Steven Kent wines raise bar for Cabs; sister winery La Rochelle thinks Burgundy
Another Mirassou is making wine — for collectors and the rest of us who yearn for incredible Cabs, Chards and Pinots.
Wine
Resident wine expert Sandra Silfven on all things vino
Pinot Noir
Red delights: Kim Crawford Pinot and Ravenswood Petite Sirah
Dial up your comfort level at supper tonight with reds that can warm the soul.
Wild Horse reds unleash exceptional flavors
Looking for a wine to gift a friend — or better yet yourself? Wild Horse Winery & Vineyards is an iconic brand that makes reds that melt in the mouth.
This spot-on brand has upper 'Echelon' appeal
Echelon brand from California will surprise your palate and pocketbook. You can afford the Napa Valley Chardonnay.
Look to Marlborough for its Sauvignon Blancs
Check the front label on New Zealand wine bottles these days. You’re seeing a lot of “Marlborough” on them — the hotbed for wine production on the South Island, where Sauvignon Blanc rules Sauvignon Blanc is New Zealand’s flagship wine, outpacing Chardonnay and other aromatic whites. And let’s not forget the other star — Pinot … Continue Reading →
Drink this: Napa Cellars Pinot Noir
The Napa Cellars 2010 Pinot Noir is luxury you can afford. It runs about $18 and comes off the cooler vineyards in southern Napa close to San Pablo Bay. This baby is so aromatic, rich and delicious — you know what you are getting when you just swirl the glass and inhale. Winemaker Joe Shirley … Continue Reading →
Weekend Wine: Estancia Pinot Noir
The Estancia Pinot Noir from Monterey is a garnet beauty that tastes like a mouthful of cherry crisp, studded with raspberries, spiced with nutmeg and streaked with caramel and dark chocolate.
On the shelf: Landmark Grand Detour Pinot Noir
Landmark Grand Detour Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast 2010, $40: Landmark Chardonnays are benchmarks in the Sonoma Valley, and now the Landmark Grand Detour Pinot Noir is building a stellar reputation of its own. This one is brimming with dark cherries, strawberries, dark plums, chocolate and notes of brown cooking spices. It’s voluptuous with its silky … Continue Reading →
Weekend Wine: Cono Sur Pinot Noir
Cono Sur Pinot Noir 2011, $9-$12: This is one of the prettiest Pinots you will find at this price. Adolfo Hurtado, winemaker and the face of this fabulous property in southern Chile, produces the most Pinot Noir of any winery in the country. This one has good balance, with lovely ripe fruit flavors (cherries, strawberries, … Continue Reading →
Lovin' those Pinot Noirs? Try Pali
Wrap your hands around a bottle of Pali Wine Co. Pinot Noir — OK, Pali’s affordable appellation-specific wines. The ones around the $20 mark. Not $40-$50. The 2010 Pali “Huntington Pinot Noir from Santa Barbara County is a siren of cherries, raspberries, dark chocolate and vanilla. It melts in the mouth. It fills the palate … Continue Reading →