Take a look at all the wine bottles on the shelves, the next time you are in a grocery store, at Costco, or even Target. The vast majority of the bottles are impeccable, with rarely a splotch, splash or nick on any of the labels. I cannot help but be
Unfined and unfiltered. A minty nose, with a certain earthiness. Later, cocoa and vanilla notes come out. Lots of dark, sweet plummy fruit with hints of strawberry. Nice, strong, integrated tannins. A warm, buttery finish. It’s the wine I kept-read more-
When I visited Navarra a few years ago, I went home raving about the rosado (rosé) wines made from garnacha (grenache). This time, I found a whole new sphere of great red and white wines, made from both indigenous and-read more-
Surprisingly lush, the Cabernet Franc offers cured tobacco leaf, wrapped in some silky blackberry, black cherry and mocha from the Cabernet Sauvignon. Pencil lead shows up on the mid-palate. Tannins are dusty, fine. The Syrah flows under it all, offering-read more-
Clear, medium intensity straw yellow. Medium-light aromas of yellow apple, apricot, fresh pear, light florals, and candied lemon. Semi-sweet on the palate with medium-low acidity, medium body and flavors of apple, peach, pear, and honey. A light finish. Not “elegant”-read more-
From the Denver/Boulder area, the Grand Valley AVA of Colorado is past the Continental Divide on the western slope of the Rocky Mountains. The trip westward on Interstate 70, which winds through canyons that the word "picturesque" struggles to describe,-read more-
Earthy, burnt sugar in nose with tangy leafiness throughout flavor, too. Big fruit, blackberry and plum. Very easy to drink. Gets bigger with heartier foods. Recommended. BSE WHO: Doca Paula WHAT: Malbec WHERE: Mendoza, Argentina WHEN: 2009 HOW MUCH: $14
The nose is rich—mulberry, unsweetened chocolate, and a ripe, meaty, gaminess. The Cabernet Franc leads on the attack, more blackberry than mulberry, with tobacco leaf and unsweetened chocolate. Merlot takes over on the mid-palate, softening to a silky mouthfeel and-read more-