For me, Cab Sauv isn’t a sipping wine. Not made for the patio or the party, but more for the dinner party. Its hefty tannins and deep, dark flavors are a challenge to my palate without the fattiness of food to protect it. But a well-made Cab begs to be recognized as such – celebrated for having ... Read More »
Almost perfect
Reviews of wines that are almost perfect quality.
Wine review: Montes Alpha 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon
Chile has been a happening place for several years now. With a Mediterranean climate much like northern California, the grapes bask in sunshine and enjoy rain during the winter mostly. Even the landscape, with mountain valleys and slopes, resembles California. And, like California, the resultant ... Read More »
Celebrating three small, passionate Pinot Noir producers in Mendocino County
It strikes most wine drinkers at some point in their wine paths: Pinot passion. The multi-dimensional, seductiveaspects of this finicky, oft-loved grape are difficult to avoid. And, when it happens, all you can do is succumb to its wiles and enjoy the comfort it brings. Mendocino County, a wine region ... Read More »
Wine review: J Lohr Gesture RVG Paso Robles
I visited J Lohr ages ago, wide-eyed and somewhat new to California wine (I studied wine in Europe first then learned domestic grogs). The tour was lengthy, the hospitality warm and the wine impressive. I don’t remember a Rhône program there but that’s because it wasn’t until a ... Read More »
Wine review: Kim Crawford 2013 Pinot Gris Malborough (New Zealand)
One of the funny, ironic tidbits about Kim Crawford wines is that they aren’t produced by or owned by a female like many believe. The winery was founded by a super cool guy named Kim but he sold his eponymous wine brand over ten years ago (read about the history here). Quality suffered for a ... Read More »
Two affordable wines: Dry Creek Vineyard 2013 Sauvignon Blanc & 2013 Dry Chenin Blanc
Up the road from where I live in California is a winery that continues to impress, vintage after vintage: Dry Creek Vineyard. I did a search on my website and I’ve written about them seven times in the past eight years. That’s a lot, considering the number of wineries on this earth I could ... Read More »
French wine review: Domaine Bruno Clair 2010 Marsannay “Les Vaudenelles”
Discovered during a blind tasting, I mistook this stellar red Burgundy for a Chambolle Musigny, a Côtes de Nuits wine region up the road which can be twice the price. This Bruno Clair hails from Marsannay, a newer, French village-level appellation (established in 1987) which is no slouch Burgundy ... Read More »
Wine value review: A to Z 2010 Pinot Noir from Oregon
The hunt for an affordable, everyday Pinot Noir just might be over. It’s not a coincidence that it hails from Oregon, the temperate vacation home for this finicky grape. But A to Z Wineworks isn’t your normal, everyday winery… they don’t have a physical location where you can ... Read More »
Wine review: Madrona 2010 Signature Dry Riesling El Dorado
El Dorado County, a tragically obscure grape growing region east of Sacramento, is not an area that I would dub “Riesling Country.” Known generally as a grape that thrives in cooler climate areas (think Germany, Alsace in northern France, southern Australia, Washington State), Riesling ... Read More »
Wine review: Elk Cove 2011 Pinot Gris Willamette Valley (Oregon)
The 2011 Pinot Gris from Oregon’s Willamette Valley are simply spectacular. Loaded with tart acidity, peaches and grapefruit, you can be assured that any bottle of 2011 Oregon Pinot Gris you grab from the shelves will be worthy of passing your lips.
But if you can find this one, you’re ... Read More »
The best red, white and rose wines I’ve tasted in the past six months
Although I taste wines (and often drink!) virtually everyday, most don’t land on the site to bask in the glory of a good wine review. Maybe they’re too expensive for the quality, or taste nothing like the grape listed on the label, or maybe they’re just plain plonk and don’t ... Read More »
Wine review: Nozzole 2008 Chianti Classico Riserva
Chianti is likely the entry-point for Americans to begin learning about this complicated country of 3,000 different grape varietals. It’s on these hallowed Tuscan grounds that wine was not necessarily invented (the Turks lay that claim) but quite possibly where it was first perfected. They follow ... Read More »