Residual Sugar in Wine: Can We All Just Chill Out???

Residual Sugar in Wine: Can We All Just Chill Out??? By: Fleur Alvarez   Sugar...visions of bleach-white menacing little granules of PURE, PURE EVIL!? Sound about right? We certainly have learned to love hating the 12 atoms of carbon, 22 of hydrogen, and 11 of oxygen that compose our little molecular buddies we call sucrose...but, is our vilification just, or are we simply stickin’ these dudes with a bum rap? Venture on my plucky readers, in hopes that these soothing words will assuage your fears, demystify your concerns, and perhaps even comfort you to the point of embracing these absolutely [...]

By | 2021-11-30T21:13:55+00:00 November 30th, 2021|

De Vinis Naturalibus: On Natural Wine

De Vinis Naturalibus On Natural Wine By Marshall Davidson   Having worked in wine shops since college, it has been a pleasure to see the popularity of natural wine grow over the years. I remember being at Total Wine when I was twenty-two and asking my manager what it meant when a label proclaimed that a wine was natural. “After all,” I asked, “isn’t all wine natural? It’s just fermented grape juice, right?” My manager thought for a moment, shrugged, and said, “It’s just a marketing gimmick I think.” Oh, how wrong he was. Still, while I’ve learned the term [...]

By | 2022-04-25T02:35:28+00:00 November 30th, 2021|

What Are We Drinking Now? DoReMi Mitsvane & DoReMi Saperavi

Marshall was already in love with Georgian wines before he encountered these. Now he's 100% beguiled. DoReMi Mitsvane & DoReMi Saperavi Since first trying Georgian wine several years ago, I've been in love. I'm not talking about wine from the southern state, but from the eastern European nation that borders the Black Sea and Russia. At the time, I had no idea that Georgia produced wine, let alone that they had been doing it for longer than the pyramids have been standing. All I knew when I picked up that first bottle was that it looked cool and was [...]

By | 2021-11-27T21:05:49+00:00 November 22nd, 2021|

What Are We Drinking Now? Sottimano Bric del Salto Dolcetto d’Alba

If you know, you know: We just received our exclusive allocation of Sottimano Dolcetto 2020. And Barbara is enamored with it. Sottimano Bric del Salto Dolcetto d'Alba Andrea Sottimano is one of the best winemakers in Italy — full stop. We have sourced and sold his wines for 20 years, and we even have Denver-exclusive access to a couple of sleeper-beauties. One of these is his Bric del Salto Dolcetto. While Andrea is most famous for his expressions of Nebbiolo through his Barbarescos, he and his family own vineyards planted to Dolcetto and Brachetto as well. Dolcetto is not [...]

By | 2021-11-27T20:27:16+00:00 November 21st, 2021|

What *Else* Are We Drinking Now? Matic Kerner

Birthday Breakfast Wine!?? Oh yeah, it's a thing! Matic Kerner 2020 What more could I ask for than the most stunning Slovenian Kerner for my birthday breakfast?...truly not much! This guy bestows aromas of old-fashioned Red Vines, Fairy Floss, and almond extract, giving way to the brightly sumptuous flavors of beeswax, kumquat, fleshy figs, and Queen Ann's Lace. What more could I ask for than the most stunning Slovenian Kerner for my birthday breakfast?...truly not much! This guy bestows aromas of old-fashioned Red Vines, Fairy Floss, and almond extract, giving way to the brightly sumptuous flavors of beeswax, kumquat, [...]

By | 2021-11-15T21:40:14+00:00 November 15th, 2021|

What Are We Drinking Now? Sineann 2019 Pinot Noir & Deutschherren-Hof Pinot Noir

Kerry has two Pinot Noirs with very different personalities. Embracing Noir-vember, I tested pairing ideas with two gorgeous Pinot Noirs for an upcoming Friendsgiving dinner. Spanning both old and new worlds, I tried our Oregon Pinot from Sineann and the German Pinot from Deutschherren-Hof. I loved them both, for different reasons, realizing we have a Pinot for every palate! Wines often create an impression of "personality" in my mind, sometimes becoming a recognizable character. Meet The Debutante and The Silver Fox! The Debutante: Sineann 2019 Pinot Noir Tart and bright, this wine boasts aromas and flavors of vibrant [...]

By | 2021-11-12T21:12:09+00:00 November 11th, 2021|

What *Else* Are We Drinking Now? Urbina Rioja Crianza

The leaves are crunchy and the crock pots are heating up. Kevin is making the switch to red wine, and this one goes with all the meats. 2012 Urbina Rioja Crianza - Basque Country, Spain My wine of the fall is Rioja. They have a tendency to over-deliver and the 2021 Urbina is no exception. Aromas of pipe tobacco, wild raspberry, and cedar. Just enough fruit on the palate with great structure and well-integrated flavor of cinnamon and vanilla. The finish is silky smooth with great tannins. Aged in French and American oak. It's never too cold to pull [...]

By | 2021-11-12T20:40:34+00:00 November 8th, 2021|

What Are We Drinking Now? Chateau Carbonneau La Verrière

Seth has a wine to build your menu around. (Think burgers and steaks.) Chateau Carbonneau La Verrière - Bordeaux, France This 2018 Bordeaux Cabernet Sauvignon has delicious dark fruit flavors, with the perfect amount of oak, tobacco leaf, leather, and spice. Its firm tannins and mouth-watering acidity have it screamin' for a hearty beef or lamb stew, an aged cheddar, or a nice fatty steak or burger! It makes the perfect companion to take along for a dinner with family and friends, or it also makes a great gift for that ever-so-hard-to-please wino you know. Chateau Carbonneau La Verrière [...]

By | 2021-11-12T20:32:42+00:00 November 5th, 2021|