Keep Reaching for the “STARZ”!

A Wine Importer That Doesn’t Sell Hats In A Shoe Store Coming off a Father’s Day weekend and writing this Wine Review and my deceased father Marty repeated his Mantra over and over “Don’t Buy a Hat in A Shoe Store”, I very rarely write about a Wine Importer. My father meant a business should […]

What Is A “Good Wine” ???

Somms like me, whether in retail or restaurants have a tough order to fill in order to recommend the perfect wine for consumers, when their only criteria many give use is to recommend a “Good Wine”. What constitutes a “Good Wine”> I look at wine from 2 perspectives. One is from a technical aspect […]

Barbera from “Alba” …Big Difference

Barbera,, Not Hanna Barbera This is not to be confused with The Flintstones creators. Barbera is literally the most widely planted grape varietal in the Northwest Region of Piedmont in Italy. Most would think it is Nebbiolo for Barolo and Barbaresco. Nope it is Barbera. Most popular are the Barberas from the D.O.C.G area of […]

Big Daddy Wines For …Daddy!

Just like anyone else you would buy a bottle of Wine for a “Gift”, I will always remind you of my opinion, NOT to buy the brand that the person you are presenting the GIFT to drinks all the time on their own. The concept I have is you may know the category such as […]

It’s “Will-Amette— Damn-it”!!

Oregon Has A Cocky “Latitude” I know to many of my customers and friends this may be repetitive. I can’t help myself. I am a true Pinotphile!!! Only the people who grow this finicky, thin skinned grape and consumers who are seduced by the original home of the grape in Burgundy, France like myself, will […]

It’s Time We Had That Prosecco Talk!

By far Prosecco is the most sought after sparkling wine categorgy next to Champagnes by wine consumers worldwide. Is it a grape? Is it a Champagne. Is it from America? These are the questions I get from blog followers and daily customers and therefore, it comes that time in our relationship that I can’t […]

Don’t Lie To Me Argentina…!

Let’s start this blog off with the fact that I LIKE the wine I am reviewing today. The problem I have is the way they are marketing it. The Cuvelier Family At the beginning of the 20th century, Paul Cuvelier and his young brother Albert, anticipating the inevitable rise in « château-bottled wines » to […]

Let’s Talk About The Other “Sauvignon”

Most novice consumers say the grape Sauvignon and they don’t know there is a Cabernet Sauvignon (Red Wine) and Sauvignon Blanc (White Wine) ! We speak so much about Cabernet, I thought I would speak about the many different expressions of the White Sauvignon from all over the world. Hope you had a great […]

Beso! Beso Mi Washington Wine

Folks this is not bias. As you know my nickname is “Captain Washington” I have never been to the State. It is getting so difficult to review the wines coming from this area of the world because I have to be tougher on them than California. In Napa you expect overpriced and mostly a lot […]

Don’t Judge A Wine By Its Label !

I hear day in and day out, I am a Cab person or I only drink White, I hate Red. I don’t like Rose as it is too sweet. I hate Merlot. There are so many expressions of all of the grapes that make wines I think you will thank me if you stop making […]