Landmark Vineyards 2012 “Overlook” Chardonnay
This bottle sports the generic appellation of “California,” but it’s mostly sourced from two vineyards in Sonoma’s Russian River Valley (the rest of central California). It is fermented in older oak …
2011 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon
2011 was a crazy year for Napa Cabs. California is in the grip of a massive drought, but that wasn’t the case in 2011. At least in Napa Valley, where rain pummelled …
Four Great Barrel Aged Spirits from Philly
This article was originally published in 2015Whiskey & RumI love my brown spirits, in particular the whiskies and rums. Pour white spirits into a charred oak barrel, roll it into a warehouse …
Top Rosé Wines
Villa Des Anges “Old Vines” Rosé, Pays d’Oc Here’s a pretty little folly from winemaker Jeff Carrel of the Languedoc-Roussillon. Bright and wild strawberries on the nose, with a plume of …
Growing Grapes without Irrigation
In 2015, California Governor Jerry Brown issued an executive order mandating a 25% reduction in water use. Not surprisingly, the news went national; this was a first in America. Future of …
French & Spanish Wine Reviews
Spanish Wine ReviewsAnecoop Casa L’Angel Old Vines, Valencia (SP)This bottle smells like a pirate ship: aromas of ocean air, old wood, and gun smoke. It’s another story for the palate, which …
Wine Ratings
Clos du Val Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley (Cali)For 40 years, this vineyard in the valley has been bottling top-notch Cabernet Sauvignon and their mature craftsmanship shows. The same winemaking finesse shows in …
Philadelphia Inquirer: Try a slug of this with your pizza
The story was originally published by the Philadelphia Inquirer on May 4, 2008. Inqlings: Try a slug of this with your pizza Author: Michael Klein Mike Schmidt hit 548 home runs in …
California Wines Reviews
Terlato “Devil’s Peak” Cabernet Franc, Pope ValleyThe wine is bright, ruby, and shows no bricking with medium color concentration, no sediment, and medium-minus viscosity. Aromas of blueberry, smoke, and hints of …
Bootlegger’s Bible (Cocktail Recipes)
French 751 ounce Gin1/2 ounce fresh lemon juice1/3 ounce whiskey sugar syrupice cubes1 1/2 ounces sparkling wineThe drink was created in 1915 at the New York Bar in Paris. Felt like …
Wine Reviews
Victor Vineyards Roadside RedFun little Zinfandel-based bottle from the town of Victor in California’s Central Valley. Red fruit, port-y raisins, licorice, and milk chocolate notes. My current “house red” for everyday drinking.Callabriga DaoA serious …
Say No to Wine Snobs
Wine Snobs or Wine Ninjas?We should probably be sad about the emotional state of Wine Snobs, but we aren’t. Admittedly, we’ve made a few of them cry. But we don’t train those types …
Wine Reviews
The top wines from our wine tasting classes. These are the bottles that excited and challenged us this year. And these aren’t just the expensive bottles, either: there are plenty here in the …
Sonic Decanter: The New Wine Gadget Demystified
Sonic Youth Decanted, or how we ended up in the Washington Post On December 10th, we were featured in a Washington Post Online article disputing the claims made about the Sonic Decanter. The …
Feudi di San Gregorio 2007 Serpico
Aglianico Wine Review Aglianico is an essential wine, creating some of the most expressive, complicated, and massive wines one can experience. I have reviewed the Serpico’s little brother the “Rubrato recently, and …
Recipes for Food & Wine Pairings
A few recipes from our Food & Wine Pairing classes. Truffled Parmesan Polenta with Caramelized Onions 4 cups chicken stock 2 cloves minced garlic 1 cup stone-ground cornmeal 1 tablespoon fine salt 1 bay leaf …