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Review: “Ex Post Facto” Sta. Rita Hills Pinot Noir (2024)
Five bottles were on the table at the Brewer-Clifton tasting on Tuesday. Winemaker Greg Brewer was pouring. On the way to his next event, he graciously stopped by my table, accused me of hiding in the corner, and chatted for a few moments about these acclaimed craft wines from Santa Barbara County. I do hide…
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Review: Thierry Delaunay “Le Grand Ballon” Val de Loire Sauvignon Blanc (2023)
Now that Taylor Swift has gone and ruined Sancerre for everyone, ordinary wine drinkers like moi have to look for alternatives to the popular but scarce Loire Valley label. Just kidding, Swifties. Sancerre shortages have been a recurring wine-biz story for at least 2-3 years now, due to harvest challenges and other supply-demand mismatch issues.…
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Review: Le Mesnil Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Champagne (NV)
Some things are revered as classics for no good reason: White trousers, Star Wars (fight me), the Monte Cristo sandwich. Other things are actually paragons of excellence, but are so mundane that they go unnoticed and unappreciated: The Toyota Camry, the eight-inch chef’s knife, the ordinary Cheez-It. And then there is Champagne. Champagne is beloved…
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Merlot Thursday: Sant’Elena Merlot Venezia Giulia IGT (2012)
This whole #MerlotThursday journey has been full of pleasant surprises–and one of the biggest surprises has been how well Merlot can age. Before I started tasting Merlot for the blog, I mostly drank it young (if I thought to drink it at all). Its simple, agreeable flavors seemed antithetical to aging potential. Does a bar…
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Merlot Thursday: Decoy by Duckhorn California Merlot (2022)
It’s time for some Merlot on this Merlot Thursday! 🍇 Today’s Merlot was tasted at a Duckhorn dinner at Carrabba’s Italian Grill in Dallas. Decoy by Duckhorn is one of the restaurant chain’s two permanent by-the-glass Merlots. (The other one is Bogle, which was our #MerlotThursday pick a few months ago). Duckhorn has been a…
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Review: Otronia “45° Rugientes” Patagonia Corte de Blancas (2017)
A Patagonian white blend is on the bar today: The “45° Rugientes” from Otronia. It was my first pick for “Try January” and it is a unique and delightful wine. “Try January” is a promo that my local wine bar hangout is doing this month. Instead of attempting to convince us that de-alcoholized wine tastes…
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Merlot Thursday: Leonetti Cellar Walla Walla Valley Merlot (2023)
Merlot Thursday became Merlot Splurge Day when I was offered a wine from one of Washington State’s finest producers: The elegant and evolving Leonetti Cellar Merlot. Founded in 1977, Leonetti Cellar is Walla Walla Valley’s first winery. Its roughly 5,000 cases per year are distributed mostly through member allocation. And so, it was with great…
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Review: Collezione di Paolo Chianti (2023)
You know that case of Italian wines from the WSJ Wine club that I panic-bought during a tariff scare? No? Well, in April 2025 I ordered a case of cheapo Italian wines and I’m still working my way through them. Sadly, I haven’t found any gems in that box yet. But I do reach for…
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Review: Bonpas Grande Réserve des Challières Ventoux (2020)
I get giddy over a great-value RhĂ´ne, and this one is a doozy: The Bonpas Grande RĂ©serve des Challières Ventoux. It even looks substantial and rich. There’s the heavy embossed bottle, the rawkin’ Gothic font, and the castle on the label. I bought the Bonpas during a Grenache spree a year ago and promptly forgot…
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Merlot Thursday: RdV Vineyards “Rendezvous” (2021)
With great Merlot comes great responsibility. That was my thought as I took my first sip of the “Rendezvous” Merlot-based blend from RdV Vineyards of Virginia. Pizza in hand, fire blazing, feet propped up on the couch, I thought I was settling for a casual wine-and-takeout weeknight with friends. But the wine was poured and–wouldn’t…
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Under $12 Review: Segura Viudas Brut Cava (NV)
A very happy New Year from The Wine Fairy! I’m shopping for party wine in the Houston suburbs–where, to my surprise, the local Spec’s Liquor has a very respectable European wine selection. Despite the holiday rush, the sales guys are even willing to stand around and recommend a Bordeaux to pair with BBQ and Tex-Mex.…
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Merlot Thursday: Hayes Ranch California Merlot (NV)
Ah, California Merlot. The unsung hero of countless wedding banquets, airport lounges, and (ahem) company Christmas parties with an open bar. We talk like Merlot went away sometime in the early 2000s…but really, it never did. It just shuffled off to the back bar to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc and the…