LAST WEEK, I had the good fortune to be able to attend the fourth edition of the Virginia Wine Expo, held at the Greater Richmond Convention Center in historic downtown Richmond, VA. This was the first time that I was able to take part in this wonderful event, so I wanted to take full advantage of the opportunity.

When I arrived, I was blown away by the sheer scale of this event. The layout was designed so that wineries and vendors shared this massive space while allowing the rest of us to easily find exactly what we were looking for without much trouble. There were even convenient places to rinse your glasses as well as grab a sip of water in between tastings. In addition to having the ability to taste and purchase wine, the expo also offered a few food and wine pairing seminars. These weren't the stuffy food pairings that you might imagine, however. There were seminars on pairing wine with sushi, hamburgers, and chocolate. So, if you weren't already of aware of this fact, wine isn't just for the rich and famous, it's for anyone who wants to enjoy it.

Here are a few facts about this year's event. There are close to 200 wineries in Virginia and 66 of them were represented during this three day event. Those 66 wineries brought more than 400 examples of their best wines for those in attendance to sample and purchase. No one loses with statistics like these. The overwhelming number of wineries represented made my visit difficult at first. There were so many wineries and so much wine that I needed a plan in order to get through the day without getting into trouble. After surveying the event and getting a chance to say hello to a few old friends, I decided that my first ever Virginia Wine Expo would be best enjoyed if I sampled wines from wineries that I had never heard of before. In addition, I'd narrow down my wine tasting to varietals that aren't on the standard Virginia list of grapes. For instance, we all know that Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Viognier do very well in our state, but are there wineries growing grapes outside that box? My mission was to seek those out and give them a try.

It took me about two minutes to find my favorite new Virginia Winery. It's called Grayhaven Winery and it's located in Gum Springs, VA. What drew me to their section of the expo was something called Pinotage. For those unfamiliar with Pinotage, it's a grape that was developed in South Africa. It's a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault. This definitely fit the criteria that I set for my wine tasting. I couldn't wait to give it a try. This particular wine was amazingly delicious. It's peppery and spicy with a hint of cherry. It would pair well with steak, lamb and pasta dishes that feature red sauces. Personally, I'd enjoy it all by itself. It's that good.

In addition to Pinotage, Grayhaven also produces Touriga. This particular varietal comes from Portugal and is often the key ingredient in Port wines. Grayhaven's Touriga is made with 100% Touriga. It's a medium to full-bodied red wine that has a combination of cherry and citrus with a hint of vanilla. It's very drinkable and stands up well to rich and hearty dishes such as steak au poivre. The Touriga was not available at the expo, but I was able to get my hands on a bottle because I really wanted to give it a try. I was not disappointed.

The reason that Grayhaven is my new favorite winery is not just their unique wines, but the people who work there. Their winemaker has the kind of drive and personality that gives me the impression that he'd be successful at whatever he chose as his life's work. His energy seems to have rubbed off on the staff as well. They all made the day a lot more fun.

Later in the day, I discovered Gabriele Rausse Winery. I had not heard of this winery, but I was well aware of Gabriele Rausse's association with Barboursville Vineyards. In 1976, he helped the Zonin family establish this well known Virginia vineyard. Unlike many of the wineries around the state, Gabriele Rausse Winery is accessible by appointment only. That means that you can't just show up when you're in the area for a quick visit. The good news is that their wines are available in stores and their offerings are just as unique to Virginia as Grayhaven's.

What drew me to Gabriele Rausse was the following list of wines: Refosco, Malbec, and Nebbiolo. Refosco is red wine grape that is native to northern Italy. The wines made from this grape are generally quite powerful and very tannic, with a deep violet color. Their Refosco wine was really good. There were hints of currant, plum, and wild berry on the palate and my guess is that as it ages it will become far more floral. Nebbiolo is also a red wine grape native to Italy. It's generally associated with the Piedmont region and is the grape used to make the wines of Barolo and Barberesco. The Nebbiolo that I sampled at the expo was light in color and very tannic. The nose was slightly floral and there had quite a bit of balance for a wine that was so young. The vintage was 2009. I suspect that this wine will also age very well. Contrary to popular belief, Malbec actually hails from France. It thrives in Argentina and also does well in Virginia. Malbec is also a red wine grape that produces dark wines with lots of tannins. The 2008 Malbec that I samples was very good. I'd recommend it for those who enjoy this style of wine.

