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Wine review: Rocca Sveva 2009 Soave Classico

Taylor Eason — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:53:25 +0000

While most people think Pinot Grigio is the white wine of Italy, I beg to differ. Softer and rounder, Soave white wines from northeastern Italy complement a wider range of food, have an exceptional depth of flavors, and are quite versatile. Like the Rocca Sveva 2009 Soave Classico.

Soave: Move over Pinot Grigio, here come some of Italy’s best white wines

Taylor Eason — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:25:29 +0000

I haven't tasted many Soave white wines from Italy; maybe because Italy isn’t particularly known for high quality white wine. When you think Italian wine, Chianti, Barolo and Super Tuscans pop into your head, right? Maybe Pinot Grigios? But so many of these popular, light-bodied whites exported to the U.S. feign quality disguised in pretty bottles. Pinot Grigios aren't white wines Italy really boasts about yet. But Soave [so-AH-vay -- same way it’s pronounced in the video, by the way] just might be the next big thing out of Italy since the Super Tuscan was born.

Wine review: North by Northwest 2010 Riesling Horse Heaven Hills

Taylor Eason — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 20:00:52 +0000

I admire when a winery steps outside the annoying conservative boundaries of the wine industry. Randall Grahm of Bonny Doon fame (an interview with him), The Three Thieves and their ground-breaking Bandit wine in a small box and chalk up another win to the folks at Oregon's King Estate (reviews of their other wines), who created this Washington State-based project, North by Northwest. These guys have the chutzpah to do things differently.

Affordable everyday Wine review: Smoking Loon 2009 Zinfandel California

Taylor Eason — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 16:31:46 +0000

When people talk about "everyday" wine, I've sometimes wondered exactly what they mean. Is it a wine that goes with all sorts of food so it can be consumed without care? Is it a simple wine that that can appeal to many different palates? Or is it an inexpensive wine that you can afford to sip everyday? Family-owned by Sonoma County's Sebastiani and Sons, Smoking Loon wants to be all that and more.

Wine review: Chappellet 2008 Signature Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley

Taylor Eason — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 16:55:11 +0000

When Chappellet Winery opened its doors in 1967, 32 wineries operated in Napa. Robert Mondavi – now owned by corporate wine company Constellation – was number 31. Today, over 400 wineries share the same valley. Early on in this recession, Chappellet began combating the sales spiral by concentrating on the customer — they lowered their prices. “We wanted people to feel the love,” said Cyril Chappellet, 2nd generation winemaker. But they also stayed true to their history. This 2008 Cabernet effort tastes like it.

In my opinion: The top nine wines of 2011

Taylor Eason — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 15:47:12 +0000

So with such a prolific, daily wine tasting habit, distilling the thousands I evaluate every year down to nine is a tough challenge. (Thankfully, however, I keep track by placing these in the "Almost Perfect" section of my Wine Review pull down menu). But here are my top nine wines of 2011, in no particular order -- all judged by their price/value ratio.

Sparkling wine review: J Winery Cuvee 20 Brut

Taylor Eason — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 18:32:51 +0000

A dear friend gave me a 1.5 liter magnum of this elegant sparkling wine for Christmas and I almost peed my pants. (Available to buy online only, by the way). There's nothing quite like looking at a family-sized bottle of bubbly and savoring the ensuing drinking fantasies. I haven't opened the behemoth yet but the little 750-milliliter brothers of the California sparkler are a staple in my house. A blend of 49% Chardonnay, 49% Pinot Noir and 2% Pinot Meunier grapes, Cuvee 20's new, sleek packaging celebrates Judy Jordan's 25 years of making sparkling wine in Sonoma's Russian River Valley. They've had some time to get it right using the same production methods and grape varietals established in France. Sure, not that long in French Champagne terms but, hey, we're a new country full of zeal, still finding our wine way.

Sparkling wine review: Schramsberg Blanc de Noirs Brut 2007

Taylor Eason — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 01:35:32 +0000

My history with Napa Valley's Schramsberg Winery goes back a few years. Back in 2006, I spent a day during harvest in 2006 with their former winemaker, Craig Roemer, and a few days at their incredible sparkling winemaking immersion course, Camp Schramsberg, in 2010. So you might say I possess an affinity for their outstanding bubbly. It's elegant like French Champagne, remains family-owned and their quality is consistent like the sun setting.

Champagne replacement: Prosecco and Cava are inexpensive sparkling wines

Taylor Eason — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 15:35:18 +0000

As the recession lingers on and on (and on) many people are experiencing budget bummers – the dooming dread of belt-tightening yet another month and forgoing those luxuries that make one say “Mmmm.” Sparkling wine might seem an extraneous purchase yet it can be sanity-saving -- the difference between a stellar day or a crappy day. Bubbles have a way of scouring away the blues, making even Meatloaf Night a bit brighter. So perhaps it’s time to loosen the purse strings just a little bit and party again (while keep the spending to a low roar). It is possible to put bubbly in your buggy, even during these dark days.

