Columbia Valley Wine
Why does California get all the love when Columbia Valley wine is fantastic? The pat answer is that California has been growing grapes longer, and it’s a core feature in America’s …
All About Rosé
From King Louis XIV’s palace to Napa Valley’s vineyards, rosé wines have always been a part of wine-drinking culture. This article offers the essentials of rosé, how it’s made, and what …
Travelling in Chianti
Out of Florence As we traveled out of the bustling city of Florence and up a series of hills, my significant other and I were glad we had not opted to …
Wine Reviews
Cloudlift Cellars “Halcyon” Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia ValleyThe gritty backbone of tannins with a whiff of burnt sage and cedar. Plump red fruit flavors take a backseat to eucalyptus. There is great …
A Cautionary Tale
Through my winery excursions, I seek to explore the different ways in which positive winery experiences are evoked. An extra pour, a particularly engaging or knowledgeable person pouring, a free loaf …
Stonehedge 2016 “Grand Reserve” Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
Another Mystery WineI took a deep dive while trying to figure out who made this wine. I hadn’t heard of Stonehedge before tasting this monolithic Cabernet Sauvignon. The label seems to …
Terroir Daronton 2017 Roaix, Côtes du Rhône Villages
Le Terroir Daronton is a cooperative winery that includes about 200 winegrowers in the Southern Rhone. They don’t make a generic “Cotes du Rhone”; instead, they focus on village-designated wines. These …
Bodegas Berceo 2013 Rioja Reserva
HaroThe town of Haro has a long winemaking history, and Bodegas Berceo is its figurative heart. Berceo’s wine cellars were dug under the city streets, repurposing tunnels that dated back to …
Brittan Vineyards 2014 “Basalt Block” Pinot Noir, McMinnville
Robert BrittanRobert Brittan is best known as the winemaker responsible for Stags’ Leap Winery’s Petite Sirahs. Those inky monsters redefined the grape as a luxury Napa Valley wine. Throughout the nineties, …
Infinito 2014 “Winemaker’s Selection” Malbec, Mendoza
A Mystery Bottle Out of nowhere, a 90-plus rated wine shows up on the wine shelves at the local wine & spirits store. As a wine critic, I like to know …
Rimapere 2017 Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough
A single vineyard bottle of Sauvignon Blanc from the Rimapere vineyard in Marlborough’s highly regarded Rapaura district. This joint venture between Bordeaux’s Baron Benjamin de Rothschild (owner of Château Clarke and …
Vinos de Arganza 2015 “Seculo” Mencia, Bierzo
A small winery that has a laser-like focus on the Mencia grape. This is one of several they produce, much of whom have earned critical praise. These include the brands Flavium, …
Chateau Boutillot 2015 “Revelations d’Hubert de Bouard” Bordeaux
Revelations d’Hubert de Bouard The Revelations d’Hubert de Bouard is a portfolio of wines from eight Bordeaux wineries. These are not their usual releases, mind you. They are each working with …
Vinessens 2016 “La Casica del Abuelo” Alicante
Vinessens is a small family-owned winery located in Spain’s Valencia wine region. This particular bottle comes from the sub-region of Alicante and is sourced largely from a vineyard of 80-year-old Monastrell …
Wild Horse 2015 “Cheval Sauvage” Pinot Noir, Santa Maria Valley
Long before the movie Sideways, Santa Barbara County has been a hot spot for Pinot Noir. In particular, Sanat Maria Valley is home to some of California’s top vineyards for the …
Julia’s Dazzle 2017 Pinot Gris Rose, Columbia Valley
Don’t judge this wine by its bottle. This is the type of packaging I’d expect for a White Zinfandel geared towards functional alcoholics that sell bedazzled dog leashes on Esty. This …