behind the cork
Peachy Canyon 2012 Cirque du Vin Red Blend ($11) This red blend from Peachy Canyon in Paso Robles is a real nice combination of Syrah, Petite Sirah, Zinfandel, Merlot, Malbec and Tannat. The 60% Syrah gives it a bold flavor while the Zinfandel an...
Read more →Everybody loves sparkling wine. It’s festive. And this is the time of the year that a lot of sparking wine is served. Sparkling wine consumption in the U.S. surges during the holiday season. It is estimated that more than 40% of sparkling wine purch...
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behind the cork
Amancay Winery 2014 Uco Valley Reserva Malbec ($7)  The Uco Valley in Mendoza, Argentina, is well known and respected for its Malbec. And this one is a nice entry-level example. This mediu...
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general
Beaujolais Nouveau. Its name literally means ‘new Beaujolais.’ This wine is named for the village of Beaujeu in France, which is a small region just south of Burgundy. On the third Thursday of each November, France releases Beaujolais Nouveau wine...
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behind the cork
Nielson by Byron Santa Barbara County Chardonnay ($13)  This Chardonnay out of Santa Barbara County was an unexpected delight. While being a great value, it is lightly oaked so as to not b...
Read more →If you are serving the traditional turkey dinner this Thanksgiving, you might think that serving a white wine is the right thing to do. While most white wines do go well with turkey, there are plenty of other options. Traditional white wine choices...
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behind the cork
Kenwood Russian River Pinot Noir ($13)  The Russian River Valley is home of some of the greatest Pinot Noir to be found. This one from Kenwood is a very nice example and a great value. Wit...
Read more →In years past in the U.S., red wine blends were sold by the jug as “Red Wine” or “Table Wine.” These were inexpensive wines that were blends of grapes, vineyards or even vintages. So, today, blends are often disregarded as being of poor quality. Bu...
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behind the cork
2015 Justin Sauvignon Blanc ($12)  This Sauvignon Blanc from Justin in Paso Robles CA is very nice one. Loaded with bright, crisp fruit flavors of lemon, green apple...
Read more →The Pinot Noir grape is a red grape most famously known for the production of red Burgundy. And today’s new world Pinot Noir wines, especially from California and Oregon, are wonderfully delicate light bodied red wines with flavors of cherry, raspber...
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