The lanky, California maker of pinot noir, chardonnay, and syrah told me at his Sonoma winery that he had his conversion in 2005, after returning from a trip to Burgundy and the Rhone. American wine wine picksSaul had his conversion on the road to Damascus. Wells Guthrie had his conversion on the road home from Burgundy. MORE >>

The best of their offerings, in my view, are the BOHO Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay (about $20 for 3L; find this wine ). The Chardonnay is also restrained in it’s oak effect, a good thing in my view. Tags: Wine under $10 wine picks “Merry Christmas!&# “Here’s 24 liters of wine!&# Standing tall. MORE >>

In the grower corner, I poured the Vilmart Grand Cellier, a multivintage wine (but based on 2006), a blend of 70 percent chardonnay and 30 percent pinot noir, all organically farmed on the 26 acres. Tags: wine picks That was a question I confronted head-on last week. So I brought two Champagnes and poured them blind. and a lovely arc. MORE >>

When Bacchus was handing out the mellifluous names of grape varieties in French–Cabernet, Chardonnay, and Merlot roll easily of the anglophone tongue–he had apparently run out by the time he got to Carignan. Now if only I could rustle up some cassoulet… Tags: French wine wine picks Carignan. The family-run St. MORE >>

“Baboons give Chardonnay a thumbs up,&# was a recent headline on timeslive.co.za. Tags: wine picks SIPPED: headline writing. How many baboon thumbs up could catch on as a new, powerful wine evaluation method. See our previous baboon coverage.). SIPPED: market disarray. SPIT: the old way (wine sales). His reaction? Dirty South ]. MORE >>