Podcasts about gewurztraminer

BOB'S BEST BUYS Valentine's Day Selection Wine: Pegasus Bay Gewurztraminer 2024 North Canterbury, $30 Why I chose it: Gewurztraminer is an aromatic wine with punchy aromas that often resemble flowers (in this case rose petals). National Lamb Day Selection Wine: Trinity Hill 2021 The Gimblett, Hawke's Bay, $39.99 Why I chose it: It's NZ Lamb Day today and I wanted to choose a wine that would make a great match with lamb. Lamb is high in fat, which makes it a high flavour meat. Cabernet Sauvignon is a thick-skinned red grape that is also high in flavour making it a perfect partner for lamb. Trinity Hill 2021 The Gimblett is a blend of Cabernet Franc 50%, Cabernet Sauvignon 46%, and Petit Verdot 4%. The wine even has a subtle minty character which gives it a built-in mint sauce-like component that's perfect for lamb. What does it taste like? Dense, intense red with cassis/dark berry, chocolate/mocha, vanilla, cigar box, and spicy oak flavours with a touch of mint. Approachable now with good ageing potential. A powerhouse red that was built to enhance the flavours of NZ lamb. It's from the Gimblett Gravels, a premium red-wine region in Hawke's Bay, Where can you buy it? Whisky and More, Waikato, $34 Liquor Legends, Auckland $34 The Good Wine Co, Auckland $35.99 Will it keep? Yes, with careful storage this wine will still deliver pleasure after 5-10 years or more LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Husbands and cookies are exchanged, to add holiday cheer.Based on a post by SandyMarl, in 4 parts. Listen to the ► Podcast at Steamy Stories. The Chix Annual Christmas Cookie ExchangeMcNally topped off each of the four glasses, then tipped the bottle to her lips to make sure she'd drained the last sweet drop of Gewürztraminer. McNally smacked her lips before inserting her tongue into the brown wine bottle's narrow orifice. "Umm, a sweet little rim job before I recycle this dead soldier," she announced to a kitchen packed with a few of her long-time friends. "This dark guy is so sweet, I just love him," she said as she continued her fellatio pantomime by wrapping her lips around the narrow neck as she encircled her fingers and made a couple of strokes up and down the bottle like she was finishing a masterful blow job.Her friends watched her risqué display and giggled, except for Patricia. Patricia picked through the array of Christmas cookie cutter shapes laid out at the edge of the counter, dropping her eyes as she scolded, "McNally, you should be more thoughtful of Dana. Your tipsy little joke is in poor taste in front of our hostess, especially at this time of year." Patricia meant it as a sobering rebuke, as if any of the girls present needed to be reminded of Dana's recently widowed status, especially around Christmas.McNally pulled the wine bottle's phallic dimensions from her lips, setting it down and turning to Dana, "Oh crap, I'm sorry. You know I had no intention of opening painful memories; I was only trying to lift the holiday spirits with a little bawdy humor... I was just thinking..."Dana turned to McNally, "I know. I know you McNally -- boy do I know you. You're always thinking we Chix should loosen up our inhibitions and take a walk on the steamier side of life; and boy are you always ready with a risqué joke, a steamy story or a naughty pun."Dana broke into a smile, and then spoke to her closest friends, "Hey Chix, you guys are so great! You're the only reason I'm able to get through this time of year. Without y'all, I'd be nothing but a blubbering mess this Christmas. Facing the painful first anniversary of Sander's passing is really hard. It'd be unbearable if I had to go through it alone. The support of my Chix means everything to me right now."Dana forced a cheery voice and continued speaking after dusting the flour off her hands. "I insisted y'all come into my kitchen this year and fill it with holiday cheer, so it'd be like the good times we had before. I want everyone to make a big sugary mess for me to clean up and keep me busy. Our annual Chix Christmas cookie exchange is our tradition; it's now more meaningful to me than ever. I'm dreading the holidays..." Dana paused to collect her emotions before continuing, "... as the holiday season approaches, I fear being all alone, left to deal with the memory of Sander's skiing accident by myself. I need my Chix more than ever right now. I need something to keep my mind from dwelling on the anniversary of the accident."Dana gave a congenial but forced looking smile to the women in her kitchen. "McNally, you go right on giving your Gewurztraminer boyfriend's long, brown glass cock a good sucking, it's fine with me and the rest of these kitchen voyeurs. Keep it up, all of you, be merry and I'll find a way to get by."Annie wiped a tear off her cheek as she stepped to Dana, wrapping her arms and her baggy, ugly Christmas sweater around Dana, managing to get cookie dough crumbs in Dana's hair in the process. Annie hugged Dana tight, embracing her in a prolonged hold to convey her sympathy and shared grief at the loss of Dana's husband last year. Annie teared up again as she remembered gathering with McNally and Patricia to take down the tree and put away all the festive Christmas decorations in Dana's house as Dana planned Sander's funeral.It was all so sad, so hard to deal with. Annie admired McNally's flair to disregard the implicit sadness hanging over their annual Chix Christmas cookie exchange; but didn't want to get between McNally and Patricia as they scuffled over the proper decorum in Dana's kitchen under the circumstances.Annie let go and pulled away from her embrace, and as she did, she gasped, "Oh Dana, I'm sorry. Look what I've done, my dirty apron made a mess on your top. I'm sorry."Dana laughed, "I should've expected this would happen, wearing black when I'm in the middle of a hen party with flour flying all over my kitchen. I thought I'd feel and look slimmer wearing black, a self-deluding effect to counteract my debauched cookie sampling today. I might as well just drop these little Santa cookies down my pants and let 'em stick right there on my hips," smacking her hands on her ass for emphasis.Annie, trying to make up for the accidental flour dusting, began to brush her fingers across Dana's boobs, fussing and worrying she'd ruined Dana's pullover. Dana laughed it off, "Annie, stop fretting, it'll wash out, no problem. Relax. Let's all have a good time making a mess as we bake and decorate our cookies. There's something festive about a busy and messy kitchen. I just love it."McNally watched from the other side of the counter as Annie dabbed and wiped the front of Dana's chest, "I know what you're getting for Christmas - one of those cordless hand vacuums; they market it as a bust duster." Everyone cracked up at McNally's pun, even Patricia.The timer went off; Patricia stepped to the oven to check on the first batch of cookies. She pulled out the cookie sheet and put it on the cooling rack."Those look perfect," Annie announced."They're not perfect until they're decorated," responded Dana. "They're just plain-Jane naked right now. It's our job to get them all dressed up in their Christmas fancy-pants.""Oh, Patricia, can you grab the box of sprinkles and glittery decorating doo-dahs from the cupboard next to the oven?" asked Dana. Patricia set the full box of decorating doo-dahs on the kitchen table.McNally burst into song, "Doo-dah, doo-dah, Camptown ladies sing this song, all the doo-dah day!" McNally's three friends joined in a final chorus, "Doo-dah, doo-dah, all the doo-dah day!""Now things are starting to sound festive," declared Dana as she mixed bowls of red and green frosting. "McNally, there's a bottle of Riesling in the garage fridge -- I know I don't have to ask twice to get you to bring that one in and pour another round."Annie said, "This is sounding and feeling like old times; like back in the beginning when we worked at Dix Chix. Who remembers which of us four started waitressing first at Dix?""Wasn't me," was McNally's contribution from the hallway, "I'm the youngest of the Chix.""It could've been you; you've always had a reputation for starting early McNally," was Patricia's retort.McNally laughed at the ribbing. "I seem to recall that Annie got hired a few days ahead of me.""So, when did we become collectively known as 'The Chix?'" was Dana's follow up question.Annie answered, "It was Patricia. She advertised to all the boys that there were some interesting Chix to be found in the backroom of Dix Chix Family Restaurant after closing. If a boy had the right stuff, he could find his way into the place and get a few drinks, no ID required.""That may be true, but I got the idea from that new girl," said Patricia in a defensive tone. "The new girl suggested it was a crying shame that us four Chix had to close up on Friday and Saturday nights without having any cocks around to make it fun," was Patricia's recollection. "Being the studious college girl, Mrs. Dix trusted me with the keys and the liquor inventory.""And who might have been the corrupting 'new girl' who put that idea of letting some cocks into the back room with those chicks?" asked Dana with a smirk."I hear she's still tending bar somewhere, perhaps more corrupting than ever," Patricia offered in an offhand guess.McNally, a seasoned barmaid, filled the wine glasses scattered around the kitchen, "I just thought it was false advertising to have a big neon sign that flashed Dix Chix, yet only the Chix half of the attraction was available. I merely suggested to the old timer running the show that if we were working to close the place on Friday and Saturday nights, we owed it to ourselves to have a crew of Dix to go with the Chix. Like the sign said."Annie asked, "Patricia, I've always wondered, how did you choose which boys got an after-hours invitation to the backroom?""I delegate," was Patricia's reply. "That's why I'm management material. I consulted a trusted source."McNally gave a curtsey acknowledging her role, and then filled in the story line, "Guys are pretty simple. I'd give the cute ones a line; 'Winner, winner, chicken dinner - Would you prefer a breast or a thigh?' I then slipped 'em an offer, 'Come on by Dix Chix late some night this weekend for a chicken tender special -- tell 'em McNally sent you.'" The three ladies exploded into hearty whoops at McNally's explanation.Dana took a sip out of her glass, thinking for a moment, "McNally are you responsible then for introducing each of us to our future husbands? I'd never thought of it like that.""Ultimately the Chix chooses the Dix. At least, that's how I'd look at it. In collusion with Patricia, I merely helped sow some wild oats in that Dix Chix backroom. But I only sowed the seeds. It was the others who reaped the harvest. I must admit, I did have to run a lot of lame-cock also-rans through that backroom before some of them ended up sticking around for a while.""Well, however you did it, Sander and I hit it off - after Patricia passed on him and I scooped him up, as I seem to recall. I guess I never thanked you for your fine work." Dana raised her glass in a salute to McNally."I'm happy it worked for you Dana," said Patricia, "I had my eye out for one of those solid, basic models, a kind of nerdy, engineering type. My philosophy was that those low-key kinds of guys wear well. I seem to recall McNally telling me that she didn't usually fish in those kinds of nerdy-fish ponds, but she promised she'd expand her repertoire to see if she could toss such a specimen my way.""I remember when Will showed up at the backroom, he looked a little dazed and confused. McNally had to act fast to ease Will into the situation and then gently hand him off to Patricia," recalled Annie. "So, how'd McNally's low-key, nerdish fish land in your lap then Patricia?"Patricia made a wistful smile as she rolled out a sheet of dough, "I guess I got what I wanted. Though, I've wondered some days if I should have dropped my line into a different pond. There've been some days when I wonder what life would've been like with a spicier, adventurous man... but that's normal, right? Don't we all have some days where we wish things were different?"Annie, Dana and McNally were quick to assure Patricia that they all had their moments when they had a twinge of doubt about their choices in husbands. "Yeah, that's pretty normal I think," added Annie.Annie went back to the mixing bowl where she was making rounded, nut-filled Mexican Wedding Cake cookies and dusting them with flour. "Nelson has always been supportive of me, I have to think that our marriage is better than some that I know of, but over the years some of the spark has dimmed. Maybe it's me, but honestly, if he wanted more sex, I'd consider letting the ol' boy find a fling with another woman, as long as she agreed to clean my house in exchange for Nelson's services."Dana gave up a small squeak, "Serious?""Oh, just a quirky idea. It's not like we'd be on the brink of a divorce, we're perfectly compatible. It would merely be a convenient arrangement, Nelson the ol' goat, would get more action and stop pestering me and I'd get a clean house and more time. I think it'd be a fair exchange." Annie shrugged as she spooned out a lump of dough and patted it into a little ball.Dana sighed, "Oh Annie. Annie, you should enjoy the little things from Nelson. You know what I miss most from Sander? It's little things like tangling our feet together in bed, I really miss the feeling of when Sander would reach across the bed and pull me over close to him. It didn't have to be sex, sometimes it was so good just to have him spoon into my backside and reach over to caress my breasts." Dana took a deep breath, "I'm just here to remind The Chix, like they say, 'You don't know what you got 'til it's gone.'"Annie's eyes moistened again, "I'm sorry Dana, I didn't mean to make you feel bad. I'm so sorry.""They're good memories Annie, I don't feel bad. Just sad at Christmas now. Get back to making cookies and a mess; it's the only thing that'll save me, girl."Patricia began pressing the cookie cutter into her sheet of dough while pressing this girl-talk topic a little further, "McNally, I'm kind of surprised you and Orlando have made it work so well all of these years. It has always seemed to me that you two traveled in different orbits."McNally laughed as she put down her half-empty wine glass, concentrating on mixing up some chocolate frosting. "It's a beautiful cosmic dance between me and Orlando. We're a pair of heavenly bodies sharing our orbits when the gravitational attraction pulls us close. Otherwise, we each have our own interests as y'all know perfectly well. Orlando has his poetry, music and writing projects. I love lending my graphic and artistic vision to Orlando's projects when it fits. When we collaborate, we make beautiful art. When we're not collaborating on something, that's when I fill my orbit with my animals and other pets."Patricia raised an eyebrow, "Do you care for your 'pets' as much as you do your animals?""Me and my pets share a sensual bond and an understanding. I will never abandon one of my animals. But my pets come and then my pets go, every pet in his own season. I enjoy a wide orbit in this life Patricia."McNally took another sip, becoming introspective, "Hey you know what? I'd have to say that The Chix is my longest held orbit. It's so good to have you gals around for me for all of these years." McNally raised her glass in a toast, "To The Chix. To the long and strong bond of three great gals who have kept me in their orbit as the rest of this crazy world spins out of control. Merry fucking Christmas, to one and to all!" McNally gave a swift motion with her hand, directing her three friends to join her in her toast.Everyone stepped to McNally's end of the counter, touching their glasses, creating a resounding chime as the glassware clinked. "Here! Here!" said Dana, "Let's make this a Merry fucking Christmas for one and for all!""I'll drink to that," offered McNally."Of course, you will," noted Patricia.Annie gave her signature tipsy laugh, "I'll drink to that Patricia!" and took a gulp."May I join you?" asked McNally.Dana laughed, "Wait for me! I'll drink to that too!"McNally turned and walked away from the circled Chix. "Where are you off to McNally?""Time for the Pinot Noir - any arguments?""Yeah. What about the Pinot Grigio?" asked Dana in a mock argumentative voice."No blow back from me. I'll get both." With that McNally disappeared into the garage.The cookie production line clicked into gear as The Chix rolled out a pile of baked cookie shapes and an assortment of buttery spritz cookies, chocolate drops, nut bars to go with the gooey lemon bars and shortbread. "My favorite thing in this whole kitchen, other than maybe the wine, is doing the detailed decorations with colored frosting and sprinkles," announced Dana."Here you go then Dana," said Patricia as she set two hot cookie sheets on the cooling racks, "you've got your work cut out for you with all of these shapes." Patricia brandished a pair of cookie cutters, "You have me to thank for 'cutting your work out for you'; you've got Mr. and Mrs. Claus, Christmas trees, wreathes, ornaments, stockings, snowmen, reindeer and candy canes galore.""'Work cut out for you', I see what you did there," observed Annie. "You've been hanging around McNally too much."McNally grabbed a couple of the round Mexican Wedding Cakes from Annie's station and then a candy cane shaped cookie off the pile of undecorated cookies."What are you working on McNally?" was Dana's question."I've been inspired by Annie's earlier comments and her