Noh Ironogi Spotting Scopes

Light Barrel

Visit A Winery For A Barrel Tasting Event

An exciting and fun learning experience is a barrel tasting. Some wineries offer different types of tours that include tasting from barrels. Others offer barrel tastings to their club members at certain times during the year. Check the wineries where you will be visiting to see if they offer tours that may include barrel tasting. If you are a club member, see if barrel tasting is one of the benefits of membership.

Most likely, when you taste a wine from a barrel it is not ready for release. Barrel tasting provides the opportunity to taste a wine that may be months or years away from bottling and sales. Although the wine may taste good, try to determine what additional aging may do for it. Is the wine balanced or is the alcohol, acidity, oakiness, or fruit predominant?

In April of 2007, we had the opportunity to attend a barrel tasting at Prince Michel Vineyard and Winery in Leon, Virginia. Brad Hansen, the winemaker, led 40 people down a flight of stairs from the spacious tasting room. We entered a large rectangular shaped, barrel aging room with a curved ceiling. Small overhead lights provided subdued lighting. Barrels lined the walls of this room except for two alcoves that had beautiful murals painted depicting scenes from the old world wine country.

In the center of the room a long, wood table was set with wine glasses, cheeses, olives, crackers and water. Brad welcomed everyone and indicated that this barrel tasting was in appreciation of the wine club members. He chose four wines to show us a "picture of what's going on in production."

Brad began the tasting with the history of Prince Michel vineyards. He discussed the challenge of the vineyards on the land next to the winery and the direction the new owners have taken. Sixty percent of the Chardonnay crop around the winery was lost due to 16° - 19° weather in mid April. The previous weather was warm and the buds began to swell and leaves began to pop out when they were hit by the very cold weather. The buds turned brown and dropped off. Brad explained that the difficulty in this area of Virginia is that cold air rolls down the mountains and settles right over this area. So Chardonnay vines planted just minutes away are fine. Fortunately, Prince Michel owns or has partnership vineyards throughout the Virginia Commonwealth. They acquire most of the Chardonnay from a vineyard on the Eastern shore. The influence of the Atlantic Ocean and the Chesapeake Bay keep the land on the Eastern shore warmer. The recent sub-freezing temperatures around the winery did not affect the Chardonnay grapes on the Eastern Shore area. By having partnership vineyards throughout Virginia the "risk is spread around."

The first wine Brad offered the group was Petit Manseng. This is a new grape planted for Prince Michel and Brad is very pleased with the first release that will be for sale in just a few weeks. Brad produces this wine in a dry French style. The Petit Manseng grape can produce very high sugar levels and make a very sweet wine. Brad harvests this grape early while the sugar levels are low. We enjoyed this wine. Although dry, it seemed sweet and had a very nice bouquet and a good balance between the citrus fruit flavors, acid and alcohol.

The next wine we tasted was a barrel selected 2006 Chardonnay. This wine will see another eighteen months in the barrel before release. It was out of balance at this point, with too much oak flavor. Brad explained that over the next eighteen months, the dead yeast cells will give the wine flavors and the fruit flavors will become more intense and balance out.

We then tasted a barrel aged Syrah done in the French style. This was a very light Syrah and Brad is thinking of blending it with about five percent Merlot. It will see several more months in the barrel before release in the fall of this year. The final wine tasted was a Cabernet Sauvignon that has a summer release date. Brad explained that he would like to use this wine in a blend of Prince Michel's Symbius, a Bordeaux style blend.

During the tasting, most people drank the wine and only a few people dumped their wine in the dump buckets. While waiting for a serving of the wine, people frequently visited the table for the cheese, olives, crackers or water. After we tasted the Cabernet Sauvignon, Brad asked the group for questions. There were several questions. Do grape growers know what areas of Virginia grow the best varietals? What characteristics do you look for when blending Symbius? Brad explained that Virginia is new to wine and they are still discovering what areas grow the best varietals as well as experimenting with varietals that may do well in the various climates of the state. He talked about the success of the Viognier grape throughout the state. Brad believes that the Petit Manseng will also be successful. Brad pointed out that the wineries throughout the state produce similar wines. However, they seek their wines to be similar with a difference. "If our wine tastes the same as others, why come here?" Many produce a Bordeaux style blend. However, each of these blends is different. He will blind taste different wines until he comes up with what will make a blend for Prince Michele's Symbius.

