Posts belonging to Category Marsanne

Muscat de Minervois made here

Largenex and tBoW lugged enough wines to stuff a bird. The diners drank and munched, took a break, then they dined and munched some more. We ran through a dozen red and white wines the most notable of which are singled out below. However, the dessert wines like the desserts stole the show. (more…)

Stunt Road view north above Saddle Peak Lodge

If we want to have a good time dining out we really only ask for three things: great food that is well prepared and somewhat exotic, smart and helpful wait staff, and a fair corkage policy. Saddle Peak Lodge is tucked in one of those pocket canyons behind Calabasas on the backside of Malibu. Driving there is even fun. Sunsets can be quite spectacular as can early mornings too, when the Pacific fog has filled the deepest recesses. (more…)

With our lives governed by precious petrol we had little choice but to turn to wine as an alternative fuel source over Labor Day. The Large provided the first tasting session on a perfectly sunny SoCal day. After checking out the SW swell at Salt Creek we retired for a serious and amusing tasting dubbed Le Ruse Rouge de Mooj. The crew assembled for the avalanche of U20 wines laced with commentary heavy in fake Frénch acceñts. Let’s get to it. Many of the wines are still available.

Chris primed the tasters with a nice selection of Rosés that showcased the range of varietals and regions making up this prototypical summer beverage. (more…)

Today: Lopez tasting room

We love to find the U20 wines that are today’s hot ticket. Let me reach around here for a moment and pat myself on the back. Ah. That’s good. HOWEVER…good as those U20 wines are with their high value to quality ratio, it is not often they will make a list of Truly Superb wines. And what are those? And why are they? (more…)

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…)