As hard as it may be for some to believe, Merlot is a much-loved grape. The Sideways effect on Merlot at this point feels almost as distant as the 60 Minutes effect on red wine in general almost three decades ago. Kids born the year that the movie Sideways hit the indie screens (2004) will be legal drinkers in the USA in just four years. They and many other young sippers don't care that Merlot was sidelined - by a small portion of the drinking population - for a fairly short while. They are going to drink what they like, just like many other drinkers have been all along.
Read MoreThose who follow wine closely know that it is a living drink. Like people, wine has good and bad days.
I deeply hoped this 2015 Le Serre Nuove was having a bad day when I first tasted it professionally then drank it over several hours with dinner. It was astonishingly disappointing. A second bottle was modestly more satisfying but effectively identical. It certainly did not live up to my standard for Le Serre Nuove, a wine that I have tasted in its various phases – different winemakers, blends, vintages and so forth – for almost two decades.
Read MoreWhat a fascinating comparison of a Riserva and a Gran Selezione from the same cellar and vintage! There is a clear sibling resemblance via the fervent focus on savoriness. I would love to taste these again together in five then in ten years time to see how they evolve. I am confident that neither will disappoint.
Read MoreSelvapiana is a winery dedicated not only to Chianti Rufina but also to family. The Giuntini family is less than a decade away from owning the winery for 200 years.
Read MoreI adore Vermentino (aka Rolle, Pigato and Favorita) for its floral nose scented with honeysuckle, yellow pears and sometimes star fruit. While I’ve tasted it in its many forms for a long time, my keen interest began only about six years ago, as I noticed that many places other than Tuscany, Sardegna, Corsica and the Languedoc were making Vermentino.
Read MoreHere’s a quick decoder to some of the most sought-after Super Tuscans, along with their second and, sometimes, third and even fourth wines. Percentages are approximate and subject to change depending on the vintage and the winemaker’s and owner’s whims.
Read MoreIt’s the home stretch; it’s the last leg of the marathon. A week of merriment…and still more preparation. It’s a never-ending circle, this holiday process! Remember, there’s always a bottom to the bottle, so don’t be caught short on stock.
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