Recent Posts

Photo of six Aridus Wine Company Wines: Malvasia Blanca, Sauvignon Blanc, Graciano, Malbec Tempranillo, Cabernet Franc

Aridus Wine Company: A Tale of Two Soils

Aridus Wine Company is located in the quaint railroad town of Willcox, founded 1880, tucked away in Arizona’s southeast corner. We were first introduced to Aridus when they were still the new kids on the block in Willcox. Owners, Scott & Joan Dahmer, had recently completed the renovation of an apple warehouse into a large, state of the art winemaking […]

Photo of Balverne wines and Notre Vue olive oil on a table with trees in the background

Balverne Wines: Made by Notre Vue Estate in Sonoma County

Notre Vue Estate was established by Bob and Renée Stein in 1992 on a 710-acre property east of Highway 101 between Healdsburg and Windsor. The picturesque property is home to 250 acres of vineyards and 350 acres of “Forever Wild” protected open space. The winery’s French name, Notre Vue, translates to “our view” and acknowledges the gorgeous views of both […]

Photo of six bottles of Coastal Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from Chile

A Taste of Coastal Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from Chile

Chile’s physical statistics are remarkable. It has a shoreline that stretches about 2700 miles from its northern boundary with Peru to Cape Horn at the southern tip of South America. At its widest, Chile is only 217 miles and averages a width of only 110 miles.  Based on its geography from west to east, Chile’s growing regions can be divided […]

Six Uruguayan white wines lined up on a table with trees in the background

A Taste of the Fresh White Wines Made in Uruguay

If Uruguay is on your wine radar it may be for its Tannat. The red grape variety was first brought to Uruguay by a Basque immigrant, Pascual Harriague, around 1860. Tannat has adapted perfectly to Uruguay’s soils and growing conditions and is the most widely-planted variety in Uruguay. The other reason Tannat is so popular in Uruguay is that it suits […]

Featured photo Domaine Bousquet Gaia wines on a table with trees in the background

A Toast to Earth Day with Domaine Bousquet’s Gaia Wines

As promised, and ahead of Earth Day next week, we are sharing three of Domaine Bousquet’s current releases Gaia wines. These wines in particular represent Domaine Bousquet’s continuing commitment to earth-friendly farming and winemaking practices. We received these wines as tasting samples.  You may recall from our prior post that the list of earth-friendly certifications earned by Domaine Bousquet is as […]

Photo of five Domaine Bousquet Cabernet wines on a table with a bench and lemon tree in the background

A Tasting of Domaine Bousquet’s High-Elevation Organic Cabernet

Domaine Bousquet doesn’t do anything half way. The 672-acre estate in Gualtallary zone of Tupungato in Mendoza’s Uco Valley lies at an elevation of 4,000 feet above sea level. The vineyards were planted in virgin soil and have been farmed organically since Jean Bousquet established the winery in 1997. In 2011 Jean’s daughter, Anne Bousquet, and her husband Labid Al […]

Photo of Sandeman Founder’s Reserve Ruby Porto bottle, special edition canister and glass of wine

Sandeman Founder’s Reserve Ruby Porto: A Tasty Place to Begin Your Exploration of Port Wines

Port wines are made from grapes grown in Portugal’s Douro wine region. The Douro was established as one of the first wine regions of the world in 1756. The region, which takes its name from the Douro River that runs through it, is home to vineyards planted along the river’s impossibly steep banks. The river begins its westward course in […]

Photo of bottle and glass of 2021 Smith-Madrone Chardonnay, Spring Mountain District, Napa Valley on a table with lemon tree in the background

Smith-Madrone 2021 Chardonnay: A Taste of Springtime in your Glass

Honestly, sometimes a wine comes along at the exact right time. Such is the case with the recently released 2021 Smith-Madrone Chardonnay. It tastes just like what I’m ready for — springtime. After tasting several vintages of this wine, I have a certain expectation: Chardonnay that expresses the vintage with only a gentle guiding hand from the winemakers. Every vintage […]

Photo of Campogiovanni Brunello, Vignorello Tuscan IGT and BellAja Bolgheri Superiori on a table

San Felice: Making Wine in Three of Tuscany’s Premier Regions

Three wine estates sit under the umbrella of San Felice in Tuscany representing three different regions. San Felice is comprised of 370 acres of vines (and 15,000 olive trees) in Chianti Classico. Campogiovanni sits in Montalcino with approximately 57 acres of vineyards, 34 of which are dedicated to making Brunello. Bell’Aja is located close to the ocean in Bolgheri where […]