Tasting Notes

Tasting notes for individual wines.

Lost Chapters Wines featured photo

The Lost Chapters

The Lost Chapters is the name of a range of wines made by Paul Scotto and Mitch Cosentino. This dynamic duo of winemakers collaborate on twenty-odd wine labels under the Scotto Cellars umbrella of wines. Both winemakers are blending specialists. Paul considers himself a blendologist, using grape varieties to make wine with layers of flavors the way a chef uses […]

Il Censo Praruar featured photo

Il Censo Praruar Terre Siciliane Bianco

2013 Il Censo Praruar Terre Siciliane Bianco — translucent rusty orange that is just a bit cloudy in the glass; interesting aromas and flavors of iron, rocky soil, cut rose stems and walnuts. Hints of iodine and smoke mingle in the background. Juicy acidity keep this wine bright and provides an interesting counterpoint to drying tannins. The finish goes on […]

Anne Bousquet featured photo

The Wines of Domaine Bousquet with Anne Bousquet

It wasn’t until I began to take wine seriously that I became interested in the story behind a bottle of wine. My first interest was the variety and then, with a bit of experience, I began to consider style. The story of the winery came much later, after I began to grapple with wine regions. I think it was simply […]

Locations TX6 Red Wine featured photo

Locations TX6 – Texas Red Wine

Today’s Cellar Note takes us to Texas and what I believe is our first review of a Texas wine. Well, howdy partner, we are happy to make your acquaintance and a tip of our Stetsons to the folks at Locations for sending us the tasting sample. The Locations range of wines is the brainchild of winemaker Dave Phinney whose first […]

Stony Hill Chardonnay featured photo

2015 Stony Hill Vineyard Chardonnay

Today’s Cellar Note brings you a taste of Chardonnay grown and made in the mountain appellation of Spring Mountain District. Spring Mountain District AVA sits above the Napa Valley on the eastern slopes of the Mayacamas Mountains that separate Napa Valley from Sonoma Valley. The Stony Hill Vineyard Chardonnay was provided as a tasting sample. 2015 Stony Hill Vineyard Chardonnay […]

Montes Wines

A Taste of Viña Montes

Today, Chilean wine, and quality wine at that, is everywhere. It’s easy to forget that wasn’t always the case. Back in the late 1980s when Aurelio Montes and Douglas Murray founded their winery, Chile was suffering through the final years of the Pinochet dictatorship and demand for wine in Chile was flagging. Chilean wines were sold mostly in Chile at […]

FEL Anderson Valley Chardonnay featured photo

FEL Anderson Valley Chardonnay

Anderson Valley winegrowers are cool-climate specialists. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Gewurztraminer are the most-planted varieties in this northern California appellation. If you are a fan of sparkling wine, Anderson Valley has you covered. However, in today’s Cellar Note our focus is FEL Anderson Valley Chardonnay, which we received as a tasting sample. The Anderson Valley AVA is located about 100 […]

Domaine Bousquet featured photo

Blended Wines from Domaine Bousquet

Today’s cellar note brings you two blended wines from Argentine producer Domaine Bousquet. Right off the bat at least two things stand out about these wines, which we received as tasting samples. First they are made with organic grapes and it says so on the label. Yay! Second, Domaine Bousquet has no problem putting white blend and red blend on […]

Interntional Wines for Valentines Day

International Wines to Celebrate Valentine’s Day

On February 14 many boxes of chocolates will be given, jewelry will be exchanged, flowers will be received. Restaurants will be crowded with couples and groups celebrating love and friendship. Certainly, couples do not have the corner on Valentine’s Day celebrations. Singles will be celebrating the day as well, on their own or with friends. We will wear pink or […]

Vilarnau Cava

Cava. Are you curious about it? So am I. Cava is sparkling wine made in Spain. It is made using the same method as in Champagne (the second fermentation takes place in the bottle), but using mostly indigenous Spanish grape varieties. I’m a sucker for indigenous varieties, so I was curious to give Cava a taste and to dig into […]