Zinfandel gets a bad name, mainly because its mother grapes are used to make the low-alcohol, lowly regarded rosé known as white zinfandel.
As you've probably noticed, all grapes, whether light- or dark-skinned, have translucent pink flesh inside. Red wines (and whites) get most of their color and flavor from the complex compounds in the grapes' skins. When the juice made from zinfandel grapes is separated from the crushed skins before fermenting, the result is white zinfandel -- low-voltage, simplistic, and quaffable. My unfortunate source on winemaking and wine history, Wikipedia, tells me that the modern method and recipe for
Archive for Wine
Rancho Zabaco Zinfandel 2008
by Dennis Mayer on January 17th, 2012 | California Wine, Red Wine, Wine
2009 Rusack Chardonnay
by Shannon Cyr on January 11th, 2012 | California Wine, White Wine, Wine
Wine Category: White
Type of Wine: Chardonnay
Producer: Rusack
Vintage: 2009
Region: Santa Barbara County
Appellation: The grapes for this Santa Barbara County Chardonnay come from two Santa Barbara vineyards (Sierra Madre and Bien Nacido) and a Santa Maria Valley vineyard (Goodchild).
Alcohol: 14.2%
Average Price per Bottle: $20.00
My fiancé, Michael, and I just returned from our vacation in California. During our trip back West, we took a private tour of four truly astonishing vineyard tasting rooms. The Rusack tasting room was the last one on our trip, but it
Type of Wine: Chardonnay
Producer: Rusack
Vintage: 2009
Region: Santa Barbara County
Appellation: The grapes for this Santa Barbara County Chardonnay come from two Santa Barbara vineyards (Sierra Madre and Bien Nacido) and a Santa Maria Valley vineyard (Goodchild).
Alcohol: 14.2%
Average Price per Bottle: $20.00
My fiancé, Michael, and I just returned from our vacation in California. During our trip back West, we took a private tour of four truly astonishing vineyard tasting rooms. The Rusack tasting room was the last one on our trip, but it
Morgado Tawny Port
by Dennis Mayer on January 4th, 2012 | Events, Wine
The concept of the after-dinner drink, or digestif, has fallen by the wayside in the last 50 years of American dining. Coffee seems to have taken the place of a dessert cocktail. While a good, strong cup of black coffee can do as much for your digestion as any short-and-sweet cocktail, it's just not quite the same. Sometimes, after a meal (and especially a big meal), you need an honest-to-God drink (with honest-to-God hooch) to cut through all the excess and aid in the digestion.
Port fits that bill just fine. Port is a Portuguese fortified wine, made both strong and
Port fits that bill just fine. Port is a Portuguese fortified wine, made both strong and
2008 Seghesio Zinfandel
by Shannon Cyr on January 2nd, 2012 | California Wine, Red Wine, Wine
Wine Category: Red
Type of Wine: Zinfandel
Producer: Seghesio
Vintage: 2008
Region: Sonoma, California
Alcohol: 14.5%
Packaging: 750 ml bottle, natural cork
Average Price per Bottle: $20.00
The Seghesio Zinfandel is produced in the same area as one of my all time favorite Zinfandel wines (Ravenswood), so I figured why not give a wine from the region a try? I’m so glad that I did! I think Sonoma, California has hit the jackpot for quality Zinfandels.
Appearance: The Seghesio Zinfandel was dark and clear, with a velvety sheen.
Color:
Type of Wine: Zinfandel
Producer: Seghesio
Vintage: 2008
Region: Sonoma, California
Alcohol: 14.5%
Packaging: 750 ml bottle, natural cork
Average Price per Bottle: $20.00
The Seghesio Zinfandel is produced in the same area as one of my all time favorite Zinfandel wines (Ravenswood), so I figured why not give a wine from the region a try? I’m so glad that I did! I think Sonoma, California has hit the jackpot for quality Zinfandels.
Appearance: The Seghesio Zinfandel was dark and clear, with a velvety sheen.
Color:
Perrier Jouet Grand Brut Champagne
by Dennis Mayer on December 27th, 2011 | Sparkling Wine, Wine
The problem with champagne is that you just can't get value without paying for it. Sure, you can settle for a different sparkling wine -- we've written before about cava, and prosecco is also a popular option. "Different" shouldn't read as "lesser" in this context, either. For $10-$15 a bottle, you can have quite good sparkling wine, for your dinner table, your brunch, your nightcap, or your run-of-the-mill champagne toast.
But for a special occasion -- and what's a more special occasion than New Year's Eve? -- you need the genuine article. Which means you'll need to spend some
But for a special occasion -- and what's a more special occasion than New Year's Eve? -- you need the genuine article. Which means you'll need to spend some
