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Costco Advent Calendar Wine #4: Sheep Station Sauvignon Blanc (Marlborough, New Zealand)
New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is arguably the biggest commercial success story the wine industry has seen in decades. Millennials–including the Wine Fairy household, to be honest–just can’t get enough of its zingy tropical flavors. The Marlborough style is easy to enjoy: No aging, no corkscrew, no swirling required. You will not find a restaurant or…
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Under $12 Review: J. Lohr “Bay Mist” White Riesling Arroyo Seco (2024)
In the week after Labor Day, summer is officially over for most of the country. But in Texas, we have 9-10 months of balmy weather each year and are in the market for porch pounders until well after Thanksgiving. The “Bay Mist” White Riesling by J. Lohr is on deck, reporting for its fruity duty.…
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Costco Advent Calendar Wine #2: El Campeón White Sangria (France)
Round Two of the Costco Wine Advent-ure is about to begin: El Campeón White Sangria. But is this bottle a champion, my friends? We’re about to put it to the test and find out. “Grape Wine with Natural Flavors” reads the back of the label…and that’s usually not a marker of a wine of quality.…
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What Is This Thing? El Tuerto Tempranillo Blanco Rioja (2022)
Driven by curiosity (and captive to novelty), it’s time for us to uncork another strange little wine bottle: A white Tempranillo from Rioja. White Tempranillo? Yeah, that’s right. Like Pinot Noir and Grenache before it, the premier black grape of Spain has lately spawned an albino cousin. (Yes, I know that productive vines can’t technically…
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DFW Day Trip: San Martiño Winery (Lavon, TX)
On a drizzly summer Saturday, we wandered east of Dallas to San Martiño Winery & Vineyards. A tip from a wine friend had led us to this hidden family winery in a growing DFW suburb. It’s located in Lavon, Texas on Highway 205 between Lavon Lake and Lake Ray Hubbard. Spanish touches are everywhere, beginning…
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Review: Donnachiara Fiano de Avellino (2022)
When shopping for EU wines, it can be hard to make sense of the label. There are far too many proper nouns. It’s a humbling reminder of how much there is to learn in the world of wine. For those of us who grew up drinking mass-produced domestic wines with just a couple of words…
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Review: German Wine Collection “Prost” Mosel Riesling (2019)
“Prost” means “cheers” in German, and it’s the perfect name for this value-priced, deliciously drinkable German wine. My home state of Texas has a lot of German heritage. However, the noble grapes of Germany sadly don’t suit our climate, and quality German wine imports don’t always make it this far inland. “Prost, y’all!” is a…
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Review: Capisco Pinot Grigio (2023)
“Click-click” goes the screw-cap, “ploop-ploop” goes the wine–and we are dipping into a chilled bottle of Pinot Grigio. This midday treat is the latest one to be opened out of a case of budget Italian wines from WSJ Wine. The producer is one Alessandro Gallici, the same Northern Italian winemaker responsible for the “Visionario” Bianco…
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Review: Paco & Lola Albariño (2023)
A happy hour it was indeed as we lingered over a chilled bottle of Paco & Lola Albariño. This fruity Spanish white was flowing all around the tapas bar as Dallasites hid indoors from the 95-degree heat. At tables around the room, I could spy its cheery label peeking out from ice buckets like a…
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Fournier Père et Fils (Loire Valley) tasting at The Wine Authority (Richardson, TX)
We said “bonsoir” to four from the Loire at The Wine Authority last night. It was a special tasting from the Fournier portfolio: Three Sauvignon Blancs and a Pinot Noir. All of the wines were brand new from the 2023 vintage. All four were fresh and zippy and ready to pair with summer salads and…
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Drink North Texas Wine Festival at the Frontiers of Flight Museum (Dallas, TX)
North Texas wines took flight last Saturday with a special showcase of 12 local producers. DFW wine fans, you came and saw and sipped. From bold reds to crisp aromatic whites to only-in-Texas oddball blends, there was wine aplenty for all y’all Texas wine lovers. The host was the North Texas Wine Country trade organization.…
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Review: Belisario “Il Picchio” Verdicchio di Matelica (2023)
There are certain rules to live by when shopping for budget wines from unfamiliar producers. Wine with horses on the label: Bad. Wine with chickens on the label: Usually okay. Wine with a kangaroo on the label: Eh, it depends on the day, mate. However well these guidelines have served me in the past, I…