The Alentejo wine region in Portugal produces over 250 grape varieties. Think about that… over 250 varieties in just one region of Portugal! How many different grape varieties have you even tasted, via wine, in your lifetime? I’d guess, in most cases, it’s a lot less. A friend of mine created something call the Wine […]
Red Wines
Review: Natural Origins Malbec
Over the years, I’ve reviewed a number of wines from Argentine producer Domaine Bousquet. I like what they’re doing — not only producing good wine at reasonable prices, but doing so sustainably. Economic, social and environmental factors are all part of sustainability. When it comes to environmental sustainability, Domaine Bousquet farms organically. Their vineyards in […]
Review: Casa Relvas, Sao Miguel Do Sul Red Wine
If you’re a red wine lover and you haven’t tried Portuguese red wine, you’re missing out. I mean, what’s not to love about it? Big, bold flavors, intense and exotic aromatics, incredibly reasonable prices and quite often sustainably produced. Such is the case with this wine from Casa Relvas. Casa Relvas is located in the […]
Review: Coelheiros Red
For years I’ve been excited about Portuguese wines, primarily because the quality-to-price ratio is often quite exceptional but that’s not all they have going for them. I would call myself a wine geek, and as such I seek out unique varieties of wine and Portuguese wine producers often use grape varieties that differ from the […]
Review: Domaine Bousquet, Virgen, Malbec
As demand for organically-produced foods continues to grow in this country, it only makes sense that interest in organic wines also grows. But it’s not as easy to find organic wines as you would think. A lot of producers will make wine made from organically-grown grapes but the wine itself cannot be classified as organic […]
Review: Domaine Bousquet, Natural Origins Cabernet Sauvignon
Boxed wines get a bad rap. People often assume boxed wines are all bad, but the box is just a vessel and anything can go into it. It’s not a good vessel for storing wine for long periods of time, but it’s perfectly fine for young wines meant to be consumed fresh. And I’ve had […]
Review: Ron Rubin, Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
The Russian River Valley is known for outstanding Pinot Noir, bursting with bright red fruit flavors, elegant, vibrant and just plain scrumptious. That’s exactly what Ron Rubin delivers in this Russian River Valley Pinot Noir. Pinot Noir is a finicky grape variety, for which the vineyard site is critically important. The Russian River Valley, by […]
Review: River Road, Alexander Valley Reserve, Cabernet Sauvignon
“I’m a fan of low alcohol, wines” says Ron Rubin, the vintner behind River Road wines. “I keep the alcohol in check to produce elegant wines that you can enjoy, glass after glass.” I too am a fan of low alcohol wines. I generally find them to be more food-friendly, more elegant, more accessible and […]
Review: Hopes End Cabernet Sauvignon
I saw a trends report a few years ago highlighting that how wines are defined is changing. Winemakers are getting more experimental, doing things like infusing wines or adding ingredients other than grapes in order to create unique-tasting wines. Certainly, traditional wines still dominate the market but you do see some things you never would […]
Review: Domaine Bousquet, Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
Something those new to wine or only casually into wine may not realize is when a wine is labeled as a varietal wine (e.g., Cabernet Sauvignon), it’s not necessarily made 100% of that variety. It only needs to be a certain percentage of that grape, the exact percentage varies by regional regulations but is typically […]