Tasting notes for individual wines.
California’s Livermore Valley AVA is situated about 35 miles east of San Francisco Bay. The valley has an unusual east-west orientation within the Coast Range that allows cool, maritime breezes to be funneled inland through the valley from the bay. The region is still quite warm with ample sunshine and cool nights. Valley floor and mountainside vineyard locations boast well-drained […]
Many wineries are turning to bag-in-box (BIB) packaging for their wines to reduce their carbon footprint among other things. BIB wines are lighter to transport, take up less space and keep wine fresh longer than glass bottles. Alileo is one such brand packaged in a box. In addition to BIB, Alileo packages sparkling wine under crown cap and cork and […]
I have a thing for mountainside vineyards. Growing vines on the side of a mountain is definitely not the easiest place to grow them, but some of the most interesting and complex wines I’ve tasted are grown there. Smith-Madrone wines are both. They are also elegant, unexpected and affordable. Affordable and Napa Valley are sometimes mutually exclusive with regard to […]
Last spring we tasted a group of wines from Uruguay that included Sauvignon Blanc, Moscatel and Cabernet Franc in addition to the country’s flagship variety, Tannat. That tasting was accompanied by a webinar that provided a detailed introduction to the country, its wine regions and growing conditions. We were impressed by the quality and affordability of the wines we tasted. […]
Prosecco has many appealing qualities beginning with those delightful bubbles that always feel celebratory — even if it’s just a mid-week meal at home. Their light, fruit flavors make them a good accompaniment to appetizers or a light meal especially in warmer weather. Then there’s Prosecco’s affordability, which means we can enjoy them without breaking the bank and use them […]
If you are looking for an introduction to organic wines, one or more of Domaine Bousquet’s Varietal Series wines will be a delicious introduction. These wines are fresh and balanced. If you are already acquainted with organic wines, you will also appreciate how reasonably priced these wines are. We recently tasted four wines from the current release, which we received […]
For wine lovers who want a good backstory with their wine, look to Esporão. Herdade do Esporão is a historic estate in Portugal’s Alentejo wine region where traditional winemaking techniques are employed in modern winemaking facilities. And Esporão is fully committed to organic viticulture and sustainability. Today we are tasting two wines, which we received as tasting samples, that offer […]
The 2021 vintage of Trilogy marks the 38th bottling of what Flora Springs has always considered its flagship red wine. It continues to be sourced from Komes and Garvey family vineyards. Trilogy is a Cabernet Sauvignon based blend sourced primarily from the family’s Komes Ranch Vineyard. We received this wine as a tasting sample. Flora Springs’ history begins with the […]
Today we are sipping alcoholic beverages that are a bit different than wine. One is perfect to sip before a meal and the other is just the thing to end a meal. Both are made using an infusion of botanicals, so they have some flavors in common, but they are very different from one another. We received both as tasting […]
Jake Bilbro is a fourth-generation winemaker from Sonoma. He learned winemaking from his father Chris, founder of Marietta Cellars, before he went on to purchase Limerick Lane. He appreciates the importance of sustainability and also enjoys outdoor sports — his love of the outdoors is something else Jake learned from his father. Revelshine brings together Jake’s winemaking experience with his […]
We enjoy wine, food and travel. Pull That Cork is a chronicle of our wine adventures, the food and wine pairings we create and our travels which are increasingly organized around wine.