Gloria Ferrer 2014 Chardonnay, Carneros
Gloria Ferrer is best known for its sparkling wines. However, their Chardonnay is well worth a look. A cool climate chardonnay that has little in common with its compatriots further north …
Wine Reviews
Havens Winery 2014 Merlot, Napa Valley
A stellar bottle of Napa red. All you merlot haters should pick up a bottle to see how wrong you can be. If Tom Hardy were a bottle of wine, he would be …
Shirvington 2010 Shiraz, McLaren Vale
A Winery Divorce First, there was Sparky Marquis. He was the “hit winemaker” for years in South Australia. His wines were highly coveted, especially in the states. His wines were bigger …
Castelli del Grevepesa 2011″Clemente VII” Chianti Classico Riserva
This bottling of Chianti Classico has been hitting up high ratings over the past few years. This vintage may even be better than the 2010 Castelli del Grevepesa Riserva and a notch …
Martinelli 2013 Zinfandel, Vellutini Ranch
Can you believe it? Let’s all welcome the cloned children of Jackass Vineyard.Allow me to explain, Jackass is a vineyard that was planted in the late 19th century in the Russian …
Zotovich Estate 2013 Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills
A standout winery from the wine ghetto in (not so) beautiful Lompoc. While this may be the less majestic looking spot in Santa Barbara County, it’s one of the greatest spots …
Domaine des Ruettes 2015 Saumur Champigny
This is what I want from a Saumur Champigny (A Cabernet Franc from the Loire Valley in France): high toned fresh red, delicate tannins, light body, and it’s inexpensive. This is a …
Wine Ratings 101
How Wine Ratings Came to BeWine ratings are both standardized and controversial. They often reflect individual preferences and tastes yet provide a systematic way to rank the quality of a wine. …
Wine Gift Ideas
A Perfect Wine & Chocolate PairingEveryone loves getting fed. You could whip up a three-course meal, but that’s not a quick gift. If you want all the glory without all the …
Wine Reviews
Zotovich Estate Pinot Noir Santa Rita HillsTaut red fruit with layers of wild rose and honeysuckle. It is a lithe expression of Pinot Noir that offers great finesse and clarity. A …
Top Wine Picks
Framingham Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough (NZ)This boutique winery has been pushing out classic New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc since 1994. It’s a standard in our Wine 101 classes for nearly as long. It’s …
Cabernet Sauvignon Reviews
Find these wines near you: Wine FinderMount Veeder Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa ValleyDo pencils grow on trees? This is the ripest graphite I’ve ever tasted. It’s also got an awesome diabetic bondage thing …
Three Top Spanish Wines
Bodegas Briego Tiempo Crianza, Ribera Del DueroI’ve reviewed vintages of Bodegas Briego since 2009 and have always been impressed by the quality and price points for their Crianza bottlings. This is a bottling …
Robert Mondavi Winery 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville
This is a great wine. But this wine is also important. First, it’s made in a true Mondavi style, honed in the ’60s and perfected in the ’80s: this is how …
Kukkula 2012 “Aatto” Red Blend, Paso Robles
Take a look at that label. Wrinkled and shiny. Looking like it was applied by hand. Because it was. Only two types of wine sport such ghetto hand-glued labels: the first …
Bodega Montecillo 2010 Reserva Rioja
One of the first wineries in Rioja. Well, other than the medieval farmers who aged their wines in gutted-out pig skins. Located in the Rioja Alta region, Montecillo is an important …