I’m generally prepared for mark-ups when I dine out, but I was caught off guard last night as I perused the wine list at Bobby Van’s. I recognized many of the offerings, which made the realization all the more offensive. Let’s face it, the Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio at $62 is plain insulting. It’s a [...]
Archive for the ‘California’ Category
Big Meal, Big Wine, Big Price
Posted in Bordeaux, Cabernet Sauvignon, California, Noteworthy wine lists, tagged Bobby Van's, Bordeaux, California Cabernet, Chardonnay, Chateau La Fleur Poitou Lussac Saint Emilion, chateaux, EuroCave, Santa Margherita Pinot Grigio, Shafer One Point Five on October 9, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Do-it-yourself wine?
Posted in California, Winemaking, tagged American oak, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, California WineWorks, Chalk Hill, Chardonnay, City Winery, Crushpad, French oak, merlot, Napa, Pinot Grigio, pinot noir, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, syrah, The Grape Escape, Zinfandel on August 17, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Many people I know dream of owning a vineyard, but the reality is that the land is expensive and the financial returns don’t add up. That’s where the make-your-own-wine concept comes in, and there are plenty of places that are willing to accommodate. To name a couple, there’s Crushpad in Napa, California, City Winery in [...]
Bored with Bordeaux?
Posted in Wine journalism, Bordeaux, Shiraz, California, Meritage, New World wines, tagged 1855 Classification, Australia, Bordeaux, Cabernet Sauvignon, California Cab, carmenere, Château Haut-Brion, Château Lafite-Rothschild, Château Latour, Château Margaux, Château Mouton Rothschild, Dordogne River, Eric Asimov, Garonne River, Gironde River, Left Bank, Malbec, Meritage, merlot, New World, Norwood, Pauillac, Pessac-Leognan, phylloxera, Right Bank, rootstock, Salomon Estate, Sherry-Lehmann, Shirax, The Pour on May 19, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Eric Asimov’s May 18 column in The Pour, “Bordeaux Loses Prestige Among Younger Wine Lovers,” got me thinking; aside from a few “bargain” Bordeaux’s I purchased from Sherry-Lehmann last fall, I rarely gravitate toward the famous French wine. The two primary varietals of Bordeaux are Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Among the most reputable Bordeaux are [...]
No judgment
Posted in California, Wine journalism, tagged abv, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Cuvee, Cade, California, Chardonnay, Lettie Teague, PlumpJack, PlumpJack Chardonnay Reserve, Sherry-Lehmann on April 21, 2010 | 1 Comment »
Possessing preconceived notions about something we know little about seems almost a right of passage for most of us. There’s some safety to it, no doubt, but, when it comes to wine tasting, we’ve got to let go of what we assume as truth without evidence. California has a bad reputation for producing big, bold [...]
Terroir or terror?
Posted in Beer, California, pinot noir, tagged Anderson Valley, Burgundy, Carneros, Central Otago, Church Key Holy Smoke Scotch Ale, fining, Germany, Imperial Smoked Porter, Mosel Valley, pinot noir, Riesling, Rogue Smoke Ale, Stone Smoked Porter, Terroir, Willamette Valley on April 2, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Terroir is a French word that refers to distinctive attributes coming from a vineyard location as a result of soil, climate, slope, etc. It is believed that the terroir gives a varietal a special and unique characteristics that make the pinot noir in the Willamette Valley taste different from that in Carneros, Central Otago and [...]
California’s consternation could equal opportunity
Posted in California, Wine journalism, tagged Cabernet Sauvignon, California, Carneros, Chardonnay, Napa, pinot noir, Sonoma, Wine Spectator on February 17, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
The glut of wine plaguing California has been capturing headlines lately. Sure, the recession may be over, but those in the wine trade are still feeling the hurt from consumers spending less on wine over the past couple of years, meaning many are choosing less expensive bottles. As a result, the higher-end labels have been [...]
