A court in France on Wednesday, February 17, found a group of 12 French wine producers and traders guilty of selling millions of bottles of fake Pinot Noir wine to U.S. wine-industry giant E. & J. Gallo Winery.
"The scale of the fraud caused severe damage for the wines of the Languedoc (region) for which the United States is an important outlet," the judge said while delivering the verdict. The judge in Carcassonne, south-west France handed out suspended jail terms and hefty fines to the defendants.

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New World Cabernet Sauvignon is big and in your face – my kind of Sunday afternoon wine. Deep in color and strong in flavors – expect black fruit (blackcurrant, black cherry) and oaky spice. A good Cab is deep in color, intense, full bodied and best poured with suitably powerful foods like a home-made Sunday roast or a meat feast pizza.
Perfect while you’re watching the Olympics on the tube; whether you’ve been sucked into curling or watching hockey.

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We seem to be living in an endless winter – but on the bright side, we still have a justifiable reason for cooking up a hearty stew and pulling the cork on some delicious winter-warming reds. Try these from the Dreadnought list:

Bravante Vineyards Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
Sylvester Syrah 2006
Yorkville Cellars 'Hi-Rollr' Red 2006
Mansfield Merlot 2004

When it comes to wine, it’s difficult to answer the question I frequently get asked: Is organic better? With regards to taste, it’s almost impossible to determine; it’s like comparing apples to oranges. I'm not convinced that you can taste the organic difference in your glass.

What I do know is that I appreciate winemakers who make a commitment to producing an organic product. I respect organic wines, mostly, because the effort required in growing organic grapes and making wine under the ever increasingly strict regulations requires a dedication to quality on the winemaker's part. And, it’s the right thing to do for our planet.

One of the wineries that we represent is Yorkville Cellars, whose vineyards have been certified since 1986. They are the only winery in California that grows and produces all eight of the main Bordeaux grapes, each as a varietal wine: Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Malbec, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Carmenere.

The following is some insight from their website.

“Although organic farming is seen as something ‘new and cutting edge’, it is in fact a return to traditional methods of agricultural production. Since the ancient Roman era, farmers used techniques such as crop rotation to maintain soil health, and grazed livestock on non-planted fields to add fertilizer in the form of natural manure. These basic techniques produced crops year after year, without reducing the long term soil fertility.

The basic goal of organic farming is to create healthy, living soils. This is achieved in two ways. First is the use of only natural fertilizers, compounds that contain a wide range of the nutrients needed by plants and avoiding the concentrated fertilizers that are heavy on the three main plant foods; nitrogen, potassium and phosphate.

The second main part of organic farming is avoiding harmful chemicals. Many of the compounds used to control pest insects also kill beneficial insects; those that might eat the ‘bad’ bugs or even bees that pollinate crops. The loss of beneficial bugs can throw off the balance in the field, causing even greater infestations, requiring the use of stronger pesticides, or more frequent applications. The average sprayed vineyard in California will be sprayed over 15 times each year!”

Of their wines, their Sauvignon Blanc is our favorite of the moment. It has body and a smooth finish, is concentrated, rich and opulent with lime and lemon flavor. Aromas of pineapple and lime flow from the glass, and it finishes with a blast of lime and minerals. The wine partners with virtually any fish dish and makes an outstanding aperitif. You can order this wine by visiting our wine list or giving us a call.

Odd that there is no mention of Pennsylvania in this Wall Street Journal story.

"States suffering through tough times are reaching for a tonic. Lawmakers in several states with tight control of liquor sales are considering legislation that would shift the job to private industry, saving money and raising revenue.

Some states are seeking a windfall by auctioning licenses to private companies to run the retail operations. Others are considering selling distribution centers. Also, privatization would remove costs including paying employees and overhead such as energy bills.

Virginia, North Carolina, Washington, Vermont and Mississippi are all weighing proposals that would reduce the powerful roles they play in the distilled-spirits or wine businesses through state-run distributorships or retail stores.

The privatization faces resistance from religious groups, labor unions and mom-and-pop shops, suggesting how economics are trumping other concerns in the struggle to overcome the recession."

Full story at online.wsj.com

The wine industry received sobering news this week: California shipments dropped in 2009 for the first time in 16 years. Sales figures show that wine consumption is up 2.1 percent nationally, but consumers are turning to cheaper imports from Chile, Argentina and Australia to tantalize their palates as global production exceeds demand.

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Because of the downturn in the world economy, sales of French Champagne have significantly decreased over the past few years. Fortunately, an excellent alternative is California sparkling wines. Compared with their French counterparts, California “sparklers” are lighter, not quite as dry, and best of all, are more affordable and food friendly.

Full story here.

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Had to read this headline. Urban Vintners Take on Napa's Finest. It’s an amusing story about making wine - wait for it - in your garage. This is the story of Brian Mast of Waits-Mast Family Cellars and Steve Goldbeck.

Full Story here.

This Friday, February 5, 2010, from 5:30-7:30 PM at 2013 Penn Avenue, dancers from Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre will 'represent' at our Friday Wine Tasting.

