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 […]
Today we are sharing a pair of wines made in Napa by Sean and Juliana McBride. Neither wine is a Cabernet or even a Bordeaux blend. The first is sourced from one of Napa Valley’s nested AVAs, the other is not. Intrigued? We received both wines as tasting samples. Neither Sean or Juliana grew up in winemaking families, but both […]
Presqu’ile is a French Creole word meaning almost an island and is the name given to the Murphy family compound on Henderson Point along the Mississippi Gulf Coast that had been a gathering place for several generations. In 2005 that idyllic place was forever changed by hurricane Katrina, but the fond memories of family gatherings and hospitality remain. When the Murphy […]
This post brings you a second taste of Ettore organic wines grown and made in Hopland, California, the southernmost town in Mendocino County. All Ettore wines are estate grown in their Sanel Valley Vineyards, which are certified organic by CCOF. We received this wine as a tasting sample. 2019 Ettore Chardonnay Pure, Mendocino, California — light golden with aromas […]
Describing Domaine Bousquet as Argentina’s Leading Organic Winery is a big statement, but once you learn how much the Bousquet family has achieved in the past 25-plus years you will be impressed. After you taste the wines and realize how reasonably priced they are, I think you will agree they are leaders in Argentina, if not the world. Domaine Bousquet’s […]
Most of us are very satisfied to visit Napa Valley to taste wine and enjoy good food, but for a subset of wine enthusiasts a visit to Napa Valley leads them to make wine in Napa Valley. Husband and wife, Brian and Miki Cunat, found themselves at just such a crossroads after visiting Napa Valley and wine regions around the […]
Notre Vue Estate & Winery sits on a 710-acre property south of Healdsburg straddling Sonoma’s Russian River Valley and Chalk Hill AVAs. 250 acres of vineyards cover the rolling hills, but 350 acres are protected as “Forever Wild” open space. Balverne is a sister label to Notre Vue and both are sourced exclusively from Notre Vue vineyards. We received these […]
A Chardonnay blend or Nerello Mascalese are perfect springtime sips as the weather is warming, but still unsettled. Can’t decide between a spring salad and a roasted vegetable and farro salad? Still enjoying roasted chicken and not quite ready to fire up the grill? Let us introduce you to Castello Pomino and Duca di Salaparuta, a taste of Tuscany and […]
BARRA of Mendocino continues their commitment to family farming and crafting delicious certified-organic wines with the recent release of their reserve wines. These new wines remain very reasonably priced and come with some exciting packaging changes. We received these wines as tasting samples. Charlie Barra began farming organically because that’s how he learned to farm from his parents, who emigrated […]
Sebastián Zuccardi told us his grandfather had an obsession with the desert when he first planted grape vines near the city of Mendoza. The year was 1963 and at the time he had no expertise growing grapes and no interest in making wine. He was the owner of a building company who was keen to demonstrate an efficient irrigation system. […]
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.