Of course, in some ways it sounds like a fantasy job. Yet of course this is really only a fantasy. Another colorful passage is when he compares tasting wine to looking at women. Have you ever wondered what it is like to be the wine director of a restaurant? cheap #S#D? Who does he want to impress?”.

and what about a golf course? Once inside, we saw the 'tasting room' for both olive oil and wine, and then went on a tour of the new multi-million dollar winery that will be designed to blend into the environment and have grass (and possibly cows!) tasted many of their olive oils and they are unique and quite gourmet.

Javiar did just that – and thus led the now-currant movement of small family wineries putting their efforts into perfecting the presentation and taste of the natural Tannat grape. Now Javiar is a man very much about “good taste.” Wine is good for your health, yet I think it should taste good. Here are some tasting notes.

or perhaps as a tasting room. Of course, you MUST see the restaurant … it overlooks the vineyards and you can even see female peacocks as you have lunch! “What are those curious birds!” I can’t help but ask, as we tour the vineyard of Bodega Bouza in Uruguay. It is currently five hectares and they plan for 15 hectares. Albarino 2011.

fabulous experience today tasting the wines of Sartori di Verona at SD26, a fine Italian restaurant in Manhattan, where these excellent wines were paired with five courses. What made the tasting lunch so special was the passion of owner Andrea Sartori, who came across as a very traditionally-minded Italian of the classic world.

Finally, we come to the tasting portion. It is great during cocktails or with a first course of fish or salad. mumm tour and tastingSo after visiting the three champagne festivals, I was lucky enough to get a VIP tour of Champagne G.H. Mumm in Reims. Mumm is right in the city - I took a cab. Do you have a poster?" years.

would llke to say all were fabulous --  yet will modify this by saying all were clean and precise and from that point it is personal taste.  Many people from all over the world came here just to taste from this select group. So fab! This winemaker was Francoise Bedel and offered very terroir driven wines with minerality and acidity.

I love blind tasting. Without knowing whether or not I am intrigued by the producer, whether or not I've had it before, or any of the many other things that influence my expectations about a wine before I actually smell and taste it. told everyone beforehand what we'd be eating, and randomly assigned two people to each of the courses.

The driver has just deposited me at this famous wine estate in Saint-Emilion and since I have a small collection at home, am very excited to talk about the wine and taste some classic vintages during dinner. With the cheese course we get special plates … lo and behold, the antique plates have a painted picture of Chateau Figeac on them.

"2011 was a tricky year that required precision and care," Florence Cathiard explained, standing in the picture above near husband Daniel, before a tasting of the 2011 Smith Haut Lafitte vintage.  Of course, the second wines were delicious too. It was especially important to pay close attention to the tannins.".

so here I am, a Chateau Fourcas Dupre, tasting an incredible line-up of more than forty wines. am in the 'blind tasting group' filled with names you usually see in the international wine columns. Of course, Margaux is when things turn serious, and virtually all of the wines showed exceptionally well. Inky and seductive.

"Gorgeous weather for tasting Sauternes!". Of course, a bright blue sky and a warm yellow sun is precisely the message needed to spread the word that Sauternes. In any event, thanks Chateau Coutet for the weather (fabulous) and for also sponsoring the tasting of the region's 2011 vintage, which was excellent nearly across the board.

a guest exclaims, entering the ground floor reception area of the famous Clos de Vougeot and seeing handsomely uniformed waiters pouring tastes of the region's finest red and white wines. The clever thing is that ALL the wines are tasted blind. and of course you may be very envious to know the wines with dinner.

Sure enough, Eric posted the wines served, complete with tasting notes. Halibut course and salad course. Second course: bison Wellington. For the full menu (pdf) , click here. And, on a related note, what Michelle Obama has done with the organic garden at the White House is terrific. Appetizers: crostini. Find it.

Or if it will elicit as much of a yawn from buyers has it does from the online commentariat–after all, 20 wines had received scores as possible 100 pointers based on barrel tastings. Of course not. The problem is that 2009 is the greatest vintage I have ever tasted in Bordeaux. The top scores are mind-numbing. Clinet.

