Domaine Paul Buisse. Cruising down the Cher River, an offshoot of the Loire River you could be forgiven for not noticing the numerous Chateau and Castles that have made this beautiful and historic region home. The repetitive rows of vineyards can be distracting. It is in this region (Touraine) that Domaine Paul Buisse hasContinue reading “Two Delights from the South of France- Domaine Paul Buisse.”
Author Archives: thewineguy
Kuleto Wines- great names and great blends. Perfect for Cook Outs.
Kuleto ‘Frog Prince’ Red Blend 2021 Situated on the eastern side of Napa in the hills above Rutherford, drawing in the spirit of Burgundy and Tuscany. The palate carries an Old-World attitude with a Napa mouthfeel- soft and approachable with an unexpected, but impressive middle palate silky smoothness. Great balance with acidity and tannins inContinue reading “Kuleto Wines- great names and great blends. Perfect for Cook Outs.”
Two Highly Allocated Jim Barry Releases. Clare Valley does it Again.
Assyrtiko 2019- Clare Valley, South Australia. Yes, you read correctly, Assyrtiko, the classic Greek varietal is being grown in Australia, since August 2012 no less. When you think about it, the climate in Clare Valley and surrounding wine regions is most definitely Mediterranean so it makes sense that it was bound to appear at someContinue reading “Two Highly Allocated Jim Barry Releases. Clare Valley does it Again.”
What do you get from a Cabernet sourced just outside the Napa boundary that displays, Napa swagger and high-elevation elegance at under $20?
Clay Shannon Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 Without the cache of Napa, pricing for grapes per ton is about a third of what Napa Cabernet fetches. The upside to this is you get great Napa-style wines at a much-reduced price point. Lake County is high elevation, Estate Grown fruit, and is just adjacent to Napa, to theContinue reading “What do you get from a Cabernet sourced just outside the Napa boundary that displays, Napa swagger and high-elevation elegance at under $20? “
From the Cellar … Rhys Estate Vineyards
The driving force behind Rhys Estate is to make Pinots and Chardonnays that are unique and expressive of the chosen vineyard sites. All of the sites are selected for their distinctive soil and the growing climate spanning 6 different sites in the Santa Cruz Mountains region and 1 in Anderson Valley. Their Skyline Vineyard hasContinue reading “From the Cellar … Rhys Estate Vineyards”
An Oakville Gem with a Bordeaux influence- Patria ‘Avoyelles’ Red Blend 2018
This is an impressive wine from the start, but it does need some time to open. I suggest 4 – 6 hours but then: spectacular. Big bold rich fruits hit the nose and the palate with elegance and finesse. This is a Bordeaux blend of 48% Cabernet Franc, 46% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Petit VerdotContinue reading “An Oakville Gem with a Bordeaux influence- Patria ‘Avoyelles’ Red Blend 2018”
From the Cellar … Zenato Ripassa Valpolicella Superiore 2007
Ripassa and Ripasso’s are synonymous and are considered to be baby Amarone’s and about a third to half the price. Great news if you like the style but are budget focused. I’ve tried many different producers and many different vintages and when I found this in my cellar last week, I thought of the MoroccanContinue reading “From the Cellar … Zenato Ripassa Valpolicella Superiore 2007”
From the Cellar … Coquerel Cabernet Franc Napa Valley 2013
January is a quiet month in the wine business so I’ve taken the opportunity to have some time off work, hence some ‘From the Cellar’ articles reflecting on the longevity/cellar ability of some wines. WOOOW, this is holding up and drinking so well! If anyone has bottles in their cellar, I’d crack one open now,Continue reading “From the Cellar … Coquerel Cabernet Franc Napa Valley 2013”
From the Cellar … Clos Apalta Limited Release 2012 Red Blend.
I was fortunate enough this last week to taste the 2012 vintage of this wine and remembered back to tasting it in 2015, too young to appreciate all of the future potentials of this Bordeaux-inspired blend of 66% Carmenère, 19% Merlot, and 15% Cabernet but tasty never the less . Organically farmed I might add.Continue reading “From the Cellar … Clos Apalta Limited Release 2012 Red Blend.”
Penfolds Bin 144 Yattarna Chardonnay 2019- an exceptional Chardonnay of sophistication, elegance, and balance.
Upon its initial release in 1998 (then the 1995 vintage) it was presented to the world as the “White Grange” making the front page of Australia’s national newspapers. A first to this day. “Yattarna reflects Penfolds patience and continued commitment to its original goal, its very name being drawn from the local indigenous language,Continue reading “Penfolds Bin 144 Yattarna Chardonnay 2019- an exceptional Chardonnay of sophistication, elegance, and balance.”
Vine to Table 