to get a well-made wine.  One of my favorite, inexpensive Chardonnays is Cupcake. If nothing else, the name is friendly and puts me in a happy mood even before I open the wine. Go ahead, uncork a bottle of your favorite Chardonnay!