wines
THE BIRDS ARE STILL FLOCKING – WATCH OUT BELOW!
There are a lot of things in the world that can go whacky from time to time. Some of you may think that there are a lot of whacky things going on at the moment. I know I sure do. And, for sure, that includes the world of wine. Here we have such things as alcohol, what goes into wine, how wine is tasted, the role of a number, how wines are described, etc, etc.
Click here to read entire article »TWO FAVORITE CHAMPAGNE HOUSES
I have said many times that I think the most versatile of all wines with food is Champagne. And, since I eat my own cooking, I drink a lot of Champagne. Almost without exception, every evening meal for us begins with Champagne. In fact, my wife Laurie, expects there to be cold Champagne ready before dinner well in advance. If I fall down on this job, I shudder to think of the outcome.
Click here to read entire article »GERMANY 2010 – A SPECTACULAR VINTAGE
Imagine if Philippine Rothschild had said that today’s supermarket Mouton Cadet was the equal of the 1982 Chateau Mouton Rothschild, the estate’s flagship wine from a famed vintage. Hanno Zilliken, owner/winemaker of the famed German Saar estate Forstmeister Zilliken, made a similar statement, comparing his 2010 wines to a cellar aged 1983 gold capsule Auslese, a prized late harvest wine from a highly praised vintage.
Click here to read entire article »THE STRANGE NEW WORLD
Isn’t it funny how things can get so alienated at a point in time? I guess now a lot of folks are focused on politics and the polarization that is being experienced as we head into elections next year. But, how about the current world of food and wine? Here we have yet another polarization. Food is moving rapidly toward lighter, fresher, natural ingredients. Wine, on the other hand, seems still stuck in the industrialized wines that I talked about in my recent article What is Wine?
Click here to read entire article »YIKES! THE TIDE MAY BE GOING OUT SOON! WHO’S SWIMMING NAKED?
Geez, I had barely got my Underground Wine Line commentary “What Is Wine” out and I get an email offer saying “Stay tuned…This Could Get Interesting.” If you have not already read my “What Is Wine?” article I encourage you to do so. (To read the article click here) And, then please consider the following […]
Click here to read entire article »2010 ROSÉS — A ROSE IS A ROSE, IS A ROSE, IS A ROSE…BUT A ROSÉ IS A ROSÉ
Just in time for the warm weather of summer, the 2010 Rosés are here. For me, there is nothing better than a well-chilled Rosé on a warm day. In Mediterranean climates there are many warm days. So it should come as no surprise that the best Rosés come from these areas where the wines are made to go with the regional food.
Click here to read entire article »A LEGENDARY WHITE BURGUNDY AND TWO OF THE GREATEST EVER CALIFORNIA PINOT NOIRS
I recently wrote an article including tasting notes on a trade tasting of California Pinot Noirs “In Pursuit Of Balance.” It was held at RN74 in San Francisco. The purpose was to showcase California Pinot Noirs that are balanced and not overly extracted and alcoholic. It was a great success. And, if you did not see my article, please take a look under Trade Tastings.
Click here to read entire article »OMG – IS IT THE END OF THE WORLD OR NOT?
The Ol’ Drive By Sip And Spit (See The Underground Wine Line “Vinous Drive By – It’s The Drive By Sip And Spit”) is being replaced by the ol’ plug and play. Hah! As I write this, the day has just passed for the time that the world was supposed to have ended. As far as I know, we are all still here.
Click here to read entire article »TAKE THE WINE CHALLENGE – BLENDING IS YOUR FRIEND!
Like I said in the Dueling Inexpensive Red Wine Line-Up article, I am curious. This leads to the turning over rocks thing that I talked about. Very simply, you have to turn over a rock to know what is underneath. And, I am always looking for something more than what is on the surface. So it was in doing the tasting and writing for the article that I had an inspiration.
Click here to read entire article »THE BORDEAUX ROAD AHEAD – A BUBBLE, A SPEED BUMP, OR BLISS?
Hear Ye! Hear Ye! Let the word be spread into every nook and cranny of the world and beyond. All rejoice and give praise. The day has arrived. By royal decree of the big numbers gods, the new Bordeaux vintage has been declared “Vintage Of The Century.”
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