When seeking out wine that offers exceptional value, I’ve learned that there are a few factors at play to influence the price. Some of those factors are things like crop yield, labor costs, region and packaging. The wine I’m highlighting today, Licence IV Blanc, has a few things going for it that drive the quality-to-price […]
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 […]
Review: Domaine Bousquet Brut
Around this time of year, a lot of folks become interested in sparkling wines, I guess because of their association with New Year’s Eve celebrations. But if you know me, you know that I’m an enthusiast of sparkling wines any time of year. If I had my druthers, every dinner would begin with a glass […]
Review: Licence IV Rosé
The wine I’m reviewing today is a rosé from the Provence region of France and it comes in a can! That’s right, wine in a can. I, for one, am a fan of the aluminum can as a vessel for wine. Yeah sure, I like bottles too. There’s something about the ritual of pulling a […]
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 […]
Review: Gaia, Cabernet Franc
Last week, I posted a review of the Maquis, Cabernet Franc from Chile. In that review, I noted how I don’t come across Cabernet Franc as often as some other varieties. Ironically, here I am a week later with another Cabernet Franc review. This one is also from South America, but a little further east […]