“The concept of taste linked to a certain place has been totally destroyed by technology,” Nicolas Joly told a standing-room-only audience yesterday. He then dismissed us saying that we haddn’t come to listen to him and that we should all go taste some wine. “Earth receives life.” Gigahertz are everywhere!”

This is what happens when a few generous collectors decide to hold a Gentaz tasting and dinner. We drank 10 vintages of Gentaz, but we were many people and we drank the wines slowly over several courses of food. Neal Rosenthal Marius Gentaz Tastings Ferraton Père et Fils Peter Liem Rhône Valleydrank a Marius Gentaz Côte-Rôtie.

Of course, any wine opened on this day will be from New York, after all they are playing against a team from California, which made the wine choice very easy. Not a whole lot on the nose, but wine excelled in the mouth with taste of tropical fruits, some citrus, orange peel and apricots. I like football (i.e. Go Giants!

Of course, we already have a device for sobering up: the credit card statement. But it does lay bare the motives for wine enthusiasts: would you continue to pay for and provide tasting notes for fermented grape juice if it gives you the same buzz as Welch’s? Would you drink wine if it weren’t for the alcohol? wine science

There are of course other rating systems, and their effectiveness is also debatable. There may be people who prefer the smell and taste of Yellowtail, or who cannot distinguish between then two, and those people are welcome to their preferences and should go forth in peace and be happy. But I do have some thoughts that I want to share.

Or maybe it has to do with their own bottom line, not America’s waist line, since light beer has fewer calories (and less taste) than “regular” beer, therefore it needs fewer of the inputs such as hops and barley (although Big Beers often use rice or corn as these data show). It’s time for the Big Game. So much lite!

of course impossible to detail all of it here, yet as an exercise (thinking of the final!) One of the most spectacular things about the Languedoc is the dramatic topography and different soils, and we really tasted this in the grapes. You can taste the stone in the wine. very successful first day. I will try. Loup (21.50).

We of course opened some special wines on that night, one of which was a bottle I brought back from Jerez in October, Emilio Hidalgo Especial Amontillado Viejo El Tresillo 1874. It smelled and tasted like almost nothing. But of course it matters. Day 3 - Did not taste. was very excited to drink and share this wine.

Wine, of course. Maria says you can tell someone they are tasting a fruity wine, or that it has a taste of cherries, but it's not something you can thoroughly describe. Typically, she'll select several wines, taste them to identify their flavor components, and then take these vials for the students to smell. Quick!

This is probably true as a generalization, although there are of course exceptions. Some one poured a glass through a filter and the wine brightened some, but to me the smell and taste was unchanged. Every year at around this time we get together over dinner and share the wines. chose two bottles from the late 1990's by de Montille.

If it's an old white wine or champagne, you need to chill it, of course. But then afterwards, I'm always the guy who has like 12 glasses in front of him at the end of a dinner party, because I've been saving all these wines to watch how they grow over the course of several hours. But ultimately the test is the taste. Steak.

Pierre Casenave, who is pictured above teaching and below tasting wine at the center of the table, led the tutored tasting of the base wine. and of course, the different soils and aspects shape the taste and aroma as well. We were able to even see the vineyards we tasted on a large map. pierre casenave

As is the case with every single Champagne house visited, it’s now hard for me to understand how anyone can understand Champagne – or appreciate it – without having had such an incredible tour and tasting. lobster salad to start, a local fish as the main course, an incredible tiny diced fruit and vanilla ice cream plate …. dennis m.

As an English major from UCLA – and a So Cal girl who grew up in Los Angeles, Newport Beach, and the ‘concrete jungle’ of big city life – there is something incredibly charming and completely old world about Mr. Downes’ home, which will soon turn into a tasting room where visitors can enjoy his excellent wines. First, imagine the vista.

The tasting room is large and spacious, yet what sets the room apart from others we’ve seen is a large, unusually ornate tapestry that looks as if it would be better situated in an Roman museum than here, in a rather rural region where baboons, instead of birds, feast on the grapes. Welcome!” Thelema Mountain Vineyards. News S.

