The “Trumpeter” brand is well known across America. Not as well known is the name behind the “musician” label. It’s Rutini, a 19th century Italian immigrant who built a wine legacy in the Mendoza district of Argentina. The winery’s old-vine Malbec is a serious red wine value. But today is all about Torrontés, a grape […]
Kick Back With This Fresh, Assertive White Read More »
If you are the type who hopefully plunks down good money on an upscale Chardonnay, only to find it short of your expectations, rejoice at the 2013 vintage! It was nigh perfect in Sonoma and Napa Valley, and one needs to move quickly as this vintage begins to sell out. Made from grapes from the
‘It May Be Hot, but So Is This Wine!’ Read More »
The history of Aegean wines goes back millennia, and I find that tasting wines made from old, indigenous grapes is always an exciting experience. Therefore a wine from Crete, made from the obscure (and rare) Vidiano grape, presented a fun evening. The wine is called Dafnios, and is made by the organic winery Douloufakis. I
For a Taste Unlike Any Other, Try This Organic Wine with Historic Origins Read More »
The name Martin Ray connotes great beginnings of modern California viticulture. A protégé of Paul Masson, Ray planted vines in the Santa Cruz mountains in the 1940s, convinced that mountain vineyards would be the answer to quality wines from California. (This thinking of using hillside grapes was prophetic.) He eventually lost his winery, after making
The Possibilities of a Great Pinot Noir Read More »
If you’ve never tasted Vermentino, I envy you. That’s because this white is like no other, and I’d love to see your face when you first smell its originality. Grown in Sicily and along the Tuscan coast (Antinori makes a beauty in Bolgheri) I still think those Vermentinos that carry a Sardinian passport remain the
This Windswept White Goes Great with Salads and Seafood Read More »
Today’s wine is something you don’t see every day. Nor is it a decision to jump on the current rosé bandwagon stampede. It’s a Pinot Grigio made by the “ramato” process. Grape skin contact for 24 hours produces a “vino ramato” or coppery-colored wine. Attems produces this variation which is a delightful twist for Pinot
A Porch-Sippin’ Pinot Grigio Read More »
I’ll admit it, the wines of Portugal have always fascinated me. Port is a separate category, but long ago, bottlings of red wines with names like Dao, Bairrada and Alentejo thrilled me at reasonable prices. Their personalities, often with long barrel aging, and the use of indigenous grapes always made me smile. Perhaps there is
Pair This Bargain Portuguese Red With Anything Grilled Read More »
The world of Chardonnay is vast – the grape grows seemingly anywhere, with the kind of mixed results you might expect. One proven area for substantial, mouth-watering Chardonnay is the cool Carneros region of Napa/Sonoma counties. Today’s bottling is the Estate Reserve from Artesa Winery, located high up in Napa, in proximity to Mt. Veeder.
A Stunner Chardonnay for Summer Read More »
Seems like everyone is jumping on the rosé bandwagon these days – and why not? Producers sense that wine drinkers want more flavor in their chilled summer wines, and a rosé provides more red wine qualities that come from contact with the grape skins. “This is a red wine drinker’s rosé!” hawk the advertisements. But
Why You Should Jump on the Rosé Bandwagon Read More »
Ornellaia and Sassicaia, those tongue-twisting “super-Tuscans,” remain great investment wines; wines that use a mix of Bordeaux grapes in Italy to produce “First Growths” of the south! But another member of this exalted club deserves your undivided attention. With a centuries-old tradition, Frescobaldi now divides its production into six distinct regions. From the Tenuta Di
This Blend Belongs on Any Serious Wine Lover’s List Read More »
