If Uruguay is on your wine radar it may be for its Tannat. The red grape variety was first brought to Uruguay by a Basque immigrant, Pascual Harriague, around 1860. Tannat has adapted perfectly to Uruguay’s soils and growing conditions and is the most widely-planted variety in Uruguay. The other reason Tannat is so popular in Uruguay is that it suits […]
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 […]
We are continuing our exploration of Arizona wine for one more post, though I cannot promise it will be the last. We are happy to share three current-release wines made by Aridus Wine Company in Willcox, Arizona. We received these wines as tasting samples. Scott & Joan Dahmer began their journey from wine enthusiasts to winery owners in 2009 with […]
Paso Robles is a wine region we have just recently begun to explore. The more we taste, the more we appreciate the wide variety of wine styles made in the region. Today’s tasting includes two proprietary blends that leave us wanting to plan a visit during our next trip to Paso. We received these wines as tasting samples. Dana Brown […]
We have had the good fortune of meeting Alta Colina’s father-daughter team of Bob and Maggie Tillman twice. When we first met in early 2020 when Molly Lonborg had just assumed winemaking responsibilities from Bob. It is clear to us from both virtual conversations that they all take winegrowing and winemaking very seriously. It is also clear they take having […]
Most of Australia is far too hot and dry to support vineyards, but many coastal areas are well suited to viticulture and this is where most of Australia’s wine regions are located. As you might imagine in a country the size of Australia there is a big range of climates and soil types as well as grape varieties. All of […]
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 […]
Pelletiere Estate Vineyard & Winery is tucked away in the Paso Robles Willow Creek District AVA on Paso’s westside. The 16-acre property is home to an interesting collection of Italian grape varieties covering a hillside above Las Tablas Willow Creek Road. In a sub-AVA that is better known for Rhône-style wines, proprietor Janis Pelletiere Denner’s Italian heritage has inspired her […]
Lodi “Outside the Box” Thanksgiving is the title of a recent online tasting hosted by LoCA, the Lodi Winegrape Commission. We were invited to participate in the tasting and in addition to sending us four wines as tasting samples, LoCA also sent along recipes to accompany each wine. The recipes were created by Chef Tony Lawrence, who is a sommelier and certified wine and food pairing specialist (among many other talents.)
If you’re like many people you think of Lodi as red wine country and Zinfandel country in particular. And while it is true the majority of wine grape production in Lodi is red, there is quite a variety of white grape production as well. Some exciting white wine is being produced in Lodi and this tasting includes just a sampling of those 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.