Category: Red Wine

2003 Baldassari Family Winery Syrah, Bennett Valley, Sonoma
I’ve said more than once how energized I am by the new wineries that seem to be popping up every

The Best Grenache in The World?: A Tasting With Robert Parker
“Grenache has basically been disregarded for the last century,” said Robert M. Parker, Jr. on his recent visit to Napa

2003 Chateau de Montpezat “Palombieres” Coteaux du Languedoc, France
It seems like my friends who are serious wine drinkers and even winemakers are strictly divided on Grenache. Some think

2002 Domaine Le Sang des Cailloux “Cuvee Doucinello,” Vacqueyras (Rhone), France
I think I’ve really started to fall in love with the wines of Vacqueyras, in the Southern Rhone. I haven’t

2003 Belle Glos “Clark & Telephone Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Santa Maria Valley, CA
So let’s say you’re a winemaker. You have a winery. You’ve been making Cabernet for maybe 50 years. You’ve made

2001 Syren Pinot Noir, Central Otago, New Zealand
If you you take all the Pinot Noir winegrowing regions of the world and you subtract out all that are

2001 Ruston Family Vineyards Cabernet, St. Helena, Napa
There still are bits of authentic Napa valley tucked into the side valleys and nooks and crannies of a valley

2001 Campion Vineyards “Firepeak” Pinot Noir, Edna Valley, CA
I always admire winemakers who have a singular dedication to a particular varietal and I’m always excited to try their

2003 Orin Swift Cellars “The Prisoner” Red Wine, Napa
This wine review is my entry for this month’s Wine Blogging Wednesday, the global online wine tasting event where bloggers

1999 Domaine de Nizas, Coteaux De Languedoc, France
The Languedoc wine region of southeast France that straddles the bottom of a the better known region of Provence produces

2000 Loring Wine Company “Clos Pepe Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Santa Rita Hills, CA
Brian Loring has shot to prominence in the last 4 years as one of the hottest young winemakers in California.

2002 Papapietro Perry “Peters Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast, CA
Most of us are guilty of taking wine too seriously. I know I am at times. Certainly when talking about

2003 Highland Estates “Seco Highlands” Pinot Noir, Arroyo Seco, CA
It’s easy for to dismiss big corporate wine producers as makers of industrial products far inferior to what small artisans

2002 Nicolette Christopher “Daniela” Pinot Noir, Carneros, CA
Hand-crafted is a term that has been abused by wine marketers and copywriters for a long time, but it still

1985 Chateaux Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, Pauillac (Bordeax), France
There’s something remarkable about the generosity of wine lovers and collectors. Their willingness to share a bottle, even the most

2003 Chateau des Gavelles Rosé, Coteaux d’Aix en Provence, France
I drink rosé all year round, but it’s awfully nice in the summer (as nearly every wine magazine and newspaper

2002 Summerwood “Diosa” Syrah, Paso Robles, CA
If there is one “hot young” wine region in California, it would have to be Paso Robles. For the last

2001 Domaine du Caillou “Les Quartz” Châteauneuf-du-Pape (Rhone), France
There’s something mysterious about a good Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Not just because the blend of the 13 varietals (Grenache, Mourvedre, Syrah, Cinsault,

2003 Morgante Nero d’ Avola IGT Vendemmia, Sicily
The more Nero d’Avola I have, the more I like it. This earthy old world varietal, native to the island