Have you seen this? I have been nerding it up on this site since this morning; you can find and click on all the wines you have in your cellar, and you get an estimated value of your cellar! I’m up to about 700 bucks, but don’t get any ideas about my 1996 Dal Forno [More]

I must thank Argentina for getting people to drink Malbec; I have to admit it was a grape I was scared of at first. I am also hoping that now people (including me) are not afraid of Malbec that they will go to the source: Cahors! This region of France produces incredible Malbec, almost always [More]

I haven’t really been drinking a lot of Rioja, but I just had a 2002 Ostatu Rioja Crianza Alavesa. A very earthy, smoky, old-school Rioja. It is certainly not oxidized and would make a great food wine. Another winner from DeMaison Selections. They also have a kick-ass logo that I will post. Oh, and something [More]

Sometimes I get a free bottle of wine and I look at it and think, “Is it crap and that’s why I’m getting it? Or might I be surprised?” Chalk this one up to a pleasant surprise; I thought it had some potential. 2002 Ross Estate Semillon Barossa Valley (Unwooded) This wine is showing very [More]

Had an indulgent meal that my friend Jerry and I cooked for a couple of well-deserving women: King Salmon with a fennel and apple salad with an orange dressing. Then beef tenderloin with a nettle risotto. We boiled the nettles and saved the liquid; it was like tea. I then made the risotto with about [More]

Sorry, it was late and I don’t remember the producer. But two things: 1) Great vintage.2) Great region of Burgundy for relative value. Ecard is a favorite of mine. Wait, make that three things: 3) I LOVE saying “Savigny”; I think it is such a pretty, elegant word. Sah-vih-knee! It sounds like the wines taste.

The 2003 Smith & Hook Cabernet Sauvignon is smokin’! It needs at least an hour to breathe and gives you a lot of Bordeaux-type qualities. What is really unusual about it is the region: the Santa Lucia Highlands. Mountain fruit! This is one for the cellar and it should retail for about 25 bucks. This [More]