All posts by Steve Ruegg

Egypt Travel – Part 1

Time for a strictly travel-related blog…

My daughter Melissa graduated from college 8 ½ years ago (2007). I had told her that for her graduation gift, I would take her on a vacation (just the two of us) anywhere in the world she wanted to go. Her initial suggestion was to go somewhere in Europe – maybe including Paris. I told her that yes – Paris was one of my dreams, as I had studied French for six years, but I told her that I was also thinking of going somewhere else after Paris.  She hadn’t really thought of the fact that for a while in early High School, she had thought of studying Egyptology, so I thought we could see all of the Egypt exhibits at the Louvre in Paris, and then go see where they all came from with a trip to Egypt. Melissa’s jaw dropped, and she said she just didn’t think going to Egypt was a realistic possibility, so she didn’t suggest it.

So, I did LOTS of online research into tour companies, tour options, etc. I looked at Nile cruises, bus tours, etc., and finally settled on a private tour. Instead of traveling in a large bus over hundreds of miles, with a bunch of old(er) people, we got to fly the long distances (Cairo to Aswan to Abu Simbel to Aswan), had a private van (Melissa, me, a driver and a real Egyptologist – not a “tour guide”).  At the time, taking the private tour was only about $600 more than the tour bus or cruise options! I found a fantastic U.S. based tour company – Egypt Magic – that handled all the details, customized the trip for us, and provided an excellent tour coordinator in Cairo.  

http://www.egyptmagic.com

https:/http://www.facebook.com/egyptmagicprivatetours

CAIRO & GIZA:

Egypt, Great Pyramid, Giza, Cairo
Entrance to the Great Pyramid – Giza

After five days in Paris, we landed in Cairo. Cairo is a fascinating city – a blend of Muslim and Coptic Christian cultures. From climbing to the top of the inside of the Great Pyramid at Giza (hot, humid, dark, but totally worth it),

 

 

 

Egypt, Sphinx, Giza, Cairo
The Sphinx of Giza

the Sphinx,

 

 

 

 

 

 

and the Cairo Museum (with the extensive Tut exhibit and mummy collection).

Egypt, Museum, Cairo Museum, Ramses, Cairo
Mummy of Ramses II (The Great) Supposedly the Pharaoh during the Exodus and Moses’ time

 

 

 

 

 

 

Traffic in the city is quite a mess. We shared the road with 7 lanes of traffic crammed into 3 lanes, camels, goats, pedestrians, and motorized carts overflowing with goods to sell. Our tour coordinator also took us out with his friends, where we learned to smoke the “shisha” (a water pipe with apple-flavored tobacco), and to a wonderful Egyptian restaurant.

Egypt, Mosque of Mohammad Ali, Cairo
Cairo Mosque of Mohammad Ali

One place we loved was the Mosque of Muhammad Ali (not the pro boxer…), perched over the city.

 

 

Egypt, Cairo, Mosque of Mohammad Ali, Clock Tower, Paris, Luxor, Obelisk
Courtyard of the Mosque, with the French brass clock tower
Egypt, Cairo, Mosque of Mohammad Ali, Clock Tower, Paris, Luxor, Obelisk
Obelisk from Luxor, standing in Place de la Concorde, Paris

One interesting story about this place is related to the brass clock tower in the courtyard. It was presented to Muhammad Ali by King Louis Philippe of France in 1845. In return, Muhammad Ali donated the beautiful obelisk of Luxor now standing in Place de la Concorde in Paris.

Paris got the better end of the deal, as the clock they gave to Muhammad has never worked!

 

 

 

I will continue our Egypt journey in future posts. But for now… I think I’ll have a glass of wine.

Feel free to leave a comment below, and to subscribe on the left, so you get notified of new posts.

Also, feel free to email me privately at: stevestastingsandtravel@gmail.com.

Lastly… grab a glass of wine, and ENJOY!!!

