"When I wrote the book," explained wine merchant Kermit Lynch, "I thought the oenologists were going to take over." We were chatting about Adventures on the Wine Route, Lynch's seminal tour of France that can be found on every wine enthusiast's bookshelf. When the book was released in 1988, Lynch
From the renowned 2005 vintage, this Fifth Growth has seen significant improvement in the past ten years as a result of a three year modernization program that began in 2004. The beginnings of the program, combined with a fantastic vintage, led to a bargain blockbuster in 2005. It is one of
If you're at all interested in French wine, you've heard that parts of Bordeaux were smashed by multiple severe hail storms this past July, August, and September. While many of the swankiest appellations were spared, damage to parts of Entre-Deux-Mers, along with Sainte-Estèphe and Pauillac, was flabbergasting. Some vineyards lost
What if I told you there's a region with 6th-generation family-owned wineries, passionate young winemakers, and distinctive red and white wines that are truly reflective of their terroir? What if I told you these wines can be had for under $20? That the reds are ageworthy, but can be drunk
Grippy and well-made, this is a nice wine at a great price. Black currant and a touch of earth show on the nose. Blackberry, espresso, and unsweetened chocolate lead on the palate, adding licorice on the mid-palate, which lingers with the chocolate on the finish. Tannins are tight throughout. Drink
Mike Anderson got “very little pressure” from his parents to step into the family business at Anderson’s Conn Valley Vineyards. Friends of his parents and clients of the winery were not so subtle. That outside pressure “happened with enough frequency that when I was applying to colleges, I felt a
Best of Show Türk Grüner Veltliner Eiswein Best White Wine 2011 Beauregard Bald Mountain Vineyard Chardonnay Best Red Wine 2009 Penley Estate Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Gold Medals 2011 Beauregard Bald Mountain Vineyard Chardonnay 2008 Ceja Vineyards Dulce Besso 2009 Cornerstone "The Cornerstone" Napa Valley 2010 Dobbes Family Estate "Griffin's Cuvee"
In Italy, people go crazy for anything “organic.” Food, wine, buildings, the economy, the environment, clothing... it all has to somehow be “green” or “natural.” In the collective imagination, “organic” is synonymous with health and cleanliness. It is respectful of nature’s rhythms -- much more so than the ordinary things