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 Stunning Sonoma Last week I detailed the first half of my wine tasting adventure in Northern California (see Napa Wines in Napa). This time it’s Sonoma’s turn. Sonoma is quite a bit larger and much less tamed than its cousin to the east. Therefore I invited my friend Steve along, gaining the benefit of his palate while sharing driving, navigational, photographic and food-spotting duties. Continue reading Weinberg’s Wine Notes #112 - Sonoma Wines in Sonoma
 Napa is awesome if you know where to look For wine lovers living in the U.S., northern California is by far the easiest region to tour and taste. Partly this is because Napa and Sonoma counties and, to a lesser extent, Lake County, the Sierra Foothills and other north-Cali wine locales, have embraced wine tourism with gusto. There is a plethora of wineries. Lodgings are available at all price levels. Scores of top-notch restaurants (as well as fashionably down-and-out dive bars) tempt even the most jaded palate. Continue reading Weinberg’s Wine Notes #111 - Napa Wines in Napa A “porch-pounder” is a wine to knock back (i.e., pound) while one is ensconced on the porch at the height of summer. However, as with many other topics in wine, that’s only part of the story.
 Summer in Bolgheri, Italy First, the porch. While just about any shady space is wonderful for summer lounging, even the minimal amount of sugar remaining in dry wine is enough to attract insects. So, if you can, try to do your wine pounding in a screened space.
Next, the pounders. While big, red wines have their place in the wine lifestyle most bottles worth opening on a warm porch will probably be either white or pink. Whites and rosés are generally lighter than most reds. However, as we’ll see later, there are definitely red wines that deserve a vernal mention. And of course, in order to be properly poundable, prices must be reasonable. Continue reading Weinberg’s Wine Notes #110 - Porch-Pounding Wines
 Rosé is always fun Rosé, pink wine that is relatively dry, usually gets short shrift. This is probably because we’re accustomed to thinking of wine as either white or red. In fact, there’s a whole universe of blush out there, and many of them rival the quality of those boring old whites and reds at a fraction of the cost.
One of the best things about dry, pink wines is how well they match a variety of foods, particularly on the lighter end of the flavor spectrum. Rosés are therefore often produced specifically for the summer season. Their higher acidity and hint of tannin allow them to pair perfectly with warm-weather appetizers through main courses all the way to dessert. Blushers can be sparkling or still, bone-dry or slightly sweet, but all are by definition food wines. Continue reading Weinberg’s Wine Notes #109 - Rosé Equals Summer
 A foggy morning in Chianti Classico Italy defines micro-regionality. Every village and hamlet has its own unique drinks, foods, architectural styles, even dialects. Certainly this is true of Tuscany, where my wife Yaël and I spent the last week tasting great wines, eating fabulous food, and generally living la dolcé vita. Continue reading Weinberg’s Wine Notes #108 - Tuscan Wines in Tuscany
 Great Syrah comes from many places, including California Syrah is rarely my favorite varietal. Not because I don’t like its typically purplish hues, thick textures, generous alcohol levels and aromas and flavors of purple berries, spice and bacon fat.
No, I think it’s because there’s so much relatively uninspired Syrah (also often called Shiraz, especially in the southern hemisphere). The grape grows a thick skin during the maturation process, which means that, unlike more thinly covered varietals such as Pinot Noir, it more easily handles climatic extremes of temperature, humidity and the like. This can lead to vines being planted in areas where they’re not necessarily the proper choice, because growers can nearly always gather at least some semblance of a crop. Continue reading Weinberg’s Wine Notes #107 - Big-Time Syrah
 Famous wine regions like Alsace, France are easy to recommend I love exploring wine regions and terroirs and meeting the winemakers and winery owners who invariably become new friends. It’s easy to write about wines from California or France. They’re always in the public consciousness, and it doesn’t take a lot of effort to tempt readers to try something fresh from someplace familiar.
Wines from emerging regions, however, are a bit more difficult to write about and sell. Many winemakers relocate to nascent wine regions for the purpose of producing something that confounds expectations and shows how suitable the area is for growing grapes. As a side benefit, this juice can also be a lot less expensive, because there’s no cachet associated with the location that would increase price. Continue reading Weinberg’s Wine Notes #106 - More Wines from Idaho
 Summer in wine country In a few weeks summer officially starts, and this change of seasons seems to alter other elements of life, as well. Meals tend to be quick and light and our beverages follow suit. Wine is no different, and an important part of vinous enjoyment is cracking open bottles that particularly complement warm weather, lighter food, and long, outdoor evenings. Continue reading Weinberg’s Wine Notes #105 - Summer Scorcher Wines
 To the bride and groom! From: JoAnn
Subject: Wedding Wines My son will soon be getting married, and I would like your assistance with the wine selection. Could you please recommend red and white wines priced between $10 and $15 a bottle? Is it possible to find even less expensive bottles that still taste great? Continue reading Weinberg’s Wine Notes #104 - Wedding Wines: Consumer’s Corner #10
 The Mysterious Southern Hemisphere Almost all of the wines I’ve tasted and enjoyed were crafted in the northern hemisphere. That’s probably because most of my samples hail from California. But there’s yet another reason I’ve always looked to the north when in search of great wine. Most of the world’s commercially available bottles are made from Vitis Vinifera, the European subspecies responsible for Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Tempranillo, Sangiovese and Nebbiolo, among others. While European grapes rule the wine world, they can also express themselves quite favorably when grown in climes other than home ground: those portions of the southern hemisphere that are, weather-wise, somewhat equivalent to Europe (roughly Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Chile and Argentina). These areas excel at producing those same varietals, albeit with unique expressions based on varying terroir and winemaking tradition. Continue reading Weinberg’s Wine Notes #103 - Wines from the Southern Hemisphere |
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