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Featured
One of My Favorite Valpolicella’s
Today’s Story: Dal Forno Romano Dal Forno Romano is a family-owned and operated estate winery established in 1983 in Val D’Illasi by Romano Dal Forno. Though the winery is relatively new (built in 1990), the Dal Forno family has owned the property where their vineyards sit for four generations and produced wines previously for the… Read more
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Featured
Opulent Pinot Noir From One of California’s Most Famous Vineyards
Today’s Story: Bien Nacido Vineyards Bien Nacido Vineyards traces its history to 1969 when brothers Bob and Steve Miller (whose family had been farming in California since 1871) acquired what they thought was an ideal plot of land to plant vineyards. Bien Nacido, as the vineyard was named, was planted by 1973 (the first vintage)… Read more
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Featured
Fantastic Representation of Albariño
Today’s Story: La Marea La Marea is a very small wine label focused on Spanish varieties in the I. Brand & Family Wines portfolio. Established by Ian Brand and his wife Heather, I. Brand & Family Wines consists of the labels I. Brand & Family (California inspired wines), Le P’tit Paysan (French inspired wines), and… Read more
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Featured
Fun, Pure, and Delicious Trousseau
Today’s Story: Arnot-Roberts Arnot-Roberts is a boutique winery established in 2001 by Duncan Arnot Meyers and Nathan Lee Roberts, two childhood friends who grew up together in Napa Valley. I previously wrote about them when I reviewed their 2016 Que Syrah Vineyard in Boutique Syrah for the Explorer, which I felt is a wine for those… Read more
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Featured
Food Friendly Value Italian Red
Today’s Story: Pasetti Pasetti is a family-owned estate and winery established by Silvestro Pasetti, now in its fifth generation of winegrowing and winemaking. Though Silvestro and later his son Rocco worked largely on planting vineyards and battling Phylloxera, third-generation Franco began producing his own wines during the 1960s. Franco prided himself on growing healthy and… Read more
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Featured
Burgundian Pinot Noir From Willamette Valley
Today’s Story: Cristom Vineyards Cristom Vineyards was founded in 1992 by Paul and Eileen Gerrie in the Eola-Amity Hills AVA of the Willamette Valley. I previously wrote about them when I reviewed their 2016 Estate Viognier in Textbook New World Viognier and I am excited to explore one of their single vineyard Pinot Noirs today. Cristom… Read more
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Featured
Gamay With a Mind Blowing Value Proposition
Today’s Story: Marchand-Tawse Marchand-Tawse is a Burgundian négociant created through a collaboration between Pascal Marchand and Moray Tawse. Both Pascal and Moray are French Canadians, making their success in Burgundy somewhat unusual. Pascal Marchand comes from a background in wine (after working a few years as a merchant sailor on freighters in the Great Lakes),… Read more
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Featured
Mouthwatering Single Vineyard Chardonnay
Today’s Story: Rivers-Marie Last week I enjoyed the 2015 Silver Eagle Vineyard Pinot Noir from Rivers-Marie so much that I decided to revisit the producer for a Chardonnay. To recap from my post last week, Rivers-Marie is a family-owned winery established in 2002 by husband and wife duo Thomas Rivers Brown and Genevieve Marie Welsh.… Read more
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Featured
Another Delicious Bottling From Jolie-Laide
Today’s Story: Jolie-Laide Today I return to another bottling from Jolie-Laide, a boutique winery established by Scott Schultz in Forestville, CA that I have written about several times already. If you missed my prior posts, my review of the 2016 Provisor Vineyard Grenache linked here contains the most in-depth background on Jolie-Laide and Scott, and… Read more
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Featured
One of California’s Most Famous Cult Pinot Noirs
Today’s Story: Marcassin Vineyards Marcassin Vineyards is an incredibly small “cult” winery established by Helen Turley and her husband John Wetlaufer in 1990. Focusing entirely on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, Marcassin produces around 2,500 to 3,000 cases of wine annually and a large majority goes to mailing list customers (with the waiting list said to… Read more
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Featured
Gorgeous Rioja Blanco
Today’s Story: R. López de Heredia I previously wrote about R. López de Heredia, one of my favorite producers in Rioja, when I reviewed the 2006 Viña Tondonia Reserva in One of My Favorite Rioja Producers Does It Again. LdH is a family-run winery established in 1877 by Don Rafael López de Heredia y Landeta after… Read more
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Featured
Rockstar Single Vineyard Sonoma Coast Pinot
Today’s Story: Rivers-Marie Rivers-Marie is a family-owned winery established in 2002 by husband and wife duo Thomas Rivers Brown and Genevieve Marie Welsh. Thomas is well-known throughout California winemaking thanks to his consulting practices and winemaking stints with names like Schrader, Maybach, and Outpost, however Rivers-Marie is a personal project born in Pinot Noir. Working… Read more
