Forget Vintage, Take the “Bomb Pulse”
When it comes to wine, scientists are, in fact, using radioactive carbon traces to determine a bottle’s age. Specifically, new research has shown that the amount of radioactive carbon captured in …
Featured
Rochioli 2005 Rose of Pinot Noir
This wine would be a beauty, whatever color it was. There are interesting aromas of meat and possibly something even a bit smokey. There’s a great acid balance on the palate …
Renwood 2003 “Old Vine” Zinfandel
Blood-colored with a brick-like rim, this wine shows a nose of rich, ripe blue and blackberries, the expected zinfandel spice, and something almost nutty. The palate is chewy and delicious, with …
Wine Taint in California Pinot Noir
There’s no denying one of Pinot’s wine tasting hallmarks — and the reason many of us love it so — is its discernible funk on the nose. Barnyard stank, dung, smokey …
Top Wine Buys
For a full list of wine recommendations, check out our wine review page. Ravenswood Monte Rosso Vineyard Zinfandel, Sonoma ValleyA definite must-buy for Zin drinkers. Dense and full-bodied, the wine uncorks …
Wine Reviews
For our newest wine reviews for summertime drinking, check out our main page for wine ratings and reviews. The WhitesTangent Pinot Gris, Edna Valley (California)A rather unique bottling from the Central …
Mondavi 1991 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
From the moment I opened the bottle, this wine was one surprise after another. The color didn’t imply that the juice was 16 years old, and the nose, though redolent of the subtle aromas of leather and tobacco, developed a cinnamon-rolled blackberry character after a few minutes of air. And while the palate started off slowly, it blossomed into a stately mouthful of dried violets and apricots, with still-velvety tannins and a solid acid balance keeping it all alive. It certainly would have been better a year or two ago–or longer–but it was still hanging in there and giving plenty of pleasure.
El Chaparral de Vega Sindoa 2005 Old Vines Garnacha (Navarra)
A nose of deep berry fruit gives way to classic underpinnings of olive oil and herbs de Provence. Gorgeous, well-integrated tannins hold together a concentrated palate of olive and chocolate, the …
Recommended Wine Buys
Our few recommended wine selections. Also make sure you have the perfect wine glass to make the experience truly memorable. Vionta Albarino (Spain)An aromatically complex white with plenty of white fruit …
Alexander Valley Vineyards 2004 “Top of the Crop” Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley
A bottling from AVV’s new Reserve line, this Cabernet is a good step forward for this family-owned winery. The aromatics begin with a whiff of buttered popcorn flowing into fresh tobacco …
The Real Napa Valley
I recently had the pleasure of teaching two wine classes featuring the Napa Valley wines and was absolutely stunned by the range of flavors, aromas, and, yes, styles that the students …
Gaudio Grignolino 2005″Brico Mandolino” Piemonte
One of the fascinating aspects of Italian wine is the number of varietals under the radar, especially in renowned areas such as Tuscany and Piedmont. It’s hard to acquire cachet when …
Wine Reviews
Domaine du Coulet Cornas Terrasses du SerreA classic style, with minimal oak and blended from several slopes within Cornas. The traditional approach is quite evident on the palate. More delicate than …
The First Great Pennsylvania Wine Vintage
Lost in the ValleyEric really should have told me to take a right in front of the Amish lass picking flowers. She was there every time I sped past. Eric Miller’s …
A Career in Wine?
From Radio to WineIf you jumped back in time to 1996, you would find me pounding back espressos in my glass-enclosed office at a National Public Radio station. If it were …
Glaymond 2003 “Krause’s Berg” Zinfandel, Barossa Valley
Blueberries and spice and everything boozy and nice, right? I mean, that’s Zinfandel, isn’t it? Well, not always. Last weekend during a wine class, we tasted a most unusual Zinfandel–the Glaymond …