I first met all four Hipsters that form the wine writing group, Hipster Enology, at a Rhone Rangers event I think. Attracted to their hipster look, their witty repartee that transferred well into writing and…their taste for adventure. That attitude, and heartfelt interest in all things wine, has led two of the four (Jesse Hiestand…
In a recent trip to Napa, Eddie and I caught up with Suzanne Phifer Pavitt and tasted her recent release of 2008 Date Night Cabernet. (And one other surprise tasting!) The story on Date Night follows my tasting notes. But before we get to that I asked Suzanne – while she stood behind the split…
Hill Family Estate www.hillfamilyestate.com When my wife Karen and I attended the Learn About Wine Rising Stars of California event several months ago, my favorite wine that day was the Hill Family Estate Syrah. So I knew when I was planning our Napa itinerary that the Hill Family tasting room in Yountville was a “must”…
Piero Selvaggio Revisits the Past and Looks to the Future with a Classic $40 Menu Plus 40 wines for $40 on Mondays As Valentino in Santa Monica gears up for a momentous fortieth anniversary next December 2012, owner Piero Selvaggio has already begun his plans for celebrating the staying power of his ground-breaking fine dining…
Silenus Vintners www.silenusvintners.com Some time ago, we attended a tasting in Santa Monica. The tasting was put on by Learn About Wine (www.learnaboutwine.com) at Wilshire Restaurant, with a focus on California’s rising stars. One of the wineries we enjoyed there was Poem Cellars, and I stayed in touch with co-owner Jeff Durham. When I told…
Let’s see…. Did ya take my advice this year to SEEK, FIND, BUY, & ENJOY,(or CELLAR) ANY of these wines?!?!? : ) NV Gruet Cellars Blanc de Noirs Sparkling Wine New Mexico!!! 04 Domain Wachau “Terassen Federspiel” Niederösterreich Wachau AUT Gruner Veltliner! 10 Margerum Wine Co “Happy Canyon” SB County CA Sauv Blanc!!! 09 Terredora…
Today we have thee wines from Australia and one from Maryland for your virtual tasting. The Aussie’s came from my contact at Old Bridge Cellars and the Maryland wine came from a more personal connection, Susan Southard, the media maven for the Taster’s Guild of Maryland, brought it with her during a recent visit. 2010…
Winemakers in Happy Canyon (Santa Ynez Valley) celebrate a stellar harvest and hope to attract consumer and industry attention during a tough year for better-known AVAs While heavy rains late in the harvest season have raised eyebrows and concern about the outcome of the 2011 vintage in some of Northern California’s wine regions, the Golden…
