Behind the Cork™ - Signature Cocktail Collection from Oliver Winery

Oliver Winery of Bloomington, Indiana has just introduced its first Signature Cocktail Collection. If you’re craving a French 75, Sangria or Passionfruit Martini, you’ll love these new inspired bottled wine cocktails that give you a refreshing flavor with the convenience of simply chilling the bottles and pouring them over ice. 

Produced with a crisp white wine base infused with real fruit flavors and natural botanicals, the new collection includes three varietals that are the perfect complement to warm weather sipping: Passion Fleurtini, Blossom Drop, and Peach Sangrini.

With a 13% ABV, these refreshing wines offer a fresh take on fan-favorite cocktails, boasting a lightness and drinkability that’s great for both casual sipping and special occasions.

Just chill and enjoy, or add a garnish and pour over ice for the cocktail experience.

Passion Fleurtini ($13.99) - Passion fruit is followed by a blush of soft & floral rosewater. A delicate delight that should be served chilled over ice or in a Champagne coupe glass for a little extra flair.



Blossom Drop ($13.99) - Crisp lemon & elderflower shine in this spritz-inspired wine cocktail. Light and bright on the palate, with just the right amount of spritz. This one should be served over ice and garnished with a lemon wheel and rosemary. Or, just chill and sipped as is.



Peach Sangrini ($13.99) - This bellini-inspired wine cocktail is like a sangria, with notes of bright peach and zesty lemon. Deliciously light and drinkable. Shake over ice and serve with fresh fruit.

For over 50 years, Oliver Winery has upheld its dedication to offering a guilt-free indulgence at an affordable price, welcoming wine experts and novices to enjoy their offerings with enthusiasm and accessibility.

This Signature Cocktail Collection from Oliver Winery is a great way to enjoy a warm evening, or really anytime. And, at these very affordable prices, they are a great fit as this week’s Behind the Cork™ Wines of the Week! Cheers!

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received these samples at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Media Samples Provided by Oliver Winery via Dittoe Public Relations

Sunday August 18th is International Pinot Noir Day!

Photo by Chris Man on Unsplash

August 18th is International Pinot Noir Day, so let’s take a quick look at some interesting facts about this wonderful grape.

In previous blogs we got an overview of the Pinot grape and the tremendous number of Pinot synonyms (258!) and looked at the lesser known of the Pinots, Pinot Meunier and Pinot Gris. But, Pinot Noir is the star of the Pinot grapes.

Pinot Noir’s name is derived from the French words for pine and black. The word pine refers to the shape of the tightly clustered, pinecone–shaped bunches of fruit, while noir (black) comes from the dark colored grapes.

Pinot Noir is probably best known as the “red” wine in Burgundy and least known as one of the three primary varietals in the making of Champagne.

Pinot Noir is the world’s most popular light-bodied red wine that is low in tannin. It’s also a favorite for the production of rosé wines and can also be found as a white wine!

The most common flavors of wines made from Pinot Noir include cherry, cranberry and raspberry. But, its flavors tend to be highly dependent on terroir (i.e., where it is grown). Pinot is grown around the world and most notably in France, USA (California and Oregon), Australia, New Zealand and Chile.

Because Pinot Noir has such delicate aromas, it is generally recommended that it be served in a large round bell-shaped glass.

So grab a glass of Pinot Noir on Sunday August 18th and raise a toast to International Pinot Noir Day!

Cheers!

Behind the Cork™ - Wines of Beronia: Rueda and Crianza

In the North of Spain, Rioja is undeniably the most famous Spanish wine region, with a global reputation of trust and quality built over 2000 years of winemaking.

In 1973, a group of friends, united by their love of gastronomy, had a mission to create great wines to complement their culinary creations. The result was Bodegas Beronia. Their flagship winery is in La Rioja, Spain, with a second winery solely dedicated to the production of Verdejo located in Rueda.

Map Courtesy of Beronia

2023 Beronia Rueda ($13.99)

This wine is produced from 100% Verdujo grapes that were harvested at night to maintain the fruit's freshness and prevent grape oxidation. The pressing was done gently in an inert atmosphere to minimize browning in the must. Fermentation took place for 10-15 days, using stainless steel tank and concrete tanks. After aging on lees for a period of 2 to 3 months, the wine was clarified and filtered before being bottled.

