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Rombauer Vineyards tasting at The Wine Authority (Richardson, TX)
It was a Rombauer power hour at The Wine Authority last Tuesday. A Rombauer Vineyards rep stopped by to pour a whole slew of their wines to a thirsty afternoon crowd. Picks included their well-known Napa Valley Cabernet, along with a super-premium version of the Carneros Chardonnay and the single-estate “El Dorado” Zinfandel. (Apologies for…
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Review: Maison Sonoma Chardonnay (2023)
I don’t host a lot of wine-drinking friends at the moment–and while there are downsides to that, there are upsides, too. One of the best parts is that I can buy wine that I like. Rather than stocking the fridge with crowd-pleasing bottles that won’t offend anyone’s palate, I get to indulge a penchant for…
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Balletto Vineyards tasting at The Wine Authority (Richardson, TX)
I love my Wine Authority membership because I get to try all kinds of stuff I wouldn’t find on my own. Premium wines, small-production wines, overlooked grapes and regions–you never know what’s going to be on the tasting bar. This week was a Russian River Valley tasting. I order a Russian River Valley Pinot Noir…
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Texas Wine News Roundup: Spring 2025
If you’re tired of doom-scrolling, have you tried wine-scrolling? That’s when you try not to consume any news unless it’s related to wine. I have been wine-scrolling most of this year. I set up my devices to take me directly to wine content, instead of regular economic and political news. Sure, I’m less informed–but much…
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A Pinot Comparison (Saturday Tasting at Blind Bishop)
Pinot is loved for its versatility, and that chameleonic quality was on display at Saturday’s themed wine tasting at Blind Bishop in Dallas. We tried six different expressions of Pinot Noir and Pinot Grigio/Gris. It was the first summery day of the season, and wine lovers streamed into the sun-filled tasting room. Two gentleman pourers…
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Mixing it up with Clos du Val’s blending seminar
It was a fab Cab lab at The Wine Authority this past Saturday. Napa Valley’s Clos du Val was in the house with barrel samples from the 2023 vintage–and one very special finished wine, the 2021 Yettalil blend ($200 retail). I booked the blending seminar for “educational” purposes. My wife (and fellow Cab lover) Sarah…
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How to taste great wine (for less than $5000)
There’s a winery in Napa that now has a $5000 per person tasting fee, the San Francisco Chronicle reported in February 2025. The culprit is Ghost Horse, the same attention-hungry winemaker that is preparing to release a $25,000 bottle of Cabernet. I’m all for people doing whatever they want with their money. But I think…
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Under $12 Review: ALDI’s California Heritage Pinot Grigio
Our wine review of the day is…ta-da! A $5 Pinot Grigio from ALDI. Wait, wait–I can explain: I bought this wine to put in my Italian sausage and kale pasta. But then I remembered that drinking bad wine helps you appreciate the good ones more. So I put on a brave face, twisted that screw…
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California Uncorked: Napa Valley & Beyond (Total Wine class review)
Nothing helps smooth the path to the weekend better than a midweek wine or spirits tasting. And so, I frequently take Thursday evening classes at the Total Wine in West Plano, Texas. It’s like an educational version of a Thirsty Thursday happy hour! Last night’s class was “California Uncorked: Napa Valley & Beyond.” It’s an…
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Review: Ferrari-Carano Dry Sangiovese Rosé (2022)
Despite what designers of T-shirts and insulated tumblers would have you believe, it’s not actually very fun to “rosé all day.” Trust me–I’ve been there. Having a bottle of the blush stuff on Sunday morning is a good way to ensure that you wake up on a lounge chair with a sunburn and a whanging…
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Review: Predator Cabernet Sauvignon (2021)
Winemakers don’t usually brag about insects in their vineyards, but Predator Wines is an exception. As natural and sustainable viticulture techniques gain more attention, even bugs are getting in on the action. Predator Wines is one of 10 brands from the Rutherford Wine Company, headquartered in Napa. Predator Wines use “natural predation” via ladybugs as…
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A big win for a Texas Cabernet (plus 5 other Texas Cabs to try)
Texas enjoyed our own little Judgment of Paris this week when a Hill Country winery won a top prize in The San Francisco Chronicle’s annual Wine Competition. Yessirree–that’s right, California. A Texas Cab beat out many storied Napa producers to achieve the “Best in Class” award for a Cabernet in the $90 to $99 price…