Colonial Estate Émigré, Barossa Valley, 2005
February 11, 2010 by Angela Logomasini
Filed under Austrailia, Barossa Valley, Blend, Cabernet Sauvignon, Editor Picks, Features, Grenache, Mouvedre/Monastrell, Syrah/Shiraz
If you are looking to spurge on a very big, delicious red wine this winter consider Colonial Estate Émigré, 2005 from Australia’s Barossa Valley. This is a beautifully rich blend of old-vine Shiraz, Grenache, Mourvedre, Muscadelle, and Cabernet Sauvignon. In 2007, the Wine Advocate rated it 94, noting it will age well through [...]
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 [...]
Tablas Creek Wine: Bringing the Rhone Tradition to America
January 13, 2010 by Angela Logomasini
Filed under California, Color, Editor Picks, Grenache, Mouvedre/Monastrell, Paso Robles, Red, Red Grapes, Syrah/Shiraz
Jason Haas of Tablas Creek Vineyards presented some wonderful wines at a class on wine blending at the Society of Wine Educators annual meeting this past summer–and all of them are worth procuring. The seminar focused on blending wines because Tablas focuses the Rhone-style wine blends, which Tablas maintains makes for wonderfully complex and delicious [...]
2006 Domaine La Barroche, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, France
January 6, 2010 by Derek Swanson
Filed under Grenache, Mouvedre/Monastrell, Red, Rhône, Syrah/Shiraz, The Weekly Pick
The first pick of 2010 comes from Kristina Long, sommelier at one of North America’s finest resorts, the Post Hotel & Spa at Lake Louise in Alberta: ”This Chateauneuf-du-Pape offers bright blackberry and cherry fruit with notes of dried herb and black olive. It’s got soft tannins, but still maintains a firm structure making [...]
2005 Andre Brunel Les Cailloux “Cuvee Centenaire” Chateauneuf-du-Pape, France
November 19, 2009 by Derek Swanson
Filed under DC Wine & Dine, France, Grenache, Red, Rhône, Syrah/Shiraz
This Week’s pick is offered by Brian Zipin, Wine Director at Central Michel Richard in Washington DC. In anticipation of the upcoming big meal we will all enjoy on Thanksgiving day, we asked Brian to recommend a very big wine, and made the interview available on our podcast. Here’s a portion of Brian’s comments: ”The [...]
