I used to wonder about the tradition of drinking wine as in—what’s the big deal? Drink it and enjoy! However, after working in the wine industry and learning how involved the process is, I have a real appreciation for the liquid grape and hard work that goes into making a good wine. Did you know that it can take up to seven years for vines to establish themselves worthy of producing good fruit for making wine? Then the grapes ferment for up to fourteen days until all the sugar is gone, unless it is a sweet wine, whereas the fermentation will be stopped prior to those two weeks. After the initial fermentation the wine goes through a secondary fermentation process where it is barreled in either oak or stainless steel barrels. The wine will then age anywhere from two to four years before being bottled. So, the next time you drink a glass of wine, you may be drinking something that took up to eleven years to come to fruition. Now that’s something to appreciate!

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Summer Wine

Backyard parties, scent of evening jasmine, children's laughter and a glass of wine remind me of summer, which has officially arrived. When you're wondering what to pour this summer with your evening meal, first off, go with what you like. The rules of red with meat and white with fish and chicken are meant to be broken, as far as I'm concerned. I drink what I like and so should you. That "said," there are a couple of wines in particular that seem to go down well on a hot summer day; and that is a cold glass of Gewurztraminer or Riesling. These wines tend to be sweeter than many other whites due to the residual sugar left in the wine after fermentation. However, they can also be very dry, which may surprise you. The reason for this is due to the balancing act of the residual sugar and the acidity. So, just because the mention of these wines may conjure up thoughts of Blue Nun, don't be fooled. There are many a fantastic Gewurztraminers and Rieslings available and typically at a reasonable cost.

Both wines are fruity, floral, and spicy. The Gewurztraminer grape is a darker grape than the Riesling giving it more of an amber color. Gewurztraminer grapes are grown in French region of Alsace. Gewûrz means "spicy" in German. It is the main characteristic of the Gewurztraminer. Tramin or Termeno, a village in Italy in the Alto Adige region is believed to be where the grape originated form.

Gewürztraminer is most well known as coming from Germany. It tends to be sweeter coming from Germany. The Alsatian Gewurtz and Rieslings are usually quite dry and absolutely delicious. They are crisp, clean, full of fruit, yet have great acidity. There are also a couple delicious dry Rieslings from CA.

Rieslings are usually lighter than the Gewurztraminer and have less spice. This wine is fruitier with a mineral smell to it. The grapes homeland is Germany where it's been cultivated since the 1400's. Both of these wines go nicely with spicy dishes, or on their own while in your back yard listening to the sounds of summer.

A few to try this summer are Domaines Schlumberger les Princes Abbés Riesling from the Alsace region, Trefethen Estate Dry Riesling from Napa Valley, Zind Humbrecht Gewurztraminer from the Alsace region, and Claiborne & Churchill Dry Gewurztraminer from the California central coast.

Cheers!

(posted October 2006)

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This is the here on my site where I talk about horses and horse people. I want to tell you about a phenomenal book that covers both horses and horse people that I’m reading called Nobody’s Horses. This book was written by Don Höglund, DVM, and it is about the dramatic rescue of the wild herd of horses in the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, which isone of the most dangerous places on Earth. This is where the wild horses of our past have roamed for years. They are gorgeous, courageous animals that have become the forgotten lot.

In 1994 after years of suffering through droughts, food shortages and the dangers that go along with living on a military-weapons testing site, the horses began suddenly dying. It was unlikely that any would survive.

Don Höglund saw the tragedy occurring and recognized the need to rescue these horses before it was too late. Remember—these are the horses that so much of our past is based on culturally, from the western frontier to the mythical dreams of the wild stallions. There was no way that Dr. Höglund was going to allow these animals to die without trying to save them. So, he organized a group of cowboys, soldiers and other professionals in helping to remove the horses to safety. After that there would be the difficulties of rehabilitating them and placing them in safe homes to deal with. This book tells it in detail of how these amazing animals were rescued, their struggles, the people who struggled to save them and the dangers that man and beast went through to achieve this amazing rescue.

This book will touch your heart and you will learn about the horses that are a living piece of an American legacy. It is beautifully written and a thrill from the get-go, as well as extremely educational. It is heroism at its finest, and is not only for the horse lover, but for all of humanity, as readers can’t help but feel uplifted and touched by this incredible journey.

Typically I would not give a book review in this section, but I was so touched by the words in this book and the story that Don Höglund tells that I had to let my readers know about it. Have a wonderful holiday season and don't forget to check out Saddled with Trouble, my Horse Lover's Mystery series debut.

Cheers,
Michele

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(posted December 2006)

I can’t remember exactly what it was that made me fall in love with horses or exactly when it happened. My parents tell me that I began bugging them for a horse around the time I started Kindergarten, and I didn’t let up until my dad brought home Ivan when I was six-years-old.  Ivan was a gentle giant. He was part draft horse and Quarter horse, which made him huge—over seventeen hands tall. The way to measure the animal is in hands. A hand is four inches. The story behind this unit of measurement is that a kid went to measure his favorite horse. Not having a device to measure with, he used the only thing he knew would be consistent: the palm of his hand. Don’t know if that’s true, but that’s how it’s done. So, Ivan was one big horse, but truly a kind one.

As years went by, Ivan was the horse that my dad would put beginning riders on because he was so good natured. I’m not sure what makes one horse a better natured animal than another. My guess would be: breeding and how the animal is treated.

I loved to ride Ivan because he was so trustworthy, but one day my dad thought maybe he was too big for me, and he also wanted to be able to go out and ride with me. That’s when Charlie joined the family. Charlie was a Shetland pony who was gorgeous—sorrel in color, and mane flowing past his neck. Charlie may have been beautiful, but the one thing he did not necessarily always have was—a good nature—at least not while on his back. The day we bought Charlie, the people who previously owned him must’ve given him a little something to mellow him out, because he was wonderful when my dad put me on him. That lasted all of the trailer ride to the place where we boarded him. Once at his new home, my pony took it upon himself to buck me off—again and again and again. Picture a kid with sand coming out her nose, her mouth and stuck all through her hair, tears and snot streaming! I know, not pretty. My dad and the trainer told me “Get back on him, or you’ll never ride again.” So, I did. My dad isn’t too sure that was the smartest parenting technique in the world (if you ask him now), but I’m glad that he did it, because he was probably right. Charlie bucked me off daily for months. Dad bought me a hard hat and eventually I learned to stay on, and Charlie learned that I intended to stay on. Today, I don’t have any fear when it comes to being around horses and I think that has to do with my ornery pretty pony. Just being around the animals makes me happy and at peace.

Ivan and Charlie remained a part of our family until they passed away.  We’ve added other horses to the “family” along the way—horses come to stay at our house—well, it’s my parent’s house. I laugh to think that there is a team of horses who haunt the land of the house where I grew up in. But they become part of the family for us, even if they’re larger than life and have a bit of an ornery side to them. I’d love to hear your horse stories. Please e-mail me and share.

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(posted November 2006)