Interesting Winery Find in Kansas City – Amigoni Urban Winery

We traveled to Kansas City this weekend to meet my 6-week old grandson, Easton Ruegg (an adorable future baseball player). While thinking of things to do on a beautiful autumn day, with the tree leaves at full color, my daughter-in-law Rebekah suggested that we try a new winery/wine tasting room in downtown Kansas City. Located at 1505 Genessee in the historic Telegram building, Amigoni Urban Winery was a pleasant surprise, as I have never been a fan of Missouri wineries…

Owner Michael Amigoni has created a popular, comfortable wine tasting room here, with a full selection of wines, consisting of 80% local Missouri and 20% Lodi, California grapes from (Stokes Family Vineyard). My first thought before going in was “oh, no – not another Missouri Winery with typical Missouri grapes – Norton, Chardonelle, etc.  But I quickly learned that Amigoni is the only Missouri winery to feature entirely “Vinis Vitifera,” meaning that they only grow and use the typical popular grape varietals (Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc, etc.). Michael Amigoni has figured out how to grow these varietals in west-central Missouri. All of Amigoni’s wines are small batch, Missouri Oak barrel fermented wines.


The tasting menu would make one think they were in a California tasting room, with straight varietals (Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cab Franc, Merlot, Malbec, and Petit Verdot), as well as a number of interesting “Urban” blends. Amigoni also said he will release both a Barbera and a Cinsault (or Cinsaut) soon. With his northern Italy roots, the Barbera should be great. The normal tasting is 5 pre-selected wines (out of 13 available) for $6 – a great bargain. I added in 5 additional tastes at $1 each (strictly for the purpose of research for this blog!).

My (brief) tasting notes:

  • 2014 Sauvignon Blanc: Very crisp and dry; Nose is grapefruit, with pineapple and lemon on the palate. Very light and drinkable.
  • 2014 Viognier: Nice violet aroma, with a balanced honey and cherry taste.
  • 2013 Urban Rose’: Dry Cabernet Franc Rose’: A funky nose, very light taste with a nice strong Cab Franc finish.
  • 2013 Urban Cepages (80% Grenache, 20 % Cab Sauv): Very nice wine! I bought a few bottles to age up to 5 years. A beautiful Grenache flavor in the mouth, with a nice Cab finish. Like two wines in one.
  • 2013 Cabernet Franc: Aged 18 months in Missouri Oak. Heavy cherry notes, with light vanilla and tobacco. A good wine, but not a typical Cab Franc to me.
  • 2012 Merlot: A big, full-bodied Merlot. Cherry and blueberry – aged 14 months. A great Merlot for a Missouri wine.
  • 2013 Urban Vaquero (66% Tempranillo, 34% Merlot): My favorite wine here! Very soft on the palate, with a surprising spicy finish.
  • 2013 Urban Red (83% Cab Sauv, 7% Cab Franc, 7 % Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot: A Bordeaux-style blend, but doesn’t taste like a normal Bordeaux wine. A light earth aroma with a slightly sour cherry taste. Not one I would personally care for. This one did remind me of a more typical Missouri wine for some reason.
  • 2013 Urban Drover (50% Cab Franc, 50% Petit Verdot): Aged 18 months in French and Missouri oaks. A nice, mature nose, with dark cherry and spice. A nice wine, but lighter than I expected.
  • 2012 Petit Verdot: Aged 24 months in Missouri oak. Full bodied and smooth. Slight grassy or celery note to it, but a nice wine. Again – not like a California Petit Verdot would be, with the rich, velvety feel.

In addition, Amigoni offers local beer flights, as well as an excellent Root Cellar “Row Hard” Root Beer! This reminded me of the A&W root beer I used to make when I worked there 40 years ago. They also offer a nice cheese plate and a sausage and cheese plate. Perfect for pairing with the wines.

Some really exciting news is that in mid-November, Amigon is releasing the first commercially available “Vino Ketchup!” A ketchup with 10% Cabernet Sauvignon (no alcohol content). I’d love to try this!

