Wine Reviews: Weekly Mini Round-Up For December 11, 2017

So, like, what is this stuff, anyway?
I taste a bunch-o-wine (technical term for more than most people). So each week, I share some of my wine reviews (mostly from samples) and tasting notes with you via twitter (limited to 140 characters). They are meant to be quirky, fun, and easily-digestible reviews of currently available wines. Below is a wrap-up of those twitter wine reviews from the past week (click here for the skinny on how to read them), along with links to help you find these wines, so that you can try them for yourself. Cheers!

• 15 Gary Farrell Russian River Valley Selection Pinot Noir (Russian River Valley): Raspberries, rosemary, roses, & black tea, all adorably competing for attention with puppy-like enthusiasm. $45 A- >>find this wine<<
• 15 Dr. Heger Pinot Blanc (Baden): In this case, an apple a day is what the Dr. is actually bringing to you. Lucky for you, and lucky for your wallet, too. $14 B >>find this wine<<
• 13 Masciarelli Marina Cvetic S. Martino Rosso Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Riserva (Abruzzo): Juicy, rich, dense, bold, and just totally unapologetic about all of it. $22 B+ >>find this wine<<
• 13 Luca Bosio Vineyards Barbaresco (Barbaresco): Sometimes, a good Barbaresco is even more beguiling than a good Barolo. This is not one of those times. $40 B >>find this wine<<
• 13 Reva Barolo (Barolo): Understatement is a lost art; for those on whom it isn't lost, I've got juuuuust the Northern Italian red to pour for you… $49 A- >>find this wine<<
• 15 Pascal Granger La Jacarde Beaujolais Villages Blanc (Beaujolais): Refreshingly refreshing. Where were you when I was baking under the Summer sun? $16 B >>find this wine<<
• 15 M. Chapoutier Domaine de Bila-Haut Cotes du Roussillon Villages Occultum Lapidem (Languedoc-Roussillon): A little too big for its britches, but about as impressive as ever. $30 B+ >>find this wine<<
• 16 M. Chapoutier Les Vignes de Bila-Haut Cotes du Roussillon Blanc (Languedoc-Roussillon): I'm thinking that The Who's "Bargain" would make a great theme song here. $15 B+ >>find this wine<<
• NV Prosper Maufoux Cremant de Bourgogne Rose Brut (Bourgogne): Kind of like your leftover Thanksgiving cranberries, only way, way better. $19 B+ >>find this wine<<
• 15 Stephane Aviron Domaine de la Madriere Fleurie Vieilles Vignes (Beaujolais): Delightfully earthy. Or maybe that's earthily delightful. Whatever, just drink it. $20 B+ >>find this wine<<

Grab The 1WineDude.com Tasting Guide and start getting more out of every glass of wine today!

Shop Wine Products at Amazon.com

Copyright © 2016. Originally at Wine Reviews: Weekly Mini Round-Up For December 11, 2017 from 1WineDude.com - for personal, non-commercial use only. Cheers!

source http://www.1winedude.com/wine-reviews-weekly-mini-round-up-for-december-11-2017/

Snow Cancellation for 12/9/17

All classes scheduled for Saturday, December 8th, 2017 have been canceled due to snow. Reschedule codes have been sent out.

The post Snow Cancellation for 12/9/17 appeared first on Wine School of Philadelphia.

source https://www.vinology.com/snow-cancellation-12-9-17/

Stem The Yuletide Cheer (December 2017 Wine Products Roundup)

So… here we are… the last wine product review roundup of 2017. The quick refresher: this is the series of posts in which I cast a critical eye (and, sometimes, other body parts) onto those product samples I receive that cannot be safely ingested. Given the inevitable (yule)tide of the approaching holiday season, I decided to go with a) products that seemed classy, and b) products that were also (potentially) useful. The results are recommendations for two new and interesting pieces of wine stemware, both on the pricey side, but both worth considering for the lovable drunk dedicated wine-lover on your Nice List.

image: Vacanti.com

First, there’s the Vacanti Spirale Wine Glass ($50 per two-pack). The idea behind this stemware is that it’s designed for bottle-aged reds; there’s a nifty little spiral indentation at the bottom of the glass that’s supposed to trap sediment, so that your teeth don’t end up becoming what traps the sediment. Of course, you could just decant properly, but even then you tend to end up with a least a little bit of precipitate in the glass when you start reaching the last dregs of an older red.

