Category Archives: Notes from the Panel
-
Looking Forward to Penticton
If you are like most folks, you’re asking yourself a question: What’s Penticton? Penticton is a beautiful city in the Okanagan Valley of southern British Columbia, a special place framed by two large mountain lakes that just happens to be blessed with a dry, sunny climate that’s ideal for growing grapes. Penticton is also home Read More
Posted in Notes from the Panel
- May 17, 2013
- by Don Lahey
-
Some Reasons to Drink Cava
Cava is Spain’s answer to Champagne, although a case can be made for Cava offering more of a rebuke to Champagne than a retort. After all, Cava hails from a different climate and terroir than Champagne, and Cava is produced primarily or entirely from indigenous Spanish grape varieties such as Xarelo-lo, Parellada, Viura, and Macabeo, Read More
Posted in Interesting Wine Info, Notes from the Panel, Wine Education
- May 14, 2013
- by Don Lahey
-
Some Random or Not So Random Thoughts
I often wonder why some wines are more popular than others. At first, the answer seems obvious and quite self explanatory. After all, quality, like cream, rises to the top. And given a choice and some experience, most seasoned wine drinkers choose the quality product, especially when price is not influencing their decision – either Read More
Posted in Notes from the Panel
- April 9, 2013
- by Don Lahey
-
It’s about time!
It’s about time that New World wineries caught up with consumers’ tastes. What do I mean by that? Several things! First, more and more wineries in Australia, California, and elsewhere now make proprietary wines, which means wineries are no longer exclusively beholden to varietal bottling (whereby 75%-100% of a given wine comes from a single Read More
Posted in Notes from the Panel
- April 3, 2013
- by Don Lahey
-
The King of Wines, and the Wine of Kings
Barolo has affectionately been referred to as the “King of Wines, and the Wine of Kings.” In a fine vintage and in the hands of a skilled winemaker, Barolo is unquestionably a noble wine fit for a king and the rest of us commoners, too. For savvy consumers who are patient enough to afford Barolo Read More
Posted in Notes from the Panel
- March 27, 2013
- by Don Lahey
-
To Screw or Unscrew the Cap Re-visited
Nearly ten years ago I wrote a feature entitled, “To Screw or Unscrew the Cap” in which I made a case for metal screw caps. A decade ago cork finished nearly every fine bottle of wine and the Stelvin metal cap was a relative novelty, except among Australian and New Zealand wineries. The prevailing sentiment Read More
Posted in Notes from the Panel
- February 21, 2013
- by Don Lahey
-
What to Look for in 2013
I am always looking for wines that are not yet on the tip of everyone’s tongue. Some are relative newcomers, others are ancient varietals whose many attributes are just being discovered or re-discovered in the case of Mencia. Mencia is a red Spanish grape varietal found primarily in the Bierzo, Ribeira Sacra and Valdeorras appellations Read More
Posted in Notes from the Panel
- February 4, 2013
- by Don Lahey
-
The Rhône Valley
The Rhône Valley of France has for many years been one of my favorite wine destinations. The swift flowing Rhône cuts a fine swath as it descends from the Alps to the Mediterranean. The region’s physical beauty and luminous light are legendary, and within sight of the Rhône lay some of the finest vineyards and Read More
Posted in Notes from the Panel
- January 17, 2013
- by Don Lahey
-
Another Seasonal Thought
Some of you have seen this blog post before, but a number of members asked me to repeat it. I think it is as true this year as it was last year, and for generations before that, so here it goes. Conventional thinking tends to relegate Champagne and other fine sparkling wines to special occasions, Read More
Posted in Notes from the Panel
- December 31, 2012
- by Don Lahey
-
Tis the Season to Drink Fine Wine . . .
As the Holidays approach my thoughts turn to the meaning and purpose of the season. My taste buds, however, veer straight to the most venerable part of my wine cellar where the most mature and memorable wines await coveted invitations to grace holiday tables. The season between Thanksgiving and New Years is rich with occasions Read More
Posted in Notes from the Panel
- December 12, 2012
- by Don Lahey
Sign up for our rss feed
