One of the great things about wine is its ability to continually deliver “a-ha!” moments. We all know the feeling, you try a wine made from a grape you’ve never thought much about, or from a region you don’t have much experience with, or you had earlier discounted for some reason. Then when that new wine passes your lips you wonder why you hadn’t been drinking said wine all along. That happened to me with Spanish wines, fairly early in my wine drinking days. I had occasion to try a few wines from Rioja and I was knocked out. What…
Author: Gabe Sasso
Summer’s here and with it come barbecues, parties and lots of opportunities to hang out with friends and enjoy a glass or two of wine. Certain wines do better in these settings for a variety of reasons. With large groups, my goal is to find something that’s going to appeal to a wide array of palates and interest levels. You want something that will please the casual drinkers and also has enough intrigue to keep the more serious wine drinkers interested too. And since we’re more than likely talking about multiple bottles of wine, well-priced offerings that won’t break the…
One change that’s gaining traction in the wine world, thankfully, is a move towards organic and biodynamic farming practices. Sometimes they go hand-in-hand, and at other times a producer picks the organic-only route and doesn’t necessarily go for the biodynamic side of things. Organic wine, like most other fruits and vegetables, is made from grapes grown under the conditions generally regarded to be back-to-nature, eschewing chemical fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides and herbicides. The biodynamic approach takes things a step further. It means growing grapes and making wine based on the concept of looking at the vineyard as a whole – everything…
The wines of Alsace, France can inspire a lot of passion. The predominant varietals are whites, and when they are made with care the wines are often nothing short of breathtaking. I recently tasted through most of the portfolio from Gustave Lorentz. This Alsatian family has been making wine since 1836. It was a pleasure and an eye-opener to samples these wines. As is typical of Alsace, the majority of their offerings are white with a few reds as well. Both still and sparkling wines are included in the mix. While I can heartily recommend the Gustave Lorentz wines as…
For years now, South America has been a great source of value in the wine world. Chile and Argentina are the chief contributors to that. The first wines to reach our shores were well-priced wines that often had a hit and miss reputation when it came to quality, but things have shifted dramatically over the last decade. For one thing, the wines from Chile and Argentina that reach our shelves range from entry level bargains that sell for well under $10, to small production wines that sell for more than 10 times that; and just about everything in between. The…
Every grape variety thrives under different conditions. Some are quite specific and fickle about where they can be planted. Nebbiolo, for instance, rarely does well outside of some concentrated regions of Italy. Pinot Noir is notorious for giving winemakers in many parts of the world fits. Conversely, there are some varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon which are a bit less difficult. Certainly there are classic regions for grapes like this too, but it also does pretty well in a greater number of spots. Another grape with a similar ability to adapt is Syrah. Whether it’s the Rhone in France, Northern…
A couple of the things I look out for when I sample wines that I might feature in this column are wide appeal and nationwide availability. A number of years ago, someone poured me a glass of Seven Deadly Zins. That was my first experience with the Michael David wines. One of the things that struck me was that it would please a wide array of people. Since that time I’ve gone on to have quite a few of their offerings. Their Earthquake Petite Syrah is one of my favorites, year to year. A couple of things always strike me…
I find that the beginning of the New Year is a good time to get out of my comfort zone. Of course this could relate to many aspects of life, but I’m going to focus on wine, obviously. There are many grape varieties, and it’s easy to get enchanted by a handful of them and focus on little else. Personally, while I have my go-to varietals that I look to time and again, I reach for something different as often as possible. Certain regions like parts of Southern Italy have several noteworthy, lesser-known grapes that have been seeing the light…
I was recently in Portugal and had the opportunity to taste quite a few Ports of all shapes and sizes. I was a longtime fan of Sandeman Cellars before my trip, but I learned even more about them while I was there. Now it’s fair to say I’m even more impressed with their Port wines. The House of Sandeman has been in operation since 1790. Their portfolio is impressive because it offers something for every occasion, taste bud and budget. However, my eyes and palate were opened in a totally different way as well: I had the opportunity to witness…
Sparkling wine has a perception problem. Most people I speak with like sparkling wine, some even profess to love it. But then, when I ask the last time they consumed some, I often get a blank stare and finally the answer — New Year’s Eve. There’s nothing wrong with consuming sparklers on New Year’s Eve and during other celebrations, but there are so many other times that it’s appropriate. Most importantly, the right sparkling wines pair quite well with food. Even if you’re not ready to pour it as an accompaniment to the main course of a meal, there’s no…