The Wine Trials 2011 is an interesting book. It has two basic premises, which it purports to support with scientific research. The first is that people, both wine experts and regular wine consumers, are so subject to the placebo effect-read more-
It's that time of year: when shoppers wonder and/or fret about what to get for their favorite oenophiles. Around this time, lots of gadgets ranging from the practical to those that claim to violate the laws of physics cross our-read more-
There is a place in Northern Italy where all the producers are required to make only high quality wines, because there is such a small area for vineyards. This place is Carso, in the Friuli region. Wild and hostile, it-read more-
An everyday Tuscan Frescobaldi. Benefits from air, so open an hour before dinner, or swirl a lot in the glass at first. Pleasant, mild aroma with notes of cherry and caramelized fruit, opening to plumminess in the flavor. Not super-fruity—a-read more-
This is not a wine: this is an icon of Maremma Toscana! The grapes are mainly from old Sangiovese clones, with high density planting and extremely limited production, which give the wine ruby coloration in the glass, and a bouquet-read more-
A lovely Chianti Classico from a difficult year, this shines with bright acidity and cherry flavors. A hint of raspberry along with the cherry at the attack blends smoothly into darker blackberry flavors through the mid-palate. Tannins are smooth but-read more-
On Planet Bordeaux, you can find Bordeaux and Bordeaux Soup. Planet Bordeaux is an alliance of two wine appellations, Bordeaux and Bordeaux Supérieur. The second appellation is “Bordeaux Soup” for short (actually it’s Bordeaux Sup., but to English-speakers it sounds-read more-
A far better offering than its sister Beaujolais Nouveau wine for nearly the same price. This one has nice hints of strawberry and even cedar on the nose. Diving into it (not literally, of course) yields more tannic backbone holding-read more-