Domaine Zind Humbrecht Pinot Blanc Alsace 2014
Soaring aromas of yellow peaches, mango, dried mint, and wet limestone—this is classic Alsatian Pinot Blanc. The palate boasts moderate weight with a spritely arching spine of oyster shell, pleasantly bitter peach skin, and grapefruit pith pit co-mingling with flecks of sea salt. A wonderful ying yang between lushness and vivid acidic verve in this […]
Concha y Toro Cabernet Sauvignon Marqués de Casa Concha 2015
Concha y Toro Cabernet Sauvignon Marqués de Casa Concha 2015″ width=”200″ height=”200″ /></a>A solid Chilean Cabernet, Concha Y Toro’s Marques de Casa Concha Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 is crafted from fruit sourced from a stony alluvial bench in the Maipo Valley. Classic aromas of black currant and blackberry rest well beneath layers of potting soil and […]
Lubanzi Red Blend 2015
This is a new brand—yet to be released, and one that I see as part of the growing trend combining wine and philanthropy. Cape Venture was founded by two young men who fell in love with South Africa’s rugged wine scene. They have pledged to give 50% of the winery’s profits to back the Pebbles […]
Cultivating Self-Sufficiency in Jackson Hole
An interview with architect Nona Yehia of Vertical Harvest Jackson Wyoming is best known for its upscale resorts and breathtaking Teton mountain backdrop. It’s a city that averages 38 feet of snowfall annually, with a short four-month growing season. A playground for skiers and outdoor enthusiasts it may be, for gardeners not so much. Thanks […]
Square Peg Pinot Noir Russian River Valley 2014
Lovely purity of fruit in Square Peg’s 2014 Estate Block 8 Dry Farmed Pinot Noir from Green Valley. Grown at an 800′ elevation a mere eight miles from the Pacific Ocean—winemaker William Knuttel has coaxed red berries from this cool climate Pinot along with nuanced aromas of underbrush, rose petal, dried orange peel, and baking […]
Tablas Creek Vineyard Esprit de Tablas Blanc 2003
Yesterday I was treated to a wonderful vertical of older vintage Tablas Creek Vineyard Esprit de Tablas Blanc, the 2003 was holding up admirably. Indeed, they all were. A blend of 68% Roussanne, 27% Grenache blanc, and 5% Viognier—aged to a deep yellow, the color of daffodils, and bursting with aromas of bruised pear, golden […]
Paul Blanck Pinot Blanc Alsace 2015
Easy like Sunday morning, Paul Blanck’s 2015 Pinot Blanc Alsace boasts aromatic charm. Laden in white peach and pine, stargazer lily, line-dried linen, and rosemary blossom. It’s got some weight to it, though nicely balanced by citrus soaked acidity and a pleasant herbal flourish at the close. 12.5% ABV | Sample Paul Blanck & Fils 8.9 […]
Château Gassier Côtes de Provence Esprit Gassier 2015
Rosé seemed like the appropriate wine to drink after a 2+ week absence from the flu. And this bottle the 2015 Château Gassier Esprit Gassier is the color of ballet shoes with pretty aromatics that roll out of the glass. White peach, underripe watermelon, a touch of blood orange and loads of minerality. It’s the […]
Abacela Reserve Tempranillo 2005
Abacela’s 2005 Reserve Tempranillo is opaque, with only the oxblood-rim belying age. It’s mature now, but has a long drinking window ahead of it, perhaps another 5-8 years. The nose is rich and complex, a melange of black cherries and plums, Christmas cake, leather, and dusty earth. The attack reveals mouth coating, grippy tannins and […]
Anderson’s Conn Valley Vineyards Éloge 2010
Anderson’s Conn Valley Vineyards Éloge 2010 is drinking beautifully, there are no hard edges in this substantive and baritone blend. Even the nose feels weighty, laden in steeped ripe blackberries, blackcurrants, black cherries, violets, anise and dried mint. The palate is big, encompassing, saturating, and glossy, edged in ripe tannins, and the perception of bottomlessness—Alice […]