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Featured
Middle Tier People Pleaser From Napa Valley
Today’s Story: HALL Wines HALL Wines is a family owned and operated winery established by Kathryn and Craig Hall in the Napa Valley. The Halls purchased the Sacrashe Vineyard in Rutherford in 1995, though did not open a winery there until a grand opening in 2005. In between, however, the Halls acquired the Bergfeld Winery… Read more
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Featured
Refreshing and Fun White From Santorini
Today’s Story: Estate Argyros Estate Argyros was established in 1903 on the island of Santorini and today is run by fourth generation winemaker Matthew Argyros. The estate consists of 120 hectares with vines averaging 70 years old, all of which are ungrafted (original rootstock) thanks to the island’s inorganic soil providing immunity to Phylloxera. All… Read more
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Featured
Beautiful and Traditional Napa Cab
Today’s Story: Mayacamas Vineyards Mayacamas was established in 1889 by German immigrant John Henry Fisher and is located in the Mt. Veeder AVA of the Napa Valley. Fisher went bankrupt in the early 1900s, however, and the winery ceased production with the onset of Prohibition (although bootleggers are said to have made wine in the… Read more
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Featured
Unique Grenache That Drinks Almost Like a Rosé
Today’s Story: Whitcraft Winery I wrote about Whitcraft a few days ago when reviewing the 2016 Pence Ranch Clone 828 Pinot Noir, so I’ll make your Saturday reading light and move onto the tasting notes. If you missed my post about Whitcraft earlier this week, you can find it here. Today’s Wine: 2018 Stolpman Vineyard… Read more
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Featured
Clean, Honest, and Burgundian Cali Pinot Noir
Today’s Story: Ceritas Wines Ceritas Wines is a small, family-owned winery spearheaded by husband and wife duo John and Phoebe Raytek. John and Phoebe source their fruit from trusted vintners mainly in the West Sonoma Coast and Santa Cruz Mountains, with all sites practicing sustainable or organic viticulture. John is highly involved in the vineyards… Read more
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Featured
Refreshing and Well-Made Bourgogne Aligoté
Today’s Story: Domaine Jean-Claude Ramonet I previously wrote about Jean-Claude Ramonet when I reviewed the 2015 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Clos Saint-Jean in Exploring a Red From a Legendary Producer of White Burgundy. Domaine Ramonet was established in Chassagne-Montrachet in the late 1920s by Pierre Ramonet, and quickly became one of the preeminent producers of white Burgundy.… Read more
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Featured
Beautifully Honest Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noir
Today’s Story: Whitcraft Winery Whitcraft is a small, family-owned and operated winery in Santa Barbara, CA known for their traditionally made and “unadulterated” Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Established in 1985 by Chris and Kathleen (Barnato) Whitcraft, the winery started as a passion for both the craft of winemaking and the lifestyle. Chris learned from California… Read more
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Featured
Outstanding Traditional Rosso di Montalcino
Today’s Story: Biondi-Santi (Tenuta Greppo) Biondi-Santi (Tenuta Greppo) traces its roots to the mid-1800s when Clemente Santi realized the immense promise of the land and vineyards in the heart of Montalcino. A writer with a profound knowledge of chemistry, Clemente set about crafting wines built for long-term aging and utilized racking and barrel aging techniques… Read more
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Featured
Rasteau That Unfortunately Does Not Live Up to the Hype
Today’s Story: Domaine Gourt de Mautens Domaine Gourt de Mautens was established by Jérôme Bressy in 1996 and is located in Rasteau of Southern Rhône. Though Bressy’s family owned vineyards in Rasteau for some time, the small AOC was not incredibly well-known. Jérôme’s father Yves converted his vineyards to organic viticulture in 1989 which allowed… Read more
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Featured
Incredible Quality Just Outside Ribera del Duero
Today’s Story: Galia Galia was established in 2009 as a personal project of vigneron Jérôme Bougnaud with the partnership of Daniel García-Pita of El Regajal. Though Jérôme comes from a lineage of winemakers in Cognac, France, he works extensively in Spain and particularly along the Duero River and just outside the official borders of Ribera… Read more
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Featured
Fun and Delicious Grower Champagne
Today’s Story: Domaine Francis Orban Domaine Francis Orban was established in 1929 by Léopold Orban in the small village of Leuvrigny, not too far from Epernay. Though Léopold initially sold his fruit to the larger houses of Epernay, he decided to branch out and make his own wines as one of the first Grower Champagne… Read more
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Featured
Outstanding Value With a Long Life Ahead
Today’s Story: Mastroberardino I previously wrote about Mastroberardino when I reviewed the 1968 Taurasi Riserva in An Italian Legend early this year. Mastroberardino is a family-operated winery founded in 1878 in Atripalda within the Provincia di Avellino in the Campania region of southern Italy. While widely known for their production of Taurasi DOCG, Mastroberardino further… Read more
