Healthy soils maintain the natural ecosystem in a vineyard, nurturing the vines to express their true nature. Viñedos Organicos Veramonte develops self-sustaining vineyards to stimulate and regenerate the life and biodiversity of the soil by using natural compost and cover crops in between vineyard rows to improve soil structure, reduce erosion and fix nutrients. As head winemaker Sofia Araya says, “We need to … Continue reading
Usually I like to educate people about styles and grapes you can then go find on your own, since finding a specific bottle can be an issue depending on what your local wine store happens to have. But lately I had a bunch of good reds under $30, which can be hard to find. And … Continue reading
Whether you’ve given so many bottles to your grapefriend already or you just need some fun stocking stuffers, we always like to provide options for you there too! Want to be the first to get the monthly newsletter recommendations? Woo hoo, sign up here! Continue reading
Even though you know I drink it all year round (sometimes the more mundane the day, the better drink I choose), December is really the king of sparkling wine celebratory moments. Plus, you can’t beat that sound. Sure you can always give Champagne. But if you want to stand out, here are some of the … Continue reading
Went to a great taste-through of Podere Sapaio‘s beautiful Bolgheri wines. I so often have wines with Petit Verdot in them and they’re just too inky and like a punch in the face, but these really showcase how it can work incredibly when used correctly in a blend. The Volpolo line is a blend of Cab, Merlot and Petit Verdot. … Continue reading
Went to Marika Vida’s latest Somm Series wine dinner at The Hard Rock Hotel NYC which had incredible wines from Christian Moreau of Domaine Christian Moreau Père et Fils and Anna and Valentina Abbona of Marchesi di Barolo. What do they have in common? Excellent wines. Chef Oscar Gonzales created the menu specifically for each wine. The scallop with basil, lemon and cauliflower … Continue reading
There are so many ways to drink sherry, and for this Sherry Week (November 6-12) I tasted through four different styles with tinned seafood conservas — a pairing they love in Spain. Tio Pepe is a Fino style, delicate and the most neutral, aged for 4 years under the flor. I liked it with the fish in olive oil. The Fino en … Continue reading
Normally by this time of the year I’m settling into a nice groove of light reds. But this fall we’ve seen a wild swing of temperatures, with some days a crisp 50 and other days hitting 80 (even in the end of October). And it always seems to be raining too. So, I’ve been reaching … Continue reading
Hitting the road this summer? You can also just sit in your backyard and travel through your glass. Here are some wines from less-travelled US wine paths. VirginiaMountain & Vine Screaming Hawk 2021 Meritage: With the grapes (50% Petit Verdot, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 10% Malbec) you’d think would be really heavy but it’s not. Just … Continue reading
Drinking outdoors yet! Of course you are! Don your summer whites and pour one of these great glasses to match. Mira Franc Blanc: One of the great things about wine is how vast a subject it is and how many grapes and winemaking styles there are. I love Cab Franc but had never had a white … Continue reading
