A Gourmet’s Diary: A Tasting of Red Burgundies

Following are tasting notes of some Red Burgundies at The French Club in San Francisco last year.
1999 Chambertin Clos de Bèze, Louis Jadot.  Medium brick red color. Mature but elusive nose. Rather spare and dry in the mouth. A nice wine but a bit of a disappointment to me as I am a [...]

A Mediterranean Cruise For Wine Lovers

Sipping–not shuffleboard–is the game on this boat
The thought of being held captive on a ship in the middle of the Ocean sounds like a sentence of confinement for many. But things have changed on the high seas, from luxurious amenities to exotic ports of call. Cruise lines are making customized itineraries for the likes [...]

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, Balzer got [...]

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.

Uncorking My Favorite Summertime Sippers

Sauvignon Blancs, Pinot Grigios and summer are a match made in heaven. Hot sunny days and casual, light meals call for wines that are fresh, crisp flavorful and versatile. Sauvignon Blanc’s and Pinot Grigios are all that, and much more.

I find them the perfect wines to enjoy in my patio, in the evening time, relaxing or snacking on crackers, cheese and crusty breads. Great wines to sip at the pool, or to pack up, for a trip to the beach. More fun to share with a friend, but great also when it’s just for you.

Fusing vibrant fruit and intriguing herb notes in a sleek uncomplicated style, both Sauvignon Blancs and Pinot Grigios refresh like no other wine. Served chilled, they deliver pure pleasure, whether enjoyed all by themselves or with a meal.

Enjoy Summertime’s Sippable Sherries

Sherries from Spain are wonderful, unduplicated by others (even though many have tried), and make great summertime sipping and they are extremely food-friendly. If you haven’t had a glass of Spanish Sherry lately, now is the time to get reacquainted.

Spain also makes some excellent sweet Sherries. These dessert wines certainly deserve some attention, but for summertime fun, it’s dry Sherry that really fits the bill.

The best summer Sherry choices are those that are thirst quenching, all by themselves, as well as being compatible with light summer fare. Sherries are a perfect match with cold baked ham, cold sausages, hard cheeses, crusty breads and Mediterranean olives.

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 wind. 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.

Retrospective Review: Volume I, Number 5 (April-May, 1980)

We are currently reproducing a copy of the fifth issue of The Underground Wineletter. Below you’ll find an updated review of each article, where I will go over what we got right and what we got wrong. We will follow this format with each successive issue. So Volume I, #6 will [...]

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.

More 2009 Rosés and Other Wine Bargains

Loire Valley

Couly-Dutheil 2009 Chinon Rosé
Baptiste Dutheil established this estate in 1921, which was then developed by René Couly, who married Madeleine Dutheil.  The family-owned operation has 85 hectares of vineyards east of Chinon along the Vienne River.  This wine is made using the Rosé de Saignée method.  Cabernet Franc is the red grape grown in [...]