Travel: Articles

Apr

12

Take a Trip to Paris in My New Children’s Book

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I’m thrilled to announce the launch of my new children’s picture book, KeeKee’s Big Adventures in Paris, France!

I started Grape Occasions to share my love of travel, wine and spas with the world. If you’ve read my bio, you’ll know my love of travel started at a young age when my mom was a flight attendant. As a child, travel opened my eyes and ears to the world.

For the last 30 years, I’ve continued my travel adventures and had the amazing opportunity to live in Amsterdam for four years. In addition to providing content for Grape Occasions, the idea for KeeKee’s Big Adventures was born…sharing travel adventures with parents and kids.

KeeKee is the adventurous calico kitty who travels the world in her hot air balloon. Her first stop? Ooh là là! It’s Paris, France!

Join KeeKee as she explores the sights, sounds, and tastes of this beautiful and historic city. Young readers will share KeeKee’s delight as she makes new friends, discovers exciting places, and immerses herself in the fascinating French culture. And, they’ll have fun with the kid-friendly pronunciation guide and glossary in the back of the book, along with a unique and charmingly illustrated map of Paris.

KeeKee’s Big Adventures sparks curiosity and inspires appreciation for our great big wonderful world!

It’s a book you can share with your children each day or evening and take a little trip to Paris!

Check out our website for details about our events and fun activities for you and your kids!

 

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Dec

31

A Colonial Williamsburg Christmas

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This month for a little pre-Christmas celebration, we headed to Colonial Williamsburg…the 18th-century capital city of Virginia.

Prior to the Revolutionary War, Virginia was Britain’s largest, wealthiest, and most populous outpost in the New World. Today Colonial Williamsburg brings to life the story of a revolutionary city on 301-acres of Historic Area with hundreds of restored, reconstructed, and historically furnished buildings and costumed interpreters telling the stories of the men and women of the time.

Christmas in Colonial Williamsburg was a very festive time that really kicked off on Christmas Day…the twelve days of Christmas lasted until January 6, also called Twelfth Day or Epiphany. Colonial Virginians thought Twelfth Night a good occasion for balls, parties, and weddings.

On Christmas Eve, locals and visitors alike gathered at the Courthouse steps on Duke of Gloucester Street for the annual Williamsburg Community Christmas Tree Lighting and the traditional retelling of the city’s first Christmas tree. This is still reenacted today.

We spent two-days immersing ourselves in Colonial Christmas on Duke of Gloucester Street, the main road through the eight block by six block city:

  • Christmas decorations of the time consisted of wreaths, candles and greenery. Replicated today, over 10 miles of pine roping is used around town. We enjoyed the 53rd Annual Christmas Decorations Walking Tour where we learned all about the festivities of the time and took in some of the gorgeous wreaths still judged today. Materials for the wreaths today must be natural, found now and then in Virginia like seashells, cotton, yarrow, hops, wheat whiskers, magnolia leaves, peanuts and mistletoe (who knew it was a parasite that grows in trees?). My favorite was also the judges, the 9 out of 10 year winner…The Cow Jumped Over the Moon.
  • Firing of the Christmas Guns – a tradition dating back to the 18th-century in which guns are fired in salute to the Christmas season as an expression of joy and celebration – complete with the Colonial Williamsburg Fifes and Drums.
  • Strolling the streets, we toured the Capitol at one end and the Governor’s Palace at the other end. We visited the Apothecary, Printing Office & Bindery, Post Office, Milliner & Tailor, Silversmith, Blacksmith, Courthouse, Shoemaker, Weaver and Magazine (where weapons and artillery were stored). Local shops are also open on Duke of Gloucester Street like the John Greenhow Store that sells baskets, porcelain, fabrics, copper items, craftsmen tools and other goods similar to those sold by Mr. Greenhow in the 18th century. We found lots of unique Christmas gifts for friends and family.
  • We even saw the house where the first Christmas Tree was introduced, the Tucker House. Dr. Charles Minnigrode, a political exile from Germany who immigrated to America in 1839, came to teach at the College of William & Mary. A good friend of Judge Beverly Tucker and his family, Minnigerode decorated a tree at the Tucker house in 1842 for children of the family. The Christmas Tree has it’s origins in Germany.

My favorites of the trip were the dining and accomodations.

  • We stayed in a Colonial House, Chiswell-Bucktrout House on Francis Street, that was very lovely. All the houses are historic and immerse you in the times. Another bonus is you check in and enjoy the amenities of the award-winning Williamsburg Inn. When the doors opened in 1937, the Williamsburg Inn was meant to host guests, including kings, queens, and dignitaries, in the elegance, comfort, and style of a Virginia country estate.
  • We dined with the colonists at three of the local Taverns…Christiana Campbell’s Tavern (George Washington’s favorite for seafood), Chowning’s Tavern (opened in 176 for the ‘ordinary sort,’ this people’s tavern also serves Gambols, or late night light fare), and King’s Arms Tavern (the town’s finest gentry dined here). Every meal was cuisine of the time and dining by candlelight with great wine (try some Virginia wine!).

