Can a $15 Bottle of Great Wine be a Call to Arms?
We just spent the last six months being sued by people who believe they own the name “Philly Wine School.” I’ve been thinking a lot about what that name actually means.To …
Wine Reviews
Wine of the Month: Castello Romitorio 2019 Brunello di Montalcino
Castello Romitorio’s 2019 Brunello di Montalcino lands in that sweet spot where the wine reads as immediately beautiful, but still clearly built for time. The through-line is purity and lift: cherry, …
Winter Wine Reviews!
These are the kinds of wines we teach students to evaluate structurally: balance, age, and intention over hype.Pago del Vicario Blanco de Tempranillo 2023The 2023 Pago del Vicario Blanco de Tempranillo …
The Magic of a $15 Bottle of Wine
America’s Most Popular WineIs your idea of a wine drinker a rich old dude drinking red wine from an expensive glass? If you do, you are going to update your assumptions, …
Wine Reviews by Keith Wallace
Keith’s reviews are far from traditional. Besides being a winemaker, educator, and critic, Wallace offers a unique and unbiased viewpoint on wine assessment. His reviews are not airy or mastermind praise …
Top Italian Red Wines for $20
Italian Red Wines 101Walk into any wine shop, and you will be confronted with hundreds of Italian red wines, ranging in price from six dollars to hundreds. Your goal is to …
Forastera: The Forgotten Grape of Ischia
Introduction to ForasteraIn the world of wine, certain grapes dominate the conversation. Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Pinot Noir often steal the spotlight. Yet, hidden in the shadow of these giants are …
Contino 2016 Rioja Reserva
If you’ve read my reviews of previous vintages (here and here), then you know the deep respect I have for this storied winery. This is the last bottling of Contino by …
Belhara 2019 Estate Malbec Mendoza
Belhara is a small estate in the Uco Valley district of Mendoza that has been producing very polished wines over the past few years. This bottling is an excellent example of …
Le Vigne Winery 2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Paso Robles
Le Vigne is just north of the city of Paso Robles, below the western hills. They have a half dozen varietals planted on their small property, including Tannat and Sangiovese, it’s …
Domaine Vincent Carême 2019 “Spring” Vouvray
A small winery in the Loire Valley, headed by Vincent Careme, teaches Organic Winemaking at the local university. This wine is a perfect infusion of racy citrus with steely intensity. A …
Herencia Altes 2016 Garnacha Peluda, Terra Alta
Peluda is a crazy variant of Grenache. The translation is “Hairy Grenache” and that is quite apt: the leaves are a bit hairy on the underside, which is kinda gross when …
Lua Cheia em Vinhas Velhas 2019 Douro
The rough translation of this brand is “Full Moon over Old Vines,” which is pretty apt for their wines. They aren’t a winery but a project of entrepreneur Manuel Dias and …
Chateau Courac 2018 Cotes du Rhone Villages Laudun
For frugal lovers of Chateauneuf du Pape, the town of Laudun has become a gold mine. It’s a tiny Rhone village that was recently upgraded in status; it’s biting at the …
CVNE 2019 “Bela” Ribera del Duero
This bottling is a brand new project from CVNE, the legendary Rioja winery. Bela is a single vineyard in the town of Villalba de Duero. While CVNE is known for classical …