Posts belonging to Category Chateauneuf du Pape



Notes On a Scorecard: New vs Old World = USC vs UCLA?

uscuclaWEBMarch Madness is everywhere. tBoW is on holiday and waiting to tee off once it stops storming. The Bruins and Trojans are looking for coaches. Turmoil is everywhere. We have tasted several very interesting wines but before we report on those there are a few other matters worth referencing. (more…)

New Year Cellar Purge: Bonnarda & Sparkling Gewurtz!?!

Rinaldi_barrels-2000-2WEBOne thing we like to do over the holidays is Cellar Cleaning. We pulled some wines that had been on the shelf long enough to finally come off the shelf. Since we delay keeping notes until after we pull the corks we really are not sure when and where we acquired the wines. Most of the time we know we expect to be pleased so that is enough prep to get things started. So let’s get started. It’s a New Year and a whole new b’ak/tun. (more…)

Spring Cleaning: 1985 La Chapelle in JEROBOAM & 2 Hot Winemakers

Summer was almost here…then it jumped off the hook just like a River Monster. tBoW and team tasters have been doing our best to get ready for endless heat and long evenings on the patio with corks getting pulled and the BBQ working. Spring cleaning usually turns up a couple surprises but this year we hit the jackpot. Been waiting on this double-and-a-half magnum for some time. We did not know what to expect although we could vouch for the past 20 years of provenance. There’s more. (more…)

Village Wine of Brentwood: BEST online wine merchant you never heard of

The name is Ruxin, James Ruxin. Jim has been selling the most collectible wines to a select clientele for decades. Getting on his customer list was once a bit like getting the unlisted phone number for Ma Maison. Except, what Ruxin has to offer is much different than what you got at the old A-list venue. Today it is easier to see what he has to sell. Just email him – jumruxin@yahoo.com – and asked to be put on his Village Wine of Brentwood mail list. (more…)

Oscars preview and a few decent wines

Billy_Wilder.jpgMovies are not at all like wine even though analogies are easy enough. Movies are widely accessible inspiring a wide range of opinions by many; unlike wine which is often intimidating to the general public with opinions widely offered by a few experts. Films are transitory. Very few have staying power. While one seldom returns for the same exact bottle of wine a seasoned wine consumer learns to look for wines by the same producer or importer. Following films made by a particular director who gets the benefit of the doubt is the same as wine selected by importer Robert Chadderdon just because they are Chadderdon selections. (more…)