Exploring the menu of life.
Reviews of red wines
For the average wine drinker, a grape is a grape. That is, if a bottle’s label says Pinot Noir, then that’s the grape the wine sprang from. ‘Nuff said. But geeky swillers know there are rules which allow for minimal percentages of a given grape to be labeled by its variety. But what ... Read More »
Bogle Vineyards, a third generation, family-owned and -operated winery, owns 1,500 acres and isn’t beholden to a bank. That’s how they can sell high quality wine at a low price. That, and they’ve been making Petite Sirah a long time.
... Read More »Human nature dictates that wine writers prefer to write about the happy experiences we’ve had with wine. But rarely does someone come right out and slam a bottle up against harsh words. I mean, a human being made it right? A human with feelings. Sure, the fancy wine magazines may not care about ... Read More »
My first time tasting this brand, a super small production winery that focuses on single-vineyard production wines from around California. Austere and food-friendly, you can’t call this “fruit forward” since it doesn’t bowl you over with its berryness.
... Read More »Huh? A Pinot Noir from Argentina? Not exactly what they’re known for… Malbec, yes. Pinot, not so much. But I apparently was impressed with Trapiche Pinot with their 2004 vintage as well, so they’re consistently tasty.
... Read More »It’s probably a smart idea for the producers of these wines not to tout that the grapes hail from Greece. Although this region pretty much invented wine, Greece hasn’t exactly sustained a stellar reputation in recent years. But maybe Elios can break that cycle.
... Read More »Petite Sirah, the re-emerged bastard French wine child from royal pedigree, is called Durif in many parts of the world. It was engineered in the late 1800s by a French guy named — you guessed it — Durif. He cross-pollinated the venerated syrah grape with an obscure French peasant grape called ... Read More »
This wine is so rich and concentrated, it’s like drinking a Merlot in Zin clothing. Intense cherry cola, ripe plum, toasty coconut and sweet blueberry wash over your tongue, kinda leaving you wondering where the Merlot went.
... Read More »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.
... Read More »Every year, France celebrates the newest wine of the vintage with a fruity, light-hearted red called Beaujolais Nouveau. Grown in an area south of famed Burgundy, the burgeoning gamay grapes are picked, fermented, bottled, shipped and deposited onto shelves around the world within 12 weeks. Sounds ... Read More »
A to Z, a winery whose clever slogan is “aristocratic wines at democratic prices”, is a partnership of some of the best talent in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. If you’ve tried (and enjoyed) wines from Penner Ash, Rex Hill or Chehelem, you’ll love what’s in bottles ... Read More »
As fall creeps into the weather pattern, so does my need for red wine. I despise being part of a stereotype but something in the chilly air calls for the beefier stuff. That’s where Shiraz from Australia’s McLaren Vale comes in. Especially the good stuff from Two Hands.
... Read More »