Wine

The Italian Wine Club Giordano Wines – Explore the World of Wine

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Oct 222014
 
 The Italian  Wine Club from Giordano Wines Offers Great Values for Wine Explorers

Bacchus and beery wine radioOver the past few episodes on Bacchus and Beery Wine Radio, Donna and I have been talking about getting bold and adventurous with your wine choices. That may mean trying a new variety, label or trying wines from a different country or region.

Wines from Europe can be confusing. Wines from the rest of the world are normally labeled by the grape variety and region such as Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley; simple enough. Wines from most of Europe are labeled by their region, Burgundy, Bordeaux, Chianti and many others. The reason is that Europe has much stricter regulations regarding what grapes are allowed to grow in each region. Therefore a red Burgundy will be a most likely be Pinot Noir and a white Burgundy, Chardonnay. Bordeaux will normally be a red blend of mostly Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot (depending on the sub-region) and to a lesser extent, other varieties such as Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec. Chianti is predominately Sangiovese. Continue reading »

Father’s Day Pairing Guide – Don’t Forget The Wine!

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Jun 132014
 

Father’s Day Wine Pairing – This article originally appeared on the award winning site; Tasty Chomps from Orlando, FL. I was honored to contribute my personal suggestions for wine pairings.

Tasty Chomps' Orlando

Father’s Day is soon approaching. If you haven’t picked out something special for good ol’ dad, don’t sweat it – we have a few recommendations to make this Father’s Day extra special. For those of you who were triumphant in braving the busy shops and malls to find that perfect gift, we’d like to remind you that no gift is perfect without wine. If you got him chocolate – get him wine! If you’re taking him out to dinner – get him wine! Is he receiving a beautiful white dress shirt? Again, get that man some wine, STAT.

After surveying a total of 81 dads across the nation and figuring out what they really want for Father’s Day, Roger Beery of Bacchus & Beery and I discussed which wines pair exquisitely with these suggestions. Continue reading »

Winemaker Interview: Scot Covington – Trione Vineyards and Winery

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Mar 142013
 

Winemaker Trione VineyardsIn the fall of 2012, as the bounty of harvest was coming to an end, we had the opportunity to meet winemaker Scot Covington at the beautiful Trione Winery. Trione Vineyards and Winery sits in the heart of Alexander Valley, just north of Healdsburg in Sonoma County. For over 35 years the Trione family has been involved in Sonoma vineyards and winemaking . We were lucky enough to be on site during the Trione staff harvest party, complete with grilled wild duck, compliments of Mark Trione’s hunting skills. Scot’s excitement over the 2012 wines was contageous. The barrel and tank tastings showed exceptional promise.

In 2005, when the Trione family decided  to venture back into winemaking, it was Scot they tapped to design and build the winemaking facility. He is a warm and friendly person dedicated to the winemaking arts. As you will read, Scot was well traveled before Trione, though now he seems to have, paraphrasing Jimmy Buffett, “found a life that suits his style.”

B&B: who do you see when you look in the mirror?

SC: Well, that is a good question. Some days it’s Brad Pitt, some days George Clooney some days Archie Bunker…more often than not I see my Father. I see his eyes, ears; laugh lines. I wish my Father was still around to taste the wines that I am making now. He was a big fan of mine as I was of him and I see him often in the mirror especially now that I am a father. The mirror gives perspective. Continue reading »

Rock and Vine – Next-Gen California Winemakers – Book Give Away

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Jan 312013
 
rockandvinebookjacketYou Can Win a Free Copy of Rock and Vine …Read on….

CONTEST CLOSED…CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THREE WINNERS

Many California wine lovers have heard the stories of Napa and Sonoma pioneers from the 1960’s, 70’s and earlier. Even the movie Bottle Shock celebrated their early successes. But what about now? Who are the rising wine stars that wine lovers need to know? Many of the up and comers have it in their genes…they are the children, grandchildren and even in some cases the great-grandchildren of the early wine country pioneers.

Due out early February 2013 is the beautifully written and photographed book, Rock and Vine which “reveals the lives and innovations of next generation changemakers in California’s wine country. Continue reading »

J Vineyards & Winery Cuvée 20 Brut NV 25th Anniversary

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Jan 122013
 
J Vineyards & Winery Cuvée 20 Brut NV 25th Anniversary, Sonoma, CA, $26 (S) – Rating 92

The J Vineyards & Winery Cuvée 20, is in my opinion, one of the consistent great values in CA sparkling wine and the 25th Anniversary offering is no exception. Crisp and intriguing with a nose of apple, citrus and brioche. An elegant and full mouth-feel offering flavors of red apple, pear and minerality with a hint of sweet yeastiness and notes of caramel. The food pairing possibilities are limitless. Buy This Wine

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