Nieto Senetiner 2012 Reserva Torrontes
Nieto Senetiner is an ancient winery by New World standards: it was founded over a century ago in the La Rioja region of Argentina. While their early work is lost to …
winery
De Martino 2010 Carmenere Legado Reserva, Maipo
Chilean wine review A vanguard in the organic wine movement, De Martino has been farming organically since 1997 and has been carbon neutral for the last season. Despite that, the winery …
Robert Hall Winery 2007 Rhone de Robles
Paso Robles Wine Review One of my favorite trends in Paso Robles is the embrace of these Rhone-style wines. I am especially pleased to see Robert Hall embracing the style. I …
Etude 2010 Chardonnay Estate Carneros
A Chardonnay Review A high styled wine that is intended as a luxury bottling. It upholds its mission, just not at the high price the winery intended (we can thank Pennsylvania’s …
Gordon Brothers 2008 Merlot, Columbia Valley
Columbia Valley Merlot Review Back in the day, when I sold wines for a living, I was a huge fan of the Gordon Brothers. They released their first wines in the early …
Cougar Crest 2006 Reserve Syrah, Walla Walla
The origin of this winery was 50 acres and a booth at the local airport. No, it wasn’t a grand or impressive start. What it did have, and continues to possess, …
Decibel Wines
A Philly boy goes to wine school, moves to New Zealand, and becomes a winemaker.Philly’s own Danny Brennan started as a Philly bartender and ended up as a bad-ass winemaker in …
Pillar Box 2008 Red
For a wine so damn cheap, a lot of rock star winemakers have been attached to this project. For the geeks, that means Aussie powerhouses Kim Jackson and Chris Ringland, for starters. For the rest …
Peachy Canyon 2008 Westside Zinfandel, Paso Robles
Paso Robles is a huge AVA, with over a half-million acres of vines. Huge wineries like J. Lohr, Treana, and Meridian dominate the region. However, in the cooler hills on the westside of …
Bodegas Dios Ares 2008 Crianza Rioja
One the nose, cardamon, and lavender play with a nub of burnt vanilla, following a sweet hit of black fruit. The palate is exactly what a Crianza should be: balanced but exuberant. There are …
Giuseppe Cortese 2007 Nebbiolo, Langhe
The Cortese winery is located in the coveted Rabaja region of Barbaresco and produces magnificent bottles from their vineyard. This bottle is the hidden gem of the vineyard: it is sourced …
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, …
Andrew Will Winery 2007 Two Blondes Vineyard
Figs and cassis meld with coffee and campfire notes, along with a strong impression of Herbes de Provence. The midpalate brings in fresher red fruits, and serious oak-influenced flavors of chocolate and allspice. The finish rolls on and on, bringing more pleasure than anyone could expect from a glass of wine.
Pennsylvania Wines
PA wines are slowly finding their footing. High-quality wines are supplanting the preponderance of sweet pink trash. However, the history of these wines is just being written. This article covers what …
The Tasting Room that Died
How to Make a Million Dollars in Wine Many million-dollar ideas end up costing $10 Million to achieve. That’s typical logic for you in the wine trade. After years of hard work… you …
Rutherglen 2004 Shiraz/ Petite Sirah
This winery is quickly becoming near and dear to my heart (I fell in love with their Marsanne /Viognier blend a few weeks ago). This oddball blend may end up in …