07 Olsen Ogden Pinot Noir (Sonoma Coast): Go big or go home. In this case, VERY big. And smoky. And vanilla-y. U get the idea. $32 B # 07 Sean Minor Four Bears Pinot Noir (Napa Valley / Carneros): A lot of cherry & spice, but it's hidden behind the smoke screen. $17 C+ #…
Useless California Vintage Reports: A Template
I get my fair share of wine samples, with a large proportion coming from California. This is due mostly to proximity (regional wines), as well as the fact that the CA makes the vast majority of U.S. wine, hence the large number of CA samples stopping on my doorstep. Most of those CA samples come…
Size Matters (Tackling A Faust 2006 Double Magnum)
Just when you think that the topic of wine is starting to make sense and really come together for you, you’ll probably encounter the convention of naming large format wine bottles. That should put you firmly back in your lowly place, since the convention of naming bottle sizes carries on the storied wine tradition of…
The United Slurps of America. Also, Some Organic Wines Still Suck
Actually, let’s take those in reverse order. Here’s the deal – I have a love/hate affair with organic wines. I love the fact that they’re organic and environmentally-friendly; I hate many of the wines because they’re not any good. And I’m convinced that enough wine consumers have reached a similar conclusion that they actually avoid…