A wine as dark as India ink. An alcoholic nose (15.2%) with lots of intriguing aromas of anise, dark chocolate, and blackberries. Somewhat tannic, but the fruit comes around; just seems to take longer to emerge. Some black coffee and-read more-
Clear, vibrant yellow straw appearance. Green apple, tropical fruit, vanilla, hint of coconut on the nose. Citrus, pineapple, peach flavors. Good mid-palate and lingering acidity at finish. Restrained use of oak. Good balance. Pairing mine tonight with my seasonal favorite-read more-
At first, you notice cherry raspberry aromas, with darker sweet fruit in the flavors—even caramelized fruit. Not much tannin apparent, when drinking the wine on its own, and an unmemorable finish. But with food, it becomes more balanced, less sweet:-read more-
If you think all California syrah is huge and unambiguously fruit-forward, this 2009 Wylie from Edmunds St. John will force you to reassess the variety’s profile in that state. It does offer a juicy, mouth-watering character, and a pleasantly fresh-read more-
A Napa biggie, a cousin of the pricier Quintessa. Nose of blackberry, eucalyptus, and earth. Rich feel on palate seemingly coming from myriad directions: dark currants, cocoa/chocolate, even some hints of pumpkin pie spice blend. The fruit, however, is a-read more-
Two Central Coast vintners walked through a pristine-looking vineyard last fall—it had no cover crop, a usual sign of organic or biodynamic farming—explaining why they use herbicides. "We need to do it to keep our business sustainable," one said. The-read more-
“I do like those bigger, lustier Pinots. I know some people around here spike ‘em with Syrah. Maybe I got seduced by them.” –Rex Pickett, author of Sideways and Vertical, in a Palate Press interview “Some wineries add a dash-read more-
Contributing editor Joe Pollack shares some thoughts about his experience opening a cherished bottle for this year's Open That Bottle Night. One of the great things about opening a bottle of not-so-good wine is that there's always the opportunity to-read more-