Have you been to Opus One? When you slow down to make the drive up to the entrance, it can admittedly be an intimidating experience. On my first visit several years ago, the harsh lines of the architecture, the high prices of the tasting, and the enormity of this wine’s status were daunting.

I’ve since changed my mind about the content of what lies behind the seemingly formidable entrance to Opus One. My turnaround from skeptical suspicion to appreciative admiration started when I tasted the wine the for first time. It continued when I met a couple members of the Opus One team. First, France Posener, who is absolutely wonderful, and manages East Coast sales for the company. She then introduced me to Michael Silacci, the head winemaker, whom I joined for dinner and conversation, peppered with my interview questions below. Michael will surprise you. He CARES and is incredibly meticulous and passionate, while also maintaining a laidback and warm presence.

Michael spent six years at Stag’s Leap before coming to Opus One in 2001. He holds a master’s degree in viticulture from U.C. Davis. But, [I think] most importantly, he cares a lot about the authenticity of the wine he’s making, about the wine’s story, and about taking a step back to ensure he’s living in the present. Read my conversation with Michael below! [My commentary is in brackets.] Read the rest of this entry »

A Russian River Valley vineyard.

“Behind the neoclassical facades of Bordeaux’s spectacular châteaux, the Bordelais understand that however much attention to detail they lavish on their vines, they cannot control mother nature.” In the Wall Street Journal Europe, Will Lyons provides an in-depth report of his time at En Primeur.

“I’m happy to report that Soave… is making a comeback.” In the San Jose Mercury News, Laurie Daniel explains how Soave has improved in recent years.

“I feel like Napa Valley and Russian River Valley are California’s Bordeaux and Burgundy.” So declares Steve Heimoff.

The Santa Rosa Press-Democrat reports: “Two Sonoma County Indian tribes that own casinos are diversifying into the wine business after buying hundreds of acres of vineyards in Alexander Valley.”

“It was a very good vintage, but it was not Clos du Mesnil.” Krug announces plans to abandon its 1999 Clos du Mesnil.

In Zester Daily, Patrick Comiskey profiles Lou, the Los Angeles wine bar “that went defiantly against the grain of our big box, chain-store wine culture.”

In Gourmet, Ted Loos reports on the wealthy world of wine collectors.

Ray Walker, the Merrill Lynch banker turner Burgundy vintner, spends some time on the terroirs of Gevrey-Chambertin with his video camera. (H/T: Eric Asimov.)

The Specialty Wine Retailers Association has announced the election of a new Board of Directors.

South Africa’s Nederburg Auction announces this year’s auction wines.

In Western Farm Press, yet another report that California is facing a wine grape shortage.

Château Cos-d’Estournel.

“‘The Bordelais learned from their arrogance and incompetence last year, ourselves included,'” said Jean-Guillaume Prats, CEO of Château Cos-d’Estournel.” Wine Spectator reports on the news that many Bordeaux properties are expected to drop their release prices this year.

While at En Primeur, Chuck Hayward and others from J.J. Buckley decided to stop by Lafleur, without an appointment. He soon wound up “in a small and intimate cellar, sampling some of the best wines of the vintage with Jacques Guinaudeau, the personable owner who was most generous with his time.”

In Palate Press, Talia Baiocchi explains how she “became captivated by Piemonte’s underworld of esoterica.”

Elsewhere, Baiocchi highlights “10 of the Hottest New Wine Lists Across America.”

“So wine-tasting is a learned experience, not a subject you immerse yourself in for a short period of time to learn it all.” In Dan Berger’s latest column, he explains why the process of tasting  is one of the greatest joys of wine.

Corkage is now legal in Maryland! Dave McIntyre has the scoop.

Decanter.com reports on The Wine Advocate’s internal investigation of CampoGate.

In Wine Spectator, an excellent backgrounder on dessert wines. Meanwhile, in Drink Me, Constance Chamberlain explains why certain stickies are among the world’s most coveted wines.

Courtesy of VinTank.

VinTank releases a “Winery Social Media Index,” which was “created to determine the social media health of a winery.” It looks like a powerful tool.

