Im Baaaack!

Hello all, I've decided that writing everyday will not only become boring for me, boring for you, and not to mention that drinking and smoking everyday, some say can be bad for you, I don't want to lead on that I do this things everyday. Either way, I hope that we all had a great fourth, and celebrated the freedoms that we still have left.

I had the pleasure over the last month to do some great things including visiting my neighboring vineyards, and trying some of what Ohio has to offer. Let me say, It was very impressive! I know everyone out there has a negative stigma about Ohio and New York Vineyards, But, if you know your history without the native grapes that grow in this region, Wine production would cease to exist not only in the U.S. but all around the globe. A long time ago, Phylloxera, a nasty aphid-esque creature was eating all of the Vitis vinifera (native to Eurpoe) grape vines in Europe and North America. Total destruction insued and the only way to ward off these sap-sucking, leaf-eating insects was found out to be the Vitis labrusca (Fox grape) that is native to the Eastern United States. Granted these native grapes made great table grapes and great jelly, they made terrible wine, but were immune to phylloxera. So to solve the problem, scientists figured out a way to use the rootstock of these American Vines, and the flowering bodys of the Europeans to create an immunity to phylloxera plague. Interesting eh?

One of the Wines I tasted while I was up in Geneva was Harpersfield Winery. Harpersfield is a great place, very beautiful tasting room as well as back patio. The best part of the whole expiereince I think is the idea that all of the wine made at Harpersfield is grown at the winery. I tried all the wines, but the one that stood out above all else is the 2007 estate Riesling. This is what Ohio should have been doing all along. Focusing on what we are good at, on what the wine in our area should be. It is a dry Riesling with apricot, and granny smith aromas, with a clean clear appearance that, follows onto the palate which is also crisp and refreshing, hints of melon and honey and an honest finish. This wine was a perfect compliment to the day of relaxing on the back porch.