One trend I’ve noticed over the past few years is the growing popularity of zinfandel-based blends. It seems to be a style of wine that appeals to the collective taste of American wine drinkers. We like them too. As a result of the growing popularity of this style, more and more producers are coming 0ut […]
In the past I’ve accused Banfi of being generally overpriced with their wines. But recently this $9.00 Banfi wine showed up for me to sample. I think they’re trying to prove me wrong. Well played, Banfi… well played. Some might classify this wine as a “Super Tuscan” although that classification is technically an unofficial designation […]
The Biltmore in North Carolina has been on my list of places to visit for a number of years, but I just haven’t made it there yet—that list is a long one. But I do want to visit some day to see the architecture, the landscape and taste the wine. And so, I was glad […]
We’re going slightly over our typical price limit today, but I have a good excuse. We’re checking out a new wine from Spelletich Family Wine Company, one of my favorite small producers. I’ve just come across them this year and previously reviewed their SPELLwine Sangiovese, Severed Head Red, Spelonu Red and SPELLwine Syrah, all of […]
I can’t help but wonder how meaningful the “Meritage” name is to wine consumers. I mean, I don’t hear many people saying, “I’d like a glass of Meritage.” I suspect a lot of consumers don’t even know what it is. In essence, Meritage is a name for Bordeaux-style wine that’s made somewhere other than Bordeaux. […]
We’ve been reviewing a number of cabernet sauvignons lately, but one wine we’ve come across that we really like is not quite a cabernet sauvignon, but rather is a red blend that is dominant in cabernet sauvignon. Anka is a blend of 57% cabernet sauvignon, 16% merlot, 15% cabernet franc, 7% carmemere, 4% syrah, and 1 % […]
When I first started this website a lot of people commented that I must love Trader Joe’s because of all the bargains they have on wine. And as much as I wanted to love Trader Joe’s, I just never became a big fan. Most of the wines I tasted from them were nothing special, albeit […]
Today we’re taking a look at another Californian red blend. This one is a blend of 46% syrah, 31% malbec and 23% petit verdot from Ancient Peaks Winery in Paso Robles. This wine is a deep, dark purplish-red color with incredible density. It’s almost inky in appearance. The nose is just as powerful as the […]
Some of the most interesting wines I’ve been coming across lately are blends. Pure varietal wines are fine, but putting together a blend allows winemakers to leverage the characteristics of different grapes to create balance and complexity. The Concannon Conservancy Crimson & Clover is a new release from Concannon and is a petite sirah blend. Concannon […]
Today we’re reviewing yet another wine from the bargain wine mega-producer, Bronco Wine Company. This one is from their Fat Cat Cellars brand. It has a somewhat fun label, which kind of reminds me of Keyboard Cat. Who knows? Maybe that’s what inspired the label. I have a feeling that’s probably the case. The oak […]