Be sure to check out your favorite wineries or wineries you have not visited yet, and see what type of barrel tastings they have to offer.

About the Author

Terry Sullivan is a retired educator and wine enthusiast who designed the website
Wine Trail Traveler
. He looks forward to relating his travels about wineries to the website visitors. He develops instructional modules about wine topics for readers.

Wire Barrel Pendant Light $174 Wire Barrel Pendant Light - Made of: Wire

TacStar 1081112 Barrel Mount Matte 0.5 in. 0.75 in. Barrel 1 in. Light $32.27 Universal barrel mount for lasersights and flashlight. Adjusts to fit a variety of barrel diameters. UMB2 fits barrel diameters ranging from 1/2 to 3/4 and accepts lasers or flashlights with a 1 diameter.

TacStar 1081113 Barrel Mount Matte 0.75 in. 1 in. Barrel .75 in. Light $32.27 Universal barrel mount for lasersights and flashlight. Adjusts to fit a variety of barrel diameters. UMB3 fits barrel diameters ranging from 3/4 to 1 and accepts lasers or flashlights with a 3/4 diameter.

TacStar 1081111 Barrel Mount Matte 0.5 in. 0.75 in. Barrel .75 in. Light $33.07 Universal barrel mount for lasersights and flashlight. Adjusts to fit a variety of barrel diameters. UMB1 fits barrel diameters ranging from 1/2 to 3/4 and accepts lasers or flashlights with a 3/4 diameter.

Gold Wire Barrel Pendant Light $203 Gold Wire Barrel Pendant Light - Made of: Iron -Filament bulb suggested, hardwired with canopy included. -Cord Length 35" -Handcrafted

Silver Wire Barrel Pendant Light $203 Silver Wire Barrel Pendant Light - Made of: Iron -Filament bulb suggested, hardwired with canopy included. -Cord Length 35" -Handcrafted

Gold Wire Barrel Pendant Light- Lazy Susan $175 Gold Wire Barrel Pendant Light- Lazy Susan Handcrafted wire barrel pendant light with the canopy included Features: Dimensions:5.5"d x 11"h Material:Iron Wattage: 40w filament bulb

Barrel Vintage Leather One-Light Table Lamp with Elephant Hemp Shade $621 Barrel Vintage Leather One-Light Table Lamp with Elephant Hemp Shade

Barrel Vintage Leather One-Light Table Lamp with Stone Linen Shade $500 Barrel Vintage Leather One-Light Table Lamp with Stone Linen Shade

Silver Wire Barrel Pendant Light- Lazy Susan $175 Silver Wire Barrel Pendant Light- Lazy Susan Handcrafted wire pendant light with the canopy included Features: Dimensions:5.5"d x 11"h Material:Iron Wattage: 40w filament bulb

Barrel $49.99 Matthew Lusk Barrel - Limited Edition

Belson GH3101 Triple Barrel Waver $40.24 Up to 365 Degrees. Power indicator light. Safety stand. Rubber comfort grip. Ceramic coated barrel. 2 Heat settings. Dual voltage.

World Time Clock by Charlotte van der Waals $69 As the Ameico World Time Clock turns...it provides the time for all twenty-four global time zones. Designed by Charlotte van der Waals, it features a twelve-sided barrel clock case, with each side containing the names of two major cities exactly twelve hours/time zones apart. To find out the local time in any of the cities, simply roll the clock until that city is on top. Ameico, headquartered in Connecticut, hosts original works by contemporary designers, offering an array of well-designed products for modern sensibilities. The Ameico World Time Clock is available with the following: Details:Black injected ABS barrel case embossed with an international city name for each of the 24 time zonesSeiko timepiece with 2-yr watch batteryMade in the Netherlands for Studio TRVDesigned by Charlotte van der WaalsShipping: This item usually ships within 1-2 days. Dimensions: Item: Length 1.5 In., Diameter 1.5 In.

Chauvet Lighting Intimidator Barrel LED 300 Light $599.99 This Chauvet Lighting Intimidator LED barrel light's 3-sided prism duplicates light emanating from its 60-watt LED through its 8 colors and 7 rotating, interchangeable gobos to deliver impressive lighting effects and increased projection range.

