Monthly Archives: September 2011

Constantia Wyn and the U.S. Founding Fathers

Posted on September 25, 2011 by don

About the time Thomas Jefferson was penning the U.S. Declaration in Philadelphia, a British merchant ship bound for Philadelphia ran aground in the shallows off Lewes, Delaware, and sank. It remained on the ocean floor until 2004 when it was … Continue reading →

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Semillon from Mendel and Ricardo Santos in Mendoza, Argentina

Posted on September 17, 2011 by don

At one time the Semillon grape was very widely planted in the Southern Hemisphere countries of Australia, Chile, and South Africa. Today, it is still grown in these countries but in small quantities. And a surprising fourth country can be … Continue reading →

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Cava from Sant Sadurni D’Anoia: Berberana, Marqués de la Concordia, Marqués de Monistrol

Posted on September 12, 2011 by don

Cava from Penedès and elsewhere in Spain is one of the best bargains in wine today. Some excellent value Cavas are produced by Berberana, Marqués de la Concordia, and Marqués de Monistrol, and their wines are reviewed below. Made using … Continue reading →

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Santa Maria Valley: New Chardonnay Releases from Sierra Madre

Posted on September 9, 2011 by don

The Santa Maria Valley AVA is unique in its orientation to the Pacific. The Santa Maria River runs east to west emptying into the ocean at the city of Santa Maria, just north of the Vandenberg Air Force Base. The … Continue reading →

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Book Review: Wine Wars by The Wine Economist, Mike Veseth

Posted on September 9, 2011 by don

Mike Veseth’s latest book Wine Wars [Bowman and Littlefield, 2011] gives an economist’s perspective on the globalization of wine. The conflict he writes about is that between the globalists and the terroirists; between mass-produced and handcrafted wines; between the large … Continue reading →

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Vineyards, Frogs, and Fences in California

Posted on September 8, 2011 by don

While touring the vineyards of Monterey County recently, we came across a sturdy fence running along the perimeter of a vineyard bordering the Salinas River. We immediately speculated that Mark Twain’s celebrated jumping frog of Calaveras County had developed a … Continue reading →

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Spanish Cava: Cristalino from Jaume Serra

Posted on September 2, 2011 by don

If you hadn’t noticed yet, Cristalino has changed its label. But it remains the super-value Cava it has always been. That’s what we said about it in Issue #14 The World of Sparkling Wines and Champagne. Obviously, lots of other … Continue reading →

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