idea of exchanging Nelson's candy cane for housework."Annie chortled, "What? Something creative for me? My, my, what could it be McNally?""Avert your eyes; I'm making you a little surprise." Annie laughed and pretended to look away, but she and the others watched to see what culinary form McNally's inspiration took. McNally coated both sides of the candy cane in pink frosting and then covered the straight end of the candy cane with a thin white glaze. She grabbed two pecan halves from the bowl, placing them on top of the round Mexican Wedding Cakes and then wedged the decorated pink candy cane between the two, projecting upward. McNally handed the 3D cookie sculpture to Annie on a small paper plate. "Here you go girl, a little something sweet to enjoy stuffing into your stocking while Nelson is out with your domestic help."The Chix all laughed, applauding McNally's skill at coming up with a naughty little cookie. "See, he comes with a pair of real nuts, and I've given his sweet candy cane a condom coating of sugar glaze. And if you've been feeling pressure to put out Annie, be assured that he only wants to cum in your chimney once a year."Annie was laughing pretty hard, "You're so thoughtful McNally. But I've been a good girl all year; I think I deserve to get a bigger candy cane.""Ho, ho, ho," chuckled McNally, "What you're asking for is reserved for the naughty girls on my list." With that, McNally grabbed a fistful of dough and rolled out a fourteen-inch cylinder, molded the tip to look like a cock and attached it to a tiny Santa cookie. The Chix screamed and giggled with perverse delight at the bawdy levity being infused into their traditional cookie exchange and baking extravaganza.It was open season, every one of The Chix was striving to out-do one another, Rudolph's bright red nose was repurposed into a pair of glowing nipples on Mrs. Clause's boobs. The reindeer grew large erections and Christmas wreaths were transformed into edible pussies. Their fired-up imaginations formed many an outlandish and erotic cookie decoration as they polished off both bottles of Pinot."Whoa girls, we've outdone ourselves this year. That's a lot of cookies," said Dana as she surveyed the plates piled high with sweets and many obscene holiday cookies."That was a lot of wine, I believe we outdid ourselves this year too," was Annie's observation as she untied her apron and took a seat at the kitchen table.Dana agreed, "I'll brew some coffee while the rest of you Chix take a seat and put your feet up.""I'll take an Irish coffee," said McNally."Sorry, the bar's closed," said Dana, shaking her head. "At least until the next time - which I hope will be soon."Each of the Chix had their fill of caffeine, the effect of the alcohol ebbed as did the energy in their exchange of stories. The time had come to exchange samples of their kitchen handiwork and take their haul of Christmas cookies back home. "Y'all leave the dishes for me to tackle," insisted Dana. "Cleaning my kitchen is good therapy for me. All of this was so good for me. I needed this to help me see me through the memory of Sander's passing. Nothing better for the soul than a kitchen full of Chix."Even though they knew Dana's words were genuine, each insisted on helping clean up. Dana wasn't having any of it, trumping their good intentions with her need for kitchen-cleaning therapy.A Twisted Twist To The Annual Cookie ExchangeOnce The Chix were successfully shooed out the door, McNally tapped Patricia and Annie, "Unload your cookie plates and meet me at The Daily Grind coffee shop; I've got a proposal I need to discuss with The Chix."McNally bartered with the night manager, offering him some erotic Mrs. Claus cookies along with some shortbread, lemon bars and a few acceptable holiday cookies for a cup of espresso and paid cash for two more cups. He brought the cups to the table in the corner where three women were deep in personal conversation. "Let's hear your proposal McNally, then I gotta get home," was Patricia's opening."All right Chix, this is it: we've just had our annual cookie exchange, it's obvious that this was something that Dana in her grief truly needed. I believe she could use a little more than a messy kitchen and a stack of erotic holiday cookies to see her through this holiday season. I think we should each chip in and send Dana a comforting and special erotic gift.""What'd you have in mind McNally?" was Patricia's suspicious question."Back in the day, Will, Nelson and Orlando were part of The Chix backroom 'chicken tender banquet'. So, they're a pretty much a known quantity for Dana; my proposal is that we send our guys over toDana as our gift to her, for a little holiday spice."Patricia drew back, "Oh, that's pretty far out there McNally."McNally leaned across the table, speaking in a harsh whisper, "Maybe not - Annie here has already confessed to a willingness to let her ol' goat Nelson get some more action in greener pastures. I'm just hoping that I can negotiate her down from making Dana clean her house this time around. You're in, aren't you Annie?"Annie looked serious. "What about Orlando? Is he part of your proposal?""Of course, Orlando is included; otherwise, I'd never have mentioned this to The Chix. He's always thought Dana was cute. I'm OK with him falling into Dana's orbit and her bed. All for a good friend in need.""It'll be kind of weird to bring this up with Nelson; but if he agrees, then I don't see why not. I guess I already confessed my willingness to allow such an arrangement." Annie took a hit of her espresso, "OK McNally. I'm in if it's for Dana."McNally and Annie turned to Patricia, "Are you going to throw your chip into the kitty? It's three or it's zero for Dana's Christmas gifts."Patricia mulled over the proposal in her mind. "Dana did echo your toast, 'A Merry fucking Christmas, to one and to all.'" It looks like it comes down to me as to whether Dana's wishful toast is literally fulfilled. I'm not sure Will would go for it - but he might. He hung around with Sander and Dana in the beginning and I know that Sander coached Will on some of his moves with me back in the awkward days. I suspect Sander let Will practice a few things on Dana and take instruction from her before he had the confidence to take me on.""It'll be like returning a favor to your friend Dana. Now that Will has done you for a while, he can hop back to square one where it all started. I think you owe it to Will to let him give Dana a polished performance." Annie smiled at her suggestions, then broke into a laugh as she thought about what she had just said."Will did get a lot better over time. Maybe this will be like a refresher course for the boy. It could be good for everyone," were Patricia's words as she worked through McNally's proposal out loud."That's the giving spirit of the season!" crowed McNally. "Chix, we've got ourselves a plan.""Not quite yet," said Patricia. "We've selected the gifts, but in this case how they're wrapped and presented is going to be just as important. We need to think about those details."Annie asked, "Which gift package arrives first?"McNally answered, "It was my idea, at least after Annie suggested it; so, I'll be happy to send Orlando's package over to Dana first. You guys can decide who's next after Orlando.""I can make some naughty little gift labels to attach to each package," said Annie with a chuckle.McNally raised her eyebrows, "How are these labels going to attach to our gift packages as you see it Annie?""I see the labels dangling off our package's 'package.'""Like package, package?" asked Patricia."Of course." Annie threw back the question with a confident smirk. "They come gift wrapped and have a label on each of their packages. How else would it work?" answered Annie in exaggerated exasperation.Patricia suggested, "Okay. In the spirit of this generous, yet twisted holiday season of giving; may I suggest that if Orlando is the first one to be unwrapped, that he arrives with a label offering to put his 'partridge' in Dana's 'pear tree' - or bush, it all depends on volume I guess.""Oh. Why hell yes!" McNally got excited at the suggestion. "You've got a twisted imagination Patricia. Sometimes you surprise me. That's great. What comes after the partridge in a pear tree?""Two turtle doves, then three French hens," was Annie's quick reply. "Then we Chix are out of gifts with nine more days to go before we come to the Twelfth Day of Christmas. I guess it can't be helped."Annie mused, "Nelson is a titty man. I'd love to send him over to Dana's as the second gift; he knows right where to find a girl's two turtle doves. He'd do a lovely job with Dana's pair of white turtle doves.""Then that leaves me to present Will with three French hens," mused Patricia. "Hmm, hens, nests, chicks, eggs..." Patricia looked stumped for a moment, "Right! I know the perfect erotic set up for Will and his Third Day of Christmas. Now we have a plan, McNally.""Let's go home, get some sleep and begin putting together the gift-boy exchange now that we've finished the cookie exchange," said McNally. "I'll want to hear more about your holiday cheer ideas real soon."Annie got busy and sowed three elastic loops, attached a pretty ribbon bow to each elastic band with a strip of ribbon that held a small gift label for each of the Chix to fill out. Each of their gift guys was to be tagged with the festive bow and elastic band fitted over the base of his cock.The three Chix met to finalize their husband-exchange gift plan. Annie handed out her gift label craftwork to her friends. "I believe it is obvious how this attaches to the male anatomy," she said as she slipped the circle over her four fingers. They admired the loopy calligraphy on each cock-mounted gift card where Annie had written: 'On the First Day of Christmas My True Friend Gave to Me -; leaving room for her other Chix to write a brief explanation of what they had in mind for Dana, as if it wasn't obvious to Dana by the time, she'd unwrapped her gift this far.McNally admitted, "I felt a small amount of disappointment that it had been so easy to convince Orlando to join in the holiday giving spirit. He seemed positively jubilant at the idea.""I always thought your Orlando would go for it, but I wasn't sure about Will. But I got the same jubilant response. There was a mischievous new spark in Will's eyes. Yeah, me too; I was a little disappointed that Will was so easy to convince," Patricia shrugged as she found common ground with the free-spirit McNally."Pretty much the same here," agreed Annie, "the same response as from both of your hubby exchange gifts. But of course, I didn't let on that I had a tinge of disappointment; after all, I guess I started this by sharing my idea of letting Nelson roam in new goat pastures.""So, you've had a tinge of disappointment - is that because you didn't get an agreement to get your house cleaned in the exchange?" asked McNally with a smirk."Yeah, that's it," acknowledged Annie with a full dose of irony dripping from her lips.Patricia directed The Chix back to business, "So how are we going to pull this off? It's got to be a surprise for Dana, right?""Of course, it needs to be a surprise," answered McNally, "Otherwise, I fear Dana would chicken out.""Then this is how it happens," Patricia pressed her palms into the table, "The morning before Dana's surprise package arrives on her doorstep, we text her to say that she is to expect a gift to cheer her up. She needs to be home in the evening and have her entire night free." Patricia then asked Annie, "Would you write up a little parchment scroll with some sort of introduction for our guys to hand Dana, letting her know that we put our guys up to this. It would be bad form if Dana rejected our offerings out of doubt as to our genuine intentions and fearing that she would be doing something with our menfolk behind our backs."Annie agreed to write a scroll of introduction for each husband, but then inquired, "These guys seemed so eager to, I'm afraid that they may botch their opening; at least that's my concern for Nelson. He might rush it and come on too strong.""Exactly," said McNally, "I don't trust any boy to get it right. That's why our men need to show up with an appropriate gift to set the mood. And we should coach up these fellows to remind them to be snuggly, cuddly and do plenty of kissing and slow finger play on bare skin before their partridge nests into her pear tree and whatever gifts they may bear on the second and third days of Christmas." A Partridge In A Pear TreeDana puttered around the house all morning, intrigued by the curious text she'd received from McNally. McNally was uncharacteristically vague when Dana replied asking for details about what she should expect later that evening. Despite a flurry of pleading text exchanges, Dana was unable to pry a clue loose from her free-spirited friend.When Dana answered the knock on her door in the fading light of a mid-December early evening, she was amused to find Orlando standing in front of her wearing a white, three-piece suit, an outfit she'd remembered from several decades ago. "Where's McNally?" asked Dana as she craned her head around her porch looking for her friend who promised a warm holiday surprise coming to her house earlier in the day.Orlando stepped inside, shut the door and bolted it behind him, handing a scroll tied with a festive red ribbon to the surprised woman standing in front of him. "What's this?" Dana asked as she cocked her head, taking the scroll from Orlando. "This is all so mysterious," acknowledged Dana with her eyes and smile flashing in obvious enjoyment of the unfolding mystery in her entry hall. "Orlando, why are you dressed up in your white disco suit? You're looking like the Ghost of Christmas Past coming to visit me." Dana laughed at her observation as she ran her eyes up and down the willowy frame of the long-haired artisan and old friend standing before her looking rather pleased with himself.Dana unfurled the scroll, feeling a hot flush ignite her skin as she red McNally's words while her cheeks flashed a bright red to match the scroll's ribbon. Dana sucked in her breath, her eyes grew wide in shock, it sounded like McNally had sent her husband Orlando over to her as an intimate gift. Orlando was here alone, sent to give her 'a night of holiday magic', as was written on the scroll. McNally's introduction stated that 'Orlando was 'prepared to fulfill her wish list', and for this one time only, Santa would be unloading his sack and giving his gifts to one of the naughty girls on his list.' According to the instructions, all she had to do was 'climb into bed and be surprised by the goodies that were stuffed into her stocking.'Dana took another short breath as she finished reading, now understanding the set up for McNally's enigmatic texts from the morning. Her jaw went slack as she realized that there were waves of warm desire whirling in her center as she detected a sudden firming within her lady parts. She was pleasantly embarrassed as she felt another blush rise to her nipples, throat, and face.She jumped as the doorbell rang. Orlando took his light blue eyes off her, turning to open the door. He took the bags from the delivery girl, tipped her well before closing the door and bolting it again. Dana managed to recover from her weak-kneed response, "Well, well, what do we have here?" she asked as she shook her head to clear her swirling thoughts.With a debonair stroke of his hand, he motioned Dana toward the dining room, "I will be serving you tonight. I will begin serving you with roasted quail in a pear infused demi-glace sauce. How I finish serving you tonight is yet to be told." Orlando swept his hand to Dana's lower back to escort her to the table. She didn't seem to mind.Orlando held the chair for Dana as she took her seat. Orlando produced two candles from his jacket's inside pocket and set them at the center of the table, lighting them to complete the mood. Not knowing how she should respond to this romantic attention with its hinted, soon to be sexual direction; Dana forced herself to fall into the flow of these unanticipated events. "I'm truly overwhelmed. What's the meaning of this feast?"Orlando held still for a moment, catching Dana's eye, "Is it not obvious to you yet, my little chickpea? I am your Partridge in a Pear Tree," he said as he motioned the back of his hands down over his wide white lapels and then preened his wavy blond locks while bobbing his head like a partridge dancing to the echoes of a long-gone disco beat. "This feast my little chickpea is as literal a beginning as I could get, offering you a quail in a pear sauce. But, as was explained to you in my introduction scroll, there is an opportunity for a more figurative pairing of my partridge with your pear tree." Orlando gave Dana a nod and a sly smile.Dana blushed once again.Orlando cleared the dishes, returning to rub Dana's shoulders. She enjoyed his strong fingers kneading her muscles, feeling very satisfied after an elegant supper and wishing for her visitor to invite her into further pleasures. Orlando played with her hair as he suggested she release him for a moment to clean up the meal, "With a rendezvous in a more comfortable location."Dana took the opportunity to excuse herself and slip into some of her fancy lingerie and freshen up. She wondered if Orlando would notice that she had shed her basic bra for another; a black, fancy feminine garment. It may not matter, she thought, but whatever happens later this evening, she knew she felt better about herself wearing pretty black underthings.To be continued in part 2, based on the post by SandyMarl for Literotica.

