Let’s compare Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa, Chile and Bordeaux.  Cabernet Sauvignon: Wine’s Globe Trotter Cabernet Sauvignon is the most planted and widely distributed wine grape variety across the planet. It adapts and does well in many places. It is also the most produced grape in my current home Chile and California, where I grew up. It is not the most planted in France, its original home and my adopted home by marriage, but it’s definitely an important variety there, especially on the Left Bank of Bordeaux where it is usually the majority of the blend.  If you’ve checked out this ..read more

This South West France variety’s history is like a Dan Brown novel. However, what does it taste like? Negrette History  Although Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code about the Knights Templar and the search for the Holy Grail was mostly made-up, Crusaders, much like the Spanish Conquistadors in the Americas, always had to have wine with them for Eucharist. It was also a source of potable water during the Crusades. The Crusades not only sought to take over the Turks and the Holy Land, they ravaged much of Europe on their way. Although many European wine regions date back to cruel, invading Romans ..read more

Have you tried wine from New Mexico before? Let’s try one out and see how it compares to an international classic.  New Mexican Wine As I’ve written in all my posts about Californian wines off the beaten the track: wherever the Spanish were in the Americas, there’s bound to be Vitis Vinifera, the dominant European species of wine grape vines. Although the Spanish enslaved and killed the local people, at least they left us with wine grapes to console us. I’ve reviewed Chilean, Argentinian, Uruguayan, Peruvian and Mexican wines already. Why not New Mexico?  The Spanish indeed were the ..read more

When you’re a wine geek on a small budget, how can you experience some of the most expensive and iconic wines in the world?  Price Ranges & Quality Most people don’t spend a lot of money buying wine except perhaps for special occasions. This may be because they don’t have the money to do so and/or they don’t know enough about wine to feel comfortable venturing into a higher price bracket. How can you be sure that it’s worth spending more?  First of all, there are some under $15 quality wines that represent their region, variety, vintage and style well. This is what many wine geek ..read more

Riesling continues to be undervalued among non-wine geeks, but I can’t get enough. Recently, I explored some New World Rieslings.  Exploring Riesling  Riesling is an aromatic white with high acid that almost never sees malolactic fermentation or new oak. Therefore, it’s a wine that really shows off the variety and sense of place. The variety, especially with age, often exhibits notes of petrol, and depending on the terroir, it can often be minerally/slatey in addition to its intense fruit flavors. The acidity and light body makes it great with all sorts of foods from salads and seafo ..read more

Last week, I participated in a Savoie wine tasting. They’re not easy to find, but they’re worth seeking out. Wines of Savoie The Savoie wine region straddles the border with Switzerland along the Alps and Lake Geneva. Their vineyards are planted in pre-alpine areas at 250-600m above sea level. They produce mostly white wines (70%), some reds (20%) with a bit of rose (6%) and sparkling (4%), called Cremant de Savoie.  The most distinct whites from the region are Altesse (also known as Roussette) and Jacquere. There’s also Chardonnay, Bergeron (Roussanne in the Rhone Valley), Mondeuse Blanc ..read more

Whenever I come home to California, I like to explore lesser known Californian producers, regions and varieties. If you’re looking to find something else besides Napa Cab and save some money, here are the highlights of what I tasted, including a bonus review on wine from Hawaii.  The Grape Rush As a proud Californian and former history teacher, I like to brag how California has always been on the cutting edge of American progress. From the Gold Rush in 1849 on, California has seen constant rushes that have led it to being the US center of: trade with the Pacific, most of the country’s agr ..read more

I’m still on my Italian wines discovery journey with 5 more Italian wines to explore with you. Be aware that once you start this journey, there will be a never-ending assortment of regions, styles and varieties to try.  My Italian Wines Quest I’ve likened exploring wine to travel several times in this blog. Although some people prefer to travel to the same places and always drink wines from the same regions, varieties and styles, my personality always pushes me to explore something new, exotic and lesser-known when it comes to wine and travel. I’m a lifelong learner, world traveler and wi ..read more

Although the wine market has been down in general, Sauvignon Blanc is one of the few varieties to see an increase in consumption recently. I want to explore 2 regions known for Sauvignon Blanc that might be a different style from what you’re used to.  Styles of Sauvignon Blanc I’ve already explored Chilean and New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc in this blog, and my guess is that these are the type of Sauvignon Blancs most people are drinking these days because they give you a lot of bang for your buck. Both Chile and New Zealand tend to produce a lot of bargain, dry, light but intense, crisp, an ..read more

I know most of you are in winter, but it’s summer here in Chile, so it’s rosé time. I decided to experiment with putting ice in my rosé. Although most wine connoisseurs would scoff at the idea of putting ice in wine if not downright berate you for doing it, it is not as uncommon as you’d think. Should we ever put ice in our wine? Wine Temperature Temperature is important for storing and serving wine. We’re focusing on the latter. Most wine nerds will tell you that generally people serve their whites too cold and their reds too warm.  If a wine is too cold, it can close off the aromas and ..read more