Vine Cliff Winery 2014 Chardonnay Los Carneros
In most classes at the wine school, I behave myself. I don’t let my deep love of Cali Chardonnay get in the way of a great wine class. Back when I …
Bodegas Montecillo 2009 Rioja Gran Reserva
On occasion, I sit next to a normal at a wine conference. After a few minutes of awkward conversation, they invariably ask me one question:“What is your favorite wine?”I don’t have an answer to that question. …
Cafaggio 2013 Chianti Classico
When I was the national wine buyer for Bacchus Wines, one of my first additions to the portfolio was Villa Cafaggio. They’ve been producing excellent Chianti Classico since the 1960s. For a …
Chateau Los Boldos 2015 Grande Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
This is such an exceptional value that I want to jamb a $10 bill into the empty bottle and mail it back to the winery in Cachapoal Valley, Chile.We did a bit …
Poggio Stella 2011 Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Riserva
Labels like this confuse most wine consumers. Let’s break it down. Vino Nobile = another term for the grape Sangiovese. The same grape that’s in Chianti Montepulciano = a town in …
Food and Wine Books
Looking for the newly updated article on wine book recommendations? You can check that out here: Top Picks for Wine Books. Larousse WineMany years ago, a student of mine –an aspiring chef and …
Concha y Toro 2015 “Marques de Casa Concha” Carmenere
This brand is one of the oldest and most consistently high-quality coming out of Chile. The label debuted in 1976, and its name set the bar very high. Marques de Casa …
Wine Reviews
This wine rolls in the glass with a shocking pink-panther hue. The nose is fresh sage and wild strawberry (sauvage fraise for all you Francophiles out there). On the palate, it …
Auburn Road Vineyards – Pilesgrove, NJ
A busy tasting room can certainly be a challenge. So when my significant other and I walked into Auburn Road Vineyards on a Saturday afternoon and saw a packed tasting bar, …
Beringer 2014 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Knights Valley
Knights ValleyOne of the top pieces of advice I can give anyone is this: if you want to buy great wines at a discount, don’t buy from famous places. Case in …
Ant Moore 2016 “Signature Series” Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough
The Ant ManYeah, so Ant is the guy’s name. Short for Anthony. Yeah, that’s a thing. He’s one of those up-from-nothing and built a small wine empire kind of guys. He also …
Del Rio 2015 Pinot Gris, Rogue Valley
Rogue Valley If you drew a line between Napa Valley in California and Willamette Valley in Oregon, Rogue Valley is just about the halfway point. It’s a place of rolling hills, …
Renato Ratti 2014 “Battaglione” Barbera D’Alba
I was going to include this in my recent Barolo & Beyond class, but at the last minute, I swapped it out for the Oreste Buzio 2016 Grignolino del Monferrato Casalese.Why? …
Wine Reviews
Tormaresca “Trentangeli” Castel del MonteI am a big fan of Aglianico, but it isn’t a crowd-pleaser. It’s more like the Metallica of the wine world. Even some of our sommelier friends …
Nicolis 2007 “Ambrosan” Amarone della Valpolicella Classico
Nicolis is a benchmark producer of Amarone who has been crafting top-notch wines since 1951. This particular bottling is a bit more modern than its usual releases. Instead of aging exclusively …
Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars – Finger Lakes, NY
Set upon beautiful, well-manicured grounds, Lamoreaux Landing Wine Cellars has an impressive tasting room and a lovely view of Seneca Lake. They offer a standard tasting and a specialty tasting (my …