California

News October 6, 2012

Bonny Doon Labeling Efforts go Unnoticed by Consumers and Wineries.

It been five years since Randall Grahm took the some would say “suicidal” step of listing every single ingredient that goes into his wine on his back labels. The lists include ingredients such as: oak chips, bentonite clay, indigenous yeasts and sulfur dioxide, to name but a few. The backlash from consumers and winemakers alike could have been severe for Grahm, since the mere mention of sulfites on a wine label has been known to…

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News October 6, 2012

Syrah the Biggest Loser, Red Blends Occupy #1 Spot.

According to a recent by the Symphony IRI Group, red wine blends have emerged as the clear winner in terms of retail growth in 2012, showing a 26% increase in year to date sales. In a fairly-distant second place was Sauv Blanc, with New Zealand leading the group (which isn’t too big of a surprise). Cab is in third with a 7% growth, but still leads overall U.S. wine sales with $507 million. “The Cabernet…

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Pairings September 28, 2012

Grilled Eggplant with Garlic-Cumin Vinaigrette, Feta & Herbs Paired with On Point “Christinna’s Cuvee” Pinot Noir, California.

I’m going to go out on a limb and say this is my first vegetarian pairing. Of course I couldn’t make the WHOLE meal vegetarian…I’m just not quite there yet…not that I want to offend any carrot munchers that might be reading this! Since the Grilled Eggplant with Garlic-Cumin Vinaigrette is a Mediterranean-esque recipe, I decided to throw some lamb into the mix.  You don’t eat enough lamb! I’ve already decided this for you. You…

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Reviews September 24, 2012

Inkblot by Michael David Winery, Cabernet Franc, Lodi, California.

Grapes Mainly Cabernet Franc, with small amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon and Petite Sirah blended in.   Facts Have you ever been head-butted in the face by a wine? No? Pour yourself a glass of the Inkblot and you will be! The name should give you a not-so-subtle clue as to what the Michael~David winery are trying to achieve with this juice! With that said, Michael~David aren’t exactly known for their subtle style of winemaking anyway….

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Reviews September 14, 2012

Fulcrum Gap’s Crown Vineyard Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast.

  Grapes 100% Pinot Noir   Facts Ok, let’s get something straight from the start! There’s Pinot and there’s Pinot. The perception of Pinot Noir by most wine drinkers has been so skewed, thanks to grocery store brands, that it’s not even funny! Sure, wines such as the Fulcrum aren’t “everyday gluggers,” but if you really want to know what Pinot Noir SHOULD taste like, you need to be willing to occasionally invest a little…

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Reviews September 7, 2012

Haraszthy Zinfandel, Amador County, California.

Grapes 93% Zinfandel, 7% Mourvedre   Facts The Haraszthy line of wines [pronounced: Hare-ass-tee] is part of the Bronco Wine Company portfolio. If Bronco doesn’t sound too familiar, maybe this one will: Fred Franzia. That’s right, Ol’ Fred Franzia, nephew of Ernest Gallo, and founder of the Charles Shaw brand, otherwise more affectionately known as “Two Buck Chuck.” Now, before you get ahead of yourself, Fred Franzia has no part in the winemaking for this…

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News August 31, 2012

Releasing Wine Before it’s Time.

This is an issue I’ve been contemplating writing about for a few years now, but it appears Dan Berger beat me to the punch! He writes: I’ve heard winemakers and wine geeks say: “A pinot noir isn’t wine until it’s five years old. Before then it’s like robbing the cradle.” Tasting many of the 2010 pinots recently, that particular phrase came to mind! Many are tasty (partially a result of the cool temperatures throughout California…

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Pairings, Recipes August 13, 2012

Rendez-vous Grenache Rose Paired with Salmon with Curried Fennel-Wine Sauce.

If you caught my recent post on pairing foods with rose wine, you’ll know that I consider roses to be one of the most food friendly, albeit one of the most overlooked, wines to match with food. I’d even go so far as to put them right up there with Riesling and bubblies, as far as their all-round pairing ability! I’ve said it countless times before, but I still feel the need to reiterate, that…

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News August 10, 2012

The Popularity of Pinot Noir is a Concern for Some Wineries.

Is Pinot Noir becoming too popular? That is the question being asked by some of vineyard owners in California and Oregon. The primary concern is that due to the increased popularity of the grape, vineyards are planting vines with a focus on high production and low cost. To illustrate this shift, Jason Lett, the owner of Eyrie Vineyards in Oregon confirmed that Pinot Noir vineyards were beginning to appear on the fertile valley floor of…

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Facts, News August 10, 2012

How Valuable is the “Story” Behind a Wine?

It goes without saying that when it comes to wine, the taste is front and center. But what about the story behind a bottle of wine? It may come as a surprise to you to say that I’ve actually dropped wines from a wine list, in favor of a similar tasting wine with a better story behind it. That will probably seem like a ridiculous notion to most people; but let me explain, I have…

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Pairings August 5, 2012

Tunisian Chicken Kebabs with Currant and Olive Relish Paired with Gary Farrell “Redwood Ranch” Sauvignon Blanc.

It’s dishes like this that make you question why you even go out to eat. Seriously.There was a decent amount of prep up-front on this recipe, but the beauty is that it can be made a day or two ahead of time, and if you have a large party, the quantities can be easily modified. Once you get the initial prep out of the way, the rest is a piece of cake!

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