Behind the Cork™ - Briede Family Vineyards Sparkling Winchester

2020 Briedé Family Vineyards Brut Sparkling Winchester ($53)

From the Shenandoah Valley AVA, here is a wonderful sparkling wine!

Briedé Family Vineyards was established in 2013 in the Shenandoah Valley AVA in Winchester Virginia (just west of the Baltimore/Washington D.C. areas)

Approved in 1982, the Shenandoah Valley AVA comprises Frederick, Clarke, Warren, Shenandoah, Page, Rockingham, Augusta, Rockbridge, Botetourt and Amherst counties in Virginia, and Berkely and Jefferson counties in West Virginia.  Covering 2.4 million acres surrounding the Shenandoah River, it is a major agricultural and viticultural area of Virginia and West Virginia.

Awards for this 2020 Sparkling Winchester include:

  • Silver Medal winner in the 2023 Governor's Cup and the DENVER International Wine Competition 2023 

  • Gold Medal and 2nd in the Shenandoah Cup 2023, and in top 7 wines in the Shenandoah Valley.  

This award-winning 2020 Briedé Sparkling Winchester is made from 100% Cayuga White grapes. Cayuga is a French-American hybrid grape variety, first bred and now found predominantly in the Finger Lakes wine region of New York State and vicinity. It was bred for its cold hardiness and produces both sparkling and still wines with good acidity and clean flavors.

On the nose, this Briedé Sparkling Winchester has notes of green apples, pears, and a bit of yeast. On the palate its bubbles are consistent and small with nice complexity and a lengthy finish,

This is a unique Shenandoah Valley sparkling wine that’s perfect as this week’s Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week. Cheers!

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this sample at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Media Sample Provided by Briedé Family Vineyards via Donna White Communications

Consider a Cava for the Holidays

Looking for a good, affordable bottle of bubbly for the holidays? Consider Cava.

Cava is a sparkling wine from Spain with a lot of similarity to French Champagne. In fact, the Spanish bubbly was called Champaña in Spain until the 1970s when French regulations were put into place to limit the use of the word Champagne to only those wines produced in the Champagne region of France.  So, the Spanish re-named their sparkling wine for the caves or cellars where the sparkling wine was kept for aging. Thus, came the name Cava.

Like Champagne, Cava is produced in the 'Traditional Method' where secondary fermentation is done in the bottle. This is how the bubbles are naturally formed since this second fermentation also converts sugar to alcohol using yeast, but the resulting CO2 is trapped in the bottle, producing the carbonation.

Unlike French Champagne, Cava is produced with the Macabeu, Xarello and Paralleda grapes.  But Cava surprisingly has a very similar taste to Champagne, much more so than the highly popular Prosecco.  But the best thing about Cava is its price. You can find a nice bottle for under $20.

Like Champagne, Cava is produced in various levels of sweetness:

  • Brut Nature -- Up to 3 grams of sugar/liter

  • Extra Brut -- Up to 6 grams/liter

  • Brut -- Up to 15 grams/liter

  • Extra Seco -- Between 12 - 20 grams/liter

  • Seco -- Between 17-35 grams/liter

  • Semi-Seco -- Between 33-50 grams/liter

  • Dulce -- More than 50 grams/liter

You can also find Cava Reserva which is aged an additional 6 months (for a total of 15 months) over the standard Cava (9 months of aging) and Cava Gran Reserva which is aged a total of 30 months.

Cava is a great alternative to Champagne and a wonderful sparkling wine to enjoy during the holidays (and year-round!).  Chill a bottle and enjoy. Cheers!

Behind the Cork™ - Elouan Chardonnay by Copper Cane

2021 Elouan Chardonnay ($20)

In January 2014, Joseph Wagner formed Copper Cane Wine & Provisions. Elouan is the result of Wagner heading North to Oregon to create wines with depth of flavor, vibrancy and suppleness.

The grapes for this Chardonnay come from three regions - North Western Oregon, West-Central Hills and South Western Oregon.

Elouan means “Good Light” which is reflective of the abundant summer sunshine and cool temperatures in Oregon.

Elouan Chardonnay is barrel fermented in French oak (50% new) for 14 months with full Malolactic Conversion, the natural process of converting sharper malic acid into softer, smoother, creamy lactic acid.

This Elouan Chardonnay is medium gold in color with fruit aromas of baked apple and pear along with notes from the oak aging. On the palate it is soft, rich and creamy with the noted baked apple and pear flavors, medium acidity and a long, rich finish.

Elouan Chardonnay, from Copper Cane, is perfect for celebrating the holidays, or any time! A tasty Chardonnay like this one, at a great price, make this Elouan Chardonnay a perfect fit as a Behind the Cork™ Wine of the Week. Cheers!

