2005 St. Supéry Napa Valley Dollarhide Limited Edition Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

The dense, dark garnet color was enlivened in the nose by fresh garden herbs, forest leaves and a black and red fruit complexity, complemented by the more savory loam, anise and truffle notes. The palate is where the complexity of this wine truly shined, with deep layers of the fruit medley from the nose and wonderful balance of the full, smooth mouthfeel, with the hint of oak underneath and ripe, round tannins with good acidity. It is a phenomenal combination of outstanding fruit and nuanced winemaking.

2009 Northern California Harvest Report

The many storied wine regions of Northern California experienced a harvest this year that was in one way, ideal and in another quite anxiety-inducing. Fruit growth was delayed this year by a cooler spring and summer, but the overall temperatures were predominantly even across the board, allowing for long hang-time and good even ripening in the vineyard.

2008 Espiritu de Argentina Mendoza Torrontés

I tasted this wine with a paired dinner at Destino in San Francisco, with winemaker Luis Villarreal. The color of the wine was light yellow and featured a nose that was filled with heavier florals that were almost Viognier-like with some tropical fruits, as well. The mouth also had those great tropical too, with a [...]

2007 Espiritu de Argentina Mendoza Bonarda

I tasted this wine with a paired dinner at Destino in San Francisco, with winemaker Luis Villarreal. It was garnet colored with ruby edges and had a nose of rose petal with dried earth, blackberry and white/black pepper. The palate was also filled with roses and violets, with a medium-full mouthfeel. It featured great charred, [...]

2006 Espiritu de Argentina Mendoza Reserva Malbec

I tasted this wine with a paired dinner at Destino in San Francisco, with winemaker Luis Villarreal. It had a garnet with a dark core and ruby edges. The nose had a great bouquet of black cherry, char and some cassis. The palate was full and sinuous with more toast than expected, but it’s still [...]

The Breathable Crystal Showdown

Riedel vs. Eisch. One is an industry titan, with a successful family line of eight generations running the show. The other is a relative newcomer, only coming into the industry a little over 50 years ago. Let the wine-stem smackdown begin!

Ward Kadel

Ward is the West Coast Ambassador & Staff Blogger for WineLog.net.  He will try any and all wines and tends to write about the parts of his life that include wine…like virtually all of it!  He and his wife grew up in Napa and Sonoma and they still live nearby in the Bay Area. View Ward’s WineLog [...]