WINE TRAIL

Tinkerman's Gin from Virginia

Small batch Gin continues to be hot in the spirits world and Tinkerman's Gin is one of the best examples we have tried this year. This spirited Gin is distilled by the Smith Bowman Distillery in Fredericksburg, Virginia, and the master distiller Brian Prewitt. Smith Bowman is better known as a Bourbon House, and won awards in 2016 and 2017 from the prestigious Whisky Magazine. The company has released three varieties of the gin with Citrus Supreme, Sweet Spice and Curiously Bright and Complex.Prewitt took over in 2013 when his predecessor Truman Cox died. More>>>

Discovering the Passion for Italian Wines

The new Italian Government has decided that consumers throughout the world and in particular the United States need to discover the passion that is all about Italian wines. There are sixteen regions throughout Italy and four of those regions control about 82% of the wines exported throughout the world. At a press luncheon at the Nomad Hotel in Los Angeles for prominent wine writers and sommeliers, the Italian Trade Commission pointed out the reasoning behind the new campaign. The fact is that the range of Italian wine is so diverse, that you can never stop learning about new wineries and products. More>>>

Cecchi Wines from Italy
A meet up with the winemaker

This Chianti based winemaker, Andre Cecchi, made a lightning trip to Beverly Hills recently and we got the chance to try some of his exceptional wines. The winery which sits at a slight elevation in a windy area has been around since 1893 and I can certainly say outright that the four wines tasted were all quite exceptional. Chianti itself for those lucky enough to have spent some time there is an enchanting area dating back to medieval times with ancient churches and small friendly villages dotting the countryside.

The wines are distributed in the USA by Terlato Wines ensuring a good availability at your local wine store. The first wine we tried was the ‘Cecchi La Mora Vermentino Maremma DOC 2016.’ a fresh and light start to the tasting that is a bit of a steal at $15. More>>>

Piper-Heidsieck Champagne
A rich heritage seeking to expand love affair with USA

We recently had the chance to meet with brand ambassador Kyle Kaplan at the Tuck Room in Westwood for a tasting of some of their offerings. The brand has been based in Reims since 1785 and has a colorful early history if you decide to do some research on them.

There are three Heidsieck houses all under the same banner and they remained independent until being taken over in 1989 by Remy- Cointreau. They own 160 acres of land and buy the grapes from seventy small villages, with Regis Camus the principal wine maker... more

Valdivieso Wines from ChileValdivieso Wines from Chile

Winemaker Brett Jackson from Valdivieso Wines was in Beverly Hills for a trade show, but the night before I hooked up with him and his sales director at Ocean Prime to learn more about these wines. My previous experience with wines from Chile has always been enjoyable, and this added to my determination to visit the country as soon as possible to see what is going on down there.

Jackson is a New Zealander who has been with the winery for 15 years, and he... more

Crocker Starr Wines from St. Helena

I had not heard of these wines before meeting the winemaker Pam Starr, but if passion and dedication mean anything then they will be around for quite some time. At a winemaker luncheon at AOC in West Hollywood. I tried the new Sauvignon Blanc, the 2013 Casali and the Cabernet Franc. The key here is small case production that is supported by a loyal wine club following for this Oakville operation. More>>>

Wines from Sicilian Producer Cusumano - A pizza pairing in Beverly Hills

It is always a pleasure to meet visiting winemakers when they visit USA especially in a casual setting like a Beverly Hills restaurant and such was the case with Sicilian winemaker Diego Cusumano. The gregarious and typical Italian has a lot to brag about, as he Is one of the new and up and coming vintners in Sicily, and the dinner at Sotto Restaurant was a pairing with Sicilian style pizza prepared by American chef Steve Sampson. More>>>

A Meeting with a Winemaker from the Bourgogne Region

I recently had the opportunity to meet up with another high profile French winemaker in Beverly Hills at the excellent Ocean Prime Restaurant, that man being Amaury Devillard representing the wines of Bourgogne. To be more specific the region is actually called either Cote Challonaise or Mercurey and is known for five different appellations. These wines are not very well known but offer excellent value if you can find them. More>>>

Loire Valley Wines Offer Exceptional Value for the Palate

We recently had the chance to meet with representatives from the Loire Valley in France to taste some of their wines at Ivory on Sunset in the Mondrian Hotel in West Hollywood. The Loire Valley region includes towns and cities like Nantes, Angers, Saumur, Tours and Amboise, Orleans and Bourges. The luncheon was co-ordinated by sommelier Matthew Kaner who is passionate about the wines from this region. He is also the owner of two Highly thought of wine bars in Los Angeles, Covell and Augustine, and he also did an outstanding job with the food pairings. More>>>

Cono Sur Ocio Pinot Noir

Ocio, a concept born in ancient times and deeply rooted in classic philosophy, is that sacred and well-earned pause after life’s stresses are taken care of and your spirit is free to grow, contemplate and create—it is also the namesake of Chile’s first premium Pinot Noir.