The little spiral thingy is not only visual cool, it actually works, though admittedly the use case for the Vacanti is fairly limited. The only real word of caution I can add is that the Spirale design wrecks total havoc on sparkling wines, sending the bubbles up in a concentrated stream that strips away a surprisingly large percentage of the pleasure of drinking those wines; if you grab some of these, avoid pouring bubblies into them at all costs.

image: louismartini.com

Next, we have what ought to be a limited use-case-scenario glass, that actually ends up being a very good almost-all-purpose one: the Louis M. Martini Cabernet Sauvignon Glass by Riedel ($37.50 per stem). Ostensibly, this tulip-shaped, tapered wine glass is meant to enhance the sensory experience of drinking fruit-forward Cabs, such as those offered by Martini (well… duh…). And certainly the glass does an admirable job of doing just that.

But… what’s far more interesting, in my limited testing, was how versatile the Cab glass ended up being on the drinking front. I threw just about every style of wine at this thing, and it handled all of them either very well or almost-danged-superbly. It’s best for fruity, balanced whites and reds that aren’t too strong in alcohol, but it worked out just swell for more delicate styles and even bubbles. The only thing that it couldn’t handle (mostly a factor of its size) was the dessert wine category. Other than that? It could end up being the only stemware option that you (whoops, I meant the persons on your Nice List) need.

Cheers!

Grab The 1WineDude.com Tasting Guide and start getting more out of every glass of wine today!

Shop Wine Products at Amazon.com

Copyright © 2016. Originally at Stem The Yuletide Cheer (December 2017 Wine Products Roundup) from 1WineDude.com - for personal, non-commercial use only. Cheers!

source http://www.1winedude.com/stem-the-yuletide-cheer-december-2017-wine-products-roundup/

Wine Reviews: Weekly Mini Round-Up For December 4, 2017

So, like, what is this stuff, anyway?
I taste a bunch-o-wine (technical term for more than most people). So each week, I share some of my wine reviews (mostly from samples) and tasting notes with you via twitter (limited to 140 characters). They are meant to be quirky, fun, and easily-digestible reviews of currently available wines. Below is a wrap-up of those twitter wine reviews from the past week (click here for the skinny on how to read them), along with links to help you find these wines, so that you can try them for yourself. Cheers!

• 13 Mi Sueno Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley): This is definitely the kind of dream that you have when sleeping in luxurious, soft, silky sheets. $75 A- >>find this wine<<
• 15 Louis M. Martini Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon (Sonoma County): Rich, generous, and friend to both grilled burgers and your bank account. $20 B >>find this wine<<
• 15 Robert Biale Vineyards Black Chicken Zinfandel (Napa Valley): Aptly named, as this kind of dark, delicious density isn't for faint-hearted drinkers. $50 A- >>find this wine<<
• 16 Olianas Cannonau di Sardegna (Sardinia): No wonder the locals live so long; you would too, if only so that you didn't miss drinking this stuff on the regular. $20 B+ >>find this wine<<
• 12 Donnafugata Tancredi (Sicily): Rarely does this much serious complexity come in such a forward, friendly, and quaff-ably fruity package. $40 A- >>find this wine<<
• 10 CUNE Vina Real Gran Reserva (Rioja): Tempranillo lovers will want to bring a very long straw, so that you can suck out absolutely every. single. last. drop of this little wonder. $47 A- >>find this wine<<
• 16 Atlantis by Maetierra Albarino (Rias Baixas): Tropical fruits that, while undoubtedly ripe, also usher in sea-breeze levels of freshness. $16 B >>find this wine<<
• NV Aecovi Alexandro Palo Cortado Sherry (Jerez): Orange peel, almonds, and the ability to start and sustain invigorating intellectual conversation. $26 B+ >>find this wine<<
• NV Szigeti Gruner Veltliner Brut Osterreichisher Sekt (Neusiedlersee): A little Champagne yeasts can go a long, long way. Bring crab cakes & thank me later. $24 B+ >>find this wine<<
• 11 Dopff & Irion Chateau de Riquwihr Schoenenbourg Riesling Grand Cru (Alsace): Open this. Grab cheese. Marvel at the wonders of our universe. $28 A- >>find this wine<<

