Belden Barns is hosting a series of virtual wine tastings starting at the end of March. Here’s the idea. You order wine from them. Then you participate in the virtual tasting via Zoom. But...
We’ve written about these folks quite a bit over the years. About a week ago we got our wine club shipment. The pinots can wait but the lure of the Belden Barns 2017 sauvigvnon blanc ($26)...
Our friends at Artisan Wine Depot invited us to a special food and champagne pairing on September 19. The champagne was from Piper-Heidsieck with their local expert and evangelist Kyle Kaplan. Food...
Dilecta was one of our discoveries on our trip to Paso Robles in January. Following the recommendation of Wills and Kath Carter (proprietors and hosts at the fabulous Canyon Villa), we visited the...
“Like a French Rhône, only good!” were the first words out of my mouth. The Tablas Creek 2012 Esprit de Tablas opens with aromas of smoke, leather, and black cherries. The palate is...
Rummaging in our Eurocave I ran across this goodie. It’s been a while since we visited Dante Robere, one of the best wineries in the Livermore Valley. The Dante Robere 2012 Reserve Syrah was...
When William and Katherine invited us to spend two nights at The Canyon Villa, we jumped at the chance. As always, the food, friendship, and accommodations were superb. We got January off to a good...
Williamson Wines was the top new find on our trip to Sonoma. After a few wines, co-founder Dawn Williamson joined us at the table for a lively conversation. Along with her husband Bill they provide a...
We met my brother Tom and his wife Ginger in Windsor for three days of wine-tasting and conversation. This is the overview of our three days in Sonoma County. We discovered a really good winery that...
This is Roger Nicolas’s first chardonnay and it sure is a winner. Aromas of wet slate and lemon curd lead gently to more minerality on the palate with hints of lemon and tropical fruit. A long finish...
We are long-time members of the RN Estate wine club. Today, as I was browsing the Eurocave™ I spotted this beauty on the shelf. Before I write about it, here’s some advice if you’re lucky enough to...
We’ve had this for a year or two and decided to open it for Easter dinner. Aromas of vanilla, plums, and other dark fruit. On the palate silky tannins, excellent acid balance and tons of fruit. Even...
We probably waited too long to open this. The aromas are a bit flat, featuring redwood bark and ripe Santa Rosa plums. The palate is multi-layered, opening with an explosion of juice followed by more...
Opened a bottle of RN Estate 2009 Cuvée des Trois Cépages tonight and it is terrific. Aromas of black cherries, blackberries and a hint of licorice. Long, complex palate starting with spice and...
On October 8 our very good friends at Artisan Wine Depot invited us for an exceptional tasting event. They were hosting a Heitz Cellars Vertical at Artisan. Heitz is, of course, world-renowned. They...