Wine Wired

Autumn has descended upon us and Thanksgiving is just around the corner. With the cold weather settling in, I contemplated writing about a ‘big red’ that I know many of you drool over. I quickly realized, however, that I could not ignore one of the biggest events in the wine world that occurs this time […]

Motivation and ideas for writing come from a variety of avenues. Sometimes it’s what I am drinking at that moment or through a conversation with a friend. It can also be, as in this case, stimulated from assisting with a private wine dinner. Recently, I had the pleasure of selecting wines and speaking for, what […]

      I write mostly about wine and spirits but, on a rare occasion, I am moved to write about other subjects. This is one of those rare moments and the inspiration was a restaurant located in Pittsburgh, PA called Bridge Ten Brasserie. I use the term ‘restaurant’ loosely because this term does not […]

Today I want to talk to you about a white grape variety that, I think, is extremely misunderstood and underappreciated.  Arguably one of the world’s most versatile grapes, Chenin Blanc, produces wines from the most basic New World table wines to Old World long-lived elegant botrytis affected dessert wines, sparkling wines and even the base […]

Many people mistakenly call all sparkling wines “Champagne,” which is technically incorrect.  That term is reserved for sparkling wine made from the traditional method within the boundries of the Champagne region of France and using only Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.  There are, however, sparkling wines made with this traditional method in other countries and […]

As stated in my previous article on Bordeaux, I was invited to sample a friend’s 2008 en premier right and left bank purchases. This is the first of those wines sampled that evening and reminded me of why right bank, merlot heavy, Bordeaux can be so delicious. Without getting ahead of myself, I want to […]

I have been lucky enough to get an invite from a good friend that buys Bordeaux futures, or en primeur. His shipment of 2008 Left and Right Bank wines has arrived and we are chomping at the bit to examine them. Before diving into the information about the Chateaus and wines, I wanted to get […]

Variety:  Blend (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petite Verdot) Country:  France Region:  Bordeaux Sub-region: Left Bank Appellation: Margaux Producer/ Vineyard: Chateau Lascombes Chateau Lascombes is one of fifteen classified as Seconds Crus (Second Growths) in the original Bordeaux Wine Official Classification of 1855.  It is located in the Margaux area, left bank, of Bordeaux.  Where right […]

Variety:  Pinot Noir Country:  France Region:  Burgundy Sub-region: Côte de Beaune Appellation: Ladoix 1er Cru Vineyard: Bois Roussot Producer: Edmond Cornu & Fils The Burgundy (Bourgogne) region is the mother land of pinot noir and arguably the best red Burgundy comes from the Cote d’Or.  This area is further divided into Cote de Nuits in […]