Shafts of Light in Barrel Room of Montevina Winery, Shenandoah Valley, California, USA $19.99 Janis Miglavs Shafts of Light in Barrel Room of Montevina Winery, Shenandoah Valley, California, USA - Photographic Print

Sunset Light and Giant Barrel Cactus (Ferocactus Diguetii) on Isla Catalina $24.99 Jeff Foott Sunset Light and Giant Barrel Cactus (Ferocactus Diguetii) on Isla Catalina - Photographic Print

Table and Two Chairs and a Wine Barrel Bathed in Autumn Light $39.99 Michael Melford Table and Two Chairs and a Wine Barrel Bathed in Autumn Light - Photographic Print

Dye Ultralite Paintball Barrel - Dust Red- Autococker $109.95 The DYE Ultralite barrel is the newest little brother to the Boomstick family. It is made with the same precision quality that you can expect from DYE as the leader in barrel manufacturing. With its all the Dye aluminum construction it is the best barrel of its kind on the market. The Dye Ultralite Barrel is proof that DYE is the ultimate when it comes to barrel performance. Used by some of the top professionals in paintball, the Dye Ultralite Barrel has proven itself as a leader in the tournament circuit and will remain for years to come.Weighing in at less than half the weight of the standard Boomstick, this is the ultimate barrel for the front player who is serious about his speed, or for fans of extremely light top-end markers. The DYE Ultralite barrel is honed to the maximum for the best in performance and accuracy. No barrel bag would be complete without this perfect compliment to any marker. The Dye Ultralite Barrel Has A Bore Size: .688

Dye Ultralite Paintball Barrel - Dust Silver - Autococker $109.95 The DYE Ultralite barrel is the newest little brother to the Boomstick family. It is made with the same precision quality that you can expect from DYE as the leader in barrel manufacturing. With its all the Dye aluminum construction it is the best barrel of its kind on the market. The Dye Ultralite Barrel is proof that DYE is the ultimate when it comes to barrel performance. Used by some of the top professionals in paintball, the Dye Ultralite Barrel has proven itself as a leader in the tournament circuit and will remain for years to come.Weighing in at less than half the weight of the standard Boomstick, this is the ultimate barrel for the front player who is serious about his speed, or for fans of extremely light top-end markers. The DYE Ultralite barrel is honed to the maximum for the best in performance and accuracy. No barrel bag would be complete without this perfect compliment to any marker. The Dye Ultralite Barrel Has A Bore Size: .688

Dye Ultralite Paintball Barrel - Dust Blue - Autococker $109.95 The DYE Ultralite barrel is the newest little brother to the Boomstick family. It is made with the same precision quality that you can expect from DYE as the leader in barrel manufacturing. With its all the Dye aluminum construction it is the best barrel of its kind on the market. The Dye Ultralite Barrel is proof that DYE is the ultimate when it comes to barrel performance. Used by some of the top professionals in paintball, the Dye Ultralite Barrel has proven itself as a leader in the tournament circuit and will remain for years to come.Weighing in at less than half the weight of the standard Boomstick, this is the ultimate barrel for the front player who is serious about his speed, or for fans of extremely light top-end markers. The DYE Ultralite barrel is honed to the maximum for the best in performance and accuracy. No barrel bag would be complete without this perfect compliment to any marker. The Dye Ultralite Barrel Has A Bore Size: .688

Dye Ultralite Paintball Barrel - Dust Black $109.95 The DYE Ultralite barrel is the newest little brother to the Boomstick family. It is made with the same precision quality that you can expect from DYE as the leader in barrel manufacturing. With its all the Dye aluminum construction it is the best barrel of its kind on the market. The Dye Ultralite Barrel is proof that DYE is the ultimate when it comes to barrel performance. Used by some of the top professionals in paintball, the Dye Ultralite Barrel has proven itself as a leader in the tournament circuit and will remain for years to come.Weighing in at less than half the weight of the standard Boomstick, this is the ultimate barrel for the front player who is serious about his speed, or for fans of extremely light top-end markers. The DYE Ultralite barrel is honed to the maximum for the best in performance and accuracy. No barrel bag would be complete without this perfect compliment to any marker. The Dye Ultralite Barrel Has A Bore Size: .688

Rap4 3 Spyder Paintball Barrel - Dust Black $19.95 Rap4 3 Inch Spyder Barrel Change your game style and turn your paintball marker into a sub-machine gun with the SMG 3 inches barrel. All you have to do is swap out the barrel, it takes only few seconds. You will be amazed of the accuracy! For light, fast and furious games, you are ready.

