Sipping With Smoth: Visiting Nicholson Ranch Winery in Sonoma
Let’s say you’re vacationing in California. A trip to the vineyards of Napa and Sonoma is basically a foregone conclusion, so the only real question is, “Where do I go to drink some damn good wine?” Let me help you out with one solid tip:…
How Volcanoes Make the Most Interesting Wine — Green Moxie
The islands of the Azores lie just off the European coast and present a series of experiences unlike any other you will find in the world. These nine Portuguese islands are linked by culture and language, but they each have their own little unique quirks….
Foss Marai is a Primo Prosecco
My love for Prosecco has been well documented. Italy’s answer to Champagne, Prosecco is a light, bright bubbly, as perfect for popping on warm Sunday afternoons as for celebrating a special occasion. While I’m an absolute sucker for any half-decent dry Prosecco, some nonetheless stand…
Decoding the Decanting Process – Fix.com
Check out the below graphic, and the excellent article written by Zachary Sussman to which it links for a thorough introduction about the process of decanting wine. Source: Fix.com
‘The Show’ Cabernet Sauvignon is a Wine That Shows Off
It’s rare to find a universally appreciable wine. Some prefer reds, some prefer whites and some prefer beverages other than wine. But The Show 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon challenges this notion by providing a wine so well-balanced and accessible, it’s able to be enjoyed by an incredibly diverse audience. I…
St. Francis 2012 Chardonnay: Not Hard To Like This Chard
As a rule, I don’t like California Chardonnays. Sure, I’ve had good ones and bad ones, but the general flavour profile has never done much for me. So when I ended up with a bottle of the 2012 St. Francis Chardonnay, I didn’t have particularly high hopes…
What’s a ‘Wine’? IV: European Growing Regions
In my past What’s a ‘Wine’? posts we’ve gotten to know some popular grapes and learned some basic wine terminology. But where does it all come from? Who exactly is growing all this wine? The next step is to learn about some of the world’s most…
Catena Makes a Magnificent Malbec
Sometimes you find a wine, so delicious, so affordable, so consistent you can’t help recommending it for nearly every occasion, regardless of a person’s personal preference or snootiness level. Catena Malbec is that wine and more — it could arguably be my favorite “$20 and under” in…
The Importance of Aeration: 2006 Brunello Di Montalcino Principesco
Most people opening a wine are about as concerned with aeration as they are with the shape of the glass they’re drinking from — which is to say, very little. Sometimes, it’s not overly important, if you’re just popping a cheap-and-cheerful “drink now” wine. It’s…
What’s a ‘Wine’? Part III: Why Bother With Wine Tasting?
One of the most recurring comments I get about wine is “what’s the point of wine tasting? Isn’t it all a bit…silly?” Some of these concerns I addressed in my post Wine Tasting: Less Bullshit Than You’d Think, but I thought I’d go one step further…