The best way to buy Bordeaux wines is to buy them early. Now this may be a bit counterintuitive, because many Bordeaux wines are really at their best when they have five, ten even twenty years of age on them, but buying the usually-expensive wines before they hit the traditional retail market (called “futures”) is a smart – and lower-cost – bet.
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I know that the old adage about gift giving says, “it’s better to give than to receive,” but this Mother’s Day, I think it would be wonderful to give and receive a “thoughtfully tasteful” gift. After all, having a wife/mother who loves to cook – and occasionally enjoy a delicious glass of wine along with her culinary efforts – I like the idea of giving her a special bottle of wine with a theme (flowers, jewelry, candy). And if it really is the “thought that counts,” chances are good that this thoughtful spouse will receive the benefits of mom’s kitchen creations.
CLICK HERE to LISTEN to this week’s Wine of the Week segment on WTOP Radio
CLICK HERE to READ this week’s column
Last week, my wife and I took our high school junior on a familiar right-of-passage: a college campus tour road trip. Of course, he was not interested in visiting any of the local colleges. Oh no. He wanted to venture a little further afield. Well, maybe a lot further afield. He wanted to go to California and visit campuses up and down the west coast…. click here to continue reading about a great road trip and some fantastic wines
It finally feels like spring has sprung in the Nation’s capital. Even the cherry blossoms agree. And their arrival has signaled something much more significant for me; it heralds the start of “sushi season.”… click here to read more about some great sushi wines
I like to think of Passover as the Jewish version of Thanksgiving. Families and friends gather together to tell stories and eat a traditional meal, called the “Seder”. But there are a couple of small, eensy-weensy differences…. click here to learn more about some kosher wines you shouldn’t pass over
Founded in 1982, when Julian Murua Entrena revived his father, Jose Murua’s winery, which dates back to 1926 in the heart of the Rioja Alavesa (one of the three sub-regions that make up Spain’s Rioja appellation). The cellars are in the quaint, historic village of Elciego, which is renowned for being surrounded by some of the best “terroir” in Rioja. The name “Muriel” comes from the combination of the family name, Murua, and the name of the town itself, Elciego…. click here to continue reading about these great Spanish wines
Oregon’s Willamette Valley – blessed with fertile soil, gentle microclimates and natural boundaries – has a magical recipe for making world-class Pinot Noir. The warm summer days, tempered by the cooler evenings, thanks to three openings in the Coast Range which bring cool air in to the Valley from the Pacific, provides a perfect setting for the early-ripening Pinot Noir, allowing it to concentrate flavors and develop bright acidity.
Last summer, I had the good fortune to experience the Oregon Pinot Noir phenomenon in person when I was invited to attend the International Pinot Noir Celebration (IPNC), in McMinnville, Oregon. Over 70 wineries – with more than 35 coming from Willamette Valley – are featured during a three-day tour de force where Pinot Noir lovers get a chance to enjoy a vast array of Pinot Noir wines from around the world through tastings, tours and seminars.
But on April 2, 2014, residents in and around Washington, DC can enjoy many of these gems when Pinot in the City brings the wines of the Willamette Valley to the Nation’s Capital. 54 winemakers are coming to Washington DC for the first time to tell their stories of the growing region, and share their wines… a lot of their wines! Winemakers, owners and representatives will be on hand to pour over 160 different wines.
Pinot in the City takes place from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm at the Long View Gallery (1234 9th Street NW) in Washington, DC. Tickets ($75) are available online at willamettewines.com/event/pinot-in-the-city.
Click Here to read about a few of the wines that will be featured at the event
Click Here to listen to my recommendations on WTOP Radio’s Wine of the Week
What is a proud parent to do when his son’s college makes it to the NCAA Basketball Tournament for the first time? Why, invoke the “Personal Choice” right-of-wine statute, of course! Good thing that this particular child chose an institution of higher learning located smack-dab in the middle of one of the fastest-growing wine regions in the country; San Luis Obispo.
Yes, my son is a freshman engineering major at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo (Go Mustangs!). And aside from being an incredibly difficult – if not almost impossible – campus to get to from the east coast, I can tell you that the wines, like the school, are well worth the effort to hunt down.
CLICK HERE to read about my favorite wines from SLO Town
CLICK HERE to listen to my picks on WTOP Radio’s Wine of the Week
PS – I am aware that the Mighty Mustangs did not get past Wichita State in the first round, but I am a proud Cal Poly Dad nonetheless!
My Dear Wine Friends –
I recently did something that no self-respecting wine enthusiast should ever do… I paired wines – good wines – with Girl Scout Cookies on live TV! I suppose that it’s a good thing that I am not self-respecting…
Check out the eight minute video of the two anchors (and me) working our way through four pairings (and, I have to say, they actually worked!). Let me know what you think your favorite pairing would be.
Click Here To Watch (8 minutes) Appearance on Channel 8’s “Let’s Talk Live” Show
On a recent trip to the beautiful Vinho Verde region of Portugal, I learned that there is a lot more to the white wines of this renowned appellation. I discovered that in addition to the rolling green hills, fantastic food and friendly people, the white wines of Vinho Verde have much to offer for the money.
Click Here to listen to my recommendations on WTOP Radio’s Wine of the Week segment.
