Que Syrah, Syrah…Wherefore Art Thou?

I began talking about the glut of Syrah early last year. And, it seems that glut is continuing unabated as I get regular offers of big discounts on big Syrahs. The forces of supply/demand are clearly at work, but at what appears to be a slow pace. There is a lot of Syrah available, but maybe there would be less of a glut if some of it were used to make a different style of wine.

ALONG THE BURGUNDY TRAIL – VINTAGE 2009

Background And Table Of Contents I started going to Burgundy in 1981. In the early days, I was accompanied by Geoffrey Troy and Edward Lazarus and occasionally John Brincko. Later Geoffrey and I continued to visit Burgundy and we were joined by Ted Swinnerton. In recent years, John Brincko rejoined Geoffrey and me. Our most […]

Is “Sanity” Returning To The Market?

Is “Sanity” is returning to the market? Recently I have received offers on 2006 Petrus and Ausone that are down about two-thirds from the peak. These are wines that received scores “only” in the low to mid-90s. So far four figure pricing only holds in Robert Parker-anointed, best of the century (frequently twice, thrice a decade) vintages.

Under The Radar California Wines

On a recent visit to Sacramento we visited with Darrell Corti of Corti Brothers. Darrell is the driving force behind Corti Brothers. Corti Brothers is a grocery store, but not like any other. Darrell has spent his life traveling the world finding the finest in foods, spirits, and wine.

More 2009 Wines

Continuing with our theme of affordable wines from the 2009 vintage, we have discovered some great red and white wines, including more Beaujolais and Rosé. There is something here for everyone!

A Tale of Two California Wineries – One New, One Old

This is a history and tasting notes for two California wineries. One, the Hearst Ranch Winery, released its first wines earlier this year. It is located in the Central Coast. The other, Husch Vineyards was founded in 1979. It is located in the northern part of the state in Mendocino County. So in that respect they are very different. But, in another respect, they are very much alike. Both are committed to making very high quality wines in small quantities. The wines may be found in retail stores and restaurants, but both also offer a wine club with benefits and discounts to members. I strongly recommend that you investigate them further and even plan a trip to visit their tasting rooms. Both are scenically located in beautiful, historically interesting parts of the state.

There Was A Legacy

By Joel M. Fisher If asked who The Wine Spectator anointed Dean of Wine Writers, who would be your guess? Robert Parker, perhaps? The answer is a name not heard enough these days: Robert Lawrence Balzer. The onetime actor, aviator, media personage and Buddhist monk cut quite a figure in his day. Born in 1912, […]

Surprising New Wines from Old-World Spain

Grape growing and winemaking in Spain need little introduction. Spain is an ancient wine-producing country second only to France and Italy in production. Spanish wine is at least 3,000 years old, with vines in the Sherry region planted around 1100 BC (although the Islamic Moors put a stop to it for nearly 800 years until their defeat in 1492).

But international recognition was slow to come to Spain. The Franco regime—which was rumored to have drunk mostly French wines—did nothing to rebuild the traditions or improve the quality; in fact, the regime retarded innovation and the development of modern winemaking techniques that had swept through the rest of Europe. For this reason, most American consumers have never tasted a Spanish wine and are confused by the labels and quality laws. Since the 1970s, though, there has been an influx of new thinking, equipment and winemaking.

2009 Beaujolais

Beaujolais is one of my favorite “under the radar” wines. By that I mean not many people take it seriously. Most people think of it as a light, simple, fruity wine. This is usually based on their experience with Beaujolais Noveau. Beaujolais Noveau is the first French wine to be released each year. The grapes are harvested in August-September, the wine is fermented for a short time and released to the public on the third Thursday of November which is designated “Beaujolais Noveau Day”. This day is heralded around the world and the Beaujolais is widely available. The reason is simple. Beaujolais Noveau is made in a large quantity accounting for about 1/3 of total Beaujolais production. And, while most are simple and of little interest, there are some that can be very fruity, zesty, and balanced and make a lovely wine for early consumption to accompany a wide variety of foods.

Lemmings to the Sea?

A few years ago I was in Napa and stopped by the Dean & DeLuca store. In perusing through the myriad of wine racks, I was taken by the Cabernet Sauvignon section. It was huge! I was struck by not only how many bottles were priced at $100 or up, but how many I had never heard of. In the latter category, I counted 20 or 30 and gave up. As I left the store, I could not help thinking “This has gone too far. How many people are there to support the market?” It looked like a market top.