Forget about getting through this pandemic winter, it’s an accomplishment just to get through a week. In the spirit of finding small ways to celebrate, I’ve been opening a bottle of Champagne every Friday night. We all deserve it, so try these: Pommery Brut rosé: This is all cheerful lightness, as Madame Pommery herself described … Continue reading
Many people pop pink for Valentine’s Day, and this is where I’ll do my annual appeal for drinking rosé in the winter. While many people drink the light pinks made from Pinot Noir and Provencal grapes in summer, switch it up to heavier grapes in winter time. Muri-Gries Lagrein rosato: From an old monastery in … Continue reading
It’s been a weird year. Pop something weirder. The usual mix of grapes found in Champagne is Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier, but in other parts of the world you can find sparkling wine made out of some really interesting grapes. The trick is that they all have lots of acidity, which is necessary for sparkling wines complexity and aging. … Continue reading
On the Eve, we always do the Feast of the Seven Fishes. A few of the fish choices vary, but the star is always lobster and an octopus salad with lemon, green olives, and celery. You can go a couple ways with lobster, but we’ve always done white Burgundy which has a light touch on the fruit … Continue reading
There may be fewer people at your table this year, but that doesn’t mean you need to limit your wine choices! Either way, let’s support American winemakers with whatever type of wine you choose. Bubbly: Domaine Carneros winemaker Eileen Crane is leaving after 33 years. I recently tasted through a few of her wines, including … Continue reading
It’ll be a month. You need quick, affordable wine. We also need to remember to celebrate. Grapefriend’s got it all. values Ritual Sauvignon Blanc 2018: Chile is a fantastic source of value wines – packed with flavor and so affordable. Love the piquant lemon on this organic Ritual (and btw, this pasta with sausage and broccoli rabe recipe was … Continue reading
You need a hardcore backbone to get through this morass. I mean, who knows if we’ll even have results this month. If we don’t have structure in our political system, let’s find it in our wines. Pine Ridge Cab Stags Leap 2014: Could use even a few more years, but a great coffee-cocoa-blackberry Stags Leap Cab. $140 … Continue reading
With Columbus Day this month and Thanksgiving next month, we can think about celebrating our fall American holidays with a legend of American wine. Gary Farrell started making wine in the Russian River Valley in the 80s. It’s an area where the fog and breezes help both Chardonnay and Pinot Noir excel. Theresa Heredia has … Continue reading
merlot month October is Merlot month, which is great because it’s such a good firepit wine as the weather turns colder. Very lush with warming plum, blueberry and baking spices. Merlot is the most widely planted variety in Bordeaux where it’s one of the five grapes in their blends, but it’s also the second-most planted wine grape … Continue reading
Well, this Wine From Home situation is looking pretty longterm so we’re going to keep this handy series going! Values Gradis’Ciutta Ribolla Gialla 2018: lots of white peach and lime zest in the oldest-known grape in Collio, Italy ($16.97) Villa Matilde Falanghina 2019 ($19.99) Rocca dei Leoni Pinot Noir isn’t easy to grow, so it’s not easy to … Continue reading
