TaylorEason.com: Foodies unite » Sustainable/Organic

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 reviews: King Estate 2009 Domaine Pinot Gris and 2008 Pinot Noir

Taylor Eason — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 02:50:18 +0000

King Estate specializes in Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir, and that's what I've been sipping on these past eight years since I met them. Still family-owned -- like most wineries in Oregon -- they've expanded their horizons with their other, more affordable (and still tasty) Acrobat Pinot Noir and Gris. I really admire what these guys have been doing.

Wine review: Buried Cane 2009 Whiteline Chardonnay (No Oak)

Taylor Eason — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 14:11:49 +0000

There's a bit of a backlash with oaky/buttery California Chardonnays now. A newfound love of the unadorned version -- labeled "Unoaked”, “Virgin”, “Naked” or “Stainless Steel” -- can be witnessed on retail shelves and on restaurant wine lists. The taste difference between oak-aged and/or fermented Chardonnay and those that don’t see wood can normally be summed up in one word: minerality. Washington State's Buried Cane is on to something.

Rediscovering Chardonnay wine: The unoaked version

Taylor Eason — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 14:56:22 +0000

Chardonnay has become the whipping child of the wine world -- the veritable before-the-ball Cinderella or Joan of Arc. But this unfortunate rep has a reason behind it. There are a crapload of disgusting, woodchipped and buttered Chardonnays lining shelves of every American retailer. And, like Merlot before Sideways busted its ass, the quality level simply plummeted into the deep sea of average wine. Sweet-lovin' consumers fleeing White Zin, after the populist mocked them, found solace in the softer, fruitier Chardonnay grape. It was comforting and easy to drink, like a cold bottle of Kendall Jackson on a warm summer day. But enter the un-oaked Chardonnay.

Wine review: Snoqualmie Naked 2008 Merlot Columbia Valley

Taylor Eason — Mon, 16 May 2011 14:26:23 +0000

Snoqualmie is owned and operated by the fine folks who bring us Columbia Crest and Chateau Ste. Michelle wines in Washington State. Per their corporate mantra, this is a good value wine that's well made but there's one added benefit to this brand: Snoqualmie practices sustainable and organic grape growing.

Wine review: Quivira 2008 Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley

Taylor Eason — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 16:04:56 +0000

Dry Creek Valley grows some of the best Zinfandel in California and Quivira lies in the middle of it all. When I visited their biodynamically-farmed vineyards in Sonoma County a few years ago, I was pretty awed with everything they produced.

Wine review: 181 2008 Merlot Lodi Valley (California)

Taylor Eason — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 14:53:59 +0000

Located southeast of Sacramento near California’s eastern edge, Lodi Valley isn’t romantic, sophisticated wine "country" (yet), but it’s got the hip enviro edge. Lodi is so serious about the health of its land, growers there formed a trade group, Lodi-Woodbridge Winegrape Commission (LWWC), which in 1992 laid down its environmental imperatives in a farming manifesto, "Lodi Rules for Sustainable Winegrowing." Thus the 181 Merlot was produced from grapes exposed to less pesticides.

Wine review: The Climber 2009 Sauvignon Blanc California

Taylor Eason — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 15:26:18 +0000

The Clif Family -- yes, the same people who make the cand...er... "nutrition" bars -- started making wine in 2004 after moving to Napa Valley. Like their bars, they source from sustainably and organically-grown vineyards (link) in northern California. Winemakers Sarah Gott and Bruce Regalia do an outstanding job with all the Clif wines, especially whites like this one.

Wine review: Zind Humbrecht 2009 Pinot Gris

Taylor Eason — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 18:55:12 +0000

Of all the French wine regions, Alsace (ALL sass) is the easiest to understand. Unlike other regions, it labels its bottles by varietal name, making the selection — and pronunciation — less problematic. This Pinot Gris from Zind Humbrecht is nearly perfect.

Sparkling wine review: Lucien Albrecht Cremant d’Alsace Brut

Taylor Eason — Sat, 18 Dec 2010 15:36:32 +0000

This French Crémant (crim-AUNT) hails from the Alsace region of France, where they aren't allowed to call their sparkling wines Champagne. This is kind of a good thing. Like Pinot Noir drinkers before Sideways released, people "in the know" can enjoy great Champagne-esque wine at lower prices.

