Feudi di San Gregorio 2007 Companaro
Since its origins in the ’80s, Feudi di San Gregorio has been one of the leaders in quality in southern Italy. Over the past few years, they have been ramping up the quantity, and …
Articles
Writing about wine is the means of communication which lets the producers speak to the consumers, it is like a process where a bottle of wine becomes a story. It tells the facts, it is a source of new ideas, and it conditions the understanding, and thus, it is a great help to the wine lovers in the maze of regions, types, and vintages. Wine writing tells the stories of time that are important to people and critiques while also being the means of disseminating new ideas. It is a tool to shift commerce, it elevates the regions that are less known, and it promotes a more profound comprehension. Whether in the form of articles, reviews, or tales, wine writing is the means that inform the readers about the artisanal aspect of each glass. In a time when the taste is changing and the media is more digital, good writing on wine is still very important, not only for guiding the buying choices of people but also for imparting the real character of wine.
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 …
Castello di Fonterutoli “Ser Lapo” 2008 Chianti Classico Reserva
The Mazzei family has a very long history in Chianti and has considerably expanded their winemaking operations over the past few years, including forays into Sicily and the Tuscan coast. However, …
Maculan 2010 Dindarello Moscato
Maculan is a winery that typifies the remarkable change in winemaking in the Veneto wine region of northeastern Italy. A generation ago, the wines were –like most in the region– nothing …
Montinore 2006 Gewurztraminer, Willamette Valley
Yet another beauty from the land of beards and Birkenstocks. This one is every bit as exotic as the best of Alsace, but with the added weight that the New World …
Zuccardi 2008 “Q Series” Tempranillo, Mendoza
It smells like a little coffee house on fire, but without the hipsters. Yes, that’s a good thing. This bottle is all about the oak. Full-bodied, the wine sports a round, …
Kumeu River Estate 2006 Chardonnay, New Zealand
The aromas and flavors of chalk, lemongrass, and honeysuckle scream out White Burgundy. Chablis, even. Pretty notes of exotic fruit round out the profile. A lovely wine that shows character and …
Cantine dei Colli Ripani 2004 “Ninfa Ripana” Passerina
Verdicchio has been the shining star of white wine from the Marche since Fazzi-Battaglia hit the market with its fish-shaped bottle over thirty years ago. Lesser-known whites were pushed even farther …
Enzo Mecella 2006 “Pagliano” Verdicchio di Matelica
Verdicchio is the sole white varietal of note in a region whose lush, well-crafted red wines are slowly garnering adherents. Of the two DOC zones producing Verdicchio, Castelli di Jesi hard …
Bodegas del Rosario 2006 3000 Anos, Bullas
From Murcia, the native home of the Monastrell grape, comes this beautiful beasty. More muscle and punch than a roomful of angry kickboxers. The nose of tobacco and fresh sweat keeps …
Neil Ellis 2009 Chardonnay, South Africa
Tasting Notes A reviving style of Chardonnay. Exotic spices and fruit lead the charge into a flashbang of crisp acidity trailing a contrail of wood smoke. Ginger, kiwi, and peach …
Caliboro Estate 2006 “Erasmo” Red
A lighter style red coming from Chile, with a distinctive old-world character. Tobacco leaf and wet clay mingle with raspberry notes. The finish opens up, and darker fruit take hold, along with …
Antiche Vigneti di Cantalupo 2005 “Primagenia” Piemonte
The Colline Novarese DOC is located in the smaller cluster of designated zones in northern Piemonte, including Gattinara and Ghemme, two familiar names for devotees of Nebbiolo. The regulations for both …
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 …
Emidio Pepe 2001 “Torano Nuovo” Montepulciano d’Abruzzo
Now and then, I come across a bottle that can only be described as an Al Pacino wine – you know, an experience that moves you to say “..hooo ahhh”, like …
Penley 2010 “Phoenix” Cabernet Sauvignon, Coonawarra
A classic style of Cabernet Sauvignon, without the overblown fruit and alcohol. Fresh blackberry and strawberry on the nose, along with a hint of cedar. Linear tannins soften in the midpalate, allowing …