Sabin Wine Journeys

January 23, 2025.   Since early January, we have been relatively house-bound due to viruses we ping-ponged between us and due to a long stretch of stubborn Siberian weather that we have been unable to evict for weeks, like a bad renter.   When we looked for some new wineries to visit, we found a number of them closed until Spring.   As a measure of our house-boundedness, here’s a little survey about one of the most essential but humble tools in the enjoyment of wine – the cork puller . I am not a helixophile, but I have amassed a small collection of corkpullers over time – they are descendants of a proud history of necessity in and of themselves.   Almost as soon as cider or wine or spirits began being stored in bottles and sealed with cork, generally in the 17 th Century, there was a need for an effective cork extractor.   The earliest corkpullers were adapted from gun worms that were used to clean unspent gunpowder from artillery and muzzleloaders. ...

January 8, 2025.   Well gang, no one responded to the Winery Challenge experiment.   While we cogitate about the future of this game, here are the answers: Great Mural : Chestnut Oak.   Carol Barber’s 40 foot wide wine mural. “My Sharona” : Crushed Cellars.   Bob Kalok and his hippie vibe.   Italian (two possible answers) : Barboursville owned by the Zonin Company or Bill Gadino, a second generation Italian.   Indian :   Narmada Winery is named Pandit Patil’s mother who sold her jewelry to pay for his plane ticket to the States. Dream, Build, Believe : The book Stephen and Sharron Mackey wrote about building Notaviva Winery. Four Blonds : A white wine blend at Good Luck Cellars. Rescue Dogs : A feature at Magnolia, Glenn and Tina Marchione’s dog-friendly winery. “Thomas Jefferson” Tree : Lewis and Clark may have seen this tree at Septenary Farm. May Arrive by Boat :   Three docks await boat traffic at Jacey Vineyards. Quat and G...

January 3, 2025.  Hello Gentle Readers and Welcome to 2025!   We are beginning the year with our fourth annual interview with Annette Ring Boyd, Director of the Virginia Wine Marketing Office in Richmond.   Our discussion took place on December 23, 2024.   Annette has been involved with marketing Virginia wine since June 1987 when she became the wine marketing specialist for the Virginia Department of Agriculture.   She was instrumental in creating October as “Virginia Wine Month,” establishing the Virginia Governor’s Cup wine competition and recently the Governor’s Cup Wine Trail.   In 2007, was awarded the contract to manage the Virginia Wine Marketing Office as its Director. As with last year, this post paraphrases our discussion and does not directly quote Annette.   I hope that I have captured the discussion accurately. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Looking back on 2024, what are some events or news that you and the Marketing Office are especially p...