Mixed blacks, an old term that used to be the backbone of wines like Gallo’s Hearty Burgundy. It was a catch all phrase for varieties that did not command a premium like those that could be bottled under their own name. It also referred to a very old way of planting as farmers would plant many different varieties in their vineyards so they wouldn’t have all their grapes in one basket - if one variety had a bad year perhaps the others would do better. The ‘mixed black... Read Full Story
Chave and bargain don’t usually go together and indeed this is one of the most expensive Cotes du Rhone wines you’ll find, but it’s worth every dime. I found the 2004 Chave Mon Coeur Cotes du Rhone tucked away on a back shelf for $20 and it was indeed a bargain. The extra few years in bottle has amplified its personality, which is rich with brooding notes of bacon, butcher shop and black pepper layered over lush, intense black fruit. It’s wonderful when great w... Read Full Story
2006 Domaine La Milliere Vieilles Vignes Cotes du Rhone
Old vines, not filtered, under $20 and delicious, what more could you want? Actually this wine is more than delicious offering real complexity and flavor and no simple fruity stuff either, but earthy, warm complex fruit with a structured backbone that makes this wine exceptional with food. How do they do it? They have to grow and make the wine, ship it to the USA, put a importers markup on it followed by a wholesalers then a ret... Read Full Story
The recent decision by the Federal Government to accept state medical marijuana laws seems to have caused things to go out of control in California.
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It’s a waiting game. We’re waiting for “just so”. Simple ripeness is not enough. Everything has to be just right - sugars, acids and phenolics all have to be “just so”. It’s a tough balance to achieve and in many vintages, like Godot, it never arrives. Because nature rarely offers perfection harvest is usually a battle of nerves - ours vs. Mother Nature’s and Mother Nature always wins. For small production wines like Cornerstone it’s all ... Read Full Story
Cinsault? From Lodi? A bright, zesty high acid sub-14% wine from Turley? I guess wonders never end. Cinsault, one of the work horse varieties of southern France, rarely gets the spotlight - usually for good reason. However, like so many of the lesser known Mediterranean varieties, in the hands of dedicated vintners with good vineyards, they can produce some exceptional wines. This wine may not be exceptional, but it is delicious. In some ways this wine is more reminiscent of southern Italian... Read Full Story