All is all, a wonderful, pleasing experience. A definitely recommend a visit to Amigoni Urban Winery if you are in Kansas City. The place was packed today!

Feel free to leave a comment below, and to subscribe on the left, so you get notified of new posts.

Also, feel free to email me privately at: stevestastingsandtravel@gmail.com.

Lastly… grab a glass of wine, and ENJOY!!!

Delightful Blush Wine from Cote du Provence, France

Back when I was a wine “novice,” I would drink the dreaded White Zinfandel – a sweet blush wine, primarily from Lodi, California (where my youngest son Mitchell was born).  White Zin is the blush (or rose’) wine preferred mostly by wine novices, red wine haters, and my good friend Lorna in St. Charles, MO.  However, I have found that substituting a good dry blush wine can be a great way to convert a White Zin drinker eventually into a red wine drinker.  When I have snuck a good dry rose’ to an unsuspecting White Zin lover, their typical response is “Yes – that’s really fruity and sweet!”  I then tell them that they are half right. It’s definitely fruity, but it is not sweet – it is a dry wine.  The fruitiness can make your brain think “sweet,” because that’s what we think about fruits.  Once they get used to a good dry blush wine, you can start having them try some reds, such as a light Pinot Noir or Merlot.  Another reason someone may not like red wines is because they have only tried either too intense of reds, or low quality reds.


Tonight’s delightful wine – 2013 Caves d’Esclans “Whispering Angels” dry rose’ from Cote du Provence, France. This is one of my favorite areas of the world – along the southern coast of France, from west of Marseille to Monaco, and north into the French Alps.  I will write a few times about this area in future posts, but I have taken three wine tasting tours in this area – all with a fantastic tour company, Provence Wine Tours (www.provincewinetours.com) with my good friend and the owner of the company, Gaetane Thurot.


https://www.facebook.com/Provence-Wine-Tours-127638462050/

We had this wine on our Alaska cruise on Lobster Night, and we couldn’t have had a more perfect wine!  One of the most drinkable wines you will find, this is a wonderfully light bouquet of fresh strawberry and raspberry, with a hint of jasmine and lemon.  This wine was fantastic with trout, marinated with ginger, green onions, and Kikkoman Teriyaki sauce.  But it would certainly be acceptable with most seafood, especially salmon, crab, lobster, and white fish.  Also great with white cheeses and a number of fruits.  This wine is a MUST for every cellar, and runs about $16-19.


Feel free to leave a comment below, and to subscribe on the left, so you get notified of new posts.

Also, feel free to email me privately at: stevestastingsandtravel@gmail.com.

Lastly… grab a glass of wine, and ENJOY!!!

One of my recent Texas wines…. from Kuhlman Cellars

Over the past few years, I have posted to my personal Facebook page a number of photos and thoughts about wines I have had that evening.  To get started, I’ll put a few of those on my first few posts.  This is truly a work in progress, so please bear with me!

I’ll start with a local Texas wine – from Texas Hill Country, about 1 hour west of Austin (from about Hye to Fredericksburg).  For those who have never tried Texas wines, I was absolutely amazed at the wines they have here.  Texas Hill Country has become the #2 region for winery visits in the U.S.  The Texas Hill Country has become an award winning wine region, and makes some of the best Tempranillo’s anywhere!

Texas Hill Country Wineries link

Texas Hill Country Wine Map

Kuhlman Cellars is one of the newer wineries, in the “town” of Stonewall, just west of Hye, just east of the LBJ Ranch, and features an excellent wine and appetizer pairing (by appointment).  Jeremy Wilson is one of their excellent sommeliers, and is an excellent host!

