I recently shared a press release from Graham’s regarding their 20-year-old tawny port, and lo and behold, a week later I received one for review. From Graham’s: “…Graham’s 20 Year Old Tawny Port (is)—made from the highest quality Douro Valley grapes. Rich caramel flavors and notes of toffee…20 years of cask aging gives the wine…
What do you know about Calistoga’s Switchback Ridge Winery? How about the new Mastercard, the “Grand Reserves Reward” card, that’s just for wine enthusiasts? Have you handled any Grassl glassware? Visited Liquid Assets Cellars? Let me give you a taste of each, with a special focus on the wine of course! It started like this:…
In my recent trip to Napa Valley, while visiting Calistoga and one winery in particular, Knights Bridge, we were gifted a bottle of Cab at the end of our visit. I tucked it into our suitcase, with a few others, and felt that since it was a gift I should do one of my one-bottle…
Dealing with 9am traffic to Downtown LA is not my idea of fun. However the powers that be selected a venue, Redbird Restaurant, which had a very nice private room for a medium-sized group of sommeliers and other very interested people in the wine trade. Why? Check out the wine list below, now completed with…
We have so many options for wine clubs these days! Our favorite wineries, wine stores, even newspapers offer clubs. So why Wine Of the Month Club it? Lemme tell ya what I learned during a recent visit, tour and podcast taping with owner Paul Kalemkiarian. (Direct YouTube link is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzdbgQI9Gk8) First of all Paul is…
With a geographical size similar to the US and distinct climates, soils and terroirs, its no surprise that Australia boasts an array of wine styles, regions and grape varieties for you to experience. This was an intriguing teaser to a recent Australian wine event I attended. I went in knowing very little about Australian white…
Below are my notes from Vino California’s Seminar One: “CALL TO CALABRIA, Discovering the Wines from the “Toe” of Italy’s Peninsula”, that I recently attended at the Skirball Cultural Center. I am sharing what I learned with readers as it fits the Wine 101 mantra: Learn by tasting, and if possible, have experts to lead…
In keeping to my theory that those who spend time thinking about the aromas and flavors in their wine notice more about what is on their dinner plate, and, in taking it a step further, are blissfully aware of the trees and sky during a drive…to a wine bar or favorite restaurant. So, it thrilled…
For a recent wine tasting I was tasked with finding a wine made from the Semillon grape to share with a dozen or more other people, with the same task. I did an Google search to see what was new that I could come up with. I was interested in trying Stickybeak as another Facebook…
As it’s the Friday before a long weekend, I give you two wines from Napa Valley’s Patland Estate Vineyards to consider drinking if you’re housebound or bound to parts unknown: 08 Proprietary Red Wine Terra Del Cuore 14.8% alcohol Bottle No. 1008 of 1560 Napa Valley Color – Opaque, purple, deep ruby edge. Aroma –Mint,…