Zinfandel | San Diego Wine Guru

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...

Values from Four Nations in BBQ Wines

by Tom Gable | Jul 31, 2020 | Argentina, Baja California, California, Chile, Discoveries, Spain | 0

With Americans firing up the home barbecue and indoor grills more than ever before, we searched for good values in hearty BBQ wines to enhance the fun. We would typically suggest adding to beach parties and picnic fare as well,...

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...

Lodi – the Motherlode of Affordable California Wines

by Tom Gable | Mar 28, 2019 | California, Discoveries, Values | 0

Randy Caparoso, wine journalist, wine country photographer and columnist for The SOMM Journal, led...

From Barbera to Zinfandel, Finding Values in Old and New World Red Wines

by Tom Gable | Nov 4, 2018 | Argentina, Australia, California, Discoveries, France, New Zealand, Oregon, Spain | 0

Recent tastings – foreign and domestic, remotely or in person — led us to wine discoveries from the Sonoma Coast, to the mountains of Argentina, sunny slopes of Rioja and emerging vineyards in Central Otago, New Zealand....