Springtime on the Back Deck with Fess Parker

Fess Parker wine on the Back Deck

There is nothing better than sitting on the back deck with my favorite wine poured into one of my favorite souvenir glasses from a winery that I have visited. 

The winery is Fess Parker and the iconic coonskin cap is on the glass. 

I had the opportunity to visit Fess Parker winery and vineyard and enjoy first hand their down home hospitality while relishing in the memory of one of my favorite actors from my childhood.

Fess Parker Winery and Vineyard Tasting Room

The winery and tasting room is spectacular. They offer a great Wine Club program and one of the best wine marketing programs to the members of any of the wine clubs in which I am a member.

That, and the wines are great and modestly priced as well. Fess Parker winery produces wines that have a nice complexity and should appeal to all kinds of wine lovers. In addition to wine, they also offer a selection of vinegars and oils which are largely unique. 

RECOMMENDATION: Try some Fess Parker wines. Better yet, visit the vineyard and get a glass from your tasting. They do not ship the glasses, I tried to get one to replace a broken glass. I am a red wine drinker and I joined the Wine Club because the Pinot Noir's and the Syrah's are very enjoyable and drink like wines significantly more expensive.

-- Bob and Christina Doan, Elkridge, MD

Opening Wine Bottles with Panache (not Grenache)

The wine bottle is on the counter, ready to open. Friends are gathered waiting to enjoy it.  All eyes are on you and you are confronted with the sometimes stressful and potentially disastrous challenge: How do I look like a pro opening the wine bottle? 

I have a number of cork removal devices in my arsenal from classic cork screws to my favorite removal device: the Cork Pops Legacy bottle opener.  Impressive name, huh?

The Cork Pops Legacy uses a direct approach to remove the cork from the bottle: an injector pierces the cork to allow the introduction of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the bottle to force the cork out. I like this approach because the corks are removed completely without telltale dust and pieces which may remain after using more traditional cork screws. It also generates a satisfying "pop" when the cork comes out of the bottle. (Starts the evening off with a fun "wow" factor)

The Cork Pop Legacy includes an integrated safe cutter to remove the foil from the top of the bottle.

I have used my Cork Pops Legacy for three years and found it incredibly easy to buy additional CO2 cartridges, I use Amazon and usually have them within two days.

Cautions: 

1. Old corks in deteriorating condition sometimes do not work well because they do not create a seal along the injector and the CO2 escapes. 

2. Some synthetic corks create so tight a seal that the gas cannot eject the cork and a manual extraction method must be employed.  

3. Do not let children handle the Cork Pops Legacy--the injector is very sharp and can easily pierce skin and cause injury. 

RECOMMENDATION: I highly recommend this accessory. I use it almost exclusively and have found it to be extremely reliable and effective. For less that $30, it makes a great gift for your favorite oneophile. It also makes a great gift for yourself.

-- Bob and Christina Doan, Elkridge, MD

Creatively Transporting Wine

Transporting wine home after a tasting or shopping excursion is one of the scariest things I do with my new acquisitions. I find wine boxes provided by the wineries to be flimsy and I often feel that the bottoms are going to fall out before I can get my wine into the house. 

I have taken trips by aircraft to visit winery destinations and I was faced with figuring out how to ensure my precious cargo arrived safely back at home. Somehow, wrapping fine wine in clothing and placing the bottles into my suitcase just didn't do it for me. I have been able to stuff 9 bottles into my suitcase and they all arrived home safely--but suitcases generally are not designed for the added weight of the wine bottles. 

A friend recently introduced me to a solution that makes me a lot more comfortable about shipping my valuable wine acquisitions. It is called The Wine Check. It is really ingenious and has received great reviews. It can be checked as baggage on airlines or used as a wine storage center in the car. I have purchased one and it is patiently waiting for my next wine excursion, which could be this weekend as I sojourn to visit some local Maryland wineries and vineyards.

I like the idea and the concept. Place the bottles in tight fitting styrofoam sleeves to protect them from the bumps of travel and insulate them from the cold of the airline cargo holds during flight. Even in the car, the bottles are insulated from the winter cold or the summer sun while driving from winery to winery seeking the best that the vineyards have to offer.

On top of that, there are convenient handles and wheels to make transporting wine less of a back breaking experience.

The images above are my The Wine Check and am preparing to use. I am very excited and I found the price for protecting my valuable new acquisitions very reasonable. I found mine online at Brookstone, by the way, to avoid the seemingly high shipping costs of ordering it directly from the manufacturer.

RECOMMENDATION: A valuable accessory for every wine lover.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Winery Sponsored Wine Clubs

Have you thought about joining a winery/vineyard sponsored wine club? Many wineries offer the opportunity to join their wine clubs while at the vineyard for a tasting. I am usually torn if I really like the wines, but I need to be careful not to join too many wine clubs

Wine Club Shipment Arrives

Winery/Vineyard based wine clubs are fun. The best ones are close enough to allow participation in the Club events which cement the relationship between the club member and the winery/vineyard. 

