L’chaim! That is a traditional Hebrew toast, which means, “to life!” It’s the inspiration for the name of this wine, Alavida. In Spanish, “a la vida” means, “to life.” Alavida is not only a kosher wine, but it’s also certified USDA Organic — meaning it was made with organically-grown grapes, and the production process complied […]
Varietals
Review: Pound for Pound, Zinfandel
“Pound for pound” is an expression used in combat sports when comparing fighters from different weight classes who would not typically compete against each other due to those differences. I don’t know if McPrice Myers, the producer of Pound for Pound Zinfandel, intended for the name of this wine to be an analogy of some […]
Review: Viña Tarapacá Gran Reserva Red Blend
When I began reviewing wines, back in 2007, I quickly recognized Chile as an outstanding region when it came to value. The Chilean wine industry has blossomed even further since then, and while there are still great values to be found, the quality, diversity and innovation coming from Chile give even more reasons to give […]
Review: High on the Hog, Red Wine
Paso Robles kind of flies under the radar as a wine region. They just don’t get the publicity they deserve. It’s an outstanding wine region, but one you don’t hear about as often as some other parts of California. But make no mistake, Paso Robles should not be overlooked. One of the things I correlate […]
Bull by the Horns Cabernet Sauvignon
Sometimes you want a red wine that has some oomph to it! Maybe when you’re having steak or burgers, or even just some rich cheddar cheese. Cabernet Sauvignon is a good wine to choose on those occasions. Cabernet Sauvignon from Paso Robles makes an even better choice. The challenge, though, is to find a great […]
Rosé Beaujolais Nouveau from Georges Duboeuf
About a month ago, on Beaujolai Nouveau Day, I posted a review of Georges Duboeuf’s 2021 Beaujolais Nouveau — the most widely distributed and available Beaujolais Nouveau in the US. Since then I’ve had an opportunity to try another Beaujolais Nouveau, a Rosé version also from Georges Duboeuf. When I heard about a Beaujolais Nouveau […]
Happy Beaujolais Nouveau Day 2021
Today is Beaujolais Nouveau Day, which occurs the third Thursday of November every year. It comes from a tradition in the Beaujolais region of France, dating back to the 1800’s, in which wine producers celebrate the end of the harvest season with a toast of the first wine from the season. Sure there are lots […]
Review: Koyle Gran Reserva Carmenere
Carménère is a grape with a great story. It was one of the original six grapes permitted in red Bordeaux wines. Then it was thought to be extinct, after phylloxera wiped out most of the vineyards in Europe in 1867. But then in the mid-1990’s Carménère was rediscovered growing in Chile, where it had been incorrectly […]
Domaine Bousquet Sauvignon Blanc 2021
Sauvignon Blanc is an interesting grape variety because it’s expression is so distinctly different depending on where it’s grown. This is true of all grape varieties to some extent. After all, that’s why you hear so many wine producers talk about terroir. But in my opinion, this is much more pronounced when it comes to […]
Review: Pam’s UN-Oaked Chardonnay 2020
Confession: When it comes to white wine, Chardonnay generally isn’t my first choice. I’m not anti-Chardonnay, I just tend to prefer other varieties. But sometimes, I come across a Chardonnay that strikes my fancy. When that happens, more often than not it’s an unoaked Chardonnay. Unoaked chardonnay is just what it sounds like — Chardonnay […]