2018 Domaine de la Bastide Cotes du Rhone Rouge
Just like a good friend who moves away and years later returns back home, the reunion is joyful as past memories begin to flow. You missed them terribly and can’t wait to generate an even greater bond between you. That is my experience with the 2018 Domaine de la...
Did You Know…………. Wine Fact #13
That at actor Tom Cruise’s 2006 wedding, 300 bottles of Barbaresco and Champagne were served. Paltry compared to the wedding of Alexander III of Scotland, where in 1251, over 135,000 liters of wine were popped for the occasion. Maybe not the same quality but I don’t think there were...
Ripe for the Pickin’
With a fresh splash of morning dew, these Cabernet Sauvignon grapes high on Spring Mountain in Napa Valley are ready to be picked and made into wine. They are part of the Pride Mountain Vineyard so you know these guys will be Grade A+ and top notch once they...
Did You Know ……………. Wine Fact #12
In the Grimm’s fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood, it states that Little Red took a bottle of wine to her grandmother. Sadly, with this reference to alcohol, over 400 copies of this book sit in a locked storage room at a public school in Empire, CA, banned in...
2018 Carol Shelton “Wild Thing” Rendezvous Rose
With Springtime knocking on the weather map, no need to wait for those warm Spring and Summer nights to enjoy a refreshing glass of rose. Especially when it’s big and racy; fun and tasty. From California’s Queen of Zinfandel, Carol Shelton has hit a home run once again with...
Silver Oak
If you are a lover of Cabernet Sauvignon, chances are you’ve heard of, drank, bought or are a collector of Silver Oak. Started in a dairy barn in 1972, owners Ray Duncan and Justin Meyer created one of the most iconic wine brands on the market. They specialize in...
2011 Masi Mazzano Amarone della Valpolicella
While planning an Italian dinner feast with friends, I mentioned that I had the perfect wine that I wanted to pair with our main entrée, a slow cooked shredded beef ragu pasta. When I stated the wine was an Amarone, a friend spoke up and said that she had...
How Much Does a Wine Barrel Weigh?
A typical French oak barrel weighs roughly 90 pounds when empty, while the more dense American oak would weigh about 110 pounds. Full of juice, they weigh approximately 600 pounds. Each holds 225 liters or 60 US gallons, enough to make 25 cases or 300 bottles of wine....
2017 Taylor Fladgate Vintage Port
Like having the opportunity to drive a Mazzerati, witnessing the London Philharmonic perform or dining at one of the world’s greatest restaurants, to experience tasting this recent masterpiece is truly in the same classification. Young, tight, elegant, racy, rich, dense, luscious and seductive are just a few of the...
Clos Pegase
Completed in 1987, this artistic gem in Napa Valley caused a major uproar from not only the wine community but also it’s residents. Designed by world famous architect Michael Graves, the modern art masterpiece was far and away anything the valley had seen before. Winery owner Jan Scram wanted...