Earlier this week on Tuesday the 3rd of December the much anticipated Fall releases for CIRQ and Schrader arrived in my inbox. CIRQ is a single vineyard Russian River Valley Pinot Noir from Michael Browne. Browne is of course the winemaker and co owner of Kosta Browne. The vineyard, known as Treehouse, is farmed by Charlie Chenoweth. Word of this…
In the spirit of the upcoming holidays I am making a list of wines I’d like to see made. In some cases it is a winemaker that I would like to see make a wine from a new varietal and in other cases it is an existing varietal from a different vineyard source. Lets get this list started with a…
When you think Williams Selyem you think Pinot Noir. With Spottswoode you think Cabernet Sauvignon. Both of these wineries make other wines that I count among my favorites. The Zinfandel and Chardonnay programs at Williams Selyem are second to none. However, when you receive an offer letter with a dozen different Pinots the one off Chardonnay and Zinfandel can easily…
If you’re new to the hobby of wine collecting, at some point you’ve probably found yourself signing up for every prominent mailing list available to you. That may be fine for a while, but how do you proceed when the offers start flooding your inbox? I’ve been buying off mailings list for almost 20 years now (I previously blogged about this…
The unveiling of the Wine Spectator Wine of the Year for 2013 begins Monday, November 11th. The reveal of the Top 100 Wines of the Year is without question the most anticipated print version of the publication, and the online countdown has taken on a life of its own, with consumers clamoring to predict the top wine of the year. Wines…
Lillian Winery recently made small waves in the wine buying community by doing away with their mailing list and releasing the 2010 Syrah on a first-come, first-served basis. Maggie Harrison, who learned the craft from Manfred Krankl of Sine Qua Non, has been making widely-acclaimed Syrah at Lillian since the 2004 vintage. In years past, the wine was always sold…
I often get asked for recommendations on visiting Woodinville Wine Country. I am far from an expert on the subject, but I do know what wineries I like and am more than happy to share! Before you plan a visit to Woodinville you need to have an understanding of the area: The heart of Woodinville Wine Country revolves around the…
I first started visiting the Russian River Valley when I moved to Sacramento in the early 1990’s, and have developed an absolute affinity for the beauty of the area that is best experienced through a slow drive along Westside Road. Here, there’s a good chance you can stop in at a world class winery like Rochioli and have the tasting…
I published the inaugural version of the Zinfandel Chronicles Power Rankings last November. My intent was to rank domestic wineries based on buzz, “it” factor, excitement and the intrigue generated among wine collectors and consumers. I’ve ranked the wineries below and indicated whether they’ve moved up the list or down. I’ve also highlighted wineries new to the list and those…
I’ll keep this short! In my ongoing desire to give my readers fresh content on Zinfandel Chronicles I promise not to blog about these topics: High alcohol by volume (ABV) in Zinfandel Natural wines The 100 point scale to rate wines Score inflation in the aforementioned 100 point scale Slowing sales of domestic Syrah The knowledge, expertise or qualifications of…