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.
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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. Read more: Is biodynamic and organic grapegrowing flim flam or fab? 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. Read more: Wine reviews: Villa Maria 2009 Cellar Selection Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc 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. Read more: Wine review: Sea Smoke 2007 “Ten” Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills 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. Read more: Sam’s Club releases its own wine label: Infinite 2008 Spanish Red 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. Read more: Wine review: Errazuriz 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Aconcagua Valley 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. Read more: Brazin 2007 Old Vine Zinfandel Lodi This pinot house has been cranking out incredible wine since 1995, when high-tech biz man Bernard Lacroute saw an ad for Oregon land in the Wine Spectator. 420-acres of cattle land to be precise. Back then, the price for Yamhill dirt wasn’t as offensive as it might be today. Read more: Wine review: Willakenzie 2006 Pinot Noir Pierre Leon One winery who sniffed out the organic trend before it happened: Domaine Jean Bouquet in Argentina. Third-generation French winemaker Jean Bousquet moved to Mendoza’s Tupungato Valley in 1997, planting the vineyard in a climate that didn’t require chemicals and pesticides to thrive. They grow a little bit of everything, from the indigenous Torrontes grape to Merlot to this delicious Malbec. |
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