Pinot Noir

Rhone Gang – Hold Up 2007

  Grapes 30% Grenache 70% Pinot Noir – kind of a crazy blend, but you could have guessed that something about this wine isn’t right by the label…   Facts In case you were wondering, the wine doesn’t come with its own stick-on moustache, but what a genius marketing idea! I should patent that! The Hold Up is a new project by the self-proclaimed Rhone Gang: Louis Barroul from Chateau St. Cosme, Paul Chaudiere from…

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Trinitas Carneros Pinot Noir 2009 Paired with Cedar Plank Sockeye Salmon

Oh, this was a good one! Last week I picked up a small bundle of cedar planks from the Riverside Arts Market here in Jacksonville; kind of an impulse purchase really since I’ve never actually cooked anything using cedar planks.The recipe I selected to test out my newly acquired planks was admittedly the first one I found after throwing “Cedar Plank Salmon” into Google. Luckily it panned out! The recipe itself is very simple; just…

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Gary Vaynerchuk’s Daily Grape Feature – Parxet Titiana Brut Rose Pinot Noir Cava

Wine: 2008 Parxet Titiana Brut Rose Pinot Noir Cava Grape: 100% Pinot Noir Score: 90 Points Price: $15 MSRP Gary’s explanation why: With the summer weather you’re going to want to drink something fresh and lively. Cavas are produced in the same method as Champagne at a fraction of the price. Many can be hit or miss, but this one both has a friendly price tag and impressive structure for its price point. Lounging by…

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South African Wine Regions of Note

I don’t know about you, but I always seem to have a tendency to forget about South Africa. Not that the wines are bad, but they certainly have their high and low points…<cough>…Pinotage…<cough>…   I’m not just going to pick on Pinotage (a crossing between Pinot Noir and Cinsault), but I think it’s fairly obvious that South Africa had the big plan that it was going to become the grape that was finally going to…

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Dinner at the Mariposa in Deer Valley – Utah, with Couloir Monument Tree Pinot Noir

Don’t ever let it be said that the Mariposa is an easy restaurant to find! We were somewhere in the region of 45 minutes late for our reservation, after both Google Maps and Sprint Navigation threw in the towel so far as plotting a course for us. Of course it was made all the more difficult by the fact that it was pitch black, with very little street lighting. Once we found the restaurant ,…

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Talisker On Main, Park City, with Straight Line California Tempranillo 2009

  There is fine dining and there is fine dining, but Talisker on Main is probably one of my most exceptional dining experiences. Truly, no exaggeration. With a statement like that you would expect that once the check came at the end of the meal, you would have to sell a kidney in order to fully satisfy your bill. Let me just get a little ahead of myself and say that I have seen much…

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Couloir Roma’s Vineyard Anderson Valley Pinot Noir 2009

    Grape 100% Pinot Noir   Facts Couloir was founded by winemaker Jon Grant, who also finds time to hold down assistant winemaking obligations at Turley Wine Cellars. Grant learned the art of winemaking at Corison Winery and Plumpjack Winery. Couloir is a relatively brand new operation, with 2007 being the inaugural vintage. The name, Couloir, means a steep mountainside gorge and reflects Grant’s love for ski mountaineering. What a strange coincidence that I…

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Introducing Couloir Wines!

Couloir Wines aim to express the true varietal character of grapes planted in different appellations, on different soils, and in different climates. The winemaking procedures are deliberately minimal; recognizing that the right grape in the right vineyard can produce wines of great character and expression. Winemaker Jon Grant’s love of wine came from managing a wine store in Snowbird, Utah. He then went on to run the wine program for the six dining rooms at…

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Champagne Terms – You Need to be Drunk to Understand Them…

It’s no secret that all the different terms used to describe the production, style and quality is mind-numbing! Here’s my guide to just about every term imaginable that you will ever find on a Champagne label.   Champagne / Sparkling Wine Dryness Levels Brut Nature – You don’t see this used too much, but it means totally dry, no dosage (sweetening) added (less than 3 grams of sugar per liter) Extra Brut (also less than…

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