Tag: Lodi
Petite Sirah: Big Wines for Bold Dishes
Petite Sirah, despite its somewhat misleading name, is anything but small. The grape originated in France in the mid-19th century, created by botanist François Durif, who crossed Syrah with an obscure varietal called Peloursin....
Read MoreAre Old Vine California Zinfandels Better?
Jerry Feitelson, founder and gang leader of the Carmel Valley Wine Club, organized its 344th blind tasting in June 2025, which “tried to test the hypothesis that California Zinfandel wines made from Old (>35 years) vs. Young...
Read MoreGood Values and Choices Abound in Pre-Holiday Wine Sales
New vintages are on the way through the global distribution channels, and now is a good time to look for older wines going on sale at merchants trying to clear inventory – from your favorite local wine shop to the large chains...
Read MoreCome Over in October – For Wine, Friendship and Fun
Karen MacNeil, author of The Wine Bible and a positive force in the wine industry for decades, was chagrined last January when she started reading an increasing number of negative and divisive pieces about wine from the media...
Read More15 Tasty Red Wines Under $30
January and February are good months for searching the grocery store shelves, local merchants, online direct-to-consumer purveyors, and big box stores for value wines. Newer wines will soon enter the distribution channels....
Read MoreBBQ, Burger and Beef Loving Red Wines, $12 to $38
As summer fades to fall, most wine drinkers are on the hunt for robust reds to fend off any chills (inner and outer) and as a match for heartier dishes. This can range from a grilled burger to Mediterranean-style flatbread,...
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 MoreWarming Up to Good Values in Winter Reds
Beef stew, pasta with meatballs, ribs, BBQ, Tuscan bean stew, meatloaf, boeuf bourguignons and more – winter dishes in need of matching to a bolder red wine with a decent price. Fortunately, local merchants, warehouse stores,...
Read More15 Bigger Red Wines Under $20
The following notes are from tastings the past four months with a focus on wines scoring above 14.5 on the UC Davis scale (87 other scales) and costing less than $20. The range starts at $9. We added one at $24 for the big...
Read MoreRobust Red Wines to Complement Your Mastery of the Grill
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...
Read MoreWhite, Red Wine Values for Continued Hunkering in 2021
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...
Read MoreIn Search of Good Red Wine Blends — Traditional to Creative
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...
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