How many times have you stood in a State Store, staring at shelves of wine bottles, wondering ‘will I like it after I buy it?’ For many years Palate Partners and Dreadnought Wines have been giving wine lovers the opportunity to try specialty wines before buying them at their First and Third Friday Wine Tastings at their store at 2013 Penn Avenue. Folks gather to sample three red and three white wines, carefully selected by owner Mike Gonze, complimented by breads and fine cheeses, and to enjoy the company of other Oenophiliacs.

At this Friday's Wine tasting experience, our friends will be treated to the company of two costumed dancers and a representative from Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, to introduce them to “In the Upper Room” and “Company B”. Described by choreographer Twyla Tharp as "fierce, driving and relentless," the movement of “In the Upper Room” is an edgy blend of ballet and modern dance - an energetic tour de force. In Company B, a program set to the swinging tunes of the Andrews Sisters, Pittsburgh native Paul Taylor explores the realities of World War II America through the social dances of the 1940s. These works will appear February 12-14 at the Benedum Center.

After sampling the Dreadnought Wines showcased for the evening, patrons can order the wines they like. 
For additional info call (412) 391-8502. The cost for this event is only $12.00 per person.

Repeat: Only $12.00 per person for an experience sure to start your weekend right!

Since Valentine’s Day, February 14, falls on a Sunday, how about a quiet relaxing dinner at home? You’ll have all day to leisurely prepare your night. (Guys, remember that cooking isn’t just for the ladies.)

Instead of starting with a menu - pick your favorite bottle of wine from the Dreadnought list, and then build your menu around it. You’ll be surprised how this switch in the order of thought will inspire you.

Forget the traditional roses and arrange a brightly colored spring bouquet for the table. It will help you forget how cold it is outside and that Punxsutawney Phil just predicted six more weeks of winter.

Match the color of your tapers with the flowers. When you’re picking up your wines, Palate Partners has a great selection of candles. You can also pick up a gift while you’re there: a book, Riedel stemware, a box of decadent Toffee Taboo. One stop shopping - we make it easy.

Set the mood with some mellow and romantic sounds. Pick up a new CD or download some news tunes from Alicia Keys’ The Element of Freedom, Nora Jones’ The Fall or Corinne Bailey Rae’s The Sea.

These ideas are just a start. Be creative and make Valentine’s Day 2010 memorably unexpected.

Photo by richiedean

Happy Holidays from our entire team!

Intuit Small Business is sponsoring "Love a Local Business" sweepstakes asking fans of small businesses to nominate their favorite hometown haunt. The businesses will be eligible for a drawing to win a $1,000 Intuit Growth Grant, and, one business will receive a grand prize of $5,000. Each nominated business will appear on a customer Google map displaying favorite businesses in the United States. 

Please support your friends here at Dreadnought Wines and nominate us. Each month five local businesses will be randomly selected to receive $1,000 small business grants and, based on the power of your words, one of these businesses will have their grant increased to $5,000. We’ve already started nominating our friends. This is a win/win for everyone.

Intuit has awarded over $70,000 in grants to businesses that were nominated by their fans: customers, friends, family members, employees and owners. This is an on-going process, so if the holidays have you too swamped to deal with this now, hang on to this information for once the holiday rush is over. Obviously, we encourage you to nominate us, but all local businesses are eligible. So - show some love.

If you're interested in participating, here's the website.

Just in time for your holiday toast. From the Montello area of the Trevigiani hills in the Veneto region of Italy, the Prosecco grape in its basic version shows its elegance and simplicity. Its proven quality has rendered it a must-drink for all “bubbly” lovers. The lightness together with a lovely fragrance have made this an ideal every-day aperitif. The outstanding froth and the freshness tell us how elegant and unique the Montello area is. Very aromatic, fruity with a fine and delicate alcoholic percentage which never appears to be too much, makes this Prosecco a very easy drinking, but at the same time a fascinating wine.

In the nose and in the taste it gives off a very appreciable smooth and fresh aftertaste. 100% Prosecco, this wine goes well with fish, soups and aromatic pasta and rice dishes.

Mostly, you’ll just want to toast your friends and family with this elegant Brut. Order today, as supplies are limited.

By Howard Hewitt, Columnist for TribTown

“Increasing wine knowledge requires stretching personal limits and tastes. The best advice received and repeated is to try different wines. Don’t hesitate to pop a cork on something new and embrace it.

And so that was my approach to France’s great gift to the holiday season, Beaujolais Nouveau. Any conversation about French wine starts with geography and ends with regulations — the French are really big on both.

The Beaujolais designation is north of Lyon, France, but very small. The region is just over 30 miles long and up to nine miles wide. But this tiny area packs in nearly 4,000 growers who nurture and harvest the Gamay grape.

Beaujolais Nouveau is a very light-bodied, fruity wine made to drink very young. The bottles on the shelves of your local wine retailer are made from the 2009 vintage and picked just a few weeks ago. By French wine laws, the wine is shipped and available for sale on the third Thursday of each November.

The wine’s selling point is its flexibility and drinkability.”

Continue reading here.