The kids went to viticulture school and their equipment and wine making is super clean. Clean is an inexact word, because when you walk into the cellars they're still covered in the beautiful furry mold, but everything is clean. Real estate price is now more important than the revenue you can earn from the wine on it. BW : Yes. MORE >>

Denis and Florence Dubourdieu were there (Denis was featured as one of the most important people in the world of wine by Decanter), as were the Decanter team (John Abbot, Guy Woodward, and Christelle Guibert who turns out to be a fellow Master of Wine student. Fabulous opening dinner at Haut-Brion last night for the press. MORE >>

The best wines are both plush and fruity with dark fruit notes like blueberries while maintaining low alcohol levels, good acidity, a velvety mouth feel and a lingering finish. Make no mistake about it, these wines will age gracefully. At the top of my list is Dashe Cellars. Drink up though, this wine has reached its apogee. MORE >>

Similarly, the trip up Monte Bello Road is a wine lover's purgatory: The road is much too narrow, the mountain is much too high, and it is impossible to travel faster than a snail. always appreciated wine, but it was a 1995 Pagani Ranch Zinfandel that hooked me when I was working as a stock boy in a fancy wine and cheese shop during college. MORE >>

According to the website, "Thirty years after planting their first vineyard, Girard continues a fine tradition of producing highly-rated wines." I, for one, never understood the close relationship between Girard and Rudd, and sought out the history from Steve Ross, Director of Wine Education at Girard Winery. It's clean and elegant. MORE >>