Nov
29
Champagne Recommendations for the Holidays
Holidays need Champagne, much for the reasons Napoleon indicated. Champagne evens the ups and downs of life, family, and friends. It allows pause in an over-programmed life. I am not
Aug
25
Is Chardonnay the Most Diverse Grape in the World?
To set this post, I have purposefully asked a complex question with a complex answer. Despite its seemingly simple base form, Chardonnay does not reveal itself with simple explanations. Chardonnay
Aug
9
Benjamin Leroux “Les Mitans” Volnay Premier Cru 2016
Most of our world and our lives are occupied with narrowness. Linear processes, limited ways of executing tasks, myopic behavioural expectations, risk-aversion to steer clear of the wrath of the
Jul
28
Some New World Wines Showing Favourably Alongside Burgundy
Wine competition is more intense now than any time in the history of the commercial wine industry. This has pushed quality in every region higher and faster – even a
Jun
16
Stella di Compalto Rosso di Montalcino 2013 and Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 2011
Truly great Sangiovese is exceptionally rare for the potential of the grape. It should produce a wine of elegance, aromatics, and mid-weight purity. It should embrace its acidity. It should
Mar
31
Didier Dagueneau Buisson Renard 2014
I’ve been reading Raj Parr and Jordan Mackay’s Sommelier’s Atlas of Taste, which is a tome deserving of its own post. One of their great conceits is the idea of
Mar
23
Calera Mills Vineyard Pinot Noir 2009
In my life, the greatest pleasure of wine lies in cooking, experimentation, and pairing. The greatest wines in the world have so much to offer, but the height of intellectual
Jan
4
Pyramid Valley Vineyards Earth Smoke Pinot Noir 2009
Pyramid Valley is one of the more remarkable estates in the new world. Located in the Waikari Valley in southern New Zealand, near Christchurch, Mike and Claudia Weersing spent 15
Dec
23
Two Top Wines for the Holidays
Holidays demand much of us. I like to see them as an opportunity to treat yourself and those who deserve it in between the rest. When those moments do arrive,
Nov
4
Mount Eden Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2013
Many hold the incorrect view that California produces similarly good wine year to year due to its interminable sun. This is incorrect. Vintage variation in California is as significant as