I recently had the good fortune of attending the 2022 Wine Media Conference in Lake Garda Italy. The primary sponsor of the conference was Ascovilo is the Association of Consorzi Tutela Vini Lombardi DOCG, DOC and IGT, a voluntary consortia for the protection of Lombardy wines. The Lombardi wine region is situated in one of Italy’s…
Tag: WOTD
Wine of the Day: 2017 Memento Mori Cabernet Sauvignon
We blend their unique characteristics–elegance, power, finish, and longevity–to create a perfectly balanced wine that seduces the palate year after year Memento Mori Memento Mori (“MM”) was founded by friends Hayes Drumwright, Adriel Lares, and Adam Craun. Hayes and Adrial met while in high school in Texas. Hayes attended Boston University where he met Adam…
Wine Of The Day: 2019 Groth Vineyards and Winery Estate White
…this distinguished wine’s lively acidity, texture, weight and food friendly character make it a great four season white wine… In 1994, the Groth family replanted the Eastern side of their Oakville vineyard from Cabernet Sauvignon to Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon, recognizing the potential of the clay soils there to produce white wines of great texture,…
Wine of the Day; 2015 Herdade Pegos Claros “Primo”
My WOTD is the 2015 Herdade Pegos Claros “Primo” which hails from the new-to-me Palmela DOC on the Setúbal Peninsula of Portugal. The star red grape (also new-to me) of the peninsula is Castelão, an indigenous grape variety which thrives in the peninsula’s warm, sandy soils, and can ripen to perfection, producing lovely, fresh, fruity…
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: 2014 Smith-Madrone Riesling
This impeccably balanced Riesling is among the best I’ve had! This wine is crafted from 100% estate fruit from 42 year-old vines at 1,800 ft elevation. The dry-farmed vines are planted on very steep slopes (up to 35%), thereby honoring the international tradition of Riesling which thrives on steep hillsides. My tasting notes follow: Color – Very…
Wine of the Day: 2014 Smith-Madrone Cabernet Sauvignon
This is an alluring, harmonious wine that offers terrific value for a top-shelf Napa Valley Cab! This wine is crafted from 100% estate fruit from vineyards sitting at 1,800 ft elevation. The vines are planted on very steep slopes (up to 35%) and dry- farmed. It’s a blend of 85% Cab, 8% Cab Franc and…
Wine Of The Day; 2015 Concha y Toro Chardonnay Marqués de Casa Concha
“This is a New World wine produced with an Old World sensibility that evokes Burgundy for me” Fruit for this wine was sourced from Quebrada Seca vineyard in northern Chile’s Limari Valley. Located 200 miles (320km) north of the Chilean capital, Santiago, the Limari Valley is one of the northernmost wine growing regions in Chile. This dry…
Wine of the Day: 1970 Bodegas Franco-Españolas Rioja Crianza Bordón
Last weekend we celebrated a friend’s milestone birthday at Boulevard in San Francisco. We dined the “Wine Vault”, a wine inspired semi-private room with a brick lined ceiling that brings to mind dining in an underground cellar in France. As the evening was winding down, our gracious (and generous) hosts asked if we wanted anything…
Wine of the Day: 2007 Bonny Doon Vineyard Syrah Bien Nacido Vineyard
2007 Bonny Doon Vineyard Syrah Bien Nacido Vineyard – “The flavors are just as enchanting, if a bit feral, as the aromas showcasing boysenberry, black and red currant, olive, smoked meat and dark roasted nut flavors”… I must confess that when I purchased this wine, and I noted the vintage (almost 10 years old) and the…