Glen Carlou and Backsberg are neighboring wineries in Paarl who kindly hosted me for a tasting of both wines, then lunch at Backsberg’s lovely al fresco restaurant. The Backsberg tasting room is rather whimsical in design … light and airy and down to earth at the same time. Arco Laamar & Harry Haddon (checked shirt). News S.

South Africa has more than its fair share of gorgeous tasting rooms – yet visiting Nederburg in Paarl, the fabulous scenery upon arrival, the immaculate cool and refreshing entrance to the tasting room, and the appearance of the fun, friendly, and gregarious cellar master Razvan Macici make this an extra-special visit. News S.

Of course, in those days S. Africa, we visit the Groot Constantia estate (the property is enormous, with two restaurants, a museum, manor house, various other structures, and of course a working winery) and are shown by Graciella, a charming woman who reveals the history - and mystery - of this fabulous estate. In our wine tour of S.

And though tonight we are tasting and drinking Mr. Forrester’s wines, the wine list itself has many excellent selections. And of course the T Noble Late Harvest, coming from those same old Chenin Blanc bush vines, was fabulous. "So here i am, at Ken Forrester's 96 Winery Road restaurant in South Africa!". Africa for many decades.

For the sake of brevity one of the concerns under the 'economics' platform was to build more luxury hotels and incite Parisian visitors to spend the weekend (and of course their cash) in the businesses in the community. "How theatrical!" 18th century Paris and some modern romantic arty types of pieces (silouttes anyone?) Welcome!"

While recuperating from another ulcer problem, I've been doing very little on the blog and less on the wine tasting. Of course, not everyone agrees with this theory, and there are many competing claims for being the originator of tailgating. Looks like I'll be back in a few days. Recommendations are welcome!!! And the West Coast?

Verset's wines smell and taste right, like the essence of Syrah from that part of the world - Meaty, savory, funky, darkly fruited, olive-y, and vibrant with minerality and acidity. You understand, of course, that I think the wine was great! Here are my actual tasting notes , for the masochistic among you. Delicious.

Some of the workers are still finishing their lunch, which today is a delicious tomato and mozzarella salad, roast pork, various vegetables, and of course, cheese and dessert. And the berries looked delicious – I could not wait to see how they would taste! Gravity: The Taste Test. One simply used personal taste as a guide.

As we enter the bright winery with its glass-enclosed walls we are met by Pierre, an assistant winemaker, who leads us down to the cellar and invites us to taste an assortment of wines. Of course, the real proof was in the wines. Domaine Meo Camuzet is a gorgeous, very modern looking winery in Vosne-Romanee.

You taste through the lineup of new wines in barrel, and then perhaps a few bottles from recent vintages, maybe an older bottle if you are lucky and the wine maker feels like sharing a special experience. You do not taste finished wines in Sherry Bodegas. Tasting older criaderas , you get a sense of the wine as it matures, and so on.

exclaimed a fellow particpant at today's Master Class tasting of Catalunya wines led by Josep Roca, Co-Proprietor, Sommelier, and Wine Director of the (Catalunya based) Michelin 3-star restaurant El Celler. Mr. Roca and his chef brother Joan Roca presented a 12 course menu with the help of Mercat chefs, all paired with wines from Catalunya.

of course, it works well with lamb and steak, yet can work for "pescatorians" who like red wine with fish by adjusting the weight of the sauce and manner of cooking. Some excellent wines this week, an assortment of reds and whites from around the globe. Though diverse as a group, what unites them is their distinctive terroir. Social climber?

The following is Peter's text and photos about a set of wines that we tasted in Jerez last week. This, of course, ignores the fact that fino is by definition an aged wine, being anywhere from three to ten years old when it is bottled. In fact, perhaps the thing that he is worst at in the world is self-promotion. So without further ado.

An absolutely fabulous, one of a kind event at today’s Wine Media Guild lunch, as member sponsor Mark Golodetz arranged for three fabulous speakers from three fabulous Pauillac Chateaux to share stories of their estates, and of course their wine. Some of the wines tasted: Chateau Clerc-Milon: 1994, 2004, 2005, 2006.

