Tasting Notes

Tasting notes for individual wines.

2012 Heavyweight Cabernet Sauvignon — the Perfect Match for a Weeknight Meal

On a recent weeknight I came home to the most delightful surprise. The aromas were the first thing I noticed — sautéed onion and Italian sausage along with the spiciness of andouille. Our large dutch on the cooktop was the only other clue dinner was imminent. The kitchen was completely clean otherwise. There was no evidence of the preparation that had taken place. Clearly, Pete had been busy while I was out.

The second thing I noticed was a glass of red wine on the kitchen counter. I looked at Pete and asked, “Is that for me?” “Yes,” he replied, “what is it?” He loves to test me, so I played along.

Peter Zemmer Pinot Grigio: A PG That Won’t Disappoint

I pulled the bottle of Peter Zemmer Pinot Grigio from the refrigerator and grabbed my favorite wine glass, a Zalto Denk’Art Universal glass. It required a firm grip and a bit of muscle to remove the screw cap from the bottle of wine. I poured an ounce or so into my glass, put the screw cap back on the wine bottle and placed it in the refrigerator.

As I turned my attention to the glass of Pinot Grigio, the most amazing aromas greeted me — even before I lifted the glass to my nose. This was my first hint that this Pinot Grigio, grown in Alto Adige (and sent to us as a tasting sample), was no ordinary Pinot Grigio.

Food, Wine and Music: Paul Cullen and Tune Your Palate

Paul Cullen, former Bad Company bassist, has turned his attention from rock music to Italian food and wine with music to accompany both. Through his enterprise, Tune Your Palate, he will arrange to cook delicious authentic Italian dishes for you and your friends in your own kitchen. He creates wine pairings to match and then plays music while you enjoy both. Sounds like a delicious idea doesn’t it?

Don Melchor Cabernet

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

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.

Ferrari: Sparkling Wine From the Mountains of Northeastern Italy

November was the most enjoyable month of wine tastings I have experienced in some time. I spent Tuesday evenings participating in Protocol Wine Studio’s #winestudio Twitter chats and sampling extraordinary sparkling wine made in the mountains of northeastern Italy. In all, we received four sparkling wines as tasting samples produced by Cantine Ferrari. Each Tuesday evening special guests joined the conversation to explain Ferrari’s history, farming practices, production methods and we sipped a different Ferrari wine as we learned about Ferrari. It’s a genius way to learn about wine.

Scotto Family Cellars — A Family Winemaking Tradition Continues

As with many Italian families, wine is an important part of Scotto family life. For at least five generations, Scotto family members have been making and selling wine, first in their native Italy, then in New York after the first family members immigrated to the U.S. in 1883.
Even before leaving Brooklyn for California, the family purchased grapes from Lodi, California growers to make their table wine. That connection between the Scotto family and Lodi growers continued after they moved to California in 1963.