Husbands and cookies are exchanged, to add holiday cheer.Based on a post by SandyMarl, in 4 parts. Listen to the ► Podcast at Steamy Stories. The Chix Annual Christmas Cookie ExchangeMcNally topped off each of the four glasses, then tipped the bottle to her lips to make sure she'd drained the last sweet drop of Gewürztraminer. McNally smacked her lips before inserting her tongue into the brown wine bottle's narrow orifice. "Umm, a sweet little rim job before I recycle this dead soldier," she announced to a kitchen packed with a few of her long-time friends. "This dark guy is so sweet, I just love him," she said as she continued her fellatio pantomime by wrapping her lips around the narrow neck as she encircled her fingers and made a couple of strokes up and down the bottle like she was finishing a masterful blow job.Her friends watched her risqué display and giggled, except for Patricia. Patricia picked through the array of Christmas cookie cutter shapes laid out at the edge of the counter, dropping her eyes as she scolded, "McNally, you should be more thoughtful of Dana. Your tipsy little joke is in poor taste in front of our hostess, especially at this time of year." Patricia meant it as a sobering rebuke, as if any of the girls present needed to be reminded of Dana's recently widowed status, especially around Christmas.McNally pulled the wine bottle's phallic dimensions from her lips, setting it down and turning to Dana, "Oh crap, I'm sorry. You know I had no intention of opening painful memories; I was only trying to lift the holiday spirits with a little bawdy humor... I was just thinking..."Dana turned to McNally, "I know. I know you McNally -- boy do I know you. You're always thinking we Chix should loosen up our inhibitions and take a walk on the steamier side of life; and boy are you always ready with a risqué joke, a steamy story or a naughty pun."Dana broke into a smile, and then spoke to her closest friends, "Hey Chix, you guys are so great! You're the only reason I'm able to get through this time of year. Without y'all, I'd be nothing but a blubbering mess this Christmas. Facing the painful first anniversary of Sander's passing is really hard. It'd be unbearable if I had to go through it alone. The support of my Chix means everything to me right now."Dana forced a cheery voice and continued speaking after dusting the flour off her hands. "I insisted y'all come into my kitchen this year and fill it with holiday cheer, so it'd be like the good times we had before. I want everyone to make a big sugary mess for me to clean up and keep me busy. Our annual Chix Christmas cookie exchange is our tradition; it's now more meaningful to me than ever. I'm dreading the holidays..." Dana paused to collect her emotions before continuing, "... as the holiday season approaches, I fear being all alone, left to deal with the memory of Sander's skiing accident by myself. I need my Chix more than ever right now. I need something to keep my mind from dwelling on the anniversary of the accident."Dana gave a congenial but forced looking smile to the women in her kitchen. "McNally, you go right on giving your Gewurztraminer boyfriend's long, brown glass cock a good sucking, it's fine with me and the rest of these kitchen voyeurs. Keep it up, all of you, be merry and I'll find a way to get by."Annie wiped a tear off her cheek as she stepped to Dana, wrapping her arms and her baggy, ugly Christmas sweater around Dana, managing to get cookie dough crumbs in Dana's hair in the process. Annie hugged Dana tight, embracing her in a prolonged hold to convey her sympathy and shared grief at the loss of Dana's husband last year. Annie teared up again as she remembered gathering with McNally and Patricia to take down the tree and put away all the festive Christmas decorations in Dana's house as Dana planned Sander's funeral.It was all so sad, so hard to deal with. Annie admired McNally's flair to disregard the implicit sadness hanging over their annual Chix Christmas cookie exchange; but didn't want to get between McNally and Patricia as they scuffled over the proper decorum in Dana's kitchen under the circumstances.Annie let go and pulled away from her embrace, and as she did, she gasped, "Oh Dana, I'm sorry. Look what I've done, my dirty apron made a mess on your top. I'm sorry."Dana laughed, "I should've expected this would happen, wearing black when I'm in the middle of a hen party with flour flying all over my kitchen. I thought I'd feel and look slimmer wearing black, a self-deluding effect to counteract my debauched cookie sampling today. I might as well just drop these little Santa cookies down my pants and let 'em stick right there on my hips," smacking her hands on her ass for emphasis.Annie, trying to make up for the accidental flour dusting, began to brush her fingers across Dana's boobs, fussing and worrying she'd ruined Dana's pullover. Dana laughed it off, "Annie, stop fretting, it'll wash out, no problem. Relax. Let's all have a good time making a mess as we bake and decorate our cookies. There's something festive about a busy and messy kitchen. I just love it."McNally watched from the other side of the counter as Annie dabbed and wiped the front of Dana's chest, "I know what you're getting for Christmas - one of those cordless hand vacuums; they market it as a bust duster." Everyone cracked up at McNally's pun, even Patricia.The timer went off; Patricia stepped to the oven to check on the first batch of cookies. She pulled out the cookie sheet and put it on the cooling rack."Those look perfect," Annie announced."They're not perfect until they're decorated," responded Dana. "They're just plain-Jane naked right now. It's our job to get them all dressed up in their Christmas fancy-pants.""Oh, Patricia, can you grab the box of sprinkles and glittery decorating doo-dahs from the cupboard next to the oven?" asked Dana. Patricia set the full box of decorating doo-dahs on the kitchen table.McNally burst into song, "Doo-dah, doo-dah, Camptown ladies sing this song, all the doo-dah day!" McNally's three friends joined in a final chorus, "Doo-dah, doo-dah, all the doo-dah day!""Now things are starting to sound festive," declared Dana as she mixed bowls of red and green frosting. "McNally, there's a bottle of Riesling in the garage fridge -- I know I don't have to ask twice to get you to bring that one in and pour another round."Annie said, "This is sounding and feeling like old times; like back in the beginning when we worked at Dix Chix. Who remembers which of us four started waitressing first at Dix?""Wasn't me," was McNally's contribution from the hallway, "I'm the youngest of the Chix.""It could've been you; you've always had a reputation for starting early McNally," was Patricia's retort.McNally laughed at the ribbing. "I seem to recall that Annie got hired a few days ahead of me.""So, when did we become collectively known as 'The Chix?'" was Dana's follow up question.Annie answered, "It was Patricia. She advertised to all the boys that there were some interesting Chix to be found in the backroom of Dix Chix Family Restaurant after closing. If a boy had the right stuff, he could find his way into the place and get a few drinks, no ID required.""That may be true, but I got the idea from that new girl," said Patricia in a defensive tone. "The new girl suggested it was a crying shame that us four Chix had to close up on Friday and Saturday nights without having any cocks around to make it fun," was Patricia's recollection. "Being the studious college girl, Mrs. Dix trusted me with the keys and the liquor inventory.""And who might have been the corrupting 'new girl' who put that idea of letting some cocks into the back room with those chicks?" asked Dana with a smirk."I hear she's still tending bar somewhere, perhaps more corrupting than ever," Patricia offered in an offhand guess.McNally, a seasoned barmaid, filled the wine glasses scattered around the kitchen, "I just thought it was false advertising to have a big neon sign that flashed Dix Chix, yet only the Chix half of the attraction was available. I merely suggested to the old timer running the show that if we were working to close the place on Friday and Saturday nights, we owed it to ourselves to have a crew of Dix to go with the Chix. Like the sign said."Annie asked, "Patricia, I've always wondered, how did you choose which boys got an after-hours invitation to the backroom?""I delegate," was Patricia's reply. "That's why I'm management material. I consulted a trusted source."McNally gave a curtsey acknowledging her role, and then filled in the story line, "Guys are pretty simple. I'd give the cute ones a line; 'Winner, winner, chicken dinner - Would you prefer a breast or a thigh?' I then slipped 'em an offer, 'Come on by Dix Chix late some night this weekend for a chicken tender special -- tell 'em McNally sent you.'" The three ladies exploded into hearty whoops at McNally's explanation.Dana took a sip out of her glass, thinking for a moment, "McNally are you responsible then for introducing each of us to our future husbands? I'd never thought of it like that.""Ultimately the Chix chooses the Dix. At least, that's how I'd look at it. In collusion with Patricia, I merely helped sow some wild oats in that Dix Chix backroom. But I only sowed the seeds. It was the others who reaped the harvest. I must admit, I did have to run a lot of lame-cock also-rans through that backroom before some of them ended up sticking around for a while.""Well, however you did it, Sander and I hit it off - after Patricia passed on him and I scooped him up, as I seem to recall. I guess I never thanked you for your fine work." Dana raised her glass in a salute to McNally."I'm happy it worked for you Dana," said Patricia, "I had my eye out for one of those solid, basic models, a kind of nerdy, engineering type. My philosophy was that those low-key kinds of guys wear well. I seem to recall McNally telling me that she didn't usually fish in those kinds of nerdy-fish ponds, but she promised she'd expand her repertoire to see if she could toss such a specimen my way.""I remember when Will showed up at the backroom, he looked a little dazed and confused. McNally had to act fast to ease Will into the situation and then gently hand him off to Patricia," recalled Annie. "So, how'd McNally's low-key, nerdish fish land in your lap then Patricia?"Patricia made a wistful smile as she rolled out a sheet of dough, "I guess I got what I wanted. Though, I've wondered some days if I should have dropped my line into a different pond. There've been some days when I wonder what life would've been like with a spicier, adventurous man... but that's normal, right? Don't we all have some days where we wish things were different?"Annie, Dana and McNally were quick to assure Patricia that they all had their moments when they had a twinge of doubt about their choices in husbands. "Yeah, that's pretty normal I think," added Annie.Annie went back to the mixing bowl where she was making rounded, nut-filled Mexican Wedding Cake cookies and dusting them with flour. "Nelson has always been supportive of me, I have to think that our marriage is better than some that I know of, but over the years some of the spark has dimmed. Maybe it's me, but honestly, if he wanted more sex, I'd consider letting the ol' boy find a fling with another woman, as long as she agreed to clean my house in exchange for Nelson's services."Dana gave up a small squeak, "Serious?""Oh, just a quirky idea. It's not like we'd be on the brink of a divorce, we're perfectly compatible. It would merely be a convenient arrangement, Nelson the ol' goat, would get more action and stop pestering me and I'd get a clean house and more time. I think it'd be a fair exchange." Annie shrugged as she spooned out a lump of dough and patted it into a little ball.Dana sighed, "Oh Annie. Annie, you should enjoy the little things from Nelson. You know what I miss most from Sander? It's little things like tangling our feet together in bed, I really miss the feeling of when Sander would reach across the bed and pull me over close to him. It didn't have to be sex, sometimes it was so good just to have him spoon into my backside and reach over to caress my breasts." Dana took a deep breath, "I'm just here to remind The Chix, like they say, 'You don't know what you got 'til it's gone.'"Annie's eyes moistened again, "I'm sorry Dana, I didn't mean to make you feel bad. I'm so sorry.""They're good memories Annie, I don't feel bad. Just sad at Christmas now. Get back to making cookies and a mess; it's the only thing that'll save me, girl."Patricia began pressing the cookie cutter into her sheet of dough while pressing this girl-talk topic a little further, "McNally, I'm kind of surprised you and Orlando have made it work so well all of these years. It has always seemed to me that you two traveled in different orbits."McNally laughed as she put down her half-empty wine glass, concentrating on mixing up some chocolate frosting. "It's a beautiful cosmic dance between me and Orlando. We're a pair of heavenly bodies sharing our orbits when the gravitational attraction pulls us close. Otherwise, we each have our own interests as y'all know perfectly well. Orlando has his poetry, music and writing projects. I love lending my graphic and artistic vision to Orlando's projects when it fits. When we collaborate, we make beautiful art. When we're not collaborating on something, that's when I fill my orbit with my animals and other pets."Patricia raised an eyebrow, "Do you care for your 'pets' as much as you do your animals?""Me and my pets share a sensual bond and an understanding. I will never abandon one of my animals. But my pets come and then my pets go, every pet in his own season. I enjoy a wide orbit in this life Patricia."McNally took another sip, becoming introspective, "Hey you know what? I'd have to say that The Chix is my longest held orbit. It's so good to have you gals around for me for all of these years." McNally raised her glass in a toast, "To The Chix. To the long and strong bond of three great gals who have kept me in their orbit as the rest of this crazy world spins out of control. Merry fucking Christmas, to one and to all!" McNally gave a swift motion with her hand, directing her three friends to join her in her toast.Everyone stepped to McNally's end of the counter, touching their glasses, creating a resounding chime as the glassware clinked. "Here! Here!" said Dana, "Let's make this a Merry fucking Christmas for one and for all!""I'll drink to that," offered McNally."Of course, you will," noted Patricia.Annie gave her signature tipsy laugh, "I'll drink to that Patricia!" and took a gulp."May I join you?" asked McNally.Dana laughed, "Wait for me! I'll drink to that too!"McNally turned and walked away from the circled Chix. "Where are you off to McNally?""Time for the Pinot Noir - any arguments?""Yeah. What about the Pinot Grigio?" asked Dana in a mock argumentative voice."No blow back from me. I'll get both." With that McNally disappeared into the garage.The cookie production line clicked into gear as The Chix rolled out a pile of baked cookie shapes and an assortment of buttery spritz cookies, chocolate drops, nut bars to go with the gooey lemon bars and shortbread. "My favorite thing in this whole kitchen, other than maybe the wine, is doing the detailed decorations with colored frosting and sprinkles," announced Dana."Here you go then Dana," said Patricia as she set two hot cookie sheets on the cooling racks, "you've got your work cut out for you with all of these shapes." Patricia brandished a pair of cookie cutters, "You have me to thank for 'cutting your work out for you'; you've got Mr. and Mrs. Claus, Christmas trees, wreathes, ornaments, stockings, snowmen, reindeer and candy canes galore.""'Work cut out for you', I see what you did there," observed Annie. "You've been hanging around McNally too much."McNally grabbed a couple of the round Mexican Wedding Cakes from Annie's station and then a candy cane shaped cookie off the pile of undecorated cookies."What are you working on McNally?" was Dana's question."I've been inspired by Annie's earlier comments and her idea of exchanging Nelson's candy cane for housework."Annie chortled, "What? Something creative for me? My, my, what could it be McNally?""Avert your eyes; I'm making you a little surprise." Annie laughed and pretended to look away, but she and the others watched to see what culinary form McNally's inspiration took. McNally coated both sides of the candy cane in pink frosting and then covered the straight end of the candy cane with a thin white glaze. She grabbed two pecan halves from the bowl, placing them on top of the round Mexican Wedding Cakes and then wedged the decorated pink candy cane between the two, projecting upward. McNally handed the 3D cookie sculpture to Annie on a small paper plate. "Here you go girl, a little something sweet to enjoy stuffing into your stocking while Nelson is out with your domestic help."The Chix all laughed, applauding McNally's skill at coming up with a naughty little cookie. "See, he comes with a pair of real nuts, and I've given his sweet candy cane a condom coating of sugar glaze. And if you've been feeling pressure to put out Annie, be assured that he only wants to cum in your chimney once a year."Annie was laughing pretty hard, "You're so thoughtful McNally. But I've been a good girl all year; I think I deserve to get a bigger candy cane.""Ho, ho, ho," chuckled McNally, "What you're asking for is reserved for the naughty girls on my list." With that, McNally grabbed a fistful of dough and rolled out a fourteen-inch cylinder, molded the tip to look like a cock and attached it to a tiny Santa cookie. The Chix screamed and giggled with perverse delight at the bawdy levity being infused into their traditional cookie exchange and baking extravaganza.It was open season, every one of The Chix was striving to out-do one another, Rudolph's bright red nose was repurposed into a pair of glowing nipples on Mrs. Clause's boobs. The reindeer grew large erections and Christmas wreaths were transformed into edible pussies. Their fired-up imaginations formed many an outlandish and erotic cookie decoration as they polished off both bottles of Pinot."Whoa girls, we've outdone ourselves this year. That's a lot of cookies," said Dana as she surveyed the plates piled high with sweets and many obscene holiday cookies."That was a lot of wine, I believe we outdid ourselves this year too," was Annie's observation as she untied her apron and took a seat at the kitchen table.Dana agreed, "I'll brew some coffee while the rest of you Chix take a seat and put your feet up.""I'll take an Irish coffee," said McNally."Sorry, the bar's closed," said Dana, shaking her head. "At least until the next time - which I hope will be soon."Each of the Chix had their fill of caffeine, the effect of the alcohol ebbed as did the energy in their exchange of stories. The time had come to exchange samples of their kitchen handiwork and take their haul of Christmas cookies back home. "Y'all leave the dishes for me to tackle," insisted Dana. "Cleaning my kitchen is good therapy for me. All of this was so good for me. I needed this to help me see me through the memory of Sander's passing. Nothing better for the soul than a kitchen full of Chix."Even though they knew Dana's words were genuine, each insisted on helping clean up. Dana wasn't having any of it, trumping their good intentions with her need for kitchen-cleaning therapy.A Twisted Twist To The Annual Cookie ExchangeOnce The Chix were successfully shooed out the door, McNally tapped Patricia and Annie, "Unload your cookie plates and meet me at The Daily Grind coffee shop; I've got a proposal I need to discuss with The Chix."McNally bartered with the night manager, offering him some erotic Mrs. Claus cookies along with some shortbread, lemon bars and a few acceptable holiday cookies for a cup of espresso and paid cash for two more cups. He brought the cups to the table in the corner where three women were deep in personal conversation. "Let's hear your proposal McNally, then I gotta get home," was Patricia's opening."All right Chix, this is it: we've just had our annual cookie exchange, it's obvious that this was something that Dana in her grief truly needed. I believe she could use a little more than a messy kitchen and a stack of erotic holiday cookies to see her through this holiday season. I think we should each chip in and send Dana a comforting and special erotic gift.""What'd you have in mind McNally?" was Patricia's suspicious question."Back in the day, Will, Nelson and Orlando were part of The Chix backroom 'chicken tender banquet'. So, they're a pretty much a known quantity for Dana; my proposal is that we send our guys over toDana as our gift to her, for a little holiday spice."Patricia drew back, "Oh, that's pretty far out there McNally."McNally leaned across the table, speaking in a harsh whisper, "Maybe not - Annie here has already confessed to a willingness to let her ol' goat Nelson get some more action in greener pastures. I'm just hoping that I can negotiate her down from making Dana clean her house this time around. You're in, aren't you Annie?"Annie looked serious. "What about Orlando? Is he part of your proposal?""Of course, Orlando is included; otherwise, I'd never have mentioned this to The Chix. He's always thought Dana was cute. I'm OK with him falling into Dana's orbit and her bed. All for a good friend in need.""It'll be kind of weird to bring this up with Nelson; but if he agrees, then I don't see why not. I guess I already confessed my willingness to allow such an arrangement." Annie took a hit of her espresso, "OK McNally. I'm in if it's for Dana."McNally and Annie turned to Patricia, "Are you going to throw your chip into the kitty? It's three or it's zero for Dana's Christmas gifts."Patricia mulled over the proposal in her mind. "Dana did echo your toast, 'A Merry fucking Christmas, to one and to all.'" It looks like it comes down to me as to whether Dana's wishful toast is literally fulfilled. I'm not sure Will would go for it - but he might. He hung around with Sander and Dana in the beginning and I know that Sander coached Will on some of his moves with me back in the awkward days. I suspect Sander let Will practice a few things on Dana and take instruction from her before he had the confidence to take me on.""It'll be like returning a favor to your friend Dana. Now that Will has done you for a while, he can hop back to square one where it all started. I think you owe it to Will to let him give Dana a polished performance." Annie smiled at her suggestions, then broke into a laugh as she thought about what she had just said."Will did get a lot better over time. Maybe this will be like a refresher course for the boy. It could be good for everyone," were Patricia's words as she worked through McNally's proposal out loud."That's the giving spirit of the season!" crowed McNally. "Chix, we've got ourselves a plan.""Not quite yet," said Patricia. "We've selected the gifts, but in this case how they're wrapped and presented is going to be just as important. We need to think about those details."Annie asked, "Which gift package arrives first?"McNally answered, "It was my idea, at least after Annie suggested it; so, I'll be happy to send Orlando's package over to Dana first. You guys can decide who's next after Orlando.""I can make some naughty little gift labels to attach to each package," said Annie with a chuckle.McNally raised her eyebrows, "How are these labels going to attach to our gift packages as you see it Annie?""I see the labels dangling off our package's 'package.'""Like package, package?" asked Patricia."Of course." Annie threw back the question with a confident smirk. "They come gift wrapped and have a label on each of their packages. How else would it work?" answered Annie in exaggerated exasperation.Patricia suggested, "Okay. In the spirit of this generous, yet twisted holiday season of giving; may I suggest that if Orlando is the first one to be unwrapped, that he arrives with a label offering to put his 'partridge' in Dana's 'pear tree' - or bush, it all depends on volume I guess.""Oh. Why hell yes!" McNally got excited at the suggestion. "You've got a twisted imagination Patricia. Sometimes you surprise me. That's great. What comes after the partridge in a pear tree?""Two turtle doves, then three French hens," was Annie's quick reply. "Then we Chix are out of gifts with nine more days to go before we come to the Twelfth Day of Christmas. I guess it can't be helped."Annie mused, "Nelson is a titty man. I'd love to send him over to Dana's as the second gift; he knows right where to find a girl's two turtle doves. He'd do a lovely job with Dana's pair of white turtle doves.""Then that leaves me to present Will with three French hens," mused Patricia. "Hmm, hens, nests, chicks, eggs..." Patricia looked stumped for a moment, "Right! I know the perfect erotic set up for Will and his Third Day of Christmas. Now we have a plan, McNally.""Let's go home, get some sleep and begin putting together the gift-boy exchange now that we've finished the cookie exchange," said McNally. "I'll want to hear more about your holiday cheer ideas real soon."Annie got busy and sowed three elastic loops, attached a pretty ribbon bow to each elastic band with a strip of ribbon that held a small gift label for each of the Chix to fill out. Each of their gift guys was to be tagged with the festive bow and elastic band fitted over the base of his cock.The three Chix met to finalize their husband-exchange gift plan. Annie handed out her gift label craftwork to her friends. "I believe it is obvious how this attaches to the male anatomy," she said as she slipped the circle over her four fingers. They admired the loopy calligraphy on each cock-mounted gift card where Annie had written: 'On the First Day of Christmas My True Friend Gave to Me -; leaving room for her other Chix to write a brief explanation of what they had in mind for Dana, as if it wasn't obvious to Dana by the time, she'd unwrapped her gift this far.McNally admitted, "I felt a small amount of disappointment that it had been so easy to convince Orlando to join in the holiday giving spirit. He seemed positively jubilant at the idea.""I always thought your Orlando would go for it, but I wasn't sure about Will. But I got the same jubilant response. There was a mischievous new spark in Will's eyes. Yeah, me too; I was a little disappointed that Will was so easy to convince," Patricia shrugged as she found common ground with the free-spirit McNally."Pretty much the same here," agreed Annie, "the same response as from both of your hubby exchange gifts. But of course, I didn't let on that I had a tinge of disappointment; after all, I guess I started this by sharing my idea of letting Nelson roam in new goat pastures.""So, you've had a tinge of disappointment - is that because you didn't get an agreement to get your house cleaned in the exchange?" asked McNally with a smirk."Yeah, that's it," acknowledged Annie with a full dose of irony dripping from her lips.Patricia directed The Chix back to business, "So how are we going to pull this off? It's got to be a surprise for Dana, right?""Of course, it needs to be a surprise," answered McNally, "Otherwise, I fear Dana would chicken out.""Then this is how it happens," Patricia pressed her palms into the table, "The morning before Dana's surprise package arrives on her doorstep, we text her to say that she is to expect a gift to cheer her up. She needs to be home in the evening and have her entire night free." Patricia then asked Annie, "Would you write up a little parchment scroll with some sort of introduction for our guys to hand Dana, letting her know that we put our guys up to this. It would be bad form if Dana rejected our offerings out of doubt as to our genuine intentions and fearing that she would be doing something with our menfolk behind our backs."Annie agreed to write a scroll of introduction for each husband, but then inquired, "These guys seemed so eager to, I'm afraid that they may botch their opening; at least that's my concern for Nelson. He might rush it and come on too strong.""Exactly," said McNally, "I don't trust any boy to get it right. That's why our men need to show up with an appropriate gift to set the mood. And we should coach up these fellows to remind them to be snuggly, cuddly and do plenty of kissing and slow finger play on bare skin before their partridge nests into her pear tree and whatever gifts they may bear on the second and third days of Christmas." A Partridge In A Pear TreeDana puttered around the house all morning, intrigued by the curious text she'd received from McNally. McNally was uncharacteristically vague when Dana replied asking for details about what she should expect later that evening. Despite a flurry of pleading text exchanges, Dana was unable to pry a clue loose from her free-spirited friend.When Dana answered the knock on her door in the fading light of a mid-December early evening, she was amused to find Orlando standing in front of her wearing a white, three-piece suit, an outfit she'd remembered from several decades ago. "Where's McNally?" asked Dana as she craned her head around her porch looking for her friend who promised a warm holiday surprise coming to her house earlier in the day.Orlando stepped inside, shut the door and bolted it behind him, handing a scroll tied with a festive red ribbon to the surprised woman standing in front of him. "What's this?" Dana asked as she cocked her head, taking the scroll from Orlando. "This is all so mysterious," acknowledged Dana with her eyes and smile flashing in obvious enjoyment of the unfolding mystery in her entry hall. "Orlando, why are you dressed up in your white disco suit? You're looking like the Ghost of Christmas Past coming to visit me." Dana laughed at her observation as she ran her eyes up and down the willowy frame of the long-haired artisan and old friend standing before her looking rather pleased with himself.Dana unfurled the scroll, feeling a hot flush ignite her skin as she red McNally's words while her cheeks flashed a bright red to match the scroll's ribbon. Dana sucked in her breath, her eyes grew wide in shock, it sounded like McNally had sent her husband Orlando over to her as an intimate gift. Orlando was here alone, sent to give her 'a night of holiday magic', as was written on the scroll. McNally's introduction stated that 'Orlando was 'prepared to fulfill her wish list', and for this one time only, Santa would be unloading his sack and giving his gifts to one of the naughty girls on his list.' According to the instructions, all she had to do was 'climb into bed and be surprised by the goodies that were stuffed into her stocking.'Dana took another short breath as she finished reading, now understanding the set up for McNally's enigmatic texts from the morning. Her jaw went slack as she realized that there were waves of warm desire whirling in her center as she detected a sudden firming within her lady parts. She was pleasantly embarrassed as she felt another blush rise to her nipples, throat, and face.She jumped as the doorbell rang. Orlando took his light blue eyes off her, turning to open the door. He took the bags from the delivery girl, tipped her well before closing the door and bolting it again. Dana managed to recover from her weak-kneed response, "Well, well, what do we have here?" she asked as she shook her head to clear her swirling thoughts.With a debonair stroke of his hand, he motioned Dana toward the dining room, "I will be serving you tonight. I will begin serving you with roasted quail in a pear infused demi-glace sauce. How I finish serving you tonight is yet to be told." Orlando swept his hand to Dana's lower back to escort her to the table. She didn't seem to mind.Orlando held the chair for Dana as she took her seat. Orlando produced two candles from his jacket's inside pocket and set them at the center of the table, lighting them to complete the mood. Not knowing how she should respond to this romantic attention with its hinted, soon to be sexual direction; Dana forced herself to fall into the flow of these unanticipated events. "I'm truly overwhelmed. What's the meaning of this feast?"Orlando held still for a moment, catching Dana's eye, "Is it not obvious to you yet, my little chickpea? I am your Partridge in a Pear Tree," he said as he motioned the back of his hands down over his wide white lapels and then preened his wavy blond locks while bobbing his head like a partridge dancing to the echoes of a long-gone disco beat. "This feast my little chickpea is as literal a beginning as I could get, offering you a quail in a pear sauce. But, as was explained to you in my introduction scroll, there is an opportunity for a more figurative pairing of my partridge with your pear tree." Orlando gave Dana a nod and a sly smile.Dana blushed once again.Orlando cleared the dishes, returning to rub Dana's shoulders. She enjoyed his strong fingers kneading her muscles, feeling very satisfied after an elegant supper and wishing for her visitor to invite her into further pleasures. Orlando played with her hair as he suggested she release him for a moment to clean up the meal, "With a rendezvous in a more comfortable location."Dana took the opportunity to excuse herself and slip into some of her fancy lingerie and freshen up. She wondered if Orlando would notice that she had shed her basic bra for another; a black, fancy feminine garment. It may not matter, she thought, but whatever happens later this evening, she knew she felt better about herself wearing pretty black underthings.To be continued in part 2, based on the post by SandyMarl for Literotica.

