See their blog at Rock Restaurant and Marina Bar, BrickĪnother old-time convert, the River Rock Rock used to be Peterson’s Riviera Inn, but new has replaced the old and the restaurant is once again bustling with life and entertainment. Tom Marquardt and Patrick Darr have been writing a weekly, syndicated wine column since 1985. Dark in color, it has opulent, dark berry aromas and a ripe black cherry, blueberry flavors with a dash of spice. We like this red six-grape blend that is dominated by petite sirah. "The Whip" ($24) is a tasty white blend of six grape varieties for those of you who like your white wine slightly sweet. This Livermore producer focuses on blends made from estate-grown grapes. Murrieta's Well "The Spur" Red Wine Blend 2013 ($30).It bursts with cherry and plum flavors with intriguing hints of cocoa and sage.
Dedicated to cool-climate merlot, this producer continues to make a steady, dependable merlot that is reasonably priced for the complexity it delivers. Matanzas Creek Winery Sonoma County Merlot 2013 ($28).Aged entirely in charred Kentucky Bourbon barrels, this cabernet has a lot of toast and vanilla notes to add to its expansive, rich palate of black fruit. Here's a unique and delicious cabernet from a venerable producer that just celebrated its 50th anniversary. Robert Mondavi Bourbon Barrel Aged Cabernet Sauvignon 2014 ($14).Ripe peach flavors with a mineral vein to keep it crisp. We liked the soft mouthfeel of this luxurious chardonnay from Monterey County. Albratross Ridge Estate Chardonnay 2013 ($55).Good balance, aromatic and softly textured with a hint of oak and butterscotch. The 2013 vintage was good to California and good enough for this Santa Maria Valley producer to make a rich, single-vineyard chardonnay. Presqu'ile Chardonnay Presqu'ile Vineyard 2013 ($45).However, today's wines are more pure and more cleanly made. This new technology is slowing making its way into the industry but has yet to be fool-proof. Not a very appetizing vision!Ībout eight years ago, Tom was with Henri Lurton when he introduced infrared sorting tables at Bordeaux's Brane Cantenac. Before sorting machines the grape harvest processed leaves, bugs, unripe and rotten grapes and all.
Although some grape selection traditionally took place in the vineyard during picking, a substantial amount of MOG still clung to the grape clusters. Typically, a handful of individuals would stand alongside a moving belt and cull any unripe or rotten grapes, leaves and stems. The function of these machines was to separate MOG (matter other than grapes) from healthy fruit ready for fermentation. Grapes more carefully selected - A relatively simple technology took hold in the 1990s with the introduction of sorting machines in many wineries. Alcohol contributes to a wine's body, which means today's wines can be more massive. Higher temperatures and sugar levels create riper, more alcoholic wines. It's getting hot - Warming temperatures in many regions are having an increasing influence on wines, including in premier areas such as Champagne, Burgundy, Loire and Bordeaux. As one California winemaker said to us, "If I wanted to taste oak, I would lick a 2-by-4." Lessening a wine's oak exposure frees the unique and more enjoyable elements in a wine. There's less oak - We are enjoying a trend of judicious use of oak in many California, Australian and Spanish wines. Today's American wines are getting well-earned, universal acclaim and consumers are responding accordingly. The best cabernet sauvignon made on the West Coast are comparable in quality to most Bordeaux. Although the French argued that the results of the 1976 Judgment of Paris tasting was an anomaly, it was more like an uprising. Experience and competition have taught California winemakers a lot. Today we are enjoying the results of this massive redo with higher quality grapes and some of the best wines to come out of California.Ĭalifornia is making world-class wines.
Whether you are celebrating an empty nest or just glad football season is here, a glass of sauvignon blanc is a perfect transitional wine to ring in a new season. With summer a memory and the kids back in school, it's time for we adults to kick back on the patio.
0 kommentar(er)