During the course of his treatment, he often posted on his blog that there were others in the world who could not get the treatment he was getting. Wine importer lost his three-year battle against brain cancer last month. The nonprofit spends an impressive 94.3% of their funds on programing according to Charity Navigator. Grapes The Wine Co.,

Of course, the palate fatigue wasn’t helped that the other wines on the table were a primitivo and an Amarone. tasted the wines at their American launch (Grand Cru Selections is importing them; search for these wines ). I attended a private dinner recently where a Brunello was the main wine. When sangiovese is on, it is gorgeous.

small and select group of journalists are listening to the charismatic Andrea speak about the history of Lapostolle, with its passionate founders and tradition of French winemakers (Michel Rolland is a consultant) and taste the 2010 and 2009 vintages. Andrea Leon. There had just been an earthquake and the season had been wet.

The tasting room on the 4th floor of the Metropolitan Pavillion was beautifully set-up with well chosen wines. So a great presentation today by Marnie Old, who gave a talk for Wines from Spain "Great Match" at the Metropolitan Pavillion about Cava. Marnie is a fabulous presenter whose enthusiasm for Cava came out loud and clear.

Professor Lena Brattsten has offered a wine appreciation course to Rutgers undergrads for twenty years. tasting sized poursSIPPED: Prohibition. PBS has a three-part documentary airing next month about Prohibition. It’s directed by Ken Burns and based on the book “Last Call&# by Daniel Okrent. SPIT: Puritanism. Treehugger ].

"So this Prosecco actually tastes like a cupcake!" a lunch participant exclaims, tasting the Cupcake Prosecco from Italy. It is designed to serve as a fun, refreshing prelude to lunch or dinner, yet also pairs with the first course of Tartare of Yellowfin Tuna and diver Scallops. A bite-sized bit of fun. ".

When i think of Bordeaux, I usually think of fun and sun (and wine, of course) and not running. at tastings and dinners in Bordeaux and New York. Today is the first day of Harvest at Brane-Cantenac. one of my favorite wineries in Bordeaux and I must say, I wish I was there! In fact, it's actually impossible to find a treadmill or gym.

Mike Steinberger summarizes the recent reactions–and adds his own–to Parker’s recent report on tasting fraudulent wines. My next NYU wine course runs Oct 12 – Nov 16. announcements tasting sized poursSIPPED: quality. So glad the authorities are catching up! larvf.fr ]. Wine Terroirs ]. WSJ ]. NYT ].

Of course, I did come to the rescue with a Cabernet Franc Rosé just brought home from my recent Keuka Lake Wine Tour and a visit to McGregor Vineyard and Winery. I'm letting mine sit for a few more years, but what I tasted on the visit were just extraordinaire. The watermelon aromas and taste were like those of watermelon life savers.

We did have to miss a few, but we did get to tastes some outstanding wines, have a fantastic lunch, meet and talk with some very knowledgeable wine people and view one of the most scenic lakes in the region. We did get in to do a little shopping while a make shift tasting area was being moved back indoors. at least for now).

Both were excellent wines, approachable in their youth, and both grew in depth over the course of their first hour open. The complexity and depth really was somewhat astounding, and I cannot give better descriptions of the smells and tastes because they truly were so varied. bars as opposed to 6) to minimize their impact.

Of course, the magic is in the grilling and that's my job. 16 ) Aromas of peach, lychee and melon and a hint of honeysuckle with a little mineral and a nice smooth mouthfeel with taste of peach and some clementine orange. Tonight started out like any normal night around my house. Love it, when I make a great wine choice.

During the tasting, Feiring felt many producers misunderstood the requirements, as many wines from Germany reeked of what seemed to be factory-created yeast (versys indigenous) and excess sulfur, and some of the California Pinots tasted out of balance and overripe. Naked Wine by Alice Feiring. Reviewed by Marisa D'Vari.

Robert Parker tasted the wines with winemaker Helen Turley. At their tasting together, the Marcassin owners poured the ’06 for Parker alongside their ’06s. Of course, whether Marcassin is, in fact, one of America’s best pinot noirs is highly debatable. Consider these tasting notes. 97 points. 79 points.

