Pondering Barolo
There are wines. And there are Wines. Barolo is of the latter, not for its renown, prestige, or even its price. No, Barolo is a Wine that presents more questions than …
Wine
Buehler 2005 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa
This hearkens back to the halcyon days when my friend Jonathan Newman was the Chairman of the PLCB. I still remember all those great deals on top-shelf Napa Cabernet. Although the …
Studert-Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr 2005 Riesling Kabinett, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer
Anyone who’s been to a Wine School class knows that we’re big on that whole petrol-y thing that good riesling has. And this bottle possesses it in spades, and then some: …
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 …
Marnie Old, an embattled sommelier?
In the Daily News (many years ago) a much-talked-about gossip column pointed out that longtime Philly sommelier Marnie Old was battling a budding restaurateur. The owners of the Union Trust steakhouse …
Private Wine Events
In 2009, the Wine School started offering private wine events. This was the press release we sent announcing this new venture. This was a very successful program, which we still run …
Our First Center City Wine School
The Wine School of Philadelphia was initially located in the Fairmount neighborhood. Our first foray downtown was the second floor of a then-new restaurant. This is the press release announcing the …
The Very First Summer Sommelier Program!
This press release announced our very first Accelerated Core Wine Course, back in 2009. Since then, we have offered this program every August, with the exception of 2020. The current list …
Verget 2005 Pouilly Fuissé
Verget’s wines can sometimes be unjustifiable in the price department, especially this time of year. But this Pouilly Fuissé, from a classic vintage, is beyond easy to love. Not cheap, but …
Ornella Molon Raboso, 2003 Pieve DOC, Veneto
Though it has been vinified since the pre-Roman era and was once an important wine for trade by Venetian merchants (known as recaldina), Raboso literally lost ground to Merlot and Cabernet …
Tenute Dettori 2003 Tudori “Badde Nigolosu”, Sardegna
Attending a large-scale wine tasting with over 150 producers represented reminds me of a major league tryout camp. The usual suspects always turn up, a couple of can’t miss prospects that …
Chateau d’Arche 2005 Sauternes
There are several reasons to be amazed by this $43.49 wine. First, it’s a Sauternes, not necessarily a hotbed of sub-$50 bottlings in 750ml. Second, it’s from the legendary 2005 vintage. …
Ermitage du Pic St.-Loup 2005, Coteaux du Languedoc
Step 1: Fry up some good bacon. Step 2: Grill up a burger and a sliced onion. Step 3: Open this wine and guzzle alongside dinner. C’est Magnifique.
Netflix & Rosé
The other night, from the comfort of my couch and in the presence of Michael Scott, the magnificently offensive boss on “The Office,” I found myself knocked out by a cabernet …
Italian Wine Reviews
File this in the”old dog, new tricks” category. I’ve never been a fan of Italian Merlot. The ones I’d had the misfortune to experience were thin, too vegetal, and in some …
Pesticides in Wine
While it’s unlikely to see an industrial-strength crop duster hovering over a vineyard anytime soon, news from the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) indicates there’s a valid reason …