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September 2006
Language Barriers
Posted: 06:25 AM ET, September 30, 2006
My Italian is about as good as my Spanish or French or German.
I can get by--barely, at times--and have to rely on either the good English of the person I’m talking to or interviewing, or the use of a translator. But even when using a translator, things can get confused. Read more
Working on a Book Title
Posted: 06:01 AM ET, September 29, 2006
My Mother used to keep a sign in her office that read: “Of all the things I’ve lost, I miss my mind the most.”
I had every good reason to lose my mind the other night as I dined with the dashing, fun-loving, cork-popping, magnum-obsessed and forever dangerous and unpredictable wine maven James Suckling. Read more
The Bare Essentials
Posted: 04:38 AM ET, September 28, 2006
I made it to Florence in pretty good shape.
Not so for my luggage.
It decided to stay at Heathrow, in London, while I carried on with my laptop and tote bag.
My luggage took the path less traveled, which left me clothes-less in Florence, which wasn’t so bad for the first 24 hours. Read more
A Tuscan Wine Escape
Posted: 02:55 PM ET, September 21, 2006
I’m headed off to Tuscany and points beyond for a fortnight.
I could make up something about needing a vacation, or change of scenery, or new blogging material.
But the truth is I’m going to catch up with my old friend and colleague, James Suckling, and help him drain of some of the oversize bottles of Barolo and Brunello that are clogging his cellar. Read more
A Guys Night In
Posted: 03:08 PM ET, September 20, 2006
I’m headed off to Italy in a few days, so last night I drank Bordeaux.
My son and I were having dinner – a guys' grill night, with rib eyes and some random, token greens.
He hasn’t shown much interest in wine, despite the fact that it’s always been around. Read more
Early Pickings at Marcassin
Posted: 07:50 PM ET, September 19, 2006
Harvest is always full of surprises. No one year is quite like the next.
The action in Napa and Sonoma is building momentum. Winemakers who haven’t set foot in a church in years now talk about their daily prayers.
“It always comes down to those last six weeks,” said Tor Kenward, of Kenward Family Vineyards, when I ran into him in downtown Napa the other day. Read more
Golden Joys Of Honeyed Chardonnays
Posted: 04:55 PM ET, September 18, 2006
With age comes beauty.
At least you hope so when it comes to cellaring wines.
I drank a couple of terrific Talbott Chardonnays over the weekend, a 2002 Diamond T Estate ($65) and 2003 Cuvée Cynthia ($60), both from Monterey County. Read more
Harvest Joys And Wine Woes
Posted: 10:55 AM ET, September 15, 2006
I connected with a couple of famous, long-time Napa Valley winemakers recently, and their tales are worth passing along, though I’m withholding their identities because our discussions were casual and not part of an interview.
What they had to say was more important--and reflective of the mood and reality of life in the wine business--than who they are. Read more
Not Yet For A New Napa Cabernet
Posted: 04:21 PM ET, September 14, 2006
I’ve received a couple of queries from readers about a new high-end 2003 Napa Valley Cabernet, from a well-regarded vineyard and a superstar winemaking team.
But so far, I’m not impressed by the wine and not too sure you should be either. Read more
Meet the New Old Kid on the Block
Posted: 12:36 PM ET, September 13, 2006
Ran into an old friend yesterday at my favorite wine bar (aka Wine Spectator's Napa tasting room).
I immediately recognized the face. But then I noticed he had a new outfit, and he’d put on a little weight. Read more
A Darker Shade Of Red
Posted: 04:40 PM ET, September 12, 2006
Time was, red wines from California's Edna Valley--south of San Luis Obispo--were typically light in color, seemingly more anemic than healthy.
I still remember my first impressions of early 1980s Pinot Noir from Edna Valley Vineyard – pale red garnet in color, with decent flavors, but nothing to get excited about. Read more
New Sparkling Wines Are Exciting
Posted: 02:48 PM ET, September 11, 2006
Corks were flying at our Napa office on Friday, and that was a good thing.
Tim Fish and I tasted a couple dozen new releases of California sparkling wine for our annual report, due later this year, and this research turned into an exciting afternoon of sparklers. Read more
A Merlot Star Returns To Syrah
Posted: 12:23 PM ET, September 08, 2006
Right idea. Right wine.
The owners of Paloma have started a second label, and it’s a move that makes sense.
The producers of what is arguably California’s preeminent Merlot realized that putting all their eggs in the Merlot basket had its risks. Read more
The High Price of "Blending" Grapes
Posted: 03:38 PM ET, September 07, 2006
You might be surprised to learn – as I was – that two of the most expensive red wine grapes in Napa Valley this year are a couple of orphans from Bordeaux.
I’m talking about Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, both of which are used primarily for blending with Cabernet Sauvignon and occasionally with Merlot. Read more
Aiming For Pinot Noir Value
Posted: 02:18 PM ET, September 06, 2006
Right idea. Wrong wine?
The other day, in a regular blind tasting, I sampled a new Pinot Noir, vintage 2005.
Nothing outstanding. Fresh, snappy cherry and strawberry fruit, which I rated in the good category (defined as 80-84 points on Wine Spectator's 100-point scale). Read more
Defining A Vintage's Quality
Posted: 02:43 PM ET, September 05, 2006
In California, vintners are on the final approach to harvest, for what has been a very mixed and trying year.
As my winegrower friend C.J. predicted in April, it has been an expensive year to farm, with an abundance of spring rain and a late, uneven grape set. Read more
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