Kumeu River Estate 2006 Chardonnay, New Zealand
The aromas and flavors of chalk, lemongrass, and honeysuckle scream out White Burgundy. Chablis, even. Pretty notes of exotic fruit round out the profile. A lovely wine that shows character and …
Cantine dei Colli Ripani 2004 “Ninfa Ripana” Passerina
Verdicchio has been the shining star of white wine from the Marche since Fazzi-Battaglia hit the market with its fish-shaped bottle over thirty years ago. Lesser-known whites were pushed even farther …
Enzo Mecella 2006 “Pagliano” Verdicchio di Matelica
Verdicchio is the sole white varietal of note in a region whose lush, well-crafted red wines are slowly garnering adherents. Of the two DOC zones producing Verdicchio, Castelli di Jesi hard …
Bodegas del Rosario 2006 3000 Anos, Bullas
From Murcia, the native home of the Monastrell grape, comes this beautiful beasty. More muscle and punch than a roomful of angry kickboxers. The nose of tobacco and fresh sweat keeps …
Neil Ellis 2009 Chardonnay, South Africa
 Tasting Notes A reviving style of Chardonnay. Exotic spices and fruit lead the charge into a flashbang of crisp acidity trailing a contrail of wood smoke. Ginger, kiwi, and peach …
Caliboro Estate 2006 “Erasmo” Red
A lighter style red coming from Chile, with a distinctive old-world character. Tobacco leaf and wet clay mingle with raspberry notes. The finish opens up, and darker fruit take hold, along with …
Antiche Vigneti di Cantalupo 2005 “Primagenia” Piemonte
The Colline Novarese DOC is located in the smaller cluster of designated zones in northern Piemonte, including Gattinara and Ghemme, two familiar names for devotees of Nebbiolo. The regulations for both …
Bodegas Dios Ares 2008 Crianza Rioja
One the nose, cardamon, and lavender play with a nub of burnt vanilla, following a sweet hit of black fruit. The palate is exactly what a Crianza should be: balanced but exuberant. There are …
How Spam Turn a Wine Geek into a Security Maven.
When the Wine School‘s website was www.winelust.com, we got a lot of spam. It was a great URL, but having lust in the name meant we got lots of rather interesting …
Emidio Pepe 2001 “Torano Nuovo” Montepulciano d’Abruzzo
Now and then, I come across a bottle that can only be described as an Al Pacino wine – you know, an experience that moves you to say “..hooo ahhh”, like …
Penley 2010 “Phoenix” Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra
A classic style of Cabernet Sauvignon, without the overblown fruit and alcohol. Fresh blackberry and strawberry on the nose, along with a hint of cedar.Linear tannins soften in the midpalate, allowing flavors …
We Love Bison
I have recently, for the most part, given up beef. I’m not a vegetarian – far from it. I’m not fighting for some political cause. It’s just that, more and more, …
Cellers Baronia del Montsant 2009 Flor de Englora Roure
A review of a top class Grenache blend. Glass staining and inky black, the Flor d’Englora Roure is full bodied and richly flavored. Aromas of toast, campfire, and coriander rise from the glass, with a thread of liquorice. Tobacco and mocha on the palate with a rich deep fruit flavors, plum and dark cherry.
Offley 2006 Late Bottled Vintage Porto
Sometimes is about having something good at an impossible price. The ’06 vintage isn’t the greatest. The ’05 and the ’07 Offley bottlings are better. However, at the price that the PLCB …
Alexander Valley Vineyards 2008 “Redemption” Zinfandel
If you drink Zin for its delightful complexity, you aren’t thinking straight. Zinfandel –despite its pink alter ego– is a major badass. This bottle is in keeping with such a reputation. …
Saxon Brown 2008 Pinot Noir Durell Hayfield
ReviewBeautiful and luxurious in the glass. Aromas of red cherry and espresso bolt out with nary a swirl. Soon after, there is an exquisite moment of flavor when dark and bright cherry flavors …