grapelive.com

2010 Melville, Syrah “Verna’s Estate Vineyard” Santa Barbara County. The Melville Verna’s Syrah is always a great choice, a wine that offers classy and quality no question, and a wine…

2007 Heitz Cellar, Cabernet Sauvignon “Trailside Vineyard” Napa Valley. The Heitz Cabernet lineup from 2007 all are wonderful wines, from the basic Napa to the intense Martha’s, but I do…

2010 Montalbera, Ruche di Castagnole Monferrato DOC, Piedmonte, Italy. This rare Piedmonte red is like drinking liquid roses and peppered strawberries with mountain herbs, lavender oil and tangy cherry. This…

2009 Domaine des Comte Lafon, Monthelie-Les-Duresses Premier Cru, Red Burgundy. I only had one bottle of this and I lost all sense of discipline when I opened it at dinner,…

2009 Corison, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley. Cathy Corison’s 2009 Napa Cab is a stunning beautiful full of life, focus and very seductive with blueberry, cassis, licorice and black currant layers…

2010 Domaine La Bastide Saint Dominique, Chateauneuf-du-Pape “Secrets de Pignan” Vieilles Vignes, Rhone Red, France. This fantastic Chateauneuf is utterly mind-blowingly good and while still a baby is remarkably easy…

2011 Diatom, Chardonnay “Hanna Shinobu” Sta. Rita Hills. At 13.8% Alcohol the new “Hanna Shinobu” from Greg Brewer’s Diatom label is notably less heady as past versions of his Diatom…

n.v. Billecart-Salmon, Champagne Brut Rose, France. It is nice when a classic gets even better, and that is my reaction to the latest release from Billecart of their famous delicately…

2009 Colleoni, Rosso di Montalcino, Tuscan Red, Italy. Kermit Lynch’s prized new Italian producer from Montalcino is really living up to the hype and are proving to be the great…

n.v. Billecart-Salmon, Champagne Brut “Sous Bois” France. Billecart’s fantastic and dazzling “Sous Bois” Champagne is a special cuvee that is crafted like Krug and Vilmart with wood fermentation and raised…