Wine
The Quantum Pontiff
Category archives for Wine
Grape Crush Time
Posted by Dave Bacon on October 19, 2009 The grapes have been picked up and the fermenting has (hopefully!) begun. This year I’m trying two types of grapes, Cabernet Sauvignon and Sangiovese.
Villa Sophia 2009: Il Monstro Viola
Posted by Dave Bacon on May 11, 2009 This weekend was bottling weekend. Bottled up nine gallons of cab, Il Monstro Viola (this was the year that the purple monster in our front yard died) yielding 55 bottles of wine. Interestingly the two carboys I used had distinctively different tastes, one had a much stronger oak taste than the other. But both batches,…
Villa Sophia Cab 2008: The Beginnings
Posted by Dave Bacon on October 29, 2008 This weekend the grapes for my second “real” batch of wine were delivered to Mountain Homebrew and Wine Supply. Last years vintage, Villa Sophia “La Gruccia” was a success in that it didn’t turn to vinegar and that over time it is definitely mellowing out, but I wouldn’t say it was a fantastic wine. This…
Robert Mondavi
Posted by Dave Bacon on May 16, 2008 Robert Mondavi, who helped put Napa Valley on the world wine map has passed away age 94. The most famous story about Mondavi involves a fight: The Mondavis moved to Napa, and Cesare, Robert and Robert’s younger brother, Peter, ran the winery. But there were disagreements about how the winery should be run, and after…
Factoid of the Day
Posted by Dave Bacon on April 8, 2008 Who knew: Jello is best paired with Moscato D’asti.
Villa Sophia 2007 “Gruccia”
Posted by Dave Bacon on January 21, 2008 This weekend was “bottling weekend.” Here is one of the final products: That’s right, the Villa Sophia, 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon “Gruccia” has found its way, with a little labor on my part, out of the carboys and into the bottle. This year’s wine is called “gruccia.” You see at one point during the winemaking a…
Off the Queue and Into the Neurons
Posted by Dave Bacon on January 2, 2008 Books conquered during the holiday resting season: “Learning the World” by Ken MacLeod, “The Crack in Space” by Philip K. Dick, and “Washington Wines and Wineries: The Essential Guide” by Paul Gregutt.