Bottle Notes

2004 Antinori Tignanello – Bottle Notes

The 2004 Antinori Tignanello was the winning bottle in the April installment of Pick My Next Bottle. The Antinori family has been in the wine producing business for 26 generations and it now one of the most successful and respected producers in Italy. The Estate is led by Marchese Piero Antinori, who is well regarded for his passionate attention to tradition and terroir as…

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Random Musings

The Week in Zinfandel (4/27/15)

Welcome to the latest installment of The Week in Zinfandel. If I missed your post or story please send me a link and I will be sure to include it next week. Cheers! Dave McIntyre writes What Defines “Old Vines” Anyway, and Why are they Worth Preserving? The WineCollective Blog writes Zinfandel and Primitivo. Lodi News-Sentinel writes Lodi White Zinfandel…

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Bottle Notes, Syrah

2002 Araujo Syrah Eisele Vineyard – Bottle Notes

Araujo Estate is a 38-acre vineyard in northeast Napa Valley, east of Calistoga. It was established in 1990 when Bart and Daphne Araujo bought the historic vineyard from Milt and Barbara Eisele, who planted the vines in the 1960s. For nearly 40 years the Eisele Vineyard has been known as one of the valley’s great vineyards, consistently producing outstanding wines.…

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Bottle Notes, Merlot

2011 Grgich Hills Estate Merlot – Bottle Notes

Grgich Hills Estate, in Rutherford, in the Napa Valley, was founded in 1977 by Mike Grgich. Grgich earned fame in 1976 when the Chardonnay he produced as winemaker at Chateau Montelena won first prize among white wines at the now famous Paris Wine Tasting. The estate has 366 acres of vineyards in American Canyon, Carneros, Yountville, Rutherford and Calistoga and…

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Buying Wine

Pick My Next Bottle – 2004 Super Tuscans

The April installment of Pick My Next Bottle focuses on Super Tuscans from the the 2004 vintage. As I mentioned in the first installment, the purpose of this series is to provide insight into specific wines or producers you may currently have in your cellar. The winning bottle will be opened on Saturday and a Bottle Note will be published the following week. 2004…

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Random Musings

The Week in Zinfandel (4/20/15)

Welcome to the latest installment of The Week in Zinfandel. If I missed your post or story please send me a link and I will be sure to include it next week. Cheers! Randy Caparoso writes The Original Grandpere Vineyard: Powerful Women, Grapes and Wines. The Wines of Lodi, CA writes Lodi Zinfandel gets some “Pizzaz” from a Sonoma Producer.…

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Bottle Notes, Zinfandel

2005 Williams Selyem Zinfandel Feeney Vineyard – Bottle Notes

Williams Selyem Winery began when Ed Selyem and Burt Williams started making wine as a hobby in 1979 in Forestville, California. Their first commercial release was in 1981, and in less than two decades they created a cult-status winery of international acclaim. Setting a new standard for Pinot Noir winemaking, they put Sonoma County’s Russian River Valley at the forefront…

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Bottle Notes, Cabernet Sauvignon

2000 Dunn Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain – Bottle Notes

Dunn Vineyards is located east of St. Helena in the town of Angwin on Howell Mountain. The Winery was established in 1979, with the first harvest of Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. In 1981, the first release consisted of 660 cases of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Howell Mountain vineyards. In 1982, Dunn released a Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Dunn is one…

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Buying Wine

Force Majeure Spring 2015 Release Party

Previously known as Grand Rêve, Force Majeure was founded in 2004 by Paul McBride. Force Majeure pairs some of Washington’s highly acclaimed winemakers with fruit from one of Washington’s highly acclaimed vineyards, Ciel du Cheval. The winemakers contributing to the Collaboration Series is a Who’s Who of Washington winemakers including Ben Smith, Carolyn Lakewold, Chris Gorman, James Mantone, Mark McNeilly,…

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