Gotta love the modern wine biz. Despite our penchant for socialization being tampered down by the (entirely reasonable) shelter-in-place orders (courtesy of our current global pandemic), we always manage to find a way to not have to always drink alone!
Last week, I was part of a cast of online wine peep characters taking part in a live tasting of new releases from Alma de Cattleya and Lucia wines, who happen to be made by Bibiana González Rave and Jeff Pisoni, respectively, who also happened to join us for the virtual tasting, and who also happen to be married to one another in a modern embodiment of a winemaking power couple scenario. As González Rave told us regarding their relationship, “We both are a little bit perfectionist, so we always have criticisms during the process, especially when we blend. I love to share my blend trials with Jeff, always blind, to hear his opinion. We are lucky to have each other for sure.”
Of said power couple, González Rave’s backstory is the more compelling, which is not an attempt to throw any shade at Pisoni, because her backstory is the more compelling when compared to almost anyone else’s in California wine at the moment. I’ll let her tell it as she tweeted it to us:
“I was born and raised in Medellin [Columbia]. Really during the worse times of Drug cartels and Guerrillas…. But I was so fortunate to still be able to dream and have quite a normal life. Since I was 14 years old I started to say that I wanted to make wine. I was fascinated by wine, the meaning of it, the history that comes with [it]. I just remember so much that year, and telling my teachers and parents about my dream. I obviously didn’t know anything about wine, neither that wine comes from farming, and that farming will frame my life.”
See? Told ya…
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I taste a bunch-o-wine (technical term for more than most people). So each week, I share some of my wine reviews (mostly from samples) and tasting notes in a “mini-review” format.
They are meant to be quirky, fun, and (mostly) easily-digestible reviews of (mostly) currently available wines (click here for the skinny on how to read them), and are presented links to help you find them, so that you can try them out for yourself. Cheers!
- NV Quinta do Vallado 10 Year Old Tawny Port (Portugal): Freshly-baked caramel-coated pecan pie, anyone? $35 A-
- 2014 Bodegas Alejandro Fernandez Tinto Pesquera Crianza (Ribera del Duero): Showing much of its age, but also a good amount of it’s wisdom. $35 B+
- NV Drusian Spumante Brut Prosecco di Valdobbiadene Superiore (Veneto): A sprinkle of almond, and a whole heap of fun. $18 B
- 2015 Enrico Serafino Monclivio Barolo (Piedmont): Earthy, leathery, rose-petal-y, dark-sour-cherry-y… $45 A-
- 2018 Donnafugata ‘SurSur’ Grillo (Sicily): The white flowers will sway in the sea breeze, and the crowds will be pleased. $20 B+
- 2017 Donnafugata Floramundi (Cerasuolo di Vittoria): Succulent, wild, floral, and, dar we say it, frisky. $29 B+
- 2016 Viticultori Associati Canicatti ‘Centuno’ Nero d’Avola (Sicily): Enough leather and tobacco to fill an old, stylish European bar. $14 B
- 2018 Viticoltori Canicatti Brillo ‘Bio’ (Sicily): Organically good for the Earth, tastily good for your mouth. $NA B
- 2017 The Hilt Estate Pinot Noir (Sta Rita Hills): You have reached strawberry and rhubarb Central, and this is your stop. $45 A-
- 2017 The Hilt Chardonnay (Santa Barbara County): Apricots, flowers, and a lovely, smiling face. $45 A-
I taste a bunch-o-wine (technical term for more than most people). So each week, I share some of my wine reviews (mostly from samples) and tasting notes in a “mini-review” format.
They are meant to be quirky, fun, and (mostly) easily-digestible reviews of (mostly) currently available wines (click here for the skinny on how to read them), and are presented links to help you find them, so that you can try them out for yourself. Cheers!
- 2016 Dutton Goldfield Docker Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir (Mendocino County): Like anthropomorphic blueberries, wearing silk capes. $68 A-
- 2016 Dutton-Goldfield ‘Deviate’ Pinot Noir (Sonoma Coast): A bold, beautiful affair, with more baking spices than a tin full of Xmas cookies. $72 A
- 2016 Presqu’ile Chardonnay (Santa Maria Valley): California spirit can often lack subtelty; this is NOT one of those times. $44 A-
- NV McIntyre L’Homme Qui Ris (Santa Lucia Highlands): Santa Lucia bubbles, by way of Epernay. $42 A-
- 2015 McCay Cellars Faith Lot 13 Vineyard Zinfandel (Lodi): Awwwww, Lodi is gettin’ all prettied up for us! $32 A-
- 2013 Chappellet Pritchard Hill Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley): The Hill has a soul – for proof, we can submit a glass of this stunning achievement. $220 A
- 2017 La Valentina Pecorino Colline Pescaresi (Abruzzo): Saltwater waves rolling over fresh tropical fruits. $16 B
- 2015 Sawtooth Chardonnay (Snake River Valley): Modern, plush, peachy, and likes its toast with butter. $25 B
- 2016 Sawtooth GSM (Snake River Valley): Smoked meat served on a piece of charred gourmet toast, with espresso after. $NA B+
- 2016 Koenig Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon (Snake River Valley): Cassis, tomato leaf, dried herbs, vivacity… it wants you to love it, and you probably will. $25 B+
image: SBNation.com
NBA living-legend LeBron James appears to be the real deal. And I’m not talking about his on-the-court abilities, which are justifiably considered among the greatest of all time, or even his acting credentials (I dare you to watch his movie cameos and declare him un-funny), which are quite good.
I’m talking about his wine chops. Or, at least, his tastes when it comes to selecting wine (or drinking the wine that gets selected for him, maybe?).
Now, despite my near-endlessly professed love for the six-time Superbowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers, the world of professional sports doesn’t often cross our vinous paths here at 1WD; but I was asked by SBNation writer Tim Cato to provide my thoughts on some of the wines featured by James in one of his recent Instagram posts.
Said thoughts on this undeniably, incredibly important matter are included alongside those of winemaker Randall Grahm, writer Meg Houston Maker, and hospitality professor Dr. Han Wen in Cato’s article, which you can read at https://www.sbnation.com/2017/11/28/16710156/lebron-james-wine-incredible-taste-experts-agree.
The TLDR version: James’ picks are legit. They include an `07 Mayacamas Cab, a pretty killer Chassagne-Montrachet, and one of Cathy Corison’s Kronos reds.
L-E-G-I-T.
But you can check out our quoted ramblings and decide about James’ wine-picking prowess yourselves.
Cheers!
