Wine Regions & Grapes
Sampling of Wineries
Acorn Andrea Oberto Atlas Peak Benziger Beringer Blandy's Bodega Navarro Correas Burgans Cantina Terlano Chimney Rock Chronicle Domaine Carneros Domaine de la Mordoree Dow's Dr. Loosen Emilio Lustau Fonseca Foxen Gaston Riviere Glen Ellen Hess Collection Innocent Bystander Kendall-Jackson Korbel La Caudrina Luna Vineyards Madeira Wine Company Martin Codax Masi Merryvale Mulderbosch Navarro Vineyards Pahlmeyer Roederer Estate Ruggeri Sawyer Cellars Sbragia Six Sigma Winery St. James Steltzner Vineyards Trinchero Winery Trione V. Sattui Winery William Fevre Wilson Winery
Category Archives: Aperitif
Blandy’s 5 Year Sercial
Blandy’s, Madeira, 5 Year Old, Sercial nv The nose features dried fruits and nuts, melding a sense of citrus and raisins with honey all wrapped into a nutty dessert. The complexity is great and always leads one down a garden … Continue reading
Posted in Aperitif, Madeira, Portugal, Sercial
Tagged Blandy's; Madeira Wine Company
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St. Raphael Rouge
I was delighted to find this aperitif during our recent trip to Bordeaux. While in a little grocery store buying some essentials for the apartment, I had to check out the wine section and low and behold, St. Raphael. St. … Continue reading
Quady Vya Extra Dry Vermouth
Quady, California, Vya, Extra Dry Vermouth nv The nose combines mint, ginger and a host of spices. In the mouth it is dry and spicy with a reminiscence of quinine’s bitterness – an intense mouth refresher! The grapes are Colombard … Continue reading
Blandy’s 5 Year Old Verdelho
Blandy’s, Madeira, 5 Year Old, Verdelho nv The flavor profile puts together the best of Amontillado from Spain with a splash of sweetness. You’ll find a woody, nutty essence with warmth and dried oranges. This is a weighty aperitif that … Continue reading
Posted in Aperitif, Madeira, Portugal, Verdelho
Tagged Blandy's, Madeira Wine Company
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Gaston Riviere Pineau des Charentes Rouge
Gaston Rivière, Pineau des Charentes, Pineau François 1er, Red Pineau nv The smell of red grape juice really comes through, with a green, herbaceous essence and a whiff of chocolate. In the mouth it is sweet, thick and spiritous, like … Continue reading
Posted in Aperitif, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Charente, France
Tagged Gaston Riviere
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Lillet Red
Lillet, Red nv This aperitif reminds me of dunking a slice of orange into a slightly sweet red wine, with a little shot of added for punch. Serve it over a few ice cubes. P&B in Podensac in the Gironde, … Continue reading
Lutsau Puerto Fino
Lustau, Jerez DO, Solera Reserva, Puerto Fino, nv This Fino is nutty and spiritous with a light sense of the classic bruised apples. This Palomino-based wine is matured in El Puerto de Santa Maria, Bottling code: 7185 15.5% $15.99 at … Continue reading
Vya Sweet Vermouth
Quady, California, Vya, Sweet Vermouth nv What makes this aperitif so exciting is that it is impossible to stop adding descriptors if you start – so I won’t – just buy a bottle, chill it well and serve it over … Continue reading
Posted in Aperitif, California, Vermouth
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A different kind of Pineau
Gaston Rivière, Pineau des Charentes, Pineau François 1er, White Pineau nv This has the taste and smell of Cognac and grape juice and follows-on from its creation. The grapes are old vine Colombard, fortified with minimum one year old Cognac … Continue reading
A sense of citrus
Lillet, White nv There’s a beautiful sense of citrus peel – very aromatic with alcohol in the background. It’s sweet but not too much so. Serve it over a few ice cubes. This latest bottling in 2010 is vibrantly fresh … Continue reading
Posted in Aperitif, France
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Not really wormwood
Noilly Prat, Original French Dry Vermouth nv This is always a great example of the complexity of herbs, white wine and fortification; yet the students usually hate it. Tonight a full 25% of the group enjoyed the wine or at … Continue reading
Start with an Aperitif
Kir This classic French aperitif was orginally made with the austere Aligote and the sweet Cassis, both from Burgundy. With the least expensive Bourgogne Aligote selling for $11 in San Francisco, however, it makes no sense to be a traditionalist. … Continue reading
Posted in Aperitif, France
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Perk Yourself up with an Aperitif
Byrrh Rare Assemblage nv Like drinking sweet vermouth with more flavour intensity Elevage sous bois; a blend of wines from Roussillon, 3-17 years old, This is a different bottling from the regular and each is numbered. In early November ’08 … Continue reading
Posted in Aperitif, France
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It Has to be Vermouth
Nothing wakes up your palate and straightens me out after a day of coffee drinking like a glass of sweet vermouth. Carpano, Punt e Mes, Vermouth nv Stunning and on a par with the Quady Vya Vermouth; this is very … Continue reading
Posted in Aperitif, Italy, Vermouth
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