Tuesday, August 16, 2011

8/16 3-Musketeers Survey, Signorello Wine, German Wine

What's Cookin' Today Hour ONE:

Melinda McLoughlin Talks About A New Survey That Says Americans want MORE TV but LESS Celeb Gossip

Recently, one of America’s most trusted nougat sources – 3 MUSKETEERS – reformulated to deliver more chocolate taste to enhance everything that loyalists love about the bar. Curious to see what else Americans would love more of, the brand conducted a survey that delves deeper into American social and cultural trends.

With its light and fluffy nougat center wrapped in delectable 3 MUSKETEERS chocolate, the new recipes adds more satisfying taste to the delicious nougat and is 45 percent less fat than other leading chocolate brands. 3 MUSKETEERS is available nationwide at select supermarkets, convenience stores and mass retailers at a suggested retail price of $0.79.

What's Cookin' Today Hour TWO:

We're Talking With Ray Signorello About His Beautiful Winery And How We Can Get Our Hands On Some Great Tasting Wine

Ray Signorello Jr. began his journey as winemaker and vineyard owner in the Napa Valley during the mid 1980's. Ray, born in San Francisco, California, moved to Vancouver, Canada where the Signorello family continues to maintain a home. Ray divides his time between Napa, San Francisco, Vancouver and business related travel. Ray's father, Ray Sr., initiated the vineyard project during the mid 1970's by purchasing the 100-acre estate located on the Silverado Trail in the beautiful Napa Valley. Ray Sr. worked side by side with Ray Jr., establishing the winery's reputation for excellence until his passing in the fall of 1998.
Signorellos' original plan was to grow quality grapes to sell to existing wineries, but the harvest of 1985 changed this plan into a new level of evolvement. The bountiful crop allowed Signorellos to custom crush the excess grapes. This opportunity demonstrated what fabulous wine their vineyards were capable of producing. The project continues to grow, as do the spectacular 42 acres planted in several different varietals. Ray's continuing effort represents the invested energies that created this reality from a dream.

In 1986 the Signorellos began the second phase of the venture, this was the building of the main winery structure. This beautiful building is used for barrel storage, wine tasting and retail sales. Along with the building of the winery, wine production was expanded to include Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir. By the end of the 1980's the Signorello family was thoroughly committed to making wine as well as growing grapes.

The decade of the nineties proved to be pivotal for Signorello Estate. In 1990 the first planting of red varietals began on the property- Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Syrah. What brought the Signorellos to the Napa Valley was the romantic side of winemaking; growing grapes, working the land, and enjoying the wine country lifestyle of camaraderie, good wine and great meals. While the Valley lifestyle is a very real part of the business, there is a serious responsibility to making a dream become a reality, both father and son realized this fact early in the endeavor. This venture was a dream; now it is reality. We have enjoyed every moment of it, and we look forward to continuing on to make quality wines from the Napa Valley!

Nancy Deprez Is Telling Us Some Fun Wine Stories and How To Choose The Perfect German Wine

Germany has a history of winemaking that dates back to 100 B.C. when ancient Romans, who conquered the region, began producing wines on local soil. It was the Romans, who already recognized the potential of sites like the Piesporter Goldtröpfchen and who cultivated grapes there. Researchers have found a wine press in Piesport that dates back to 400 A.D., making it the largest Roman wine press ever found north of the Alps.

During the Middle Ages, monks upheld the tradition of making wine and cultivated the vineyards that are famous today. Today, it is almost forgotten, but Germany and France were once revered as the two great wine producing countries in the world and German wines fetched top prices at auction.

While today many great wines are found around the globe, it is the unique terroir and traditional production methods, which allow Germany to produce exceptional quality wines that are still some of the finest in the world. A remarkable characteristic of German viticulture is the care and attention to detail that goes into the production of its wines. German vintners are extremely adept at blending centuries-old experience with the latest in modern viticulture and are exacting in their methods: They harvest the grapes for their best wines by hand, use “green” or sustainable production techniques, age their whites in stainless steel tanks and the reds in traditional aged oak barrels.


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