Elias Mora 2012 “Descarte” Toro (Spain)
I had a student recently who was adamant that I was too partial to Italian wines. I was surprised at the comment, but he’s a smart guy who comes to many classes …
PLCB
Tenor 2011 “2:2” Red, Columbia Valley (Washington State)
This bottle is a strong argument for why Columbia Valley should replace Napa on steak house wine lists. This Bordeaux blend (Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot) has the massive oak-and-smooth hugeness …
Solena 2013 “Domaine Danielle Laurent Reserve” Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley
So the name of this winery is tricky. Solena was a side project that Laurent and Danielle Montalieu worked on while their vineyards matured. The plan was to eventually start making …
Conceito 2012 “Contraste” Red, Douro (Portugal)
The tension between tannin and acid is remarkable. This wine is tight as a guitar string, which brings a high-toned musicality to the experience. A nose of crushed stone and white …
Maison Nicolas Perrin 2013 Crozes-Hermitage
The Northern Rhone is the ancestral home to Syrah, and family-run wineries dominate it. Names like Chapoutier, Chave, Perrin, and Guigal top the family tree here. There used to be another, …
Rutini Encuentro 2014 Chardonnay, Uco Valley
Want a retro chardonnay? Something to enjoy while listening to Hall & Oates and noshing on some baked brie? Buy a case of this and get your freak on. Like many …
Tudernum 2008 Montefalco Sagrantino
A classic Sagrantino with an intimidating style. Tobacco and cedar are the building material of this colossus. It is austere and muscular with the barest hint of fruit, some leafy plum …
Merryvale 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa
2011 in Napa Valley was a difficult vintage. It was the year when using too much oak in the aging process turned the wine anemic and unpleasant. Many big-name Napa wineries turned …
Castelli del Grevepesa 2010 “Clemente VII” Rosso
Castelli del Grevepesa offers two wines named ” Clemente VII ” this bottling and the Chianti Classico. This wine is a Super Tuscan, a blend of Sangiovese, Merlot, and Syrah. It …
Masi 2011 “Campofiorin” Rosso del Veronese
This 2011 bottling is a fantastic example of a Ripasso style wine from Northeast Italy. Lavender and fresh fennel on the nose with a whiff of burnt vanilla. Dense tannins prop …
Guigal Cotes du Rhone
Vertical Vintages At least once a quarter, I pop open this wine to introduce our students to the Cotes du Rhone region of France. Vintage after vintage, this has been a go-to bottle. …
Pennsylvania Wine Law Primer
As of August 8th, 2016, how alcohol is bought and sold in Pennsylvania changed dramatically. It is not just about semi-privatization and consumer choice. That is not half of it. The new …
Crios 2013 “Limited Edition” Tannat, Mendoza
Tannat originally hails from France, grown mostly in Madiran. The wine it produces is always tannic and often primitive. The grape is also widely planted in South America, with Uruguay at the epicenter. …
Marchiori and Barraud 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon, Mendoza
Paul Hobbs Paul Hobbs without Paul Hobbs? Let’s talk a bit about Paul. He is one of the most celebrated Napa winemakers alive today: he worked for Mondavi and was on …
Jermann 2012 “Red Angel on the Moonlight” Pinot Nero, Friuli
Pinot Nero is Italian for Pinot Noir, but the Nero is much more Italian than Pinot. Winemakers in northeastern Italy don’t typically make Pinot in the French style, as most everyone …
Domaine Courtois 2012 “La Grange” Vinsobres
This is a fresh and zesty style of red with lavender and fresh cranberry on the nose. Stone and crushed wildflowers are playfully entwined on the palate. The blend here is about equal …