As crazy as it sounds, I really like to look at wine; in shops, cellar tanks, barrels, wine cellar racks, and especially proper glassware. When you think about connecting visually with wine after juice leaves grape, vessels are non negotiable. Unless, of course, spilling all over your rug or tablecloth produces perverse visual jollies. Wine […]
Tempranillo Shows Range and Value in Rioja
Last month the Vibrant Rioja US tour rolled east from San Francisco to New York. Its campaign organizers staged grand tastings in both cities coupled with two smaller, invitation-only tasting seminars designed to showcase the widest possible range of Tempranillo treatment and expression. It was fun showing up in my Big Apple home town, birthplace […]
Top Three Wines of November
The “Top Three Wines” of November includes one remarkable New World Mourvedre from California’s Central Coast sandwiched in between two Old World Bordeaux and Rioja showcase wines. I was unfamiliar with the claret from Saint-Estephe and the Rhone Ranger from Paso Robles until tasting them last month; both excellent new discoveries. Unfortunately, the oddball auction […]
Lopez de Heredia Wines Showcase Unique Style and Age Worthy Rioja Tradition
I lean towards naturally made wines subjected to minimal human intervention that can transport me to the vineyards, hills, and cellars of their birthplace. So it was no surprise that tasting through seven recent releases from the venerable Rioja producer, Lopez de Heredia, made for a compelling, head-turning, and fully recommended indulgence. These are profound wines which […]
2005 Sierra Cantabria Crianza
The 2005 Sierra Cantabria Crianza rises to the top of my charts in the continuous search for world class wines in the sub $20 range. I stumbled across this Rioja last night on a restaurant list for $38 a bottle. A quick check shows it can be bought for mid teens at retail. It is a 100% Tempranillo that […]