Buena Vista 2006 Pinot Noir Ramal Road, Carneros
Carneros wine reviewGrown at the very bottom of Carneros, which also happens to be the very top of San Pablo Bay (let that be a lesson in geography for you)I can …
full
Francois Lurton 2009 El Albar Barricas
Spanish Wine Review One of the finest values in fine wines I have seen in a few years. This is a remarkable bottle for both its impressive weight and finesse from …
Dominio Mano a Mano 2009 Venta La Ossa
Portuguese Wine ReviewOne of the best-kept secrets in the wine industry is the new crop of modern Portuguese red wines. This is a great example and should be sought out by …
Coopers Best Extra Stout
Export Stout Review Just as dark and scented as a freshly pulled espresso. A full-bodied stout with rich milk chocolate on the palate. Strands of smoky molasses and saltwater taffy develop …
City Paper: The Climb
The story was originally published by the Philadelphia Inquirer on Mar 10, 2010. The ClimbBehind Ladder 15’s Ansill-fied revamp.by Felicia D’AmbrosioWhen word leaked that David Ansill had been hired as chef at …
City Paper: NYE Toasts Uncorked
The story was originally published by the Philadelphia City Paper on December 27, 2006. NYE Toasts UncorkedAuthor: Amy Strauss1 Chimay Cinq Cents. Home Sweet Homebrew owner George Hummel recommends toasting with a bottle of …
Vignerons de Caractere 2010 “Cuvee Prestige” Gigondas
Vignerons de Caractere is one of the top co-operatives in the Southern Rhone. They have been making a rather strong push into the US markets of late, especially in the Mid-Atlantic …
Passitivo 2010 Primitivo, Puglia
Judging wines isn’t a linear job. It’s not really about grading all wines as a spectrum of quality. We don’t judge a Red Zinfandel from Russian River next to a bottle …
Chateau Ramage La Batisse 2005 Haut Medoc (Bordeaux)
A finely honed bottle with eucalyptus and wet stone aromas that edge into black fruit and crème de cassis. Full-bodied and velvety, the palate offers fresh red fruit, black tea, and a bracing minerality …
Alexander Valley Vineyards 2008 “Redemption” Zinfandel
If you drink Zin for its delightful complexity, you aren’t thinking straight. Zinfandel –despite its pink alter ego– is a major badass. This bottle is in keeping with such a reputation. …
Cave de Rasteau 2007 Ortas Prestige
Rasteau is one of the fine winemaking villages in France’s southern Rhone Valley, along with such notable nearby towns as Chateauneuf du Pape and Gigondas. This particular bottle is a field …
Ravenwood 2002 Monte Rosso Vineyard Zinfandel, Sonoma Valley
A definite must-buy for Zin drinkers. Dense and full-bodied, the wine uncorks with an explosion of deep black fruit and freshly roasted coffee beans. Rich but soft tannins carve out 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 …
Selvapiana 2003 “Vigna Bucerchiale” Chianti Rufina Riserva
Of the seven sub-zones of the Chianti DOCG outside the Classico area, Rufina is the most highly regarded. Tucked into the foothills approaching the regional border with Emilia-Romagna, its production is …
Jakoby-Mathy 2006 Kinheimer Rosenberg Riesling Auslese “Eulenlay,” Mosel-Saar-Ruwer
Quite a mouth-full both in name and in flavor. This is a super-friendly, surprisingly light-on-its-feet Auslese with pronounced notes of lychee and an almost citric zing to it. Jakoby-Mathy may not …
Tenute Dettori 2005 Bianco, Romangia
A little over a year ago, I was raving about this winery’s Tudori, an atypical old school Sardinian Cannonau that exemplifies their uncompromising commitment to making wines that express a unique …