7 posts
behind the cork
2017 Rombauer El Dorado “Twin Rivers” Zinfandel ($42) Rombauer’s El Dorado (“the golden”) Vineyard is located 1,650 feet above sea level in the Sierra Foothills of El Dorado County, California. Its sandy soils, high elevation, and warm days and cool...
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ever wonder
Sangiovese (san-jo-VEH-zay) is a famous grape from Italy. Some believe that this indigenous Italian grape dates back to the second century BC, where it was first known to be cultivated by the Etruscan winemakers of Tuscany. Literally translated from...
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behind the cork
J Vineyards California Cuvée ($18) I recent had an opportunity to share in a celebration and wanted a nice sparkling wine for the occasion. Seeing this bottle of J Vineyards California Cuvée already chilled at the store made my decision an easy one....
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ever wonder
Much like France, Italy has a long tradition of wine. In the 1960s, Italy formalized their wine appellation system modeled after the French system. Under this system, each wine region in Italy was required to operate under strict rules for the types...
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ever wonder
Nebbiolo is a grape that is grown almost exclusively in Italy. In the Piedmont region. And, most famously in Barolo and Barbaresco. The Nebbiolo grape is named for the Italian word for fog which is “nebbia.” This grape thrives in the cool and foggy ...
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behind the cork
2014 Opolo Fusion Red Blend ($28) Several years ago, I was given a bottle of Opolo Reserve Zinfandel and thought it was one of the best bottles I had ever had. I’ve remained a big fan of Opolo and have visited their tasting room during a visit to Pa...
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general
Tuscan is located in west-central Italy and includes the cities of Florence, Siena and Pisa. It is also the birthplace of the Italian renaissance. Wine production in Tuscan started before the rise of the Roman Empire and is believed to have begun in ...
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