“The investigation did not reveal any evidence that Jay Miller received anything of value to visit wineries or taste wines on behalf of The Wine Advocate. Nonetheless, the investigation revealed that arrangements in Spain… created an appearance of impropriety.” The Wine Advocate concludes its internal investigation of CampoGate. (Mike Steinberger correctly predicted that Parker didn’t need to “sweat the outcome” of the investigation.)

Chris Kissack, the Wine Doctor, offers the most informative write-up thus far of Bordeaux’s 2011 vintage.

In Bloomberg, Krista Giovacco profiles The Wine Trust, the “only private-equity-structured wine-investment fund” in the United States.

New York’s 2012-13 budget included $3.3 million to construct a viticulture center at the Cornell Agricultural and Food Technology Park. Wines & Vines has the story.

Huge congratulations to Talia Baiocchi, Eater’s new Wine Editor.

In Sonoma, the McWilliams family (owners of Arista Winery) has purchased the 18-acre Martinelli Road Vineyard, a “sweet spot for great old-vine Zinfandel.” (As regular readers know, we featured Mark McWilliams in our most recent winemaker interview.)

Entrepreneur profiles Philip James of Lot18.

Steve and Jill Matthiasson spend a day with several rock star winemakers in the Michael Mara Vineyard on the Sonoma Coast.

If it’s a night of gluttony, reach for some wine from Three Fat Guys. (H/T: Deadspin.)

Tasting six wines to compare ages & Old vs. New World.

“Wine, even for the investor or collector, is not just a holder of wealth. It’s a holder of dreams.”

I agree 100% with this quote from a panelist at a recent seminar I attended. However, interestingly enough, in a session described as “starting your wine collection,” many of the panelists didn’t consider themselves wine collectors at all; but rather, just people who love wine and need a place to store it until they drink it. Most seemed to view wine collections more as an accessible and pleasurable assembly than as a formulaic and formal dusty collection.

The panel, hosted by FIAF in its midtown Le Skyroom, was led by Hristo Zisovski, Beverage Director at Ai Fiori. Hristo was joined by Charles Antin, Associate Vice President & Wine Specialist at Christie’s, Michael Chaney, CEO of MEA Digital & Private Wine Collector, and Emmanuel Dupuy d’Angeac, Owner & Founder, AOC Fine Wines.

Below, I put my key takeaways from the panel discussion. Maybe some of them are obvious, but good reminders nonetheless. Anything else you’d add? Lessons you’ve learned as you’ve assembled your own collection? Please share! Read the rest of this entry »

Uploaded to flickr by http://www.kvins.com.

“Isn’t diversity of style a large part of the charm of Pinot Noir? Burgundians rave about the spectrum of wines within the Côte de’Or, everything from a big, sappy Vosnes to a lighter, more delicate Beaune. If there’s room for a spectrum in Burgundy, why not in California?” Steve Heimoff defends high-alcohol Pinot Noirs.

The impetus for Heimoff’s rant? A Bloomberg Businessweek article from John Mariani, in which he criticizes Pinots that are described as “blockbuster,” “fleshy,” “muscular,” and “hedonistic.”

Jancis Robinson is saddened by “the fastest wine tasting” she has ever taken part in, because the 44 Burgundies she “tasted in under two hours were some of the most exciting and expensive” that are “ever likely” to come her way.

Alder Yarrow profiles Annika Strebel, the 63rd German Wine Queen.

“After bankrolling an effort last year that broke a government monopoly on liquor sales in the state of Washington, Costco says it won’t pay for another round.” The Associated Press reports that if a privatization push comes to Idaho or Oregon this year, Costco plans on being “a spectator, not a combatant.”

Eric Boissenot has a secret hobby. When not consulting at 150 wine estates, he’s a “passionate black-and-white photographer.”

California’s winegrape shortage could last for years.

Jeff Siegel highlights some YouTube videos worth watching (again).

Hardy Wallace is very impressed with the 2011 Chateau Petrus. Indeed, it garnered 102.19 points!

As regular readers know, one of my recent columns for Wines.com offered five simple tips for navigating a restaurant wine list. On Friday, I appeared on NewsChannel 8 in Washington DC to discuss my column.

Check out the clip below!

Would you drive eight hours for a Krug tasting? Kyle Schlachter of Colorado Wine Press would. (And so would I!)

