Sangiovese, barbera, primitivo…the classic Italian grape varieties most cultivated across Italy. But grown in Sonoma, California? They are and have been dating back to the late 1800’s and thriving today. The arrival of Italian grape varieties in Sonoma can be traced to 1881 and the founding of the Italian Swiss
The presence of minerality in wine is beyond a doubt a one of the most controversial and hot issues of the wine world. It stands among topics like climate change, the impact of ''wild yeasts,'' biodynamics and natural wines, all of which are capable of generating extensive and sometimes endless
Aromas of wild herbs growing on dry, late summer California hillsides – wild thyme, sage, juniper. At first it feels thinnish on the palate, but that’s only because the tannins are integrated into the dark fruit in a more refined manner than expected. Wild herbs show up in the finish
North Carolina’s first commercial winery was established in 1835 by Mr. Sidney Weller, in the community of Brinkleyville, in Halifax County. But that wasn’t the beginning. In 1584, Philip Amadas and Arthur Barlowe, exploring on behalf of Sir Walter Raleigh, came upon a land they described as "...so full of
My choice for this weekend's Open That Bottle Night. Clear, bright, medium intensity straw yellow. Clean, medium-full intensity aromas: rich yeast roll and oak, caramel, toasted almonds, yellow apple, and Bosc pear. Dry on the palate with medium-full acidity, full bodied, and intense flavors. Yellow apple, pear, lightly toasted nuts,
Translucent magenta in color. The nose is shy and gives no hint of the candied fruit to come on the palate. The flavors started light, shy like the nose, with strawberries and cherries. On the mid-palate it opened up with loads of candied red fruits. Smoke from dosage with Pineau
There’s no better way to stir up a heated argument with serious wine lovers than introduce natural wine, organic wine, or sulfites into the discussion. Recent regulation changes in Europe and then a U.S. agreement on organic products, excluding wine, have stirred an on-going debate about organic wine, sulfites, and
Here in Champagne, one often says that champagne is first and foremost a wine. However the characteristics of this wine change significantly with the adding of the dosage (a mixture of base wine and cane sugar) at the time of disgorging. Today's most popular Champagne style is brut—which often contains 6 to 12