Perfect for Pairings: Grower Champagne
Late last week, I was fortunate enough to attend a grower-champagne dinner. This is a category of bubbly that’s unfamiliar to many people, though, in all honesty, it shouldn’t be: The …
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Feudo Maccari 2005″ReNoto” Sicilia
Sicily is developing a reputation as the “California” of Italian wine, a region where ambiguous regulations allow winemakers latitude regarding production and freedom to experiment.The inclusion of non-Italian grapes to the …
Muga 2006 White Rioja
The nose of lemon and hazelnut is both rich and lively at the same time, yet that depth is presented in a wine with a surprisingly light frame. There’s a wonderful …
Terre Nera 2005 “Calderara Sottana”, Etna
The volcanic soils of the Etna DOC, like those created by the ancient activity of Campania’s Vesuvio, impart to its wines an expression of southern Italian power and flavor. The zone’s …
Salon Brut Blanc de Blancs Le Mesnil
I’m dreaming of a blanc (de blanc) Christmas(sung to the tune of White Christmas)I’m dreaming of a blanc (de blancs) ChristmasAll chardonnay, no pinot noirThe Salon is chillingAnd artists swilling,In a …
Pio Cesare 2004 Barbaresco
With truffles, roses, and perhaps violets on the nose, this wine has a sense of perfumed levity that’s just irresistible. There’s a freshness here, though the fruit is far from the …
In Praise of Cheap White Wine
And now the time has come to praise cheap white wine. Or, to be accurate, green wine. I recently returned from a trip to Portugal, and much to my wife’s chagrin, …
Susana Balbo Rose of Malbec
Earlier this week, while we were enjoying that brief, sudden, sodden stint of surprisingly spring weather, I found myself craving a nice cool glass of white. So I started poking around …
Grgich Hills 2004 Zinfandel
The aroma of spicy, peppery raisins soaked in Dr. Pepper, but in a good way. This is classic, peppery California zinfandel, yet the blue fruits of the 7% Petit Sirah add …
Georges Duboeuf 2005 Regnie
Violets, minerals, and fresh purple fruit mark the nose here, and the palate is a fascinating (and consistent) combination of fruit, minerals, and wet stones. There’s great acid here and a …
Review: Patricia Highsmith’s The Talented Mr. Ripley.
For those of you in a wine course, a great novel to dive into while blind tasting is Patricia Highsmith’s The Talented Mr. Ripley. Highsmith’s protagonist is the very sordid yet …
Quinta do Castelinho 1999 Vintage Port
Beautiful ruby color with hints of blue and purple at the edges. Aromas of raisins, toffee, herbs, and earth leads to a gorgeous palate of raisins, red berries, and something almost …
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 …
Domaine de la Janasse 2006 Cotes du Rhone Blanc
The nose is rich with mushrooms and spice, though there’s a certain dried apricot perfume there from the viognier, too. You can definitely smell the oak here, lavished on this wine, …
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 …