Statistically, very old vineyards occupy a marginal place in the big picture of the wine world. Are those gnarled trunks and spindly canes uneconomical romance or the source of great wine and precious biodiversity? To try to unpack some of the complicated issues prompted by the question, I spoke to three people in Friuli-Venezia Giulia who work with old vines, …

Poached pear, Fuji apple and pineapple notes are fresh and juicy on a medium body, with orange blossom, candied ginger and lemon drop hints. Shows firm acidity and a toasted sesame seed detail on the finish. Vermentino and Grenache Blanc. Drink now. 3,114 cases made. Source : 269c46f4e33035d6e1bcfbc172a23b45

This popular Kirkland Bordeaux is back. Always a good sign since we have only have seen two vintages so far. It’s nice to see Costco committed to these high quality, highly desirable wine regions with the Kirkland label. More good news, the price actually keeps coming down a little bit each year. It’s not much, … Source : https://costcowineblog.com/2021-kirkland-signature-saint-julien-bordeaux/

This one caught us off guard. We were expecting a run of the mill Sangiovese, but couldn’t be more impressed with what’s delivered here and for only $13.89. Morellino di Scansano is a wine region in Tuscany that’s not often talked about, but should be. These wines are predominantly (85%) Sangiovese (Morellino is the local … Source : https://costcowineblog.com/2022-fattoria-le-pupille-morellino-di-scansano-sangiovese/

Many of you have been wondering the same thing we have: where is the Costco wine advent calendar for 2024? For the past three years, we found it in stores in September. There were a few rumblings online about it for 2024, but not a lot of solid information or spottings in the wild. We … Source : https://costcowineblog.com/wheres-the-2024-costco-wine-advent-calendar/

The Tenuta Frecciarossa estate, southeast of Casteggio, where self-sufficiency is the goal. It’s a wine lover’s dream. Oltrepò Pavese, in southern Lombardy, has a fascinating hilly landscape, a mosaic of vineyards contoured by woodland, a sprinkling of castles and stone villages, and an intriguing variety of wineries making diverse wines. Pretty much undiscovered by tourism, it’s home to some of …

A Work of Mark has added a photo to the pool: My orig image tweaked using Topaz Simply. Source : https://www.flickr.com/photos/16785381@N00/54154037796/in/pool-52609756@N00

piautel has added a photo to the pool: near Novello toeard Monforte . Source : https://www.flickr.com/photos/piautel/54153835555/in/pool-52609756@N00

The vintners of the Santa Cruz Mountains are making exciting, fresh wines from unique, wild mountain terroir. We’ve selected some of our favorites, described below.  They include excellent bottlings of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. These wines give a good picture of the varied terroir and sophisticated viticulture and winemaking of the region.  Retail prices are listed when …

Beaujolais Nouveau Day Although Cru Beaujolais has been having its moment in the sun for a few years now, its younger, lighter-bodied ‘nouveau’ cousin is coming back into its own. How Beaujolais Nouveau Day started The tradition of Beaujolais Nouveau dates back to the 1800s. Winemakers would bottle their just-fermented wine, produced from grapes harvested just a few months prior, …

The legacy and the road ahead Saskia began the masterclass by taking the audience back over 150 years, to when the Rothschild family first started making wine at Château Lafite, the Pauillac first growth, in 1868. ‘These are vineyards nurtured by a family that has been living there forever. It’s a home for me and my father (Baron Eric de …

The legacy and the road ahead Saskia began the masterclass by taking the audience back over 150 years, to when the Rothschild family first started making wine at Château Lafite, the Pauillac first growth, in 1868. ‘These are vineyards nurtured by a family that has been living there forever. It’s a home for me and my father (Baron Eric de …

Mount Etna viewed from the estate of Ciro Biondi in Trecastagni. ‘The future of wine at world level is Italy,’ declared Luigi Moio, president of the OIV (International Wine Organisation), professor of oenology at the University of Naples, and owner of the Quintodecimo winery in Campania, during a conference on Etna in September. Moio emphasised the importance of late ripening …

New release: Cristal 2016 ‘2016 reminds me of 2002,’ says Louis Roederer cellar master Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon, comparing the latest release to the ‘packed structure and concentration’ that characterised one of Champagne’s most lauded vintages of the last three decades. In fact, 2016 was a rather more difficult growing season, with mildew and frost leading to low yields. But the end …

Bodegas Riojanas Monte Real Gran Reserva Rioja wine Imagine it: it’s dawn, there’s dew underfoot, and the rising sun gleams through the mist. As far as the eye can see, there’s Tempranillo on the vine – awaiting harvest. This is Cenicero, in the very heart of Rioja Alta, and on mornings like this, it feels as though time holds its …

President-elect Donald Trump, Kid Rock and Elon Musk. Proposed mass deportation of undocumented immigrants could have a major impact on vineyards in particular, where vineyard owners, especially on the US West Coast, rely heavily on undocumented farm labour for their harvests. Tariffs could also raise prices on foreign wines, theoretically making US-made wines more competitive domestically. Uncertainty abounds, but many …

The origins of Zinfandel trace back to Croatia where it’s known as Tribidrag or Crljenak Kaštelanski. In the US, the variety is known as Zinfandel, playing a key role in the establishment of California’s wine industry, and in Italy it’s recognised as Primitivo where the region of Puglia is home. Though elegant, fruity and fresh styles exist, Zinfandel tends to include …

Six wine styles to try with beef: Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz Malbec Nebbiolo (Barolo) Pinot Noir Chardonnay (oaked) Search Decanter wine reviews to find the perfect bottle Choosing a wine to drink with roast beef It’s hard to beat a delicious bottle of red wine with roast beef or hearty beef stew on a wintry afternoon, whether it’s Christmas Day or …

Fragrant hints of marjoram, incense and leather waft through the plumped cherry and wild strawberry flavors on display in this well-meshed red. Fine-grained tannins provide supple definition as this echoes with good tension and focus on the mineral-laced finish. Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio. Drink now through 2036. 6,500 cases made. Source : 413f2ee4ad9cc19fd3d0f2b10e61d25d

thomasmoyer43 has added a photo to the pool: Source : https://www.flickr.com/photos/200730164@N04/54152703420/in/pool-52609756@N00