The Pittsburgh Wine Festival Offers A Real Education
By Kathleen Ganster
Like any subject, learning about wine is an on-going process. As wines come and go, there is more to learn, more to taste. But purchasing bottle after bottle can be very expensive and time consuming. That is why wine lovers in Pittsburgh rejoice when the annual Pittsburgh Wine Festival comes to town.
On April 20th, over 2,000 wine enthusiasts attended the seventh annual festival held at Heinz Field and billed as one of the top ten wine festivals in the country. For $250, wine lovers were able to attend the VIP tasting and sample over 500 wines from over 140 wineries. These privileged guests had access to over 50 wines that were available only to the VIPS. With some wines that were available costing over $250 a bottle, one glass of wine made the ticket a bargain. Tickets for the Grand Tasting were $125. Tables of cheeses, chocolate, crackers and fruit were throughout the hall and hot hor d’oevres available.
The event was produced by the Wine Festival LLC and presented by the Pennsylvania
Liquor Control Board (PLCB) and Comcast; sponsored by UPMC, EQT Corporation, Giant Eagle Market District and WTAE. The Pittsburgh Wine Festival benefits “innovation and discovery at UPMC and The University of Pittsburgh,” according to a press release from the Festival.
Wines ran the gamut from champagnes and other sparkling wines, white wines and red wines and imported and domestic. According to the festival book, there were wines from Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, Germany, New Zealand and Spain, as well as domestic wines from California, the Pacific Northwest and Pennsylvania. Famous restaurateur and cookbook author Lidia Bastianich (from Lidia’s Pittsburgh in the Strip District) was also at the festival, signing copies of her latest cookbook.
The festival also provided the opportunity to talk to wine experts about the wines, the unique aspect of the grapes in the products, the vintners and the regions the wines were harvested. Peter Grisley, owner of P.R. Grisley Co., represented several wines including Alana Takaj Furmint 2008. “This is a great wine,” said Grisley who has years of experience in the wine business and had lived in two regions known for their great wines, France and Spain,” It would be perfect for dessert wine, and would be great with cheeses, dried fruit and cookies. I think wines are always best with foods.”
Enginehouse 25 Wines were the new kids on the block, and literally, on the block. Located on Penn Avenue here in Pittsburgh, the local winery had hometown labels including Roberto Clemente and the Pittsburgh Marathon. According to co-owner Tim Gaber, the winery was the “official wine of the Pittsburgh Marathon.” Gaber produces the wine with photographer and vintner, Duane Rieder.
Information on the festival is available as www.pittsburghwinefestival.com.
Lift that wine glass and say a toast to your health. The wine inside the glass, afterall, is good for you.
Most people know that a glass of wine is lovely with a great meal and after a long, hard day at the office (or with the kids) the perfect way to unwind is with a glass of your favorite wine. But many may not realize that the resveratrol, a natural substance found in red wine, can help lead to a healthier and longer life.
Dr. Joseph Maroon, a neurosurgeon and Vice Chairman of the Department of Neurological Surgery at the University Of Pittsburgh School Of Medicine, recently published The Longevity Factor: How Resveratrol and Red Wine Activate Genes for a Longer and Healthier Life (Atria Books, 2009). “After years of studies, we have found that certain things including resveratrol have the ability to activate our longevity genes,” he said.
White wine lovers should take note as well. Dr. Maroon said that while red wine contains higher levels of resveratrol, “White wine also has some medicine benefits,” he said.
Dr. Maroon, the neurosurgeon for the Pittsburgh Steelers and an active triathlon competitor also provide his diet plan and other advice for a longer, healthier life in his book.
The book and the study, of course, don’t give a license to drink unlimited amounts of alcohol. “Men should drink no more than two glasses of wine a day, and women should only drink one glass. Of course, there are some people who shouldn’t drink alcohol at all,” said Dr. Maroon.
For more information about the book and Dr. Maroon, visit www.josephmarron.com.
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