Is it possible for a winemaker to be both pragmatic and fearless at the same time? Or maybe the question should be whether both qualities are a requirement? Pretty quickly after meeting winemaker Amy Butler it was clear to me she is a very practical person. She’s direct and grounded and also has a keen sense of humor. We recently […]
In today’s cellar note we taste Spanish Tempranillo. We will briefly explore two wine regions, Rioja and Toro, by tasting four wines all of which we received as tasting samples. We will begin in Rioja, Spain’s best-known red wine region, and move on to Toro, which is not as well known but on the rise. All four wines are made […]
Every glass of wine is an adventure in aromas, flavors and textures – at the very least. If you are at all curious about the wine in your glass, there is the added bonus of exploring geography, wine classifications, grape varieties and winemaking techniques. I can’t help but examine the label of every wine I drink; and I am always […]
When you think of wine from Rioja you probably think primarily of Tempranillo. Garnacha, Graciano and Mazuelo (Carignan) are the usual blending partners for Tempranillo in the region and these wines are great partners for roasted or braised meat. I love them with lamb. Red wine production predominates in this region of northern Spain that straddles the Ebro River, but […]
It’s official, summer has arrived. That means warm temperatures, backyard grilling and warm afternoons and evenings spent sipping chilled wine.
We recently had the opportunity to taste six wines from four wineries located in the Boise area. One of the regular tasters at the Thursday night wine tastings we attend at a local wineshop regularly visits the Boise area; her brother and sister-in-law live there. During a recent trip they did a bit of wine tasting and brought back the selection of wines we tasted. It was a great introduction to the wines of the area.
Today is International Tempranillo Day. An entire day dedicated to the enjoyment of Tempranillo wine. If you’ve never enjoyed the variety, it’s a good time to do so. If you’re already a fan of the variety, it’s the perfect time to enjoy your favorite Tempranillo or maybe find a new favorite. Here are five delicious choices from Lodi for your #TempranilloDay celebration.
Ribera del Duero is a wine region located on the northern plateau of Spain known for producing quality wines from Tempranillo. The weather is inhospitable, the soils are complex and the elevation is mostly more than 2500 feet above sea level. Local winemakers work their magic with Tempranillo planted along the Duero River and at higher elevations.
Rioja is a wine region located in northern Spain (between Bilbao and Madrid) that is highly regarded for its Tempranillo, which comprises the majority of the plantings in the region. Garnacha, Carignan and Graciano are also planted and are most often blending partners to Tempranillo.
At a recent Thursday night tasting at Fine Wines of Stockton, Pete presented the wines for the tasting. Gail asked him for suggestions as to topics for the tasting and they eventually settled on wines that are not the “usual suspects”. It gave us a chance to learn about some smaller wine regions and taste the wines. It was a fun evening that took us on a tour of European wines.
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.