She recounted an experience that particularly moved her, and I will try to retell it from her perspective: We had lunch after tasting in the morning, and the lunch ended at something like 4:30, so I went back to the hotel and rested for a while, and then we met again at 6:00 and spent almost two hours walking through the vineyards.

The Xinomavro is another grape that I have never tasted. An excellent wine that will pair with any red meat, chicken, red sauces and of course, pizza. Still hot, making it just right to empty my fridge of white wines just in time for the Finger Lakes Wine Fest next weekend. Then it's always red." For that matter, I never even heard of.

delicious drinik it now wine to celebrate spring and summer at picnics, and also to serve with first courses through the year. very fresh tasting wine with concentration of ripe yellow fleshed fruit (apricot, peach) and a long, mineral rich finish. 2010 Schloss Saarstein Serriger Schloss Saarsteiner Riesling Kabinett. 2010 P.J.

Pairing a wine to match a holiday theme, various 'outdoor' style dishes, and the tastes of guests who may be new to wine or have discerning preferences, can be a challenge. Sauvignon Blanc, with its crisp nature and high acidity, is always a good go-to wine to serve as an aperitif or for salads and first courses. "Help! The Whites.

And today, many lucky people had the opportunity to taste these wines with food. The key point about Sauternes is that it is necessary to enjoy it before the meal, or with the first few courses, as the wine has a fabulous mouth-watering acidity. with winemaker Pierre Montegut. thankfully. Pierre didn't crack the whip on that one.

Following a tasting of Médoc and Sauternes Grand Cru Classé wines from the 2005 and 2008 vintages there was a “9-star” dinner created by a trio of three-star chefs: Alain PASSARD (L’Arpège, Paris), Anne-Sophie PIC (Maison Pic, Valence), and Yannick ALLENO (Le Meurice, Paris). Fabulous opening dinner at Haut-Brion last night for the press.

am tasting the Pinot Grigio, rolling its dry, mineral-rich, balanced flavors in my mouth whilechatting with two very intriguing and charming gentlemen. The first course of Crab Cervice was paired with 2010 Torrontes, a popular favorite. It is a very aromatic wine and went well with the course. "Pinot Grigio from Argentina?"

Last night I had a fun meeting/tasting with Kim Longbottom, who with her husband bought property in the Australian region of Padthaway, part of the Limestone Coast in the southeast of South Australia. Joining myself and Kim is winemaker Renae Hirsch, who had been tasting with sommeliers earlier. Have you.,,, er, gone postal lately?

Of course, with Auction Napa Valley 2011 (# ANV11) beginning this coming June 2, 2011 -- and the e-auction already underway it was a great opportunity to taste some wine up for bidding while we are still in New York. Elizabeth Marston and Husband Jamie of Marston Family Winery at Park Avenue Spring.

In past years, the Davies family created other fun events, like a "tasting extravaganza" in their cave, complete with gourmet hors d'oeurves at various stations with different sparkling wines. Like what you taste? I am so excited! just finalized arrangements for attending the Auction Napa Valley 2011! Get More Info Here ). Helena.

And of course, if you are curious about all the Sauvignon Blancs from the Loire, a good way to learn about the individual regions is to ask your local wine store to send you several bottles, each representing a different region, so you can taste them yourself. "What an incredible value!"

market we had a chance to taste his entire portfolio, and also discover the fascinating personality of Gerard who is a seasoned vigneron (since age 10, more about that later) and also the extremely charming and polished face behind the brand. Does the above picture effectively showcase the "dream" of Southern France? almost dainty.

Each house has its own signature style, and from the wines tasted today, one could indeed see a floral theme throughout. The tasting started with the Perrier-Jouet Blanc de Blanc 2000. The tasting was held at A Voce in NYC and included lunch. it is "non-vintage" which means that fans expect it to taste the same year after year.

