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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.

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: 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...

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: 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.

Wine review: The best $5 bubbly you can buy — M. Chevallier Cava

Taylor Eason — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 16:33:50 +0000

I tasted the black label M. Chevallier Carte Noire Cava with trepidation and suppressed my high hopes, attempting to give it a fair and balanced assessment (which is tough without tasting blind). But I was pretty damn impressed. That was a few months ago. Now, it's my house pour on a Sunday morning, sometimes mixed with tangerine or orange juice for mimosas, sometimes straight up. It all depends on what kind of eggs we're having.

Wine review: Trentadue 2009 Old Patch Red Alexander Valley

Taylor Eason — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 16:38:02 +0000

Red blends appear to be all the rage these days, and I'm all for it. Many times, single varietal wines can be one dimensional and flat, lacking in personality or interest. But mix in some other grapes and beautiful things happen. The Europeans, of course, have known this non-secret for eons, especially in Bordeaux, France and most parts of Spain and Italy. And Trentadue has known this for 30 years.

Wine review: Estancia 2009 Pinot Noir Monterey Pinnacles Ranch

Taylor Eason — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 16:00:25 +0000

Even generic, corporate-owned wineries like Estancia can make good wine if they have great fruit from Monterey, specifically their Pinnacles Ranch vineyard. And another thing corporate wineries have to offer is lower prices. Like under $15 for a pretty decent Pinot.

Wine review: The Climber Unoaked California Chardonnay in a pouch

Taylor Eason — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 16:22:46 +0000

The tasty Climber Chardonnay is part jumbo juicebox, part boxed wine. The pouch houses 2 bottles of wine with 90% less waste than glass. And... it's quite drinkable. Even tasty. What's more... it's affordable and 1% of sales go towards Trees for the Future organization.

Wine review: Banfi 2008 Centine Toscana

Taylor Eason — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 16:20:05 +0000

When I explored the limitless wines of Italy's Tuscany wine region during a trip last year, I became enamored of the high quality "Toscana IGT" labeled reds. These simple table wines helped salve my weary wallet, already weathered by the leather purse and jacket shops of Florence. But they weren't just inexpensive -- they were high quality sangiovese-based reds, reminiscent of the more expensive Chianti which normally cost a lot more money but often aren't worth it.

The best, inexpensive summer sippin’ wine: Vinho Verde from Portugal

Taylor Eason — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 16:00:41 +0000

Not sure why but Vinho Verde doesn't get much respect from the sophisticates out there. The wine snobs, the "connoisseurs" or the collectors don't rave about the summer utility of this Portuguese white. Perhaps they prefer to limit their consumption of Portuguese choices to the venerated Port wine sector which overshadows Portugal's VVs. But this light, slightly spritzy and refreshing yet refreshingly affordable wine is just what the 90-100 degree weather and crappy economy demand right now.

Wine review: Tormaresca 2008 Neprica Puglia (Italy)

Taylor Eason — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 15:49:07 +0000

Bravo to this deliciously affordable Italian red wine, made from two grapes few have heard of -- Negroamaro and Primitivo (the Italian equivalent to Zinfandel) -- and the ubiquitous Cabernet Sauvignon. Neprica also hails from an obscure region in Italy, Puglia -- the heel of the boot -- where vineyard land doesn't fall into the ranks of the absurdly expensive. Puglia (also called Apulia) is an up-and-coming wine region, having shod their former lowly, bulk wine rep, and now competes successfully in the international red blend market.

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: Carmel Road 2009 Riesling Monterey and Carmel Road 2009 Pinot Gris Monterey

Taylor Eason — Sun, 29 May 2011 14:48:14 +0000

I wished I lived on Carmel Road, 'cause maybe I could stop by any random Tuesday night and swap some tomatoes for wine. Yes, I would gladly give up homegrown tomatoes -- perhaps my favorite thing on earth besides wine -- for their wine. Based in cool climate Monterey, Carmel Road winery excels at everything that excels in cooler weather - Pinot Noir, Riesling, Pinot Gris and Chardonnay. And for under $20 per bottle. Perhaps it helps to have a successful parent company -- Kendall Jackson Wine Estates - looking out for them, but winemaker Ivan Giotenov has his eye on the ever moving vinous ball. And consumer tastes.

Why rose wine should be in your fridge all summer

Taylor Eason — Mon, 23 May 2011 14:27:05 +0000

Although I drink dry rosé wines all year long, most people unfortunately lump them into the summer grog category. So by even releasing this blog post towards the end of May, I'm evidently crying uncle to the masses who lump. Dry rosés -- and I'm not referring to the tooth-aching, sweet, pink-tinted swill that maligned the elegant reputation of fabulously dry rosés -- are simply the best food pairing wines, the most refreshing and most crowd pleasing to those who are man or woman enough to drink them in public.

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.

Five refreshing white wines for spring and summer

Taylor Eason — Tue, 03 May 2011 14:25:07 +0000

Warmth is finally peeking out from underneath the underbelly of winter, escaping to where people wear shorts and sandals. When the mercury rises to this level, it's difficult to slurp red wine, so I recommend these five inexpensive white and sparkling wines that should quench the thirst tugging at your tongue.

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: Hess 2009 Sauvignon Blanc Allomi Vineyard Napa

Taylor Eason — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 15:10:12 +0000

Hess Collection is more known for its rich and extracted red wines (especially Cabs), but they a make mean white. The Allomi Vineyard sits at the base of Howell Mountain in a remote area of Napa Valley, spending its days in tourist-free peace. It's an enviable spot. Can you say secret, trespassing picnic?