Very interesting seminar at the Symposium for Professional Wine Writers — a “bean tasting” with various wines from Cakebread! It is based on Cakebread’s American Harvest Workshop which features five innovative chefs and eight small purveyors … a mini version for journalists visiting the symposium. Curious that the Chardonnay Reserve 09 has natural acidity, even [...]

The 2010 Finger Lakes harvest was the warmest growing season in nearly forty years and the wettest since 1973, resulting in a good vintage overall yet a varied style with a general slant toward lower acid, intense fruit, and ripeness. Riesling grows well in the cool climate and varied soils of the Finger Lakes as [...]

Matt Spaccarelli of Benmarl Do you live in NYC? … and do you know that just an hour away you can enjoy a NY wine experience with Hudson Valley wines? Today some lucky members of Manhattan’s Wine Media Guild visited the region and met the following winemakers   Michael Migliore – Whitecliff Vineyard Cesar Baeza [...]

    “This Gone Fishin wine label is great!” said a guest at a recent lunch at Tribeca Grill in Manhattan, organized to showcase the wines — and the savvy winemaker – of Mercer Estates in Washington, David Forsyth. I had first heard of Mercer Estates a few years back, when Washington State wines were [...]

  “Roasting a barrel is like roasting coffee,” says colorfully-spoken winemaker and GM of Bouchaine Vineyards, Michael Richmond. We are talking about the influence of French oak on the 2008 Pinot Noir, and as is the case when wine geeks get together, the conversation turns to toast (not the kind you have at breakfast) and [...]

Elizabeth Marston and Husband Jamie of Marston Family Winery at Park Avenue Spring   Last Thursday it was very exciting to meet Elizabeth Marston and her husband Jamie, who with Elizabeth’s parents run Marston Family Vineyard in the Napa Valley. Of course, with Auction Napa Valley 2011 (# ANV11) beginning this coming June 2, 2011 [...]

“All I wanted was an almond croissant,” says winemaker and co-woner Les Behrens of Erna Schein winery (formerly known as Behrens & Hitchcock). Les is talking about the fateful day in 1996 when he and wife and winery co-owner Lisa Drinkward drove to Los Angeles and had the fortuitous idea of dropping a bottle of [...]

  So you know all about the e-auction that opens May 29, 2011 in alignment with the Auction Napa Valley 2011, yes? I am spotlighting certain producers and interesting lots that every wine lover (and supporter of the Napa Valley’s charities) should know about. Today the focus is on Signorello Estates … a premium winery [...]

  Some people like the excitement and energy of a live auction … others prefer to relax in the comfort of their own (international!) homes. Yes, the Napa Valley Auction is now also electronic … starting May 29, 2011 wine lovers around the globe can bid on and win lots.  There are lots of fun [...]

  Look at the incredible aerial view of Marston Family Vineyard above … even so far away, one gets an incredible sense of the soil that produces such incredible Cabernet Sauvignon. Marston Family Vineyard was first planted in the late 1890’s on the southern slopes of Spring Mountain, just west of St. Helena. The vineyard [...]

What a fabulous experience being at Hospice du Rhone 2011 (#HdR2011). It was so nice to see winemakers we met in the Rhone Valley during “Discover Rhone” and meet new winemaker friends from Paso Robles, Australia, and Rhone style wine producers all around California. Thanks to the team at Hospices du Rhone and all the [...]

  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 [...]

  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 [...]

These wines would pair very well with lobster … 2007 Dierberg Chardonnay (USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Maria Valley) color: straw, med intensity nose: med intensity, very sweet butter, some golden apple palate: dry, acid is med+ tannin is low (oak?) body is med alc is est 13.5 finish is med+ Style note: Racy acidity [...]

  “Have you tasted their Sauvignon Blanc? It rocks!” To be clear, we are speaking of the 2007 Sauvignon Blanc from the Arkenstone Vineyards estate in Howell Mountain. And “rock” is the appropriate word, for even though this is a California Sauvignon Blanc, the minerality is incredible. “Limestone soil?” I ask owner Susan Krausz over [...]

It’s always fun when the Napa Vintners association comes to New York — the owners and winemakers take a break from pouring at consumer and press functions, and are able to relax a bit and talk about their wines. I first met Shirley Roy a few years ago at a trade event … and had [...]