Tag: wine review

MacRostie Winery & Vineyards Sonoma Coast Chardonnay 2014

I first heard of MacRostie Winery & Vineyard while editing winery reviews at work. It’s not a small name winery, in fact, the MacRostie’s have roots in Sonoma County dating back to the early 70s before Sonoma was the wine country we know now. Suffice it to say, they’re well-established both in name and product. But I think theirs is a name and product a lot of grocery-store wine consumers haven’t heard of.

Their wines float to the top shelf, they’re not in mid-line eye-level. And I think there’s a mis-conception about “top shelf” wines. Just because a wine is literally located on the top shelf doesn’t mean it’s obscure, fancy, or pricey. I’ve only recently trained my eyes to gaze upwards in the wine aisle. And, when I did, I found MacRostie Winery Sonoma Coast Chardonnay.

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St. Francis Winery & Vineyards Sonoma County “Old Vines” Zinfandel 2013

I’ve been having fun experimenting with Zinfandels lately. I found that the key to this experiment is to chose from reputable wineries who reside in the heart of Zinfandel heaven (Sonoma). This may mean gazing your eyes upward in the wine aisle, and it may mean stretching that price limit a few dollars higher. But I say to you, as an average wine consumer who’s in the throws of discovering what “good wine” really means, it’s worth it. And St. Francis Zinfandel? It’s totally worth it.

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Wine & Spirit Magazine Top 100 Tasting 2016

Wine & Spirits Editors Tara Q. Thomas and Luke Sykora talk about the 2016 Top 100

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After the Wine & Spirit Magazine Top 100 Tasting, I spoke with Tara and Luke to discuss this year’s list, the selection process, and got a sneak peek at the 30th Annual Wine Buying Guide

And get my Top Four Wineries & Wines to Try

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Kenwood Vineyards Sonoma County Sauvignon Blanc 2014

Sauvignon Blanc has never been my go-to wine, but I’ve recently found a new appreciation for the varietal. I mean, I guess it’s true with any wine — there will by bad ones and there will be good ones and it all depends on the land, the hands, and the man (or woman). What I mean is, regardless of grape, the end result will be a product of its environment as well as the winemaker’s hand in the winemaking process. I had a chance to sip and savor this Sauvignon Blanc alongside Kenwood Vineyards winemaker himself, Pat Henderson, and learn first hand what went in to crafting this SB.

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