Salon Brut Blanc de Blancs Le Mesnil
I’m dreaming of a blanc (de blanc) Christmas(sung to the tune of White Christmas)I’m dreaming of a blanc (de blancs) ChristmasAll chardonnay, no pinot noirThe Salon is chillingAnd artists swilling,In a …
France
Italian Wine for Sommeliers
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 …
E. Guigal 2008 Cotes du Rhone Rosé
For many of us, Southern France springs to mind when thoughts turn to rosé. And Guigal, one of the most reliable producers in the Rhone Valley, comes through with flying tri-colors …
Bottle Shock: the Movie
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 …
Riesling Reviews
One of our Advanced Sommelier students spent a month drinking Riesling. I thought that was cool, so I asked him to write about it.———-One man’s journey to the light side and …
Decanting! And from such great heights!
Put down that Wine Atlas, and grab some Japanese manga. In Kami no Shizuku (The Drops of God), two wine connoisseurs are the main characters, the 1855 Bordeaux classification is made simple, …
Helyos 2002, Banyuls
So maybe it doesn’t have the same name recognition as Port, but a great vin doux naturel, as we tasted at last night’s annual Champagne & Dessert Wine Gala, proved, as …
Of Bubbles and Guilt
As the holidays recede ever further into the distance, and as the Thanksgiving-to-New Years need to dull, the pain of all that happy-happy family time subsides, Champagne and other sparklers begin …
Benedicte De Rycke 2004 Jasnieres, France
Sometimes, you have to go for the wine equivalent of a guitar solo. This wine waft hits your nose like a fistful of irises and warm earth. On the tongue, a …
Domaine Pierre Usseglio et Fils 2006 Chateauneuf-du-Pape
When we opened the 2004 vintage of this wine in our Advanced France course last winter, it was one of the highlights of Southern Rhone night. 2006 exhibits everything you’d expect …
Summer Wine Suggestions
To desire wine is to throw oneself into a lifelong adventure that will never be fully satisfied. And The Wine School – with its no-frills and down-to-earth manner – has been …
Smackdowns, Boots and Hexagons, and the Future of the Human Race
Tomorrow evening, the Wine School‘s resident Italian-wine expert, and I will do battle in a Smackdown for the ages. Planetary polarity may shift. Weather patterns could run amok. Children and grown …
Wine Gift Recommendations
These wines will make great gifts and will be enjoyable by a wide range of wine enthusiasts.You can find these wines using the Wine Finder. If you live near Philly, a …