The Wine Witch is as guilty as most about making broad pronouncements on varietals. I tend to say that I do not like Cabernet Sauvignon. Shame on me! True each grape can have an emblematic style that isn’t your thing (like chewing on trees with Cabs). However, there is such a range of styles within each category, that if you keep trying you are bound to find several you like.
Riesling is another grape I generally do not seek out. Riesling is often sweet and, unless it is a desert wine, I do not favor sweet in my wine. However, I continue to try Riesling whenever it shows up. One thing I have discovered is that I like Riesling from Alsace more than Riesling from Germany.
Although the 2008 Chateau Saint Michelle Dry Riesling comes from Washington state, to my taste it is made in the Alsatian style. Dry is the first clue that it is not going to be too sweet and it lives up to that description. It is pale gold in the glass with a peach and lime zest nose. Super crisp and refreshing, the main flavors are white peach and nectarine. It finishes long and clean. Food and Wine magazine several times has named it a best American value and it is.
So everyone, make a resolution to go out and try a new label of a wine you “don’t like”. You might be pleasantly surprised.
The Wine Witch must be getting into her dotage. This blog is going on 3 years now. I have been drinking and enjoying the Ferrari-Carano Fume Blanc all this time and years prior, but never reviewed it. My daughter-in-law brought this to my attention when we were out to dinner the other day. Better late than never, so here is my belated review.
On Saturday, February 27, 2010 Chile was rocked by a devastating earthquake whose death toll as of today has topped 800. The 8.8 magnitude earthquake has destroyed, according to Vivian Sequera and Alan Clendenning of the Associated Press, least 150 million bottles’ worth of wine, and has affected some of Chile’s oldest wine growing regions.
The devastating earthquake in Chile has had an enormous impact on people and businesses. One of Chile most notable industries, wine making, is still assessing the damage. The stats known to date are pretty impressive:
I have read in any number of articles that supposedly 10% of all wine is corked. Simply put, corked means that the wine is no longer at its best and may even be out and out undrinkable. As you know, I have had a lot of wine in my day. I probably would have fingers and certainly toes left over for the number of bottles of wine I considered corked. Again, being only anenthusiastic amateur, my palate may not be sophisticated enough. However, I think this number maybe a little overstated, but it is still a problem.
Recently received the note below:
“have recently been trolling snooth and corkd and came upon your site i love it and it’s very informative so thank you my question is regarding vintages and types of wine i notice that this is a big deal in ratings are their any simple pointers you could give me as a newbie about vintages and cabernets/chardonnays with regard to country and region it would be much appreciated thanks! – shamsi”
The Wine Witch has been on the road the last two weeks for my day job (which unfortunately has NOTHING to do with wine), so I am a little behind in my postings. Hopefully you have been enjoying the dispatches from our newest contributor, Lisa Scott. Lisa’s perspective is value priced wines that have a eco-friendly slant. Welcome, Lisa!
Posted in Wine Reviews | 
Tags: Champagne, Jacob's Creek, Rosé, Sparkling wines | 
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Finding a great tasting chardonnay is like finding the right pair of shoes to go with the dress for your wedding, or the “right” tie to complement your suit. The experience is equivalent to falling in love for the first time, or having your first kiss. It’s a day you will never forget; and when the day is done, you will always remember how good you felt wearing that tie or that dress because it complemented you–perfectly.
Posted in Wine Reviews |
Tags: Bonterra Chardonnay, California, Chardonnay, Costco Wholesale Corporation, French wines, Mendocino County wine, Organic, Wine |
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Yellow+Blue Malbec
I recently came across a great organic Malbec by Yellow+Blue. Although packaged in a carton—I try to stay away from wines in a box—I was intrigued by its design. The Malbec was quite astonishing considering its packaging and its price (on average $12.00). It was a medium- to full-bodied wine with a complex finish. It also had a nice aroma with a hint of cherry and chocolate. I imagine it would go well with a fine steak or other braised meat.
The company, Yellow+Blue is about environmental sustainability– throughout the growing, winemaking and packaging process. The grapes and the farming process have been certified through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) as 100% organic, while the packaging, remember– a cardboard box– was developed to reduce their carbon footprint so they only use 7% of that footprint on packaging. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in Wine Reviews |
Tags: $12, Malbec, Organic certification, Organic wine, Wine, Yellow+Blue |
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Before we get too far this one is right on the cusp of our price point. I picked it up for $14.99, but if I look at prices online, I see a range of $12-18. If you can find it for $15 or less, by all means buy it. Much more than that and I am not sure you are getting all you can for the money. If the 2008 Hanna Sauvignon Blanc were $10-12, the Wine Witch would rate it 4 stars+. However, at $15 it violates our bang for the buck rating system. Hence the 3.5 stars.
Posted in Wine Reviews |
Tags: California, Hanna Sauvignon Blanc, Russian River Valley, Sauvignon Blanc |
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Well Australia certainly loves its critters – Yellow Tail, Little Penguin, Black Swan, etc.. Here is the latest addition to the menagerie – Friday Monkey. My personal theory is that Australians keep the really good stuff at home. Some marketing genius has determined that Americans are suckers for critters, and therefore they have a distribution channel for their second tier wines.
Valentine’s Day is fast approaching. Chocolate treats are often a significant part of the festivities. Those of us that love wine are facing the annual problem of what wine to pair with our chocolate. If you are looking for one definitive answer here – think again. In the Wine Witch’s opinion this is one of the trickier matches to pull off well.
By and large I have enjoyed most Red Truck wines. These are not great wines, but they are very reliable, will not break the bank, and will cause you no embarassment when served. Over the weekend my son shared a bottle of the 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon he received as a host gift. He was not too thrilled. I found it a pleasant wine.
