Posts belonging to Category Viognier

Paso Sunshine

Hand over the mantle of leadership for Rhone style wine-making to the Tablas Creek team. Something has happened in Paso and we need to understand how…somehow. A region that once struggled to overcome vegetal Cabernets and tomato-flavored Pinot Noir is the zenith of New World Rhone style wines. No more fruit bombs. Plenty of spine and grip. And lush fruit. (more…)

Let me get this out of the way at the very beginning‚ÄîI was not the guy to send to the Rhone Rangers Los Angeles tasting on August 8. I have written about my skepticism regarding the quality and style of these almost exclusively Central Coast wines, and how my palate leans towards wines that are delicate, nuanced, more ‚Äúfeminine‚Äù. No jammy blockbusters here! [ed. Dotor√© graciously agreed to report on the LA Rhone Rangers Wine Event so tBoW might lounge elsewhere guilt free.] (more…)

The 2010 Portland Independent Wine Festival that took place on May 8 is a very manageable tour de force that promotes hand crafted artisanal wines and winemakers. This is the second post on the festival which focuses on Byron Dooley, the enthusiastic and innovative winemaker and owner of the Seven of Hearts brand. [ed. pen and ink drawing above captures Dooley's Luminous Hills vineyard by Yamhill artist Terry Peasley] (more…)

Many wine shops are nominated as BEST of LA wine stores. These would include Dennis Overstreet’s Beverly Hills Wine Merchant [ed. yo tBoW didn't he used to be just Wine Merchant?], West LA’s Wine House, Steve Wallace’s Wally’s, Bobby Golbahar’s Twenty-Twenty, perhaps even the Marina bargain palace LA Wine Company. While local and equally well-established Woodland Hills Wine Company might only get a biased nod the fact is in order to be a C-L-A-S-S-I-C you gotta have some class.
Each shop has its pedigree: open at least 20 years; notable personality associated with the joint; and cachet for some distinctive quality whether it is best bargains (LA WIne Co), widest selection (Wine House), best selection of older vintage wines (20-20)[ed. where Bipin Desai would shop?], or simply best in one class such as Bordeaux verticals (Wally’s). (more…)

I don’t care how rich you are…you can’t grow decent wine in LA. Besides, there are too many other reasons to not even try. The idea already failed 100 years ago when Southern California was the state’s wine center. Most of the planting was northeast of the city in the high desert. Prohibition shut down the locals and the state’s wine capital moved to north to the Central Valley, Sonoma, and Napa. SoCal never recovered…until now.
There are 150 new acres planted to vinifera in the Santa Monica Mountains representing 50 vineyards. Do the math…these are small plots. Who are these mad vintners? Growing vines and making wine is not like putting in a pool with a slide. Acreage under 5 acres makes it very hard to turn a profit since 1 acre will yield only 75 cases of wine. Undeveloped land in Santa Monica Mountains makes developers drool. Planting vineyards where they see condos or gated McMansion “communities” must drive them nuts. Be serious. (more…)