Haily Sundet, our Froggy Wine Specialist, of Republic National Distributing is back with another episode of Wine Wednesday.  Wine Wednesday is sponsored by Bottle Barn Liquors, with 3 Fargo locations.  This week's wine: Fetzer Gewurztraminer  Winemaker notes:  Fetzer Gewurztraminer is a vibrant and aromatic white wine from California. It offers flavors of lychee, rose petal, and a hint of spice, with bright acidity and a clean finish. This Gewurztraminer is perfect for pairing with spicy cuisine, Asian dishes, and fruity desserts. Serve well-chilled to appreciate its exotic and lively character.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In today's episode, we inch closer to the holidays with wine options and ideas for the holidaze while we taste through a Gewurztraminer and a Zinfandel. You may even hear a jazzy little Christmas song during our CDA Gourmet sponsorship spot as we promote their Holiday Kickoff event which is tomorrow! So many things going on! #HappyFriday! #ItsWineTime! #Cheersing Wines this episode:2023 Rocky Pond Gewurztraminer ($32 at the winery)

Beauty entrepreneur and fashion expert Trinny Woodall rose to fame as one half of the iconic makeover duo, Trinny and Susannah, on the BBC's What Not To Wear in 2001. Since then, they have written many style advice books, which have sold more than three million copies. With a lifelong passion for skincare, Trinny branched out into the beauty industry in 2017. Trinny London is one of Europe's fastest growing beauty brands and is now available in John Lewis. Nick mixes a non-alcoholic gin and tonic for Trinny while Angela prepares a delicious sea bass with peppers & red zhoug. The experts at Waitrose pair this with a Seifried Nelson Gewurztraminer from New Zealand. Trinny entertains Nick and Angela with tales of boarding school dinners, how she likes to holiday and casts a critical eye over some of Nick's noughties red carpet looks. You can now watch full episodes of Dish on Youtube  All recipes from this podcast can be found at waitrose.com/dishrecipes A transcript for this episode can be found at waitrose.com/dish We can't all have a Michelin star chef in the kitchen, but you can ask Angela for help. Send your dilemmas to dish@waitrose.co.uk and she'll try to answer them in a future episode. Dish is a S:E Creative Studio production for Waitrose Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

La cantina Rottensteiner è dedita alla produzione dei vini tipici dell'Alto Adige, in particolare quelli della denominazione Santa Maddalena, non da meno vini bianchi e rossi del territorio, tutti di pregevole personalità. Il magnifico passito prodotto con Gewürztraminer, perfetta interpretazione di questa profumatissima uva, è un trionfo di profumi e di eleganza sensoriale, tali da meritare i Cinque Diamanti DiWineTaste e il titolo di migliore vino dell'estate 2024.

The Rottensteiner winery is committed to the production of typical Alto Adige wines, in particular those of the Santa Maddalena denomination, as well as white and red wines of the area, all of which having a remarkable personality. The magnificent passito produced with Gewürztraminer, a perfect interpretation of this very fragrant grape, is a triumph of aromas and sensorial elegance, such as to deserve DiWineTaste Five Diamonds and the title of best wine of summer 2024.

Sip, share, shape our podcast!It's hot in Texas so what better way to beat the heat than to take a trip to visit wineries in Marlborough. New Zealand that is. The Marlborough wine region is booming and going beyond Sauvignon Blanc. Cellar doors offer tastings and tours of some of the best wines from NZ. The family estate of Te Whare Ra is our stop on today's episode just a minute drive outside of Blenheim.  If you think New Zealand wine is a one-trick pony, tune in as Anna Flowerday takes us on a tour of aromatic whites from Pinot Gris to Gewurztraminer. In the cellar door overlooking Te Whare Ra's vineyards, Anna guides us through their thoughtfully curated collection of wine. We start with Rosé and finish with Pinot Noir, but the aromatic whites in between may just be the stars of the show.  In addition to Te Whare Ra, we visited legendary wineries from Cloudy Bay to Mahi in the Blenheim area of the Wairau Valley. Marlborough wineries should be on your wine tours and travel wish list. And don't forget the other wine regions of New Zealand from Central Otago and Canterbury in the south to Hawke's Bay and Auckland in the north. Each winery is unique and has its own story to tell about New Zealand wine. And the food you'll find takes everything next level!Happy 4th of July and don't forget to let us know how much you're enjoying every episode by COMMENTING on your fave podcast platform! Thanks for joining Somm Women Talk Wine! Check out our socials for more fun filled wine exploration!Instagram:@somm_women_talk_wine@kristiwinenerd@charissehenryfw@kmayfield109All episodes are also on our website:SommWomenTalkWineCharisse and Kristi

