A big, rich, oaky, Sonoma Zinfandel, this has huge oak, generous blackberries and black cherries sprinkled liberally with coarse black pepper and shavings of baker's chocolate. The finish drops off quickly. It scored a three out of five stars at-read more-
Toastiness from wood is clear on the nose. On the palate, the overwhelming flavor is artificial apple candy with a very light spritz of lemon. The finish has a lingering chemical taste. This wine scored two out of five points-read more-
For a second-generation winemaker, following in your father’s footsteps may well mean doing your own thing. Chuck Ortman made his name in California by mastering one of the state’s most widely planted varieties, Chardonnay. His son Matt is taking a-read more-
This wine did not fare well in the Palate Press Grand Tasting, scoring only two stars out of five. The wine tastes of a laboratory, not a vineyard. Oak treatment is obvious. The classic apple of chardonnay appears here more-read more-
Six half-bottles of Louis Jadot barrel samples were included in the 2010 Palate Press Grand Tasting. They were not tasted blind because they were barrel samples, unfinished wines, and we wanted to be sure the wine professionals in the room-read more-
The palate opens with pear and apple flavors with an undercurrent of crushed shells, followed by lightly toasted oak on the mid-palate. Mild lemon comes through on the finish. Acids are in balance and the mouth-feel round and smooth. this-read more-
On December 10, almost a hundred wine professionals, wine aficionados, and wine-curious friends gathered at the home of Palate Press Publisher David Honig for the 2010 Palate Press Grand Tasting, an evening of blind wine tasting. We opened 135 different-read more-
For those who fear wine websites only review wines they like, a tit-for-tat deal to ensure the steady flow of free samples, read on. Stewed cherries, black raspberries, and artificial vanilla flavor create a mish-mash that cannot be recommended. The-read more-