general
California’s Gold Rush of the 1850s included the western foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. As fortune seekers flocked to the Sierras to prospect for gold, small wineries also began to appear. But the decline of gold mining in the late ...
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behind the cork
2010 Viñas Del Vero Secastilla Garnacha ($40) The vineyards in the Secastilla valley are located in the north-eastern part of the Somontano region in Aragon Spain. The name Somontano means “under the mountains” which is appropriate since the regio...
Read more →Zinfandel is a very popular California wine. One that can take on two very different flavor personalities. Zinfandel that is grown in warm places usually results in grapes that get very ripe and produce big jammy “fruit bomb” flavors. High alcohol...
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behind the cork
2013 Beronia Rioja Reserva ($20) This Rioja from Beronia is produced with 95% Tempranillo, 4% Graciano (known as Morrastel in Languedoc) and 1% Mazuelo (a.k.a. Carignan). Being a ‘Reserva’ in Rioja means that this wine is required to be aged for ...
Read more →Rioja is maybe the best known Spanish wine, but did you know there are various styles of Rioja? First, let’s review a bit about Rioja. It is a region in North-Central Spain that’s known for its wine. And, like most Old-World wines, the wine label i...
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behind the cork
2015 Beronia Crianza Rioja ($15) The Rioja region of Spain is noted for its Tempranillo and this one from Beronia is indeed noteworthy. This is a typical Rioja blend of grapes consisting of 91% Tempranillo, 8% Garnacha and 1% Mazuelo (a.k.a Car...
Read more →Champagne is probably the best known wine in the world. And, there’s a lot to know it about this wine. Here are some fun-facts about Champagne: Champagne is not made from Champagne grapes Champagne is typically produced from three grapes — Pinot ...
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behind the cork
2015 1000 Stories Zinfandel ($18) I’ve had my eyes on this one for a while now. It differentiates itself by noting on the front label that it is “Bourbon Barrel Aged.” Aging wines in oak barrels is common, but I’ve not seen a wine aged in Bourbon...
Read more →During a recent stroll through the produce aisle of my favorite grocery store, I saw a display labeled “Champagne Grapes.” They are beautiful bunches of small red-ish grapes. And, they look really good. But, the first thing that came to my mind was ...
Read more →The wine world is confusing enough. Then, you find yourself standing on the wine aisle trying to figure out what the different styles of Champagne and sparkling wine mean. And, it’s not straight forward. Champagne and most sparkling wines will have...
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