The “CrossBarn” is remarkably similar to the “Paul Hobbs,” but at half the price. It is lush and dense with richly soft tannins, it stains the glass with a deep crimson. Full bodied, it offers up rich flavors of blackberry and burnt oak that are deeply embedded into a savory impression of fresh bay laurel and roses.
To Cork or Not To CorkThe market for wine-bottle closures is a $4 billion battlefield where an epic confrontation is now taking place. George Taber, from To Cork or Not To …
Modern style Chardonnay with plenty of flair and depth. Vanilla-poached pears & toasted almonds on the palate, a little jolt of freshness on the finish, and a lingering sensation of smoke. Quite worthwhile to serve as an aperitif.
Yes, the mercury has risen, the muggies are threatening, and the food most of us crave has likely become lighter. So why extol the virtues of a wine of only moderate …
There’s no denying one of Pinot’s wine tasting hallmarks — and the reason many of us love it so — is its discernible funk on the nose. Barnyard stank, dung, smokey …
This is definitely a wine that needs some rebranding. ‘Piodilei’ literally translates to ‘Pio for the ladies.’ It is so named because the family’s women found this wine particularly appealing–though there’s …
Sicily is developing a reputation as the “California” of Italian wine, a region where ambiguous regulations allow winemakers latitude regarding production and freedom to experiment.The inclusion of non-Italian grapes to the …
What is Italian Wine? Recently, our Advanced Sommelier students finished a seven-week Viaggio through the often bewildering but fascinating demimonde of Italian wine. Along the way, they tasted, analyzed, and discussed …
The aroma of spicy, peppery raisins soaked in Dr. Pepper, but in a good way. This is classic, peppery California zinfandel, yet the blue fruits of the 7% Petit Sirah add …
On May 24, 1976, a blind tasting took place in Paris. France’s historic wines were being tasted and judged alongside ones from a handful of upstart California wineries. Spoiler alert: The …
I made it home last night by 8:30, the first time I’d been back to Chateau Wallace before 10:00 pm since the previous Friday. So to say I was ready to …
I loved this article from the Lancaster Farming website by Chris Torres, “A Systems Approach to Organic.”It’s a quick and fascinating read about how California winemakers recently demonstrated to local growers …
My former wine certification student Jenny S. is a first-year grad student in the Oenology & Viticulture Department of the University of California at Davis. Her emails about her first year …
This past summer, I fell madly in love with a perhaps unexpected food and wine pairing: Braised beef ravioli with tomato sauce alongside a bottle of Grand Cru Burgundy. This past …
I preach this to the Wine School’s students every chance I get, but since there are readers of the School’s blog who I haven’t yet had the chance to meet, it …
Say “Zinfandel,” and most people will immediately think of California. But Australia is also home to some great examples of the grape variety. This one, from Barossa Valley, shows all the …