What a fantastic educational and tasting experience at Felidia in NYC, as the world-famous winemaker/winery owner and consultant Paul Hobbs presented a talk on wines from Argentina and Chile (North and South) to the Wine Media Guild. We tasted many examples today. lots of Torrantes from different producers.

It is designed to provide visitors with an authentically Argentinean experience: horseback riding (of course), wine tasting, cooking classes, an award-winning restaurant, and soon, a bed & breakfast. Santa Julia Brut Rose NV ($13) was paired with cervice, and the Organic Chardonnay ($11) with the first course salad.

During the course of it, he nearly sets his suit on fire and leaves such a mess trying to open a bottle that he says, “It looked like Freddy Krueger had entered the competition.&# tasting sized poursSIPPED and SPIT: journalists at sommelier competitions. SIPPED: Royal Wedding champage. If so, hit the comments. SPIT: corks.

Isole e Olena, Ceparello 2006 , about $60: I had the chance to try this wine at a tasting last year and thought it was terrific. And, of course, for the prices Bordeaux futures are fetching, you could get plenty of Bordeaux with a decade or two of cellar age on them. Cabernet franc grown on limestone from a top grower in Chinon.

Le Marche region of Italy was well represented by Monte Schiavo at a rustic tasting dinner at Il Buco Restaurant on Tuesday. Dolce Cheese Course Assortment of artisan cheeses Biscotti & cafeIt was a very interesting group of winemakers, brand managers, wine journalists, importers, consultants, and PR people.

As always, I tasted blind, finding it interesting to note the nuances between wines of the same vintage and relatively same region. When the tasting was over and the "answer sheets" passed around, I was pleased to see that some of my favorite wineries got the best scores. The 2010 vintage represented some fabulous sweet wines.

Perhaps these things are a bit silly to focus on, but it became an issue when I decided to convene the Brooklyn Blind Tasting panel to sample a load of "basic" German Riesling from the 2009 vintage. Anyway, I bought some wines for the tasting, and when I asked a few Riesling importers for donations, they were all a bit confused.

Two bloggers organized a public tasting of his wines in Paris. This fascinating story isn’t over, of course. Facebook and Twitter may contribute to toppling regimes these days. But can social media save a winery from falling into the abyss? case study is unfolding in France. announced on his web site that he was hanging it up.

A lot of people don't like blind tasting, but I enjoy it a lot. My favorite way to blind taste is to get together with a group of friends and ask everyone to bring a bottle to serve to the group. My friend Tista was in town recently and I decided to use his visit as an excuse to gather some friends and have a blind tasting dinner.

Today the Wines of Santorini hosted a fabulous seminar, with the tasting guided by Dr. Yiannis Paraskevopoulos o of GAIA wines, one of Greece’s top oenologistss. The focus of the tasting was the 2010 harvest, projected to be one of the best of the last decade. Wines from Santorini. The next flight of five wines were oaked.

Many of them are generous enough to help me in the Master of Wine program by sending me boxes of wine, with each bottle covered in paper bags so I can't know what I'm tasting until I am done with my notes. Of course, there is always a theme. And of course the old world/new world theme. thought also 2008.

In the course of the seminar we saw an incredible slideshow detailing the very different terroir - Austria is a tapestry of gneiss and schist and 2000 meter mountains and lakes. Both producers described their properties and we tasted some fabulous wines. We tried the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon on its own, and I liked it a lot.

White wine varietals that are receptive to oak’s influence include: Pinot Grigio, Pinot Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and of course Chardonnay. However, one of the best ways to see the influences of oak is in a side-by-side comparison wine tasting. Which Wines are Typically Oaked? Why Oak Wine? Where is the barrel from? wine facts

He took a break from tasting in Burgundy, where he is now, to respond. Of course, I am also looking for the attributes all great wines share; complexity, length, textural elegance, and in the very finest wines, the capacity to continue to improve over time. How important is blind tasting to wine evaluation? And NFL? Twice.

That's not a good way to taste. The way they taste, I won't do it. also drink Austrian Riesling a lot, and of course Chassagne Montrachet too. This is the final post about my conversation with Jean-Marie Fourrier. It was an honor and a pleasure to interview him, and I hope that you've enjoyed reading about it. Jacques.

