In case you haven’t noticed, I am irresistibly drawn to any chance to taste what our ancestors were drinking, whether it’s decades ago or centuries ago. In this case, it’s a few centuries. These now-wild Pais grapes came from Spain to the Canary Islands, through Mexico and then to on
Readers, We would like to address some recent issues that came up concerning the security of PalatePress.com. First, a huge thanks goes out to those who e-mailed us right away, and informed us of issues (editors@palatepress.com). Recently, the site was hacked, and all traffic that came from search engine crawlers
A standout among a recent tasting through ten bottles of '15 and '16 Albariño, this wine likely benefited from nonconformity, offering riper, rounder flavor in a sea of austerity. Those who relish Albariño's unrelenting acidic assault may in fact miss that here, though there's certainly no dearth of vibrancy. In
Rombauer's 2014 Cabernet is a rich, luscious wine that would compliment a great steak or stand on its own as an evening sipper. It is inky black in presentation, with a nose and palate that tell all its secrets. Blackcurrant, toast, and vanilla exclaim Cabernet Sauvignon and new oak, but
Rocca's Grigsby Cabernet is big, beautiful, and delightfully complex. The color is very dark, opaque but for the very edges. Huge aromas roil up in waves - blackberries, black currant, and eucalyptus. The palate opens in layers, starting with black cherry, then shifting to black fruit on the mid-palate, adding eucalyptus
This is a powerful brute of a wine dressed in lace and finery. The nose smells like freshly-baked blackberry pie, with black fruit, pastry and vanilla aromas exploding out of the glass. The vanilla runs through the palate, as well, which is loaded with blackberry, mulberry, and blueberry. There is a
I sat down to write a review and nearly forgot, having to pour a third glass before I started to write. Gorgeous clear straw color, loads of tiny bubbles, and yeasty aromas from the moment the cork is popped. On the palate, fresh crusty bread and hints of sweet peach
Eighty Four Wines is a new project from Doug Shafer, of Shafer Wines, and Elias Fernandez, Shafer's long-time winemaker. The grapes came from four acres they planted in Carneros in 2012. The nose shows honeysuckle, citrus blossoms, key lime and fresh peaches. Vibrant and fresh on the palate, barely ripe