Poggio Scalette 2012 Chianti Classico
The Greve Valley is lined with terraced vineyards. Looking across the valley from this winery, those stone walls can look like a giant scallete (ladder, in Italian). At least it did for the …
Wine Reviews
Rosenblum Cellars 2010 “Harris Kratka” Zinfandel
A Little About Zin No matter its pedigree, Zinfandel is big, dumb, and fun. I don’t mean that in a pejorative way. There should always be a place for fun. This …
Evening Land 2011 Pouilly Fuisse
About Pouilly Fuissé Way back when I was in my early twenties, Pouilly-Fuissé was all the rage. The restaurant I was working at had three on their wine list. One of the …
Contino 2007 Gran Reserva Rioja
CVNE A number of years ago, I was fortunate enough to have a one-on-one tasting with Maria Larrea, the CVNE winemaker. A wonderfully gracious woman, she took me through her entire portfolio …
Saintsbury 2009 “Brown Ranch” Pinot Noir
Saintsbury Winery Most descriptions of Saintsbury Winery will include the word “pioneer” somewhere within the first paragraph. Go one and google it: you will get over 3.5 million pages describing how …
Montecillo 2008 Rioja Reserva
If I could figure out a way to turn the Wine School into a religious institution (think of it: best communion ever!), Rioja would be one of our holy lands. It’s …
Salviano 2012 Orvieto Classico
Orvieto Orvieto used to be huge. I still am surprised when younger sommeliers and students don’t recognize the name. In the ’80s, it was one of those bottles that white zin …
Domaine Forca Real 2011 “Mas de la Garrigue” Côtes du Roussillon-Villages
For a hot moment in the late 90’s, France’s Mediterranean vineyards were trendy, in particular the Languedoc-Roussillon. The good folks at Wine Spectator and Wine Advocate couldn’t rate the wines high …
Château de Belcier 2011 Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux
I discovered the wine company Gironde et Gascogne at a trade tasting a few years back. This is a boutique operation with two chateaux on their roster, both in Bordeaux: Château Ramage La …
Paul Jourdan 2010 “Cuvee Papale” Chateauneuf-du-Pape
Winery Background This wine is something of a mystery. There is no winery in Chateauneuf-du-Pape with the name Paul Jourdan. There was a man by that name who owned Domaine Chante Cigale from …
Villa Cafaggio 2006 Cortaccio
This is not my first rodeo with Villa Cafaggio. When I was the national sommelier for Bacchus Selections, I was a huge fan of their Chianti Classico. It was a great …
Chalk Hill 2011 Sauvignon Blanc
A unique style of Sauvignon Blanc that typically is referred to as “Fume Blanc” saw its popularity peak in the nineties. You know, last century. That said, this is a fantastic …
Coppo 2011 Moncalvina Moscato d’Asti
Moscato has been a popular bubbly for centuries, but the last few years have seen its fame skyrocket in America. It’s one of the best gateway wines: its bubbles and grapey …
Casa Lapostolle 2010 ”Cuvée Alexandre” Merlot
This is a delicious wine styled to be both plush and pretty. First is the rich ruby color with glass-staining extraction. Then the aromas of red berries and tarragon traced by …
Treana Winery 2010 Red, Paso Robles
An enduring mystery in the American wine market is why Paso Robles is still an undiscovered wine country. After all, it’s one of the best spots in Cali for both good …
Tamarack Cellars 2011 Firehouse Red, Columbia Valley
Walla WallaA winery town where hard work is valued, winemakers are trained as apprentices, and everyone is a bit rough around the edges. That’s a unique place. That’s Walla Walla, and …