Featured Wine Commentary
JOSH JENSEN, FOUNDER OF CALERA WINE COMPANY, HAS PASSED BUT HIS LEGEND WILL LIVE ON FOREVER
It is with great sadness that I recently learned of the passing of Josh Jensen. He and I had our birth year 1944 in common and it was my great privilege to have known him from the time of his founding of Calera Wine Company in 1975. Calera was a pioneer when Josh […]
Click here to read entire article »FREDERICK ESMONIN
I have been buying, tasting and drinking the wines of Frédérick Esmonin for many years. Now the 2019s are here. As usual they are very special and without question they are great wines from a great vintage (to read an earlier article with background commentary on the domaine and tasting notes on the […]
Click here to read entire article »OLD CHAMPAGNE – ONE OF LIFE’S GREAT PLEASURES
There is nothing in the world like Champagne. It is simply phenomenal and has no equal. Yet as good as it is there is one thing that is even better. That is well cellared old Champagne! The transition between young Champagne and old Champagne is simply magical. For Christmas I opened a bottle of […]
Click here to read entire article »TIS THE SEASON!
Yes once again tis the season and the new year is fast approaching. We are blessed to have this wonderful time of the year and it is a time to celebrate and enjoy life. And what better way to celebrate than with Champagne? This year one celebration featured Krug – a rosé and a 1982 […]
Click here to read entire article »BOUCHARD PÉRE ET FILS
Perhaps the biggest story out of Burgundy in recent years is the total transformation of two of the oldest firms in Burgundy. Both Bouchard Père et Fils (founded in 1731) and Remoissenet Père et Fils (founded in 1877) have been transformed from negociant firms purchasing grapes and finished wines to domaines exclusively making wines from […]
Click here to read entire article »CHANIN WINE COMPANY
In 2011 I first tasted Chanin Wine Company wines from 2008 and 2009 as well as some barrel samples of 2010s. In September 2011, my first article on Chanin Wine Company also featured Au Bon Climat and Qupé and was entitled The Holy Trinity of Wineries (to read the article click here). Here is the introduction to […]
Click here to read entire article »GREAT 2018 RED BURGUNDIES FROM DOMAINE ANNE & HERVE SIGAUT
I first tasted the wines from this small domaine in 2017 when I tasted the 2015s which were really lovely (to read that article click here). And now I have tasted the 2018s which are even better. If you love Red Burgundies (and who doesn’t?) these are wines that you do not want to miss! […]
Click here to read entire article »2018 RED BURGUNDY
A LEGEND IN THE MAKING I have been going to Burgundy to taste the new vintage from barrel before bottling since 1981. During this period I have missed only one year and my friend Geoffrey Troy has accompanied me on each trip. Others have also joined us from time to time most notably John Brincko […]
Click here to read entire article »2018 GERMAN ROSÉS
Germany does not produce as much rosé as some other countries but what it does produce is very special and not to be missed. I have tasted some German Rosés in previous years and really liked them (to read about some of those click here). This year I had an opportunity to taste many more […]
Click here to read entire article »2018 ROSES – IT’S TIME & IT LOOKS LIKE WE ARE IN FOR A REAL TREAT!
Yes it appears to have happened very quickly, but the 2018 roses are beginning to arrive. This perception of an early arrival maybe even more so this year given the cold weather we are having across the country. That includes here in Santa Barbara where we are in one of the wettest and coldest […]
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