The Fingerprints of Red Wine Varietals
This is a declassified article from our 2008 Foundation Wine Course. For the real deal, you should check out our Core Wine Program, which is available both in person and virtually. …
Chateau Leoville-Barton 2004 St,-Julien
The 2004 had the great misfortune of being sandwiched between the exotically ripe 2003 and the already-legendary 2005. But for serious terroir-lovers, for those who want to taste exactly where a …
Rutherglen 2004 Shiraz/ Petite Sirah
This winery is quickly becoming near and dear to my heart (I fell in love with their Marsanne /Viognier blend a few weeks ago). This oddball blend may end up in …
Nimbus Estate 2006 Syrah “Single Vineyard,” Casablanca
A nose of super ripe, concentrated blackberry and plum, cigar smoke, cedar, grilled meat, and a touch of alcohol heat lead the way to a red-berry-fruit palate buttressed by fine-grained tannins, …
Ponzi Vineyards 2007 Arneis, Willamette Valley
If Arneis from its home base in Piedmont is unfamiliar to most American wine consumers, its Oregon incarnation is likely to be downright bewildering. But one sip of this fruity, stony …
Italy Wine Reviews
The Wine School took a group of students to Tuscany many years ago. Here are the top-rated wineries from that trip. Wines were tasted at the winery, an enoteca, with meals, …
Graham’s 1991 Porto
Okay, so at $89.99, this doesn’t exactly fall into the value category of holiday wines. But remember, it’s also 17 years old. So when you do the math, that’s a mere …
Santa Duc 2007 Cotes du Rhone Vieilles Vignes
A very modern wine that pushes the fruit to its darkest and densest limit. Big and dumb, and that’s not a bad thing.
Newton 2001 Unfiltered Merlot, Napa Valley
A Merlot for Bordeaux drinkers. Wet earth & allspice underpin the enticing aroma of smoked plums. Well-balanced, fresh cherry notes and tannin deliver a multi-layered experience.
Italian Wine Reviews
Check out our free wine review database for much more. You can also signup for our free wine newsletter. Tenuta Roveglio Lugana…Trebbiano is one of the more maligned Italian varietals, sometimes …
Pascual Toso 2007 Torrontes, Mapiu Valley
Malbec might get all the glory in Argentina, but a good Torrontes, like this melon, springtime-in-a-bottle white, stands out by its easy, almost dangerous drinkability. But don’t fret: if you kill …
Chateau Reynella 2004 Cellar No. One Shiraz Reserve
Chateau Reynella produces one of our favorite Australian Tawnies, and now, with this deep, dramatic Shiraz, they’ve won us over with their dry juice, too. Some producers, it seems, have the …
Katharina and Helmut Gangl 2003 Zweigelt
Velvety smooth nose, like a cross between the game of syrah and the smoke of Sangiovese, all of it brightened up nicely by ripe, red berry fruit. White pepper flavors take …
The One-Time Wine Show in Atlantic City
Back in 2008, the Wine School was growing super-fast, and I was hungry for more. There were many wine shows at that time (they were super-popular), and I had run a …
South American Wines
Where did you first discover the wines of South America? For me, it was years ago (2004, to be more or less precise) when the Wine School hosted a charity wine …
Gundlach Bundschu 2005 Pinot Noir, Sonoma
At this price point, this is a favorite Pinot of everyone at theschool. Charming, it’s exactly what a Pinot should beand nothing else.