Serge Hochar of Lebanon’s Chateau Musar died while on vacation in Mexico. To call the story of his family’s winery, as well as his wines, astonishing would be an understatement. I got the chance to meet Hochar over two years ago and it was one of the most memorable encounters I’ve had in my years [More]
Italian Sparkling Wine: The Rich Tradition of Franciacorta
Prosecco dominates the conversation when it comes to Italian sparkling wine. But if you’re looking for more complexity, check out Franciacorta. Located in Lombardy, its northernly location puts it in the vicinity of Veneto (home of the aforementioned Prosecco), and Trento, where you’ll find landmark producer Ferrari. (Listen to my podcast with Ferrari’s US Ambassador, Jamie [More]
J Vineyards and Winery: Sparkling Wine is Always in Season
The letter I received from California’s J Vineyards and Winery, along with a couple sample bottles of bubbles, mentioned that it’s sparkling wine season. And before I could object to this compartmentalization of my favorite category of wines to an October/November/December troika, this missive finished with a flourish: “We’re certain that once you taste these [More]
Enough With The Hating On The Champagne Flute!
Lovers of the Champagne flute have suffered enough. I, for one, have reached my tippling point. Witness “The Tragic Flute: Why You’re Drinking Champagne All Wrong“. While I truly appreciate the first part of this post’s punny title (Mozart y’all), it’s the latter portion of the headline that gives me pause. The “Why You’re [Doing Something] All Wrong” [More]
Honey It’s Time For Wine: Bee D’Vine Mead
Why should grapes get to have all the fun? Let’s talk about mead: wine from honey. I received a couple sample bottles mead from Bee D’Vine: Brut and Demi Sec. I thought the former was going to be sparkling (which really intrigued me) but the Brut designation here just means dry. What surprised me about [More]
A Guide To Wines For Parties of Any Occasion
Whether it’s a holiday party or gathering at any other time of the year, one thing holds true for me: I’m bringing wine. So what wines do I like to bring to a (potentially) festive occasion? Well I’m glad you asked. I had the rare and distinct pleasure to dispense my thoughts on this topic via [More]
Spring Mountain Cabernet from Smith-Madrone: The Perfect Gift
There is something special about Spring Mountain. Leaving behind Napa Valley’s floor, you carefully wind your way up to higher altitudes where a new world unfolds. And it’s not just scenery that is transformed; the distinctiveness of the wines bear out that change as well. I was recently sent a trio of samples from [More]
