September 2010
Son of Ravenswood's Zin guru is off to a great start
Posted: Sep 27, 2010 12:29pm ET
Dozens of new wineries emerge from California each year, and many deliver exciting wines. Every once in a while, though, a new winery appears that somehow sets itself apart from the field. What makes Sonoma's Bedrock so exciting is a combination of things, starting with its winemaker, Morgan Twain-Peterson, and his choice of wines and the quality.
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Fewer wineries age wine long in oak or the cellar
Posted: Sep 17, 2010 1:46pm ET
The winery owner was always so excited with his newest creation that he inevitably brought samples to the office the day of or after bottling. Not a good idea.
Wines come to market much earlier than they used to and many that are aged in oak spend less time there, too.
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Yearning for the great old wines of yesteryear clouds reality
Posted: Sep 14, 2010 12:45pm ET
Whenever I read comments from wine lovers yearning for the grand old wines of yesteryear, two thoughts immediately cross my mind: The comment is probably coming from an aging white male (takes one to know one), and they can't be serious. While a wine like the 1974 Mayacamas is wonderful, it's an anomaly of its era.
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Two 2007 Schrader Cabernets merit perfect 100-point ratings
Posted: Sep 8, 2010 1:29pm ET
My concept of wine perfection has received a considerable amount of attention since this past Wednesday, when the scores for two of Schrader's 2007 Beckstoffer To Kalon Cabernets were revealed in the Insider. I gave them both 100-point ratings. It's the first time any newly released wine has received a perfect rating from me in my nearly 30-year career here.
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