On the Road with the Grape Guy is a on-going feature that follows me from event to event ... I post my thoughts, feelings and reviews of what happened and what I tasted ... basically it is here that I review the events I attend and the things that thrilled me.
Four days after arriving home, I find myself back in Europe for a tour of the Vinho Verde region of Portugal. Day one was all about the travel, as we spend about 12 hours in the air ... but upon arrival you'll see that it wasn't just about hitting the sack and resting up for the big tour tomorrow.
(to see the pictorial evidence of Day 1, click here)
It started with a seminar about New Zealand Pinot Noir and ended with a wrath of Sauvignon Blancs ... but this year I did not fall into the Savvy B trap, I decided that New Zealand must be doing something other than the goosy and grassy grape and so I set my sights on tasting everything but Sauvignon Blanc (and Pinot Noirs during the general walk around tasting) ... this decision made the room much more manageable, the tasting much quicker and I didn't need a follow-up appointment at the dentist the next day.
The Seminar ... Pinot Noir
A comparative tasting of two wines from different regions within New Zealand ... 60% of all the red grapes grown in New Zealand is Pinot Noir and in 2011 they shipped 1 million cases of Pinot Noir globally, so the grape is having an impact on their industry:
(to see how the wines paired up and my take on the rest of the wines at the show, click here)
