10 posts
behind the cork
Wines of TILIA from Argentina Tilia’s rural origins in Mendoza Argentina connect them deeply to the land and to their community. As the first Argentine wine to carry the Bodegas de Argentina Certified Sustainable Seal, the TILIA label illustrates th...
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ever wonder
It is commonly known that red wines age best. But why, you may ask, is that? Why can red wine be aged longer than whites? After all, they are both made from the juice of grapes! The answer has a lot to do with tannins and acidity, but residual sug...
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behind the cork
2015 Helwig Frenchmen’s Creek Barbera ($35) Dave Helwig had a dream to move to the wine country upon retirement. After searching with his wife, Nancy, for the perfect wine region to relocate to from their home in Southern California, Dave couldn’t r...
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ever wonder
Wines with the best “structure” will generally age most gracefully. Finding wines that will improve over time requires that you pay attention to a wine’s structure. What is structure? These are the primary components: Acidity - Wines lose acidity...
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behind the cork
2019 Phantom Chardonnay ($18.99) It’s that spooky time of year again and a great time to re-visit the Phantom. This Chardonnay is from Bogle Vineyards where the story goes that a ghostly figure wanders their cellars at night. There are fleeting glim...
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ever wonder
You may have heard about pulling the cork on a bottle of wine and “letting it breathe.” Those that follow this practice may give the un-corked bottle thirty minutes to an hour before declaring that “the wine is now ready to drink!” While pulling the...
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behind the cork
2020 Barone Montalto Pinot Grigio ($11.99) Sicily is a strong and legendary land. Its climate, nature and winemaking experience make it unique. The story of Barone Montalto began in Santa Ninfa, in the province of Trapani, in 2000. Montalto wines ...
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ever wonder
A decanter is a great vessel to allow a wine to breathe. And, really any container will help a wine breathe. But, all too often, the decanter ends up looking like the one pictured here. This is a beautiful carafe and it’s a great addition to a bar o...
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behind the cork
2017 Riva Leone Barbaresco ($24.99) Riva Leone was a man of unique character and personality who was an ambassador for the special wines of the Langhe all throughout Europe in the early 20th Century. His legacy lives on in the Riva Leone wines which...
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ever wonder
Wines regularly get described by their aromas – floral, citrus, green apple, melon, herbal, cherry, plum and spice. But, Riesling – can it really include the aroma of petrol? A lot of people might assume a bottle of Riesling must have gone bad if th...
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