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received this sample at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Media Sample Provided by Copper Cane Wines via CURICH | WEISS

Behind the Cork™ - Wines of Flat Creek Estate Winery & Vineyard

The “Trilogy Pack” from Flat Creek

Great wines from Texas? Indeed! Flat Creek Estate Winery & Vineyard is located roughly 45 minutes from downtown Austin Texas on 80 acres. Their beautiful vineyards combine with an elegant tasting room, full-service restaurant, a covered pavilion and even a one-of-a-kind 18-hole disc golf course!

Located in Marble Falls Texas, the Flat Creek Estate was established in 1996 in the Texas Hill Country AVA. It is dedicated to creating artisanal, handcrafted wines drawing on Old World winemaking practices that accentuate their unique terroir.

Their winery has earned more than 400 awards and accolades, including multiple Double Gold Medals at the San Francisco International Wine Competition.

At the recent Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo International Wine Competition, this “Trilogy Pack” won big with the following awards:

  • 2017 Super Texan ($48) - Double Gold Medal /Reserve Class Champion / Reserve Texas Class Champion

    Elevate your senses with their iconic red blend of Sangiovese, Montepulciano, Petite Sirah and Primitivo has been the flagship of their estate for decades. Cloaked in a deep ruby robe, its complex bouquet entwines luscious black currants, succulent raspberries, and a whisper of exotic Sichuan pepper. With a balanced medium body, it’s your weeknight companion, offering black cherry and fresh plum flavors that dance effortlessly on the palate. A hint of vanilla bids adieu, leaving a soft, lingering impression.

  • 2018 Buttero - Silver Medal

    This Buttero (Italian Cowboy) Italian red blend (Sangiovese, Primitivo and Montepulciano)

    (Coming Soon as part of the Trilogy Pack)

  • 2018 Four Horsemen Red Blend ($45) - Silver Medal

    This Estate Red Blend (Montepulciano, Primitivo and Syrah) is designed to showcase the results when exceptional Texas fruit is crafted with exceptional winemaking skill. This wine showcases their unique terroir and reflects the strength each of the four varieties contributes. The blend was created by choosing only the best barrels for each variety which were painstakingly combined to achieve a wine of supreme depth and balance. This wine was unfined and unfiltered to preserve every subtlety possible. Each limited installment will only be produced when the fruit demands.

This exclusive “Trilogy Pack” is available on their website at a discounted price for the 3-bottle pack.

Flat Creek Estate has been named one of Food & Wine’s top 50 Most Amazing Wine Experiences in America, stating “arguably Texas’s best wines [are] at this Hill Country estate.”

If you are in the Austin area, you need to check out Flat Creek Estate. With all they have to offer, you might even make it a full-day outing. Otherwise, check out Flat Creek Estate on-line. Texas is indeed making great wines! Cheers!

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received these samples at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Media Samples Provided by Flat Creek Estate Winery via CURICH | WEISS

Behind the Cork™ - Three Great Wines to Enjoy with Traditional Italian Christmas Meals

Riva Leone Gavi GOCG ($14.99) - From the Gavi area of Piedmont in Italy, this wine is produced from 100% Cortese grapes. Fermentation is carried out in stainless steel tanks and aged in steel for 2-3 months before bottling.

This Riva Leone Gavi is a very pale yellow-green in color with very delicate aromas of citrus, lime and green apple. On the palate, this light-bodied wine has flavors of light citrus and melon, bright acidity and a soft, light finish.

Gavi is a classic starter that is crisp and immensely fresh. The mineral and citrus notes allow it to pair well with seafood dishes, as it complement and accentuate the salty-mineral flavors of shellfish and seafood.


Riva Leone Barbera DOC ($11.99) - From Piedmont Italy comes another of the classic Italian wines - Barbera.

This Riva Leone Barbera is a medium ruby in color with classic aromas of cherry and dried herbs. On the palate, this medium-bodied wine has flavors of tart cherry, a hint of black pepper and good acidity that finishes with fruity zip.

Barbera pairs well with meat-filled pasta, the medium tannins and bright acidity will match with the richness of fresh pasta.


Acquesi Asti Spumante ($17.99) - This Italian sparkling wine is produced from 100% Moscato. It is a sweet sparkling wine at just 7% alcohol by volume and 95 g/L residual sugar making it a sweet sparkling wine.

Its pale gold color and greenish hue leads to complex floral aromas of fresh tree fruits, honeycomb and exotic spices. On the palate it is fresh, sweet and persistent with a lingering, sweet fruity finish.

While this can be enjoyed with cheese and spicy Asian foods, it is most classically paired with desserts such as pastries, fruit tarts, cakes and butter creams. A perfect way to end a wonderful meal!

Each of these wonderful wines is imported by Mack & Schuhle and widely available and, at these prices, are a great fit as Behind the Cork™ Wines of the Week. Cheers and Happy Holidays!

Disclosure of Wine Sample Submission: I received these samples at no cost for review. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Media Samples Provided by Mack & Schuhle