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Featured
Tasty Gewurztraminer From Centuries of Tradition
Today’s Story: Maison Trimbach Maison Trimbach is one of the most notable winemakers in Alsace, established in 1626 by Jean Trimbach. Today Trimbach is under the guidance of Hubert Trimbach and his nephews Jean and Pierre, rounding out 12 generations of family ownership and shared knowledge. Pierre’s daughter Anne, the oldest of the 13th generation,… Read more
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Featured
Legendary Aged Barolo Just Past Its Prime
Today’s Story: Giacomo Borgogno & Figli Borgogno is one of the most legendary, time-tested producers in Piedmont, producing Barolo since their founding by Bartolomeo Borgogno in 1761. Though the estate always produced quality wines, it was Cesare Borgogno who launched the estate to new heights when he took over in 1920 by exporting the wines… Read more
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Featured
High Quality New Zealand Pinot Noir
Today’s Story: Fromm Winery Fromm Winery was established in 1992 by Georg Fromm and winemaker Hätsch Kalberer, with the intent of producing European-styled wines of Pinot Noir, Syrah, Malbec, Chardonnay, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, and Gewürztraminer. The vineyards and wines are 100% organic, and Fromm believes in allowing the fruit and terroir to speak… Read more
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Featured
Outstanding Napa Sauvignon Blanc
Today’s Story: Lail Vineyards Lail Vineyards was established in 1995 by Robin Daniel Lail, though her family’s history of winemaking in Napa Valley spans much further back in time. Robin is the great-grandniece of Captain Gustave Niebaum who founded Inglenook Vineyards in 1879, and his dedication to quality not only yielded some of the greatest… Read more
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Featured
Incredible QPR From Chianti Classico
Today’s Story: Castello di Monsanto Castello di Monsanto is a family-owned estate and winery in the Barberino Tavarnelle municipality of Chianti Classico. Aldo Bianchi was born in San Gimignano, however he left before WWII to seek opportunities in northern Italy. When Aldo visited Chianti again, however, he fell in love with Castello di Monsanto and… Read more
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Featured
Powerful Zinfandel-Based Blend From Sonoma County
Today’s Story: Bedrock Wine Co. Bedrock Wine Co. was established in 2007 by Morgan Twain-Peterson in a converted chicken coop in his friend’s backyard. Though Bedrock has grown over the years, Morgan stays true to a mission of working with respected growers throughout the state of California in preserving and breathing new life into old… Read more
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Featured
Traditional Brunello di Montalcino for a Great Value
Today’s Story: Fattoria dei Barbi Fattoria dei Barbi is a historic estate in Montalcino, founded in 1790 by the Colombini family who were one of the region’s most influential and noble families. Though they established Barbi in 1790, the family owned land in Montalcino dating back to 1352 and first built Poggio alle Mura (now… Read more
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Featured
Textbook New World Viognier
Today’s Story: Cristom Vineyards Cristom Vineyards was founded in 1992 by Paul and Eileen Gerrie in the Eola-Amity Hills AVA of the Willamette Valley. Established out of an appreciation of winemaking, the land, and Burgundy’s concept of terroir, Cristom is known for their estate Pinor Noirs. Cristom consists of eight estate vineyards totaling just over… Read more
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Featured
Tasty Bordeaux Blend to Broaden Your Palate
Today’s Story: Viñas de la Erre Viñas de la Erre is a family owned and operated winery established in Valle de Guadalupe in 2009. The Erre family acquired the Hacienda San Martín Caballero back in 1985, however it functioned mostly as a family farm and way for the family to expand their legacy in Guadalupe.… Read more
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Featured
High Quality Washington Bordeaux Blend That Drinks Like Left Bank Bordeaux
Today’s Story: L’Ecole No. 41 L’Ecole is a family-owned winery established by Baker and Jean Ferguson in 1983 in the Walla Walla Valley of Washington State. L’Ecole is the third-oldest winery in Walla Walla and today is under guide of 2nd generation owners Marty and Megan Clubb (Megan is the daughter of Baker and Jean)… Read more
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Featured
Screaming Value From Heathcote, Australia
Today’s Story: Jasper Hill Jasper Hill is a small family owned and operated winery in Heathcote, Australia founded by Ron and Elva Laughton. The Laughtons planted their vineyards beginning in 1975 with all of the vines own rooted (not grafted for resistance to Phylloxera) and today they include Emily’s Paddock (3ha Shiraz with 5% Cabernet… Read more
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Featured
Tasty and Opulent Nero d’Avola
Today’s Story: Gulfi Gulfi is a family owned and operated wine estate located in Chiaramonte Gulfi, and it was established by Raffaele Catania. Though Raffaele fled Sicily during the crisis following WWII and moved to France, he always desired to return to Chiaramonte Gulfi and even sent his savings there with the hope of purchasing property. In… Read more
