Category Archives: Uncategorized

That’s the spirit

Posted on May 20, 2013 by Bill Ward

Nice wine quotes from spiritual leaders: “If God forbade drinking, would He have made wine so good?” — Cardinal Richelieu “There are thousands of wines that can take over our minds. Don’t think all ecstasies are the same.” — Rumi … Continue reading →

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Wines of the Week: May 13-19

Posted on May 19, 2013 by Bill Ward

Everyday: Classic viogniers smell almost as strong as stargazer lilies. Really good viogniers also have verve and vibrancy that almost belies all that floral glory. The 2011 Domaine de Gournier Viognier ($11) has the prototypical aromatics and spicy midpalate, but when its elusive fruit comes to the … Continue reading →

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Enraptured with Raptor Ridge

Posted on August 5, 2012 by Bill Ward

Raptor Ridge is one of my favorite Oregon wineries, and not just because ambassador extraordinaire Annie Shull is from Minnesota. The wines Annie’s husband Scott crafts are tasty and alluring, especially (this being Oregon) the pinot noirs and pinot gris. (Scott also makes the … Continue reading →

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Wines of the Week: Sept. 12-18

Posted on September 18, 2011 by Bill Ward

Everyday: A lot of folks might think that rosé’s season is just about over, that these pink beauties are merely summer sippers. The guess here is that they haven’t tasted the Commanderie de la Bargemone Coteaux d’Aix en Provence rosé ($16), … Continue reading →

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Wines of the Week: Aug. 15-21

Posted on August 21, 2011 by Bill Ward

Everyday: If you buy just one bottle of the Samora Tejo 2010, you’ll almost certainly be remorseful. This is as delicious an $11 (often less) wine as I’ve encountered this year, and I wish there was about a case of it in the … Continue reading →

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Wines of the Week: Aug. 8-14

Posted on August 14, 2011 by Bill Ward

Everyday: I like albarino just fine, but if i could choose to have just one Spanish white varietal for the rest of my days, I’d go with verdejo. It’s generally less expensive and more balanced than albarino. Exhibit A: the Naia Rueda … Continue reading →

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Wines of the Week: June 13-19

Posted on June 19, 2011 by Bill Ward

Everyday: “This smells like the best pear ever,” I said last night after sniffing the Saracco Moscato d’Asti 2010 ($18). “Actually, it smells better than the best pear ever,” someone chimed in. True that, and it tastes pretty fantabulous as … Continue reading →

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Franco-American: Great relations at HdV

Posted on April 17, 2011 by Bill Ward

Put HdV’s Stéphane Vivier squarely in the “wine is made in the vineyard” column. “We work hard to frame the best interpretation, the best picture of the vineyard and put it in the glass,”  Vivier (left) said. “We want to … Continue reading →

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Oldie but goodie

Posted on April 1, 2011 by Bill Ward

Sally was driving home from one of her business trips in Northern Arizona when she saw an elderly Navajo woman walking along the side of the road. As the trip was a long and quiet one, Sally stopped the car … Continue reading →

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Zin Buddhism

Posted on March 25, 2011 by Bill Ward

I used to wonder what was up with all the hating on zinfandel. Was it the bad puns? The jam-o-rama-and-nothing-else nature of so many of them? Some latent association with white zin?   OK, I’m going with “none of the … Continue reading →

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