It’s no exaggeration to say that Penfolds, founded in 1844, changed the course of Australian wine history. And it’s also true that Penfolds’ most famous wine—Grange—set the bar for the greatness an Australian wine could… Continue reading
Sometimes a big piece of cake, a bowl of ice cream, even a cookie just doesn’t cut it. Too boring and too saccharin sweet. Here’s the antithesis: a hedonistic, OMG pairing of a great cheese… Continue reading
It’s an old habit: Compare every New World sparkling wine to Champagne. I’m guilty of that. And I think it used to make sense. Once upon a time, before the sparklers of California and other… Continue reading
You could decide on one of these, OR you could invite a few friends over and open them both. Because both are fantastically delicious. The Schramsberg Brut Rosé is a rich take on strawberries and cream.… Continue reading
The Douro Valley of Portugal is so well-known for stunning, long-lived Ports that many of us forget (or didn’t realize) that the region is also extraordinary for dry red table wines. In fact, the top… Continue reading
Marsanne is, for me, the hardest white grape variety to describe. Here’s my best shot: the great wines made from it are powerful, bold, saline, creamy, citrusy, minerally, and have a pure fresh aroma that… Continue reading
No region of France delivers more delicious, complex, dry white wines for amazing prices than Alsace. It’s always been France’s best kept secret.… Continue reading
Is someone you know getting married this year? Give them the ultimate wedding gift: A collection of wines chosen just for them. Whether the happy couple are seasoned wine lovers or just starting their wine… Continue reading
Think German Riesling, and many people think summer because the wines are so damned refreshing. But of course, Riesling is drunk all winter long in cold Germany—especially with pork dishes, from pork roasts to pork… Continue reading
The best Syrahs in the U.S. come from wineries in Washington State. Or at least a majority of them do. In particular, the far eastern appellations of Walla Walla and The Rocks District (the latter… Continue reading
I don’t know how many wineries in California make a small amount of exquisite extra virgin olive oil, but I bet it’s a significant number. Olive trees love the same kind of sunny dry “infertile”… Continue reading
One wine, more than any other, is strongly associated with the history of the United States, and with July 4th. That wine is Madeira. Drunk by the founding fathers during the signing of the Declaration… Continue reading
