Agricola Punica 2005 “Montessu” Isola dei Nuraghi IGT
The southwest corner of Sardinia has provided a welcome home for the Carignano varietal, the most notable versions being in the Carignano de Sulcis DOC. The use of up to 40% …
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 a 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 …
Pio Cesare 2006 Piodilei
This is definitely a wine that needs some rebranding. ‘Piodilei’ literally translates to ‘Pio for the ladies.’ It is so named because the family’s women found this wine particularly appealing–though there’s …
Ruffino 2006 Modus
What better wine to workout with than a Super Tuscan? This one, though still young, has enough depth to give pleasure now or 5 years on…when we’ll be benching 350-lbs each.
Sicilian Wine Reviews
A recent trip to Persephone’s island allowed tasting dozens of wines made from indigenous varietals, all of which captured Sicily’s sun-drenched, arid landscape and gave evidence of the cultural and ecological …
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 …
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 …
Cascabel 2006 Tempranillo Graciano, McLaren Vale
It’s tempting to think of Australia in fairly monolithic terms. But this bbq-ready red proves how wrong that is and how food-friendly and gulp-able unexpected varieties can be when grown and …
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 …
Italian Wine for Sommeliers
What is Italian Wine? Recently, our Advanced Sommelier students finished a seven-week Viaggio through the often bewildering but fascinating demimonde of Italian wine. Along the way, they tasted, analyzed, and discussed …
Mesa 2006 “Buio”, Carignano di Sulcis, Sardinia
Those Sardinian wines that don’t compromise cultural fidelity have a feral, not-for-everyone quality that evokes their rocky and wind-swept terroir—a sense of mystery, intrigue, the unknown – which is a translation …
Nozzole 2000 “La Forra” Chianti Classico Riserva
A style of Chianti that is growing rarer by the vintage. Leather, wet earth, and game notes are predominant on the nose, with bing cherry & smoke flavors on the palate. Light to medium in body, this is a lovely balance of earth & fruit in a food-friendly framework. The current pricing in Pennsylvania is $16 , which is less than half your average retail price of $40. The great pricing —not to mention this is a classic style of Chianti Classico that will soon be extinct due to changes in wine laws– makes this the wine buy of the week.