Cono Sur Vineyards and Winery can take the credit here. Founded in 1993 around the oldest Pinot Noir vineyards in Chile and employing sustainable agricultural and organic farming practices, they have hit the nail on the head with Ocio.

Cono Sur dove into this project in 1999 with the sole intention of producing Chile’s best Pinot Noir and from my perspective, they have done just that. Experienced Pinot Noir winemaker Martin Prieur led the charge to deliver this beautiful bottle. With hand-harvested, foot trodden grapes, aged in new French oak barrels, this is a serious winner. I have been back to the store three times to share my More>>>

Helfrich Wines

Helfrich wines come from Alsace in Northern France and it is one of only fifty one vineyards that have the Grand Cru designation. The vineyard dates back to the reign of King Childebert 11 (589AD), and the Helfrich family has now been involved for six generations. Despite that history, the brand is hardly known in the USA and the vineyard does not even have its own website. However these wines are well worth tracking down and are perfect for the upcoming holiday season. More>>>

Marchesi Antinori

Marchesi Antinori, the family-owned Italian wine company that has shaped the wine industry and culture over the past 625 years, has announced the official opening of its revolutionary, state-of-the-art facility in Bargino, Italy: Marchesi Antinori Chianti Classico Cellar. This groundbreaking project, scheduled to open to the public in the spring of 2013, will be the first time in Antinori’s illustrious history that visitors will be able experience the family’s winemaking process first-hand, learn about the family’s history and view the family’s prized, centuries-old art collection. More>>>

Grog Meets Mulled Wine

This recipe is somewhat of a blend of grog and mulled wine. Mulled (or spiced) wine was popular in Victorian England at Christmas and grog originally referred to a drink made with water or “small beer” (a weak beer) and rum, which British Vice Admiral Edward Vernon introduced into the Royal Navy in 1740. Both are great cold weather treats that will keep you and your friends warm on these chilly winter nights and this blend of the two will have them coming back for more! More>>>

Graffigna

Recently, I had the pleasure of dining at BLT Steak in New York. The occasion—a paired tasting designed to highlight the wines of Graffigna, a superb and historical Chilean winery. Founded in 1870 by Italian immigrant Santiago Graffigna in San Juan, Argentina, drinking Graffigna wines are like stepping back in time.

We got started with a Tuna Tartare (crispy shallots and soy vinaigrette) and the Crab Cakes (meyer lemon and radish salad). This was exquisitely paired with the Graffigna® Centenario 2011 Pinot Grigio. This 100% Pinot Grigio held its own beautifully More>>>

Black Box Wines

By all accounts, wines in a box, is one of the fastest growing trends in the wine industry. Leading the way are BLACK BOX WINES, a company started as recently as 2002 by Ryan Sproule, a former sales consultant and engineer from Alberta, Canada. Now based in Sacramento, he spotted a gap in the market, and all he had to do was come up with the packaging concept, contract out the wine to a major distributor and watch sales grow. Part of the success comes in the packaging itself, a sleek looking black box with an elegant design. It is also the first boxed wine with an appellation that was an More>>>

A Search For the Most Expensive Rose Wine in the World

I was not aware that almost 85% of the wines from the idyllic region of Provence were in fact Rosé These wines are used as a welcoming tool for friends and visitors alike, and are made for sharing. The grape growing tradition in the region dates back thousands of years, and although certain Provencal wines have a solid worldwide reputation, others remain an undiscovered secret. If you think that Rosé is an uninspiring wine for food pairings More>>>

Chandon Rosé

Rosé style wines have exploded in popularity as consumers discover their versatility with food pairing. For me, I like it standing alone as well, and on a particularly hot day in New York City—sparkling please!

Chandon Rosé, with its refreshing strawberry and plum notes and vibrant pink color, is the perfect sparkling Rosé. It is exceptional in both flavor and appearance due to the addition of still More>>>

Cupcake Vineyard

Yes the name is slightly strange for a line of wines, but Cupcake Vineyards in Soledad, California, have recently launched a series of wines that deserve some attention for those of you always searching out new wines. The wines currently on the market are Cupcake Chardonnay, Cupcake Merlot, Cupcake Cabernet Sauvignon and Cupcake Sauvignon Blanc. All are priced at $14.99 and represent good quality in that price range, and at a recent tasting with winemaker Adam Richardson, I tried them all and came away with a very favourable opinion.

All are very fresh tasting, and the Chardonnay in particular was very untypical, with a fruity structure and a buttermilk taste. The region of Soledad is warm in the More>>>