One of Wine Spectator’s Top 100 Wines Of The Year again is Cline Ancient Vines Zinfandel. Every year I usually peruse the WS list, look at the prices, and think “oh well, can’t afford these…” but you can find this wine for around $15 at Kroger! After I picked up a bottle and tasted it, I…… MORE
There is a lot of experimentation going on in the wine world today, especially in Washington State, and I love it. Not only are we seeing interesting blends and grape varieties that are new to the American continent, but winemakers are also experimenting with aging techniques. There’s still plenty of traditional aging in new French…… MORE
One of the most memorable wine experiences of my life was when I got to taste three so-called “super premium” Cabernets from Napa Valley. These wines are way out of my price range, truly top-of-the-line, and it was unbelievable luck that I got to taste even one, let alone three! One of those bottles was…… MORE
Brian Demay and sommelier Steve Tartaglia wrap up their Wines Of #Italy series with a look at Southern Italian wines, as well as those from the islands of Sicily, Corsica, and Sardinia, and we taste our way through three beauties (below): – Fiano Di Avellino Feudi Di San Gregorio, a phenomenal white from southern Italy’s Avellino…… MORE
Every now and then I just grab a bottle of wine on a whim. Maybe the description grabs me, or the label. I don’t recommend this every time, but sometimes it helps to get out of our comfort zone a bit, and try something new. Over the weekend I grabbed this strange looking bottle, it’s…… MORE
There are so many tales of noble grapes whose reputations have been ruined by bulk producers. Consider Chianti, an elegant and legendary Italian red whose image is now relegated to bitter swill found in cheap straw-covered bottles, of which millions were sold. Chianti is not that. The image of Riesling has likewise suffered, by being…… MORE
Now is a great time, while we’re all stuck inside, to try some new wines! Today, a wine from Revelry Vintners, a relatively new winery founded in 2005 by owner and winemaker, Jared Burns. Jared’s is an interesting story. He grew up in Washington State, and always loved the wines of the Columbia Valley. Wine…… MORE
Some of the most famous French wines in the world are called Cotes du Rhone, or “from the hillsides of the Rhone (river).” There are many grapes grown in the Rhone River Valley, but the primary grapes found in wines from this region are Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre. If someone says they really like a…… MORE
Knowing a good wine used to mean knowing the vintage, or year it was bottled. Most winemakers harvest grapes during a specific year, from a specific area or vineyard, and label their bottles accordingly, but some wines may be labeled “NV,” or non-vintage. Non-vintage wines mean juice from two or more different years are blended…… MORE
Normally when I see a new bottle of wine in an end-cap display I walk by, but this one caught my eye. A California red blend for less than $25, from The Prisoner wine company? Definitely worth a try. The Prisoner Wine Company has become a top draw for people touring Napa. The tasting room…… MORE
