Author: Nancy (CSW)

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Welcome to Australia’s Hunter Wine Region

In October 2019 we traveled to Australia for the first time. We discovered a beautiful country with varied landscape and very friendly people. I’m happier now than I could have imagined that we made the trip. The impetus for our visit was the Wine Media Conference held in the Hunter wine region. We gathered for three days at the Crowne […]

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A Glass of Tasmanian Sparkling Wine to Brighten Your Day

Sparkling wine is widely considered a celebratory libation. Unfortunately, these do not feel like celebratory times. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic we’re staying home, only venturing out to walk in our neighborhood or shop for items we cannot order online. These are stressful times and, I would argue, the exact time when a glass of sparkling wine is […]

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Howard Park Miamup Sauvignon Blanc Semillon

Today we continue our visit to Australia’s Margaret River via the wine in our glass. We’re fast falling in love with the wines from this far corner of Australia and the more research I do the more excited I become to visit this part of Australia. We received this wine as a tasting sample. Howard Park was established in 1986 […]

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Vasse Felix: A Taste of Margaret River

Today we are traveling the only way we can, through the wine in our glass, and we are thankful to do so. No passport required, no long airplane flight, no jet lag. Two wines from Vasse Felix in South West Australia’s Margaret River will introduce us to the region and begin at the beginning. Vasse Felix is the the first […]

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New Releases from Flora Springs

If, like us, you are on winery mailing lists you have received emails announcing spring release wines. It’s a welcome bright spot, especially this year when so little is normal for most of us. Today we are sharing two recent releases from Flora Springs that we received as tasting samples. Spring wine releases this year will be especially important to […]

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Two New White Wines from Kenwood Vineyards

Winemakers are a curious lot. They are always on a quest to identify unique vineyard sites and expressions of grape varieties. Every vintage brings with it unique challenges and opportunities to craft interesting wines. Kenwood Vineyards has introduced two white wines for winter sipping and beyond. We received both wines as tasting samples. Both of these wines are new additions […]

Alois Lageder Terra Alpina featured photo

Terra Alpina Wines from Alois Lageder

My travels to the Dolomites in northeastern Italy are limited to the wine in my glass. But I have to say that virtual travel is one of the great pleasures of wine. The Dolomites, with their jagged peaks, steep slopes, valleys cut by glaciers and alpine rivers, have created a complex terroir that defines Trentino-Alto Adige. Today we are tasting […]

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The Paring: Wines with an Edge

The Paring has a backstory that includes winemaker Matt Dees and two of Santa Barbara County’s acclaimed wineries, JONATA and The Hilt. Through common ownership there is a connection to Napa’s cult wine, Screaming Eagle. Impressive connections. But when we receive wines as tasting samples for review we taste them without learning more about them than what is on the […]

Red Wines for Winter Meals and Beyond

This time of year we work red wines into our wine rotation much more often than in the summer months. Red wines just pair better with braised meals and chill winter evenings than salads and triple-digit afternoons. But until those very warm temperatures descend upon us in late summer, red wines will also pair well with grilled meats and veggies […]