Reds
ARAGON’S CROWN JEWEL – CARINENA
Cariñena has the distinction of being a town, an appellation and a grape: a tight trio nestled in the Ebro Valley of Aragón midway between Barcelona and Madrid. It became a D.O.P. (Denominación de Origen Protegida) in 1932 making it one of the oldest officially recognized regions in Spain. Cariñena is the only region in […]
BUENA VISTA WINERY TO HOST 2017 GALA BENEFITING HDSA
Press Release SONOMA, CA – Buena Vista Winery will be transformed into a Roaring Twenties destination on Saturday, July 1, 2017 when the winery hosts the Great Gatsby Gala to benefit the Huntington’s Disease Society of America (HDSA). With a goal to raise $100,000 to support the HDSA mission, the event will honor Jean-Charles Boisset, […]
DOG HIKES IN THE VINEYARD AND PANORAMIC VIEWS AT KUNDE WINERY
by Liz Thach, MW There are not many places in the world where you are invited to go hiking in the vineyards with your dog, but at Kunde Family Winery in Sonoma Valley, California, everyone is welcome. However space is limited because these special hikes with your four-legged companion sell out fast. “We decided to […]
PARADISE RIDGE WINERY HOSTS WOW DINNER TO BENEFIT AT RISK YOUTH
by Liz Thach, MW Perched on a hilltop overlooking the vineyards and a spectacular sunset view, Paradise Ridge Winery in Sonoma County is not only an ideal location for winetasting, but also as a dinner and special event venue. That is why it was an excellent location for the most recent WOW (Worth Our Weight) […]
BEYOND SAUVIGNON BLANC – PRIME TIME FOR PINOT NOIR IN NEW ZEALAND
Beyond Sauvignon Blanc – Prime Pinot Noir Time in New Zealand Catherine Fallis April 19, 2017 Food and Wine I love former West End actor Oz Clarke’s description of New Zealand’s brash, pungent Sauvignon Blanc, an iconic style created by Cloudy Bay winemaker Kevin Judd. He calls it a “cloudburst, thrilling, shocking, lime zest, capsicum, love […]
CELEBRATING THE FRESH FLAVORS OF SPRING WITH SHAFER VINEYARDS
From SHAFER VINEYARDS in Napa Valley, California Spring has sprung and the aromas and flavors of the season are bright, zesty, and fresh. Annette Shafer offers an all-new round of recipes which deliver the best of this time of year to your table. Enjoy! SPRING HEIRLOOM CARROT SOUP WITH PRESERVED MEYER LEMON SPRING HERB GRILLED […]
BEYOND TAPAS
December/January 2016 2017 The SOMM Journal planet grape by Master Sommelier Catherine Fallis BASQUE PINTXOS TAKE IT UPSCALE Tapas, simple bites such as cured meats, chorizo sausage, olives, or fried seafood have their origin in Southern Spain. One story claims that King Alfonso X stopped in Cadiz to rest from a long journey and ordered […]
OUT FROM UNDER THE SHADOW OF NAPA VALLEY
August/September 2016 The SOMM Journal planet grape by Master Sommelier Catherine Fallis DISCOVERING THE LONG ESTABLISHED, NEWLY RECOGNIZED COOMBSVILLE AVA Just five minutes east of bustling downtown Napa with its popular riverfront and Oxbow Market is the bucolic, off-the-beaten-path Coombsville, a cool southern valley area protected by an ancient caldera which was granted AVA status […]
WHERE PINOT REIGNS
June/July 2016 The SOMM Journal planet grape by Master Sommelier Catherine Fallis AN INAUGURAL BARREL AUCTION MARKS A 50-YEAR MILESTONE FOR WILLAMETTE VALLEY WINES While wine grapes were cultivated in Southern Oregon in the mid and late 1800’s, it wasn’t until 1965 that marked the first plantings the Willamette Valley, when David and Diana Lett […]
PINOT NOIR NEW ZEALAND 2017 – WELLINGTON WATERFRONT
Global wine industry leaders to descend on Wellington this month In just under three weeks, an astounding selection of global wine imbibers and influencers will descend on our nation’s capital for Pinot Noir NZ 2017. We’ve got a line-up of 30 speakers from Japan, the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom, and New Zealand, who […]
SHERRY-LEHAMNN/KEVIN ZRALY BORDEAUX MASTER CLASS NYC
Explore the terroir of St. Julien and the great Leoville estate along with its newest acquisition, Chateau Mauvesin with Proprietor Damien Barton-Sartorius and America’s Leading Wine Educator Kevin Zraly on Tuesday, January 24th, 7:00-9:00pm, for a reception and seated tasting at the Sherry-Lehmann Gallery, 505 Park Avenue at 59th St. NYC. $250 per person. Limited. […]
A NEW D.O.C. IS BORN: FRIULI VENEZIA GIULIA D.O.C.
