Blog Index

Bruce Sanderson

A Vertical of Nicolas Feuillatte Palmes d'Or

Posted: 06:46 PM ET, 04/25/08

Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to taste every vintage of Nicolas Feuillatte's Cuvée Palmes d'Or. There were eight in all ranging from the recently released 1998 to the debut 1985. Presenting the vintages was Jean-Pierre Vincent, the only chef de cave at Feuillatte since the brand's creation by Nicolas Feuillatte in 1976. Read more

James Suckling

Something Enticing in Sicily

Posted: 03:32 PM ET, 04/25/08

My girlfriend was not happy. She was sitting next to me yesterday while I was looking at something on the Internet when an e-mail arrived on my MacBook Air. The subject line read: “Hotties from Sicily.”

“What’s this?” she said, with a slightly perturbed smile, and then smacked me on the shoulder. Read more

Harvey Steiman

Guilt-Free Pleasures of Moscato d'Asti

Posted: 02:31 PM ET, 04/25/08

I am not ashamed to admit it. I like sweet, fruity dessert wines, and none better than Moscato d'Asti. To me, the easy-to-drink, light, fragrant, delicately carbonated wine from the Piemonte region of Italy makes the perfect finisher for so many meals. Read more

James Molesworth

Disney for Adults

Posted: 02:01 PM ET, 04/24/08

“Mommy, can I have this piece of chocolate from last night?”

It’s 6:30 in the morning and my eldest daughter has discovered the chocolate left by housekeeping from the night before. She missed it last night of course, as we had to carry her back to the room, comatose at 8 p. Read more

James Laube

When Winemakers' Lips Are Sealed

Posted: 01:02 PM ET, 04/24/08

One of the wine industry’s most strictly adhered-to codes of honor is protecting where bulk, or excess, wine is sold.

Most unwanted wine comes from big producers and ends up in négociant labels, such as Two-Buck Chuck.

But even wineries that produce the most expensive wines typically separate their best barrels, or lots, from a vintage. Read more

James Laube

Dial M For Michael Mondavi Cabernet

Posted: 12:59 PM ET, 04/23/08

M by Michael Mondavi is the name of the new Napa Valley Cabernet, made by the former chairman of Robert Mondavi Corp. and his family.

It’s been a long time since Michael Mondavi, 65, has been this hands on with winemaking, and he seems happy about that. Read more

Harvey Steiman

When Is Unpretentious Pretentious?

Posted: 12:16 PM ET, 04/23/08

Some casual restaurants insist on serving wine in water glasses. Bistros in France have done it traditionally, as do trattorias in Italy, and their American counterparts have followed suit. It sends message, apparently, that "we're not snobby about wine. Read more

Maynard Keenan

Vino Las Vegas—Can You Win the Ticket?

Posted: 11:00 AM ET, 04/23/08

As I explained in my last blog, I'm giving away a ticket to Wine Spectator's Grand Tour in Las Vegas that I can't use due to our vineyard-planting schedule. But … I'm going to make you work for it.

Eric Glomski, owner of Page Spring Cellars and my partner in Arizona Stronghold Vineyards, and I have come up with a set of six questions about Arizona's wine industry and wine regions in general, and our properties: Page Springs, Arizona Stronghold and Merkin Vineyards. Read more

James Suckling

Syrah Splendor

Posted: 10:57 AM ET, 04/23/08

I wonder if Cortona will one day become the Côte-Rôtie of Italy? Will it become one of the best places on earth to grow Syrah?

It already has a head start. And it’s made some excellent Syrahs already.

One of the best Italian Syrahs I ever tasted (drunk too!) was the Tenimenti Luigi d'Alessandro Syrah Toscana Podere Il Bosco 1997. Read more

James Laube

Lust for the Must: A Different Take on 2006 Pinots

Posted: 04:49 PM ET, 04/22/08

Today is a share day, with me passing along a note from a winemaker, Wes Hagen at Clos Pepe, who once wanted to be a writer, and once you read this, perhaps you’ll understand why.

It’s a bit of a contrarian view on the vintage, from my perspective, but this is offered in the spirit of sharing from a die-hard Pinot lover. Read more

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