    • For more photos of our trip, see the Gallery. For more information on Christmas in Colonial Williamsburg, visit here.

    We wish you a Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year!

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Sep

14

Willamette Valley Vineyards: An afternoon with Oregon’s Pinot Noir

Travel / Wine  Written by / 1 comments

As part of Friday’s festivities at the 5th Annual Wine Bloggers Conference in Portland, Oregon, we had to board unmarked buses that would take us into Oregon’s Willamette Valley wine country. Our destination: Willamette Valley Vineyards and an incredible visit filled with Oregon’s specialty, the Pinot grape.

Willamette Valley Vineyards was named 2011 Winery of the Year by Wine & Spirits Magazine. As Editor Joshua Greene said, “Willamette Valley Vineyards’ performance makes it a great ambassador for the wines of Oregon.” It all started with founder Jim Bernau in 1983. They now have fifteen different Pinot Noir lots, make 30,000 cases of wine and are the leading producer of Oregon Certified Sustainable Wine.

We were met at the tasting room on top of the hilly property with sweeping views of the vineyards and the famous Riedel Oregon Pinot glass (we got to know it well on this trip…more on that later). Our group headed off with assistant winemaker Daniel Shepherd for a tour of the vineyards.

One of my favorite things to do at a winery is walk the vineyards with the winemaker. It’s so interesting and gives you fabulous insights. Daniel was no exception. He filled our glasses with their 2009 Pinot Noir, velvety strawberry cherry, as we looked out onto their rows of equipment and learned about the winery and Daniel’s history. Only in his mid-twenties, he’s worked at the winery since he was young. His father, Forrest Klaffke, was former head winemaker.  Some of the things he shared…

  • “Barrel is the most interesting thing a winemaker can do.” That is a very important element to him and Don Crank, head winemaker. They have a very aggressive wine barrel program to ensure their wine is smooth and velvety.
  • The Willamette Valley’s terroir is very unique thanks to the Missoula Floods of the ice age. It created ancient, volcanic glacial and sedimentary flood soils perfect for growing Pinot Noir. (Similar to the soil seen in Burgundy, France.)
  • On the 2012 growing season, as we stood in what had been a 100 degree day, he said they got a bit too ambitious with leaf pulling prior to the heat wave. Many grapes were now getting sunburn. The vineyard workers were making ‘sombreros’ out of the grape leaves to protect the grapes. But it’s looking like a very good vintage, similar to 2008′s complex wines with lots of tannins.

Environment, terrior and barrel work are very important to Willamette Valley Vineyards. Their sustainable practices are producing lovely wines! On the tour we also tasted the 2011 Tualatin Estate Pinot Noir from the tank and the 2009 Tualatin Estate Pinot Noir from the bottle…the contrast shows the beauty of their aging process.

My favorite wine of all tasted on our visit, which is also Daniel’s favorite, is the…

2009 Willamette Valley Vineyards Elton Pinot Noir

  • Variety: 100% Pinot Noir from their Elton Vineyards in the Eola-Amity Hills Sub-Appelation
  • Aroma: Dark fruit and spice
  • Taste: Burnt sugar, caramel and berries
  • Price: $45
  • My thoughts: Wow, this wine was good!! And at $45 you must order some! It’s a perfect example of Oregon Pinot Noir!

After the tour, we had a delicious dinner prepared by their new chef in The Founders Room looking out onto the wrap around deck and full vineyards. We also enjoyed several more wines, including:

  • 2010 Pinot Gris: Pear and key lime notes make this a very refreshing wine.
  • 2010 Whole Cluster Pinot Noir: Called ‘whole cluster’ as the grape clusters are chucked directly into the tank. This wine is full of strawberry, vanilla and spice. Same fermentation as the French Beaujolais Nouveau.
  • 2010 Tualatin Estate Semi-Sparkling Muscat-Frizzante: Sweet peach and citrus notes, make this a great after dinner wine. Very fun and different!

It was a lovely afternoon and evening…definitely worth a visit on your Willamette Valley wine touring. And don’t forget to pick up their t-shirt, “It’s Willamette Dammit!”, helpful as most people mispronounce the name. :)

Cheers & many thanks to the team at Willamette Valley Vineyards!

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Sep

10

Pfeiffer Winery: Oregon Wines & Experiences to Remember

Travel / Wine  Written by / 1 comments

“Fine wine has a destiny,” Robin Pfeiffer told us during our lively morning visit to his Pfeiffer Winery on the Wine Bloggers Conference 2012 pre-excursion to Eugene, Oregon.  The fact that Pfeiffer Winery sells 90% of their 70-acre sustainable vineyard’s grapes to King Estate Vineyards, tells you they must be good. After a visit with Robin and Danuta Pfeiffer, you know their grapes and wine are good.

Pfeiffer’s vineyards were originally a sheep and chicken farm in Robin’s family. After eager French buyers called a few times in the early 1980s about purchasing the land, Robin says he realized they didn’t want the land for cheese. The Pfeiffer’s decided to plant the grapes and now have one of the oldest vineyards in the state.

