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Behind the Cork™ - Carneros Creek Reserve Chardonnay behind the cork

Behind the Cork™ - Carneros Creek Reserve Chardonnay

2023 Carneros Creek Reserve Chardonnay ($29.95) Carneros Creek Winery (now a brand under Carneros Wine Company) was originally founded by Francis Mahoney in 1972. While the physical winery was sold to Michael Mondavi in 2006, the Mahoney family ha...

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A Tour of Wine Grapes: Chardonnay general

A Tour of Wine Grapes: Chardonnay

Chardonnay ![](/uploads/migrated/White-Wine-1.png?format=original) ![](/uploads/migrated/Chardonnay.jpg?format=original) * Image from Wikimedia Commons * Chardonnay is one of the most widely planted varieties. Although it is probably ...

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Behind the Cork™ - Sobon Estate Barbera behind the cork

Behind the Cork™ - Sobon Estate Barbera

2020 Sobon Estate Amador County Barbera ($17) Shenandoah Vineyards in Plymouth, CA, was founded in 1977 by Shirley and Leon Sobon. They moved from Los Altos, California, where Leon was a Senior Scientist with the Lockheed Research Lab. Leon’s gift...

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A Tour of Wine Grapes: Carmenere general

A Tour of Wine Grapes: Carmenere

Carménère 🍷 ![](/uploads/migrated/Carmenere.jpg?format=original) * Carmenere grapes grown at Equinox Vineyard, Olanesti, Moldova ( Wikimedia Commons ) * The name Carménère** **(kar-men-nair) comes from the French word carmin (meaning crimson...

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general

A Tour of Wine Grapes: Carignan

Carignan 🍷 [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="1024"]![ Carignan Grapes [ Image from Wikimedia Commons (Sarah Stierch) ] ](/uploads/migrated/Carignan.jpg?format=original) Carignan Grapes [ Image from Wikimedia Commons (Sarah Stierch) ] [/cap...

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Behind the Cork™ - Bezel Cabernet Sauvignon behind the cork

Behind the Cork™ - Bezel Cabernet Sauvignon

2023 Bezel Cabernet Sauvignon ($29.99) Bezel is a new wine adventure from the famed Cakebread Family of wines. Since 1973, they have made wine in Napa Valley at Cakebread Cellars in Rutherford, California. But with Bezel, they are breaking out of...

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A Tour of Wine Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon general

A Tour of Wine Grapes: Cabernet Sauvignon

Cabernet Sauvignon 🍷 ![](/uploads/migrated/Cabernet_sauvignon.jpg?format=original) * Photo by Christophe Eyquem, Wikimedia Commons * Widely considered the “King of Red Wines,” Cabernet Sauvignon is the world’s most widely planted and renowne...

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Behind the Cork™ - Parallelle 45 Red Blend behind the cork

Behind the Cork™ - Parallelle 45 Red Blend

2023 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Parallèle 45 Côtes-du-Rhône Rouge ($15.99) Parallèle 45 is named after the earth’s 45th parallel, a famous circle of latitude that marks the midpoint between the equator and the North Pole. It also passes over the cellars o...

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A Tour of Wine Grapes: Cabernet Franc general

A Tour of Wine Grapes: Cabernet Franc

Cabernet Franc 🍷 ![](/uploads/migrated/Cab-Franc.jpg?format=original) * Image from Wikimedia Commons ( Ursula Brühl, Julius Kühn-Institut (JKI) , * Cabernet Franc (often referred to as Cab Franc) is a lesser know grape, but it’s actually the...

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