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Typing this while enjoying a glass of Catherine’s Blend 2011….ahhh…natural residual sugar.  The sweetness from naturally occurring sweet wine sits on the front end of the tongue, just like honey.  The more I study natural sweetness, the more I’m ecstatic that all of our wines are made without the adding sugar to sweeten them.  Catherine’s Blend, which Christine just said is “oh, so good” (she’s across the tasting bar from me as I type this), was made by filtering the Vignoles part of the wine at 3:00 in the morning to preserve residual sugar.  How can you tell if a wine is made with natural residual sugar from the fruit or has added cane or beet sugar?  First, if it’s made in California or at Turtle Run Winery, all of the residual sugar occurs naturally.  The sweetness from naturally sweet wines is detected at the center and front of the tongue, whereas sugar, and specifically glucose, the sweetness is tasted at the center and back of the tongue.  If you try a beverage that contains high fructose corn syrup and the sweetness sensation occurs at the back of the tongue, please note that approximately half of high fructose corn syup’s sweetness comes from glucose.  Personally, I think the sweetener should be renamed “High Glucose Corn Syrup”.  Glucose, by the way, provides the sugar buzz in beverages.  Fructose cannot.  Oops, I better stop typing about this.  Anyway, I’ve beaten to death the many reasons we focus on natural residual sugar instead of adding it.  Some folks on our email mailing list have asked me, “how can we tell when sugar and glucose is added to wines or other beverages?” Now you know.  Fructose’s sweetness is perceived more on the front of the tongue, and glucose tends to excite the back of the tongue.  Diabetes and obesity are plaguing this country.  We, as a society, need to go back to consuming naturally made products like our parents grew up eating and drinking and avoid some of these incredible health problems that are plaguing today’s society.

Back to the Catherine’s Blend 2011, released 11/25/2011.  All of the residual sugar comes from our Vignoles harvest.  I filtered this wine in the middle of the night to preserve the sweetness in the wine.  Back adding the appropriate amount of Chardonel, we were able to simply nail that German Riesling characteristic in the wine.  Beautiful peach, apricot notes with hints of tropical fruit and citrus notes abound.  Delicately sweet, but not overly sweet, the wine pairs very well with fish and lemon chicken.

Since our last concert on November 5th, we have bottled and released Traminette 2011, Catherine’s Blend 2011, Sweet Tortuga 2011, Raspberry Wine 2011, Chambourcin NV, Chambourcin 2010, Blue My Mind 2011, and Pop’s Port #8, which brings me to this.   Speaking of the Raspberry Wine, we think it’s the world’s first raspberry wine made entirely without adding any sugar along the way!  All of that great natural sweetness comes from raspberries, and the sweetness is incredible.  The flavors – intensely insane!

The Shermaggedon Wine Sale!!!  January 13th, 14th, and15th
Hello Kentucky customers!  I know the Sherman Minton Bridge has been a pain the rear, so Laura and I talked on New Years Eve evening, and then today, about having a wine sale to get you to cross the creek (Ohio River).  Every wine will be on sale!  Our normal discounts are 5% at 3 bottles, 10% at 6 bottles, 15% at 12 bottles and 20% at 24 bottles.  For this weekend only we will add an additional 20% off to the 12 and 24 bottle discount and an additional 10% off the 6 bottle discount.   We rarely have wine sales (2nd one ever), so come early and take advantage of this once in a while offer.  Oh, and this sale is good for our southern Indiana customers who have been simply awesome with the bridge being down (and those from KY too who have come to the “Sunny Side”).  We thank everyone who has stopped by this fall and winter!  And we really thank those who have recommended us to friends and family!!  Additionally, we could run out of some wines as we are between vintages, such as Joe’s Jammin’ Red, so come early!  Supposedly, we’re open from noon to 6:00 daily, but as I like to say, “some come early, some stay late”, so come when you can.

Roll out the Barrels:  January 14th and 15th
A new Indiana Uplands Wine Trail Event!  Stop by each of the Indiana Uplands wineries as we delve into barrel tastings.  At Turtle Run, we’ll be working on our next Max’s Small Batch Red masterpiece.  Have a part in helping us design and craft Max’s next wine.  Additionally, you’ll be able to taste succulent whites in barrels as well!  And save on wine too!

Wine Appreciation Class:  February 11th and 18th:
Ahh…welcome back classmates to another session of our well attended series of Wine Appreciation Classes centered around Valentines Day.  I think the theme of these two classes will be “the innate appreciation of wine.”  I’m going to dive into the chemistry but in an easy to explain way!  Plan for your taste buds to be aroused as we’ll not only dive deep into Turtle Run wines, but some of the finest vintages in the world.  Keeping with  Shermageddon, though the bridge will be open by then, we will discount the class to $35 per person and limit it to 34 folks per session.  Reservations required.  Alert taste buds required!  Enjoyment absolutely required!  Learning optional!  Nah—required.  Can anyone tell I am typing this email with a second glass of wine at my desk?  Cabernet Sauvignon 2010 this time, a riveting red.  These 1/3 glasses are, quite frankly, finished too quickly.  Back in a minute….

Ahh..Pop’s Port #8.  This email could get quite encrypted or babble overload.  Darn it’s so smooth.  The vanilla and cherry notes just collide and intertwine on the center of my tongue.  At 18.5% alc, I should have generously filled this glass.  Wait a minute, time to top it off.  Okay, I’ m back.  Who needs sleeping medication when there is Port?  Besides, which is more enjoyable to consume?  A pill that requires concentration to swallow or a glass of Port that goes down so effortlessly.  Yeah, the pill with who knows what’s in it is soooo much better.

Chocolate Lovers Weekend!  February 11th and 12th plus the 18th and 19th
Join us on the Indiana Uplands Wine trail as we pair delicious chocolate treats with exceptional wine…I mean Port.  Have you ever had our port wines with Schimpff’s caramel and almond chocolate turtles?  Oh my…Wait!  I have some turtles downstairs.  Back in a minute…Oh my, that was good.  I feel like a soaring Snuffles, having just eaten a delicious dog biscuit.  Is there anything better?  Seriously, this Port and one of those turtles is an event that will send your taste buds on warp speed tilt-a-whirl.  Back in a minute….I need another turtle.  Geez, the laps at the pool are going to be extended tomorrow. 

Oh, that was great.  What’s up next?

March Gladness!  Of course!
Join the Indiana Uplands Wine Trail for a food and wine experience on March 10th and 11th and 17th and 18th.  This is a ticketed event and will showcase excellent wine and food pairings, like Schimpff’s Turtles and Pop’s Port number 8!  Sugar overload, I am sooo done!  The glucose is kicking in!!  The only way I can get diabetes is writing emails, and finding chocolate and port combo’s.

Finally, as I polish off what little dribble is left in this glass, Laura, the children, and the staff and I want to thank you for your continued support of Turtle Run Winery.  Our motto is “to create exceptional quality wine to go with food and friends (and Pop’s Port#8 with Schimpff’s turtles).  Please keep recommending us to friends and family and thanks for making us a part of your holiday traditions this year.  Thanks for the recommendation of new bands over the years – Circus, for one, was added this year!  And, of course, thanks for being customers.  Without you, I cannot spend countless hours in the middle of the night pressing, filtering and blending wines for your enjoyment.  Or writing emails as to how Pop’s Port and Schimpff’s turtles are so deliberately decadent together. 

Cheers,
Jim