When you see a bottle of wine on a shelf, you often don’t know the full story behind the wine. Many consumers find themselves deciding whether or not to buy a wine simply based on the label. But sometimes there’s a lot more behind the label you wouldn’t know unless you looked into it. Such […]
Californian Wine
Matt Parish Cabernet Sauvignon – Stellar
Honestly, I don’t drink a lot of Napa Valley cabernet sauvignon. It’s not that I don’t like it, it’s that it’s often priced at a point that’s beyond what I want to pay for a bottle of wine. For most good Napa Valley cabernet sauvignon you’re looking at $50+ a bottle and if that’s what […]
Thomas George Estates, Sons & Daughters Ranch, Chardonnay
Last week I was in Sonoma County, California for the Wine Bloggers Conference. While there I was constantly seeking wines to share with readers here. Although I love these conferences, it can be challenging to find good bargain wines at these events. Most of the wine producers want to showcase their top shelf wines at […]
Extremely Rare Black Blend
The PR materials I received with this wine describe it as “elegant and refined, with sophisticated nuance and delicate balance.” I would use none of those descriptors for this wine. From my perspective this is an in-your-face, aggressive wine that’s bold, wild and jammy. With one taste of this wine I can tell it is […]
Parducci “Small Lot” Cabernet Sauvignon – Big Flavor
I’ve reviewed a couple wines from the Parducci “Small Lot” series lately, including their pinot noir and chardonnay. Both of those wines impressed me as incredible values. So I wasn’t terribly surprised when I tried their cabernet sauvignon and again it delivers a lot of bang for the buck. This wine comes from Mendocino County […]
Parducci Small Lot Chardonnay – Fantastic
In my recent review of Emiliana Natura Unoaked Chardonnay I shared my affinity for chardonnay without oak. But while I love a good unoaked chardonnay, I’m not entirely opposed to having some oak in my chardonnay. When it comes to oaking wines, balance is the key and this wine demonstrates that well. With 80% of […]
Parducci Small Lot Pinot Noir – Great Value
A lot of wine snobs like to say it’s impossible to find good pinot noir for under $20. While it’s not as easy as some other varietals, it can be done and this wine from Parducci is a great example. Not only is this a good pinot noir for under $20, it’s a good pinot noir […]
Cosentino, Cigar Old Vine Zinfandel
Zinfandel is wine with an attitude. It’s a wine that evokes a passionate fan base for those who love it for being bold and brash. And it’s a wine that has its detractors too, also due to it being a bold and brash style of wine. Cigar Zin, from Cosentino Winery, is one of those […]
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 […]
OZV Old Vine Zinfandel – Liquid Chocolates
Zinfandel is often the epitome of a “new world” wine. It’s famous for being bold, spicy and loaded with big fruit flavors. Some love it for those reasons and some avoid it for those reasons. If you’re a zinfandel lover who likes big, fruity wines this is a nice one for you. The OZV brand […]