Add yet another locale to the list of gorgeous places that I’m supposed to be visiting, but the opportunity for which has been heinously denied to me due to the USA’s botched response to the current pandemic: Fort Ross Vineyard on the Sonoma Coast. My experience with FRV, as has been the new normal lately,…
Month: September 2020
Wine Reviews: Weekly Mini Round-Up For September 14, 2020
2017 Cortes de Cima Sauvignon Blanc (Alentejo): Just the thing to cool you off after cutting the grass, & to remind your nose that you just, well, cut the grass! $20 B+ 2018 Cortes de Cima Chamine Tinto (Alentejo): Full of spice, bramble, berries, violets, & a strong penchant for over-achieving. $11 B+ 2018 Jose…
Alentejo Postcard, Part 5 (“Lost Art” – José de Sousa Recent Releases)
Making wine at J.M. da Fonseca’s José de Sousa in Portugal seems, from what I can discern, like a huge pain the ass. First, they’re fans of lagare foot-treading their grapes, an effort that is full of, well, effort. Next, when they do use basket presses, they’re covered in a specially approved blue paint that…
Let’s Peddle Some Books, And Get Buzzed (Joe on Leslie LIVE!)
Last week, I had the fortunate honor to be the guest on Leslie LIVE!, the new lockdown-inspired live broadcast by fellow wine judge and author Leslie Sbrocco. I’ve had the fortunate honor to have known and judged wine competitions with the lovely Leslie for a decade, and she wrote a touching and thoughtful endorsement of…