Blog Archives
Maybe I Should Be Less Judge-y About Alcohol Levels in Wine
A while ago I was having a phone conversation with a winemaker. I remarked on a Chardonnay (made by said winemaker) I enjoyed with a listed ABV of 14.5%*. The dialog about wine alcohol levels went something like this: Me: “I really dug that Chard, was surprised it was so good with the alcohol that [More]
Chilean Wine Podcast
My recent conversation with Rodrigo Soto got me thinking about Chile. So it was quite serendipitous that not long after I wrote about it, I got to speak with Michael (“Schach”) Schachner. He reviews the wines of Chile for The Thuse and we had a lively discussion about the state of the country’s wine industry and what’s [More]
Thoughts on Chile Inspired by Winemaker Rodrigo Soto
I met Rodrigo Soto back in 2012 when I was visiting the Veramonte winery in Chile. (Sidebar: they have a really cool antique corkscrew collection there.) He’s been at the forefront of converting vineyards to organic farming for the Ritual, Neyen, Primus, and Veramonte labels. Recently I had a chance to reconnect with him for [More]
Exploring Chile: Wine, Food, and Horseback Riding
Heading to Chile on a press trip sponsored by Wines of Chile. This photo is from 2009, when I was in Chile with my Mom. Apparently I will be riding a horse at some point, which is an activity I have not taken part in for 30+ years. If anyone has some advice, tips, or [More]
Pairing Chilean Chardonnay with Salmon
I covered the Sauvignon Blancs from the Wines of Chile tasting last week, but I thought it was time to give Chardonnay its due. I enjoyed pairing Chilean Chardonnay with salmon; the richness of the fish went well with the oakiness of the three Chardonnays. While the Santa Rita and the Concha y Toro had [More]
Valdivieso Eclat: Good Things Come To Those Who Wait
I took part in another fantastic Wines of Chile online blogger tasting last month and the only problem I had was a corked bottle. Noooooo! (Very tempted here to go on a rant about alternative closures but I will resist.) Luckily the fine people at The Thomas Collective shipped me a replacement and I finally [More]
A Few Thoughts on the Wines of Chile Blogger Tasting
It was great to acknowledge, celebrate, and toast the rescued Chilean miners. It was serendipitous that our tasting of Chilean wines took place as the last miners were safely above ground. Our Master of Ceremonies, Sommelier Fred Dexheimer, rightly pointed out the diversity and uniqueness of all the red blends we tried. Chile not only [More]
Chilean Red Blends: Upcoming Blogger Tasting
Here are the wines for the October 13th event. I’ll be one of dozens of wine bloggers focusing on this great lineup of Chilean Red Blends. The last one, which was all Chilean Sauv Blancs, was a blast; I think everyone participating turned it into a party with food and friends present. I’m working on [More]
