Cava has its origins in the Penedès region of Spain near Barcelona and is made in four zones around the country. Both local grape varieties and those used in Champagne are used in winemaking and as a result Cava offers a unique flavor profile along with mouth-filling bubbles. Today we are tasting a range of Cavas to help us understand […]
Opening a bottle of sparkling wine takes a bit of additional care and attention, but the reward is a glass of wine made more beautiful by its lively bubbles. Once you sip that wine the bubbles fill your mouth adding texture and energy, in addition to a variety of flavors. And there is something mesmerizing about simply watching the bubbles […]
Including the word family in a winery’s name is the most direct way to indicate the enterprise is a family operation, but it’s certainly not the most creative way to do so. Eight at the Gate, however, might be the smartest way I’ve seen to include family in a winery’s name. How is that you might wonder? Well, when two […]
Brothers Stu and Charles Smith have been making wine on Spring Mountain above Napa Valley since the early 1970s. The mountainside location sets Smith-Madrone apart from the valley and so does the brothers’ winemaking style. They make Cabernet Sauvignon in an elegant, old-world style along with lively, oaked Chardonnay and Riesling — yes, Riesling, because they both really love Riesling. […]
Franciacorta is a small wine region that lies in northern Italy’s Lombardia (Lombardy) region. Only sparkling wines made here using the traditional method, metodo classico, may be called Franciacorta. Chardonnay, Pinot Nero (Pinot Noir) and Pinot Bianco are the main grape varieties. Erbamat, an indigenous white variety with naturally high acidity levels, has also been approved recently. Why should you […]
A glass of wine can be so many things. Wine can simply be a libation to quench your thirst, or it can be celebratory, or it can accompany a meal and go unnoticed. If you’re really fortunate a glass of wine will make you take note because of its style, its background story or the opportunity to learn about a […]
Can you believe it is already time to begin planning for Thanksgiving? Depending on the size of your gathering you will need one or more wines to accompany your meal. Whether you plan a traditional Thanksgiving menu or one that is more modern, Domaine Bousquet has at least one wine from their broad portfolio of wines to accompany your meal. […]
Rodney Strong Vineyards has recently undergone a refresh. The most noticeable change to consumers who visit the winery will be in the remodeled tasting room; to anyone who picks up a bottle of Rodney Strong wine it will be the newly designed wine labels. But less visible changes have been going on behind the scenes for some time in the […]
Recently I was invited to sit in on a virtual tasting of Kenwood Vineyards wines paired with cheese. During the tasting Kenwood Vineyards winemaker Zeke Neeley gave us the behind the scenes details of each wine we tasted while chef and cookbook author Gaby Dalkin created a cheeseboard. I came away with a greater understanding of the different ranges of […]
Austria, Spain and Chile are represented in this group of white wines imported in the US by González Byass. In addition to the importer they share affordability and offer a variety of grape varieties to enjoy for summer sipping. We received these wines as tasting samples. 2020 Domäne Wachau Grüner Veltliner Federspiel Terrassen, Wachau, Austria — pale yellow with aromas […]
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.