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March 2008
A Crash Course In Napa Valley Cabernet
Posted: 02:45 PM ET, March 31, 2008
Last night I attended what amounted to a crash course in Napa Valley Cabernet. Four wineries and the same four vintages from each were poured at dinner at La Toque, Ken Frank’s sensational restaurant in Rutherford, Calif. The seven-course dinner was part of an auction lot from the Central Coast Wine Classic and hosted by its director, Archie McLaren. Read more
An Evening with Robert Mondavi
Posted: 05:14 PM ET, March 27, 2008
Fighters don’t go down easy here on Wappo Hill. So far this year, Robert Mondavi has won bouts with pneumonia and the shingles. The former a deathly threat to someone who’s 94 years old, and the latter is a similarly painful and threatening disease. Read more
A Region's Wine Stars Define Its Quality
Posted: 01:03 PM ET, March 26, 2008
Being a pioneer sounds exciting and adventuresome. Put your name in a sentence that describes you as a pioneer and you’ll probably feel pretty good about yourself. Fearless. Visionary. Leader. Creator.
But being a pioneer also means that you’ve probably stubbed your toe or bumped your head along the way. Read more
How We'll Taste Santa Barbara's Futures
Posted: 02:22 PM ET, March 24, 2008
We at Wine Spectator are constantly trying to find better ways to offer better and more timely buying advice. This includes everything from writing blogs about exciting new wines, increasing the Insider newsletter's frequency to weekly, and searching through mass-market, supermarket brands hoping to find a gem or two or 10. Read more
Looking Ahead To Santa Barbara Wine Futures
Posted: 05:08 PM ET, March 20, 2008
Next week I'll blind-taste wines from Santa Barbara County that will be sold as futures via Wine Cask, the Santa Barbara retailer. This is an annual affair that’s well-organized, with scores of wines for sale, including some exotic and rare cuvées. Read more
California's Future Still Looks European
Posted: 02:28 PM ET, March 19, 2008
Piero Antinori stopped by my office in Napa on Monday for a brief visit. He’s been in Napa Valley more of late. He’s been here to keep a closer eye on his Atlas Peak winery, Antica Napa Valley, which produces Cabernet, Chardonnay, Merlot and Syrah, along with some Sangiovese, which was once the dream wine that’s been scaled back. Read more
Flashy 2006 Zinfandels from Carlisle
Posted: 04:23 PM ET, March 18, 2008
It’s always exciting when a great winemaker outdoes himself, which is exactly what Mike Officer has done with his 2006 Carlisle Zinfandels.
These wines, which Tim Fish and I tasted in one of our regular weekly blind tastings, are sensational, earning a sprint don’t run endorsement. Read more
A Word of Caution when Tasting with Winemakers
Posted: 03:06 PM ET, March 17, 2008
Blog commenter Chris Buddress asked if I share my thoughts, notes and scores with the winemaker in a situation similar to my visit last week with Jayson Woodbridge of Hundred Acre, and if so, how did he respond? (He also asked about my yet-to-be-released hot list that he should keep his eyes open for. Read more
Buying Birth-Year Wines Is Just One Option
Posted: 03:48 PM ET, March 14, 2008
Buying birth-year wines for your children is not something I recommend. Sure, it’s a thoughtful, loving gesture that your son or daughter may well appreciate when that special occasion comes along years from now, when he or she graduates from college or marries. Read more
End of the Salmon Run for 2008?
Posted: 05:44 PM ET, March 13, 2008
Few salmon, and now no salmon season?
Today’s item is a little off-topic, but not completely. This isn’t an angler’s blog, but salmon from the Pacific Ocean is a big part of Northern California cuisine and from the looks of it, this year is going to be at least a dud if not a disaster. Read more
Mixed 2006 Pinot Vintage Leads to Cuts and Blends
Posted: 04:52 PM ET, March 12, 2008
The 2006 California Pinot Noir vintage ended up being more mixed and challenging than vintners thought it would be earlier on. When they were in the midst of harvest and fermentations, there were lots of accolades that have since been tempered by the reality that 2006 isn’t as good as ’05 or ’04 or ’03. Read more
Breakfast of Champions Tasting Club
Posted: 01:21 PM ET, March 11, 2008
Yesterday I had one of those Monday morning, breakfast of champions wine tastings with Jayson Woodbridge of Hundred Acre.
He wanted to show me his wines and properties in Napa Valley and I suggested that for the tasting we sample a mix of his wines and others in a blind format. Read more
Music and Tattoos that Go with WIne
Posted: 10:13 AM ET, March 07, 2008
One of my bleaders (aka blog readers) asked if there are editorial restrictions, as in limits or boundaries, about what I (or my colleagues) could write in this space.
I suppose most blogs on this site should have a wine hook. I’ve written about stained red teeth and how to whiten them. Read more
Annie and Andy's New Wine Act
Posted: 04:11 PM ET, March 05, 2008
Husband-and-wife team Andy Erickson and Annie Favia bring some impressive credentials to their own wine company and are certainly worth following.
Erickson, 40, is a U.C. Davis enology grad who has worked for Harlan and Staglin and currently makes wine for Screaming Eagle, Arietta, Dalla Valle and Jonata and consults for Dancing Hares (a new 5-acre vineyard at the foot of Howell Mountain and wine label focusing on a Cabernet-Merlot-Cab Franc blend, due soon) and Ovid, a startup with its debut 2005 vintage due this fall. Read more
A Taxing Day at Home and at the Office
Posted: 12:27 PM ET, March 04, 2008
I’m seldom grumpy, but today I am. One reason is today is tax day, as in my appointment with my accountant. I don’t mind paying taxes, since it’s the price we pay for living in this great country. But I hate all the paperwork and receipts, and I have serious misgivings about how our tax dollars are spent. Read more
Wine Is All About Quality and Price
Posted: 04:14 PM ET, March 03, 2008
I visited with a friend the other day. She’s keenly into wine, with the taste, income, curiosity, brains and lifestyle to enjoy the finest wines from all over the world. She attends all kinds of wine events, from Wine Spectator’s Grand Tour to the ZAP tasting, and is a member of several wine clubs. Read more
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