Author Archives: don

Book Review Rosé: Understanding the Pink Wine Revolution by Elizabeth Gabay MW

Posted on July 2, 2018 by don

Rosé wine consumption is on the rise, accounting for about one-third of wine consumed in France and a growing proportion of wine drunk in the US, UK and elsewhere.  But as a wine it still doesn’t get the respect it … Continue reading →

Posted in Book Reviews, Rosé, Uncategorized, Wine Articles, Wine Type | Tagged | Leave a comment

Bulgaria’s Very Modern Castra Rubra Winery: Michel Rolland Travels East

Posted on June 28, 2018 by don

Bulgaria has created numerous new, state of the art wineries over the past two decades. None is more significant than Castra Rubra where globetrotting enologist Michel Rolland has played a lead role as consulting winemaker as well as in planning … Continue reading →

Posted in Bulgaria, Cabernet Sauvignon, Red Wine, Uncategorized, Wine Type | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

J Lohr Vineyards New Releases from Paso Robles, Napa & Arroyo Seco

Posted on June 18, 2018 by don

Jerry Lohr is one of the California Central Coast’s wine pioneers. He started planting vines in the Arroyo Seco region of Monterey County in 1972 and now has 900 acres of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and other varieties planted there.  In … Continue reading →

Posted in Cabernet Sauvignon, California, Chardonnay, Countries and Regions, Red Wine, Uncategorized, White Wine, Wine Type | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Herdade do Rocim: New Releases from Portugal’s Alentejo

Posted on June 13, 2018 by don

Located in the Baixo Alentejo with 70 hectares of vineyards (53 red, 17 white) and 10 ha of olives, Herdade do Rocim was founded by the late José Ribeiro Vieira. Today, his daughter Catarina Vieira and husband Pedro Ribeiro own … Continue reading →

Posted in Countries and Regions, Portugal, Red Wine, Rosé, Sparkling Wine, Uncategorized, White Wine, Wine Type | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

German Rieslings from the Mosel: SA Prüm, Willi Haag, and Dr H Thanisch

Posted on June 1, 2018 by don

Germany’s top producers are members of the Verdand Deutscher Prädikatsweingüter (VDP), an association of 200 quality-oriented vintners. We recently had the opportunity to taste the Riesling wines from three VDP members, all with steeply sloped (up to 60°) vineyards overlooking … Continue reading →

Posted in Countries and Regions, Germany, Uncategorized, White Wine, Wine Type | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Quady North: Serious Rosé from Oregon

Posted on May 25, 2018 by don

Perhaps no American winemaker takes rosé as seriously as Herb Quady. Formerly a winemaker at Boony Doon Vineyards, he moved to Southern Oregon in 2003 to help pioneer winemaking there.  He and his father (owner of California’s Quady Winery) purchased … Continue reading →

Posted in Countries and Regions, Oregon, Rosé, Uncategorized, Wine Type | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Galicia’s Quinta da Muradella: Authentic Wines from Monterrei

Posted on May 22, 2018 by don

José Luis Mateo is one of Spain’s very special winemakers. He crafts authentic wines from unique terroir in Galicia using indigenous varieties, including ones he has discovered and rescued from abandoned mountain vineyards. He is one of those rarities in … Continue reading →

Posted in Countries and Regions, Spain, Uncategorized | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Hermanos Hernáiz La Emperatriz Wines from Rioja Alta

Posted on May 16, 2018 by don

In 1996 the Hernáiz family purchased part of the former estate of Spanish-born Eugénie de Montijo, Empress of France and wife of Napoleon III. The estate is located on one of the highest plateaus in the Rioja Alta, including its … Continue reading →

Posted in Countries and Regions, Red Wine, Spain, Uncategorized, White Wine, Wine Type | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Worth Another Glass? How reliable are the wine reviews in Gambero Rosso’s annual Vini d’Italia Guide?

Posted on May 8, 2018 by don

Publisher’s Note: In this provocative article Joel Butler, one of the International Wine Review’s Contributing Editors,  assesses the validity of the Gambero Rosso’s  methodology and evaluations by conducting his own tastings of the Guide’s 3 Bicchieri wines at a comprehensive tasting … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Argentina’s Domaine Bousquet: High Altitude Selections from the Uco Valley

Posted on April 21, 2018 by don

Located in the Tupungato district of Mendoza’s Uco Valley, this very high altitude estate (5249’) buffeted by the cool winds of the Andes was founded by Jean Bousquet in 1997 with a first release of wines in 2005. Today the … Continue reading →

Posted in Argentina, Cabernet Sauvignon, Countries and Regions, Red Wine, Sparkling Wine, Uncategorized, White Wine, Wine Type | Tagged , | Leave a comment