Enobytes Wine Blog

When UC Berkeley Professor Richard Mathies began prototyping the Mars Organic Analyzer (MOA), he never expected it would help millions of wine drinkers that suffer adverse reactions from consuming red wine.

Funded through NASA, Mathies set out to develop an instrument to detect life on Mars. His MOA prototype analyzes Martian soil samples to find a broad class of molecules like organic sugars, amines and amino acids, which are key components for detecting life on the planet.

Many of you are probably asking how this all ties into wine and why you would care. Consisting of many minor components, wine consists of many amino-based compounds including Tyramines and Histamines, which can trigger a wide range of symptoms from nausea, headaches and hot flashes to respiratory disorders and high-blood pressure for many wine drinkers. If you are one of many individuals that suffer adverse symptoms, help may be on the horizon. Read the rest of this entry »

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Ok, so I have to admit, I was a little disappointed that Enobytes did not make the cut, but I know I wasn’t the only blogger crying in my bowl of Cheerios the morning Tom Wark announced the American Wine Blog Award (AWBA) finalists.

In light of the loss, I thought it would be amusing to create my own award where Napawood appropriately replaces Hollywood as the metonym for the Global Wine Awards, and the scenario would go something like this… Read the rest of this entry »

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1st Course:
Cream of Broccoli Soup w/cheddar
Green Cream Foam and yellow life raft
Dolcetto

2nd Course:
Stuffed escarole with red wine braised sausage and rice
Sweet and sour tomato sauce
Dolcetto

3rd Course:
Herbed tomato and romaine salad with Shaved Romano
5-seed croutons, dressed with Tonatto and Caper Aioli
Sangiovese

4th Course:
Garlic Goat Cheese Sformato (savory custard)
with roasted garlic, corn veloute and crispy shallots
Sangiovese

5th Course:
Hickory Smoked Cornish Game Hen w/ Marsala Macerated Dried Cherries
Yukon Gold roasted potatoes with white truffle oil
Primitivo

Finale:
Almond dough Cannoli stuffed with ricotta dolce covered in blueberry compote
Muscat Canelli

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Celebration dates such as anniversaries and births deserve a gift that will never be forgotten. The gift of a wine from the same vintage that commemorates either of these celebrations is enduring and thoughtful. As spring approaches, we all have commitments well into the summer that fit this description.

As most of us will agree the bubbly elixir of life, a.k.a. Champagne, usually comes to mind but as the occasion dictates this event is a celebration of commemoration. That would require a gift with a vintage that matches the date and only age worthy wine would be appropriate. Vintage Champagne of good quality and in good shape (older than 1988) might only be a fantasy. This would be ok for twenty year anniversaries, but you would have to exclude Read the rest of this entry »

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March 2008 Wine Picks

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We all know how cool it is to know just what to order when you’re out on the town and that bartender is sizing you up; we have all been there. Let’s say you have had your Single Malt Scotch devotion. Then single barrel, small batch Bourbons were your weakness for a time. You have Mojito’ed with the best of them and there is not a triple distilled, four column filtered Vodka made that you have not tried in a Cosmopolitan, not to mention the river of Gin that flowed in your martini days. Well may be its time you try Grappa, an Italian spirit that exudes luxury in a tough but classy style. This spirit has undergone vast improvements in quality over the

One such Grappa is a product from Castello Banfi that I tasted recently. A taste treat this sprit has a presence that exceeded the experience I’ve had with other Grappa. From the notable 9th to the 13th centuries, Poggio alle Mura was the domaine for this product making it one of the highest regarded vineyards in Banfi’s vast collection of properties. Smoky and intense, the Castello Banfi Grappa spreads across the palate in a pleasing manner with just a touch of heat on the finish. Who knows - your order of Grappa might attract a newly arrived Italian tourist and this next story will be of great interest to you and further the fulfillment of your hosting capabilities. There is a homemade lemon liqueur originally made on the coast of Amalfi and Capri that has become an Italian tradition. This liqueur has always been associated with symbolizing a cultural acceptance and a bond of trust to whomever it is offered.

Homemade limoncello; Photo credit wikipedia

Traditionally made at home, limoncello liqueur is usually made with lemon peels and pure grain alcohol. I’ve only been offered this libation after gaining an understanding trust with the person who offers. The reason I mention this tradition revolves around the possibility you have met and befriended a group or an individual Italian. Nothing says I care like re-creating experiences from home for our Italian visitors; do not attempt to cook for them unless your are a professional. Your ego will only be deflated and the mere three courses you came up with in two days will pale in comparison to the eight courses they will come up with at a moment’s notice. This is why we come back to the Limoncello idea. You can buy several Limoncello products already made (Villa Marzia Limoncello Limon Liquer) being my personal

favorite and depending on your personal bravado I recommend disclosing the fact that you did not create the libation you and your date are about to consume unless you have the skills to pay the bills. My serving suggestion would be of course an Italian complexity consisting of three steps. Beginning with a spoon of Lemon Sorbet first, then a sip of Villa Mariza Limoncello on crushed ice followed by a Pelligrino Sparkling water with lemon chaser. Now take this knowledge and become the best Eurohost you can become and then convince someone from Kansas this is how it’s done.

Enjoy! Marc Hinton

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Many who love wine dream of abandoning their 9-5 day job in hopes of buying a winery or growing their own grapes. Who can blame someone for wanting to experience a quintessential lifestyle mesmerized by picturesque landscapes of a well-groomed vineyard harmonized with an enduring peacefulness that encapsulates the land.

Undeniably, there is a certain romanticism associated with the wine business yet most do not see the opposing side filled with disaster and manual hard labor. Seasons Among the Vines: Life Lessons from the California Wine Country by Paula Moulton is a book that captures one woman’s journey of leaving the fast lane to follow her passion of living in the country and working a vineyard in Sonoma. Uprooting her family from San Francisco, Paula moves to Glen Ellen where she experiences a fascinating journey of twists and turns as her habitually absent husband continues his busy medical career.

Rather than focusing on the romanticism of the wine business, Paula produces an uplifting and emotional memoir filled with Read the rest of this entry »

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Culture is a funny thing and sometimes it seems as far as we have gone we’ve not gone far enough. Our recent outing (Enobytes) to the 17th annual Boston Wine Expo was an eye-opening experience with the trade and the public attending the largest and one of the oldest wine expos in the country.

The drive to impress was intense among the 500 exhibitors. One common buzz among trade associates in retail and wholesale was the search for better quality at lower prices. There was a noticeable difference between attendees at an East Coast wine event and those of a Northwest event with the most apparent difference being that they are focused on decisively different agendas. Read the rest of this entry »

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Welcome to our "Wine Regions of the World" © series. This map depicts outstanding wineries and upcoming tasting rooms within the New York Finger Lakes AVA. Here you will find Enobytes exclusive vineyard and winery information including geographical terrain, Enobytes tasting room and wine reviews, public reviews, winery hours of operation, location information and much more.

Vineyards near Canandaigua Lake
Photo credit: Finger Lakes Visitor Connection

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