This is the way it is supposed to be. Hanging out at the local wine haunt – Woodland Hills Wine Company – tasting 13 wines imported by tBoW’s top Burgundy importer – Becky Wasserman – on a late Friday afternoon.
The Divine Ms. W showed of 7 white wines (including a couple Rose’s and three sparklers) and 6 reds. We present the white flight in this post. Saving the red post for next week. If you are chagrined or disappointed please find solace in knowing Paul Smith, aka Mr. WHWC, did admonish the tBoW tasting Team for not heading straight to the good stuff. (more…)

Independence Day produces the usual parties, BBQs and libations. July 4th is not necessarily a wine event like, for example, Thanksgiving. Burgers, dogs and potato salad call for robust reds so tBoW expects to see plenty of Cabernets while hoping to encounter some Rhone style wines as well. And if someone should pop the cork on some frothy fruity high acid white wines, well, that makes blowing off fireworks even better. Here is what we tasted over the holiday. (more…)

The Missus told tBoW she has had it with the pedestrian wines we have been putting in front of her lately. She gets the concept there are decent wines to be had for under $20. She appreciates the thrill of the hunt for these wines, AND ALL THAT. However, after all the tasting fun is completed during hors d’ouvres she wants tBoW to know when the main course arrives she expects a glass of good wine to accompany. (more…)

We visited the Gaudalupe Valley in Northern Baja Mexico. Drive south from Tijuana til you get about10 km north of Ensenada and make a hard left. When you get to San Antonia de las MInas (another 15 km) you are there. (more…)

It is the worst of times for home prices. They just keep falling. It is the best of times for the best of wines. When wine prices start sinking that is a good thing. Excellent wine values just seem to keep on coming. When we started this blog we thought we were busting new ground. Not exactly. Looks like we were just feeling the pulse of a wine market losing its glitz. Good! (more…)

Richard Belloff is a pioneer in Westlake. He opened his cozy wine bar/restaurant Bellavino in Westlake CA in 2003. He has gone through several chefs and enough personal re-tooling to test anyone’s survivability. Yet here he is with his very warm dining establishment, a terrific chef, a wine director, an outrageously attractive Monday night $30 three course special…and a superb wine list. (more…)

As the season pulls slowly to a close (big sigh, visualize mountain meadow or tropical beach scenes) wines for the coming season – Fall – start showing up. Here are a few recently tasted.
2005 Chateau Champ des Soeurs Bel Amant Fitou $8: Classic Languedoc little regional red wine. Imported by Becky Wasserman. That is just about all you need to know. Entry is forthcoming on go-to importers that if you see their name on the back label you can put fear aside because their products are ALL GOOD. This is Grenache, Carignane and Mourverdre. That is one of the blends we like a lot. Smooth (popular term that usually means light tannins – it is) with solid fruit, well balanced. Some might say simple. I might agree. But I am smiling when I say it. Here are tasting notes in far greater depth that you might enjoy. 13.5%. (more…)