ENHANCING THE IDENTITY OF THE TERROIR THE FIRST BOTTLES OF THE NEW DENOMINATION WILL HIT THE SHELVES IN 2017 D.O.C. – F.V.G. Consortium Press ReleaseA long journey that began with plans, ideas and hopes, which lasted several decades, has finally culminated in July with the creation of Friuli Venezia Giulia D.O.C. The first bottles […]
WINTER WINE COCKTAILS
Simple Winter Sangria & Mulled Chardonnay Cider from Adirondack Winery in New York Simple Winter Sangria Recipe Date: November 21, 2016 Cook Time: 00:00:00 Difficulty: Easy Measurements: Imperial (US) This simple winter sangria is sweet and spicy and perfect all year round! Best of all, you can make it white or red! Ingredients 1 bottle Adirondack […]
SUNNY HOLIDAY CHEER
It’s here! Holiday shopping, festive parties, and the time of year to rock the ugliest sweaters ever made. I have selected some of my personal favorites wines and spirits of 2016 to assist you with your holiday beverages and up your game. These are all value-priced and easy to find online @drync or @eBay wines, or at your […]
GAME ON – TWO WINES FOR TURKEY DAY
What wines go with Turkey? That also pair nicely with all the sides? Now that is a bit complicated. So why don’t we reverse engineer this scenario and start with, what will my friends and family enjoy, that won’t steal the show or dent my budget? Check out this eclectic Italian duo. I recommend this […]
BEAUJOLAIS NOUVEAU 2016 EST ARRIVE!
Each year for the past 30 years, Beaujolais Nouveau makes its debut across the world on the third Thursday of November, just in time for the holiday table, when cheap and cheerful red is just the ticket. This year is no different, though some palates are fatiguing of the banana/tutti frutti and bubblegum flavors often […]
AWARD WINNING CHEESE EXPERT LAURA WERLIN HOSTS SEMINAR AT DUTTON-GOLDFIELD WINERY
Press Release Sebastopol, California, October 18, 2016 – Dutton-Goldfield Winery is pleased to announce their upcoming wine and cheese pairing class with award winning cheese expert Laura Werlin on Saturday November 12 at 3pm. In this rare opportunity, guests will taste limited production, single vineyard Dutton-Goldfield wines alongside some of America’s greatest cheeses in a sit-down […]
BAROSSA GI ZONE AND OLD VINE CHARTER
San Francisco, September 2016 At a tasting recently organized by the Barossa Grape & Wine Association we had the opportunity to learn more about this high-powered Australia appellation and it’s wines, especially those savory signature Shiraz reds. According to the group: “Geographical Indication (GI) is an official description of an Australian wine zone, region or sub-region. The […]
LABOR OF LOVE – Wine Family Women of Piemonte
BOOK REVIEW BY CATHERINE FALLIS MASTER SOMMELIER Suzanne Hoffman first visited the northern Italian region of Piemonte with her second-generation Sicilian mother, Frances Castrogiovanni Manale, in 1999 while her husband was away in China. Upon arrival, they found it cold, wet, foggy and not very inviting. At table, however, the real pleasures of this region […]
ORGANIC OLD VINE GRENACHE PLAYS A STARRING ROLE AT CHATEAU LA NERTHE
Kick starting the week was a delicious and informative tasting with Chateau la Nerthe Export Manager Christophe Bristiel and Pasternak Wine Imports West Division Manager Ben Cuaresma at the San Francisco home of Planet Grape Wine Review co-panelist Deborah Parker Wong. Christophe explained that Chateau la Nerthe owns Prieure de Montezargues and Domaine de la […]
MARLBOROUGH MOVES BEYOND SAUVIGNON BLANC
By Master Sommelier Catherine Fallis Last week the Planet Grape Wine Review team attended a tasting of New Zealand wines at 1760 in San Francisco hosted by Chuck Hayward with Marcel Giesen and Giesen’s Chief Winemaker Nikolai St. George. The title was “Searching for the Crus of Marlborough” and through four flights of wines it was clear that […]
ZINFANDEL FANS ENJOY WINE AND MUSIC AT ZAP CELEBRATION IN SONOMA COUNTY
By Liz Thach, MW, Planet Grape An energized group of Zinfandel fans gathered at Trentadue Winery in Sonoma County this past Sunday for ZAP’s Simply Summer Celebration. ZAP, which stands for “Zinfandel Advocates & Producers” is one of the most active grape varietal organizations in the US, hosting many exciting events for members and guests […]
MONTEPULCIANO THE GRAPE VS MONTEPULCIANO THE REGION
By Master Sommelier Catherine Fallis With so many clonal names like Brunello, Sangioveto and Prugnolo Gentile, in Italy, and around the world, Sangiovese is still Sangiovese. The grape is the grape. So wouldn’t it make sense that across to the Adriatic coast in Abruzzo, Montepulciano the grape would be the grape in Vino Nobile di Montepulciano back […]
THE MONTEFALCO CONSORTIUM ANNOUNCES IMPORTANT CHANGES IN WINEMAKING REGULATIONS
July 2016, Italian Ministry of Agriculture The 2016 harvest will bring with it new bottling and blending opportunities, as well as a wine with a brand new name Authenticity and territorial recognition have always been the key elements for the promotion of the distinct and unmistakable wines from Montefalco. An important turning point in the […]
