Monthly Archives: December 2011

Sparkling Wine from Austria

Posted on December 13, 2011 by don

On our trip to Austria last autumn we had the opportunity to try a number of delicious, fruit-forward sparkling wines. Reviews of them can be found in Report # 25 The Wines of Austria. Among the producers we visited were … Continue reading →

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Moët & Chandon Champagne

Posted on December 10, 2011 by don

Moët & Chandon is one of Champagne’s oldest Grandes Marques. Established in 1743 by Claude Moët, today the House of Moët has extensive vineyard holdings in Épernay and throughout Champagne, producing over 30 million bottles annually. It is the largest-selling … Continue reading →

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Gramona: For Lovers of the Art of Cava

Posted on December 9, 2011 by don

The Gramona family is one of Spain’s most distinguished producers of the sparkling wine called cava. Gramona is guided by a philosophy that places a premium on producing cavas that can be aged and express the unique character of their … Continue reading →

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Bellavista: Italy’s King of Sparkling Wine

Posted on December 8, 2011 by don

Bellavista is arguably Italy’s finest producer of sparkling wine. Its vintage and non-vintage méthode champenoise wines exhibit great elegance and finesse and rank among the best sparkling wines of the world. Our reviews of current releases of Bellavista are given … Continue reading →

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Champagne Selections for the Holidays

Posted on December 7, 2011 by don

These selections are indicative of the wide variety of excellent French Champagnes available on the market for the holidays. They include outstanding handcrafted grower Champagnes made in small quantities by producers such as Bertrand Delespierre, Lean Laurent and Rolland Champion … Continue reading →

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Peay Vineyards’ New Releases

Posted on December 7, 2011 by don

Peay Vineyards is one of California’s finest producers of hand-crafted Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah. Established in 1996, it sits on an isolated mountain ridge along the “true” Northern Sonoma Coast (near the town of Annapolis) in the coastal fog … Continue reading →

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Book Review: Authentic Wine by Jamie Goode and Sam Harrop

Posted on December 5, 2011 by don

Given the title, it’s not surprising that Authentic Wine (University of California Press) starts off by explaining the concept of terroir and arguing for winemaking that reveals a sense of place. However, this is much more than just a book … Continue reading →

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New Grüner Veltliner Releases from Austria

Posted on December 2, 2011 by don

As we noted in our report on Austria earlier this year, the Grüner Veltliner grape can be used to produce wines in a variety of styles, from inexpensive and fresh, lively wines to dense, ageworthy (and expensive) ones. We recently … Continue reading →

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