Wine Reviews
For a new edition, you can register here: Wine Review Newsletter Veramonte Primus It’s always a lovely red from Colchagua Valley in Chile. A very high-quality red with fine currant, mineral, …
Wine Reviews
For a new edition, you can register here: Wine Review Newsletter Rocca di Frassinello Poggio alla Guardia An unoaked Merlot/Cabernet blend from Tuscany. Roast plums and chocolate with dusty tannins. Delicious …
Wine Reviews
Prices and Availabilities are for Pennsylvania. To find these wines in a shop near you, click here: The Wine Finder. Also, check out our Wine 101 classes. R Wines “First Class” …
Budweiser is taking on Philly Craft Brews
Philadelphians are buying more craft beer than ever, but the region’s brewmasters are bracing for the biggest name in beer to move into town. Anheuser-Busch InBev, the maker of Budweiser products …
To Cork or Not To Cork (Book Review)
To Cork or Not To Cork The market for wine-bottle closures is a $4 billion battlefield where an epic confrontation is now taking place. George Taber, from To Cork or Not …
Chateau Mont Redon 2007 Cotes du Rhone
Good fresh fruit intermixed with dried fruit flavor, pain grille, and a backbone of tannin. A very good wine for its class and style.
Castano 2003 Hecula
Year after year, a consistent rocker for the money. Lovely fusion of complex fruit flavors and Provencal lavender that build to a chilling frisson. Finish evolves from dark fruit to a …
Orsolani 2006 “La Rustia” Erbaluce di Caluso
Along the Dora Baltea river in northwestern Piemonte is the town of Caluso, center for the Erbaluce di Caluso DOC. The eponymous grape, named for the goddess Albaluce, takes on a …
Brancott 2008 “Conders Forest” Sauvignon Blanc
The most complex Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand I have tasted professionally.
Asian Pear, Grapefruit, Pineapple, and Guava blend seamlessly on the palate with the complexity threading through the entire experience. Superb.
D’Arenberg “The Last Ditch” Viognier Adelaide Hills
This one finds its center of gravity on the richer end of the viognier spectrum than the Rolf Binder. It’s a barrel-fermented, Creamsicle-rich wine that you don’t want to chill down …
Wine School of Italy?
If you’ve perused our list of upcoming wine classes, you probably noticed that many of our Regional classes are devoted to Italy. And they usually sell out – quickly. Actually, many classes, …
Sommelier Smackdown & WWE
The WWE tried to prevent us from running our Sommelier Smackdown classes (they claimed it violated their trademarks) In turn, I turned it into a media feeding frenzy. It was a …
Wine Reviews
Tasting Notes from the Philly Wine Festival. To keep up to date, make sure to register for our wine newsletter. It’s free. All current wine ratings can be found on our …
Montes 2005 “Alpha” Chardonnay, Casablanca Valley
Modern style Chardonnay with plenty of flair and depth. Vanilla-poached pears & toasted almonds on the palate, a little jolt of freshness on the finish, and a lingering sensation of smoke. Quite worthwhile to serve as an aperitif.
Benini 2006 “Sassotondo” Maremma
The Tuscan Maremma is becoming the place to go for lighter, softer reds, contrasting earthy Chianti Classico and brooding Brunellos. In the airy hills of Grosseto province, Sangiovese is known as …
Ascevi 2005 “Ronco die Sassi”Sauvignon, Blanc Collio
French varietals have a long history in Italy, most notably in Friuli. Commitment to producing monovarietal white wines has put a uniquely Italian stamp on those grapes and reflects the cross-cultural …