Love Those Baby Blues
November 14, 2011 by Derek Swanson
I first met winemaker Kenny Kahn in 2008 at Bassin’s annual charity California Barrel Tasting event in Washington DC. In a room full of Cabernets toting triple-digit price tags, Kenny’s $20 Baby Blue blend from Sonoma was the highlight of my evening, and I have been a fan of Blue Rock Winery ever since. Kenny’s [...]
Italy’s Gems: Great Imports from Neil and Maria Empson
October 23, 2011 by Dick Rosano
Italian wines have been great for centuries, and Americans have been buying and bringing home wine from the peninsula since Thomas Jefferson swooned over Brunello di Montalcino in the 1780s. There are dozens of small importers, but few major players who bring us the best of what Italy has to offer. Neil and Maria [...]
Akel Kine: Chile’s First Cult Wine?
October 15, 2011 by Derek Swanson
Last week I had lunch with Santiago Margozzini, winemaker at Chile’s MontGras winery. I remain convinced there is no better way to gain insights into the contents of a bottle than to talk with the person behind it. Santiago is Italian by birth, and he considers his father his “gold” consumer and his most [...]
Zinfandel with Late Summer Grilling
September 26, 2011 by Dick Rosano
We’ve had earthquakes, we’ve had hurricanes, we’ve had floods – – and yet some diehard grill meisters haven’t given up on their backyard “kitchen.” Hamburgers, steaks, even blackened fish keep rolling off the grill bars and onto plates lavished with roasted vegetables, grilled onions, and baked potatoes. It’s hard to give up on summer, even [...]
Fat-Free Wine
September 19, 2011 by Derek Swanson
The first thing I noticed during an opportunity to sample an assortment of wines imported by Zonin USA was a Nutrition Facts window on the back of a bottle of Moscato D’Asti from Castello del Poggio. I have heard rumors that such labels might soon emerge as a requirement for wines on the market [...]
