Cellar Notes

Notes about the wines we have tried recently.

Abadia Retuerta Seleccion Especial featured

Abadia Retuerta Selección Especial

Every glass of wine is an adventure in aromas, flavors and textures – at the very least. If you are at all curious about the wine in your glass, there is the added bonus of exploring geography, wine classifications, grape varieties and winemaking techniques. I can’t help but examine the label of every wine I drink; and I am always […]

Nino Franco Featured Photo

Celebrating #NationalProseccoDay with Nino Franco Rustico Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG

August 13 has been officially declared #NationalProseccoDay, just in case you need a reason to celebrate with this delicious Italian sparkling wine. We certainly have reason to celebrate. We recently received 14 coupe glasses and two bottles of Nino Franco Rustico Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG as tasting samples. The reason for sending us all of those classic sparkling wine glasses […]

Colome Wines Featured

Colomé Torrontés and Malbec

Torrontés and Malbec are Argentina’s best-known wine grape varieties, at least to those of us that are the focus Argentina’s export market. Of the two varieties, Malbec is definitely better known, but Torrontés is perhaps more distinctive. I remember my first taste of Torrontés years ago, I was floored by the floral aromas and flavors. Malbec, which originated in France, […]

Casillero del Diablo Merlot featured

Casillero del Diablo Reserva Merlot

This summer has been warmer than the past few. We have been hit with heat waves lasting several days that have brought temperatures over 100º F. In between we’ve enjoyed cooler temperatures in the 80s and 90s with mornings and evenings that cool off nicely. This is when we reach for red wine, otherwise it’s mostly rosé and white wine. […]

Valdivieso Wines

Viña Valdivieso Brut Rosé and Sauvignon Blanc

When I think of Chilean wine, I have to I admit, I don’t think of sparkling wine. I think of red wine — Cabernet Sauvignon or Carménère. Today I have the opportunity to challenge that association by sharing my tasting notes of a sparkling rosé and white wine from longtime Chilean producer Viña Valdivieso. This may be my first taste […]

Ferraton Samorens featured

Ferraton Père & Fils: A White and Rosé for Everyday Enjoyment

Maison Ferraton Père & Fils was founded in 1946 with the purchase of a small vineyard in Hermitage. Today Ferraton Père & Fils is a relatively large producer making a range of wines. Estate vineyards in Hermitage, Crozes-Hermitage and Saint-Joseph are farmed biodynamically. Wine production from these esteemed vineyard locations represents only a small part of total production. We won’t […]

Terrunyo Sauvignon Blanc Featured

Terrunyo Sauvignon Blanc | Block 5

Terrunyo is a range of wines made by the well-established Chilean producer Concha y Toro. Terroir is the focus of this range. Specific vineyard blocks in prime locations for each grape variety have been identified and are the source of grapes for these wines. The range includes Cabernet Sauvignon, Carménère and Syrah in addition to Sauvignon Blanc. This Sauvignon Blanc, […]

Vivanco: A Taste of Rioja

When you think of wine from Rioja you probably think primarily of Tempranillo. Garnacha, Graciano and Mazuelo (Carignan) are the usual blending partners for Tempranillo in the region and these wines are great partners for roasted or braised meat. I love them with lamb. Red wine production predominates in this region of northern Spain that straddles the Ebro River, but […]

Locations wines beginning with C

Locations Wines That Begin With C

Dave Phinney is a worldly winemaker. His Locations range, known for their distinctive labeling that identifies the country of origin, includes wine from Spain, France, Italy, Portugal, Argentina, California, Oregon, Washington, Texas and Corsica. Whew. That’s a lot to keep track of, and a lot of airline miles accumulated in a year. We have tasted most of these wines and […]