Yearly Archives: 2021

California’s Castello di Amorosa: Sangiovese and More

Posted on July 7, 2021 by don

Napa Valley tourists may be attracted to the Castello di Amorosa by the faux 13th century Tuscan castle with moat, torture chamber, and several hundred feet of elaborately carved underground wine caves.  A much better reason, in our opinion, is … Continue reading →

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Clarice 2019 Pinot Noirs from the Santa Lucia Highlands

Posted on July 3, 2021 by mike

Adam Lee continues on a roll with his Clarice wines.  The 2019 vintage produced somewhat riper and earthier wines than previously, but all three are first-rate and tasting great.  As in our review of the 2018 vintage, we found it … Continue reading →

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Domaines Ott: Outstanding 2020 Rosés

Posted on June 14, 2021 by don

In this year’s annual rosé report, the International Wine Review evaluated more than 250 rosés from around the world.  Among the standouts are the rosés of Domaines Ott, a producer in Provence widely recognized for the high quality and individuality … Continue reading →

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Blue Rock Vineyard:  New Releases from Sonoma County

Posted on June 4, 2021 by mike

Blue Rock Vineyard  is a small artisanal winery in Alexander Valley that produces high quality  hand-crafted Bordeaux-inspired wines.  The owner of the winery is Kenny Kahn, a passionate vigneron who is one of a small group of producers in Alexander … Continue reading →

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Exploring Georgian Wine: The Khareba Winery

Posted on May 24, 2021 by don

While Georgia has made wine for some eight thousand years, its wines are little known in North America.  The International Wine Review has begun tasting and reviewing Georgian wines in preparation for a future, post-COVID trip there. Recently, Georgia’s Khareba … Continue reading →

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Coca i Fitó: Refreshing Wines from Catalonia and Ribeira Sacra

Posted on May 23, 2021 by don

Established in 2004, Coca i Fitó is an innovative winery which is crafting a wide variety of delicious (and beautifully labeled) wines sourced from Montsant and other appellations such as Priorat, Empordá  and Ribeira Sacra. Our first memorable encounter with … Continue reading →

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Paso Robles’ Adelaida Vineyards: History (and Delicious Wine) in a Glass

Posted on May 20, 2021 by don

Owned and operated by the Van Steenwyk family since 1994, Adelaida Vineyards is located in the Santa Lucia Mountains just 14 miles from the Pacific Ocean.  The winery and vineyard are in the Adelaida district of the Paso Robles AVA … Continue reading →

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Raventós i Blanc: Stunning New Releases

Posted on May 11, 2021 by mike

The house of Josep Raventós i Blanc was established in 1986 in Sant Sadurni d’ Anoia by Josep-Maria Raventós, a break away member of the Codorníu family, with the objective of making Cavas of exceptional quality. Today, Josep’s grandson Pepe … Continue reading →

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Rosé and Food: Enlivening Your Meals

Posted on May 10, 2021 by mike

Rosés can be served with anything—Julia Child There are a wide variety of dry rosés available on the market. Many entry level rosés are relatively light in style and perfect for sipping but don’t stand up well to food. Others, … Continue reading →

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Contratto of Alta Langa: An Impressive Showing of Metodo Clasico

Posted on May 10, 2021 by don

Italy makes some of the world’s great sparkling wines.  We’re used to tasting the superb ones coming out of Franciacorta as well as Trento. Now, Piedmont’s Contratto joins this elite group.  Contratto was founded in 1867 by Giuseppe Contratto, making … Continue reading →

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