What are the advantages of becoming a member of a wine club associated with a winery? Activities, education, wine, and having new releases automatically shipped to the door. The wine club that I have most enjoyed is the one at Keswick Vineyards in Virginia. Through this club I developed a connection to the owners and more importantly the winemaker. Being a member of this club has stimulated my interest in wine--going beyond just drinking to beginning to understand the agricultural challenges and with winemaking science of wine making. One of my most memorable Wine Club events was walking through the vineyard in the summer heat and having everything explained buy the owner and the winemaker--and then sitting down to lunch and continuing the education and enjoying wine before it was released. I have gained a deep appreciation that wines do just happen, they are made and the vineyards don't grow grapes--they grow wine. Everything is focused upon the eventual release of the wine in the bottle.

Arcadian Grand Cru Wine Club  New Arrivals

I am a member of a couple very special west coast winery clubs, too. I enjoy getting their wines every quarter, but it is impossible for me to participate in the events that they hold. I feel disconnected with them, but certainly enjoy their wines and look forward to each shipment to renew my connection with the wines and the winemaker. . And I know that the next time I visit their tasting rooms or wineries, I will receive special treatment. 

When deciding to join a wine club consider proximity to be able to enjoy the activities, the shipping costs in addition to the monthly or quarterly wine shipments, discounts on purchases, additional options--like barrel ownership, and whether the you generally like the wines because you will likely get to sample many wines that you would not normally purchase.

It is OK to test out a wine club and don't forget, if it doesn't meet your expectations, you can cancel your membership--usually after one year.

Happy Wine Drinking!

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD

Vino Volo - For the Wine Lover in You

Vino Volo in the Seattle-Tacoma Airport

I have a new place that I love spending time when I am traveling and stuck waiting for flights in an airport. It is Vino Volo! Yup--wine available in the airport to calm my nerves, make me feel better and help me learn more about my favorite beverage. 

Vino Volo offers a wine club that provides an expensive wine tasting for a reasonable, $2 price. That alone is worth the visit. But wait, there's more! 

Vino Volo offers a relaxing wine respite in the middle of the busiest airports imaginable. Some airports, like Denver, have two Vino Volo's. 

The shop offers wine tastings--flights of wine constructed to expand the palate and introduce new wines of a similar characteristics to the taster. It is a great way to expand wine horizons AND they offer food too! Each of the wines is served with a specially designed information sheet that explains the wine and the flavors. And they sell the wine too--so if you like it, buy it. 

So instead of grabbing a day old sandwich from some unknown place to take on a flight--stop into Vino Volo's and drink wine and eat a made to order gourmet sandwich while waiting to for the opportunity to be crammed into another too small airplane seat.

Join the club. I love tasting $65 bottles of wine for $2! I enjoy their selection of interesting wines which changes monthly to maintain its creativity while also including some local wines. 

RECOMMENDATION: Join the club and stop buy your nearest Vino Volo to enjoy the wine.

-- Bob Doan, Writing from the Seattle-Tacoma Airport, Washington

Wine--the Easy Way

Consider, for a moment, that you are standing in a wine store confronted by hundreds of choices trying to buy a wine to take to a friend's house for dinner. 

How much should you spend on a bottle of wine?

What wine is best with what they are serving for dinner--and of course you haven't a clue what's being served for dinner. 

What do they like?

Panic is setting in and enveloping you. The only wine you enjoy is ones that other people pick out. You feel overwhelmed and totally unprepared for the task you are facing.

Your palms are sweaty. 


Stop and take a quick assessment of the situation.

Do you like white or red wines? Sweet or dry? You wonder, should I spend $35? $25? $15 on a bottle of wine? 

Advice: I am a red wine drinker, but in this situation I am going to bring a bottle of white wine, probably a German Riesling,  between $15 and $20 to take as a dinner gift. 

Why? 

Because Riesling is a solid wine that goes with many dishes and stands alone well. Also, most wine drinkers prefer white wines over red wines.

You will be a genius! 

-- Bob and Chris Doan, Elkridge, MD

Wines from the Texas Hill Country

When I think of the Texas Hill Country west of Austin, Texas, I think of Springtime and bluebonnets. I remember driving through the region many times during the years I was assigned to the Air Force base in San Angelo, Texas, and wondering why the base couldn't be 90 miles east of where it was.

The region is beautiful and I always enjoyed the drive, except for one icy, winter day.

But that written, I never associated the Texas Hill Country with wine! Who knew? I didn't. Turns out, Texas is the fifth largest wine producing region in the United States! Wow! And then there comes along this cool contest, sponsored by Wine Enthusiast, to help people become familiar with Texas and Texas Hill Country wines. I am writing this article to hopefully win a trip to Texas as a wine destination! Who knew.

If I win the contest, I definitely want to experience all the various forms of Texas wines. I am familiar with many other U.S. wine regions--California, Washington, Oregon, Virginia, and New York--but I dearly want to add Texas to the list. Not only that, but if I could travel to the Texas wine country during the springtime, I could take a lot of pictures of the Texas State Flower.

With red wines rated in the low 90's and high 80's--there has to be some excellent drinking. You can review the Texas wine ratings for yourself, but wouldn't it be better to do them in person? I thin the Llano 1997 Signature Red, rated 91 for $9 looks especially enticing!

They do everything bigger in Texas, so they say. Maybe that applies to wines, too.

-- Bob Doan, Elkridge, MD