Landmark Vineyards 2011 “Grand Detour” Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast
First of all, kudos to Landmark Vineyards for the awesome update to their labeling. It’s a great leap backward, and I mean that in the best way possible. This is a …
Pinot Noir
Trisaetum 2011 “Trisae” Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley
Oregon’s Willamette Valley produces some of the world’s best Pinot Noirs. And that is only half the reason to love their wines. The other is its grassroots vibe. Unlike so many …
Novy 2010 Syrah, Napa Valley
The nose in this Napa Valley Syrah offers copious aromas of black fruits –black cherry, currant, and blackberry– and a thread of smoky licorice. On the palate, it is lush and …
Tudor 2006 Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley
Dan Tudor is one of the few self-taught vintners of Pinot Noir, and he does it better than most. Without any winemaking experience, he opened his Monterrey winery in 2000. Under …
Londer Vineyards 2011 Pinot Noir
Three thoroughbred Pinot Noirs were just added to PLCB wine shops. All three are single-vineyard bottlings from Londer Vineyards: the Paraboll, Ferrington, and the Londer Estate vineyards. Londer is a boutique …
Schug Pinot Noir 2010 Carneros
Schug Winery is a major player in Northern Cali’s cool wine region of Carneros. Nestled at the bottom of Sonoma and Napa, Carneros has always been prime vineyard territory. Now, it’s …
Buena Vista 2006 Pinot Noir Ramal Road, Carneros
Carneros wine review Grown 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) …
Reserve des Vignerons 2010 Saumur Champigny
Loire valley wine review Minimalistic, fresh, and pretty, this Loire Valley red is a true gem. The fresh and bright red fruit is tied to accents of dried leaves and a …
August Kesseler 2010 Spatburgunder
German Wine Review A beautiful Pinot Noir. Light, floral and feminine, with fresh red fruits. A distinct Burgundian flair, with aromas of farmland and wildflowers. Light bodied and offering a nice texture. …
Associated Press: Taking wine as gift shouldn’t be a chore
It’s a look wine shop clerks know well. That overwhelmed, glassy-eyed stare that afflicts people as they wade through aisle after aisle of wine in search of the right bottle to bring to a party.
But arming yourself with a little advice and doing a bit of planning can make it easy to break out of the wine shop stupor and get the right wine for the right event for the right price.
Step 1: Relax. It’s just wine. And most shops are jammed with great $10 bottles, so it’s hard to make an awful choice.
Saxon Brown 2008 Pinot Noir Durell Hayfield
Review Beautiful and luxurious in the glass. Aromas of red cherry and espresso bolt out with nary a swirl. Soon after, there is an exquisite moment of flavor when dark and bright cherry …
Gloria Ferrer 2002 Royal Cuvee
The Ferrer family is best known for their other winery, the Spanish bubbly producer Freixenet. However, this Sonoma County winery, named after the family’s matriarch, almost always exceeds the quality of …
Kawarau 2006 Pinot Noir Reserve
Sourced from one of the oldest blocks of Pinot Noir in the Central Otago region, this bottle is an excellent example of what New Zealand can do. The winemaker, Dean Shaw, …
Elk Cove 2009 “Five Mountain Vineyard” Pinot Noir
Here is one for the Pinot geeks of the world. Located in the Chehalem Mountains AVA, Five Mountain is one of the original Willamette Valley vineyards, dating back to 1978 and planted …
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.