Author Archives: don

Margerum: New Releases from Santa Barbara*

Posted on February 20, 2019 by don

Margerum Wine Company is owned and operated by Doug Margerum, one of Santa Barbara’s leading winemaking entrepreneurs. It produces small quantities of premium wines made from estate-grown and purchased grapes from top neighboring vineyards.  We recently visited Doug at the … Continue reading →

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Graham Beck: Exclusive Focus on Premium Sparkling

Posted on February 18, 2019 by don

Industrialist Graham Beck founded his eponymous vineyard and winery in Robertson in 19xx [anorak]  A few years later Pieter Ferreira joined Graham Beck, making his first sparkling wine  (called MCC or Methode Cap Classique in South Africa) in 1991. I … Continue reading →

Posted in Champagne, Countries and Regions, Great Winemakers, South Africa, Sparkling Wine, Uncategorized, Wine Articles, Wine Type | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Spear Vineyards and Winery: A New Promising Farm Winery in the Sta. Rita Hills

Posted on February 14, 2019 by don

Spear is a tiny and relatively new, family-owned Santa Barbara winery that shows great promise.  Its estate vineyard nestled in the Sta Rita Hills is certified organic and sustainable.  It was first planted in 2013  on 33 acres, and its first … Continue reading →

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Kunin Wines: 2016 Releases from Santa Barbara*

Posted on February 13, 2019 by don

Seth Kunin founded his eponymous winery Kunin Wines in 1998 with the aim of producing small production Rhone varietal wines. Until his untimely passing in 2017 at the age of 50 years, he was a highly respected member of the … Continue reading →

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Richard Kershaw Lifts Elgin to New Heights

Posted on February 11, 2019 by don

Richard Kershaw, South Africa’s first MW (Master of Wine), worked at wineries around the world (including Simi in California) before becoming winemaker at Mulderbosch  and then, in 2012, starting his own eponymous winery in Elgin, South Africa’s coolest growing area. … Continue reading →

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Cabernet Sauvignon Reigns Supreme in Washington State

Posted on February 7, 2019 by don

Washington State’s Cabernet Sauvignon plantings have increased dramatically in recent years, driven by consumer demand and the price premium this grape commands.  Cabernet Sauvignon plantings have also taken off in California in appellations like Lodi and Paso Robles.  So is … Continue reading →

Posted in Cabernet Sauvignon, Countries and Regions, Markets, Red Wine, Uncategorized, Washington, Wine Articles, Wine Type | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Hermann J. Wiemer of the Finger Lakes: A Great American Winery

Posted on February 4, 2019 by don

Hermann J. Wiemer is one of the pioneers of viticulture and winemaking in the Finger Lakes. A native of Bernkastel, Germany, he studied at the world famous Neustadt Viticultural Research Institute, took a winemaking job in the Finger Lakes, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Great Winemakers, New York, Red Wine, Sparkling Wine, Uncategorized, White Wine, Wine Articles, Wine Type | Tagged | Leave a comment

Art-Food and Wine at Quoin Rock

Posted on February 1, 2019 by don

Located on the slopes of the Simonsberg, the Quoin Rock wine estate just reopened its doors to the public after a lengthy, no-expense-spared renovation of the winery, vineyards and restaurant by the Vitaly Gaiduk family, which purchased the 200 hectare … Continue reading →

Posted in Countries and Regions, Dessert Wine, Red Wine, South Africa, Sparkling Wine, Uncategorized, White Wine, Wine and Food, Wine Articles, Wine Type | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

First Tastings from the Southern Hemisphere’s 2018 Vintage

Posted on January 28, 2019 by don

Early releases of wines, mostly rosés and whites, from the 2018 vintage have begun rolling in, and we’ve also been tasting some impressive ones during our stay in Cape Town.   The always impressive Ricardo Santos 2018 Semillon from Mendoza … Continue reading →

Posted in Argentina, Chile, Countries and Regions, Rosé, South Africa, Uncategorized, White Wine, Wine Type | Tagged | Leave a comment

Keermont Vineyards of Stellenbosch Revisited

Posted on January 15, 2019 by don

We recently revisited Keermont Vineyards, located just south of Stellenbosch, and tasted through the portfolio with winemaker Alex Starey. Keermont is one of South Africa’s stellar wineries. Located in the Upper Blaauwklippen Valley, it has 29 hectares of manicured, hillside … Continue reading →

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