WINE LINE-UPS AND STRANGE BEDFELLOWS
Wine tasting is a subjective experience. Not only do different people with varying palates receive divergent experiences from the same wine, but quite often a [...]
A WONDERFUL BORDEAUX TASTING
In a trade style tasting entitled "Tour des Deux Rives" (Tour of two rivers), which refers to the Garonne and Dordogne rivers which run [...]
DOMESTIC MOUVEDRE THAT TASTES FRENCH; A RARITY
Finally, a California Mouvedre that resembles its French counterpart!This one appeared in our regular Friday night blind tasting recently and it was an elegant wine [...]
ON WINE LISTS
Today, instead of wine I wish to discuss wine lists. They come in all sizes varying from one brief page to colossal coffee-table books. A [...]
THE FUTURES GAME
I just purchased the above bottle, a 2008 Ch. Larcis Ducasse for $ 60 at K&L , a San Francisco wine merchant. It was discounted [...]
VINTAGE 2000; CALIFORNIA CABARNET VERSUS BORDEAUX
In a recent tasting at George Heron's we pitted California Cabarnet against Bordeaux in the all important 2000 vintage. This was a good year [...]
CORSICA AND PATRIMONIO; A REGION WORTH A TRY
In a recent Friday night tasting of randomly brought blinded bottles, a 1998 version of the above displayed label stood out. It was a high [...]
THE JOYS OF OFF YEAR BORDEAUX
Browsing through the shelves of K&L, a wine shop in San Francisco, I noticed that the 2009 vintage of Bordeaux was already there. I stumbled [...]
A PURE EXAMPLE IN TERROIR VARIATION
In a recent tasting of Vacqueras and appellations alike I came across the above 2 wines. These are all from the Southern Rhone in France, [...]
GAMBLING IN VEGAS; $8000 FOR 80 YEAR OLD PINOT
I have turned mining restaurant wine lists for ultra-expensive wines into a sport. As the years go by the lists keep upping the ante with new record [...]