Petite Sirah | San Diego Wine Guru

Warming Up to Good Values in Winter Reds

by Tom Gable | Nov 30, 2021 | Argentina, Australia, California, Italy, Values | 0

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,...

15 Bigger Red Wines Under $20

by Tom Gable | Sep 30, 2021 | Argentina, Burgundy, California, France, Values, Washington | 0

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...

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...

Lodi Reds Redux; New Discoveries from California

by Tom Gable | Mar 31, 2020 | California, Discoveries, Values | 0

After enjoying a class on Lodi wines at the annual SommCon® conference held each year in San Diego...

Big Reds: BBQ, Picnic and Party Wines from $12 to $32

by Tom Gable | Aug 31, 2019 | Australia, California, Discoveries, Uncategorized, Values, Washington | 0

With many outdoor events scheduled as we headed into the Labor Day weekend, we sorted through notes on bigger wines we’ve enjoyed with barbecue, picnic and party fare. Here are 12 favorites. The selections include wines made...

32 Wines Under $23 for Spring Sipping, Picnic and Party Fun

by Tom Gable | Apr 30, 2019 | Argentina, Australia, Bordeaux, California, France, New Zealand, Oregon, Rhone, Values, Washington | 0

The following wines rise to the top in price and value from among several hundred wines tasted over the past few months, from individual bottles with food at home to sampling through scores at trade tastings and industry...