Sunday Night Wines vs. Monday Morning Obligations
March 10, 2010 by Derek Swanson
Filed under Blend, Cabernet Sauvignon, California, Chocolate, Editor Picks, Kobe Beef, Napa Valley, Steaks
Sunday evening normally ushers in two emotions. One is the anxiety around waking up on Monday morning to face the week’s unkonwns. The other is tension from whether a glasses of wine (or two) will clarify or cloud the judgment I need on Monday morning.
If you decide that Sunday night is one of the best [...]
Dominus Napanook, Napa Valley, CA
February 28, 2010 by Derek Swanson
Filed under California, Claret, Features, Napa Valley, Red, Steaks, The Weekly Pick
This week’s pick was recommended by Frank Ortiz, sommelier at the Mission Inn in Riverside, CA. Dominus was founded on the historic Napanook Vineyards by Christian Moueix, the man behind the coveted Chateaux Petrus and Trotanoy. His Napa estate wine is a staple of award-winning wine lists across the country and beyond, and factors into [...]
2005 Martin Estate Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Rutherford
February 18, 2010 by Derek Swanson
Filed under California, Features, Napa Valley, The Weekly Pick
This Week’s pick comes from Claudio Vigani, Wine Director at Alizé, at The Top of The Palms Resort in Las Vegas. The Martin Estate Rutherford Reserve is a limited-production wine made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, and under 500 cases were produced.
The Napa Valley Winery Exchange observed “perfume of sweet red cherry, plum and currant fruit, layered [...]
April 17th: Bassin’s California Barrel Tasting in DC
February 16, 2010 by Derek Swanson
Filed under California, DC Wine & Dine, Napa Valley
Spring brings thousands of people to DC to celebrate the cherry blossoms. Not far from the tidal basin, where the blossoms are most majestic, the Mandarin hotel will be the scene of one of DC’s best wine events: Bassin’s Annual California Barrel Tasting. The event, which supports the Addy Bassin Cancer Research Fund, brings together [...]
Blue Rockin’
January 18, 2010 by Derek Swanson
Filed under Cabernet Sauvignon, California, Editor Picks, Features, Red, Red Grapes, Sonoma, Steaks, Syrah/Shiraz
I was excited to taste the samples wine-maker Kenny Kahn sent me last month. I thought his 2005 Blue Rock Estate Cabernet was the best of show two years ago at Bassin’s Annual California Barrel Tasting, where 50 top California wineries descend to the basement of the Mandarin hotel in DC with barrel samples of [...]