Robin and Danuta greeted us outside their tasting and wine making barn below bright south facing vineyard slopes. To say this couple is in love is an understatement…with each other and their wine. Robin, a retired school teacher, and Danuta, a former co-host of the 700 Club, married 18 years ago after a quick courtship including Robin’s introduction of his family’s wines. During our visit, they shared their love and gregarious personalities with us.

Enter the barn and you are in for a surprise…it’s an intimate ‘candle-lit cave.’ Danuta welcomes everyone with the proper way to hold a wine glass and the wine tasting basics. Robin is famous for his Pinot Noir clinics. We sampled both through tasting eleven wines as Robin shared his thoughts…

 

  • In looking at a wine’s color, use a living light source like a candle. The flickering light lets you truly see the color’s character.
  • In the aroma, the most important thing you want to get… “I can’t wait to taste it!”
  • In the taste, “Fine wine is the other person at the table. It has a destiny and wants to get married…to a perfect food pairing.”
  • “When the wine tastes good, drink it! Don’t lay it down.”

Robin and Denuta make wines they like to drink. The 1,200 cases are only available in the tasting room and for wine club members. Somebody in The White House liked their wines too. The 2007 Pinot Noir Blue Dot Reserve was chosen to be served at Blair House as part of Obama’s 2009 pre-Inauguration festivities. This wine is now lovingly called the Presidential Pinot. It was definitely one of my favorites.

 2007 Pinot Noir Blue Dot Reserve

  • Variety: 100% Pinot Noir
  • Aroma: Cedar cherry nose
  • Taste: Cherry, peppery with a sweet blueberry finish
  • Price: $70
  • My thoughts: A great wine with a great story!

I also enjoyed their 2011 Pinot Gris, the second bottle I stowed away in my suitcase to bring home. Robin surprised the group by opening a bottle of two more winners…their 2005 Pinot Noir, what Robin and Danuta say is the finest wine they’ve made in 35 years, and their 2010 Pinot Noir, the small 250 case lot to be released in 2014 “tastes better at this age than any other vintage” they’ve made.

Robin closed out our visit in their beautiful water gardens with a talk about viticulture. With grape vine, leaf and cluster in hand, Robin described it as this…

  • The leaf is the factory.
  • The product the factory is producing is sugar.
  • The workers are the sun.
  • The warehouse is the grapes.
  • It takes 12-14 factories to fill the warehouse in one cluster of grapes.
  • And the owner can’t control any of it, except the number of warehouses.
  • At some point each year, you have to pull the trigger and pick which warehouses to let fill up. let some of the warehouses fill up. It’s a guessing game but some grape clusters must go.

It was a morning full of Oregon Pinot wine, love and learning. Definitely one of the highlights of my time in Oregon!

Cheers to Pfeiffer Winery!

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Aug

24

Oregon & Beyond, Around the World of Wine at the 5th Annual Wine Bloggers Conference

Travel / Wine  Written by / 5 comments

Last weekend I attended the 5th Annual Wine Bloggers Conference in Portland, Oregon and Oregon wine country, the Willamette Valley. It was information and tasting overload so there’s a ton to share!

First you may ask, what is a Wine Bloggers Conference? I was wondering that same thing when I attended the 4th annual last year held in Virginia. It’s a gathering of wine writers and bloggers, and other wine industry and social media professionals to meet, learn, and share.

Over the next several posts, I’ll share with you wine and travel tips you can use. (If you’re interested in the industry news/tips, I’ll share those on Idea Sandbox).

  • Visiting the Wineries: The Willamette Valley (pronounced like ‘damn it’) is Oregon’s largest AVA at 150 miles long and 60 miles wide. There area also six sub-appellations. I visited three wineries in the Willamette Valley…King Estate Winery, Pfeiffer Vineyards and Willamette Valley Vineyards. Gorgeous with some fabulous wines!
  • Visiting Portland & Eugene: Portland is an enchanting city with an eclectic vibe. If you’ve seen Portlandia, it’s not far off. I also did a pre-excursion to Eugene,  about two hours south, in Lane County at the bottom of the Willamette Valley. The county has skiing, whitewater rafting, salmon fishing, beaches and of coarse wine!
  • Wine Discoveries: The conference was an opportunity to discover Oregon wines and beyond. Via wine glass, we traveled across the U.S. and to Italy, Greece, France, Portugal, Argentina, Spain, Canada, New Zealand and more. I’ll share some of my favorites which will take a while but there’s lots of fun stuff for you to try.
  • Keynote Speakers: Randall Graham, founder of Bonny Doon Vineyard and his great site/blog Been Doon So Long, and Rex Pickett, writer of the novel Sideways, shared interesting tidbits and insights wine lovers will enjoy.
  • Wine Blogger Awards: The winner of the 2012 Wine Blogger Awards were also announced. They’ll offer you some great reads and views.

    • That’s a little taste of what’s to come. First up, a stop at King Estate Winery.

    Cheers to the 5th Annual Wine Bloggers Conference and organizers Zephyr Adventures and the Oregon Wine Board.

     

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