One of the most confusing subjects for American consumers is trying to understand wines from France. The wine labeling system in France is mostly based on region or appellation, not by the type of grape used to produce the wine. So, here are some b...
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behind the cork
2014 Vines on the Marycrest Mourvèdre ($40) Vines on the Marycrest is located on 26 acres of steep hills in the Adelaida district of westside Paso Robles in California. Originally their land was an almond orchard with some old Zinfandel vines. It...
Read more →While Barbera is originally from Italy, it was brought to California by Italian immigrants in the 19th century. Much of it was originally grown in California’s Central Valley where it has been widely used as a blend component in mass-produced jug w...
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behind the cork
2019 Barone Montalto Pinot Grigio ($12) This Barone Montalto Pinot Grigio is from the Valle del Belice in south-western Sicily, Italy. It is produced from 100% Pinot Grigio that is fermented for 15 days at 13-15°C. Maturation is conducted in sta...
Read more →Last time we began looking at Barbera, a wine that in Italy has traditionally been produced as an inexpensive table wine to be enjoyed regularly with meals. It’s not been hailed as a great wine - there are other Italian wines that get that spotlight....
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behind the cork
2015 Beronia Rioja Reserva ($19.99) Here’s yet another returning star to Behind the Cork™ - the Beronia Rioja Reserva. As we learned in last week’s post, “Reserva” means that a Rioja wine must undergo a minimum of three years of aging with at lea...
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behind the cork
2012 LAN Viña Lanciano Rioja Reserva ($19.99) The grapes used in the production of this Rioja Reserva come from a selection of vines of more than 30 years of age located in LAN’s Viña Lanciano estate. It is produced from 90% Tempranillo, 8% Gracia...
Read more →My “Ah ha” moment with wine involved a Berbera. “A what?” I asked. I’d never heard of it and really, really liked it. Barbera (Bar-BEAR-ah) is a grape that is grown throughout Italy, especially in the Piedmont region. It is Italy’s third most grown ...
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behind the cork
2019 Domäne Wachau Grüner Veltliner Federspiel ($14.99) Grüner Veltliner is Austria’s most important grape variety. And this one is from the famous Wachau Valley noted for its steep terraced vineyards. The word Federspiel in this wine’s name iden...
Read more →When wines get described you’ll often hear terms such as soft, smooth, silky, plush, firm, sharp and round. These are common textures we are familiar with when touching something with our hands. But what do these textures mean in wine? Simply put, a...
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