Tasting with the Bloggers

Each year some of the country's top wine bloggers meet to explore wine regions and talk about their craft. I look forward to being one of the speakers at this year's 10th Annual Wine Bloggers Conference in Santa Rosa, California, sharing an in-depth look at (and taste of) two Spanish wine regions.

I'll be pouring 10 different expressions of the Wines of Cariñena at the Wine Bloggers Conference (Photo: Lyn Farmer)

The region of Cariñena produces lovely white wines and is especially notable for some exceptionally well-balanced reds, made from both Garnacha and Carignan, the grape variety named after the Cariñena region. Both as single varietals and in blends, these grapes provide some very interesting topics and tastes for discussion in a seminar for wine bloggers. One of the most intriguing developments in Spain is the serious attention being given to areas that in the past produced oceans of bulk wines and perhaps lost some sense of identity as capable of producing quality wines. That state of affairs is changing and we are finding a number of "new" wine regions that have, in fact, been producing wine for more than a hundred years. What is new in Cariñena is combining modern know-how with extensive parcels of old vines to permit an emphasis on concentration, finesse and quality.

Rías Baixas is home to some dazzling and food-friendly white wines (Photo: Lyn Farmer)

I'll also be introducing a detailed look at the crisp, vibrant whites made from the Alberiño grape in the Galician region of Rías Baixas. Always refreshing and crisp, the big news in Rías Baixas today is the effort of many winemakers to push the style "envelope." They are exploring new protocols for aging their wines, fermentation styles and even the use of oak to see just how adaptable and flexible Albariño can be. Today, Rías Baixas no longer means a single style of wine, but is home to, and champion of, many styles. In this seminar we will have a chance to explore how innovative Spain's young winemakers can be.

If you are a wine blogger, or aspire to start a career in writing about wine, this conference is a great opportunity to network and pick up detailed information about the craft. And if you do attend, be sure to join me for both of my tasting seminars - a taste of Spain in the heart of California Wine Country!

You can obtain more information about the Wine Bloggers Conference at the Conference Website