Tag: wine guy
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Wine Guy: When it comes to chardonnay, know your preferences
Even with a vastly increasing diversity of grape varieties available to consumers, chardonnay remains California’s most-planted white variety and the bestselling white wine in the U.S. Big, super-ripe, heavily oaked chardonnays were popular in the 1990s, but these “butter bombs” fell out of favor with many winemakers and consumers over the past 20 years as…
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Wine Guy: A wide world of grape varieties to delight your palate
As with other areas of life, it’s easy to fall into a rut drinking limited types of wines. But it’s important to remember: a diversity of grapes and their flavor profiles can be enriching. My recent tasting of “alternative” white wines (that is, no chardonnay or sauvignon blanc) proves it. You should find these wines…
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Wine Guy: Sparkling wine not just for special occasions
Sparkling wine is the obvious choice for special occasions but it also can be enjoyed any time. Here, I have several options for you. But first a really, really special Champagne: the 2018 Champagne Christophe Baron “Les Closeaux” ($240, magnum). With 100% organically grown pinot meunier from a (100-year-old) single vineyard, it is a rare…
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Wine Guy: Rosé wine enjoying a bloom in the industry
After years of languishing amid negative stereotypes, rosé wine consumption has increased steadily in the past 10 years. Consumers have come to appreciate the quality of a well-made rosé, as well as its food-friendliness. And producers are responding with wines made from a variety of grapes. But generally, expect bright, fresh, crisp wines with aromas…
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Wine Guy: Denver sommelier offers suggestions pairing lighter Italian reds with summer foods
Italian wine, arguably more than any other, is made to be drunk with food. Generally, with slightly higher acidity, less noticeable oak, and more of a sense of the earth where the grapes originated, Italian wines just taste better with food. Here I focus on light-bodied reds (eight native grapes) for warm weather drinking. They…
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Wine Guy: Denver sommelier offers suggestions pairing lighter Italian reds with summer foods
Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Italian wine, arguably more than any other, is made to be drunk with food. Generally, with slightly higher acidity, less noticeable oak, and more of a sense of the earth where the grapes originated, Italian…
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Wine Guy: White varieties shine in central and southern Italy
Dotted with notable native white varieties, central and southern Italy offer a cornucopia of crisp, refreshing, distinctive white wines. They also offer adventurous drinking and are deal for warm weather. Here is a good start. Sardinia and Tuscany. Vermentino is a rare variety, grown mostly in Sardinia, Liguria and the western coast of Tuscany, where…
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Wine Guy: Italian whites are ideal for warmer weather
While Italy is best known for its reds, there are numerous distinctive whites, primarily from indigenous grape varieties, most of them budget friendly and perfect for summer sipping. Let’s take a tour of Northern Italy. If there is a common thread, they use little or no oak and are notable for dramatic aromas, precise structure,…
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Wine Guy: Perusing a wide world of wines
Given the nature of the wine industry in Colorado, I mostly only have opportunities to review wines from the West Coast, Europe and South America. But consider wine was first made in New Mexico in 1629, Texas in 1659, and Armenia over 6,000 years ago, while in California in 1767. Try these wines for a…
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Wine Guy: Sustainable wine pairs environmental, social responsibility
While most of the attention regarding sustainability in the wine world understandably has been on practices in the vineyard, there is growing interest and understanding of the importance of social sustainability. The recent California Sustainable Winegrowing Summit (by the U.S. Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance) panel titled “The People Pillar of Sustainability: Inclusive Workplaces & Hospitality” explored…