This Beronia Rueda is pale yellow in color with greenish hues. On the nose it has aromas of citrus, with hints of white fruit, fresh herbs. On the palate, it is bright and fresh just a hint of bitterness at the finish. [ABV: 13%, Acidity: 6.0 g/L, pH:3.25, RS: <2 g/L]

2020 Beronia Crianza ($14.99)

This Beronia Crianza (“kree-ahn-tha”) was made from 95% Tempranillo, 4% Garnacha and 1% Mazuelo grapes (a.k.a. Carignan). The fruit was macerated for a few days prior to fermentation, before entering temperature controlled alcoholic fermentation with regular pumping over to extract the desired color and aromas. The wine aged for 12 months in barrels made of American oak staves and French oak ends. After bottling, the wine was left to rest for three months prior to release.

This Beronia Crianza is medium ruby in color and has nice aromatics including red fruits (cherry and raspberry) and herbal notes. On the palate it has big red fruit flavors, medium tannin and a really nice lingering finish with a bit of crisp acidity. [ABV: 13.5%, Acidity: 5.8 g/L, pH: 3.60, RS: 1.7 g/L]

These two wines from the Gonzalez Byass USA portfolio are perfect for summer sipping or anytime of the year sipping! And, the price points of these wines are amazing for the quality and level. That make them a great fit as this week’s Behind the Cork™ Wines of the Week. Cheers!

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received these samples at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Media Samples Provided by Gonzalez Byass

Ever Wonder? What Do these Terms Mean on a Wine Label?

Photo by Chilli Charlie on Unsplash

  • "Estate Bottled" or "Grown, Produced and Bottled by": These terms mean:

    (1) 100% of the grapes were grown on a winery's own vineyards

    (2) The grapes all come from within a single AVA

    (3) The wine was made by the winery on its own estate within the given AVA.

    Basically, every aspect of producing the wine happened at the named winery. Estate Bottled wines generally are of higher quality and therefore a bit more pricey.

  • "Produced and Bottled by": The phrase “Produced and Bottled by” means that only 75% of the grapes were fermented by the winery itself. The other 25% is uncertain. So, basically, this means that the winery has purchased grapes and then makes the wine themselves.

  • "Vinted and Bottled by": This means the wine was produced by someone else, but the winery selling it did do something such as blend the wine or age it.

  • "Cellared and Bottled by": This means the wine was made by someone else.

  • Single vineyard wine: A wine in which 95% of the grapes must be from the named vineyard.

A lot of information on a wine label is actually just marketing. But, at least you can trust these terms. Cheers!

Behind the Cork™ - Bianca Giovese White Wine

Bianca Giovese Vino Bianco ($34)

The Giovese Family of wines proudly announced the recent arrival of sister brand Bianca Giovese Vino Bianco, now available in retail stores, wine shops, bars, and restaurants across 20 US states and Western Canada. Each box contains the equivalent of four 750-ml. bottles of wine. That’s less than $10 a bottle-equivalent!

 Joining her “sisters” Sandy Giovese and Rosie Giovese in the newly established Giovese Family Wines portfolio, Bianca offers all the benefits that premium boxed wine presents to drinkers, including sustainability, longevity, and value that competes with comparable bottled wines. 

Like her sisters, Bianca is made from chemical-free, organically farmed Italian grapes, including Grechetto (55%) and Trebbiano (30%) blended with Sauvignon Blanc (%15). The grapes come from the pristine vineyards of Conti degli Azzoni, a sustainability-focused, family-owned winery pursuing B-Corp certification in the Marche region of central Italy.

Bianca Giovese is medium gold in color with delicate aromas of citrus. On the palate, this light-bodied wine has notes of citrus, nectarine and tangerine. It has bright refreshing acidity and has a fun sweet/tart finish. [ABV: 12%, TA: 5.2 g/L, pH: 3.47, RS: >2.0 g/L]

Don’t overlook this one as just another “box wine.” It may come in an earth-friendly recyclable cardboard container, but it delivers quality wine. And, at a great value! This makes the Bianca Giovese a great fit as the Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week! Cheers!

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this sample at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Media Sample Provided by Giovese Family Wines via Savona Communications