Blog Posts Across Wine To The Face

RARA for ZAZA

Zaza Puchilia of the Atlanta Hawks recently bought Eno Restaurant in Atlanta. Planning to stock it with Georgian (the country) wine, Zaza joins the list of Celebrity wino's. I am fifty on fifty on Georgian wine. With out a quality assurance program in place similar to the old world regions… Continue

Posted by Gabe Holmes on October 31, 2009 at 4:00pm — No Comments

Antonio Banderas Does Wine

Antonio Banderas has bought into the winery Anta Banderas. I have not scene their wines here on the west coast, but I am intrigued by anything from Ribiero Del Duero in western Spain. He seems to blend Cabernet and Merlot… Continue

Posted by Gabe Holmes on October 17, 2009 at 1:37pm — No Comments

How to Remove Wine Stains From Clothing

1.) Blot dry with a paper towel on both the front and back of stain. Note to self: Do not push hard because this will make the stain worse 2.) mix a small amount of laundry detergent (no bleach) with hydrogen peroxide in cold water and dunk the stain for one to two hours. 3.) If stain is still present, sprinkle kosher salt or baking soda over the stain and let sit for a few minutes. Wash away the salt with a damp cloth. 4.) Once complete with steps one to three wash normally with a washing ma… Continue

Posted by Gabe Holmes on July 19, 2009 at 12:47pm — 2 Comments

Wine Tourism in Douro Valley... wine tour on 1st October to 5th 2009

Wine Tours to the Douro Valley and Vinho Verde Wine Regions Associated with Vitoria Koi Limited, Portugal Next trip, primarily by UK wine-trade visitors, envisaged as being from: Thursday, 1st October ~ Monday, 5th October 2009. Programme Subject to convenient Outward & Retur… Continue

Posted by Victor Marques on July 8, 2009 at 11:51am — No Comments

PRESENTATION OF PORT WINE... Victor Marques Douro Valley

Our port is divine

The sky is light blue, The river still there for you, Hor… Continue

Posted by Victor Marques on June 22, 2009 at 3:25pm — No Comments

Douro Valley... Great Place..Victor Marques

Hospede inúmeras fotos no slide.com GRÁTIS!

Thanks Bob for coming to Douro Valley.. One of my poems: Networking in a sunny day, Living along life in a very fresh way, Up the hills with your brave he… Continue

Posted by Victor Marques on June 22, 2009 at 3:23pm — No Comments

Douro Valley... Great Place..Victor Marques

Thanks Bob for coming to Douro Valley.. One of my poems: Networking in a sunny day, Living along life in a very fresh way, Up the hills with your brave he… Continue

Posted by Victor Marques on June 22, 2009 at 3:23pm — No Comments

Keating Malbec... Best Malbec Outside of Mendoza

It is hard to compete with Mendoza, but Keating Wines makes a killer Malbec that reminds me of the southern hemisphere. The grapes are sourced from rockpile in northern Sonoma and there is clearly a good amount of sun and heat in the wine.… Continue

Posted by Gabe Holmes on May 31, 2009 at 9:51am — No Comments

London International wine fair... 12th -14th May.. Victor Marques

The London Wine fair it was for me a fantastic experience regarding my passion for wines and people! As a proud producer from Douro Valley arrived very early and parked the car! After a few minutes Nicholas Collis Join me at Excel Building.… Continue

Posted by Victor Marques on May 21, 2009 at 4:31pm — No Comments

Ridge, Cabernet/Merlot, Santa Cruz Mountains, 2004

I have only been lucky enough to try some of Ridge's Zinfindel's and two different Syrah's, but no Bordeaux Verietals from Santa Cruz. This guy is dense and dark with lots of length that seems to stretch out for a good twenty seconds. What made it a cut above my usual Cabernet was the… Continue

Posted by Gabe Holmes on April 18, 2009 at 10:31am — No Comments

Gary V Is Still Doing Stuff

The in-your-face Jets fan, turned wine drinking icon, has just launched a TV show aimed at women in the 25-55 age bracket. Look out Opera, Gary V is comin' to get ya!!… Continue

Posted by A Holmes on February 27, 2009 at 11:27am — No Comments

Poetry is people, good wines, feelings, hill sides, rivers..

Poetry is a great way of showing yourself. . The major markets are dominated by fiction, self help, political and business books. Most new books of poetry sell fewer than a thousand copies and those that reach the tens of thousands are considered highly successful. . Most book publi… Continue

Posted by Victor Marques on February 25, 2009 at 6:54am — No Comments

Sisab 2009 Wine international food fair Lisbon 9th - to 11st February

SISAB 2009

SISAB 2009 – International Trade Fair for Wine, Seafood and Agricultural Products – was Holden from 9 to 11 of February, 2009, in Lisbon, Portug… Continue

Posted by Victor Marques on February 25, 2009 at 6:53am — No Comments

Wine Tourism in Douro Valley

Wine tourism in Douro Valley Firstly, let's keep it simple. If tourism is simply the provision of goods and services that attract tourists, then 'wine tourism' is the same but has the added influence of wine. Wine tourism is not only associated with cellar door wineries, rather all b… Continue

Posted by Victor Marques on February 25, 2009 at 6:51am — 7 Comments

Introduction to Mendoza's Uco Valley

Mendoza has become a household name for even non wine afficianados, but no one knows the sub districts off hand unless you have travelled to the land closer to Santiago Chile then Buenos Aires and the rest of Argentina. Of all the sub districts in Mendoza, the Uco Valley is has the highest… Continue

Posted by Gabe Holmes on January 19, 2009 at 9:00am — No Comments

International wine challenge 2008 London... our wine red velvet was bronze medal...

