An interesting wine, still very young, with acids and tannins that need to date a few more years in the cellar before they’re ready to marry and settle down. Dark sour cherry and white pepper, with a vanilla background, are on the nose. On the palate, tart black cherries covered
In cooler winegrowing areas, one could easily think that the appearance of a warm, dry, sunny vintage would always be greeted with enthusiasm and happiness by winegrowers and winemakers. The reality, however, is more nuanced: very hot years can be as much of a challenge as cool, wet ones. It
The pipeline has dried up. Five or six years ago, almost any casual wine enthusiast could launch a WordPress or Blogger blog, write a post about each new wine he drank—from the plonk to the good stuff—and wait for wine samples to come pouring in. And pour in they did.
The nose has light florals, mostly violet, and aromas of cedar. Black fruits lead, with a light background of red currants. From mid-palate to finish florals shine through. A great balance of acids and fine tannins make a nice food wine. Like many of the 2003 Bordeaux, this seems to
The months toward the end of winter and beginning of spring are Amarone della Valpolicella time. In this period, in fact, two important events are hosted in Verona, Italy -- two different series of tastings of this renowned Italian red wine. “Amarone in Villa” (“Amarone in the Manor”) is organized
If sommeliers want to win their 30-year war with critics, they must harness the power of validation. Before the rise of Robert Parker, sommeliers had far more power in deciding what wines Americans drank. Many Americans hated and feared them. That's a major reason Parker became so powerful: he freed
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,