Tag: wine tasting


Sep
2017

Ammunition Wine 2016 Un-Oaked Chardonnay

categories: Booze, Wine

The story of Ammunition Wine is the story of two friends who wanted to fight the battle against pretentious wine. Good wine, quality wine, doesn’t have to come with a high price tag, and affordable wine doesn’t have to come from a mass producer. These are the goals Andy Wahl and Bill Kerr set out for themselves when they created Ammunition. “The taste of freedom” is what it says on the back of every Ammunition bottle. So breathe a sigh of relief, your heroes have arrived, and they’ve come with their guns loaded…with wine.

What’s your Ammunition? Mine: kicking back with a good game of MarioKart

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Sep
2017

Ammunition Wine 2016 Sauvignon Blanc

categories: Booze, Wine

Speaking with Bill, Andy, and David — the trio behind Ammunition Wine — one thing became immediately clear to me: Their main goal is to produce focused, refined, small-batch wines — for the average punter. “Wine doesn’t have to be a luxury item,” says David Dees, Director of Sales for Ammunition Wine. Beyond an affordable price point, what Dees means, and what Whal (head winemaker) produces, are approachable wines of notable quality that any wine lover — whether novice or expert — will enjoy. Not just for special occasions, not only in front of your wine-snobby friends, but on any day of the week during any time of day — as long as the mood suits you.

What’s your ammunition? Mine: cooking in the kitchen

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Sep
2017

Adobe Road 2016 Sparkling Rosé Wine

categories: Booze, Wine

So I asked Adobe Roads winemaker Garrett Martin what method he uses to create sparkling wine and his answer was just too good not to share verbatim:

“This is a good story!  My production space is right next to Lagunitas brewery.  The folks over there are fantastic and good friends.  When I got the creative inspiration to make a sparkling rosé I walked next door and chatted with them about the process – I mean, they make beverages sparkle every day!  With some of their advice, I began running small scale experiments adding CO2 to kegs of rosé and eventually bottling in swing-top bottles.  We had enough positive feedback that we took it from that ‘proof of concept’ phase to full production.  I bottled the full-package bottling with another friend who has a sparkling wine bottling line.  The short answer is that I use the Charmat method, but I like the full story more!”

Next I have to ask him about the time he put the sparkling rosé into a keg-tapping system designed for beer’s low-level carbonation. “Boom! Rosé mess everywhere…” 

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Sep
2017

Adobe Road 2013 Bavarian Lion Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon

categories: Booze, Wine

Besides the fact that it has a cool name, Bavarian Lion Vineyard in the Knight’s Valley AVA (also a pretty awesome name) of Sonoma County is one of the most ideal spots for growing the heat-loving Cabernet Sauvignon grape. Here, in the crevice of the Vacas Mountain, the vineyard is unaffected by maritime influences from the Pacific Ocean. The warm climate combined with the less-fertile volcanic soils that make up the terroir means that the vines produce smaller berries rich with concentrated flavors — not unlike those found in France’s Bordeaux region, where Cab was first crowned king.

Learn more about Cabernet Sauvignon

Adobe Road crafts a wine that expresses the true nature of these grapes — austere in its youth, but with a deep-rooted maturity that means wine lovers can enjoy this Cabernet Sauvignon today and for many years to come.

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Sep
2017

Adobe Road 2014 Kemp Vineyard Zinfandel

categories: Booze, Wine

“There isn’t always a need for speed in my life,” says Kevin Buckler, professional race car driver and owner and founder of Adobe Road Wines. Often when we hear about professional athletes starting a winery business, we assume that their involvement is fairly hands-off, providing the financial backing and maybe some creative influences. Not so with Buckler, who since opening Adobe Road in 2002 has insisted on having “uncompromising access and control” to every wine produced. As such, he, along with his team, stomp the vineyard grounds, taste test every barrel, and collectively decide when perfection has been met. Yes, a slow, steady, meticulous process that slows the racer down. The result is that Adobe Roads crafts quite hearty, structural wines that act as a steady journey, lasting the length of a meal and well into the night beyond. 

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