“Perhaps great Syrah shouldn’t be easy. Increasingly, the Sonoma Coast is proving that — and making the case for the true greatness of this grape in California.” In the San Francisco Chronicle, Jon Bonné highlights some of California’s best Syrahs.

“As I tasted one wine and then another, I found certain thematic consistencies: an emphasis on super-lush, ripe (but not overripe) fruit and plush, dense texture.” In the Wall Street Journal, Lettie Teague profiles Aaron Pott.

Stephanie Miskew, the Glamorous Gourmet, conducts an excellent three-part interview (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3) with Wine Spectator executive editor Thomas Matthews.

William Allen explains why Hospice du Rhone is worth the money.

In SF Weekly, W. Blake Gray anoints the “top ten wine lists” in San Francisco. On his blog, he explains why restaurants like RN74 didn’t make the list.

“I don’t think the [wine container] I’ve designed is going to win out over a traditional bottle if you’re out to dinner at a fancy restaurant. But on a hike, or a picnic, or the deck of a boat? Sometimes you don’t want to mess around with a corkscrew and stemware.” The Atlantic profiles Stacked Wines.

Château Lafite has announced plans to release its 2011 price “early and with a significant price drop.”

Last week, Kendall-Jackson Wine Estates unveiled the largest rooftop solar cogeneration facility in the nation.

As more samples arrive, I’ll be making an effort to post reviews more regularly.  The latest sample roundup is a collection of Australian Shiraz that had arrived as press samples over the previous few months. Wines were tasted single blind.

The biggest surprise? The 2009 Wakefield Shiraz, which easily came out on top and is affordably priced. Details, wines, and tasting notes below. 

Review: 2008 Jacob’s Creek/Orlando Shiraz Reserve
SRP: $13. On the nose, sweet plums and blackberry pie, chocolate, spicy and smoky oak, and an interesting hint of pink grape fruit. On the palate, the wine is thinner than one would expect and the oak seems artificial, as it lingers. Ripeness, acid, and tannin are all in balance. Considering the price, a good QPR. (86 pts.) 

Review: 2009 Robert Oatley Shiraz
SRP: $19. On the nose, this wine smells dense and sweet. Sweet black cherry compote, blackcurrant, vanilla extract, savory meat, and a hint of slate. On the palate, the great concentration, good acid, and well-defined tannins. A bit overripe and a bit hot, but impressively balanced. (88 pts.)

Review: 2009 Peter Lehmann Shiraz 
SRP: $17. On the nose, the wine smells like plums soaked in brandy – followed by more plums, blackberries, oak, and dark chocolate. On the palate, nice acid and tannin. A great expression of Barossa Shiraz, if a bit too alcoholic. (86 pts.) 

Review: 2010 Robert Oatley Shiraz James Oatley TIC TOK
SRP: $14. On the nose, extremely rich raspberries and red cherries. It smells like dessert, but isn’t at all pruney. On the palate, the wine is disappointing — the finish is surprisingly short and the wine leaves behind bitter tannins. (85 pts.) 

Review: 2009 Wakefield Shiraz Clare Valley
SRP: $17. On the nose, deep black fruits, ripe plums, pie crust, sweet baking spices, loads of mocha, and a touch of espresso. On the palate, the wine is concentrated, with juicy acidity and supple tannins. Hedonistic and delightful. (91 pts.)

Each week, as regular readers know, we pose a series of questions to a winemaker. This week, we’re featuring Mark McWilliams of Arista Winery, one of my favorite spots in Healdsburg.

I first visited Arista three years ago, and Mark was kind enough to sit down with me and a few friends for a private tasting. I’ve been a huge fan of the wines ever since, and they continue to impress.

The McWilliams family traces its wine roots to 1996, when Mark’s parents, Al and Janis, purchased property in Northern Sonoma with the hopes of turning it into a vineyard.

Mark was in college at the University of Texas the time, but would spend his summers working on the family’s vineyards – and became hooked. So when he graduated, Mark dove headfirst into wine. And over the next ten years, he would work in various positions at Kendall-Jackson, take courses at UC Davis, and work for a distributor in Texas.

In 2005, Mark and his wife Jennifer moved to Healdsburg to join Arista, which officially launched in 2002. Today, Mark manages the day-to-day operations of the tasting room and production facility.

Check out our interview with Mark below the fold.  Read the rest of this entry »