Pour a glass for each of us. Now, what does this wine taste like? You get apricot, I get peach. You like the acidity, I think it’s too much. You get a whiff of spearmint, I think it smells like wet stone and sage. But we agree it’s great with
The nose offers a blend of red and blue fruit and a hit of coconut. The fruits show on the palate as black cherry and elderberry. Tannins are dusty and full, acids well in balance. Drink with a filet. Recommended. DH WHO: Quaking Hills Winery WHAT: Merlot WHEN: 2007 WHERE:
The nose shows sweet elderly over fresh-ground espresso. Big dark fruits are on the palate, mulberry, with fresh-ground coffee and unsweetened chocolate. Tannins are big. Drink, with a well-marbled steak. Highly Recommended. DH WHO: William Gordon Winery WHAT: Petite Sirah WHERE: Alexander Valley, California WHEN: 2009 HOW MUCH: $29
Exploring the various parts of the wine world, from big brands to tiny artisanal producers, can be quite a study in contrasts. Shifting from the organic/biodynamic/natural wine fairs to the London International Wine Fair, yesterday, strongly illustrated those differences. The Real Wine Fair The Real Wine Fair and RAW Fair
Santa Barbara County is one of the youngest wine growing regions in California, measured by both vine age and the age and experience of its winemakers. Thus it wasn't hard for me to sit around a table at the home of Presqu'ile winery owner Matt Murphy with eight winemakers and
In my experience, vins clairs tastings are a rare opportunity to catch a glimpse of the wine before the bubbles, and to imagine their development over time; they are a unique foray into the magical kingdom of champagne. Early in the life of a bottle of champagne, before bubbles have
The nose is very deep, rich with figs and espresso, with a background of cedar. The nose was only a hint of the depth of the palate. It opens with blackberries and black pepper, then opens broadly to add licorice, coffee, unsweetened chocolate, and sweeter blueberry. The wine is well-structured,
“It was the 1995 Soldera [Brunello] that did it,” laughs Jan Hendrik Erbach, co-owner of Pian‘dell Orino in Montalcino with wife Caroline Pobitzer. A rustically attractive man with the charisma of a TV talk show host and the Einstein-like brain of crack geologist, Jan’s passion for terroir is easily conveyed