We're continuing Wine Week on Bri Books! I started the week with episodes about how to select the perfect wine and my wine-shopping hacks, and now we're delving deep into the specific wines and regions. My love for orange wine led me to an NYC wine shop called Orange Glou in 2019, shortly after the shop opened. It's a store dedicated 100% to orange wine! This past November, Orange Glou hosted their second-ever orange wine fair, and it was a roaring success. Hosted at the Wythe Hotel in Williamsburg, Orange Glou's founders Doreen Winkler and Jack Won really knocked it out of the park and managed to secure nearly 5 dozen winemakers and importers. It was a veritable who's who of the orange wine world.  A few facts about orange wine: Orange wine is a type of skin contact wine, made from white grapes that macerate on the skin. It's not wine made from citrus oranges!  Orange wine was invented in the Republic of Georgia thousands of years ago and was reintroduced to the rest of the world 40 years ago by 2 Italians, Gravner and Radikon, who wanted to explore this winemaking style. Today there are 1,000+ wine producers and wineries that make orange wine along with other styles they're producing.  I find orange wine to be fascinating because of the geographical differences in the wines. From South Australia to South Africa, Austria to Alsace, Georgia to Germany, the varieties of white grapes put on display in orange wine are divine.   In this episode, I'm sharing a few of my favorite orange wine importers and orange wines.  5:00: D-I Wine (Alsace): D-I Wine is a natural wine import and distribution powerhouse. I met the founder Brett Taylor (for the second year in a row!), and spent too long gushing over his selection. D-I wine takes a truly DIY approach to natural wine. Their portfolio is stocked with natural and low-intervention wines. They're all about deep partnership with producers who understand and respect tradition. The true gem on the D-I Wine team is George Kalligeros, a wine Somm with a diverse background in the wine industry. He has experience as a portfolio manager, sommelier, and is knowledgable about wine-making. He's currently serving as the portfolio manager of D-I Wine, and in this role, he curates and manages the wine selection for the company, focusing on French natural wines. His expertise expands to Paris, the Rhone, and beyond. One of my favorite selections  from D-I Wine is Domaine Brand's Tout Terriblement wine from Alsace, France. A 100% Gewurztraminer, this full-bodied wine has a fresh, yellow and orange-fruit flavor with a hint of sweet lychee.  8:25: Donkey and Goat Winery (California): I'll admit it: the name of this winery pulled me right away. But this winemaker/ proprietor/ hose cleaner Jared Brandt and his tasty drinks charmed me. Based in Berkeley, CA, ared and his co-founder Tracey Rogers founded Donkey and Goat Winery in 2004 in San Francisco after studying the art of crafting natural wines in the Rhone Valley. I tasted the Elen Ridge Vineyard Stone Crusher orange wine made from the Roussanne varietal. It was rich, well structured and the tannins revealed a fresh finish. Donkey and Goat also have a testing room in Berkeley, so I'd say they're probably one of the coolest natural wine operations in the Bay.  10:10: 8000 Vintage Selections (Georgia): The 8000 Vintage Selections table was the party epicenter of the orange wine fair. The team from 8000 Vintage Selections had over a half dozen producers at the ready, with at least a dozen or so bottles to taste from. The founder and CEO Shalva Tevdoradze was an absolute beast. The 8000 Vintage Selections collection is almost exclusively Georgian wines. Winemaking in Georgia dates back at least 8,000 years. Early Georgians made wine at least 6,000 BC when they discovered that grape juice could be turned into wine after being buried in qvevris underground. Kveri is an egg-shaped earthenware vessel made for making, aging and storing wine. It's the oldest way of making wine. This experience completely cemented in me the need to visit Georgia to explore viticulture for myself. Two Georgian winemakers caught my attention: Nikalas Marani and Vellino Wines.  Nikalas Marani: We tasted the Nikalas Marani Rkatsiteli 2020 vintage from a small-scale winemaker with over 100 years of family legacy. Winemaker Zurab Mgvdliashvili's grandfather was a small-scale wine cultivator in the 1920s, during the peak of the Soviet Union. When Zurab Mgvdliashvili took over the property in 2005, he restored everything, and as a tribute to his grandfather kept the old name Nikala's Marani. I'd describe the Nikalas Marani Rkatsiteli 2020 vintage as tropical and balanced with pronounced tannins and fruity aromas of peach, forest honey, and yellow dried fruit.  Vellino Wines: Vellino was founded in 2015 to continue a family business of winemaking. The 26-year-old winemaker makes wines from Kakhetian grape varieties, utilizing knowledge passed down by family and fellow winemakers. I tasted the Kisi 2020 vintage, and the Rkatsiteli 2020 vintage. Beka Jimsheladze did an excellent job with this wine. I can imagine this amber colored wine being perfect with fish, veggies, chicken and cheeses, thanks to its gentle, refreshing notes of citrus. The best part: Vellino Wines in Georgia offers tours! Wines Mentioned: Orange Glou orange wine shop in NYC  D-I Wine (Alsace), Domaine Brand's Tout Terriblement wine  Donkey and Goat Winery (California), Elen Ridge Vineyard Stone Crusher orange wine  8000 Vintage Selections (Georgia), Nikalas Marani Rkatsiteli 2020 and Vellino Wines Kisi 2020 If you're new to the show (and loving it!), leave a review of Bri Books on Apple Podcasts, and listen to Bri Books on Apple Podcasts, Spotify! Please tell me what you're drinking to by using #bribooks on Instagram and subscribe to the Bri Books newsletter at bribookspod.com/newsletter. 

Concilier humanisme et réalité économique, nombreux sont ceux qui y renoncent avant même de tenter le défi. L'époque pousse à faire preuve d'une implacable froideur lorsqu'il s'agit d'entreprendre, opposant vivre et survivre comme une fatalité que seuls les naïfs peuvent questionner. Contester la loi de la jungle est au mieux une passade, au pire, un plongeon délibéré vers sa propre perte.À l'heure de reculer les horloges et de ressortir les coupes-vent, c'est Camille Brossard, fromagère et propriétaire de la fromagerie Lefort à Belleville, qui me rend visite pour partager le petit-déjeuner. Après une décennie dans le métier, Camille n'a rien perdu ni de son émerveillement, ni de ses valeurs. Chevillés au corps, presque comme une seconde peau, ils l'accompagnent dans un projet titanesque ; celui de reprendre la fromagerie septuagénaire dans laquelle elle a fait ses armes. Nouvelle gardienne de cette institution bellevilloise, elle y insuffle un vent de renouveau avec une vaillance, une exigence, et un alignement moral qui forcent le respect.Posséder un commerce n'est pas juste avoir une vitrine sur la rue. Au travers du double vitrage se joue une pièce de l'aventure humaine dont le ou la propriétaire est à la fois acteur et metteur en scène, allégorie d'une vision du monde à la fois héritée et choisie, en conscience ou non. Ce qui différencie ensuite les êtres, c'est ce qu'ils choisissent d'en faire.FromagesBleu d'Auvergne au Gewurztraminer du GAEC Sudre (Puy-de-Dôme, France)Comté fruité de Marcel Petite (Massif du Jura, Doubs, France)Mont Grêle de Priscille Guhl du GAEC du Signal (Attignat-Oncin, Savoie, France)Avec un café "Ombligon" de la ferme El Diviso en Colombie, ainsi qu'un pain aux noisettes, raisins et céréales et une baguette tradition de chez Arnaud Delmontel.RéférencesFromagerie Lefort, rue de Belleville (Paris 20)Fort de Saint-Antoine, cave d'affinage de comté (Doubs, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté)Fromagerie Charlicot, rue de la Folie Méricourt (Paris 11)Pablo Raison, auteur, dessinateur et cartographeCuls de Poule, le magazine des bonnes femmes et de la bonne bouffeLa Laiterie Marseillaise, rue Sainte (Marseille 7)Abbaye d'Échourgnac, monastère de moniales cisterciennes-trappistes (Dordogne, Nouvelle-Aquitaine) Hébergé par Acast. Visitez acast.com/privacy pour plus d'informations.

It's our party and we'll plan how we want to! To be honest, it's always a party with the Whine Mamas. This week Jimena and Annie dive into planning birthday parties and what it truly entails. From the theme to the details to the stress and expenses, all the tips and tricks for success are shared! Wine of the Week:  Geil 1760 Gewurztraminer. Honorable mentions: smash cake, Publix, party planner, party favors, tchotchkesInstagram: @whinemamapodcastHosts: @anniegpyle & @j.freyy

La Cantina Tramin rappresenta un importante riferimento per la produzione dei vini da uve Gewürztraminer e Pinot Nero, fra le eccellenze dell'Alto Adige e d'Italia. Alto Adige Gewürztraminer Terminum 2021 spicca per eleganza e raffinatezza, un capolavoro assoluto di precisione enologica nella quale si esprime pienamente la personalità della celeberrima uva aromatica altoatesina.

Tramin Winery represents an important reference for the production of wines from Gewürztraminer and Pinot Noir grapes, among the excellence of Alto Adige and Italy. Alto Adige Gewürztraminer Terminum 2021 stands out for its elegance and finesse, an absolute masterpiece of enological precision in which the personality of the renowned South Tyrolean aromatic grape is fully expressed.

Soirée guinguette, dégustations, musique ou encore cortège. Le programme s'annonce chargé ce samedi 22 et ce dimanche 23 juillet à Bergheim, qui célèbrera l'un de ses grands crus à l'occasion de la fête du Gewurztraminer. François Muller, président du comité des fêtes du village, nous dévoile les nombreuses animations prévues lors de ce week-end.  Le lien vers l'article complet : https://www.azur-fm.com/news/bergheim-la-commune-fete-le-gewurztraminer-ce-week-end-1550 

Samantha Hohl, certified sommelier, and Robert Tas head to Vermont to review the wine list at Michael's on the Hill, a restaurant set in an 1820s farmhouse that serves European comfort food, sustainable & unprocessed. The award-winning chef, Michael Kloeti, has been recognized as one of the country's top culinary talents in the inaugural edition of Best Chefs America. Sam reviews the wine list where she finds wine from vineyards that date back to the middle ages, a Gewurztraminer with beautiful aromatics, notes of peach, orange and lychee, and a medium-bodied zinfandel with blackberry and black cherry notes, some floral qualities and subtle spice.  Wines reviewed include: 2019 Château Yvonne Chenin Blanc, France 2017 Château de Saint Cosme, France 2019 Broc Cellars ‘Vine Starr' Zinfandel, California For more information on today's episode, and the wines you love to love, visit www.corkrules.com.

SAMEDI 08 JUILLET 2023 Marine Descombe - Château de Pougelon (Beaujolais)   Tout commence en 1905 lorsque la famille Descombe décide de créer un domaine au pied du Mont Brouilly dans le Beaujolais. C'est aujourd'hui Marine et François, son frère qui ont repris les rênes de l'entreprise familiale, représentant ainsi la 5ème génération. Grâce à leur passion pour la terre et la vigne, ils offrent des vins de qualité issus d'un savoir-faire transmis de génération en génération qui révèlent le meilleur des terroirs.   Vanessa Kleiber - Bestheim (Alsace)  Après la guerre, en 1946, des viticulteurs alsaciens décident de se rassembler pour créer Bestheim, une cave viticole où ils peuvent partager leurs ressources et leur savoir-faire. Bestheim est devenue depuis la deuxième plus grande cave d'Alsace, produisant chaque année plus de 12 millions de bouteilles. Avec ses 1500 hectares de vignes répartis dans 71 communes, cette cave offre une gamme incomparable de crus et de vins d'exception, élaborés avec les plus grands cépages d'Alsace tels que le Riesling, le Pinot Noir et le Gewurztraminer. 

Working at the impressive Alsatian winery Domaine Justin Boxler is a family affair! My guest on the latest pod is Charlotte Boxler the Operations Manager for Domaine Justin Boxler.  Charlotte discusses the importance of listening to family which is key since she works were just about every family member at the vineyard! This family makes textbook Alsatian Riesling, Gewurztraminer and a tasty Pinot Noir.

Pour participer à la chasse au tresor du raisin et des papilles le 9 juillet à Molsheim inscrivez vous en cliquant sur le lien: Je joue Le domaine Fleith est une entreprise familiale située dans la ville d'Ingersheim, dans le département du Haut-Rhin en Alsace, en France. Cette entreprise est spécialisée dans la production de vins de qualité supérieure depuis plus de 150 ans. Le domaine Fleith exploite environ 9 hectares de vignes, principalement sur les coteaux de la Route des Vins d'Alsace. Les cépages cultivés comprennent le Riesling, le Gewurztraminer, le Pinot Gris, le Pinot Blanc, le Sylvaner et le Muscat. Les raisins sont tous récoltés à la main et triés méticuleusement pour s'assurer de la qualité des vins. Le domaine Fleith produit une large gamme de vins, allant des vins secs et frais aux vins moelleux et liquoreux. Les vins secs, tels que le Riesling et le Pinot Blanc, sont parfaits pour accompagner les fruits de mer et les poissons, tandis que les vins moelleux, comme le Gewurztraminer et le Pinot Gris, sont souvent servis avec des plats épicés ou fromages à pâte molle. En plus de leur production viticole, le domaine Fleith possède également un gîte rural et un restaurant traditionnel alsacien, où les visiteurs peuvent déguster les vins et les plats locaux. Le domaine est ouvert toute l'année pour les visites de dégustation de vin et les événements. Le domaine Fleith est reconnu pour son engagement envers la viticulture durable, en utilisant des pratiques agricoles respectueuses de l'environnement et en travaillant en étroite collaboration avec les organismes locaux pour préserver la richesse du terroir alsacien. En résumé, le domaine Fleith est une entreprise viticole familiale réputée pour la production de vins de qualité supérieure dans la région d'Alsace. Le domaine exploite une grande variété de cépages, produit une large gamme de vins, et est engagé envers la viticulture durable. Les visiteurs peuvent également profiter de leur gîte et de leur restaurant pour une expérience complète de la culture alsacienne. Soutenez-nous sur Tipeee !

Kastelaz has the prestigious additional denomination of VIGNA. It is an additional mention of a smaller geographical origin and designs the smallest historical / geographical unit of a vineyard. Every single Vigna must be officially admitted and registered within the regional government. It expresses the ultimate thought of terroir philosophy with the idea of a parcel wine from an exact plot and hence having a historical or traditional name. —Elena Walch Our next video takes place in one of the Elena Walch unique VIGNA: Kastelaz. This steep and beautiful vineyard overlooking the town of Tramin, which provides a basis for the VIGNA's grape: Gewürztraminer. See Elena Walch: the History in the Cellars for an overview of the winery and its history. I hope you enjoy this five minute video. Special thanks: Karoline Walch of Elena Walch Steve Noel http://childrenofthegrape.com

Le domaine de Direle Cade est situé à Bergholtz, dans la région de l'Alsace en France. Cette propriété viticole familiale produit des vins depuis le XVIIIe siècle et est connue pour ses vins blancs, en particulier le Gewurztraminer, le Riesling et le Pinot Gris. Les vignes sont plantées sur des sols argilo-calcaires et bénéficient d'un climat favorable, avec une exposition sud-est qui permet une maturation optimale des raisins secs. Ce domaine est l'une des plus belle signature du vignoble alsacien. Buvons modérément, buvons libre et buvons Alsace. Notre levée de fond pour lancer notre agence d'oentourisme: je vous soutiens       Soutenez-nous sur Tipeee !

We are tasting the Pierre Sparr 2019 Gewurztraminer Grand Reserve. This Alsatian white wine is from a producer that started way back in 1680. It is a medium bodied wine with a touch of sweetness and wonderful aromas of roses and lychees. The acidity is high enough to balance the sweetness to make this wine very enjoyable. This would make a great wine for anyone just getting interested in wine and might be worried about harsh tannins in red wines. Also, this would make a great wine for brunch if you want a change from mimosas.   Jean Sparr winery: https://www.vins-sparr.com/en/   The distributor's website has more information about Jean Sparr and the history of winemaking in Alsace: https://wilsondaniels.com/winery/pierre-sparr/ Send feedback to timetotastetx@gmail.com

Hello to our wonderful friends! It's your favorite Winos Dylan and Jordan. We are so excited to have you here, listening to Part Two of our Depoe Bay Experience! We toured the majestic west coast of Oregon namely, Depoe Bay with our friend Dona. In part two of this two-part series, we pop open the famous Santas Elixir and Gewurztraminer and Uncork our Thanksgiving traditions. We hope you Enjoy it!

We just watched Into the dark: Pilgrim. Join us on this special bonus Thanksgiving episode where we discuss the true story that inspired it all, our favorite character, the dinner scene we'll never forget, and how we think this movie should've ended. Make sure to stick around after we say goodbye for Laura's special Thanksgiving gift to you: puns. We're "going back to basics" as they say and sippin' on some white wine. To sip along with us, all you'll need is a bottle of Gewurztraminer. Thanks for listening! Don't forget to subscribe wherever you're listening and follow us on Instagram and Facebook. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spookysips_podcast/Facebook: https://tinyurl.com/SpookySipsPodWebsite: https://spookysipspod.buzzsprout.com

Diventa un esperto di vino con il podcast di Tannico. In questa puntata parleremo del Gewurztraminer e degli altri vitigni di montagna dell'Alto Adige, dagli innovativi Piwi al Kerner. Scopri la più accurata selezione di vini del Trentino-Alto Adige e non solo sul sito di Tannico. Al primo acquisto avrai diritto a uno sconto del 10% su tutto il catalogo (*): https://bit.ly/3xyibEa (*) La promozione è valida solo in Italia e per i clienti non ancora iscritti a Tannico. Sono esclusi i vini rari e le Master Experience. Per qualsiasi informazione o chiarimento ci puoi contattare all'indirizzo tfs@tannico.it

From a spacious multi-level deck, you can enjoy spectacular views of the lake and the beautifully landscaped grounds. The well-established vineyards produce classic European vinifera grapes including Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Riesling. Vines planted more recently are Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, and Gewurztraminer. Savor a tasting from your choice of many award-winning wines, then browse the extensive gift shop for the perfect item for yourself or a friend. Enjoy live music all summer long on the spacious deck while enjoying a favorite wine or trying something new! Meet fellow wine enthusiasts and enjoy the summer outdoors. The complete schedule can be found on the Winery Events page. Looking for a longer visit? Stay overnight in one of our cozy log cabins, available from April through November. Drink in the ambiance of the Finger Lakes at Buttonwood Grove! Once you visit you won't be able to wait to get back to Buttonwood Grove....

