Merlot Gets A Bad Rap!!

I hear it everyday 20-50 times from guests. I Don’t LIKE MERLOT. Ask them what their favorite wine is and they say Petrus from Pomerol. FYI… 100% Merlot. Ever since the movie Sideways, the Pinot Noir Industry Spiked and Merlot Tanked. Washington State Merlot when tasted blind, is never guess by the customer as being […]

4th Of July “Sparklers”…Wine!!

A RED, A WHITE, And A BLUE…(FOIL…They Don’t Make Blue Wine..I tried). This is my way of celebrating July 4th. It is after all INDEPENDENCE DAY. We need to become less dependent on Sparklers or Sparkling Wine even from Champagne to be only used for New Year’s Eve or Birthday Celebrations. Whether you like, Dry, […]

Book Author Says : When In Sardinia..Live To be 100!!

Doctor OZ Says So!! If Dr. Oz says so then it must be True??? (I Think) This is a Direct Quote: “”People of Sardinia who drink this wine are 10 times more likely to live to 100!!!. They have their first glass of wine about ten in the morning. Drink another glass of Cannonau Red Wine […]

Hi Ho Silver..!!! Become A Rhone Ranger!!

First, if you are going to become a True Wine Enthusiast, you should invest in a small Wine Fridge as featured in the Video. This is not for everyday drinking bottles but some special ones you want to save for awhile before opening. Rhone Valley wines from North To South like this Chateauneuf Du Pape […]

There’s More To Portugal Than Porto!!

When you say Portugal to someone and it relates to wine, 99% will only think of the famous Fortified Sweet Wine “PORT”. In Spain many people are familiar with Ribera Del Duero (Duero is the DOURO River) On the other side of the DUERO are some of the oldest vines and underrated wines in the […]

To Decant or Not To Decant?? That is The Confusion!

I get asked this question at least 10-20 times per day. I am a reformed Decanter Sommelier. I gave it all up 5 years ago. I think you should too. I hope this puts the question to rest for people just getting into wine or even seasoned professionals. Grape-fully yours, Larry

“BOOYAH” For “RUAH” Red Blend!

First of all, everyone who knows me and reads this blog, knows I am nicknamed “Captain Washington”. I do favor the quality to price ratio and less sugary style of wines coming out of the Evergreen State. One of the 2 new additions to our Washington State Lineup at ABC Fine Wine & Spirits in […]

It’s Not A “BLEND” It’s A “HYBRID” Grape

Even though I will say it here and in the video, people will still call this wine a “RED BLEND” . It is not. Like Cabernet Sauvignon was a “HYBRID” Grape by crossing the seeds of Cabernet Franc with Sauvignon Blanc to form a New Grape Cabernet Sauvignon. PINOTAGE (The Grape Of South Africa […]

National Rose Day June 10, 2017

I don’t know what happened to American Wine Consumers but I am not complaining. Somehow when I blinked, Dry Roses are now the hottest craze in Wine when I couldn’t sell a bottle one year ago. Thank goodness because they are my favorite category of wine. As the video says, you can make a Rose […]

Right Bank, Left Bank, CitiBank??

I was JUST getting my guests and blog readers comfortable with purchasing and drinking wines from Bordeaux, France until the French had to go putting the names and percentages of the grapes used in many of their wines..Grrrrr!! I understand the reasoning to help Americans understand Bordeaux and sell more wine but they made it […]