Hommage au Baron Philippe – the label for Château Mouton Rothschild 2022, illustrated by Gérard Garouste. The label pays tribute to the 100th anniversary of Baron Philippe de Rothschild’s arrival at the family-owned Bordeaux winery in 1922. In his 1981 autobiography, Vivre la Vigne, Baron Philippe wondered whether anyone would celebrate his centenary. That question has now been answered, as …
Read More »Carignan Don Gaspar, Lomas de Quillon, Valle de Itata
Paul Lowry has added a photo to the pool: Source : https://www.flickr.com/photos/paul_lowry/54139767817/in/pool-14289677@N00
Read More »Wine Reviews: Mini Round-Up for December 2, 2024
The post Wine Reviews: Mini Round-Up for December 2, 2024 appeared first on 1 Wine Dude. I taste a bunch-o-wine (technical term for more than most people). So each week, I share some of my wine reviews (mostly from samples) and tasting notes in a “mini-review” format. They are meant to be quirky, fun, and (mostly) easily-digestible reviews of (mostly) …
Read More »DWWA judge: Almudena Alberca MW
Almudena Alberca MW is a judge at the Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA). DWWA Judge, Almudena Alberca MWAlmudena Alberca MW Almudena Alberca MW is the first woman in Spain to achieve the title of Master of Wine. After graduating in agriculture engineering, she continued her studies gaining a degree in oenology and a master in viticulture. Her first harvest was …
Read More »What’s in a name? The Barton & Guestier story.
Gate at the premises of Barton & Guestier French wine distributors It wasn’t an easy time to be a négociant, in eighteenth-century France. Years of overproduction had brought the wine market to its knees – it’s said the French Government ordered producers to rip up their vines, in a desperate effort to protect plummeting prices. Yet Irish-born Barton saw the …
Read More »A postcard from Provence: The elegance and precision of Château Sainte Marguerite
Château Sainte Marguerite’s palm-ringed farmhouse Brigitte and Jean-Pierre Fayard’s decision to buy Château Sainte Marguerite in 1977 was very much made with the heart. The palm-ringed farmhouse and its seven hectares of vines, although charming, needed some love and attention. The easy choice would have been to settle for making something simple and easy-drinking. But instead, the couple committed from …
Read More »Global wine production falls to lowest level since 1961
New figures from the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV) suggest that global wine production will reach just 231 million hl this year. Giorgio Delgrosso, head of statistics at the OIV, said: ‘This would represent a 2% drop from the already historically low 2023, and a 13% decline compared to the last 10-year average. ‘To find a smaller vintage than …
Read More »Northern Rhône 2023: The connoisseur’s guide
Northern Rhône overall vintage rating: 3.5 / 5 Fresh, supple and drinkable reds at the southern pole; more concentration in the northern reaches, making for some very fine Côte-Rôtie. Vibrant, fresh whites, particularly good in Hermitage. Red wine of the vintage: Stéphane Ogier, Lancement, Côte-Rôtie 2023 White wine of the vintage: M Chapoutier, L’Ermite, Hermitage 2023 Not a subscriber? Sign …
Read More »Accolade Chardonnay California Dolly 2023 $15 (87 points)
A charming version, with a plump mix of ripe peach, Crenshaw melon and dried mango flavors that are juicy and fresh, plus hints of candied ginger and spices that linger on the finish. Drink now. 40,000 cases made. Source : 61d4232744e9d764039985be67f362be
Read More »Exploring Alentejo – It’s Évora
Exploring Alentejo – It’s Évora Waiting for a flight with fellow wine writers, Évora, Portugal was patiently waiting. So many events had our names on them, more than we could have imagined. This trip was clearly well planned by Tiago Caravana, the director of the Vinhos do Alentejo. We were about to be really well […] The post Exploring Alentejo …
Read More »Almudena Alberca MW: ‘A revolution is underway: Spain is at an exciting moment in its history’
