Not all the “hot&# wine was mulled over the holidays: two thieves broke into rapper 50 Cent’s Connecticut mansion; one was found in the closet drinking wine from his cellar. Napa vintner is distilling sauvignon blanc vodka and selling it as varietal and vintage. auctions tasting sized poursSIPPED: boom times. MORE >>

The winner was; Row House Cellars White Table Wine NV, brought home from a recent visit to the White Springs Winery in Geneva NY. My first taste of Gewurztraminer was from White Springs and I'm sure of picking up more whites at the December " Deck the Halls " weekend. believe this is the first year of Row House Cellars. MORE >>

It seems that many times I taste a new wine and just have to add it to a long growing list of favorites. When first tasting this wine, it was, in today's vernacular, 'OMG.' Tonight I dug into my modest wine vault and found a Ravines Wine Cellars , Cabernet Franc 2007. hope I never get to that point in my lifetime. It has! MORE >>

Cheverny wines are a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, with the Sauvignon Blanc the primary grape at about 70%. Like the great Chenin Blanc grape, also a daughter of the Loire Valley, Romorantin might show best in its demi-sec (off-dry) form. You should try them, honestly. MORE >>

Just too many varieties of grapes yet to be tasted for a first time. This has been one fantastic year of enlightenment for me when it comes to all things wine. Believe I may do a year end article on the subject. If I do, I will have to include the German grape, Dornfelder as one of the highlights. MORE >>