Monthly Archives: September 2012

Wines of the Week: Sept. 24-30

Posted on September 30, 2012 by Bill Ward

Everyday: To cap an evening dominated by large-and-in-charge reds, it’s always nice to have a clean, refreshing white. I was reminded of that last night in the early a.m. when my friend Lee brought out a Felines Jourdan Picpoul de Pinet ($11). It was appropriately … Continue reading →

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Merry Edwards still doing it her way

Posted on September 28, 2012 by Bill Ward

Merry Edwards’ business card reads “Reine de Pinot” (Queen of Pinot), and it’s no brag, just fact. But in recent years, her eponymous winery has gotten more acclaim for its sauvignon blanc. She’s not about to complain. “It’s good to … Continue reading →

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Linkin’ logs: News of the really weird

Posted on September 25, 2012 by Bill Ward

What a weird week, capped yesterday by my schlepping to a trade tasting that had been canceled, only the wholesaler forgot to tell anyone. Lots of good eating and quaffing over the last seven days, of course, but more than … Continue reading →

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‘Perfect’ season presents its own challenges

Posted on September 24, 2012 by Bill Ward

The last two years have brought challenging weather to West Coast vintners, with cooler-than-usual temperatures creating lower yields and dicey conditions for optimum grape ripeness. For those who prefer lower alcohol, 2010 and ’11 should provide plenty of lucrative options. This … Continue reading →

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Wines of the Week: Sept. 17-23

Posted on September 23, 2012 by Bill Ward

Everyday: It’s hard to find a Portuguese red these days that doesn’t offer decent bang for the buck, but the Udaca Irreverente Tinto ($11) is a flat-out killer bargain. The usual blend of touriga nacional and other obscure (to us) grapes, this hearty red has a friendly, slightly … Continue reading →

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Mike Sullivan, scientist/vigneron

Posted on September 21, 2012 by Bill Ward

Although he says “I think of myself more as a vigneron than a California winemaker,” it’s no surprise that Mike Sullivan ended up with the latter job title. His destiny should have been clear early on. Very early on. “When … Continue reading →

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Linkin’ logs: Great views

Posted on September 20, 2012 by Bill Ward

Wine is an endless source of amusement in and of itself. But it also serves as fodder for artistic endeavors worth savoring. To wit: • The always-hilarious folks at Funny or Die have come up with a primer for sampling … Continue reading →

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Wine Country gleanings

Posted on September 19, 2012 by Bill Ward

Some things I learned last week while visiting several wineries in Sonoma (hey, somebody’s gotta do it): • That the “second labels” from really good vintners are better than many if not most of the “first labels.” I actually had observed … Continue reading →

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Pulled quotes

Posted on September 17, 2012 by Bill Ward

I just finished reading the marvelous “Wine & War” and am working up a review. But in the meantime, I found these quotations from the book too good not to share (plus it gave me an excuse to run a … Continue reading →

Posted in Funny(ish) stuff, Wine Reading and Viewing | 2 Comments

Wines of the Week: Sept. 10-16

Posted on September 16, 2012 by Bill Ward

Everyday: It seems a bit counterintuitive to be sipping on monastic wine at a place called Willi’s Wine Bar, but I tend not to question such happenstance. All I cared about was that the Stift Gottweig Messwein Gruner Veltliner ($16) was delicious, exceedingly fresh on the … Continue reading →

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