Vall Llach 2006 “Vall Llach” Priorat
One of my favorite memories of visiting Priorat with my Wine School students was our time at Celler Vall Lach. A stone –a triangle of iron-shaded black rock– from one of their …
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Durigutti 2010 Cabernet Franc Reserva, Mendoza
I am thrilled to see a bottle of Cabernet Franc coming out of Argentina. This grape varietal is grown in limited quantities in South America, and it’s mostly used in blends. …
Bodegas Briego 2009 Crianza, Ribera del Duero
Bodegas Briego is an obscure winery from one of the greatest wine regions in the world, the Ribera del Duero. The winery was founded in the nineties by three brothers from the …
Nugan Estate 2012 “Third Generation” Shiraz, South Eastern Australia
Eight years ago, a juice company from Australia contacted me. They were moving into the wine market, and we’re working on distribution into the US. Could I help them? Sure, I …
St. Urbans-Hof 2011 Zickelgarten Riesling Spatlese
I tried this wine for the first time almost one year ago. I was at the annual trade tasting for a wine importer. He had just brought this wine less than …
Chateau Lanbersac 2010 “Vieilles Vignes” Puisseguin Saint Emilion
This is a winery whose bottles never end up on our shores: it’s a tiny outpost in one of the most obscure satellite wine regions of Puisseguin-Saint-Emilion on the right bank …
Reginato 2011 Chaman
In Argentina, a chaman is a witch doctor. Is this a witchy wine? I am not sure, but it is a fine wine and a surprising departure for the Reginato clan. …
Koyle 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Royale, Colchagua Valley
Chilean wine review Colchagua Valley has always been my first choice for Cabernet Sauvignon in Chile. This bottle proves that it’s a good habit to keep up. This is the first …
La Fin Du Monde by Unibroue
The more I taste beers from Canada’s rising microbrews, the greater my respect. They embrace the quality of North American grains and hops, and at the same time executing old-school brewing styles. …
Barone Ricasoli 2010 “Brolio” Chianti Classico
The Castello di Brolio (the castle of Brolio) has been in the Ricasoli family since the 12th Century. Two of the family’s top wines (they produce 11) are labeled as Brolio. The top …
Benini 2006 “Sassotondo” Maremma
The Tuscan Maremma is becoming the place to go for lighter, softer reds, contrasting earthy Chianti Classico and brooding Brunellos. In the airy hills of Grosseto province, Sangiovese is known as …
Barbera from the Piemonte
I was always one of those guys unaffected by jetlag, no matter where I was traveling to or returning from. But this most recent trip–my wife and I spent the 10 …
M. Sorrel 2005 Crozes-Hermitage Blanc
In the Rhone Valley, the reds get all the attention and the lion’s share of love. But fans of the region’s whites know that they are every bit as wonderful as …
In Praise of Cheap White Wine
And now the time has come to praise cheap white wine. Or, to be accurate, green wine. I recently returned from a trip to Portugal, and much to my wife’s chagrin, …
Blind Tasting Wine
Blind tasting wine can be more challenging than a 1950s quiz show but also more fun. For many wine enthusiasts, it’s a humbling and educational experience. The Challenge of Blind Tasting …
Domaine William Fevre 2006 Chablis
Anyone who tells you that winter is not the right time for white wine clearly hasn’t enjoyed the many charms of Chablis on a crisp day. There’s something about the often …