So far, we’ve experienced Rhone Varietals from French and California producers. Today’s seminar focus on High Noon winery, established in 1976, by the Noon family of McLaren Vale. The seminar focuses on information about the terroir of the region and winemaking techniques. The most important thing to understand is that McLaren Vale is an [...]
Patrick Comiskey, journalist for Wine and Spirits magazine moderated this panel featuring several producers from Roussanne. Patrick kicked off the panel with his interpretation of Martin Luther King’s speech “I have a Dream” cleverly reworded to match the panel’s theme. First speaker was Pierre Gaillard and his daughter Elise from Domaine Madeloc in Banyuls [...]
Over a hundred producers took center stage after lunch, allowing participants to sample their wine. Above is a picture of a woman who showcased her wine with a unique bubble shape stopper, which allows the wine to connect with oxygen before the pour. Sondra Bernstein of the Girl & The Fig in Sonoma and her [...]
Talk about a cool seminar! “Find your Mojo” at Hospices du Rhone 2011 in Paso Robles opens with “L.A. Woman” blasting from the speakers. Moderator journalist Christopher Sawyer introduces Joey Tensley from Tensey Wines in Los Olivos and Morgan Twain-Peterson from Bedrock Wine Co in Sonoma who discuss their wine. Joey from Tensey talks [...]
panel1 2 Wow! #HdR2011 is kicking off with a bang with the first panel, which is moderated by Christophe Tassan, sommelier at MIX in Las Vegas. The room is full of Rhone wine fans from around the world! The French wine makers on the panel are very excited as well. Christophe began by explaining the [...]
Very excited to be here in Paso Robles for 19th Annual Hospice du Rhone! This year, the Rhône Valley was awarded the ‚2010 Wine Region of the Year by Wine Enthusiast Magazine (you can see an article I wrote for them here on pairing red wine – Rhone style wine! – with fish) . [...]
Think of Beaujolais and “Blanc” isn’t typically the first color you think of. After all, Beaujolais, south of Burgundy, is home to the red wine grape Gamay, with the area known for its signature soils. Recently I had the opportunity to attend a tweet up led by Rodolphe Boulanger showcasing Chardonnay from the area. Rodolphe [...]
Vino Nobile di Montepulciano With just seventy producers making the classic Vino Nobile di Montepulchiano in the Tuscan region of Italy, continuing the tradition of this wine is a labor of love for winemakers and consumers alike. Frequently confused with the Montepulchiano grape, it is important to remember the main grape here is Sangiovese, [...]
Chateau Smith Haut Lafite is a gorgeous estate in Graves, south of Bordeaux and this year they (literally) rolled the red carpet to kick off En Primeur 2011 and welcome fellow Bordelais and the 108 international journalists visiting for En Primeur. The grand party also celebrated the 20th anniversary of the Chateaux, as owners Daniel [...]
Luis E. Garcia Sales Executive, and Sandra & Sandra “So is this a modern style … or traditional?” I asked Carlos Hubner-Arteta, President of Vinos Libres Wine Merchants, already knowing the answer. Esperanza Castra, co-owner Grupo Matarromera I am here at the Graffit restaurant in New York, where the incredibly charming Esperanza Castro, [...]
Looks like paradise, yes? You are looking at a picture of the post-tasting refreshments at Chateau Fonreaud, Cru Bourgeois Superiieur in Listrac-Medoc. Fellow blind tasters included Stephen Brook, Janscis Robinson, Ian D’Amato, and many others. At the moment of the picture, we had just finished the tasting of Listrac, Mouis, Medoc, and Margaux wines. [...]
Have you been to the Napa Valley Wine Auction? It is held this year June 2- 5 and is such an incredible long celebratory weekend. This past January, more than sixty winemakers and winery owners came to New York to present their wines for the trade and press in anticipation of the (trade-only) Premiere [...]
The 2010 vintage represented some fabulous sweet wines. As always, I tasted blind, finding it interesting to note the nuances between wines of the same vintage and relatively same region. When the tasting was over and the “answer sheets” passed around, I was pleased to see that some of my favorite wineries got [...]
The morning tasting at Cheval Blanc was a gorgeously orchestrated event, despite the controlled ‘media frenzy’ that is bound to occur whenever a new vintage of Cheval Blanc comes on the market. Tasters included journalists like myself tasting at En Primeur, as well as distinguished Masters of Wine and heads of the world’s leading auction [...]
“I’ve never had a wine that could be altered in so many ways!” said a bewildered friend after blind tasting three different versions of the Pinot Gris/Pinot Grigio grape. And it’s true … some might even call Pinot Gris/Grigio the multi-personality wine because of the way it takes on so many different expressions. This [...]
Did any of you happen to read Neal Martin’s blog today on the eRobertParker.com site? I first met this eRobertParker.com wine columnist a few years back at one of the parties surrounding the tasting of the VDP “Grosse Gewachse” in Germany. In person Neal is charming and a bit subdued, yet his columns are [...]
Winery owner Justine Henschke holds bottle next to WA Susan Barros Very interesting tasting of Australian wines Susan Barros organized today for the first Wine Australia Tasting of 2011 — Unusual Varietals and Classic Blends. It was a casual, walk-around format and good presentation of “what’s up” in Australia these days. I have to say [...]
Bodegas Roda Reserva 2006 color: medium + intensity/opaque with garnet miniscus nose: med+ cherry tobacco, brandied cherries, earth, fresh ground cinammon, palate: med+ intensity, dry, acid is med+ and juicy, tannin med and very well balanced, finish med+ Style note: Immediately impressive 2006 right out of the bottle – no need for decanting though [...]
On a gorgeous spring day in Bordeaux I found myself listening to Professor Denis Dubourdieu and his colleagues Laurence Geny and Bernard Doneche discussing the 2010 vintage. So the question you are all asking is this: Does it live up to expectations? From my tasting to that point – and what the [...]
Called the “Versailles of the Medoc” Chateau Beycheville is a Saint-Julian Great Growth, boasting an elegant, palatial chateau and French gardens with ivory statuary. Generations of wealthy families have owned this prestigious estate over the centuries, building the iconic global power of the brand. Today Chateau Beycheville is one of the most recognized [...]
