For a second-generation winemaker, following in your father’s footsteps may well mean doing your own thing. Chuck Ortman made his name in California by mastering one of the state’s most widely planted varieties, Chardonnay. His son Matt is taking a-read more-
This wine did not fare well in the Palate Press Grand Tasting, scoring only two stars out of five. The wine tastes of a laboratory, not a vineyard. Oak treatment is obvious. The classic apple of chardonnay appears here more-read more-
Six half-bottles of Louis Jadot barrel samples were included in the 2010 Palate Press Grand Tasting. They were not tasted blind because they were barrel samples, unfinished wines, and we wanted to be sure the wine professionals in the room-read more-
The palate opens with pear and apple flavors with an undercurrent of crushed shells, followed by lightly toasted oak on the mid-palate. Mild lemon comes through on the finish. Acids are in balance and the mouth-feel round and smooth. this-read more-
On December 10, almost a hundred wine professionals, wine aficionados, and wine-curious friends gathered at the home of Palate Press Publisher David Honig for the 2010 Palate Press Grand Tasting, an evening of blind wine tasting. We opened 135 different-read more-
For those who fear wine websites only review wines they like, a tit-for-tat deal to ensure the steady flow of free samples, read on. Stewed cherries, black raspberries, and artificial vanilla flavor create a mish-mash that cannot be recommended. The-read more-
This is a very pleasant bottle of wine. Some residual sugar (13g/L) supports the fruit without seeming too sweet. It is aromatic, with white flowers, pineapple, and a touch of gooseberry. On the palate, pineapple, apricot, a pinch of nutmeg-read more-
One of only two wines to receive a perfect five star score at the 2010 Palate Press Grand Tasting, this was tight, tart, and very deep. Unsweetened cranberry, cinnamon, smoked meat, and an underlying backbone of minerals were followed by-read more-