Moccagatta, Barbaresco, Bric Balin 2004 There's a classic sense of licorice in the nose burnished by the sweetness of oak. The structure is a whopper like you would expect yet the extract is there, keeping up with the structure - the wine is big...
Cantina Produttori Valle Isarco, Alto Adige, Valle Isarco, Pinot Grigio DOC 2007 Stone fruits and flowers fill the glass with a sense of candy and spice - there's something a bit reminiscent of Alsace. In the mouth there is the hallmark acidity but...
Penet-Chardonnet, Champagne, Grand Cru, Grande Reserve, Extra Brut nv There is a light golden color in the glass and the biscuit notes are quite developed in the nose - very complex. Besides the biscuits there are browned apples, cherries and...
Dr. Konstantin Frank, Finger Lakes, Rkatsiteli 2006 We opened this wine last night and were delighted by its similarity to Riesling. The acidity is quite intense and the wine has the stuffing to fill out the experience in the mouth. There is 7.5...
Fess Parker, Santa Barbara County, The Big Easy, Syrah 2005 The nose features stewed black fruits, prunes and a heavy wack of oak. In the mouth, the wine is soft, oaky, lowish in acidity and warm. There's a sense of eating a chocolate caramel bar...
I've been teaching with a focus on the business side of wine since returning from the sensory seminar with VESTA in Missouri - thus the silence on the wine review front. The Marketing class at the SRJC and the Wine Entrepreneurship class at Sonoma...
Carter, Napa Valley, Oakville, Beckstoffer Vineyards, Cabernet Sauvignon 20009 Almost 9 years on this wine is hitting its stride. The nose shows the bottle bouquet development of exotic spices like sandelwood. There's a healthy mix of dried fruits...
Dancing Bull, California, Winemaker's Reserve, Zinfandel 2006 There are smells of baked berries and vanilla in a pie, a sweet essence that is mingled with a fresh grinding of black pepper. In the mouth, this is a light-bodied and soft Zin, with a...
Returning late after teaching my Wine Marketing class tonight I opened an innocuous Pinot Grigio while reading the mail. Linda made an extraordinary meatloaf the other night so I decided to open a red to drink with that after a quick reheat in the...
We recently visited with Carol and Mitch at their winery in Santa Rosa. Carol makes Zin from grapes sourced throughout the state of California. One of the gems that we tasted was sourced from San Bernardino County while two others hailed from...