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 […]
Michel Chapoutier, Bila-Haut Rosé – Reliably good
This is not the first vintage of this wine I’ve reviewed. A couple years ago I reviewed the 2013 vintage, which was quite tasty. And in general I’ve found wines from Michel Chapoutier to be consistently good. This wine come from southern France and more specifically the Languedoc-Roussillon region. As a guy who seeks out […]
La Granja 360 Garnacha Rosé
Every year I find myself loving rosé more and more. At its best it’s a light, refreshing wine with floral, mineral, fruit and spice characteristics with vibrant acidity and and a smooth mouthfeel. And some of the best rosés I’ve tasted have been made from grenache, as this one is. At one time a few years […]
Frontera Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot – Super Cheap
I’m a fan of the magnum, that’s a 1.5 liter bottle of wine. Although the magnum also frustrates me because it seems like the wines sold in bottles of this size fall primarily into two camps: 1) super cheap & not so great, and 2) premium. What I have a hard time finding in the […]
Siegrist Blanc de Noir – Beautiful
Last week I was singing the praises of German pinot noir. Well, how about a curve ball to blow your mind? How about a German white pinot noir? You may or may not already know the majority of the color in red wine comes from the skins. And you may not know it’s possible to […]
Undone Pinot Noir – Done Well
As my palate and I mature, I find myself less interested in the big & bold wines and fine myself drawn toward medium-bodied wines — wines that have more nuance and tend to be more food-friendly. And in talking with other wine drinkers I’ve found that I’m not alone. I’ve noticed younger wine drinkers in their […]
Trivento Reserve Malbec – Black Cherry ‘Splosion
When I was a kid, my mom used to make this Jello dish that had black cherries suspended in the Jello. It was a big thing back in the 1970’s to suspend things in gelatin. But this is one I remember in particular, because I kind of liked it. And it had a very distinguishable smell […]