Enobytes

Take a stroll down Avenue du Champagne in Epernay and you will see small stone plaques that mark the vineyards owned by the Grandes Marques, the large houses of Champagne. Glance across the landscape, and you would expect the large houses would own all the vineyards as far as the eye can see. On the [...]

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The Prevail Mountain Estate Winery “Back Forty” 2003 is a powerhouse wine that represents Alexander Valley at its best. Deep ruby in color, this wine has concentrated ripe aromas of blackberry, black currant and spice. Dense and full-bodied, the subtle mocha nuances complement the distinct and pronounced layered flavors of raspberry, black licorice and black [...]

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The 2003 Castello Banfi Excelsus is made of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon and 40% Merlot; deep dark ruby in color; wonderful floral nose of cherry and blackberry; palate showing a soft entry of ripe cassis and cherry fruit-forward flavors with a hint of spice; full-bodied and rich; beautiful mid-palette, lingering finish. Big tannins yet well proportioned [...]

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Some of you may not know the Amapola label, but you certainly know the winemaster behind the bottle—Richard Arrowood. In 2010, he left Arrowood to focus on a handful of little gems at Amapola, a tiny ultra-premium winery in Sonoma. I had the pleasure of interviewing Richard shortly after he departed Arrowood and the passion [...]

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It’s a balanced bruiser, the heavyweight of cage-fighters. You can say what you will about so-called corporate wines but when Mondavi say’s it’s the best they have to offer they mean it. Every detail in this wines flavor profile exudes luxury. No expense was spared to produce the wonderful nectar of fermented grape juice I [...]

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Helen Turley first discovered the Upper Barn (an old-clone chardonnay plot) on the Alexander Mountain Estate over a decade ago. Today, this location has been the source for some of California’s best Chardonnays. Perched at at elevation of 1,800 feet, the ’08 Stonestreet Alexander Mountain Estate Upper Barn Chardonnay is a shining example of the [...]

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