The best white Spanish wine

My task of the week was to procure a white Spanish wine for a Spanish-theme dinner party this Sunday. I know this is an unusual request, but when the hostess says to bring a white Spanish wine, you bring a white Spanish wine. Any other time I would be glad to bring something local. As…

Tesoaria Vineyard and Winery 2016 Bulls Blood

Start a fun Halloween tradition with this tasty wine. This bold, earthy red wine, known as Bikavér in Hungary, is a blend of kadarka, pinot noir, baco noir and tempranillo. This wine stampedes across your palate, imprinting flavors of plum, blackberry, licorice, vanilla and black pepper.

Oak-less Whites

Not everybody is enamored with a heavy, over-oaked wine like the traditional California Chardonnay. Recently, there has been a movement away from this style to a cleaner, more modern style white, which is not fermented in oak. This actually results in a more food friendly wine. Although un-oaked white wine is the current trend, it…

2018 Dr. Heidemanns-Bergweiler Riesling

Dr. Heidemanns-Bergweiler 2018 Riesling Auslese Bernkasteler Badstube – Bright, zesty lemon and grapefruit flavors accompany notes of nectarine, orange blossom, freesia and chamomile.  The finish is off-dry but the acids accentuate the fruit flavors and carry them through to the finish.  This is an excellent wine to pair with spicy dishes.  This Riesling costs around…

Nobilis Vinho Verde

It starts with a subtle burst of lemon, grapefruit pith and gooseberry before showcasing a complete palate of white flower, saline, cream and wet stone. Crisp acids, a slight spritz and lingering fruit finish makes this a very drinkable wine. Nobilis can be purchased at Total Wine for around $6.

Reds from Germany

When one thinks of German wines, one automatically thinks of big blonds… I mean white wines. You know, the typical Riesling, Müller-Thurgau or Silvaner. However, on occasion you will find a seductive red with great body that comes from Germany. The most common red German wines being Spätburgunder (pinot noir), Portugieser, Trollinger and Dornfelder. I’ve…

Gard Vintners – 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon

Gard Vintners 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon (Columbia Valley) – Vanilla and dark cherry flavors saturate your palate then give way to secondary flavors of sweet tobacco, black pepper, violet and rosemary. The tannins are impressive and create a long, following finish. ​

2017 Vitanza Italian Red Blend

2015 Vitanza Italian Red Blend IGT – Exotic and intriguing flavors of plum and dark cherry dominate the palate, while notes of almond, black leather, sweet tobacco and licorice percolate through. On the long finish, you’ll experience bold, sturdy tannins and crisp acids. This is great by for $10 on WTSO website.

Blame Champagne on the British

Dom Perignon didn’t do it, Madam Clicquot didn’t do it, it was the British that did it. I know it hurts, but the British should actually get credit for creating Champagne. For decades people have assumed that the French were the inventors of Champagne. However, the first ever-documented mention of champagne in any language was…

2020 Flowers Assyrtiko

Fresh, lively lemon, gooseberry, chrysanthemum and talc flavors wash easily across the palate, leaving a splash of freesia in their wake. This moderately acidic wine will complement a variety of regional Greek dishes and light salads. This wine can be purchased at Total Wine for $12.