2015 Ferraton Pere & Fils Saint-Joseph La Source (Rhone): Bacon, raspberries, pepper, and silk. And yeah, those work out just fine together. $32 B+ NV Besserat de Bellefon Cuvee des Moines Brut Rose (Champagne): Carrying a rather serious demeanor, considering how downright adorable those cherries and roses are. $50 A- 2017 Tasca d’Almerita Tenuta Regaleali…
The Deceptive Complexity of Moscato d’Asti
About ten minutes or so into Walter Speller‘s presentation on Moscato d’Asti, I realized that I was some kind of idiot. Speller’s masterclass was part of a presentation given to media guests gathered at the bucolic Castello Gancia, smack dab in the heart of Asti and a focal point of the area’s recent UNESCO designation….
Smoke Gets In Your… Sinuses (San Francisco International Wine Competition 2018 Results)
Late last year, I had the pleasure (once again) of pretending to be an all-growed-up wine pro judging alongside some very notable palates at the 38th annual San Francisco International Wine Competition. Judging the SFIWC almost always ends up being one of my favorite events of the entire year, and despite quite a bit of…
Wine Reviews: Weekly Mini Round-Up For January 7, 2019
2016 Dutton Goldfield Docker Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir (Mendocino County): Like anthropomorphic blueberries, wearing silk capes. $68 A- 2016 Dutton-Goldfield ‘Deviate’ Pinot Noir (Sonoma Coast): A bold, beautiful affair, with more baking spices than a tin full of Xmas cookies. $72 A 2016 Presqu’ile Chardonnay (Santa Maria Valley): California spirit can often lack subtelty; this…