Month: February 2016

When something is worth a lot of money, thieves notice and do what thieves do.
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti is pinot noir made in the Côte-d’Or (Golden Slope) region of Burgundy, France. Average price of a 750 ml bottle of their best offering, if you can get on the buy list, is between $12,000 and $15,000. It is the most expensive wine in the world. Continue reading →

Rich golden color; honey, honeysuckle, tropical fruit nose; honey, citrus, pinch of pear on the palate; dry, immensely rich, enough acidity to balance the sweetness; coats the palate in pleasure. Continue reading →

Wild Horse Central Coast Pinot Noir 2014: Ruby color, translucent; strawberry, cherry, hint of rosemary on the nose; strawberry, raspberry, cherry on the palate; Continue reading →

Decimus Napa Valley Chardonnay 2011: Yellow-green color; honeydew melon, vanilla nose;, honeydew, white peach, apricot, lemon custard, hint of caramel on the palate; Continue reading →

Valentine’s Day. Dedicated to the one(s) you love.
Official color: red. Lingua franca: chocolate. Zeitgeist: romance.
Does wine have place in all this? Of course—this is a wine column. Continue reading →

MontGras Ninquén Mountain Vineyard 2009: Dark ruby color; cherry, blueberry, elegant nose; cascade of black fruit, dark cherry, superb acidity (3.46 pH), ripe tannin; refined, assertive oak, vanilla; warm, powerful, juicy, full in the mouth. Continue reading →

Hey Mambo Sultry Red 2013: Dark crimson color; cherry, dark fruits, balsamic nose; big fruit-driven, jammy blend of California’s big, fruit-driven varieties—44% tempranillo; 28% syrah; 14% merlot; 7% zinfandel, 6% petite sirah, 1% barbera—from Clarksburg, Paso Robles, and Lodi (the blend formula changes with each vintage). Continue reading →

Translucent ruby color; strawberry, cherry nose; vivid flavors of strawberry, raspberry, black cherry, plum in light-medium mouth, sip of cola slides into the flavor profile, too; Continue reading →

Plungerhead Lodi Zinfandel 2013: Dark purple with slight hint of translucence; cherry, blackberry, vanilla on the nose; cherry, strawberry, sweet berries, blackberry, pepper, mocha, oak on the palate; Continue reading →

A Tribute to Grace Grenache Santa Barbara County 2012: Delicately light cherry-red, translucent color; strawberry, earth, herbs on the delicate nose; cherry, strawberry on the palate; Continue reading →