Sparkling wine review: Domaine Carneros 2006 Brut Cuvee

Taylor Eason — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 15:01:53 +0000

As the American outpost of the famed French Champagne house Taittinger, vintage after vintage, Domaine Carneros the best way to drink Champagne-ish on a craft beer budget. Great value for the money.

Wine review: Paul Dolan 2008 Sauvignon Blanc Mendocino

Taylor Eason — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 16:54:27 +0000

I'm not ashamed to admit that I respect and admire Paul Dolan, his biodynamic and organic farming philosophies and his vision for the future. The hard work shows up in the glass bottle after bottle, including this one.

Wine review: Heron 2009 Pinot Noir California

Taylor Eason — Sat, 20 Nov 2010 15:56:48 +0000

Heron Winery out of San Francisco might be what you'd call an "alternative" winery. They don't own vineyards, don't have a tasting room and make wines from grapes sourced from all over the world. Really tasty wines like this $15 Pinot Noir.

Is biodynamic and organic grapegrowing flim flam or fab?

Taylor Eason — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 14:44:11 +0000

Jay McInerney, a wine writer for The Wall Street Journal, wrote an interesting piece last week on the validity of biodynamic grapegrowing. The story -- as well as the comments -- bring up solid questions. Every winemaker I interview gets the "what do you think about organic and biodynamic farming" question, and it's met each time with a different set of praises, skepticisms and even jokes.

Wine reviews: Villa Maria 2009 Cellar Selection Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc

Taylor Eason — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 15:31:31 +0000

A few months ago, Villa Maria Estate got a Vitamin B-12 shot in their marketing. Ste. Michelle Wine Estates -- the sales and marketing powerhouse behind Ste. Michelle Winery, Columbia Crest and Erath -- began importing and marketing New Zealand's "biggest boutique winery." Gwyneth Olsen, Villa Maria's Operations Winemaker, came through town this week and blew me away with the quality level of the juice. And now they're even better priced, thanks to their new friends. The Cellar Selection wines especially.

Wine review: Sea Smoke 2007 “Ten” Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills

Taylor Eason — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 14:40:19 +0000

It's rare that I review expensive wines. But occasionally one runs across my tongue that sends tingles through my nervous system that channel through my fingers. Happened recently when I popped open a Sea Smoke, a cult winery from the Santa Rita Hills in Santa Barbara County in southern California.

Sam’s Club releases its own wine label: Infinite 2008 Spanish Red

Taylor Eason — Thu, 13 May 2010 15:35:01 +0000

I suppose it was bound to happen. That partytrain known as wine sales had to arrive in Generica, stopping at the Sam's Club station. Like the last guy at a party to realize his fly is open, Sam Walton's masterminding crew has released its own private wine retail label. I should've expected it... I should've sensed it in the air. But the moment the press release entered my inbox offering up a sample of this new Spanish red blend, I HAD to try it.

Wine review: Errazuriz 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Aconcagua Valley

Taylor Eason — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 15:00:56 +0000

Chile is just now getting to the point where they produce good cabernets. I've enjoyed their white wines for as long as I can remember but their reds always wallowed in green pepper and asparagus... and not in a good way with dollop of hollandaise. Errazuriz, a winery founded in 1870 by Don Maximiano Errazuriz, has established themselves internationally as a quality-driven business. They also farm their vineyards sustainably, taking care of the soil for the coming generations.

Spring has sprung: Wines reviews to get you drinking

Taylor Eason — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 22:36:14 +0000

Spring has sprung. The newly back-from-vacation birds are chirping… the honeybees are busy, and all the animals are horny. Makes me want a drink… or a cigarette, but I don't smoke. Then, naturally, my mind turns to wine, my favorite beverage. This time of year, as warmth slowly creeps back into the days, I can’t help but shun the heavy reds and pair the weather with something a little more refreshing… mostly rich whites and light-bodied reds.

Brazin 2007 Old Vine Zinfandel Lodi

Taylor Eason — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 14:30:05 +0000

Not everyone can craft really tasty zinfandel. Sometimes, this varietal wine can be overly alcoholic, with fumes wafting up your nose. Other times, it's too intense and brash like a pushy whore wearing too much makeup. Not this one.