Blog Index

James Laube

Farewell to the Man and Mentor

Posted: 02:25 PM ET, 05/16/08

We knew this was coming.

Still, when Rob Mondavi called today at 9:53 a.m., with word that his grandfather Robert Mondavi had passed away quietly and peacefully this morning, chills ran up my spine. As I set the phone down, I felt an eerie mix of loss and sadness. Read more

Marvin Shanken

A Legend Lives On

Posted: 02:10 PM ET, 05/16/08

Normally when a person passes away, our memories of him fade over time.

I don't think that this will apply to Robert Mondavi.

Much has been written about him, his life and his many contributions, to wine and beyond. He was a singular man, as focused on one great objective as anyone I have ever known. Read more

James Laube

A Bold Question That Requires Some Finesse

Posted: 05:19 PM ET, 05/15/08

One of our readers, Emily, asked a good question about yesterday’s blog, and I’m glad she did. I’m going to offer an extended reply, since this subject comes up periodically

“Many people accuse you of only liking very young ‘over blown,’ very tannic styles of wines. Read more

Harvey Steiman

RunRig, and More

Posted: 08:34 AM ET, 05/15/08

Torbreck RunRig is one of the champions of Australian Shiraz, made from grand old vines in Barossa Valley in a modern style. It also incorporates a dollop of Viognier, an idea cadged from Côte-Rôtie, where co-fermenting with the white grape is common. Read more

James Laube

No Waiting Game for New Wine Arrivals

Posted: 04:43 PM ET, 05/14/08

It’s been a long-time ritual of mine. Like so many customary habits that become simple routines, whenever I buy a new wine, I open a bottle that same night.

It doesn’t much matter if the winemaker warns not to touch it for four weeks or for four months. Read more

James Molesworth

A Sit Down with Ignacio Recabarren

Posted: 02:16 PM ET, 05/14/08

I sat down earlier this week with Ignacio Recabarren, one of Chile’s leading winemakers, to get caught up on his latest Carmín de Peumo project, a red wine made primarily from the Carmenère grape. After making a name for himself producing the Domus Aurea Cabernet at Viña Quebrada de Macul, Recabarren found a home working for Concha y Toro, where he’s been in charge of their high-end Terrunyo line since the '97 vintage. Read more

James Laube

About Those Reviews, and Agreeing to Disagree

Posted: 01:04 PM ET, 05/13/08

I enjoyed the exchanges about my wine reviews blog as much as any and want to address a couple of questions, queries and, perhaps, concerns.

We know our reviews carry weight and we take that responsibility seriously. Most wines in the Napa office are tasted twice and by two people. Read more

James Suckling

Brunello's Mess Worsens

Posted: 12:08 PM ET, 05/13/08

You are going to see a lot less Brunello di Montalcino in the United States very soon if Italian authorities and wine producers don’t get their act together.

The Italian Embassy in Washington DC recently received notification from the US Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) warning that, beginning on June 9, imports of Brunello di Montalcino to the United States will be blocked unless producers can guarantee that their wines are pure Sangiovese, as required by Italian wine law. Read more

James Molesworth

Do Real Men Drink Rosés?

Posted: 09:30 AM ET, 05/12/08

It seems to be cold and rainy more often than not these days, even though the calendar says it’s spring. Luckily we were given a true spring-like day this weekend, which allowed us to have our first alfresco lunch of the season.

As Nancy and I sat on the back deck with some grilled jalapeño shrimp on a bed of arugula, the meal and setting called for one thing: rosé. Read more

Harvey Steiman

Penfolds St. Henri Shiraz: Old School

Posted: 09:07 AM ET, 05/12/08

For those who like to cellar wines instead of drinking them right away, Penfolds St. Henri Shiraz is just the thing. In some ways it's the polar opposite of Penfolds Grange, Australia's most famous (and extremely ageable) Shiraz. But while Grange tastes amazingly good upon release and continues to develop extra nuances in the bottle, St. Read more

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