Douro Valley is a fantastic place for viticulture and producers are victims of the portuguese paradox, despite being one of the most important and oldest wine region. Douro valley its not only Port wine,, in 2 years time Touriga nacional will be a target for wine lovers...A… Continue

Posted by Victor Marques on January 14, 2009 at 2:35am — No Comments

Appalachian Apropos

After hitting the trail near sundown, lugging tons of gear uphill, and without much idea how far away The Trail was...we settled into a makeshift clearing and called it camp. Dinner was heating up, fennel chicken sausage and fusilli with peas, what better time to help lighten the load than by breaking into the vino. When I purchased Waters Crest Merlot in the East End I was nervous, the tasting room was in a strip mall -- last time I get snooty about that. It was gloriously raw, like the rich ea… Continue

Posted by Katy on December 28, 2008 at 6:56pm — No Comments

A Recession Hits, but a Stronger US Dollar Means European Wine is Less Expensive

The current economic woes are bad and all, but check out how the US Dollar has strengthened against the Euro since the summer. Although the move has only made up some of the ground lost against the Euro over the last five years, that Mouton Rothschild should be roughly 30% less expensive than it was in July.

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Posted by Gabe Holmes on November 27, 2008 at 8:19am — No Comments

KO Prime in Boston Needs Better Wine Glasses

KO Prime is one of the better restaurants I have eaten at in Boston, but for such a swank place the wine glasses were too small. I need room to swirl and really get my nose in there. No such luck. I should have ordered more Sam Adams. Continue

Posted by Gabe Holmes on November 25, 2008 at 8:00pm — No Comments

I Go All the Way To MenDoza - And This Website has All the Wines I Was not "Allowed" to Ship Home

Vines of Mendoza has... 1.) 40 wines I have only scene available before in Argentina 2.) Argentina wines classified by local growing district and not just "Mendoza" 3.) UNfortunately - A viscious shiping cost of roughly ten dollars per bot… Continue

Posted by Gabe Holmes on November 18, 2008 at 4:00am — No Comments

7 Places to Find Wine Discounts When Buying Online

Holiday season is almost upon us and there are plenty of places to find wine discounts online. While we all drink 2x more wine, here are a couple places I've found that will help you save money when buying wine online. Many online wine retailers will be offering free shipping, plus flat or percentage discounts on wine purchases. Here we go: RetailMeNot - Wine - My favorite of all the online coupon sites. Browse by v… Continue

Posted by A Holmes on November 12, 2008 at 1:44pm — No Comments

Yulamba

Anyone familiar? I fell in love with the shiraz....love a dry wine... Continue

Posted by Patricia on November 11, 2008 at 9:20pm — No Comments

Oh look - a post about Obama

The Morning After “What an election”, she sighed – rolling over. That obama was something else. “Huh? Oh, yeah – definitely”, Duncan wasn’t really paying attention very well – his thoughts were elsewhere, not terribly far, but not there with Alison, her newly cropped jet black hair or her obama. On his way to work in the 30x bus from the Presidio on down to Montgomery St. there were still seats available, and he was lucky enough to get a spot next to some fairly quiet and pleasant smelling peo… Continue

Posted by William White on November 7, 2008 at 11:56am — No Comments

Odd combo

Good Combo: Sauvignon Blanc + Spicy Doritos + Dill Pickle Dip. Maybe its just me. Continue

Posted by Mitch on November 4, 2008 at 5:55pm — 1 Comment

new Fav!

Cooralook Pinot Noir.. Au Mm m m .. good! .an "oak woody" tase and smell with that "fresh from the wine barrel taste that I personally love" 8-) A new winner for me. Continue

Posted by Cathy on November 1, 2008 at 7:30pm — No Comments

Ode to.... Second Job?

Last weekend I went back to Behreins and HItchcock for the first time in twelve months. The wines are still as big and beefy as red wine can get. For the second time in twelve months I was blown away with a style of red wine that is that much more real than the rest of Napa's overly… Continue

Posted by Gabe Holmes on November 1, 2008 at 2:56pm — 1 Comment

A Simple Wine Pairing Chart.

