Cheese

Domestic Selection: Cabernet Sauvignon, 1989. Sunridge

When is a second label not a second label? This selection pro­vides the answer. The exalted Mt. Veeder appella­tion, where this wine comes from, is home to a constellation of star-quality Napa wineries: The Hess Collection, Mayacamas, Mt. Veed­er and Chateau Potelle. Sunridge Cabernet Sauvignon is actually the product of the Chateau Potelle estate winery,… read more »

Domestic Selection: Zinfandel, 1991. Bogle Vineyards

Chris Bogle is the fifth genera­tion of Bogies to farm the fertile Sacramento River Delta region of northern California. In 1968, Chris helped his father, Warren, plant their first vineyard. Then, in 1973, they formed Bogle Vine­yards. With nearly 650 acres under vine, the winery is virtually self sufficient in fruit. In some cases, however,… read more »

Import Selection: Pinot Gris, 1991. Dunavar

This wine comes from the larg­est mountainous wine-growing re­gion in Hungary, Mátraalja, in the foothills of the Mátra mountains. Running from east to west, this mountain range offers ideal viticul­tural conditions to about 30,000 acres of grape vines which thrive on its sunny, south-facing slopes. There are three major quality strata in Hungarian wines. Vin… read more »

Domestic Selection: Cabernet Sauvignon, 1989. McDowell

In 1970, Richard and Karen Keehn purchased over 500 acres in Mendocino’s McDowell Valley. Although grapes for wine produc­tion had been cultivated in this val­ley and sold to Napa, Sonoma and Mendocino wine makers without interruption since the 1890s, no­body had ever put a winery there. The region boasts low fertility, gravely loam soils, ideal… read more »

Import Selection: Tempranillo, 1988. Juame Serra

In the year 1647, on top of a hill that slopes down to the Medi­terranean, in what is now the prov­ince of Cataluna (Catalonia) in Spain, someone constructed a farmhouse in the likeness of a mediaeval fortress. Two hundred years later, this imposing property became a winery, Las Cavas Jaume Serra. Surrounding the cavas (caves… read more »

Import Selection: Cabernet Sauvignon, 1989. Villa Montes

What would happen if: a) Cali­fornia’s leading Consulting Oenol­ogist, Andre Tchelistcheff, formed a partnership with; b) the Dean of the School of Economics and Business Administration of a prominent university plus; c) a ma­jor Napa Valley vineyard owner and; d) a seasoned wine marketing professional with 20 years experi­ence? They call it Domaine Tche­listcheff. One… read more »

Import Selection: Chateau de Gourgazaud, 1988.

It is always pleasure to find a worthy selection from a time-honored winery. This wine originates from a chateau which was, according to the importer’s notes, “restored to its present condition in 1832.” The ancient domaine of Chateau de Gourgazaud is noted, in fact, on maps dating from the seventeenth century. What is more important,… read more »

Domestic Selection: Rsv. Sauvignon Blanc, 1986. Concannon

The Concannon Vineyard is factually a piece of California his­tory, California Historical Land­mark No. 641, to be exact. Over 100 years ago James Concannon founded this venerable operation 50 miles east of San Francisco in the Livermore Valley. This area distinguishes itself from other wine regions of California by its striking similarities to the great… read more »

Domestic Selection: Cabernet Sauvignon, 1987. Hawk Crest

Amongst the resplendent caber­net jewels in Napa’s crown, few sparkle so pre-eminently as those of Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars. I quote here, one who knows whereof he speaks, Warren Wini­arski, winemaker and co-owner of Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars: “Let us take a fresh start by making an as­sumption….that in every class of product there is… read more »

Import Selection: Wintervine, 1988.

Mark Cashmore, a chemistry and physics school teacher, turned winemaker, is giving the French wine industry fits. He is an Aus­tralian winemaker who has dared to try the unusual… made a suc­cess of it… and has had the una­bashed gall to tweek the nose of the French (Hmm!). First he blends Pinot Noir and Cabernet… read more »

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