by Scott W. Clemens | Sep 22, 2018 | Wine & Spirits, Wine & Spirits blog, Wine Reviews
From time to time I use this space to report on the age-ability of older wines. I’m not really a collector. I buy wine to drink. I drink more white wine than red, none of which I age, and as I prefer relatively young Pinot Noir there is none in my wine cellar. The...
by Katherine Sautter | Mar 17, 2018 | Wine & Spirits, Wine & Spirits blog
Napa Valley Vintner’s Wine Auction tickets have just gone on sale, so if you want a place at the table act fast. The Auction will be held on Saturday June 2, 2018 at Meadowood Resort. There are single event tickets for the barrel auction, which is being held...
by Susanna Gaertner | Feb 26, 2018 | Wine & Spirits, Wine & Spirits blog, Wine Reviews
At first glimpse of the bottle from this hitherto unknown to me Texan winery, I didn’t know exactly what to think, not to mention that “Texas Red Wine” did not sound promising. But you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. While I freely admit to not loving...
by Nicholas Kontis | Feb 8, 2018 | Wine & Spirits, Wine & Spirits blog, Wine Reviews
What are the odds that two waiters could save enough tip money in order to make wine that would be a smashing success? With no formal training, the highly unlikely ascent to winemaking success makes Dan Kosta and Michael Browne cult figures around Sonoma’s...
by Scott W. Clemens | Jul 31, 2017 | Wine & Spirits, Wine & Spirits blog
It’s a privilege to live long enough to issue a mea culpa 35 years in the making. In the early ‘80’s I was the Special Reports editor for Vintage magazine, and the Tasting Editor for Wine & Spirits Buying Guide. In this capacity I tasted and reported on about 450...
by Susanna Gaertner | May 23, 2017 | Wine & Spirits, Wine & Spirits blog
Summer! The season of al fresco dining with grilled meats, pasta, potato salads, and all manner of BBQ. And, of course, chardonnay, the white wine of choice for so many Americans. A perennial favorite, chardonnay can be crisp and floral or buttery and brazen; it...
by Scott W. Clemens | Apr 4, 2017 | Wine & Spirits, Wine & Spirits blog
There was time in my younger days when a press and trade tasting in San Francisco was a small affair. The press, usually 10 to 15 wine writers, were treated to a quiet hour or so to make our notes in peace, before the trade were let in. In those days (1980s to early...
by Betsi Hill | Jan 1, 2017 | Wine & Spirits, Wine & Spirits blog
Quantum Leap (noun): an abrupt change, sudden increase, or dramatic advance. A quantum leap is what vintners Jill Ramsier and David Forrester took when they opened Quantum Leap Winery. Located in Orlando, Quantum Leap certainly represents a “dramatic advance” in...
by Susanna Gaertner | Dec 18, 2016 | Wine & Spirits, Wine & Spirits blog
You’ve probably never head of this amazing after-dinner drink, perfect for the conclusion of a heavy holiday repast! A digestif and a liqueur, Vecchio Amaro del Capo is sweeter than the former but sharper than the latter: Grand Marnier meets Fernet...
by Susanna Gaertner | Sep 30, 2016 | Wine & Spirits, Wine & Spirits blog, Wine Reviews
Here’s a light and lovely red that has all the charm of a Beaujolais but is made right here in California. I admit that I knew nothing about this grape variety, which is also known as Napa Gamay or Napa Gamay 15. At its point of origin in the Longueduc-Rousillon...
by Susanna Gaertner | Jul 24, 2016 | Wine & Spirits, Wine & Spirits blog
The “pro” in Prosecco might just mean that this reasonably priced Italian charmer is one to consider if Champagne—the real stuff—is not in your budget. If you like champagne but don’t appreciate the price tag, I’d like to suggest a high quality Prosecco....
by Susanna Gaertner | Jun 29, 2016 | Wine & Spirits, Wine & Spirits blog
Among the offerings at a recent Rhone tasting in SF, I found several bottles to share with readers, and I want to start with a red that’s geared to summer and that can be sipped alone or put beside food. This marvel of versatility and panache is the 2013 Seven...
