I was looking for something with a bit of richness on the palate to balance with the smoke and spice of my seafood paella. This Malbec-based red blend certainly did the trick. 
Mendoza, Argentina is known to create Malbec with freshness and vivacity. Here, the Syrah lended a bit of body, a touch of heat, and the Cabernet just the right amount of herbaceousness. Read on…
Ok, this is a bit silly, but I thought I’d share it anyway. With the massive amount of Zoom-ing going on—whether you’re wine tasting or just chatting with Mom—maybe you need a fun way to spice it up a bit. I’ve seen folks using generic, Zoom-supplied background images; a few people are savvy enough (and good enough photographers) to supply their own. Now, if you want to pretend you’re in Wine Country (or have other people “think” you are [right]) the Wine Institute is supplying images that “depict stunning vineyard and winery scenes across the Golden State.” It’s pretty cool, you got your classic Napa and Sonoma scenes, but also a few from Lake County, Paso Robles, and even El Dorado County.
Below is the formal press release, including all the links and instructions you’ll need. Just a bit of fun I thought I’d share—I know I’ll be downloading a few myself. Cheers.
This is the last in my line-up of single-vineyard Pinot Noir tastings from Panther Creek. (Although I do have a bonus post coming up…). They were all beautiful in their own right, offering a surprising amount of diversity in each bottle. From the infant-youthful Maverick, to the regal De Ponte, and the easy drinking Lazy River.
So how did this Carter Vineyard stack up? I loved this wine—it filled me up body and soul. Well balanced in flavor and texture, and the perfect pairing to our salmon salad. I know I shouldn’t pick favorites, but I think this Pinot Noir (in the line of Panther Creek single-vineyards) comes second only the the Kalita Vineyard. Read on…
Good Saturday morning! Here’s your list of the latest wine-related news and blog posts I’ve been reading this past week. As always, I hope this proves interesting, if not useful. Let me know your thoughts…
I decided to play a fun game with myself. Having received the newest Chardonnay releases from Talley Vineyards, each of which highlights a separate vineyard in California’s Central Coast, I wanted to see if I could taste the difference between each. The short answer to that question: yes, yes I can.
This post is entitled ChardonNay or ChardonYay because, in case you haven’t picked up from previous posts, I personally have a hard time with the variety. Chardonnay is like putty in a winemaker’s hands—it will mold or melt, form or fragment depending on how much he or she wants to “do” with it. It easily picks up on oak barrel spices; delivers the toast and bread-y notes from lees aging; and if ever there was a variety that can speak to the aromas and flavors from malolactic conversion, it is Chardonnay. Indeed, the grape can be easily manipulated and, oft times (especially in the new world), over-worked.
So, I was not only curious if I could taste the difference between the various vineyards, I was curious if I’d have a preference between them. The short answer to that question: yes, yes I did.