World Time Clock Stainless Steel by Charlotte van der Waals $165 Live in Denver, but want to know time is it in Abu Dhabi? The Ameico World Time Clock was designed by Charlotte van der Waals to provide the time for all twenty-four global time zones. It features a twelve-sided clock case, each side containing the names of two major cities (twelve hours/time zones apart). To find a city's local time, the clock is rolled until that city is on top. Ameico, headquartered in Connecticut, hosts original works by contemporary designers, offering an array of well-designed products for modern sensibilities. The Ameico World Time Clock is available with the following: Details:Solid satin stainless steel barrel case etched with an international city name for each of the 24 time zonesSeiko timepiece with 2-yr watch batteryMade in the Netherlands for Studio TRVDesigned by Charlotte van der WaalsShipping: This item usually ships within 1 week. Dimensions: Item: Length 1.625 In., Diameter 1.5 In.

Resin 3-Tier Barrel Fountain $149.99 This resin fountain has a faucet that releases water in to a 3 tier barrel display. LED lights in the barrels light the fountain at night. 12.99?L x 11.81?W x 21.65?H. This item requires Heavy / Large Delivery. For further information, click on Delivery Choices and Costs. When ordering multiples of this item, additional shipping fees may be charged. Before levying such charge, we will contact you with the proposed amount of the charge. If you do not want to accept the surcharge, we will cancel your order without any penalty to you.

Tex Tan Light Speed II Barrel Saddle 14In Pecan $979.99 Tex Tan Light Speed II Western Barrel Saddle From Hereford Brand (by Tex Tan) The Light Speed II Barrel Saddle features Roughout seat jockey & fenders, braided rawhide horn, and basket tooling. Item Specification: Tree: Ralide Gullet: 6 1/2" W Bars: Semi-Quarter Horse Horn: 1 3/4" Cap x 3" High Cantle: 5" Swell: 13" Rigging: 7/8 In-skirt with Stainless Steel Dees Stirrups: Aluminum Barrel Seat: Suede

Tex Tan Light Speed II Barrel Saddle 15In Pecan $999.99 Tex Tan Light Speed II Western Barrel Saddle From Hereford Brand (by Tex Tan) The Light Speed II Barrel Saddle features Roughout seat jockey & fenders, braided rawhide horn, and basket tooling. Item Specification: Tree: Ralide Gullet: 6 1/2" W Bars: Semi-Quarter Horse Horn: 1 3/4" Cap x 3" High Cantle: 5" Swell: 13" Rigging: 7/8 In-skirt with Stainless Steel Dees Stirrups: Aluminum Barrel Seat: Suede

I Love BARREL RACING Humor Women's Light T-Shirt by CafePress $22 I heart BARREL RACING t-shirts and gifts for those who love BARREL RACING ... Humor Women's Light T-Shirt Tee, TShirt, Shirt Our 100% cotton women's tee is preshrunk, durable and guaranteed.5.6 oz. 100% cotton. Standard fit.

Barrel Racing Course Sports Women's Light T-Shirt by CafePress $22 Barrel Racing Course Barrel racing is a great sport and these t-shirts and buttons picturing the course are great gifts for the beginner or the pro. Order yours today Sports Women's Light T-Shirt Tee, TShirt, Shirt Our 100% cotton women's tee is preshrunk, durable and guaranteed.5.6 oz. 100% cotton. Standard fit.

Wild Barrel cowgirls Pets Women's Light T-Shirt by CafePress $22 Nice present for any barrel racer, cowgirl or horse fan. Equine design, quarter horses in Barrel race Pets Women's Light T-Shirt Tee, TShirt, Shirt Our 100% cotton women's tee is preshrunk, durable and guaranteed.5.6 oz. 100% cotton. Standard fit.

Alamo Economy Barrel Saddle 15 $699.99 Alamo Saddlery Basket stamped Barrel/Pleasure w/rough out side jockey and fender. This saddle is light weight and one of Alamo's most popular saddles. Item Specifications: Tree: Ralide Seat: Suede Rigging: In-Skirt Bars: 6 3/4" Horn Height: 2 1/2" Cantle Height: 5"

Eliminator Lighting EX-6 Barrel Moonflower $85.95 The EX-6 barrel scanner from Eliminator projects multicolored beams onto a mirror ball for more light reflection that dance nonstop in continuous mode or to the beat of the music in sound-active mode. Fan cooled. The Eliminator moonflower includes 100W lamp. 9"W x 19"H x 10"L. 6 lbs.