Wine of the Day: 2018 Acquiesce Bourboulenc

Acquiesce is  first winery in the U.S. to release  a varietal bottling of Bourboulenc.  It’s an enticing, dry, and zesty winner!   Bourboulenc (click here for pronunciation) is an ancient grape, first mentioned in literature in the early 16th century.  It has always been identified with the wine regions of Southern France including Languedoc, Provence and the Rhone Valley.   It…

Wine of the Day: 2018 Birichino Cinsault Pétulant Naturel Bechthold Vineyard

This is a seriously fun Pét-nat that was a joy to drink! For the uninitiated, Pét-nat, or Méthode Ancestrale, is a method of sparkling wine production used all over the world. Unlike traditional-method sparkling wines, like Champagne, which add sugar and yeast to dry, still wine in order trigger a second fermentation and produce bubbles, pét-nat…

Wine Of The Day: McIntyre Vineyards Pinot Noir L’Homme Qui Ris

This is an alluring and harmonious sparking wine makes for a great aperitif, but it’s also a wonderful partner throughout your meal! Disclosure: The wine was provided to me as a media sample.  I received no compensation for this post, and all opinions presented are my own. This cuvee was produced from 100% Pinot Noir  from McIntyre’s sustainably grown estate…

Wine of the Day: 2013 Pasqua Amarone della Valpolicella

This outstanding wine was a fantastic introduction to Amarone for me! The grapes for this wine were hand-picked and sorted in late September, then left to wither in wood boxes (the appassimento process, meaning “withering” or “fading”) stored in a well-aerated loft for about three months, during which the fruit loses 25-30% in weight, resulting…

A Taste of Farmhouse Wines

These are two delightful, high QPR, food friendly, everyday wines I’d recommend for both wine novices and enthusiasts. Finding a $40 bottle of wine that delights my palate is easy.  Finding an under $15 that delights my palate is much more of a challenge. Let me digress a bit. When I first started my wine…

Wine of the Day: 2000 Henriot Champagne Cuvée des Enchanteleurs Brut

If you haven’t had an exceptional mature champagne like this, you’re missing a treat! The Cuvée des Enchanteleurs” was Champagne Henriot’s  Tête de cuvée, which in Champagne, refers to the top of the range of a specific house or grower’s wines.   I say “was” because 2000 was the last vintage for this prestige cuvée.  It has…

Wine of the Day: 2016 Lua Cheia em Vinhas Velhas Secretum

This unique wine crafted from the indigenous Portuguese Arinto grape variety, is a distinctive wine that has me craving it with Lobster Ravioli! My tasting notes follow: Color – Very pale straw yellow Aromas – Very appealing Meyer lemon, ripe peach, sandalwood, and a hint of petrichor aromas Body – Full-bodied, complex and harmonious with vibrant…

Wine of the Day: 2014 Smith Madrone Chardonnay

Year in and year out, this distinguished wine is one of my favorite California Chardonnays! This wine is 100% Chardonnay crafted from 42-year-old dry-farmed vines on Spring Mountain.  It was 100% barrel fermented and raised for 9 months in 100% new French oak Color – Pale straw yellow Aromas – Apple, pear, lemon curd, almond, and toasty…

Wine of the Day: 2014 Bedrock Wine Co. Heritage Wine Evangelho Vineyard

…this wine is a great exemplar of an ancient-vine field blend wine! A field blend of Zinfandel, Carignan, Mourvèdre, Palomino, Alicante Bouschet and Mission from the Evangelho vineyard planted in the 1890s that features own rooted, head-trained, vines planted in Delhi sands and dry farmed. The vineyard is a viticultural survivor, it you can believe…