A Ripple in Wine
April 10, 2012 by Derek Swanson
More often than not I can choose from a wine list after quickly scanning the pages. As I am usually looking to try something new, the right selection tends to jump out at me, even from the longer, 3-ring binder-sized lists. Once in a while though, as happened this past Saturday at Ripple, a list will flummox [...]
Sommelier Spencer Cruse of Drago Centro
March 14, 2012 by Derek Swanson
This week I interviewed Spencer Cruse, who is the relatively new sommelier at LA’s Drago Centro. Spencer took the reigns from Michael Shearin, who continues to help Spencer with sourcing in his new capacity as an importer/distributor. The first thing I noticed while perusing the Drago’s menus was the difference in prices between this year and [...]
Standout Reds from Empson
March 5, 2012 by Dick Rosano
Recently, we reviewed a bevy of outstanding white wines from Italy that Empson imports to the American market. That was a statement about the quality in whites coming from a country known for its red wines. As good as the whites are – and Empson leads the U.S. import market in proving how good Italian [...]
The Fear of Bacchus in Me
March 2, 2012 by Derek Swanson
More than a few friends have told me they want to learn more about wine so they are not embarrassed when handed the wine list during a business dinner or a date. After all, knowledge breeds confidence, right? Well, recently I had a revelation, or what Jules Winfield might call a “moment of clarity,” and [...]
Merry Edwards Pinot Noir
February 24, 2012 by Dick Rosano
For years, I have been fortunate enough to taste the wines of Merry Edwards. Although I didn’t know I was sampling her early renditions at the time, the wines I enjoyed from Mount Eden Vineyards in the Santa Cruz Mountains in the 1970s bore her stamp. Following that opening chapter of Edwards’ vinous life, she [...]
