T.G.I.F. Champagne and the like…NV Blason Cremant de Bourgogne Blanc De Noirs

This week’s sparkler hails from Burgundy region of France.  It is produced by Blason de Bourgogne.  I picked it up at Trader Joe’s on a whim because I recognized the Blason name.  It’s a name I associate with value wines.  According to the Blason website they represent 800 wine-growing families throughout Burgundy.  Beside this Blanc de Noirs,…

Fall 2011 Ridge Wine Blogger Tasting – Lytton Estate Rhones And A Surprise!

Last Sunday Christopher Watkins, Tasting Room Manager for Ridge Vineyards hosted the Fall 2011 Wine Bloggers Tasting at Ridge, Lytton Springs in Healdsburg.  An intimate group of wine bloggers, many of whom I followed and am a fan of, met in the barrel room.  It was great to put faces with names.  That made the…

T.G.I.F. Champagne and the like…NV Domaine Chandon California Rosé

Domaine Chandon, established in 1973, was the first French-owned sparkling wine venture in the United States.  The winery, and their highly regarded restaurant étoile are co-located in Yountville. Thus creating the only fine dining/restaurant in the Napa Valley.  Chandon makes both sparkling and still wine, but are best known for their sparkling wines which are produced…

How Port Is Made

From the “A picture (or moving pictures) is worth a thousand words” file, is this short that is the final installment in my dessert wine series.  The video explains how Port wine is made. This video is a one of the finalists in the Wine Spectator 2011 Video Contest.  Click here to check out the…

T.G.I.F. Champagne and the like – NV Domaine Ste Michelle Brut

For this week’s “T.G.I.F. Champagne and the like” tasting, it’s my first sparkler from the state of Washington.  Domaine Ste. Michelle (“DSM”) is one of the largest sparkling wine houses in the U.S. producing more than 300,000 cases of value sparkling wines annually.  In addition to the Brut tasted here, they also produce Blanc de Noirs, Blanc…