The 12 annoyances of Christmas and how wine can help

Taylor Eason — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 18:26:09 +0000

Raise your hand if you're tired of the holidays already. The rude traffic, the tackle-football shopping, and the inescapable holiday jingles make me want to curl up with a bottle and emerge when it's over. Perhaps I have a case of seasonal dysfunction, but since I can't afford to check into Betty Ford, I can use her alcoholic coping mechanism as a mood enhancer. Yes, I believe wine can mellow holiday annoyances, like so:

Wine review: Vietti 2007 Barbera d’Asti Tre Vigne

Taylor Eason — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 01:29:37 +0000

Barbera is an unfortunately overlooked red grape/wine from the Piedmont region of Italy. But it's SO tasty. Plenty of fruit but also high acidity, making it a quintessential food pairing experience. You'll find Barberas from the Asti sub region, which often have often a more feminine style (due to the soil structure in that region) and the Alba sub region, producing the yin, masculine version. Barberas from Asti, as a general rule, appeal more to my taste. And this Asti from Vietti kinda rocked my world.

Wine review: Penfolds Bin 128 2008 Shiraz Coonawarra

Taylor Eason — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 17:54:27 +0000

Most consumers have heard of Penfold's, and unfortunately have mostly tasted their somewhat generic, everyday Cabernet and Shiraz blends. But their Bin Series bottlings, made from a more exclusive, higher tier of fruit, are simply breathtaking (and worth the extra $8 or so). Established in 1962, Penfold's Bin 128 Coonawarra Shiraz series is made from grapes grown on Penfold's-owned land and produces a consistently tasty wine vintage after vintage.

Wine EDU Video: The difference between neutral and new oak

Taylor Eason — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 02:54:01 +0000

What's the big deal about oak barrels in wine? Winemaker Natalie West answers the question of neutral versus new oak in winemaking. What flavors do the barrels impart?

Wine review: Castello d’Albola 2007 Chianti Classico

Taylor Eason — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 17:30:09 +0000

Chianti is one of the classic food wines of Italy. In this wine-soaked country, regional foods are designed to pair with regional wines. [Read about my foodie trip to Italy). They're crafty that way. Like Garanimals back in the day. In Tuscany, the locals sip Chianti, Chianti Classico and Chianti Classico Reserva (what's the difference?) with red sauces, long-simmered bean dishes and slow-roasted meats. The higher acidity of the Sangiovese grape complements the high acidity of tomato sauces but also contrasts with the delicious fat of the meat dishes. Matches made in foodie heaven.

Wine review: Delas 2009 Cotes du Rhone Saint Esprit

Taylor Eason — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 15:15:48 +0000

It seems even the traditionalist French are caving to the new consumer tastes -- producing fruity wines like their "New World" competitors that they used to deride. Perhaps the musty, dusty, fruity-free style has simply been overtaken by the up-and-coming wine buyer tastes. The Delas 2009 Cotes du Rhone Saint Esprit leads me to believe it...

Taming your tannins: Decanting wine, step by step

Taylor Eason — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 16:30:00 +0000

Decanting -- the act of transferring wine from its bottle to another vessel -- exists for two reasons. One is to introduce oxygen to tame monster tannins. It doesn't actually change the tannin level, just our perception of it. Learn why you should decant red wine.

Tempting Tempranillo: A grape whose time has come in America

Taylor Eason — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 16:07:31 +0000

Supply and demand is a wondrous and beautiful thing. Guarding the secret of a juicy wine discovery allows you to skip to the store and snatch it up for practically nothing. It worked this way pre-Sideways, when you could practically steal high quality domestic Pinot Noir, but then people, mesmerized by the flick's romance, flocked to this formerly humble wine and promptly upgraded it to the overpriced shelf. But, shhhh… like an underground indie flick, there’s a little-known, up-and-coming grape that probably won’t stay long on the downlow: Tempranillo.

Wine review: Vin Parfait 2009 Chardonnay California

Taylor Eason — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 23:07:01 +0000

Although the pitch is transparently focus-grouped and massaged, Vin Parfait [PAR fay] 2009 Chardonnay was a crowd-pleaser at a recent blind tasting. But it's predictable, non-distinctive and sweet.

Wine review: Quivira 2009 Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley

Taylor Eason — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 16:15:28 +0000

I was a bit hesitant to write about Quivira's Zin that I recently tasted blind, since I reviewed the 2008 vintage in April of this year. But I thought, what the hell, they deserve to get kudos twice in one year. These guys rock the Zinfandel. And, farming biodynamically, they're stewards of the earth.

Wine review: Elena Walch 2010 Lagrein Alto Adige (Italy)

Taylor Eason — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 16:12:41 +0000

For a few years now, the Alto Adige wine region in northeastern Italy has been a darling of mine. With a cooler climate than the rest of the heated Italian countrysides, the Pinot Grigios taste crisper, the eclectic reds are more refined and they grow a whole slew of interesting grapes from this rich, historic soil. Like Lagrein.