Category: Red Wine
Sea Smoke Cellars, Santa Barbara: Current Releases
Sometimes as I’m traveling through wine country, I see beautiful pieces of land that aren’t planted to grapes and I
2006 Hughes-Wellman Cabernet Sauvignon, St. Helena
While wines, and great wines in particular, are made with incredible forethought and planning, sometimes wine labels can spring up
2007 J Vineyards “Barrel 16” Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley
There was a time (think: late Seventies, early Eighties) when a lot of people would have put money on California
1980 Soldera Case Basse Brunello Riserva, Montalcino, Italy
When I was a kid, I read a lot of science fiction. On long plane flights I still occasionally pick
Noon Winery, McLaren Vale, Australia: Current Releases
The term garagiste, originally coined as a pejorative referring to the small wineries in Bordeaux’s Right Bank who were making
Brittan Vineyards, Willamette Valley, OR: Inaugural Releases
Expressed briefly, making a great wine is rather quite simple. You find the right piece of ground; you put the
Where Malbec Comes From: Tasting the Wines of Cahors
One of my greatest pleasures as a wine lover (OK wine geek) is learning about a wine region by tasting
2007 TAZ Vineyard Pinot Noir, Santa Barbara County
The good $15 Pinot Noir is the unicorn of the California wine industry. A mythic beast, highly sought after, no
The Best Zinfandels in California: Tasting at ZAP 2010
With a line snaking halfway around the parking lot by 2:00 PM, it might be easy to say that Zinfandel
2001 Renaissance Winery Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, North Yuba
Every time I review a wine from some little producer whose wines I adore, I experience a pang of regret,
2007 Potel-Aviron Fleurie Vielles Vignes, Beaujolais, France
Should one of your New Years’ resolutions be to broaden your wine horizons without breaking your wine budget, one of
Errazuriz Winery, Chile: Current Releases
The Aconcagua valley presents the first time visitor with a surreal vista. From the flattened floodplain of the valley floor,
Corison Winery, Napa: Current Releases
It’s hard to get attention in the world of wine. Many wineries and winemakers struggle their entire careers for recognition,
Olson Ogden Winery, Sonoma: Current Releases
I take a special interest in a particular class of winery. I call them estateless wineries, but they are wineries
Altair Winery, Chile: Current Releases
Hillside vineyards are not the norm in Chile. The country has a plethora of alluvial valley floors that are always
The Best Wines from Chile?: Tasting Notes for Wines over $40
As some of you know, I spent the last week traveling around Chile trying to get a sense of the
2003 Descendientes de J. Palacios “Moncerbal,” Bierzo, Spain
This is one of those wines that I live for. The kind that begins with an unknown bottle thrust in
2007 Craggy Range “Zebra Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Central Otago, New Zealand
A relatively compact landmass, New Zealand nonetheless seems to possess every possible topography and climate. Tropical rainforests, glaciers, arid plains,