Querol grapes at Familia Torres, whose technical team found the variety in Penedès in 1998. As a result, Spain is home to a huge wealth of varieties ‘frozen’ in time, often in remote locations outside the perimeter of current designations of origin (DOs). Crop specialisation and consolidation caused a considerable reduction in genetic diversity, reflecting a global pattern in recent …
Read More »2022 Domaine de la Galopiere Cuvee Perle Rare Bourgogne
We are always down for trying new Burgundies when they arrive at Costco and this was a new one we ran into. Costco’s price at $22.99 is about what we found the wine selling for online, and Vivino showed an average price of $22.61. So perhaps not much of a deal here for buying at … Source : https://costcowineblog.com/2022-domaine-de-la-galopiere-cuvee-perle-rare-bourgogne/
Read More »2021 Goldeneye Pinot Noir Anderson Valley
We knew this was going to be a delicious wine and boy, did it deliver. This is the Goldeneye Pinot from Duckhorn and their Anderson Valley fruit. We’ve tasted previous vintages (not from Costco) and have always enjoyed this wine. Tasting this 2021 vintage was a nice reminder of how good this really is. Costco’s … Source : https://costcowineblog.com/2021-goldeneye-pinot-noir-anderson-valley/
Read More »New Kirkland Signature Wines We’d Love To See At Costco
There have been some really nice additions to the Kirkland wine portfolio in recent years. Notably a few that come to mind: Kirkland Signature Vacqueyras Kirkland Signature Suscol Vineyard Napa Cabernet Sauvignon Kirkland Signature Chianti Classico Gran Selezione Kirkland Signature Sancerre Kirkland Signature Gigondas Kirkland Signature Saint-Julien Bordeaux That’s a heck of a list from … Source : https://costcowineblog.com/new-kirkland-signature-wines-wed-love-to-see-at-costco/
Read More »Monteverro: The story of a modern legend
Just a few miles from the Tyrrhenian Sea, Monteverro benefits from cooling onshore winds. Credit: Leif Carlsson ‘I met the Weber family when making wine at [Napa Valley’s] Newton Vineyard,’ explains Jean Hoefliger, now consultant winemaker at Monteverro. ‘When they returned nearly three years later, they brought me an old Bordeaux as a thank-you for hosting them.’ Hoefliger, having worked …
Read More »Millésime BIO 2025 – the world’s largest organic wine fair returns
Millésime BIO, the world’s largest organic wine fair. For any wine professional with a serious interest in organic wine, a ticket to Millésime BIO is de rigueur. Developed for producers, by producers, Millésime BIO exists first and foremost to champion those who cultivate under the organic certification. In 2025, exhibitors from more than 20 countries will be attending: promising a …
Read More »Wines and the man: Alvaro Palacios
Alvaro Palacios. Credit: David Arnoldi. In 1998, I won a scholarship for my results in the WSET diploma exam. The prize was an excellent – and looking back, formative – self-drive tour to wineries right across northern Spain, finishing in Barcelona. I can still recall the discussion with the organiser. He said: ‘There is a place you could visit on …
Read More »Symington Family Douro Altano 2021 $13 (89 points)
Well-balanced and accessible, offering a bright, plummy mix of boysenberry and black cherry fruit, with red licorice, cedar and mineral accents. Touriga Franca, Tinta Roriz and Tinta Barroca. Drink now. 41,000 cases made, 3,000 cases imported. Source : 54a65928dc2d598942400c50f66a546d
Read More »Vinography Unboxed: Week of 11/24/24
Hello and welcome to my weekly dig through the pile of wine samples that show up asking to be tasted. I’m pleased to bring you the latest installment of Vinography Unboxed, where I highlight some of the better bottles that have crossed my doorstep recently. This past week included a trio of nice white wines from Northern California, beginning with …
Read More »Amarone | Googled: “Amarone’s long aging potential is one of…
Googled: “Amarone’s long aging potential is one of the things that sets it apart from other wines and is a key factor in the wine’s high quality and value. This aging and maturing potential makes Amarone a wine that can be stored and enjoyed for many years and is one of the reasons Amarone is considered the “King of Wines”. …
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