Weißweine aus Frankreichs NordostenWir machen uns auf über die Grenze von der Schweiz nach Frankreich. Endlich! Frankreich - der Nabel zumindest der Weinwelt. Jeder, der sich bisschen mit Wein auskennen möchte, kommt an le grande nation nicht vorbei. Egal ob es den persönlichen Geschmack oder die Trinkgewohnheiten entspricht. Aus Frankreich kommen einfach die erfolgreichsten Rebsorten und die damit verbundenen bzw. erzeugten Weinstile sind Vorbild und Idol in aller Herren Länder. Wenn man die bekanntesten und wichtigsten Stile oder Herkünfte Frankreichs aufzählt, denkt allerdings kaum jemand an das Elsass. Durch die wechselhafte Geschichte und Zugehörigkeit dieses Landstrichs ist es vielleicht auch nicht so unmittelbar mit dem kulturellen Kern dieser Nation verbunden. Das hat sich auch in der Sprache, der Kultur und letztlich auch in den verwendeten Rebsorten niedergeschlagen. Der deutsche Einfluss verblasst aber immer mehr und nur die älteren Generation sprechen noch deutsch. Die Lage zwischen Rhein und den Hügeln der Vogesen bringen diesem schmalen, langgezogenen Anbaugebiet ein warmes aber vor allem ein sehr trockenes Klima. So überrascht es wenig, dass vor allem der Gewurztraminer (sic!), hier schnell an Säure verliert und schwer, barock ausfällt mit ordentlich viel Alkohol. Nicht gerade das, was der Trend bei den Konsumenten ist. Die Corona-Krise mit dem zeitweisen Zusammenbruch des Tourismus ließ den Absatz dieses Elsässer Unikats fast vollständig zusammenbrechen. Die dort angebauten Burgunderrebsorten wie Pinot Blanc und Auxerroisgelingen bei guten Erzeugern aber auch sehr frisch, knackig und leicht, wie wir in dieser Verkostung schmecken werden. Ich wünsche Euch viel Spaß beim Hören und Probeiren und sende Euch genußreiche Grüße Euer Florian Weinakademiker – Diploma in Wine and Spirits (DipWSET)

Indian food has been considered notoriously difficult to pair with wine, but we at the Wine Pair Podcast say pshaw to that! In this episode, we pair three wines with Indian food and discover that they work together pretty darn well! We cover what to look for in wines to pair with Indian food - hint, think about acidity, oak, and alcohol content - and we also discuss a little bit about why there may be this perception that Indian food is hard to pair with wine and how wine production is increasing in India. We pair wine with Butter Chicken, Tandoori Chicken Tikka, Dal Maharani, Garlic Naan, and Vegetable Samosas, food we ordered from Cedars restaurant in Seattle. Wines reviewed in this episode: 2021 Cottesbrook Gewurztraminer, 2020 San Gregorio Rosado, and 2018 Milton Park Shiraz.

Jean Frederic Hugel takes us through the grape varieties of Alsace with the main four being Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris and Muscat.

Sommelier and Creator of Legally Wined Michelle Chen is in the Perfume Room today. Not only is Michelle a Certified Somm under the Court of Master Sommeliers, she is also a lawyer in New York — a combo I trust with my life. We discuss the ‘guilty pleasures' of wine, sexism in the industry, how to figure out which wines you like and the descriptors you need to know to discover more, best affordable recs, where to start on your wine journey, and the most important preservation when it comes to wine: the ego. FRAGS/WINES MENTIONED: Bond No. 9 Scent of Peace, Eight & Bob Original, Diptyque L'Ombre Dans L'Eau, Diptyque Philosykos, Gentil, Gewurztraminer, Oregon Pinot, Gruner Veltliner, Sauvignon Blanc, Nebbiolo, Chateau Cheval Blanc, Petrus, Kabinett Nahe, Vermentino, Chablis, Sancerre, Hügel Gentil, Trapiche Malbec, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, Burgans Albarino, A Lisa Malbec, MFK Amyris Femme, Byredo Inflorescence, Parfum De Marly Meliora, Byredo Young Rose, Byredo Rose of No Man's Land, Narciso Rodriguez Narciso For Her EDT FOLLOW MICHELLE: @legallywined (IG + TikTok) FOLLOW THE POD: @perfumeroompod FIND YOUR PERFECT SCENT! https://shoplist.us/emmavernon/consults

The Podcast is heading to Alsace to chat with the head winemaker for Pierre Sparr, Corinne Perez! We discuss how she fell in love with wine, the joy of Gewurztraminer and the pros and cons of the Ka-Billion rules that surround making wine in France.  A great look into the wines of Alsace. 

Photo: Pixabay Note: I recorded this right before I got sick so I sound a little 'throaty' but I hope you'll enjoy the show nonetheless! For the first show of 2022, we start out with a dorky one and answer the question: Where does aroma come from and are the things people describe in wine like roses, smoke, and pepper real or total BS?   We take the questions head on and give some answers that may surprise you! Enjoy and thanks for your continued support of the show and all we do!   Here are the show notes:  We start with the basic, defining aroma, as I do in the Wine for Normal People book: The smells unique to the grape variety, demonstrated in a varietal wine in its youth.   We discuss perception, wine tasting, and then I review some very cool findings from this article, “Aroma Compounds in Wine” By Fengmei Zhu, Bin Du and Jun Li, Published: October 19th 2016   "File:Head Olfactory Nerve Labeled.png" by Patrick J. Lynch, medical illustrator is licensed under CC BY 2.5 At a high level we talk about aromas from the grape, from yeast and enzymes, from amino acids, and those from malolactic fermentation. We talk about the effects of weather and soil briefly as well.   Then we go through the laundry list of compounds in wine, and what each brings to the aroma, bouquet, and flavor:   Terpenes: In grape skins also in fruits, flowers, leaves of some plants. Big component of aromatic whites – Muscat, Gewurztraminer, Muscat, Riesling. Includes: Linalool: When in contact with other things in the wine, makes lavender, orange blossom, lily, bay leaf notes Geraniol: Rose petal smell Nerol and citronellol:Floral, citrus notes, also in flowers and fruit Limonene and citral: Found in citrus peel Hotrienol: Elderflower, gooseberry 1,8-cineole and alpha-pinene:Eucalyptus, garrigue (airborne and can cling to the skin of grapes)   Rotundone: In skins, aroma of peppercorns, particularly white pepper Photo: Pixabay Aldehydes: Hexanal and hexenal: Fresh cut grass, tomato leaf Vanillin:Vanilla beans, vanilla Benzaldehyde:Bitter almond or marzipan in Italian white wines Furfural: Dried wood, caramel, oak     Pyrazines/ Methoxypyrazines:  Green bell pepper, herbaceous notes   Esters: Created by reactions between alcohols and acids Primary fruit aromas like apple, orange, citrus, banana, pear   Photo: Pixabay Ketones and diketones: Beta-ionone: Violets, dark flowers Diacetyl: Butter, creaminess in wine - byproduct of malolactic fermentation. When combined with new American oak with its vanilla- nut notes - like buttered popcorn     Thiols/Mercaptans: Volatile sulfur compounds in grapes, released by fermentation (when bad – like garlic or onion!) 3MH (3-mercaptohexan-1-ol):Passion fruit 3MHA (3-mercaptohexyl acetate):Guava and gooseberry 4MMP (4-mercapto-4-methylpentan-2-one): Blackcurrant (Cab)   Lactones Sotolon:Sauternes, Madeira  -- either Botrytis or age has an effect here - spice, nuts, maple syrup Octalactone:  Coconut notes   Phenols are derived from oak aging:  Guaiacol: Smoke, roasted, toasty notes Eugenol: Clove   Other common wine aroma compounds TDN (1,1,6-trimethyl-1,2-dihydronaphthalene): Petrol or kerosene in Riesling Noriosoprenoids: Spice, raspberry, rose, vanilla Photo: Pixabay   What's the point of this show? Forget all the technical terms and just know: what you are tasting and smelling is based on something REAL -- not some nonsense made up by wine snobs. There is a legitimate reason for why wine smells the way it does!    _____________________________________________ If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes!  www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople     To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes   ___________________________________________________________ Sources: Scientific Papers Series Management, Economic Engineering in Agriculture and Rural Development Vol. 18, Issue 4, 2018 PRINT ISSN 2284-7995, E-ISSN 2285-3952 423 AROMATIC COMPOUNDS IN WINES Luminita VISAN1 , Radiana-Maria TAMBA-BEREHOIU1 , Ciprian Nicolae Wine Enthusiast, The Science Behind the Main Wine Aromas, Explained, ANNE KREBIEHL MW -- The source for this article seems to be the article above, which I also used, but it's a handy, quick summary of the more academic one above!

SAMEDI 25 DECEMBRE 2021 Vincent Fleith  Alsacien pure souche, il est la 11ème génération de vignerons sur le domaine. En effet, l'histoire du Domaine Fleith remonte à 1661 et c'est à cette époque que l'ancêtre de Vincent, Antoine Fleith donne le premier coup de pioche dans les vignes. Vincent a quitté quelques temps l'Alsace pour aller travailler dans le Beaujolais, en Californie et en Australie mais il revient vite aux sources. C'est en 1996 qu'il reprend le domaine familial de 9 hectares. Il cultive les cépages emblématiques d'Alsace que sont le Gewurztraminer, le Riesling, le Pinot blanc et gris et l'Auxerrois. Vincent a une approche radicalement écologique et incite depuis toujours ses parents à supprimer tous les engrais de synthèse, les désherbants chimiques et les pesticides. Il veut travailler les sols pour préserver la faune et la flore. Le domaine obtient d'ailleurs en 2008 le label agriculture biologique et Demeter pour la biodynamie. Membre actif de l'association Vignes Vivantes, il réfléchit sans relâche à sa pratique de vigneron pour garantir et créer des vins d'une grande qualité.   Philippe Cabrel  Dans la famille Cabrel, tout le monde connaît le grand chanteur Francis. Mais, tout à l'heure, nous recevrons son frère, Philippe, viticulteur. Avant de devenir vigneron, Philippe était technicien sur les tournées de son frère puis gérant d'hôtel. Il devient vigneron en 1998 au domaine du Boiron qu'il réhabilite avec l'aide de son frère. Il se situe sur les Côtes du Brulhois, à la frontière entre le Lot-et-Garonne et le Gers sur un terroir argilo-calcaire de presque 10 hectares exposés Sud. Le vignoble est composé de cépages noirs tels que le Merlot, le Tannat, le Cabernet-Sauvignon et le Malbec. Les vins du domaine sont aujourd'hui en appellation Brulhois et vins biologiques. Cette dernière certification s'inscrit dans une démarche de respect du terroir car Philippe met en avant de meilleures pratiques viticoles pour produire des vins plus respectueux des micro-organismes et des sols.  

DIMANCHE 12 DECEMBRE 2021 Charlotte Boxler  Le domaine Justin Boxler est une véritable histoire de famille ! Charlotte représente la 11ème génération et suit les traces de son grand-père Justin puis de son père Pierre qui vinifie les vins du domaine depuis les années 80. Elle est aujourd'hui prête à conquérir les redoutables côteaux Alsaciens et succéder à son père pour devenir, d'ici quelques mois, directrice d'exploitation. Aujourd'hui, Charlotte partage avec son père ses connaissances et son savoir en apportant de la modernité et de nouvelles idées. La conversion bio entreprise en 2019 en est l'exemple tout comme les premières bulles qui seront disponibles en 2022. Le domaine s'étend sur 12 hectares répartis en 80 parcelles différentes. La famille Boxler cultive les cépages traditionnels d'Alsace avec du Riesling, qui prévaut sur 4 hectares, mais aussi du Gewurztraminer, Muscat, Pinot Gris. La diversité des sols viticoles alsaciens compose une mosaïque de terroirs propice à l'élaboration de vins avec une forte personnalité.    Vincent Dureuil  Vincent a toujours voulu devenir vigneron et c'est pour lui plus une passion qu'un métier. Héritiers de la famille Janthial présente depuis le 13ème siècle, il reprend le domaine familial en 1994 avec son épouse Céline. Il fait partie de cette génération de vignerons visionnaires et a su faire évoluer le domaine par exemple avec l'obtention du label bio en 2009. Avec 20 hectares en Côte Chalonnaise et 3 hectares en Côte de Beaune et Côte de Nuits, Vincent est fier de travailler les vignes de nombreux terroirs exprimant chacun une subtilité et une expression originale sur ses vins blancs et rouges. Il exploite essentiellement du Chardonnay, de l'Aligoté et du Pinot Noir en appellations Bourgogne, Rully, Puligny-Montrachet et Mercurey. Soucieux du respect de l'environnement, les vignes sont la préoccupation principale de Vincent. Les vendanges sont entièrement manuelles et le calendrier lunaire est utilisé depuis de nombreuses années pour les différents travaux de la vigne.   

Ingénieur de formation et dégustateur hors pair, Olivier Humbrecht fut le premier français à obtenir le prestigieux diplome de Master of Wine. À la tête du Domaine Zind-Humbrecht , il exploite l'un des plus prestigieux terroirs d'Alsace, dans la famille depuis le 17eme siècle. Président de Biodyvin, il fédère les plus grands vignerons biodynamistes pour une viticulture toujours plus respectueuse des terroirs.  Avec lui, Patrice déguste deux vins du domaine Zind-Humbrecht:  Un pinot gris Clos St Urbain Rangen de Thann 2016 Un Gewurztraminer Clos Windsbuhl 2000 Deux bouteilles exceptionnelles pour une rencontre qui ne l'est pas moins, au cours de laquelle il est question de la philosophie de Biodyvin, de cépages anciens disparus parfois pour de bonnes raisons, d'une certaine approche scientifique de la biodynamie, des subtilités du Gewurztraminer et de ses capacités de vieillissement, du millésime 2021 et du défi qu'il a représenté pour le fils, Pierre-Emile Humbrecht, la relève et la 13eme génération! Episode enregistré aux Caves Legrand, Galerie Vivienne à Paris. Host: Patrice Defay @patricedefay1 Générique: Easy Living (Billie Holiday, Teddy Wilson)  Retrouvez-vous sur Instagram, Facebook, Twitter Si vous avez aimé l'épisode, vous pouvez laisser une note, un commentaire sur Apple Podcast, ça fait plaisir et ça aide beaucoup! Tous nos épisodes sont aussi sur le site de La Terre à Boire. Vous souhaitez commander la cuvée La Terre à Boire Millésilme 2020? rdv ici. Envie de découvrir d'autres podcasts parlant de vin?

