Category: Discoveries
Lighter Wine Bottles: Good for the Environment, Economy
Do heavy wine bottles and fancy, thick foils help persuade you that a wine is of good, higher, or even cult quality? If so, you might reconsider and move toward lighter bottles for a variety of reasons, starting with good taste...
Read MoreEasy Sipping Party, Picnic, and Patio Wines Under $30
We do much of our searching for good values in quality wines at different Costcos in our region and screening discount daily offers from online merchants or big retail chains that help wineries clear inventories as new wines...
Read MorePinot Gris for Summer Sipping from Global Masters 2023 Awards
Pinot Gris originated in France and has become popular worldwide, mainly as Pinot Grigio. It is boosted by wines of good value and wide distribution from Northern Italy (200 million bottles annually from its largest region...
Read MoreRed, White, and Rosé Wine Values for Picnics, Parties, BBQ
From the big box stores to the national chains to your neighborhood grocery store, you can find excellent selections for those occasions when easy sipping and value are the order of the day, rather than delving into the nuances...
Read MoreCabernet Sauvignon Winners from the Global Wine Masters
For Cabernet Sauvignon fans, the latest results from the annual Global Wine Masters Competition give us a stunning array of quality choices from around the world, including great values under $30. The categories and approximate...
Read MoreDueling Red Wines, Napa and Paso Robles Shoot Out
As noted here many times, blind tastings help calibrate your taste preferences (if you like it, it’s good, no matter what the experts say or how much it costs). This was reinforced recently in a blind tasting comparing...
Read MoreValue Red Wines for the Kitchen, Grill or Easy Sipping
The following scored highest in their price ranges in wines tasted the past three months. Some were tasted with food, others in comparative tastings. The wines were purchased from Costco, local grocery stores and wine merchants...
Read MorePinot Noir Discoveries, from Values to Burgundy Classics
With the continuing and rapidly rising cost of Burgundy wines, we continue to search for fine Pinot Noir from around the world. We’ve found some winners in Oregon and New Zealand, with their own sense of place and styles that...
Read MoreSo Many Wines, So Little Time
Readers often ask where I get my wines, particularly after posting tasting notes on some great values from around the world. Start with the big box stores (e.g., Costco) and local wine merchants. For expanding my horizons and to...
Read MoreEnjoying an Old Favorite, New Discoveries in Paso Robles
Good friends had rented a house in Carmel for three weeks and invited us to spend a few days there and enjoy the town and golf at local courses. We thought we would turn it into our first road trip and tasting adventure since...
Read MoreValues in Oregon, California and New Zealand Pinot Noir
In going through tasting notes looking for fine values in Pinot Noir, wines from these regions tended to shine: Willamette Valley, Oregon; Russian River Valley, Sonoma; Santa Lucia Highlands, in Monterey County; and further...
Read MoreFun summer sipping with Rosés and white Rhone varietals
After tasting through an ever-broadening array of Rosé wines over the past two months, we were pleased to find several excellent values, including some with depth and style. Our favorites were mostly from Cotes de Provence and...
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