Simonsig 2016 Chenin Blanc, Stellenbosch
Growing grapes has always been a challenge. In the past three years, the changing conditions in vineyards have made it even more difficult. Winemakers and vineyard managers the world over are …
classic
Chateau Lanbersac 2014 Puisseguin Saint Emilion (Bordeaux)
Françoise Lannoye Françoise Lannoye is one of my favorite unknown Bordeaux winemakers. She makes great wine in unconventional areas and does it without fanfare. Along with her husband Philippe, she purchased …
Shannon Ridge 2016 “High Elevation Collection” Sauvignon Blanc Lake County (California)
Shannon Ridge is located in California’s Lake County, which is a hard place to make wine. Not because great wine can’t be made, but because it’s always in the (metaphorical) shadow …
Wine Reviews
Wine ReviewsLatoque ReservePrimarily Cabernet Sauvignon with a bit of Syrah and Malbec. It’s also quite delicious and drinks above its mysterious lineage: melted chocolate and blackberry and licorice on the nose. …
Bersano 2011 “Generala” Barbera d’ Asti Superiore Nizza (Piedmont)
Bersano If you were purchasing Barolo in the ’80s, Bersano was a brand you’d seek out. Located in Nizza, the winery offered up classic Piedmontese wines. Their 1982 Barolo Riserva was …
Latoque 2015 Reserve, Languedoc Roussillon
Does this wine exist? If it weren’t for the fact that I found a bottle at a wine shop, I would have to say “no.”A Wine MysteryI read about the wine …
Spanish Recipes from the Wine School
Patatas Bravas 2 pounds red skin potatoes, quartered 3 Tbsp vegetable oil 1 tsp fine salt 2 shallots, diced 1 tsp smoked paprika pinch cayenne pepper 1 cup crushed tomatoes ¼ …
El Molet 2013 Jumilla
There’s something to be said for a bit of age on a bottle. When this wine was released a few years ago, it didn’t make any friends in the wine critic …
Herdade de Peso 2015 “Trinca Bolotas” Tinto
Sogrape is Portugal’s Gallo Wines. It’s the biggest winemaker in the country, and it’s not above throwing a critter on the label. This is the company behind Mateus for effing chrissake. I …
McPrice Myers 2013 Beautiful Earth, Paso Robles
There are a few folks who have been reading my reviews —Chris, Jon, and Mary, to name a few— since I started in 2001. You can even check some of those …
Cave de Rasteau Ortas 2015 “Tradition” Rasteau
Rasteau is a lovely village northeast of Chateauneuf du Pape and produces wine with similar finesse. Like most Southern Rhone reds, this bottling is mostly Grenache, with a bit of Syrah, …
Dr. Konstantin Frank – Finger Lakes, NY
Dr. Konstantin Frank (the Dr. is for his Ph.D. in viticulture) first founded his NY winery in 1962. He is credited with bringing Vitis vinifera (traditional grapes of European winemakers) to …
Parducci 2014 True Grit Petite Sirah Reserve
After 50 harvests, Parducci has earned its reputation for making top-tier Petite Sirah. In the 1960s, they were one of the first in California to bottle the grape as a single-varietal …
Wine Reviews
El Molet JumillaThis bottle is something of an ugly duckling. The first few years of its life, it was a bit green-toned and abrasive. That can happen to grapes harvested early, …
Catena Zapata 2014 “La Consulta” Malbec, Maipu
The uber-popular style of Malbec –oozing with milk chocolate softness– is just a single iteration of this grape’s possibilities. This bottle will elevate your expectations. Aromas of fresh basil and earl …
Dominio de Aranleon 2015 El Arbol de Aranleon, Utiel-Requena
A classic style of Tempranillo from the Utiel-Requena region. Savory to the point of leather and game, this wine sports aroma of lavender and blood orange. Light bodied with a bright …