The evolutionary winemaking journey of what we might call modern Carménère red wines in Chile looks something like this: Treating it like Merlot because they actually thought it was Merlot -> Living with the fact that its tannins were just going to be green and harsh, tough nuggies -> Over-ripening the bejeezus out of the…
Category: crowd pleaser wines
Wine in the Time of Coronavirus, Part 11 (“Just Babysitters” – Bacigalupi Recent Releases)
Out of the dozen or so virtual, online, live sample tastings in which I’ve participated the last several months (necessitated due to the COVID-19 pandemic), I might have been looking forward to this one with Bacigalupi Vineyards the most. The thing is, I am kind of a fan boy for their matriarch, the indefatigable Helen…
Wine in the Time of Coronavirus, Part 10 (“The Vineyard Is the Style” – Fort Ross Vineyard Recent Releases)
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,…
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…