Casa Lapostolle 2010 ”Cuvée Alexandre” Merlot
This is a delicious wine styled to be both plush and pretty. First is the rich ruby color with glass-staining extraction. Then the aromas of red berries and tarragon traced by …
Fine Wine and Good Spirits
Treana Winery 2010 Red, Paso Robles
An enduring mystery in the American wine market is why Paso Robles is still an undiscovered wine country. After all, it’s one of the best spots in Cali for both good …
Tamarack Cellars 2011 Firehouse Red, Columbia Valley
Walla WallaA winery town where hard work is valued, winemakers are trained as apprentices, and everyone is a bit rough around the edges. That’s a unique place. That’s Walla Walla, and …
Chateau Moulin de Clotte 2010 Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux
Hmm. Seems like the chateau owner may be in a financial pickle. First, her bottlings from Chateau Ambe Tour Pourret showed up at stark discounts. That was some great Bordeaux for …
Roth Estate 2011 Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast
Bill Foley Ever wonder how empires start? Keep an eye on Bill Foley. Last I checked in with him, he was running Foley Estates. I was drinking with his assistant winemaker …
La Follette 2009 Chardonnay Manchester Ridge Vineyard, Mendocino Ridge
Greg La Follette Greg La Follette is not someone who would name a winery after himself. The winery was named Tandem until he sold it to Quivira Winery. The purchase agreement …
Clos de los Siete 2009, Mendoza (Argentina)
Clos de Los Siete is a spectacle at the edge of the world. It consists of five great chateaus on the edge of Argentina, close to the Andes Mountains. Each of …
Mill Creek 2010 Merlot, Alexander Valley
There is no shame in not knowing Mill Creek Vineyards. It is easy to miss. This is a tiny, family-run operation covering 55 acres in Sonoma County. Its focus is on …
Villa Cafaggio 2010 Chianti Classico
The winery dates back as far as the 14th Century. It was labeled the “Cahago,” the Tuscan term for a walled field. It was bought by the Farkas family in the …
Domaine Des Ardoisieres 2010 Argile Blanc, Savoie
Domaine Des Ardoisieres is a tiny, 17 acre winery in Savoie. This mountainous French wine region is located near the border of Switzerland, below Jura, and is producing some of the …
Zocker 2012 Gruner Veltliner, Edna Valley
Zocker, the Austria word for “gambler,” is a new project by the Niven Family Wine Estates, a top producer in California’s central coast.The Gruner Veltliner varietal is a rare and idiosyncratic …
Domaine Durand 2011 Premices Cornas
Domaine Durand is an old family estate taken over by the dynamic duo of two brothers, Eric and Joel Durand, in 1991. It’s a small, 13-hectare property that straddles the wine …
De Chanceny 2011 Brut Excellence Vouvray (Loire, France)
A lovely bottle of dry bubbly. This is the top bottling of the Cave des Producteurs de Vouvray, which itself is run by Alliance Loire. Made from Chenin Blanc, the flavors …
Maison Bouachon 2010 “La Tiare du Pape” Chateauneuf-du-Pape
Maison Bouachon has a long history in the Rhone Valley. It began as a cooperage for other wineries in the 19th century. The Bouachons family operated the winery for four generations …
Chateau Ambe Tour Pourret 2010 Saint Emilion Grand Cru (Bordeaux, France)
A decadent bottle of right bank Bordeaux. This chateau is part of the budding Bordeaux empire of Françoise Lannoye and her husband, Philippe. They purchased their first property, Château Lanbersac, in …
Expression 44 2010 Roserock Vineyard Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills
Expression Wines is a new project by William Hill, and it’s all about the Pinot. The conceit of the labeling is that each Pinot is designated by its northern latitude: Santa …