Last Friday I joined an online tasting for #GarnachaDay. It’s a day when you can drink garnacha, just like any other day, except it’s called #GarnachaDay. It’s one of those special days invented by marketing/PR folks to give us a reason to talk about their wines. Seems as good as any other reason to taste […]
Reviews
Ferraton Père & Fils, Samorëns Côtes du Rhône, Rosé
Summer is still with us and it’s still prime season to enjoy a rosé — although, I enjoy rosé year round. Some of the best rosé comes from the Rhône region in southern France. One of my favorite appellations there is Tavel, an appellation that creates only rosé and some phenomenal ones at that. But while […]
J. Bäumer Rhein Riesling – Pure Deliciousness
It’s the height of summer and it’s hot outside. Humid too. This kind of weather was made for riesling. Crisp, light, cooling, with gentle stone fruit flavors and soft floral aromas. It’s like summer and riesling were made for each other. It amazes me how frequently I still encounter people with misconceptions about riesling. Far […]
Antigal Uno Malbec – Old World Style
Malbec is the wine most wine drinkers in the US associate with Argentina, although malbec isn’t the only wine produced in Argentina nor is Argentina the only region to produce malbec. As you may know, malbec is one of the six grape varieties permitted in Bordeaux wines and it is the dominant grape in wines […]
Ferraton Père & Fils, Côtes du Rhône, Samorëns Rouge
One of my “go to” regions for great value (i.e., good quality at a reasonable price) is southern France — and more specifically Côtes du Rhône. I’m sure part of this has to do with my taste preferences, but I’ve also found that more often than not I can find good wine from this region […]
Domaine Du Théron, Prestige, Malbec
A lot of folks I know associate malbec with Argentina, and for good reason. The grape does well there and a lot of delicious malbec comes from Argentina. However, that’s not the only place producing malbec. It’s actually one of the six grapes allowed in Bordeaux. And in southwest France there’s a region called Cahors […]
Forget-Brimont, Brut Premier Cru Champagne
Sometimes we all need a splurge. You need to treat yo’ self! And when it comes to a wine splurge, Champagne is near the top of the list for me. Champagne is typically not cheap, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find good value. Value is all a matter of perspective. I’m often asked if more […]
Serie Riberas Gran Reserva, Sauvignon Blanc – Intensely Tropical
I’ve said this many times before and I’ll say it again, Chile is one of my favorite places in the world for sauvignon blanc. The style from Chile tends to offer intense tropical fruit flavors and some grassiness. It’s right up there with New Zealand as my two favorite sources of sauvignon blanc. Serie Riberas […]
Robert Mondavi Bourbon Barrel Cabernet Sauvignon
I’ve noticed a lot of trends in the food an beverage world over the past decade. Some of those trends I love, such as the rise in availability of artisanal products. Some of them amuse me, such as the proliferation of foodies on Instagram. And some of them annoy me, such as cable shows where people […]
Casillero del Diablo, Sauvignon Blanc – Intense
When it comes to sauvignon blanc, I tend to gravitate toward two regions — New Zealand and Chile. Both tend to produce very bold, tropical sauvignon blanc. And when it comes to value, Chilean sauvignon blanc is hard to beat. The designation on this one from Casillero del Diablo is just Chile, meaning the grapes […]