The day I followed Highway 299’s winding curves into the tiny town of Willow Creek, the leaves on the maples, oaks, dogwoods and buckeyes along the route had turned a deep yellow and crimson -- colors that matched the late-read more-
Not as elegant as I had expected, but perhaps understandable given the vintage. Very perfumy, with stewed fruits and tar leading from nose to palate. A twinge of crowbar would keep the blind taster in Piedmont, as would the tannins,-read more-
The best spatlese I have ever had, dwarfing even the J.J. Prum from the same vintage. A buzz saw of gorge water and river rocks only amplifies the unfolding layers of fruit and spice. Caramel apple and lemon curd melt-read more-
Unusually low temperatures—as low as –20º C in mid-December—sent shivers down many Croatians’ spines. But the snow and frost that have covered vineyards in the northern and eastern parts of the country made conditions right for yet another excellent sweet-read more-
An initial burst of sulfur blew off with time, so open this bottle well in advance. This one is crisp, but it's less laser beam and more massaging shower head. A touch of diesel joins the apple pie to add-read more-
Fuhgeddaboudit. When it comes to the link in between organized crime and wine, dating back to the Prohibition era, American history is rife with dashing gangsters and the grape. No Al Capone, John Gotti, Paul Castellano or even Ernest and-read more-
Jules van Cruysen is a Sommelier turned Wine Rep based in Wellington, New Zealand he writes professionally for a number of New Zealand and International publications—you can follow him on twitter @grapengrain and read his blogs at grapengrain.co.nz and nzwinedispatch.blogspot.co.nz
Marko Kovac is a Palate Press Contributing Editor. Marko is also a communication and public relations consultant living in Croatia, focused on building promotional identities for companies and individuals off- and on-line. He had previously worked as a journalist and-read more-