Each week, I spotlight a wine that leaves a lasting impression—whether for its unique personality, compelling story, or the pure pleasure it brings to the glass. This week, that honor goes to the 2023 Tablas Creek Dianthus, a serious and gastronomic rosé that effortlessly commands attention and leaves a lasting impression. Tablas Creek Vineyards Tablas Creek Vineyard…
Tag: Grenache
Arizona Rising: A Taste of Aridus Wine Company
My wife and I visited Arizona a couple of years ago for her birthday. We visited the Grand Canyon (it was her first time!), went hiking in Sedona, and of course did some wine tasting. I came away from the wine tasting experience so impressed with the quality of wines in Arizona, that it was my…
Wine of the Day: 2014 Lumen Wines Grenache
…definitely one of the best Grenache in recent memory for me! This wine is 100% Grenache sourced from Martian Vineyard (54%) and Camp 4 Vineyard(46%) in Northern Santa Barbara County. It was fermented in open top vats and aged in small oak barrels Color – Translucent ruby Aromas – Enticing rose petals, cranberry, strawberry pie, wet clay and a…
2010 Cave de Rasteau “Signature” Vin Doux Naturel and Brutti Ma Buoni #Winophiles
As our last installment of 2017, the French Winophiles (#Winophiles) will feature dessert wines from France. It seems a fitting end to a year in which we covered a wide scope of topics that took us around the country through food, travel and history as much as tasting wine. Just as a dessert wine beautifies…
Wine of the Day; 2011 Tablas Creek En Gobelet
This is a delicious, complex and distinguished wine I won’t soon forget. I wish I had more! The Tablas Creek Vineyard En Gobelet 2011 is a unique blend (29% Mourvedre, 27% Grenache, 26% Tannat and 18% Syrah) of four estate-grown varietals, selected from head-pruned, dry-farmed sections of their 120-acre certified organic estate vineyard. The grapes were largely harvested together…
2014 Domaine L’Ostal Cazes “Grand Vin” #Winophiles
This month, the French Winophiles are making a virtual trip to the Languedoc-Roussillion region of France (which is now part of a newly formed region called the “Occitanie” – more on that later). I’ve chosen a wine from Minervois La Livinière appellation – the 2014 Domaine L’Ostal Cazes “Grand Vin” and pairing it with vegan…
Wine of the Day: 2013 Carlisle Grenache Rossi Ranch #GrenacheDay
2013 Carlisle Grenache Rossi Ranch – This delicious and distinctive wine shows a depth I’ve seldom experienced with Grenache! This wine is a blend of 91% Grenache and 9% Mourvèdre sourced from the Rossi Ranch Vineyard, which was planted in 1910’s by Carlo Rossi. From the winery.…This wine is one of several surprises in 2013. Normally…
A Taste of Navarra #Wine; Spain’s Best Kept Secret
Are you familiar with the Navarra wine region of Spain? I wasn’t, until I recently had an opportunity to sample a diverse selection of wines from the new to me region. I received six sample wines that included a diverse selection of traditional Spanish grape varieties – Tempranillo, and Garnacha (a.k.a. Grenache), and international varieties Cabernet…
Wine Of The Day; 2016 Ridge Rosé Lytton Estate
2016 Ridge Rosé Lytton Estate…harmonious with racy acidity and ripe strawberry, raspberry, subtle Meyer lemon, nuanced spice and a hint of apricot flavors and a lingering savory finish Ridge Vineyards is relatively new to the trend that is rosé (though they did make a White Zinfandel in the 70s!) in the US. According to cellar tracker…
Wine of the Week; 2010 Tercero Verbiage
Every Thursday I feature a wine I particularly enjoy, whether it’s something new and different, is a great value, or from a producer worth checking out. For this week, my Wine Of The Week is the 2010 Tercero Verbiage. The Winery Tercero Vineyards is located in Los Olivos, California. Larry Schaffer is the owner/winemaker. Schaffer left a successful career in…