Wine domaines, truffle hunting and cooking, truffle feast, and olive oil mill visit and tasting. We might taste a white Lirac from Mordoreé, an aged Chateau Beaucastel from Chateauneuf du Pape. We will of course be exploring further gems from my cellar. You can read about it below. Arrival Wednesday 30th November. link].

In America, many celebrity chefs are discovering this increasingly popular wine as an adjunct to their tasting menus. An unconventional, creative way to use the wine is to freeze it into a granita (frozen flavored ice) to refresh the palate between courses. Yet consider this. At only about 5.5% Imported by VIAS, Inc. 10.00.

And of course they offer some of the best values in the wine world. had the opportunity to meet vignerons and taste over 300 wines last week in situ. also blind tasted 70 Loire wines at the NY offices of Wine & Spirits a couple of weeks before I left. So stay tuned for some related posts in coming days and weeks.

Style note: With its light spritz of white grapefruit and fragrant white flowers, this is an easy sipping wine for an aperatif of light first course. 2009 Franciscan Oakville Estate Sauvignon Blanc. color: pale straw - near water white. Flavors include white grapefruit, white flowers, a very light and delicate and floral approach.

Last week, I attended the Terry Theise (and Mark de Grazia) Spring Tasting, presented by Michael Skurnik Wines at City Winery. It was a Tuesday afternoon, cold and wet, and I was coming from the South Bronx, so of course I got there late. But what a event…the house was packed with bodies and wine…I [.].

This 1- - 2 event was an exclusive tasting of cutting edge and traditional producers. Of course, I liked the third the best - it was more complex and really a quality wine. Angelo Cotugno. so I spent my morning at the Waldorf meeting the different producers who were here looking for distributors.

Of course, white zinfandel had been made as long ago as the 1860s, and David Bruce and Ridge Vineyards, among others, had made saignée wines from zinfandel before Sutter Home. Two percent–that’s not really too sweet, but it’s sweet to the taste. W$Jay was slumming it with zinfandel recently. Mistake. Well, I had to.

The blog of course suffered a little during the recuperation and recently has taken a bit of a slide as I got kinda hooked on computer games, fantasy sports (NASCAR) and earlier bed times. Tasted more Riesling this past year than I have had in my entire life. Here at home, I guess eventful would be saying it a tad mildly.

said a bewildered friend after blind tasting three different versions of the Pinot Gris/Pinot Grigio grape. This is due to terroir, of course. In this Pinot Gris/Grigio without tears article, I intend to save you the angst of trying to taste your way through and analyze all the different styles. Pinot Gris/Grigio without Tears.

Different members of the family, of course - no one can live to be 300 years old. They are similar in composition to most wines from Châteauneuf-du Pape, which is not really that far away as the crow flies, but from my drinking experience, they don't taste anything like Châteauneuf-du Pape. Except vampires. It's now a Rosenthal wine.

We are sitting in the gorgeous guest reception villa Nicholas designed to entertain journalists and other visitors, and about to taste a selection of his wines and enjoy lunch. Tasting Cheval des Andes. Nicolas tells me about a 1929 Malbec he recently tasted. Creation of Cheval des Andes. Enter the Executive Chef. Pony Escapes!

Tasting the Wines. We were able to taste six wines, beginning with the Ruca Malen Chardonnay 2009, very fresh tasting with good balance and tropical notes. The Tasting Menu. The winery offers a tasting menu only, with wines paired with every dish so that guests can experience all the different wines. The Six Wines.

Some blueberry added to a fruitful taste with very small hint of spice. very smooth taste with a very long smooth finish. Best of all was, of course, the price. In my last post I started to say something about a recent discussion I had with a few friends about 'cheap' wines and quality. Their Zin is even better.

Today Sylvain is giving me a tour of the property and a tasting. This must be what is meant as a “pleasure garden&# as I could imagine earlier owners taking a stroll in their most elegant clothes – of course with a parasol - perhaps enjoying a picnic. George. The vineyard is plowed by hand, with whole cluster fermentation.