At 143 years of age, the Original Grandpere Vineyard in the Sierra Foothills is the oldest documented Zinfandel vineyard in California, and it still produces wines of high quality. Its history is closely linked with that of California wine, and with United States wine consumption in general. The identity of
Five clones of estate-grown syrah are blended together to produce a wine full of nice, tarry fruit. Balanced by good acidity, this wine is hearty from nose through palate to finish. Yet it has a touch of florals throughout as well, which add both a hint of delicacy and another
“How do we farm in such a way that we actually contribute to the expression and the nature of our products?” asked Paul Dolan. This was one of the questions taken up by an all-star cast of winemakers from around the globe during an event organized by Canadian wine agency
Cows and sheep trekking down from the mountains have nothing to do with the “Transhumance” name of the wine; instead it’s the winemaker himself who makes the journey from the Northern Rhone down to the Languedoc region in the south of France. There, he has produced an earthy, smoky, syrah-based
It started with Barolo. It was the first wine that made clear to me not only the sociological, cultural and historical relevance of wine—the way it can teach us about the humanity of a place and time—but also the way it helps us understand, in a simple, profound way our
This is a single vineyard, Clos Devant,white Burgundy from Chassagne Montrachet. It is translucent, with a light golden hue. The noise has an apple pie and caramel sweetness with a lovely white flower bouquet. The palate offers up rich flavors, starting with baked apples, adding creme brûlée and Meyer Lemon
In 2011, winemaker Paul Hobbs oversaw the release of his new Cahors collaboration as well as the expansion of one of his American labels, CrossBarn Wines by Paul Hobbs. His schedule is brutal, but the chance to work in Cahors, the traditional region for French Malbec was too exciting for
Elisabetta Foradori is a darling of the biodynamic/natural wine community. Renowned for her Granato, a remarkable cuvée made from the Teroldego grape, she converted to biodynamics in 2000 and gradually changed her winemaking to a more minimalist, "natural" approach. This is apparent in the 2010 Fontanasanta, made from a vinifera