Category: Wine Reviews

Italian Wine Tasting Notes From The Golden Glass 2008
These days, with a newborn, I don’t get out to many large tasting events, but one I decided I shouldn’t

2005 Veramonte “Primus” Red Wine, Casablanca Valley, Chile
It’s hard to believe that in the early 1990’s less than 100 acres of vineyards were planted in Chile’s Casablanca

Kamotsuru “Sokaku” Daiginjo, Hiroshima Prefecture
One of the fascinating and attractive things about sake breweries are their (usually) much longer and storied histories than the

2005 Star Lane Vineyards “Astral” Cabernet Sauvignon, Santa Ynez Valley
There are those in the wine world who seek out (and often pay for) the best possible advice they can

Takasago Ginga Shizuku “Divine Droplets” Junmai Daiginjo, Hokkaido Prefecture
It is deep winter. The snows lay heavy on the mountains of northern Japan. Cedar trees hang sparkling, dusted with

Asahi Shuzo Dassai Niwari Sanbu “Otterfest 23” Junmai Daiginjo, Yamaguchi Prefecture
There is no real reason to attempt a comparison between sake and wine. Each are their own universe and deserve

Kamoizumi “Shusen – Three Dots” Junmai, Hiroshima Prefecture
In the world of sake, perhaps even more so than the world of wine, just when you think you’ve figured

2005 Blackbird Vineyards Proprietary Red Wine, Napa
I make it my business to keep my eye on new California wineries, especially in Napa and Sonoma, as much

Slovenian Wine: A New Frontier for White Wine Lovers
The wine world increasingly sorts out into two camps, those who believe increasing globalization is good for the wine industry,

Movia, Slovenia: Current Releases
Visitors to the far Northeast of Italy, in the shadows of the Austrian Alps, quickly realize that they are not

2004 Chateau du Rouet “Cuvee Belle Poule” Blanc, Cotes de Provence, France
I drink wine from as many different countries as I can, as often as I can. I firmly believe that

Meteor Vineyard, Napa: Debut Releases
Barry Schuler may know a thing or two about running multi-billion dollar technology companies, but what he really wants to

1990 Trimbach “Cuvee Frederic Emile” Riesling, Alsace
I can remember a time when the word “Alsace” only brought to mind dim memories of my 5th grade class

Does Napa’s Best Cabernet Live in Oakville?: A Recent Tasting
While often referred to as a single “place” when it comes to wine, Napa is hardly a single monolithic growing

2005 Piña Napa Valley “D’Adamo Vineyard” Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa
If one were to speculate on the wine market as a savvy investor might in the small-cap stock market, the

The Mountain Wines of Napa: Tasting Notes From Altitude
We live in a world of marketing, where everyone struggles to distinguish their product from the competition and where seduction

2005 Domaine Albert Boxler Pinot Gris “Vieilles Vignes,” Alsace
Like Jazz standards interpreted endlessly by masters and amateurs alike, grapes find infinite expression in the hands of winemakers around

2003 Pulenta Estate “Gran Corte VII” Red Wine, Mendoza, Argentina
Three years ago this week I was making my way around the top restaurants of Buenos Aires, ordering too much

Neal Family Vineyards, Napa: Current Releases
In some ways, if Mark Neal and his small winery, Neal Family Vineyards, didn’t make fantastic wines, it would be