Santa Julia 2017 “Magna” Red, Uco Valley
JosĂ© Zuccardi’s is the director of Argentina’s Familia Zuccardi winery. We’ve reviewed their wines in the past. In the 1990s, he developed a new brand, Santa Julia, which was named after his only …
JosĂ© Zuccardi’s is the director of Argentina’s Familia Zuccardi winery. We’ve reviewed their wines in the past. In the 1990s, he developed a new brand, Santa Julia, which was named after his only …
Eventually, Walla Walla is going to crush Napa Valley. It’s not just climate change; it’s the culture of the place. Rotie Cellars is a case in point. I’ve never seen winemaker/owner Sean …
Art vs Artists I’ve never really cared much about an artist’s life. If their work inspires me, I don’t need to be weighted down with their ideas on religion or politics. …
There’s something to be said for a bit of age on a bottle. When this wine was released a few years ago, it didn’t make any friends in the wine critic …
Personally, I’m more of a fan of the R8: in any case, it’s a rare pleasure to argue with a Cali winemaker over his choice of SEPTA commutes. Kieran is a …
An elegant bottle that shows why South Africa is an essential wine region for Syrah. Restrained red fruit is kept in balance with liquid mineral, smoked game, and wildflowers. Â On the …
A Winery Divorce First, there was Sparky Marquis. He was the “hit winemaker” for years in South Australia. His wines were highly coveted, especially in the states. His wines were bigger …
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. …
Is this Syrah from Cornas or California? In most ways, this wine drinks like it hail from that awesome Northern Rhone cru. Yet, here we are in Sonoma Valley, Dry Creek …
I am not a fan of corporate wines. That is something most people in the wine trade know all too well. I am not a fan of large-scale wineries, even if …
For a hot moment in the late 90’s, France’s Mediterranean vineyards were trendy, in particular the Languedoc-Roussillon. The good folks at Wine Spectator and Wine Advocate couldn’t rate the wines high …
An enduring mystery in the American wine market is why Paso Robles is still an undiscovered wine country. After all, it’s one of the best spots in Cali for both good …
Domaine Durand is an old family estate taken over by the dynamic duo of two brothers, Eric and Joel Durand, in 1991. It’s a small, 13-hectare property that straddles the wine …
Beaumes de Venise, in the Southern Rhone, is most known for its dessert wines. But it also produces excellent old vine reds, mostly from the Grenache varietals. The region is located …
Very little of this wine is imported into the United States, and most of it ends up in the Philly-NYC corridor, which is fine by me. Â It’s one of the great …
Another winery has opted to change its name and cause great confusion in the marketplace. Gordon Brothers Winery, which has earned a large following over the past decade, has changed its …