Robert Hall Winery 2007 Rhone de Robles
Paso Robles Wine ReviewOne of my favorite trends in Paso Robles is the embrace of these Rhone-style wines. I am especially pleased to see Robert Hall embracing the style. I met …
merlot
Gordon Brothers 2008 Merlot, Columbia Valley
Columbia Valley Merlot ReviewBack in the day, when I sold wines for a living, I was a huge fan of the Gordon Brothers. They released their first wines in the early eighties …
Chateau Carignan 2005 “Prima” Cotes de Bordeaux
When I took a group of my students to Bordeaux, we stayed just a few miles from this Chateau. I did not expect much of this wine when I first tasted …
Pillar Box 2008 Red
For a wine so damn cheap, a lot of rock star winemakers have been attached to this project. For the geeks, that means Aussie powerhouses Kim Jackson and Chris Ringland, for starters. For the rest …
Terranoble 2009 Carmenere Gran Reserva
Most folks who came to my table at a recent wine tasting event hadn’t heard of Carmenere, and the majority of them opted for something more familiar. One guy, on the …
Chateau Pavillon Bel Air 2008 Lalande de Pomerol
As wine regions go, Lalande de Pomerol is typically a mixed bag. It’s not actually Pomerol, but one of the many satellite regions on the right bank of Bordeaux. This is …
Erasmo 2006 Viña La Reserva de Caliboro, Maule Valley, Chile
Mostly Cabernet Sauvignon, with a bit of Merlot and Cabernet Franc for added finesse. Kirsch and pencil shavings with a touch of brine and wet earth. Wet tobacco and grass on …
Andrew Will Winery 2007 Two Blondes Vineyard
Figs and cassis meld with coffee and campfire notes, along with a strong impression of Herbes de Provence. The midpalate brings in fresher red fruits, and serious oak-influenced flavors of chocolate and allspice. The finish rolls on and on, bringing more pleasure than anyone could expect from a glass of wine.
Castello Banfi 2007 Excelsus, Montalcino
While it may be sacrilege to grow Merlot in the very heart of Tuscany, this wine may be worth damnation. A deft but decadent Merlot-Cabernet blend spans a framework of lush …
Jersey Wins!
Keith Wallace (the founder of the Wine School) hosted an event for National Public Radio. It was a blind tasting pitting his top picks from New Jersey with comparable wines from …
Wine Reviews
The top six wines for $15 were highlighted as tonight’s First Friday at the Wine School. A great list for the weekend binge purchases.
The Fingerprints of Red Grape Varietals
This is a declassified article from our Foundation Wine Course from 2008. For the real deal, you should check out our Core Wine Program, which is available both in-person and virtual. …
Newton 2001 Unfiltered Merlot, Napa Valley
A Merlot for Bordeaux drinkers. Wet earth & allspice underpin the enticing aroma of smoked plums. Well-balanced, fresh cherry notes and tannin deliver a multi-layered experience.
South American Wines
Where did you first discover the wines of South America? For me, it was years ago (2004, to be more or less precise) when the Wine School hosted a charity wine …
Top 10 Wines Under $15
There are plenty of well-made wines priced under $15, and these are a sampling of the best of the best. Even better, you should be able to find most of these …
