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 ... Read More »
White
Reviews of whites wines
Wine reviews: La Crema 2009 Monterey Pinot Noir and 09 Chardonnay Sonoma Coast
Melissa Stackhouse, a fantastically talented Pinot and Chardonnay winemaker, was recently promoted at Kendall Jackson (who owns La Crema Winery) to Pinot Noir Winemaster for all of Jackson Family Wines. I’m not surprised since her gorgeous creations continue to overdeliver for the price. I’ll ... Read More »
Wine review: Mulderbosch 2008 Chenin Blanc Stellenbosch (South Africa)
In new world regions like South Africa, Chenin Blanc transforms. They often call this white grape “Steen” in South Africa. And the Mulderbosch Chenin was mistaken for a White Burgundy at a recent blind tasting… embarrassing all the certified sommeliers in attendance.
... Read More »Wine review: Hess 2009 Sauvignon Blanc Allomi Vineyard Napa
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 ... Read More »
Wine review: The Climber 2009 Sauvignon Blanc California
The Clif Family — yes, the same people who make the cand…er… “nutrition” bars — started making wine in 2004 after moving to Napa Valley. Like their bars, they source from sustainably and organically-grown vineyards (link) in northern California. Winemakers Sarah ... Read More »
Wine review: Zind Humbrecht 2009 Pinot Gris
Of all the French wine regions, Alsace (ALL sass) is the easiest to understand. Unlike other regions, it labels its bottles by varietal name, making the selection — and pronunciation — less problematic. This Pinot Gris from Zind Humbrecht is nearly perfect.
... Read More »Worst wines I’ve tasted this month
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 »
Wine review: La Craie 2009 Vouvray
Full-bodied and elegant, La Craie Vouvray explodes with fragrant fruit: peaches and apricots drizzled with honey, earthy chamomile. It has a burst of sweetness on the tongue but finishes dry and luscious. The best of both worlds.
... Read More »Wine review: Menage a Trois 2008 White Blend
This brand has gotten HUGELY popular in the past few years, mainly by releasing sweeter, less complex wines for the masses. Unabashed in their promotion and their choice of tropical-tasting, fragrant grapes, the winemakers at Folie à Deux (the producer) have struck a chord — with seemingly ... Read More »
Affordable wine reviews: Elios Mediterranean Red and White
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 »Wine review: Matanzas Creek 2009 Sauvignon Blanc Sonoma (California)
This California winery boasts a fantastically talented French winemaker who crafts decidedly European-style white and red wines. In essence: food wines with more acidity. This is a “grown-up” Sauvignon Blanc.
... Read More »Wine review: Paul Dolan 2008 Sauvignon Blanc Mendocino
I’m not ashamed to admit that I respect and admire Paul Dolan, his biodynamic and organic farming philosophies and his vision for the future. The hard work shows up in the glass bottle after bottle, including this one.
... Read More »