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. He tasted the pinot noirs and syrahs he had been making since starting his own label, Copain Wines , in 1999. MORE >>

The wine in stainless steel barrel tastes bright and ripe, but the new and once used oak adds this complexity that is lost from either lot alone. The fruit here is tasting very nice, showing some senescence and ripe blackberry. Harvest is progressing nicely, if slowly, here in Napa Valley. Our 2011 St. Up on Mt. What We're Drinking. MORE >>

The second, I enjoyed with my daughter's roasted organic free range chicken and some fabulous roasted potato fingerlings. 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. MORE >>

In the mouth, the taste was more mature than I thought it should be at it's young age, soft and mellow with a hint of chocolate. Sometimes when you least expect it, you open what may becomes your new favorite bottle of wine. Tonight I opened one of my remaining bottles of Finger Lakes wine purchased at my last tour in December. Alcohol: 13.0% MORE >>

Almost all that I had ever tasted were the Shiraz from Australia. While visiting Damiani Wine Cellars on Seneca Lake this past spring I tasted an excellent Syrah and I was sold. Then again maybe I just have to taste a few more and that's not a bad thing now, is it? From that day on I was a fan. MORE >>