When I first started noticing that some bottles of wine have specific appellations listed on them, I was still early in my appreciation of wine. An appellation is a legally defined and protected geographic term used to identify where the grapes for a wine were grown. As time passed not only have I come to a better understanding of what those appellations can mean, both generally and specifically, I’ve also come to look to certain ones for specific varietals. Simonsig 2007 PinotageFor instance, if I’m looking for truly great Zinfandel, then Dry Creek Valley comes to mind; ditto for tremendous…
Author: Gabe Sasso
There are names in every industry that burn an image in your mind as soon as you hear them. When it comes to Napa Valley wine, a couple of the obvious ones are Mondavi and Heitz. Then there are the names that sound familiar to a lot of people, but are only truly well known to the converted. Titus Vineyards is in that category. They have turned out exceptional Napa Valley wine and they’ve received some nice scores, and yet somehow Titus doesn’t have household name status. While they don’t make enough wine to be on the tip of everyone’s…
Normally when I write this column it’s based on a particular theme – a specific varietal or winery for instance. When I started tasting selections for this month’s review, something else emerged. I found three wines that really only had two things that linked them together: (1) they’re downright delicious, and (2) each is an excellent value. These particular wines stood out so much that I felt they needed to stand together. First up is the Simonsig 2007 Pinotage from South Africa. Pinotage is a hybrid of Cinsault and Pinot Noir that was created on 1924. Simonsig Family Vineyards has…
Summer is here, and with its arrival lighter wines can — and really should — be enjoyed in full force. Reds are great, but nice weather, outdoor dining and the like call for something different. One of the great summer grapes is Sauvignon Blanc. Versatility is at the core of this grape on several levels. First, the finished wines tend to go with a wide array of foods because they match particularly well with lighter, warm-weather fare. But that’s only one part of its versatility. The other lies in adaptability to different corners of the world. There are a host…
A couple of months back I looked at three Pinot Noirs from Oregon, without question one of the very best areas for New World Pinot Noir. California has some pockets where this finicky grape thrives as well. One of those is in the Santa Cruz Mountains. A producer there that I’ve been impressed with over the years is Thomas Fogarty. Their wines, which are produced from estate vineyards, tend to show the elements that make mountain-grown fruit so appealing. They have been making wine since 1981 and their main focus is wines from single vineyards. By doing this they highlight…
One of the wine varietals that has been making its presence known the last few years on U.S. shelves, wine lists, and the like is Grüner Veltliner. This is a white grape that’s predominately grown in Austria. It’s a grape that often produces crisp, aromatic wines that are particularly well suited to pair with a wide array of foods. Depending on the style in which it is made, as well as the provenance of the grape source, the wine can also have the propensity to age quite well. Other wines from Austria are starting to find more room on our…
Consistency and longevity are almost second nature in the Old World. Many estate wineries can recount their history by generations. In the New World, where wine hasn’t been made commercially nearly as long, that isn’t quite the case. So when you consider the relatively short history of winemaking (in, say, Napa Valley) relative to the rest of the world, there are a handful of producers that have carved out a history of some length. Then if you take into account the ones that are still family-owned-and-operated, the number dwindles even further. One of those producers is Chappellet Winery. They have…
As a wine lover I often have the tendency to gravitate towards small productions wines when given the choice between those and larger productions. Similarly, I’m drawn to esoteric varietals and things that are, in general, off the beaten path. As interesting as both of those paths are, everyone doesn’t always have access to these wines. As readily available (relatively speaking) as a small production single vineyard Petite Sirah might be in a major market for example, good luck finding it on the vast majority of US store shelves. That issue underscores for me the importance of large producers with…
With winter in full swing, it’s the perfect time to drink something sweet, and dessert wines come in all shapes and sizes. Portugal is the homeland of Port, and even there the styles and designations vary widely. In the U.S. there is a wide array as well, but most often Port style wines here are made using Zinfandel. Today I’ll look at a trio of Ports; two are from Portugal and one is from California. The first selection is from Optima Cellars in Dry Creek Valley. Optima Wine Cellars produces 5,000 cases annually, focusing on Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Petite Sirah,…
I like big, bold, and boisterous wines as much as the next guy, but they need to be well made and I need to be in the mood for them. It’s the style that many people think of when Australian wines, particularly Shiraz, come to mind. Bargain priced Shiraz is the first thing that most wine drinkers in the US were aware of when it came to Australian wines. A lot of these were, and often still are, big up front, loaded with alcohol, and didn’t offer much body or a substantial finish. Some folks love them; I find them…