In June 2005 I joined a mixed group—Croatian winemakers, restaurateurs, professors, and journalists—to sail the Adriatic from the Istrian peninsula of Croatia to the Greek locality of Monemvasia, off the eastern coast of the Peloponnese. We boarded two 65-foot yachts-read more-
Open a refrigerator in the back of many wineries and you may find some leftover pizza, cheese and fruit for tomorrow evening’s mixer, and a few rectangular foil packages that look suspiciously like the bread-baking yeast you used for pizza-read more-
Gorgeous translucent ruby color with clear edges, pure Pinot noir, with no tell-tale purple edges hinting at Syrah in the mix. When first opened it is a full plate of heavily smoked meat, like slow-smoked pork with a perfect pink-read more-
Tasted with 1997 Cheval Blanc, Château Margaux, and Mouton-Rothschild, the Haut-Brion clearly stood out as the most balanced and complex of this fine lot. Minerality was remarkable. Wet gravel and scorched earth formed the base for red currant, sweet wood,-read more-
The Palate Press Wine of the Week, July 19 - 23, is:
Very juicy wine up front, offering up loads of blueberry, plum, and some prune, along with some coffee on the mid-palate. There are some obvious wood tones, cedar and spice. Unfortunately, it is less than the sum of its parts,-read more-
This single vineyard Chardonnay shows clear effect of the 40% new French oak, but wood complements rather than overwhelms. Pear, apple, honeydew melon and some tart pineapple are joined by caramel, smoke, and a surprising kick of white pepper. This-read more-
Relatively dark in color, not quite opaque. Flavors are overwhelmingly tart red fruit, barely ripe cherries, wild strawberries, and lots of rhubarb. Sweet wood is there, but barely perceptible behind the tartness. Finish is mid-length, tannins slightly drying. A rich-read more-