So, there you have it! The Virginia Wine Expo -- uncorked. There were so many great wineries and great wines represented at this year's event, that it was brilliant stroke of genius to spread it out over three days. It gave everyone plenty of time to see and sample a good portion of what Virginia has to offer. After my brief afternoon of sampling wine and meeting new people, I once again have to reiterate how important it is to think globally, yet drink locally. Of course Virginia isn't in the same league as Burgundy, Bordeaux, the Rhone, and the Loire Valley. At least not yet. That's because they've had a few hundred years' head start. Keep in mind that they weren't always known for their wines. During those early years, it was the local community that supported all those great wine producing regions. It's up to us to do the same in Virginia until we're recognized the way those other well known regions are. If this years expo is any indication of our progress, I'd say that we're doing very well indeed. Keep in mind that I didn't even mention the Virginia wineries producing great Pinot Grigio, Petit Manseng, Riesling, and Gewurztraminer. As always, while enjoying one of the fine wines from Cooper Vineyard, Burnley Vineyard, Chateau Morrisette, Prince Michel, DelFosse Vineyard, Lake Anna Winery, Williamsburg Winery, New Kent Winery, Janisson & Thibaut, ...., please do so responsibly. Until next time...prosit!!!

WHEN I'M BEHIND the bar, I'm asked the same question at least ten times per shift, "...do you have Cîroc Vodka?" I hear the question so often that it's like an annoying echo in my mind. What's amazing is that there aren't very many places around town that offer it, so I wonder why it's requested so frequently. I'd like to imagine that our bar is so magnificent that people assume that there is no way on Earth that we wouldn't have a premium distilled beverage such as Cîroc on our list of vodkas. I've tried Cîroc before and it's not bad at all, but I'm not sure if everyone is aware of Ciroc's uniqueness, so I thought I'd take a look at it today.

Let's start at the beginning. Cîroc Ultra Premium Vodka is a distillate produced in France. The name is derived from two French words: Cime, which means peak or summit and Roche, which means rock. It is marketed as a vodka despite the fact that it is derived from grapes rather than corn, wheat, rye sorghum, or potatoes. To be more specific, Mauzac Blanc grapes from the Gaillac region of France and Ugni Blanc grapes from the Cognac region, two relatively obscure wine grapes, are used. The juice is extracted from both types of grapes and then cold fermented. Cold fermentation is usually associated with the production of beer and refers to a process that takes place at temperatures around 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

As I've already mentioned, Cîroc is a distillate, but unlike many other vodkas, it is distilled five times. The Ugni Blanc grapes are distilled four times in stainless steel columned stills. The Mauzac Blanc grapes are distilled four times in copper stills. Next, the two are blended: 95% Ugni Blanc and 5% Mauzac Blanc. Then a final distillation takes place in a traditional Armagnac-style copper still. This final distillation is usually reserved for the creation of high end brandy and whiskey. The finished product is surprisingly smooth and delicious.

These days, Cîroc is available in its original form as well as in two flavored blends. The first, Cîroc Red Berry is an infusion made from a blend of fresh wild raspberries and the essence of ripe strawberries. The second, Cîroc Coconut is a blend of coconut with a hint of tropical fruit. I am amazed at how good these flavored versions of Cîroc taste. Neither has that over-powering vodka bite present in most flavored vodkas, and they are both great ingredients in cocktails.

Just for fun, I thought I'd give you a couple of recipes to try out. The first is a twist on the Cosmopolitan. Just add 1 1/2 ounces of Cîroc Red Berry, 1 ounce of cranberry juice, and 1/2 ounce of fresh lime juice to a shaker. Fill the shaker with ice, shake vigorously, and strain into a martini glass. The second cocktail is one of my new favorites. It's called a Coconut Coco Haze and it appears on the Cîroc website. To make it, add 1 ounce of Cîroc Coconut vodka and 1/2 ounce of Frangelico to a Collins glass filled with ice. Top the mixture off with Coke and enjoy.

Cîroc is pretty good, but, as I mentioned earlier, I'm amazed at how popular it is considering it wasn't introduced to the United States until 2003. That's a short period of time in the world of spirits. Their marketing department has done an excellent job of promoting it to the urban crowd with their slick television ads featuring Sean Combs. Not one to get caught up in the hype, I wanted to try it out for myself when it first began to appear in local ABC stores a few years ago. It definitely doesn't taste like most vodkas, which is what turned me off initially. But after a couple of samples and a few cocktail trials, I have to say that it's actually one of the better vodkas on the market. Sadly, I think that the urban flavor of some of their ads is the reason that you don't see it more at your favorite drinking establishments. I can only hope that bar managers can get past the stereotypes portrayed in the ads and actually taste the product. Your patrons will thank you.

