What a lovely day to go up to Whidbey Island and taste some wines. It may see a strange place to be growing grapes, but they are having success with some off-beat grapes. Like the Island White, which is a blend of Madeleine Sylvaner and Madeleine Angevine. Sure, they are right up there with Chardonnay [More]
I’m Giddy
I have this bottle in my wine storage that I keep forgetting I have. Like a nerd, I looked up the review by Parker and it’s really geeking me. I’ll have to drink this soon. 1996 Dal Forno Romano Valpolicella Superiore The 1996 Valpolicella is amazing. Readers will have to redefine their definition of Valpolicella [More]
Caveman Smart, Think With Brain
“As we are all reviewers and our opinions carry a certain weight with those who follow our blogs, we should be open to the prejudices that are behind our opinions. These are not always evident, but they can be fair if we are honest with our readership. Sometimes it just requires a little introspection, and [More]
Naked Woman Riding a Bike
And the wine is well-made, balanced, and at a great price. Can you resist? Wait, she’s not riding the bicycle…she’s flying it. Looks like it’s getting away from her.
Michel Rolland in Washington! Finally!
I had been joking about this for a while: Why isn’t Michel Roland making a wine here in Washington? He can just hop on a plan after leaving Staglin! Well, he has been here and has consulted on a Washington wine! The Long Shadows project is behind this and it’s going to be about a [More]
Let it Breathe
But my point is that I have opened numerous bottles of wine that are strange, unappealing, boring, and/or overblown. Most of the time, my initial observation is proved correct. You can’t make chicken salad out of chicken shit, ok? Having said that, and bearing in mind some of my criticism of Washington wines, I would [More]
2004 CDP
The 2003 Chateauneuf-du-Pape(s) I have tasted are all super pruney and not my cup of tea. I profess gross ignorance to most CDPs; I haven’t really drank a great one or a really good one actually. The 2004s, however, are a great example of a more typical, classic vintage. I am enjoying a ridiculously low-priced [More]
Googling Manzone
Um, didn’t get the results I was expecting. See, I just drank a mind-blowing 1997 Manzone Barolo La Gramolere. Wow! All the hype about the 1997 vintage in Piedmont (and Tuscany) is true; every Italian wine I have had from this vintage has been exceptional. This Barolo had power to spare and exploded in my [More]
