Ashes and Diamonds is the creation of Kashy Khaledi, his background is in the music business – Capitol Records, and is the son of Darioush Khaledi -Darioush Winery. He brought together Dan Petroski -Larkmead (until the 2015 harvest) when Diana Snowden-Seysses- Domaine Dujac in Burgundy, and Snowden Vineyards took over, and Steve Matthiasson- Stag’s Leap andContinue reading “Ashes and Diamonds- is aimed squarely at Millennials and the young at heart.”
Author Archives: thewineguy
Something French and Something Australian- for your drinking pleasure.
Shatter Grenache 2021 Joel Gott teamed up with Charles Bieler to bring you ‘Shatter’ sourced from the hillside vineyards around the town of Maury, in Roussillon, not far from the Spanish border. It is a blend of 96% Grenache and 4% Syrah and co-fermented. The vines were planted over 60 years ago on pure blackContinue reading “Something French and Something Australian- for your drinking pleasure.”
A Red Wine for All Seasons- a Beckstoffer, a Rutherford and a Blackbird Arises.
Blackbird Vineyards ‘Arise’ Red Blend 2018 Named in dedication to the Paul McCartney/Beatles song. Unmistakable Napa on the nose with rich dark fruits and floral notes rising from the glass. A delightful richness on the palate will assuredly put a smile on your face. There is an abundance of black fruits and chocolate with secondaryContinue reading “A Red Wine for All Seasons- a Beckstoffer, a Rutherford and a Blackbird Arises.”
Australian Pinot Noir- Part 2
You have heard me speak passionately about Australian Pinot Noir, especially from Yarra Valley in Victoria, Mornington Peninsula in Victoria, and of course Tasmania. See an article I posted on December 19th This clip dropped into my email box today entitled ’15 minutes on Pinot Noir’ talking about some of the regions I mentionedContinue reading “Australian Pinot Noir- Part 2”
Two Delights from the South of France- Domaine Paul Buisse.
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.”
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”
Vine to Table 