If you like this podcast, please be sure to rate us 5 stars in Apple podcasts and like our videos on YouTube.  Sorry for the misfire - harvest got me out of practice!Episode 0024:Wine Reads – November 18, 2021Welcome back to Viti+Culture, and welcome to season 2.  It’s been a few weeks since our last podcast, but here we are, rested and ready to deliver some great content.  Harvest is finally over, a few fermentations remain bubbling away, the cellar is cleaned, our equipment is winterized, and we are moving into our next phase of cellar work - stabalizing and bottling sparkling wine, preparing to bottle our early release wines like our Cabernet Franc Rose, our White Merlot, and some of our Chenin Blanc, and finally disgorging some of our sparkling wines, such as our 2017 and 2019 Chardonnay based Blanc de Blanc, and Chenin Blanc.  I’ll keep you updated as to what winemakers are experiencing in the cellar as we move forward with season, and key you in to some of the winemaking decisions we have along the way.We are also launching a new segment - Wine Reads - where we choose an article from the world of written content on wine, read it on the show, and share our thoughts and opinions on the topic.  If you’re a wine writer, feel free to forward me an article for consideration at viticulturepodcast@gmail.com.  I’m happy to look it over, and maybe even discuss it with you on the show.  We will continue to produce and publish our long-form interviews on YouTube, but some of the shorter content will be podcast and Substack only, so make sure you’ve clicked subscribe in your favorite podcast platform, and sign up to our Substack newsletter.  For our first Wine Read, I figured I’d actually reflect on the 2021 vintage by reading the letter I’m preparing to send out to our Missick Cellars Wine Club.  I’m excited to be shipping out the first Finger Lakes produced Sparkling Chenin Blanc with that shipment, as well as some other really cool small lot wines, but I also generally engage with our members by sharing some of my deepest thoughts, and letting them know what is going on in the cellar.  Here’s a sneak preview of the vintage, an audio taste of our wine club, and a survey of what the final tally of the 2021 vintage felt like. Remember, if you like this podcast, please be sure to rate us 5 stars in Apple podcasts and like our videos on YouTube.  It really helps with the ratings and in introducing new folks to the show.  Be sure to tune in next week, where I speak with Phil Plummer, winemaker at Montezuma, Idol Ridge, and Fossenvue wineries.  Phil embraces the ethos of our show, those of the philosopher-maker, and intertwines culture, art, history, and music in some subtle, and not so subtle ways, into each of his wines.   So, here we go, our 2021 Missick Cellars Wine Club Newsletter:Dear Wine Club Member,                                                        When I was deployed as a soldier in the Army with Operation Iraqi Freedom, every few months we were able to take an R&R day, and head down to the large U.S. base in Kuwait on the coast of the Persian Gulf called Camp Doha.  Camp Doha had a PX (post exchange) that was both sized and filled with the inventory of a Super Walmart.  It was where we could stock up on nearly everything we needed, or wanted, to get us through the long weeks back at our small desert outposts.  Camp Doha also had a Starbucks and a Burger King, all of which brought a sense of normalcy, but also a little bit of cognitive dissonance.  I remember browsing those location oriented Starbucks mugs while waiting in line that list the city you are in, and looking at the one with Kuwait City and the skyline depicted.  I wish I would have bought one as a memento.  The pearl of Camp Doha in those days however, was a place called the Marble Palace.  It was a short bus ride from camp, and had a large recreational pool adjacent to the Gulf, there were therapeutic masseuses, and in many ways, offered everything you could find at a luxury resort.  It was, for a day, potentially overnight if you had some other business to attend to, a respite from the dusty tents we slept in, the day to day monotony of my job as a Signal Corps non-commissioned officer, guard tower shifts in 110 degree temperatures, and hours spent sitting under the skud bunkers scattered all throughout my home camp with a battle buddy, talking about home.  Harvest certainly does not carry the emotional intensity or gravity of deployment, I would not sell our servicemembers short by drawing a straight line between the experience of deployment and the intensity of the harvest or the crush pad.  There are analogies though, and in many ways, the pace of harvest rarely allows for the periods of pause and contemplation that a deployment permits.  Nonetheless, as harvest approaches, the mind prepares for what you know will be extremely long days, endless physicality, isolation from family and friends (outside the wine industry), discomfort, and exhaustion.  Similarly, it provides a purpose, a mission, with goals that must be accomplished, in specific periods of time with little room for error.  The elements of weather, of available resources, the risk of physical danger around powerful equipment if you’re careless or thoughtless, and the knowledge that there is an end date, all provide a very similar psychological framework to that the soldier experiences.  You have set out on a path, the end goal is known, there will be surprises and challenges, but at the end of this period, victory is in sight.I recalled my time at the Marble Palace, a place I hadn’t thought about in years, after returning home for the first time in what felt like weeks (though it had only been a few days), to spend an entire day and night with my family.  It was mid-October, about half-way through crush, and having the chance to push Andrew and Audrey on the swing-set in the backyard, sharing dinner at the table with the family, and having my wife Laure massage my shoulders that night made home feel like the R&R I had been craving.  I particularly enjoy pairing our wines with meals during harvest.  It puts a perspective on the hard work we are presently enmeshed in, and opening the time capsules of vintages past during dinner with the family, ties moments of our past to moments of the present, even as we all sacrifice and work for the future that is gurgling away through its fermentation in the cellar.   Perhaps the moments from my deployment were fresh with me this year after what we witnessed in Afghanistan in August, and during which I spent countless hours speaking with other veterans and checking in on friends that I knew had spent years of their life in that country.  Perhaps it was because we were shorter on cellar staff this year than in years’ past, placing extra burdens and extra work on myself and my assistant.  Maybe it was simply because I see my children growing so fast and am realizing how quickly time goes with every year we gather around the table to watch them blow out that additional candle on the cake.  And finally, it may have been because this was such a difficult harvest, where extra vineyard work coupled with crucial picking decisions dictated the quality of the wine that was made, and with our first year of a significant harvest from our estate vineyard, I felt an enormous amount of pressure to deliver the best possible effort to everyone who enjoys our wine.  2021 was our most difficult vintage since 2018.  As with 2018, moisture was the catalyst for a lot of stress on vineyard crews this vintage.  The heavy rainfall, high temperatures, and high dewpoints which kept vineyard canopies and clusters too wet for too long in 2018, had analogs for all of us who farm grapes in the Finger Lakes this year.  Granted, temperatures were not as high as three years ago, and dewpoints were not as deleterious, the rain proved a difficulty that we had to navigate around.  There were indeed some much needed breaks, three or four days here, maybe a week there, but from August through the end of October, the rain fell, and we needed to be cognizant of when it was falling.Though 2021 wasn’t our largest harvest, between our own wines and some custom crush projects, we processed nearly 70 tons of fruit, with about 6 tons coming from our own vineyard.  We managed an incredibly clean harvest of Chenin Blanc, Riesling and Cabernet Franc, with multiple passes in the Riesling in order to produce some different styles of estate wines, from sparkling to still.  Our vineyard, planted in 2019, is in what is called its third leaf, in other words, its third growing season.  The third leaf is generally when you can expect to get your first real crop, with an expansion of yield occurring in the following vintages.  Of course, yield is not the most important aspect.  The vineyard must be balanced, producing enough fruit to match the energy output of the vine, but not so much that you stress the vine or dilute the concentration of flavors that a vineyard can deliver.In addition, we worked with our traditional growing partners at Gibson Vineyard and Morris Vineyard, to bring in varietals like Seyval Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Riesling, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Valvin Muscat, and some other hybrids that will go into our Foreword series.  Although we have a significant amount of wine still fermenting, I must share with you that I am more proud of this vintage than nearly any in the last 10 years.  There are vintages that naturally make great wines.  The weather is perfect from April to November, harvest happens on your schedule and not based on the risk of rain, and every piece of equipment cooperates fully with no downtime or repairs required.  I think of vintages like 2012, 2016, and 2020, where a winemaker can only get in the way of making good wine.  Nature gave us great, clean and ripe fruit, and we need only fulfill its promise.  Vintages like 2021 require inordinate amounts of attention to detail, a willingness to sacrifice bad fruit in the vineyard in order to make good wine in the cellar, a dedication and time commitment unparalleled in many other fields, and a drive that overlooks exhaustion, lack of sleep, and sore muscles.  Those ingredients have added up to what amounts to be the proof of work, required in challenging wine regions like the Finger Lakes, and years like 2021, that deliver high quality, deliciousness, and inspiration even under trying circumstances.  These are the vintages that prove the mettle of the winemaker.  2021 will be a vintage that I believe will deliver some of our best sparkling wines.  On their way in the years to come will be a small lot of estate Chenin Blanc, Cab Franc Rose, Chardonnay based Blanc de Blanc, Estate Riesling, and Gewurztraminer.  Our sparkling wine program has continued to grow and witness strong sales, and we are responding by increasing production with the focused goal of being known as one of the great sparkling wine producers in the region and the U.S.In other areas of “winery life,” our brand change continues moving ahead.  New signage should be up by the spring, and new labels showing up on shelves in Upstate New York retailers.  Our new labels shipped in October, and we began labelling wines as quickly as we could.  Our new labels speak to our place, with the shoreline of Seneca Lake outside our cellar presenting the background frame for where we are, our new logo, as discussed in our previous letters playing a prominent role, and each wine now suggesting a specific food and wine pairing.  Of course, these are only my opinions, but I welcome you to try them out and send me your suggestions as well!I generally try to make our Fall Wine Club shipment focused on wines that I think will pair well for Thanksgiving, and so with that backdrop, each of these wines will be on our Thanksgiving table, paired perfectly with all of the classic accoutrements of my favorite holiday.  2020 Sparkling Chenin BlancI’ve mentioned in the past that we have been pioneering Chenin Blanc in the Finger Lakes since 2015, when we engaged in our first contract planting of the varietal at the Gibson Vineyard.  The logic was pretty simple… I love Loire Valley wines.  The Loire, being a cool climate growing region in France, famously grows Cabernet Franc and Chenin Blanc.  One of the most premiere subregions in the Loire Valley, is Vouvray.  What is wonderful about Vouvray wines, is that so many different wine styles can emerge from them.  From dry crisp whites, to sparkling, to wonderfully rich and sweet styles, Chenin Blanc from Vouvray exhibits an amazing amount of versatility.  Knowing that the Finger Lakes can have such variable vintages, with there being a necessity to alter the styles of wine depending upon what the year gives us, combined with the fact that Cabernet Franc is, in my opinion, our premiere red varietal, planting Chenin Blanc just made sense to me.  We garnered our first harvest in 2017, making only a few dozen cases.  We have continued exploring the varietal, planting our estate block, and making a wide range of Chenin Blanc wines.  This spring, I hope to release our 2020 barrel fermented dry Chenin Blanc, alongside our 2021 estate Chenin Blanc which was fermented in stainless steel and finished with a touch of sweetness.  In the meantime, I’m extremely excited to share this first, Wine Club disgorgement of our 2020 Chenin Blanc.We began producing sparkling Chenin Blanc in 2019, but that wine remains in tirage, resting on its lees in bottle, with an anticipated disgorgement in 2023.  Only 50 cases were made in 2019, and with its level of acidity, it will need time to grow into its full potential.  2020, being a beautiful and ripe vintage, also managed to deliver to us some exhilarating and fresh sparkling wine bases.  Our 2020 Sparkling Chenin is technically an early disgorgement.  Most of the 100+ cases will be disgorged at a later date, but with the profile of this wine showing such elegance, I wanted to disgorge a special lot for our wine club members to enjoy this holiday season.  Just prior to harvest, we disgorged 30 cases, removing the spent yeast sediment and finishing the wine with a small dosage of a few grams of residual sugar.  This sparkling wine is still dry, but accentuates the wonderful fruit that comes from Chenin Blanc from the Gibson Vineyard.  Rather than topping the bottle with a Champagne cork, we opted to use a stainless steel crown cap.  Most of the time, when I use cork on sparkling wine, I will let the wine sit in the cellar for up to 6 months before release.  It can take quite a bit of time to allow the cork to cease its propensity to expand.  Trying to open a sparkling wine that has just been corked is nearly impossible, and can be dangerous if it is tried with a corkscrew due to the pressure inside.  Opening with a bottle opener isn’t as exhilarating as popping a cork, but I assure you, it has no impact on the quality.  It also means, you won’t have a problem opening it on Thanksgiving, should you want to share it with family and friends.  Produced in the classic traditional method, the base wine was picked slightly early, fermented to dryness, and chaptalized with 24 grams per liter of sugar prior to bottling with a yeast culture.  The wine then went through its bottle fermentation and aged for around a year on the lees in the bottle prior to disgorgement.  This is the first sparkling Chenin Blanc ever produced and released in the Finger Lakes, and we managed such a small disgorgement in order to ensure that our Wine Club members received the first chance at tasting the “unicorn” wine.  It has actually been one of the fun benefits of having the only two plantings of Chenin Blanc in the Finger Lakes, since ever demi sec, barrel fermented, sparkling, and dessert Chenin will inevitably be the first ones ever produced and released.  My hunch is, given some time and the opportunity to taste what these wines can do, we’ll start seeing more and more plantings of the varietal in the region.  When that happens, you’ll be able to say you joined us in this journey before anyone else.  2019 Morris Vineyard RieslingAs you may know, my philosophy on Riesling is to treat it with utmost care, producing dozens of small lots from which I can later blend our mainline Dry Riesling and Riesling.  I do that because I see these two wines as the canvas upon which I paint my view of that vintage through this varietal.  Fermenting in small lots, in different mediums with different yeast cultures, provides the color palette from which we can paint these pictures.  It is from these small lots that some exciting single vineyard, or specifically designated wines come from.  Our 2019 Morris Vineyard Riesling is no exception.  An incredibly small lot of 22.5 cases, this bottling represents a single barrel of Riesling which exhibited such immense appeal to me, that I wanted to be able to share it with our wine club.  Fermented in a ten year old barrel that delivered little to no oak flavor influence, this wine was uninoculated.  In other words, no commercial yeast culture was added to this wine, rather, only ambient yeasts converted the sugars in this wine to alcohol.  The Australians have a term for these wines - ferrell ferments.  Ferrell, referring to the fact that the fermentations are wild, are characterized by their lack of intervention from the winemaker.  Interestingly, it also means that there likely wasn’t a single yeast culture that fermented the wine, but rather, numerous different cultures that rose and fell in dominance depending on the conditions of the wine, i.e., the alcohol, nutrient load, etc., at any given time.  It was our job to merely produce fresh clean wines with as light of a hand as possible.  Consequently, after fermentation, the wine was allowed to rest on its lees (spent yeast) until March of 2020, when it received a small dose of sulfur to prevent oxidation.  It was removed from the barrel in June of 2020, and bottled in July.  We allowed the wine to cellar in a temperature controlled room until this shipment and its release.  In ten years, we have likely released more than 50 Rieslings.  Some vintages have seen as many as 8 different bottlings of the varietal.  Of all these different wines, this specific bottling is likely my favorite bottling of still Riesling to date.  Although dry, it provides generous fruit and balanced, but bright, acidity.  It is a perfect food pairing wine, and will be an excellent accompaniment for Thanksgiving Dinner. 2018 Cabernet FrancOf all the wines I produce, if there is one that my wife will most frequently ask me to grab for dinner from the winery, it will be one of my Cabernet Francs.  She loves them, and she also loves the variability they provide vintage after vintage.  Our 2017 Cabernet Franc, with a bright and sunny fall, but coming from a slightly larger crop, was refreshing and light with prominent notes of cherry and raspberry.  It has been the kind of wine enjoyed with a meal, and just as often, with some chocolate and television, relaxing after we have put the kids to bed.  Our 2018 is a much deeper wine, with slightly more pronounced tannin, richer color, and complement of herbs to match the fruit.  It’s richer texture can carry fattier meats, and pairs just as well with game.  It has become the new favorite around our house, and it is wine I am thrilled to be releasing shortly.  As with the other wines in this shipment, Wine Club members are getting the first tastes of these exciting new releases.When it comes to producing red wines, I do engage in some slightly different cellar practices than many of my other colleagues in the Finger Lakes.  I have mentioned many times before, but saignee is a French word for “the bleed.”  This practice involves removing portions of juice from a red wine fermentation before the fermentation has begun.  The goal of this technique is to naturally increase the skin to juice ratio of the red wine fermentation, thereby increasing the availability of anthocyanins and tannins.  Anthocyanins are the red color molecule that gives red wine its color, and so by increasing the availability of this molecule in the fermentation, I am able to produce deeper color red wines.  Additionally, increasing the tannin naturally provides more bonding points for the color, and adds structure to the wine.  All of this is in the backdrop of understanding that berry size tends to be much larger in the Finger Lakes, due to the amount of rainfall we receive.  Saignee provides the winemaker with a natural tool to make deeper, more structured red wines, while also making some pretty delicious rose from that initial “bleed.”  Finally, there is an impact on the acidity of the wine.  Grape skins contain potassium, and potassium can help precipitate tartaric acid during the fermentation, naturally lowering the level of acid and increasing the pH of the wine. If you like this podcast, please be sure to rate us 5 stars in Apple podcasts and like our videos on YouTube.  It really helps with the ratings and in introducing new folks to the show. Get full access to The Viti+Culture Podcast Newsletter at viticulturepodcast.substack.com/subscribe

If you've been following my podcast (and the associated blog) for a while, you know that I've come out strongly in favor of varietals that are hybrids between American and French grape strains. I admit, I started out dubious about these varietals, having listened to far too many sommeliers deride these grapes as foxy, unwholesome, and lacking in character. But over the years of doing this podcast, my views have changed. I am now a firm believer in what Ethan Joseph of Iapetus Winery calls "The Triumph of the Hybrids." Here before us in this episode is another example of this triumph. Aromella, first bred in 1976, has only recently emerged into the spotlight. Indeed, it is so new that my trusty Wine Grapes book by Jancis Robinson does not even mention it. It is so new to the market, in fact, that the 2017 vintage that Sophia, Peter, and myself imbibe in this episode from Harvest Ridge Winery in Marydel, Delaware, may well have come from the first ever single varietal release of this grape outside of the Finger Lakes! In case you're curious, Aromella is a cross between Traminette and Ravat 34, which are two other hybrid wine grapes. Traminette's parentage includes the vinifera grape Gewurztraminer, which explains the bright floral character we noticed on this vintage in question. The title refers to Peter's lament that nothing good comes out of Delaware, though in the end, he was convinced that this wine was an exception. Enjoy!

