I usually know what I want to drink with any particular dish I am eating. I say usually. Occasionally I either can’t quite figure out what would be best, or I just plain don’t care! This often happens when I grill a great burger and want a nice red to accompany it. Lately I have [...]

As a long time lover of Rhone reds, it was natural that I would get excited by the growing Syrah movement in California. This grape is one of, if not my most, favorite in the red spectrum. I have been a follower of Washington Syrahs for years and I truly believe that California will surpass [...]

Capcanes Mas Donis Barrica Monsant 2005, almost takes as long to say the name of the wine as it does to drink a glass. Now that I have that monster of a name out of the way….this beauty pretty much encapsulates everything I currently love in a red; #1-Spanish, #2-Rhone varietals, #3-Cheap enough to drink [...]

Having steak…Cabernet Sauvignon, Salmon…Pinot Noir, dinner salad…Pinot Grigio. There are some very classic and easy pairings out there. What if you are having pizza for dinner? Or Chili. Or grilled burgers. Complex flavored foods can be very difficult to find everyday wines to compliment. I reach for Cotes du Rhone. The blend of Syrah and [...]

Syrah is the fastest growing (in popularity/planting) grape in our country. Cabernet Sauvignon is still king, but more like a modern day king in his waning years, who has no heir of his own.  I attribute this to two things; the obvious similarity in taste from one Cab to the next (which is one [...]