First snow of the year

Here in our little village of Blowing Rock, NC, we are bracing for the first true cold weather of the season that has promised to bring us our very first snow of the year.  The wind is blustering and the enchantment of winter is in the air.

There are two things on my mind as I finish up here in the Wine Shop this evening… what hot soups and stews do I want, and which hearty red wines will warm the soul as this storm rolls in tonight?

So, cuddle up with your love and grab a couple of glasses and let the world know what your favorite winter wines and activities are!

The Blue Ridge (international) Wine and Food Festivel

I’ve been to far more wine festivals and wine competitions than I care to count. Seven years ago, before we dreamed of Christopher’s Wine & Cheese we initiated an effort in conjunction with the Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce to develop a local wine festival to bring people into our community to experience the wonder and delight of Blowing Rock during the month of April. It was then decided the concept was viable and a committee was formed to develop and execute The Blue Ridge Wine & Food Festival.

It began as a very small, intimate affair with wine education seminars, a local wine competition, and a cooking competition among local chefs. It has grown beyond measure since that point and time, mostly in good ways. The festival has grown from something small and local into something much more exclusive and international with promise of great things to develop yet.

The first year it seemed that we had to absolutely beg for 4 local chef-types to participate in the Fire on the Rock Chef’s Challenge; today there are preliminary competitions that begin in February leading up to the festival because so many of our local culinary experts are participating.

Our first year of  the festival, we had to seek out and beg for facilitators to direct our seminars and bring in a chef to do cooking demos and classes. Today, we have culinary talents that ask to join in and our seminars span the course of multiple days bringing in talents from culinary universities, university level professors, trades professionals, and just down right interesting people.

Our first year, we were barely able to fill the grand tasting with local, North Carolina Wineries. This year we have wine makers from around the world wanting to know how they too can participate in our festival. We have wines from North Carolina, Virginia, California, Washington, Oregon, Chili, Argentina, New Zealand, Australia, France, Spain, Germany, Japan, and Italy.

Uncorked! has grown from a small gathering of locals into a festive party themed from a wine region around the world in which people gather to celebrate and get primed for the festival. Wine Maker’s Dinners have become a huge affair that chef’s dream of the rock star wine maker of their choice and what they would prepare for a pairing with the wines from that wine maker for a year.

Our lodging partners are always stocked and ready to help guests of Blowing Rock not only with accommodations, but with plans and packages to simplify the matter of getting into the programs you’re interested in. Give them a call and let them help you make a long weekend of wine festivities this year.

All of the improvements and growth of our international Blue Ridge Wine & Food Festival is because of one single factor- you. You come and participate and wine makers from around the globe have watched, listened, and been captivated by you and your interest in high quality wine and food, and they’re seeking to get into a position to have you in their audience. This year, I think we have one of the most exciting line ups in the nation for a wine festival, and I bet you are going to love it!

So, check it out and make sure to get here next weekend!

A Blind Tasting of Cabernet Sauvignon

Friday, January 14, 2011 at 5:30 pm Christopher’s will host a blind Tasting of Cabernet Sauvignon. There will be selections from various points around the world at a variety of price points. The beauty of a blind tasting is that many of our prejudices and biases against, or for t a particular region are (at least initially) removed and we can work through the profile without most of our human biases.

Cabernet Sauvignon

Cabernet Sauvignon has risen to acclaim among wine lovers world wide rapidly as it is among the youngest of the Bordeaux Grapes being a hybrid by French Oenologists with the parent grapes being the Cabernet Franc and the Sauvignon Blanc- and Cabernet Sauvignon has made its parents proud!!

Cabs range from medium-bodied to full-bodied and are characterized by their high tannin content which serves to provide structure and intrigue while supporting the rich fruit characteristics. The flavor profile includes plum, cherry, blackberry, blueberry, warm spice, vanilla, tobacco and sometimes leather aromas and or flavors.

(January) 2011- Friday Night Programs:

It’s the eve before a new year and that means a new series of programs to be developed and worked out for Christopher’s Wine & Cheese. We hope the programs listed below might entice you to join us one Friday, or at least to enjoy a new wine!

January 7, 2011: Red Zinfandel (no pink stuff!) tasted blind. From the primativo to the standard zinfandel to old vine zinfandel… we’ll taste through several and look at what makes a zinfandel a zinfandel!

January 14, 2011: Cabernet Sauvignon tasted blind. From soft, low tannins to bold rich luscious cocoa driven undertones… we’ll again taste without prejudice for region, nor price point to find the quintessential elements of a cabernet sauvignon.

January 21, 2011: Wines under $20. A series of wines that are banging for the buck! We’ll swirl through some outstanding finds for the money! In fact, we’re offering this more as a flight in the shop this Friday evening for $9 per person… stop in, taste and take a look at our collection as you warm your soul and revel in pinching a penny!

January 28, 2011: Pinot Noir tasted Blind. Pinot Noir is among the most popular wine on the market still… it is proving to have extraordinary staying power that many thought would have faded by now. We”’ blindly explore these fascinating wines from around the country and world tonight!

Feel free to give s a call at 828-414-9111 to make a reservation at your convenience. It is recommended to let us know you’re attending.

And to the future…

We survived Sunset Stroll last night. Anyone that missed it missed a great block party! We had tons of folks come by and visit with us and the artists admiring the works created from their minds as well as the art of the juice. A perfect mid-summer night’s dream for us!

Now we’re bracing ourselves for next weekend. Blowing Rock is hosting the “Symphony of the Mountains” by the lake at Chetola. Our role is very simple, to find some of the best picnic items for you to take with you to the lake for the evening. We have stocked up on cheeses that are hardy enough to stand up to the event, Lamb Chopper from Cypress Grove is a HUGE sheep’s milk cheese that is reminiscent of a perfectly aged gouda,  Chocolate Stout Cheddar is a light and refreshing cheddar perfect for a summertime picnic by the lake, and there is always piave, the perfect cheese for a wine lover!

As for the wines we’re featuring for the event… a French Muscadet (Petite M)  that is crisp, dry, and refreshing poinsed against any of the Pinot Noir we carry to make a perfectly balanced basket! Blouberg is a light refreshing blend of white grapes from South Africa and I personally think a lightly chilled Malbec is wonderful with cheese and salami.

So, start now at this very moment and plan to be up here in Blowing Rock next Friday afternoon (July 23) to enjoy one of the biggest, bestest, most bad ass events our town has to offer. And as always, come by and say hello… we always like meeting wonderful people when they’re in our little village! As we enjoy the day, the Music and the juice in our glasses, we’ll be certain to lift a glass to salute you – our most prized friends.