Kuhlman Tasting & Pairing

http://www.kuhlmancellars.com        https://www.facebook.com/kuhlmancellars

Kuhlman Cellars has a lovely selection of wines, including Sauvignon Blanc (90% Sauvignon Blanc and 10% Semillion); Calcaria (75% Trebbiano, 17% Roussanne & 8% Viognier); Roussanne; Viognier, Alluve (59% Carignan, 22% Grenache & 19%Petite Sirah); Baranca (82% Carignan, 9% Petite Sirah & 9% Grenache); and Kankar (43% Malbec, 38% Petite Sirah & 19% Sangiovese).

2012 Kuhlman Cellars Alluve

Last night’s wine – a 2012 Kuhlman Cellars “Alluve’ – Sonoma County” ($28).  A Texas Hill Country winery, using Sonoma County grapes for this blend of 59% Carignan, 22% Petite Syrah, and 19% Grenache.   The blend of primarily Petite Sirah and Carignan together creates a beautiful red-purple color.  The nose displays an amazing blend of aromas such as blackberry and plums, with a touch of black licorice.  The flavors that come out of the taste in the mouth are well balanced, and the use of Grenache lightens up the wine to keep it from being potentially heavy.   There are subtle hints of coffee and sweet plums, with a touch of leather.  As with many Texas wines, this is a wine that is very enjoyable now, and for the next 5-7 years.  It paired very well with lamb chops, but would also go well with steak, bison, or venison.  And Kuhlman Cellars recommends to pair Alluve’ with their own herbed almonds.

Kuhlman does some fantastic pairings with their wines. Another of the newer “must visits” on the 290 wine trail west of Austin!

Feel free to leave a comment below, and to subscribe on the left, so you get notified of new posts.

Also, feel free to email me privately at: stevestastingsandtravel@gmail.com.

Lastly… grab a glass of wine, and ENJOY!!!


Welcome to my world of my travels and wines!

Paris_France
Seine River, Paris

 

And so it begins…

My intent with this blog is to provide a fairly practical guide to the world of wines and travel.  I’ve been fortunate through my work and vacations to see many beautiful places in this world, and I have a passion for planning trips.  I’ve also found myself immersed in the wonderful world of wines over the years, and love to share not only my wines, but also my experiences with both beaulieu-vineyard-friends I have, and with friends I have yet to meet.  I hope you all find this blog not only informative, but also worthy of sharing with your friends for them to enjoy, as well.

A little about myself.  My name is Steve Ruegg (pronounced like reeg).  I was born and raised in the small town of Walworth, in Southeastern Wisconsin – in the beautiful Lake Geneva (or Geneva Lake as it is officially called) area.  I’ve also lived in Minnesota (twice), Florida, Northern California, Missouri (both sides of the state), and I now live in Austin, Texas. I’m a die-hard Green Bay Packer fan (and owner), and also a huge St. Louis Cardinals fan.

So… what makes me “qualified” to write a travel and wine blog??? Well, I think I’ve got some great stories and experiences that I can share, that might help someone to decide where to go on that dream vacation, or to help you find some good new wines to try, and places to go wine tasting.  Throughout this blog, I’ll talk about places I’ve been to (U.S., Brazil, much of Europe, Japan, China, South Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, Egypt, etc…) in my travels, and wineries I’ve visited, wine tours I’ve taken, and wines that I drink. IMG_0225 I hope to give travel tips, talk about types of travel (cruise, drive, trains, and flying), how to plan travel, how to pair wines with food, etc., in as practical a way as I can.  If I like a place or a wine, I’ll say that.  If I don’t like it, I’ll also say that.  I’ll never recommend something I don’t like, but that doesn’t mean that you might not like it.

I hope you’ll feel free to ask questions, suggest topics, (gently) criticize, and most importantly, be supportive.  I always welcome suggestions for new wineries and wines to try, and new places to visit.  Pass this on to your friends, to wineries, etc.

Hubbard Glacier, Alaska
Hubbard Glacier, Alaska

Feel free to leave a comment below, and to subscribe on the left, so you get notified of new posts.

Also, feel free to email me privately at: stevestastingsandtravel@gmail.com.

Lastly… grab a glass of wine, and ENJOY!!!