Other Wine Tastings Archives

Les Vignes de Bila-Haut Rouge: Everyday Wine Needn’t Be Ordinary

February 26, 2016 by Nancy (CSW) Comments are Disabled

What’s the best way to make a weeknight meal special? I say, prepare a deliciously simple meal and pair it with an interesting wine that won’t break the bank. We recently received just such a wine as a tasting sample. Read on for the food and wine pairing that made for such an enjoyable weeknight meal. The Wine Les Vignes […]

Rombauer Vineyards: Beyond Chardonnay

February 22, 2016 by Nancy (CSW) Comments are Disabled

If someone says Rombauer Vineyards to you, what is the first thought that comes to mind? I’d be willing to bet it’s: Chardonnay. Even Rombauer Vineyards’ winemaker, Richie Allen, jokes that some people think Chardonnay is all that Rombauer produces.

Don Melchor Cabernet Sauvignon Puente Alto Vineyard: An Elegant Addition to your Dinner Table

December 23, 2015 by Nancy (CSW) Comments are Disabled

The bottle came wrapped in tissue paper. A little package to unwrap, adding to the anticipation of finally tasting the wine. Pete pulled the cork and we gave it a quick sniff. We looked at each other and smiled. He poured a small glass for us to sample before pouring the remainder of the bottle into a decanter. It would be an hour before our friends arrived for dinner.

Cabernet Franc: It Finally Has a Day of Its Own!

December 4, 2015 by Nancy (CSW) 2 comments

Today’s the day. December 4, 2015. The first #CabFrancDay. The tasty variety finally has a day of its own. The tasty variety finally has its own day. Cabernet Franc is one of the first varietal wines I learned to love, thanks to weekly wine tasting at a local wine shop.

Three Expressions of Carmenere from Concha y Toro

November 23, 2015 by Nancy (CSW) 4 comments

These days, Carmenere is a varietal wine most closely associated with Chile. But, that is a relatively recent development — within the last 20 years. Lucky for those of us who enjoy Carmenere, viticulturists brought cuttings to Chile from France before the phylloxera epidemic of the 1860s all but destroyed the variety in its native Bordeaux region. Because Carmenere can be difficult to grow and fully ripen in Bordeaux, after the phylloxera epidemic it was not widely replanted. As a result, Chile is home to the vast majority of Carmenere plantings world wide.

Delightful Dinner Partners from Portugal’s Tejo Wine Region

November 17, 2015 by Nancy (CSW) Comments are Disabled

Wines from Portugal? Yes, please! With more than 200 indigenous grape varieties and a wide variety of growing conditions, Portugal has plenty to offer the adventurous wine drinker. We recently had the opportunity to sample four wines from the Tejo (pronounced te-zhoo) wine region of Portugal. Until 2009 this region was know as Ribatejo.

Harvest Lunch at Jordan Vineyard: A delicious tradition

October 16, 2015 by Nancy (CSW) Comments are Disabled

For six weeks in September and October of every year, Jordan Vineyard celebrates the year’s harvest and the bounty of their gardens by preparing delicious Harvest Lunches. Jordan Russian River Valley Chardonnay and Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon accompany the buffet, which changes depending on what is fresh in their gardens.

Two Interpretations of Santorini Assyrtiko

September 22, 2015 by Nancy (CSW) 2 comments

It’s always a happy day when we are fortunate enough to receive wine samples for tasting. It presents so many new possibilities. Most times the wines are ones we have not tasted before. We may or may not be familiar with the grape varieties, but even if we are, every winemaker’s interpretation of a variety is unique.

Mokelumne Glen Vineyards: What’s New in Winemaking

June 25, 2015 by Nancy (CSW) 1 comment

If you are at all familiar with what is happening in the Lodi wine world, you have probably heard of Mokelumne Glen Vineyards. If you are a fan of German and Austrian wine varieties, then you most certainly know that Mokelumne Glen Vineyards is home to plantings of Kerner, Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Bacchus, Dornfelder and Blaufränkisch, to name just a few. In addition, there is the “German Collection”, a block of over 30 German and Austrian varieties.

Domaine de Bila-Haut Occultum Lapidem: no longer a hidden gem to us

March 9, 2015 by Nancy (CSW) Comments are Disabled

In 1999 Michel Chapoutier turned his interest to Roussillon with the purchase of Domaine de Bila-Haut in Latour de France. The Roussillon portion of the enormous south of France Languedoc-Roussillon region is the portion closest to Spain. The climate here is truly Mediterranean with cold winters and very warm summers that provide a long, sunny growing season.