Albariño from Rias Biaxas

  The traditional notion is that Albariño, the deliciously fruity wine from Spain, is best with paella and gazpacho. There is no desire here to dispute that advice, but unless you find yourself in one of D.C.’s few very good Spanish restaurants, that would leave little reason to discover this little gem. In fact, Albariño [...]

Merlot Masters

Too many Sideways fans have pushed the debate on wine in the wrong direction. Not that there’s anything wrong with a decent Pinot Noir, but these people have tried to convince the wine-loving public that all Merlot is insipid plonk. Well, maybe some of it is, and that’s the reason this reasoning has gotten traction. [...]

Beaujolais Nouveau Day

  “Le Nouveau est arrivée!” One may see these words in the windows of wine retailers today, marking the release of the 2011 Beaujolais Nouveau. It is wine made of Gamay grapes and fermented for only a few weeks after harvest before reaching the market. Historically, the wine was for local (French) consumption only until [...]

Not All Pinots Are Red

In the U.S., red wine has been all the rage since the 1980s, when American wine lovers discovered that the depth and texture of these dark wines offered more rewards than the simple, sometimes flat white wines that were being served back then. American white wines were simply soulless, and the European white wines that [...]

Love Those Baby Blues

  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 [...]

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