So, there you have it! Cîroc Ultra Premium Vodka -- undistilled. If you're a fan of really good vodkas and you haven't given Cîroc a try, it may be time for you to step outside your comfort zone. You will not be disappointed. Just pretend that you didn't see the advertisements featuring Mr. Combs, who refers to himself, jokingly, as Cîroc Obama. Try a few of your favorite vodka cocktails with it and you'll be convinced that it's definitely more than just hype. As always, whether you're enjoying Cîroc at your favorite bar or at home, please drink responsibly. Until next time...prosit!!!

WITH THE CONTINUED popularity of flavored spirits over the last few years, it was just a matter of time before flavored whiskeys started to make an appearance. Taking advantage of this latest trend and the success of American whiskey in general, honey bourbon liqueurs are sure to make positive gains in the marketplace.

First, what is bourbon? If you're familiar with these posts, then you'll recall that bourbon is a type of American whiskey -- a distillate made primarily from corn. In May of 1964, the United States Congress officially recognized Bourbon Whiskey as a distinctive product of the United States. It also set forth the Federal Standards of Identity for Distilled Spirits which states that an American whiskey must meet several requirements in order to be called bourbon. Among those requirements are that it must be made from a grain mixture that is at least 51% corn, it must be distilled to no more than 160 proof, it must be bottled at no less than 80 proof, and it must be aged in new, charred oak barrels.

There is no minimum specified duration for aging bourbon, however, if the distillate meets the previously stated requirements and has been aged for at least two years, has had no color, flavor, or other spirits added, it can be called Straight Bourbon. Straight Bourbon that has been aged for less than four years must be labeled with the duration of its aging. The age on the bottle must be the age of the youngest whiskey in the bottle and any bourbon labeled as Blended may contain added coloring, flavoring, and other spirits, but at least 51% of the bottled product must be Straight Bourbon.

The origins of bourbon aren't well documented, but we know it's been around for at least a century or more. Honey bourbon liqueur, however, is a relatively new invention. Once a distillate meets the requirements set forth by Congress, pure honey is blended with it to produce a liquid that is exceptionally smooth and sweet.

Wild Turkey American Honey Liqueur is a fine example of what can be done with the proper blending of honey and bourbon. The honey all but masks the burn and almost everything else you'd associate with Wild Turkey. This thick, viscous, golden colored liquid is downright delicious. The bourbon flavor is there, but toned down slightly with hints of caramel and citrus. I found it to be quite pleasant. It can be enjoyed at room temperature or with a slight chill, however, I'd chill it in the refrigerator rather than ruining it by placing ice-cubes in the glass. I can't imagine pairing this with food, but I would enjoy sipping it after a big meal as a digestif or as a replacement for dessert.

Not to be outdone, Evan Williams Honey Reserve Flavored Bourbon is another fine liqueur made by blending Evan Williams bourbon with natural honey. They've gone a step further by blending honey with extra-aged bourbon. The golden color leads one to believe that it's not much extra-aged bourbon, but after sampling it, I'm sure there is more than just a hint of it. Like American Honey, the nose is citrus and whiskey with a hint of honey. On the palate, there is lots of orange and more honey. The finish is where you find the extra-aged bourbon. It's very rich and lively on the tongue as the honey makes a final appearance. It's very smooth and easy to drink and it's not too sweet or too syrupy. Again, it doesn't really pair well with food, but it makes an excellent digestif. I'd also recommend drinking this one at room temperature or slightly chilled sans ice.

For those interested in trying cocktails that feature honey blended bourbon, here are a couple of recipes:

Honey Bourbon Old Fashioned

1 1/2 ounces Evan Williams Honey Reserve Flavored Bourbon, 1 1/2 ounces Wild Turkey 101 Bourbon, Angostura bitters, sugar cube, orange wedge, Maraschino cherry. Saturate sugar cube with bitters. Add sugar cube, orange wedge and cherry to a rocks glass. Muddle ingredients. Pour American Honey and Wild Turkey 101 over muddled ingredients in rocks glass. Fill with ice and stir.

American Honey Lemonade

1 1/2 ounces Wild Turkey American Honey, 4 ounces lemonade, 1/2 ounce Grand Marnier, splash of Sprite. Mix ingredients in a tall glass, stir and serve.

So, there you have it! Honey bourbon -- unblended. If you're a bourbon purist, don't be alarmed by this latest entry into the flavored spirit world. The makers of Wild Turkey and Evan Williams have done a fine job of taking their whiskeys blended with honey to make a product that enables even the most hard-core purist to breathe a sigh of relief. Both products are very good and both live up to the standards set forth by their namesakes. As always, whether enjoying a honey bourbon at your favorite bar or at home, please do so responsibly. Until next time...prosit!!!