Smell. Smell is the most evocative sense, innit? The one that can yank you (via a chance waft of teenage perfume) back to that time when you first kissed that girl. You know. That one. Or to that time when you walked out in the field and the air was heavy with summer and you knew that in two weeks’ time you’d be going into the big scho
Wise up and smell the Casillero del Diablo
Winemakers, in general, need to wise up. Okay, sure, practically everyone (myself almost certainly included) needs to wise up. But winemakers need to wise up, specifically, because they are lamentably bad at communicating with normal people. (Notice the ease with which I refer to normal people. Almost as though I knew some.) Winemakers generally d
Pain, Lloyd-Webber, Relativism, Redditch and Macon-Villages
‘So, Tom,’ Elaine asked softly, ‘how high is your pain threshold?’ Elaine is, it turns out, very, very strong. 10 minutes later, I am face down with Elaine’s elbow in my back, wimpering like a child. Elaine grew up in Redditch. I learnt to drive in Redditch. There are lots of roundabouts in Redditch. My driving teache
Make Your Next Wine Country Getaway a Touchdown
Dolphins, 49ers and Bears…oh my! Football season has officially arrived and Touring & Tasting is here to be your quarterback in the Wine Country game. We’ve made a list of all the destinations sure to make your next fall getaway a touchdown. So swap out your longneck for a nice glass of wine and let
OKTOBERFEST…with Wine?
I know what you’re thinking, Oktoberfest means beer. You suddenly feel the urge to throw on your favorite lederhosen & knock back a bucket-sized mug of sudsy Hefeweizen while shouting “Noch ein Bier, bitte!” Before you inevitably end up with those questionable Facebook photos Monday morning (Wow those suspenders looked a lot better
No More Wine-ing About Thanksgiving Dinner
Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and we know you’ve been refreshing your Pinterest feed tirelessly, searching for the perfect recipes for this year’s menu. While we would never want to replace Grandma’s family secret, we have hand selected a few recipes that we think everyone around your table would be thankful for! We kno
The 12 Days of Wine-Mas
Twas the night before Wine-mas, when all through the vines, Not a creature was stirring through the grapes grown in lines, During harvest the grapes are each handpicked with care, With hopes of being bottled as a delicious wine to share. Wine-lovers were all buzzed
Best Bubbles of 2014! Sparkling Wine and Champagne Recommendations
As we approach New Year’s Eve on Wednesday evening, we always post our favorite sparklers and Champagnes just before the big night so readers can pick up some bubbles just in time for their celebrations. We certainly hope you can try a few of these and ring in the New Year on a
10 California Wines for Under $25 (Wine Spectator)
New reviews of whites and rosés from across the Golden State
9 Stirring California Pinot Noirs (Wine Spectator)
New reviews of 2013 Pinots from Santa Lucia Highlands
2014 Bordeaux Dessert Wines (Wine Spectator)
Tasting notes and scores for 23 Bordeaux barrel samples from Sauternes and Barsac
2014 Brancott Estate Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc
The 2014 vintage of this wine was exactly as expected – signature New Zealand citrus and grassiness with loads of acidity at a good price ($8.99, consistent with last year). My review of the 2013 vintage of this wine sums up my feelings this year too.These are nice wines, perfect for summer weather, but they typically possess too much bite t
2011 Bodegas Mano a Mano Tempranillo
It’s hard to believe this bottle was only $7.99 at Costco. This is an excellent Spanish Tempranillo at an unbeatable price.Dark, earthy fruit and spice on the nose; loads of dark fruit, blackberry, black cherry, anise, tar, with an extra dry, herbal noted finish. This wine pours dark into the glass and certainly has plenty of heft about it.
2012 Alceno Premium 50 Barricas Red Blend
Here’s another great value Spanish bottle that is only $11.99 at Costco. This one is a bit different of a blend than many of the other high value Spanish wines I’ve been writing about lately.This wine is 85{b2e123e9138e25ff8232216a74205959533a608968f4eba7854f63b9364ed57d} Syrah and 15{b2e123e9138e25ff8232216a74205959533a608968f4eba7854