Grab The 1WineDude.com Tasting Guide and start getting more out of every glass of wine today!

Shop Wine Products at Amazon.com

Copyright © 2016. Originally at Wine Reviews: Weekly Mini Round-Up For December 4, 2017 from 1WineDude.com - for personal, non-commercial use only. Cheers!

source http://www.1winedude.com/wine-reviews-weekly-mini-round-up-for-december-4-2017/

Schooled, Off The Court (Talking LeBron James Wine Picks For SBNation)

image: SBNation.com

NBA living-legend LeBron James appears to be the real deal. And I’m not talking about his on-the-court abilities, which are justifiably considered among the greatest of all time, or even his acting credentials (I dare you to watch his movie cameos and declare him un-funny), which are quite good.

I’m talking about his wine chops. Or, at least, his tastes when it comes to selecting wine (or drinking the wine that gets selected for him, maybe?).

Now, despite my near-endlessly professed love for the six-time Superbowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers, the world of professional sports doesn’t often cross our vinous paths here at 1WD; but I was asked by SBNation writer Tim Cato to provide my thoughts on some of the wines featured by James in one of his recent Instagram posts.

Said thoughts on this undeniably, incredibly important matter are included alongside those of winemaker Randall Grahm, writer Meg Houston Maker, and hospitality professor Dr. Han Wen in Cato’s article, which you can read at https://www.sbnation.com/2017/11/28/16710156/lebron-james-wine-incredible-taste-experts-agree.

The TLDR version: James’ picks are legit. They include an `07 Mayacamas Cab, a pretty killer Chassagne-Montrachet, and one of Cathy Corison’s Kronos reds.

L-E-G-I-T.

But you can check out our quoted ramblings and decide about James’ wine-picking prowess yourselves.

Cheers!

Grab The 1WineDude.com Tasting Guide and start getting more out of every glass of wine today!

Shop Wine Products at Amazon.com

Copyright © 2016. Originally at Schooled, Off The Court (Talking LeBron James Wine Picks For SBNation) from 1WineDude.com - for personal, non-commercial use only. Cheers!

source http://www.1winedude.com/talking-lebron-james-wine-picks-for-sbnation/

Wild And Crazy… About Quality (Talking Grignolino And Barbera Co-Ops MyNameIsBarbera.com)

Let’s bid adieu to November, in our hazy, Post-THanksgiving-Holiday trytophanic bliss, by catching up on the happenings over at My Name Is Barbera (for whom I’ve been doing both written and video work helping to promote Barbera – and other – wines from the Monferrato area).

First, there’s a lips-eye-view (yeah, I agree, that phrase was a bad idea) of Monferrato’s vinous equivalent of a Wild and Crazy Guy, Grignolino. I’ve written about this wily, overachieving red grape before, but here’s a chance to get up close and personal with it through a video tasting of Grignolino wine with Paolo Bava, whose passion for these wines will quickly be evident once you start watching.