Fellow BSers,Welcome to Part 1 of my interview with Joe Fattorini. These next episodes combine two of my loves; wine and BS, and there's plenty of each in the other! Joe is a brilliant guest - warm, insightful and hugely knowledgeable. If you like wine, if you like BS, you'll love this show.If you think about it for a moment, we can all reflect on wine moments in our lives when deciding what to choose was riddled with anxiety; be it a romantic occasion, gifting to one's in-laws or lubricating clients at a business dinner.Am I sending the right signals? I don't want to appear cheap, but certainly not extravagant. I want to be original but not pick a stinker. This is a world full of symbolism and ritual.Now there may be more critical adjudications in life than sifting between your Grüner Veltliner and Gewurztraminer; but few are as much fun! See, I'm BSing already, referencing the lesser known sommelier's favourite, Grüner Veltliner. I couldn't help myself.Not your regular JoeKnown around the world as Obi Wine Kenobi, Joe Fattorini is co-host of the wildly successful The Wine Show which has 250m viewers across 107 countries.Joe actually started his career as an academic. Between researching his MPhil on Food & Religion and teaching Structuralist Food Theory and Hotel Valuation Models, Joe wrote the world's first textbook on selling and marketing wine in restaurants, Managing Wine and Wine Sales, a book still used in universities over 20 years later.Joe has written extensively and broadly on wine. He wrote for The Herald newspaper for 14 years, he's written for all the UK's wine magazines and a range of American lifestyle publications. Never shy of controversy, he once wrote the 'most complained about article' ever published in Decanter Magazine.Joe was the wine consultant to the US PGA golf tour and has won numerous accolades, including IWSC Wine Communicator of the Year Award and IWC Personality of the Year. In 2018 Joe was named 22nd in the 100 Most Influential People in Wine by Drinks Retailing News, the highest placed media figure on the list.In this episode, we discuss:How Joe got into wine (sparked by school expulsion!)Veblen's concept of conspicuous consumptionWine as GodCelebrity endorsement and what makes a successful wineSymbols and rituals andWhy cleaning ladies make great whiskey tastersSharing is caringIf you like my shows and Sunday writing, do share with friends. Your support makes it all worthwhile!Share A Load of BS: The Behavioural Science Podcast Listening on your favourite appYou can find all my podcasts on your favourite platform: do subscribe on Apple, Spotify and others. And let me know what you think of it all, here or on Twitter @danielsjross.Now enjoy the show!Daniel

New York's Finger Lakes (aka #FLX) wine region produces world-class wines, notably Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Cabernet Franc and Pinot Noir. Meaghan Frank, Dr. Konstantin Frank Winery, one of the pioneer producers in the #FLX, discusses the wines and region. Tara Jasper is a breast cancer survivor who wants to raise awareness of risk reduction and genetic testing. Founder of Sipsong Spirits she producers Indira gin, a modern style gin, and a non-alcohol Indira Gin Tea.Fearless Fabulous You Radio Show is broadcast live at 12noon ET Wednesdays on W4WN Radio – The Women 4 Women Network (www.w4wn.com) part of Talk 4 Radio (www.talk4radio.com) on the Talk 4 Media Network (www.talk4media.com). This podcast is also available on Talk 4 Podcasting (www.talk4podcasting.com).

This episode is a replay which originally aired on June 26, 2020 Steve Matthiasson is the owner and winemaker at Matthiasson Wines, along with his wife Jill. He's a is a life-long student of the craft of viticulture and a proponent of sustainable agriculture. https://www.matthiasson.com/ https://www.matthiasson.com/wines https://ashesdiamonds.com/ We Talk About: -His background, gardening, brewing beer, and living in San Francisco -How punk rock was a part of his life and a few bands he liked -Some of his previous work experiences at wineries and what he learned -IPOB and what came out of that group -The launch of Matthiasson Wines in 2003 with 120 cases -His style and how he looks at the picking decision -The idea of balance in wine; comparing a balanced salad to a balanced wine -The quote, "Matthiasson wines bear an agricultural stamp, as fresh, lively and alive as the best produce from a farmers' market" from Eric at the NYT -His slogan: “wine is made in the vineyard" -Some of the wines in the Mattiasson portfolio -Tendu brand and the need for wines at a lower price point going forward -His Vermouth made from 80% Flora, a cross between Semillon and Gewurztraminer.

Welcome to another episode of the Everyday Wine Podcast. Today we'll be sitting down with Miguel Lepe, the owner and winemaker of Lepe Cellars who has been making wine in Monterey County for over 10 years. Lepe Cellars is a winery that focuses on making wine from Monterey grapes, and they recently opened their tasting room in downtown Carmel by the Sea. Lepe Cellars wines are characterized by their balanced, right fruit, and food friendly wines.  In this episode, Miguel shares with us how his relationship with wines began and his experience in creating and building a wine brand in Monterey County. Make sure to stay tuned until the end to know his top 3 wine picks and food pairings!    [00:00 - 04:31] Opening Segment  I introduce our guest for today Miguel talks about how he fell in love with wine [04:31 - 15:42] Getting to Know About Lepe Cellars Miguel shares about how Lepe Cellars started The concept behind the tasting room at Carmel by the Sea  Monterey County as a great location for wines Miguel talks about his wine portfolio Working with small boutique vineyards Exploring new vineyards Always open to learning  Creating unique and great quality wines  Join my wine club and connect with other wine lovers!  See link below [15:43 - 24:46] Building a Good Wine Brand The importance of sharing your story and engaging with customers  Why Miguel is passionate about wine  Wines and food The future of wine for Miguel  Separating personal taste and the market's preference  Finding opportunities to give back through wine [24:47 - 31:00] Wine Picks for the Month Miguel shares his top 3 picks Food pairings for the 3 wines Favorite book about wine Favorite wine for fun Favorite pairing  Final words  Tweetable Quotes: “Wine quality definitely starts in the vineyard.” - Miguel Lepe  “Building that connection between the customer and the brand I think really helps in terms of establishing yourself, building a reputation, and your brand's reputation.” - Miguel Lepe  “Regardless of what industry you're in, what your background is, food and wine just has a way of just connecting people together.” - Miguel Lepe  Connect with Miguel on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, or checkout his website at www.lepecellars.com/.   Let's continue the Everyday Wine Conversations and connect with me through Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, or feel free to shoot me an email at kris@krislevy.co. You can also check out my website at ​www.​klevywineco.com.   TELL US WHAT YOU THINK! LEAVE A REVIEW + help us get the word out there! Share this podcast to someone who wants to join the wine conversations. Go ahead and take a screenshot, share this to your stories, and tag me on Instagram!    JOIN THE CLUB through this link and handpick wines every month, from up and coming wineries, winemaker owned brands and wineries with unique stories while supporting those wineries directly. You can also join our Facebook Group to connect with other wine lovers, get special tips and tricks, and take your wine knowledge to a whole new level.

When it comes to the wine aisle, Fetzer delivers delicious, quality wines that lead with an uncommon conscience, meeting the groundswell of demand for sustainable brands. It's also widely available in 50 states at your neighborhood supermarket or wine shop for under $10. Fetzer has only NOW (after 50+ years!) started talking about their sustainability efforts with a fresh new package that actually tells consumers about their accomplishments on the bottle:The first TRUE Zero waste winery--reusing or recycling 98% of waste.Powered by solar and renewable energySaving water and reducing water intensity by 25%, Fetzer has saved enough water to skip 2.3 million warm showers over the last 5 years.Certified B Corp: Certified B Corporations balance purpose and profit. They are legally required to consider the impact of their decisions on their workers, customers, suppliers, community, and the environment.Bringing clean water to communities and reducing plastics in our oceans through partnerships with fellow B corps like Soma reusable water bottles and Fill It Forward.Find Fetzer: https://fetzer.com/https://www.instagram.com/fetzerwine/Sarita's Activity Book:www.vinemeupdc.com/the-bookFollow The Swirl Suite:@SwirlSuitewww.swirlsuite.com Sarita @VineMeUpTanisha @GirlMeetsGlassLeslie @Vino301Glynis @Vino_NoireSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/SwirlSuite. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

When it comes to the wine aisle,Fetzerdelivers delicious, quality wines that lead with an uncommon conscience, meeting the groundswell of demand for sustainable brands. Its also widely available in 50 states at your neighborhood supermarket or wine shop for under $10.Fetzerhas only NOW (after 50+ years!) started talking about their sustainability efforts with afresh new packagethat actually tells consumers about their accomplishments on the bottle: The first TRUE Zero waste winery--reusing or recycling 98% of waste. Powered by solar and renewable energy Saving water and reducing water intensity by 25%,Fetzerhas saved enough water to skip 2.3 million warm showers over the last 5 years. Certified B Corp: Certified B Corporations balance purpose and profit. They are legally required to consider the impact of their decisions on their workers, customers, suppliers, community, and the environment. Bringing clean water to communities and reducing plastics in our oceans through partnerships with fellow B corps like Soma reusable water bottles and Fill It Forward. Find Fetzer: https://fetzer.com/https://www.instagram.com/fetzerwine/Sarita's Activity Book:www.vinemeupdc.com/the-bookFollow The Swirl Suite:@SwirlSuitewww.swirlsuite.comSarita @VineMeUpTanisha @GirlMeetsGlassLeslie @Vino301Glynis @Vino_NoireSupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/SwirlSuite. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This is the first of a two-part discussion that Hilary and I had with my sister, Carolyn Taylor, Co-creator, Producer, Writer and Actor, best known for Baroness Von Sketch Show on CBC. Carolyn is a part-time resident of The County, so I asked her on to talk about some of her favourite wines from the region. In this episode, we tasted: Traynor Family Vineyard, 5th Element, White wine, 12.5% alcohol, $55 [A non-vintage, skin fermented, field blend of Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc] https://traynorvineyard.com/ Rosehall Run, 2019 Small Lots Chardonnay Musqué, 12.5% alcohol, $25 https://www.rosehallrun.com/ Karlo Estates 2018 Property Grown Marquette, 13% alcohol (not currently available) https://www.karloestates.com/ Karlo Estates 2018 Three Witches, 12.5% alcohol, $22 (blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon and Gewurztraminer

Mendocino County, located on the coast of Northern California, approximately equidistant from the San Francisco Bay Area and the California/Oregon border, was originally coined “the emerald triangle.” Today, thanks to Bernadette Byrne, the executive director of the Mendocino Winegrowers Association, Mendocino is now known for producing quality wines, including Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Gewurztraminer, and more. The region is diverse, the family farmed vineyards are quaint, and the wines fly free (on participating airlines). Come visit Mendocino County through Bernadette's interview on this episode of The Vine Guy. Wines tasted in this episode: 2019 McNab Ridge Winery Grenache Rosé , Mendocino 2013 Goldeneye Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley

We're back and ready to chat more wine! We explain our podcasting absence with some exciting news and recap an exciting honeymoon in two of Canada's top wine regions! All the while sipping on some great wine nabbed along the way!

We have traveled into the beautiful Anderson valley,and will stop off in Bonneville at the Philo Ridge tasting room. heather is the winemaker and I'm very excited to finllay talk with her. The wines are amazing and the vineyards are a story within themselves. we will check out the website and then open these fine white wines from Philo Ridge vineyards.So let's pop the corks and get started. Fred and Heather took possession of the property in August of 1999. There were already three acres of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot planted just below the house. The vineyard was planted in 1976 by the original owner of the property, Vernon Rose of Christine Woods Winery. The property was their original winery as well. There were an additional seven acres of plantable terraced land just yards from the original vineyard. We suddenly found ourselves in the wine business. It was quite thrilling and equally terrifying. Neither of us had ever actually farmed. We had read a great deal and we were well schooled in the wine aspect of the business, but we were lacking in that get-your-hands-in-the-dirt, practical experience. One of the first things we did was ask Norman Kobler to be our vineyard manager. Norman has many years of hands-on knowledge about almost everything to do with putting something in the ground, watching it grow, and making wine. Norman planned and supervised the installation of our Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris vineyards in 2000 and has worked hard to continue our education. We decided to become a bonded winery in 2001 and we released our first vintage in January of 2004: 167 cases of 2001 Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. We were very pleased when our first submission – our 2001 Syrah – won a Silver medal in the San Francisco Chronicle competition. Since that time, we have entered a number of competitions with our wines and have done very well, including 90 points and Editor's Choice for the 2006 Pinot Noir in the July 2010 Wine Enthusiast. We also received Editor's Choice for the Gewurztraminer and Pinot Gris in the same edition. Our production is now up to 2200 cases and we continue to ratchet up our production. But we still make each wine by hand in small batches of between 90 to 450 cases each. Our goal is to make great wines that have complexity and exemplify the best their varietals have to offer your palate. Pinot Noir is our primary wine, but we have added Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay and Viognier to the mix for white wines with Zinfandel and Vino di Mendocino (our red blend). (Gewürztraminer in German-language areas) is a pink-skinned grape variety that produces some of the world's most distinctive aromatic wines. Its perfumed style is somewhat polarizing; fans adore its intense floral scent and sweet-spice flavors, while detractors lament its low acidity and lack of subtlety. Gewurztraminer's parentage is hard to trace. Modern research suggests that it is the aromatic mutation of Roter Traminer (Savagnin Rose), and therefore part of the ancient Savagnin-Traminer group of grape varieties, which have identical or near-identical DNA profiles. As such it is hard to locate a precise area of origin, though Savagnin is thought to have originated in...this wine is dry and rich,and perfect with spicy food. Viognier is a white-wine grape variety known for producing textural, aromatic wines with pronounced stonefruit flavors; "apricots and steel" are the variety's classic flavor associations. On the nose, Viognier wines can also be very herbal, with aromas of chamomile, lavender, thyme and even a hint of pine. In aged examples and sweeter styles, this potentially overpowering herbal profile is softened by honeyed notes. In the late 1960s ,just 14 hectares (35 acres) of Viognier vines were all that remained in the world, located exclusively in the vineyards of Condrieu and Château-Grillet. Happily, the 1970s saw new life breathed into the near-extinct variety, by the Yalumba winery in... and now it's time to pour another glass of these great wines and enjoy the audio feature.Please click on the link at the bottom,and sit down with us as we enjoy these amazing wines from Philo Ridge Vineyards We will pour you a glass of each wine,and I will head out to the kitchen to start up a few dishes to go with these incredible wines.Cheers! Click here and join us as we enjoy the white wines of Philo ridge Vineyards .

Mendocino County, located on the coast of northern California, approximately equidistant from the San Francisco Bay Area and the California/Oregon border, was originally coined “the emerald triangle.” Today, thanks to Bernadette Byrne, the executive director of the Mendocino Winegrowers Association, Mendocino is now known for producing quality wines, including Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Gewurztraminer, and more. The region is diverse, the family farmed vineyards are quaint, and the wines fly free (on participating airlines). Come visit Mendocino County through Bernadette's interview on this episode of The Vine Guy. Wines tasted in this episode: 2019 McNab Ridge Winery Grenache Rose, Mendocino 2013 Goldeneye Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley

In this episode, I go over Pinot Gris, Chenin Blanc, and Gewurztraminer.

The StoryThe Fetzer Shaly Loam Gewurztraminer 2018 is sourced from vineyards in the Monterey AVA of California's Central Coast AVA. Shaly Loam is a type of soil associated with farmland since we are not told exactly where the vineyards are mentioning the type of soil without a vineyard location is being very specific and vague at the same time.Fetzer is an interesting wine company, they were started 52 years ago in Mendocino and is now owned by a wine company from Chile. But rather than simply being a brand name they are the North American headquarters and have an independent identity.Their wines are sustainably produced, they have 100s of acres of organic vineyards along with several hundred acres biodynamic vineyards. Biodynamic wines go organic vineyards one better and have wine and vineyard practices tied to the phases of the moon. They are also a certified B Company (along with companies like Ben and Jerry's) that balance profits with purpose and are currently trying to address racism on a corporate level.Gewurztraminer is a grape associated with the Alsace region in France, along with Austria, and Germany. It is usually a moderately sweet wine but has enough acidity to balance its sweet nature. Here is a review of another Monterey Gewurztraminer that may be similar to the Fetzer.This is a wine that is widely available (I think I found it for 6 bucks and I think I saw it at Trader Joe's) and is very well reviewed for an inexpensive wine. The Fetzer was fermented in stainless steel vats and a portion of this Gewurztraminer was aged "on lees". The alcohol content is a mild 12%.Fetzer Shaly Loam Gewurztraminer 2018 Tasting NotesThe color is a pale butter yellow. The nose is sweet and interesting, melon, hard lemon cough drops, honey, peach, tangerine, and tart apple. The nose is not shy on this one. This wine has a firm mouthfeel and while it is sweet, it is nectar sweet, like a ripe juicy plum and not candy sweet.It tastes of a stew of navel orange, lemon/lime, orange blossom honey, followed by a little Altoid's spice. The mid-palate adds peach, apricot, and tart apple. This wine packs a great deal of flavor, the acidity does not get in the way of the flavor profile but does not the edge off of all the sweet flavors on display. The Summary* The Fetzer Shaly Loam Gewurztraminer 2018 is a very solid take on kind of sort of sweet wine. I am not generally a fan of sweet wine, I understand it had its place, but I can skip wine at the dessert course. But I like Fetzer Shaly Loam, this wine tastes great.