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Featured
A Truly Special Riesling
Today’s Story: Weingut Reichsrat von Buhl Reichsrat von Buhl was established in 1849 by Franz Peter Buhl, and the estate quickly became a benchmark of quality for Forster Riesling. Thanks to uncompromising quality, von Buhl Rieslings became some of the most expensive in the world and even filled the glasses of those toasting the opening… Read more
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Featured
There’s Only Beauty Here
Today’s Story: Jolie-Laide Jolie-Laide is a boutique winery established by Scott Schultz in Forestville, CA, though he sources his fruit from trusted vintners across a range of appellations. “Jolie-Laide” translates to “pretty ugly,” and is a French term of endearment for something not conventionally beautiful which in this case stems to lesser known or “unloved”… Read more
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Featured
Burgundian Pinot Noir From South Africa
Today’s Story: Storm Wines Storm Wines was founded in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley of South Africa by Hannes Storm, and his first vintage on his own was 2012. Hannes worked for 12 years in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay before discovering two small vineyards for sale and establishing his namesake winery. He produces… Read more
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Featured
Beautiful Paso Robles GSM
Today’s Story: Epoch Estate Wines Epoch Estate Wines, located in the Willow Creek District of Paso Robles, was established by Liz and Bill Armstrong in 2004. Liz and Bill are geologists by trade, and knowing the importance of terroir in winemaking they settled on Paso Robles for its weather, rugged terrain, breadth of soils, and… Read more
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Featured
Perhaps the Most Interesting Wine I’ve Ever Had
Today’s Story: Hiyu Wine Farm Hiyu Wine Farm, established by Nate Ready and China Tresemer, is a 30 acre working farm in the Hood River Valley of Oregon. The property consists of 14 acres of vines, 4 acres of fields and pastures, 4 acres of forest and a pond, and 0.5 acres of market garden… Read more
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Featured
Breathtaking Chassagne-Montrachet
Today’s Story: Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey To say Pierre-Yves Colin was a rising star turned legend in Chassagne-Montrachet over the last decade or so might be an understatement. Pierre-Yves started working with his father Marc Colin (the Burgundian legend in his own right) in 1994 and became winemaker until the 2005 vintage when he decided to branch… Read more
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Featured
Tasty Bordeaux Blend for Everyday Drinking
Today’s Story: The Paring The Paring is like a “little sister” to Jonata and The Hilt, both wineries I wrote about previously, and is produced from blocks that are either too young or not stylistically aligned with its big sisters. As I mentioned in previous posts, Jonata and The Hilt are sister wineries of Screaming… Read more
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Featured
One of My Favorite CdP’s
Today’s Story: Domaine du Pégau Domaine du Pégau is one of the great estates in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, and though it became officially established in 1987 its roots and those of its proprietors extend significantly further back in time. Today the domaine is under guidance of Paul Féraud and his daughter Laurence, though the Féraud family can… Read more
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Featured
Excellent Value From One of the Rhône Valley’s Most Famous Domaines
Today’s Story: Domaine Paul Jaboulet Aîné Domaine Paul Jaboulet Aîné is one of the most historic wineries in all of the Rhône Valley, established in 1834 by Antoine Jaboulet in Tain l’Hermitage. Though nowadays we know Tain l’Hermitage (particularly Hermitage and Crozes-Hermitage) very well, it was a quiet winegrowing region when Antoine started assembling vineyards… Read more
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Featured
Lean Chardonnay That Begins With the Farmers
Today’s Story: Matthiasson Family Vineyards Matthiasson Family Vineyards is a small winery established in 2003 by Steve and Jill Klein Matthiasson. Steve grew up passionate about farming, passing time as a gardener and cook while in college before co-writing the California manual on sustainable vineyard practices in 1999 after graduate school for horticulture. Jill is… Read more
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Featured
Rioja to Be Cherished for Decades to Come
Today’s Story: La Rioja Alta La Rioja Alta is a historic winery established in 1890 by five Riojan and Basque families in Haro’s Station Quarter. The endeavor was named Sociedad Vinícola de La Rioja Alta, and in 1904 La Rioja Alta merged with Ardanza Winery. The two years, 1890 and 1904, are important for La… Read more
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Featured
Rising Star in Cornas
Today’s Story: Domaine Vincent Paris Domaine Vincent Paris was established in 1997 with 1 hectare of inherited vines in Cornas. Vincent studied enology for four years before working alongside his uncle, famed Cornas vigneron Robert Michel, and desiring autonomy with his own wines. Vincent set about planting vines in St. Joseph and Cornas, ultimately acquiring… Read more
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