Next, we get back to our normal programming, which means focusing on Barbera. In an interesting twist, in the next vid we move away from the relatively small production outfits that have been the focus of much of our previous journey through Monferrato’s Barbera producers, and talk with Lorenzo Giordano of Vinchio Vaglio (who just celebrated their 30th anniversary, with an event at which I was supposed to speak, but couldn’t attend because I got wicked sick… and yeah, I’m still a little raw about it, thankyouverymuch…). As you’ll see in the vid below, Girodano oversees a sizeable cooperative operation, and so has a unique, 20,000-foot view of Barbera throughout the region, and through all of its various quality levels.

Cheers!

Grab The 1WineDude.com Tasting Guide and start getting more out of every glass of wine today!

Shop Wine Products at Amazon.com

Copyright © 2016. Originally at Wild And Crazy… About Quality (Talking Grignolino And Barbera Co-Ops MyNameIsBarbera.com) from 1WineDude.com - for personal, non-commercial use only. Cheers!

source http://www.1winedude.com/wild-and-crazy-about-quality-talking-girgnolino-and-barbera-co-ops-mynameisbarbera-com/

Wine Reviews: Weekly Mini Round-Up For November 27, 2017

So, like, what is this stuff, anyway?
I taste a bunch-o-wine (technical term for more than most people). So each week, I share some of my wine reviews (mostly from samples) and tasting notes with you via twitter (limited to 140 characters). They are meant to be quirky, fun, and easily-digestible reviews of currently available wines. Below is a wrap-up of those twitter wine reviews from the past week (click here for the skinny on how to read them), along with links to help you find these wines, so that you can try them for yourself. Cheers!

• 16 Domaine de Cala Coteaux Varois Rose (Provence): You forgot about well-crafted Rose in the Winter time, didn't you? Shame on you… shame, shame shame. $20 B+ >>find this wine<<
• 15 Pacherhof Sylvaner Vigne Vecchie Alte Reben (Alto Adige Valle Isarco): Sometimes, when you add spices to tropical fruit, a little bit of magic actually occurs. $25 B+ >>find this wine<<
• 16 Boutari Moschofilero (Mantinia): Somebody has been working out in the off-season, because there's some punching-above-the-price-weightclass action going on here. $15 B+ >>find this wine<<
• 12 Cortonesi La Manella (Brunello di Montalcino): Whoever told you that big, young Brunello couldn't be bold and generous was… uhm… not correct. $50 A- >>find this wine<<
• 14 Tasca Tascante Il Tascante Nerello Mascalese (Sicilia): That line between brambly and pure is fine, precise, and in this case, also delicious. $50 A- >>find this wine<<
• 16 Tasca Tascante Buonora (Etna Bianco): Did you need more Caricante in your life? Damn right you needed more Caricante in your life, fool! $22 B+ >>find this wine<<
• NV Ruggeri Argeo Prosecco Brut (Prosecco): Apples, with hints of freshness, crispness, and more than a hint of bubbly aggression. $17 B >>find this wine<<
• 15 Pfendler Pinot Noir (Sonoma Coast): Sometimes, the Coast is lean & lithe; this really isn't one of those times, like, whatsoever. $45 A- >>find this wine<<
• 16 Sterling Vineyards Sparkling Rose (California): Warmer, sunny weather has a new BFF, who likes to dress all flashy and stuff. $22 B >>find this wine<<
• 16 Dutton Goldfield Dutton Ranch Green Valley Vineyard Gewurztraminer (Green Valley): When you want your heady jasmine with a side of heady lychee. $30 B+ >>find this wine<<

Grab The 1WineDude.com Tasting Guide and start getting more out of every glass of wine today!

Shop Wine Products at Amazon.com

Copyright © 2016. Originally at Wine Reviews: Weekly Mini Round-Up For November 27, 2017 from 1WineDude.com - for personal, non-commercial use only. Cheers!

source http://www.1winedude.com/wine-reviews-weekly-mini-round-up-for-november-27-2017/