Ah, the life of a vintner! Ten years ago, Ms. Kim Longbottom and her husband bought property in the Australian region of Padthaway, part of the Limestone Coast in the southeast of South Australia, and called their estate Henry’s Drive in honor of a long-ago postman from the area. Kim cleverly named the wines, [...]
Quick! Imagine you are presented with a "blind flight" of Sauvignon Blanc wine (or Chardonnay for that matter). Do you think you can pick out a wine from New York’s Long Island against wines from Sancerre or New Zealand? Assume that all wines have the same color, and for the most part, a similar [...]
“No!” the passionate Frenchman says, starting a heated discussion about the Poulsard grape among a group of vignerons in the opulent dining room of the two-Michelin-star restaurant Jean-Paul Jeunet. We are in the Jura region of France, a wildly beautiful and rugged expanse of land with well-trained vineyards, spotted cows, and sleek horses [...]
…. so by now, you’ve seen the film Sideways, tasted Pinot Noir, and count yourself as one of the varietal’s many fans. Yet do you like Pinot Noir from around the world, or just certain locations? Have you taught yourself to tell the difference between a Pinot from New Zealand and Burgundy? The [...]
Ambassador Kathryn Hall … so the first time I met Kathryn Hall was at Per Se, where she announced that her California winery was becoming certified Organic. I remember tasting the Cabernet and finding it quite rich, layered and complex. Yet Wednesday night September 30 I was able to taste the 2006 HALL "Kathryn Hall" [...]
Ambassador Kathryn Hall … so the first time I met Kathryn Hall was at Per Se, where she announced that her California winery was becoming certified Organic. I remember tasting the Cabernet and finding it quite rich, layered and complex. Yet Wednesday night September 30 I was able to taste the 2006 HALL "Kathryn Hall" [...]
… Zinfandel is California’s ‘signature’ grape. Why? Possibly because this is where the Zinfandel grape finds its truest expression. If you are new to the world of wine, it may be difficult to understand why ‘terroir’ - the speciffic weather and soil of a vineyard – is so important. The vines for this Zinfandel are grown [...]
Joel Peterson, founder of Ravenswood Want to be a winemaker? It sounds like a lot of fun, and of course, it can be. And to hear the rags to riches (well, not quite rags) story of how Joel Peterson, founding winemaker ofRavenswood, created an internationally famous brand is mesmerizing. Joel was born in 1947 the [...]
… so you can imagine how surprised I was when a business colleague gave me a bottle of Ehret Family Winery 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa’s Knight’s Valley upon hearing I was a wine person. This is a delicious wine with exotic spice, black berries, plums, coffee, and a never-ending finish. Knights Valley [...]
Bordeaux Map Bordeaux. The name says it all. This whisper of a word conjures up images of luxury, gorgeous chateaux, elegantly dressed aristocrats, and lavish, sophisticated living. We won’t even get into all the centuries of romance novel-style drama that must have included arranged marriages for the sake of building a family dynasty and all [...]
Italy is one of the world’s most imported wines, and for good reason – the country boasts more than 1000 different varieties of grapes. Many collectors swoon for their Barolo and Barbaresco, high-acid, long lived wines that pack a powerful…
Italy is one of the world’s most imported wines, and for good reason – the country boasts more than 1000 different varieties of grapes. Many collectors swoon for their Barolo and Barbaresco, high-acid, long lived wines that pack a powerful…
In these challenging economic times, most of us are only too happy to learn of exciting new regions that offer quality wines at a good value. Last Fall I was lucky enough to visit the Rhone valley in France and…
Part 1: Tale of Two Pinot Noir One of the pleasures of those who love Pinot Noir is blind tasting various producers and deciding if they are Old World or New World, and then trying to pinpoint the producer’s exact…
Once upon a time, wine from Chianti was associated with candles and straw wrapping. Savvy wine connoisseurs today know that the quality of wine from the Chianti region of Italy—and the specific D.O.C.G. region of Chianti Classico — has soared….
“The biggest mistake couples make when they get married is buying too many glasses,” says Max Riedel, during a demonstration of his fine glassware in his company’s Manhattan office. With this tidbit of sage advice, Mr. Riedel, the grandson of…
Okay, so you read the book A Year in Provence and are very excited to become a winemaker in the south of France. Yes, by all appearances it is a glamorous life. Gorgeous sunny weather, long leisurely lunches by the…
“You can tell a lot about a person by the wine he or she drinks and collects,” said a friend recently. “People who collect fine Bordeaux are perceived as somewhat stuffy. They prefer to sip their wine at formal restaurants,…
For a moment, imagine yourself an invited guest at an exclusive dinner at a First Growth Chateau in the Medoc. It is mid-June, and everyone who is “anyone” in the wine world is in Bordeaux to attend VinExpo to make…
Raise your wine glass if you think Gallo represents California wines. Now put it down – The Gallo family has long gone global, and now is focused on creating affordable, well-crafted “local wines from around the world.” I was lucky…
