Unlike many labels that lure you in with clever labels (this one is designed by Ralph Steadman), the juice inside this bottle isn’t plonk. The Hugel family brand from France’s Alsace region is known for its quality, 370 year history and dedication to the land.
... Read More »Chill with Friends
Wines for hanging out with friends.
Wine review: Four Vines 2007 Syrah Paso Robles
Known for its Zinfandels and Naked Chardonnay, Four Vines Winery is capable of so much more. Creative and fun, these guys boast wines named Biker and Heretic, and the aforementioned “Naked” line, indicating its lack of oak usage in the Chardonnay. Sourced from Paso Robles, where warm weather ... Read More »
Wine review: Apothic Red Wine 2008 California
One word: Delicious. If you’re one for lovin’ on sweet-ish, juicy smackin’, full-bodied reds, RUN, don’t walk, to pick up this bottle.
... Read More »Wine review: Sbragia 2009 Sauvignon Blanc Home Ranch
I’m not sure what they’re thinking trying to sell a $18-$20 sauvignon blanc in this economy, but I’d pay that for it since I’ve tasted it. Here I am jumping up and down, trying to tell you that Ed Sbragia is frickin’ brilliant. Brilliant, I tell you.
... Read More »Wine review: Vionta 2008 Albarino Rias Baixas
I’ve been a rabid fan of the refreshing Spanish white, albariño, since I visited the region a few years ago. Since it rains all the time in this grape’s homeland of Rias Baixas, situated in the northwestern corner of Spain (just above Portugal), vineyard managers must grow their grapes ... Read More »
Wine review: Buried Cane 2007 Riesling Washington
So this might be one of the times you can accuse riesling of being sweet. Not cloying and sugary, but sweet like being kissed lightly on the cheek and offering you a gourmet meal. The good kind of sweet. Buried Cane, an affordable line of wines from Washington State, is virtually unknown but it’s ... Read More »
Wine review: Erath 2008 Pinot Noir Oregon
This pinot pioneer winery was started by Dick Erath in the early 70’s. I visited Erath early in my wine career and had the fortune of staying at their winery guesthouse while in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. On the Saturday we stayed there, the toilet backed up and Dick Erath himself (a ... Read More »
Wine review: Durigutti 2007 Malbec Mendoza
Crafted by two young brothers in the “new world” fashion, this beautifully complex malbec has received exultant praise from the industry. And it’s well-deserved. Hector and Pablo Durigutti have many years ahead of them and I can’t imagine this wine getting much better. But ... Read More »
Tir na N’Og 2006 Old Vines Grenache McLaren Vale
You might think this hails from a Gaelic land, but no red grape as good as this grows there. McLaren Vale, a region in Southeast Australia, is producing some outstanding grenache wines, including this hedonistic and decadent example.
... Read More »Wine review: Broquel 2006 Bonarda Mendoza
Argentina has been a revival ground for many funky grapes. Malbec was all but forgotten in France before it saw a renaissance in the Mendoza region. The grape is happier there, without the misery of Bordeaux’s unpredictable and often gloomy climate. And with this same terroir, Mendoza is doing ... Read More »
Wine review: 337 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Lodi
Ok, so the name sucks, but the wine doesn’t. This juicy, perfumey wine is named after France’s 337 cabernet sauvignon clone. In the world of grapes, “clone” is a term used for naturally-occurring (sometimes mutating) genetic subtypes of the same grape variety.
... Read More »Coppola 2007 Diamond Petite Sirah California
I’ve noticed I prefer the esoteric wines from the Coppola collection, not that that should surprise me… I’m always a bit on the weird side. People go batty for their cabernet, chardonnay, merlot, etc. but their alicante bouchet, Rosso and now Petite Sirah (some spell it Syrah… ... Read More »