There is a reason that basic Chianti Classicos are so affordable. In trade tastings, I have found as a group they...
Michael Mondavi Family Estate, Napa Valley (California) 2018
After having spent most of their lives living in the headlines, Robert Mondavi’s grown children have mostly shunned...
Mystery Wines: An Exercise in Seductive Reasoning
What do Sherlock Holmes and Malcolm Gladwell have in common? Answer: The fictional British detective and the American...
Priest Ranch, Napa Valley (California) 2018
Priest Ranch’s Somerston Estate is a sprawling ranch located in the eastern uplands at the Napa Valley’s...
Maris, Vin de France (France) Muscat Blanc à Petit Grains 2021
Hopefully, orange wines – white grapes with skins in the game – will find a place in the rainbow of wines, and...
Waypoint, Russian River Valley (Sonoma County, California) Chardonnay 2020
It is not often that an American Chardonnay combines great structure in a medium-weight body, a perfumed fruitiness on the...
Concha y Toro, Puente Alto (Alto Maipo, Chile) Cabernet Sauvignon 2020
Just as the charm of Scotch depends on a whiff of peat smoke (except on Islay, where it is a gust), I’ve always...
Ehlers Estate, St. Helena – Napa Valley (California) Cabernet Franc 2019
It has been slow in coming, but more and more premium Napa Valley producers are beginning to use Cabernet Franc as a...
Fiddlehead Cellars, Sta. Rita Hills (Central Coast, California) Grüner Veltliner 2017
As with rearing children, some winemakers see a potential in a grape variety that others might not, at least not if...
Mt. Brave, Mt. Veeder – Napa Valley (California) Cabernet Sauvignon 2018
As winemaker for Jackson Family’s high-end Napa Valley brands – Cardinale, Lokoya and Mt. Brave – Chris...
Theorem Vineyards, Moon Mountain District (Sonoma County, California) Sauvignon Blanc 2020
As a reviewer, there is always the challenge to give proper consideration and praise for wine styles that are not your...
Kajani & The Clones
How often do you get to taste bottles of finished wines which are available to consumers that feature individual clones from a...