Category: Wine Reviews

2002 Newton Vineyard “Unfiltered” Chardonnay, Napa (Carneros)
Once you’re in the wine business, it’s hard to leave. So many people become winery owners or winemakers because they

Arista Winery, Healdsburg, CA: Current Releases
It’s always exciting for me to try new wines from brand new wineries, and its doubly exciting when the wines

Wölffer Estate, Sagaponack (Long Island), NY: Current Releases
Today’s wine review is brought to you by the letter “W,” the umlaut, and the Supreme Court of the United

2002 Esk Valley Reserve Bordeaux Blend, Hawkes Bay, New Zealand
Like the rest of the world, at least those who venture beyond the section of the wine shelves marked “California”

L’Aventure Winery, Paso Robles, CA: Current Releases
Down a side road, at the end of another side road, off the pavement and down a gravel road, the

1986 Fiorano (Boncompagni Ludovisi) Malvasia Bianca VdT Botte 25, Latium, Italy
I’ve insisted many times that the story behind a wine is an important part of my enjoyment of a wine

2005 La Yunta Torrontés Riojana, La Rioja, Argentina
I’m always looking for good wines to go with Chinese food. Especially around the holidays, when we eat with my

2003 Ferenc Takler “Proprietors Reserve” Cabernet Franc, Szekszárd, Hungary
It’s not often that I come across Hungarian wines at all, especially given my very low tolerance for dessert wines.

2002 Jim Barry “The Cover Drive” Cabernet, Clare Valley, Australia
I’m not convinced entirely that Australia is a great place for Cabernet. I’ve had some pretty solid Cabernet/Shiraz blends from

2003 Marilyn Merlot and Velvet Collection, Napa
There are some people that are popular. Then there are some people that are celebrities. And then there are people
Sonoma’s Best Pinot Noir: Highlights From Pinot on The River 2005
Better late than never, isn’t that what they say? I attended the Pinot on The River event over a month

2004 Magnet (Sin é) Pinot Noir, Sonoma
We all occasionally buy wine by the label. While I imagine that there are a few complete wine snobs out

2003 Vinum Cellars ‘VIO” Viognier, San Benito County, CA
I can’t tell you how many stories I’ve heard of winemakers striking out on their own or forming partnership brokered

2004 Uriondo Txakolina, Bizkaiko (Basque), Spain
If I could find a wine like this once a month, for the rest of my life, I think I

Cameron Hughes Wines, San Francisco: Current Releases
The continued evolution of the global wine marketplace has made many things possible for many people. Small regional wineries that
How I Rate and Review Wine
It’s been some time since I talked about the way I review and write about wine, and there are new

2002 Achaval-Ferrer “Finca Altamira” Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina
I’ve been of the opinion for a while that Malbec, while a noble grape, and a valuable contributor (albeit in

2002 Match Vineyards “Butterdragon Hill” Cabernet, St. Helena, Napa
The more young winery owners I meet, the more I keep hearing the line “If you had asked me six

NV Il Colle “Cuvée 46° Parallelo” Prosecco, Conegliano, Italy
I’m not a huge connoisseur of Champagne. I like a good aged Champagne every now and again, but I don’t