Cellar Notes

Notes about the wines we have tried recently.

Featured photo Geisen 0% Sparkling Brut bottles, glass and cork on a table

A Tasting of New Zealand’s Giesen 0% Sparkling Brut

No and low-alcohol wines are having something of a moment. There are more options than ever for those looking to eliminate or significantly reduce their alcohol consumption without completely abstaining from wine. Giesen 0% Sparkling Brut is one such wine. We received this wine as a tasting sample. Giesen Wines was founded by three brothers who immigrated to New Zealand […]

Photo of Presqu'ile Winery Estate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wine bottles on table with garden in background

A Tasting of Presqu’ile Winery Estate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir

Presqu’ile is a French Creole word meaning almost an island and is the name given to the Murphy family compound on Henderson Point along the Mississippi Gulf Coast that had been a gathering place for several generations. In 2005 that idyllic place was forever changed by hurricane Katrina, but the fond memories of family gatherings and hospitality remain. When the Murphy […]

2019 Ettore Chardonnay Pure, Mendocino, California featured photo

2019 Ettore Chardonnay Pure: A Cellar Note

This post brings you a second taste of Ettore organic wines grown and made in Hopland, California, the southernmost town in Mendocino County. All Ettore wines are estate grown in their Sanel Valley Vineyards, which are certified organic by CCOF. We received this wine as a tasting sample.   2019 Ettore Chardonnay Pure, Mendocino, California — light golden with aromas […]

photo of The Pairing Current Release wines: 2021 Sauvignon Blanc, 2018 Red on table

The Pairing: A Taste of the Current Release Wines

The Pairing is part of a very fancy family of wines that includes JONATA and The Hilt. The Pairing wines are sourced from the same vineyards as JONATA and The Hilt, but from blocks that are too young or don’t fit their vintage style. That’s good for consumers because The Pairing wines are made with the same attention to detail, […]

Trio of Terlato white wines photo

White Wines to Help You Keep (Your) Cool

All things considered we have had a relatively mild summer in Central California.  After recently experiencing the heat and humidity of a heat dome in the Midwestern US, we have a new appreciation for temperatures in the mid-90s with relatively low humidity. We also have an appreciation for sipping chilled white wine on a warm evening and today are sharing […]

White Bordeaux Wines Perfect for A Summer Meal

Bordeaux is best known for its dry red wines, but Bordeaux is also home to delicious dry white wines. With temperatures soaring this summer, here and in much of the Northern Hemisphere, a crisp white wine is just what I want in my wine glass. We recently tasted three dry white Bordeaux wines, sent to us as tasting samples, that […]

2018 Smith-Madrone Riesling photo of bottle and wine glass on table in front of lemon tree

Smith-Madrone Riesling: It’s Perfect for a Meal

When planning a meal do you start with the food or the wine? I may have just given away my approach by listing food before wine, but honestly sometimes we begin with the food and sometimes the wine. And, some food is more challenging to pair with wine, and some wine is more challenging to pair with food. But one […]

Pam's UN-Oaked Chardonnay and Cabernet featured photo

Pam’s UN-Oaked Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon from Ron Rubin Winery

Unoaked Chardonnay is fairly common, but the same cannot be said for unoaked Cabernet Sauvignon. Cabernet is almost always made by fermenting and aging the wine in oak barrels of various types and ages. Winery owner and beverage specialist Ron Rubin is clearly not following the crowd with his line of UN-Oaked wines; Pam’s UN-Oaked Cabernet Sauvignon recently joined Pam’s […]

Spätburgunder and Pinot Noir featured photo

Why You Should Sip German Spätburgunder, AKA Pinot Noir

Germany is certainly better known for its white wines, Riesling in particular, than it is for its red wines. But Germany’s cool growing conditions can result in red wines with lively flavors that are food friendly and have very modest alcohol. Chill them during summer and enjoy them at room temperature in winter. Today we’re sipping two such wines that […]