Albariño from Rias Biaxas
January 11, 2012 by Dick Rosano
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
December 7, 2011 by Dick Rosano
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. [...]
Not All Pinots Are Red
November 15, 2011 by Dick Rosano
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
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 [...]
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 [...]
