 |
| Wines From North America |
|
| Wines From California |
|
| Although wine was first produced by
Spanish missionaries in California 250 years ago, a Frenchman, Jean-Louis
Vigne, is credited with establishing the first commercial vineyard
in the state in the 1800's. Thanks to the 20th century refinements
of early producers like Robert Mondavi, California now produces wines
rivalling their French counterparts. There's a wealth of information
and sites on the web devoted to California wine. Check out our links
and peruse our available selection... |
| Wines From Canada |
|
| Due to Canada's various cooler climates,
it's not very likely that they'll consistently produce fine Cabernets
or Chardonnays any time soon, but there's been considerable success
with Icewines, and various table wines derived from hybrids like Vidal
and Seyval. Growers are still experimenting with Canada's many "microclimates",
and it remains to be seen what the results will be. In the meantime,
they're still producing some fine brews... |
| Wines From Michigan |
|
There are some nice wines produced in Michigan, and we stock them,
but we're going to talk about beer here, as Michigan is home to
some of the finest microbreweries in the world, for instance: Motor
City Brewing in Detroit; Bell's in Kalamazoo; Traverse Brewing of
Traverse City, and more. Stop by and check out our selection of
hundreds of beers produced in Michigan. |
| Wines From Mexico |
|
| Although Mexico is usually associated
with Tequila in most people's minds (and we stock plenty), they've
also been making forays into wine making in northern Mexico, near
the Baja Peninsula. The varied terrain and climate in the area make
it possible to explore growing several varietals, including whites
like Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Colombard, Sauvignon Blanc and Viogien,or
reds, like Tempranillo, Grenanche, Carigname, Shyra, and Barbera. |
| Wines From Oregon |
|
| The Willamette Valley is Oregon's main
winegrowing region, and was established by the BATF as a designated
viticultural area in 1984. Many of the vineyards are located on southerly
hillside slopes at elevations between 300 and 1,000 feet, as growers
have found that lower elevations collect the cooling night air and
are too slow to warm in the sunlight, and higher slopes are too cool
and rainy. Oregon has been turning out some remarkable Pinot Noirs...Peruse
our selection to see what we have to offer... |
| Wines From Washington |
|
| Washington's Columbia Valley lies on
the same latitude as France's Bordeaux and Burgundy, and this fact
combined with fine soils, varied terrain, and a long, temperate growing
season, make it possible to grow a wide range of grapes. Cabernet
Sauvignon, Merlot, and Chardonnay thrive in the warmer vineyard sites,
while varieties like Riesling and Semillon flourish in cooler, hilly
areas. Washington wineries are giving the Californians a run for their
money in terms of quality, if not sheer volume. |
|
|
