Wine on the big island (Hilo, Kilauea: 2013, hotel, to buy)

[Fredesch]

I saw the KTA add for wine in the Tribune-herald and I did not recognize any of the brands. Is Fess Parker Pinot Noir a common wine for the big island or is KTA an odd place to buy wine? The ad I am referring to is in the Nov 19 issue page A7.

[Dreaming of Hawaii]

There are lots of places to buy wine, including liquor stores. Costco has a large selection of wine, and I also pick it up sometimes at Safeway. Or maybe you'll have to add this to the list of things you have to buy on-line when you live in Hawaii.

Why not try something different than "Fess Parker" when you come to Hawaii? I know that Virginia has some great vineyards, but Hawaii isn't Virgina!

[whtviper1]

Virginia has great vineyards?

[Dreaming of Hawaii]

Originally Posted by whtviper1

Virginia has great vineyards?

Yes. You should try it before you disparage it!

[OpenD]

Originally Posted by Fredesch

I saw the KTA add for wine in the Tribune-herald and I did not recognize any of the brands. Is Fess Parker Pinot Noir a common wine for the big island or is KTA an odd place to buy wine?

So you're saying you don't know much about wine?

Fess Parker Winery has been an award winning winery for many decades. They're located near Firestone Vineyard on The Foxen Canyon Wine Trail in Santa Barbara County in Southern California.

Do you have a smartphone? If so, you can check on the ratings of wines when you're in the store. That's what I've done for years when a store doesn't have a wine geek to talk to.

KTA is my go-to supermarket in Hilo and I've made some very nice buys there. Safeway has more choices, but KTA has more of the stuff I actually buy regularly, like Asian specialties.

If you want an actual wine store, try Grapes, on Kilauea.
Grapes Hawaii ... A Wine Store ... Hilo, Hawaii, GrapesHawaii.com

[whtviper1]

Originally Posted by Dreaming of Hawaii

Yes. You should try it before you disparage it!

Ok. I've never heard of a Virginia wine. Do tell, what do you recommend?

[MickeyE]

Originally Posted by whtviper1

Ok. I've never heard of a Virginia wine. Do tell, what do you recommend?

Try VirginiaWine.org - Your Guide to Everything Virginia Wine for info on Virginia wines.

Mickey

[Fredesch]

Originally Posted by OpenD

So you're saying you don't know much about wine?

Fess Parker Winery has been an award winning winery for many decades. They're located near Firestone Vineyard on The Foxen Canyon Wine Trail in Santa Barbara County in Southern California.

Do you have a smartphone? If so, you can check on the ratings of wines when you're in the store. That's what I've done for years when a store doesn't have a wine geek to talk to.

KTA is my go-to supermarket in Hilo and I've made some very nice buys there. Safeway has more choices, but KTA has more of the stuff I actually buy regularly, like Asian specialties.

If you want an actual wine store, try Grapes, on Kilauea.
Grapes Hawaii ... A Wine Store ... Hilo, Hawaii, GrapesHawaii.com

Your right, I don't spend much time reviewing wine. We have been getting more and more wineries in Virginia a lot clustered near the blue ridge, even one (Paradise Springs) in Fairfax County.

I had no idea that The actor that did Davy Crockett was a vintner. It just sounded bizarre, perhaps there is Ronald Regan wine as well. Maybe I should hang out more at total beverage or one of the big liquor stores in DC to boost my knowledge of former actor vintners. Thank goodness actor wines are not a quirk of the big island.

[OpenD]

Originally Posted by Fredesch

I had no idea that The actor that did Davy Crockett was a vintner.

Yeah, Fess Parker was one of the very first celebrity vintners, and he probably had more success than any other, with the possible exception of Francis Ford Coppola. He began his very successful career as a Santa Barbara county resort owner in 1986, he started the vineyard in 1987, and he bought the historic Los Olivos Hotel in 1988, a top destination in the area, and a highly regarded accommodation for those doing the Foxen Canyon Winery Tour. Since he died in 2010 his family has continued to run the various Fess Parker enterprises and his son is an award winning vintner.

Like I said, a smartphone app is your best friend when trying to make sense of wines you are not familiar with. There are far too many wines, and too many labels today for anyone to know them all.

[Dreaming of Hawaii]

Just reading the morning paper here in Na'alehu (having our breakfast outside on the lanai). KTA has an ad for Fess Parker Pinot Noir -- 750 ml for $21.98. Also a Riesling --750 ml for $12.99.