One of my favorite varietals that grow well in Virginia is Tannat.  (The other is Petit Verdot.) It has been historically grown in Southwest France, but has spread more widely, especially to South America, where it is considered the “national grape” in Uruguay.  Though I have not tried it, the French varietal, grown in the…

I have not had any wines from Stellenbosch in quite some time and so was pleasantly surprised when I came across quite a nice one… Stellenbosch is the best-known wine region in South Africa, located in the Western Cape’s Coastal Region, just east of Cape Town. The terroir consists of primarily granite, shale, and sandstone-based…

I would like to introduce a wine from another of my favorite, though perhaps lesser known, regions – Priorat.  This region, located in Catalonia, Spain, is characterized by rugged terrain, steep slopes, and mineral rich slate-like soils (Llicorella). The climate is Mediterranean, with hot, dry summers and cool evenings, creating a temperature variation that contributes…

Burgundies from the Cote de Nuits are at the top of my list of favorite wines.  Among those, Gevrey-Chambertin, along with Morey-Saint-Denis and Vosne-Romanee are my favorite appellations.  Coming down from the north, many years ago, I discovered Gevrey-Chambertin first, so it holds a special place.  Like the other two appellations mentioned, Gevrey-Chambertin exclusively produces…

For my inaugural blog, I will start with an unusual, but delicious choice… Virginia wines have come a long way from when I first tasted one many years ago and was not impressed.  Now, one can find quite a few good vineyards with some very good wines – they may not be ready to compete…