Cabernet Franc | San Diego Wine Guru

In Search of the Napa Nose; Style and Sense of Place

by Tom Gable | Mar 31, 2022 | California, Classics | 0

Last month, I bemoaned the trend in California wineries toward making high-alcohol, thick fruit bombs out of Cabernet Sauvignon, with an accompanying loss of varietal character and sense of place. The wines secure high scores...

Favorites from 2021 — Classics and Values

by Tom Gable | Dec 31, 2021 | Bordeaux, Burgundy, California, Classics, Discoveries, France, New Zealand, Oregon, Rhone, Values | 0

It’s always memorable to go through our tasting notes for the year. We recorded the notes during a wide range of tasting experiences, from trying new wines at home, to dinner parties with friends, to trade tastings, industry...

Do California Red Wines Improve With Age?

by Tom Gable | May 31, 2021 | Bordeaux, California, Classics, Discoveries | 0

Can fine red wines from California age, most notably the Bordeaux varietals? Even those far below the cult-level wine prices? It depends, of course, on too many variables to list here. But, in general, many do improve with age....

Robust Red Wines to Complement Your Mastery of the Grill

by Tom Gable | Apr 30, 2021 | Argentina, Baja California, California, Discoveries, Rhone, Spain, Values | 0

In getting an early start on firing up the barbie as the days get longer and the nights warmer, we’ve been sampling more robust red wines that can be a match for grilled foods. The dishes ranged from burgers and bratwurst to...

White, Red Wine Values for Continued Hunkering in 2021

by Tom Gable | Dec 30, 2020 | Burgundy, California, Discoveries, France, Italy, New Zealand, Values | 0

Some celebrants usher in the New Year with a little bubbly and an expensive vintage wine or two. Based on requests from some friends for lower cost wines to get through the first quarter of 2021 under a pandemic budget, we took...

In Search of Good Red Wine Blends — Traditional to Creative

by Tom Gable | Nov 30, 2020 | Argentina, Baja California, Bordeaux, California, Chile, Discoveries, France, Italy, Rhone, Spain, Values, Washington | 0

One strategy for calibrating your palate is to taste wines made from the same varietal grape and decide on styles you like. This is best done blind, where a co-conspirator buys the wines and another puts them in numbered brown...