Category: Sparkling Wine
The Doyenne of California Sparkling Wine Steps Down
After 42 vintages, 30 of which were as the founding winemaker and CEO of Domaine Carneros, Eileen Crane (seen above
Vinography Unboxed: Week of 12/16/18
Hello, and welcome to my periodic dig through the samples pile. I’m pleased to bring you the latest installment of
Vinography Unboxed: Week of December 24, 2017
Hello, and welcome to my periodic dig through the samples pile. I’m pleased to bring you the latest installment of
Why You Should Pay More for Champagne (And What to Buy When You Can’t)
Valentine’s day. Easter. Halloween. New Year’s Eve. What do all these holidays have in common? They each drive some of
Vinography Unboxed: Week of December 10, 2017
Hello, and welcome to my periodic dig through the samples pile. I’m pleased to bring you the latest installment of
Vinography Unboxed: Week of December 20, 2015
Hello, and welcome to my periodic dig through the samples pile. I’m pleased to bring you the latest installment of
50 Years of American Sparkling Wine: The Schramsberg Odyssey
The famous sign that welcomes the world to Napa Valley hosts a quote by author Robert Louis Stevenson: “…and the
Small is Beautiful: The Champagnes of Savart
The famous designers Charles and Ray Eames, in the employ of the then young company named IBM, once created a
Krug: A Quintessence of Champagne
When, in 1989, Olivier Krug became the sixth generation of his family to work at the Champagne house that bears
Drinking Time Itself: The Champagnes of Anselme Selosse
The world’s greatest winemakers almost always have something in common with their wines. This would be expected, of course, as
Tasting One Man’s Experience: The Champagnes of Agrapart et Fil
“Lots of winemakers want to have an easy life,” says a grizzled and clearly muscular Pascal Agrapart. “Not me. I
A Brief Video Lesson in Champagne Disgorgement
Compared to normal still wine production, Champagne winemaking gets pretty complicated. Once you’ve made a still wine, you put it
A Singular Expression: The Champagnes of Cédric Bouchard
When I first met the improbably youthful Cédric Bouchard six years ago on his first visit to the United States,
Highlights from Tasting Champagne with the Masters
The best wines often have a quality that I tend to summarize as gulpable. While I am perfectly content with
2014 Masters of Wine Champagne Tasting: September 29, San Francisco
Champagne will begin harvesting their grapes on Monday, September 8th this year, having recently received the official go-ahead from their
The Best Champagnes I’ve Tasted Lately
Champagne cap collection in Reims France © 2013 George Rose. When I look back on my days as a beginning
Vinography Unboxed: Week of October 27, 2013
Hello from the bottom of the samples pile. This is the latest installment of Vinography Unboxed, where I highlight some
Tasting the Stars of Trento: A Vertical Tasting of Cantine Ferrari
At the turn of the 20th century, people everywhere set their dreams adrift in the currents of a new era,
Cantine Ferrari, Trentino, Italy: Entry-Level Wines
Who knows what it is, exactly, about sparkling wine that entices us so. But go to any wine region around
The World’s Best Champagne?: Tasting Bubbly with The Masters of Wine
There was a time I didn’t care for Champagne. Now, a week doesn’t go by without me wishing I had
2012 Masters of Wine Champagne Tasting: October 1, San Francisco
I never liked Champagne until I had the really good stuff. For years I went to weddings and New Year’s
Where is All the Deeply Discounted Champagne?
Every day, I get e-mails with wines being offered at more and more outrageous prices. What you can get for
Masters of Wine Champagne Tasting 2010: September 27, San Francisco
I never liked Champagne until I had the really good stuff. For years I went to weddings and New Year’s
Dom Pérignon, Champagne, France: Some Current Releases
Where to begin with Dom Pérignon? It is a brand, a wine, and a historical figure welded into an idea
Schramsberg Vineyards, Napa: A Few Current Releases
At the risk of oversimplifying things past the point of reasonableness, I’d like to suggest that there are really two
NV Henri Billiot “Cuvee Laetitia” Grand Cru Brut Champagne, Ambonnay, France
It seems that this week has me on a sparkling wine kick, and I see no reason to stop. As
Farmer Fizz: Tasting the Terry Theise Champagne Portfolio
Ask most people to name a good Champagne, and most will likely stall after a couple of well known names
2002 Ferrari “Perlé” Blanc de Blancs Sparkling Wine, Trentino, Italy
Who knows what it is, exactly, about sparkling wine that entices us so. But go to any wine region around
Tasting Notes for Top Champagnes of the World
You might call me a born-again Champagne fanatic. There was a time when I didn’t care for the stuff, but
Alfred Gratien Champagne, Epernay, France: Current Releases
The more good Champagne I have, the more it seems to me that you really get what you pay for.
1999 Perrier Jouet “Cuvee la Belle Epoque” Brut Champagne, Epernay, France
As some of you know, there was a time when I didn’t really care for Champagne. But like so many
Iron Horse Vineyards, Green Valley, Sonoma: Current Releases
Spending my summers in Sonoma County starting at about the age of five, I have soft-focus memories of wine tasting
Masters of Wine Champagne Tasting: September 17th, San Francisco
There was a time, I am not ashamed to admit, that I wasn’t really a fan of Champagne or sparkling
IPNC 2007: Grower Champagnes
DAY TWO (continued): The second morning’s sparkling wine seminar was followed by another that focused specifically on “grower Champagnes”, this
IPNC 2007: The Secret Life of Pinot Noir
DAY TWO: Hello again from McMinnville, Oregon, where I am attending the 2007 International Pinot Noir Celebration, a conference and
The World’s Best Prosecco: Tasting Conegliano Valdobbiadene
We Americans aren’t deprived of much in the world when it comes to wine, but if there’s one segment of
Where do Those Bubbles Come From?
I’ve always been a bit bemused when confronted with the phrase “food science.” There’s just something….hokey about it. I can’t
Tasting The Terry Theise Champagne Portfolio
The average wine consumer can name the number of champagne brands they know on the fingers of one hand. Many
Tasting Notes For Some of The Best Champagnes in The World
In addition to the side benefit of providing you, my readers, with information about a large number of wines, I
Which Champagne Should I Buy?: WBW#25 Roundup Posted
All I have to say is that I’m glad as hell I never have to run for class president against
NV Henri Billiot Fils “Cuvee Laetitia” Tete de Cuvee Champagne, Ambonnay, France
I’m not a huge sparkling wine drinker, but many of the wine lovers I know are Champagne nuts. They literally