I am just starting to get into cheese, but I found this chart to be helpfull. Wine type is on the left. Asti Spumanti - baby swiss Beaujolais - US brie, feta, muenster Bordeaux - havarti Cabernet Sauvignon - US brie, camembert, strong cheddar, Danish blue Champagne - vintage brie, mild cheddar, chevre, colby, edam, gouda Chardonnay - mild cheddar, gruyere, provolone Chenin Blanc - camembert Gewurztraminer - boursin, caraway, chevre, swiss Madeira - bleu Riesling - cheshire, colby, edam, gouda,… Continue

Posted by Gabe Holmes on September 22, 2008 at 6:30pm — 3 Comments

Another Point for Cork

( CC BY-NC-ND, Mmm...Fiber! Flickr) Corks rule, thank you Umbra Continue

Posted by Katy on September 17, 2008 at 2:22pm — 1 Comment

A Quick Trip to Croatia

After needing an inexpensive white wine to open after four tremendous bottles, I casted a nervous eye on the Krizevci, Grasevina, 2006. I have not had much Cro… Continue

Posted by Gabe Holmes on September 13, 2008 at 4:07pm — 2 Comments

Twenty Bucks for Marsalla!!? Atleast the Wine List is Legit

Some observations on Gaylord's Indian Restaurant in downtown San Francisco: 1.) It is expensive. We are talking 20 bucks an entree. (I may have read through the check three times in disbelief). 2.) It could be the best Indian Food in the city. We are not talking overly experimental… Continue

Posted by Gabe Holmes on September 11, 2008 at 5:08pm — No Comments

Amarone Does Exist Outside of Northern Italy!

After visiting over one hundred wineries in the last year, I have finally found a wine prepared in the Amarone style. Amarone is a wine from northern Italy's Valpolicella's district that lays their top grapes in the sun for a few weeks to enhance the concentration and sugar before fermen… Continue

Posted by Gabe Holmes on September 8, 2008 at 6:30pm — No Comments

Berenger Knight Valley 2004 Cabernet

...heaven Continue

Posted by PJ on September 6, 2008 at 2:34pm — 1 Comment

Wine Tasting in Mendoza

1.) Book a Tour Through a Third Party Almost all wineries are not open to the public. If they are you have to make an appointment, which are hard to come by. We booked a tour through Ampora and had one of our best tasting experiences ever. 2.) Higher Altitude will Mean More Concentrat… Continue

Posted by Gabe Holmes on September 1, 2008 at 3:11pm — 1 Comment

Matanzas Creek is Old School

Regardless of the 2 million dollar tasting room, I felt like I was tasting old-school California wine when I visited the Matanzas Creek tasting room. The Jackson Park Merlot is just plain killer. It is 100% Merlo… Continue

Posted by Gabe Holmes on August 20, 2008 at 5:52pm — No Comments

Try 75 South Afican Wines Tomorrow in San Francisco for only 45 Bucks

South African wine is still underappreciated for a wine region that pulls out some pretty gnarly stuff. I find them to be the earthiest and plummiest red wine on earth. I often get a "funk" sensation - as in flavors I am not sure about. Regardless, this tasting caught my eye when it wa… Continue

Posted by Gabe Holmes on August 19, 2008 at 9:30pm — No Comments

A Lot of Hype and a Lot of Juice Goes Into The Olema Napa Cabernet, 2005

When I went to a Napa tasting event a couple of months ago everyone was raving about the Olema Napa Cab. Although it is one hell of a Cabernet and inepensive for Napa grapes, I still find… Continue

Posted by Gabe Holmes on August 18, 2008 at 6:30pm — No Comments

The Scourge of Napa Valley

"California winemaker Fred Franzia says the world would be better off without all that expensive Napa Valley wine. And that's not just an opinion--it's a business plan." Hey All! Just thought you'd find this amusing: http://www.inc.com/magazine/20060501/franzia.html Continue

Posted by mimi on August 18, 2008 at 3:00pm — No Comments

You are Crazy to Live in San Francisco and not Check out Jacuzzi Vineyards

Reasons, listed in no particular order: 1.) It is only one hour north 2.) They have twenty wines to try free of charge 3.) It is across the street from Cline 4.) They have olive oil tasting 5.) The wines are as well received as any wines in Sonoma 6.) It is almost all Italian Varietals Continue

Posted by Gabe Holmes on August 12, 2008 at 8:30pm — No Comments

Il Ruffiano Valpolicella Superiore 2005 is Worth A Gulp

From the same district of the famed Amarone's, I have decided to watch my wallet and go for a Valpolicalla Superiore. Valpolicella is a district of North East Italy (Near Venice) and the wines are made with 20 different local grapes. To appreciate a real Valpolicella you need to ignor… Continue

Posted by Gabe Holmes on August 10, 2008 at 4:24pm — No Comments

And now, a report from the South Fork

What better way to unwind than wine? No wait, I'm not that hopelessly devoted. On my third day of freedom, I dusted off the bike and took to the idyllic pasture of the South Fork of eastern long island. After a lobster roll at Sag Harbor, we headed down to… Continue

Posted by Katy on August 3, 2008 at 3:58pm — 2 Comments

Jumilla (A Southern Spanish Wine Region) to the Face

I am on a Spanish wine kick because of the low price for old world wine and a hotness found in all their wines. Rather than going for the two older and snobbier regions of Priorot and Rioja I have begun to venture to other more obscure regions. My recent favorites have included Bierzo… Continue

Posted by Gabe Holmes on July 27, 2008 at 1:00pm — No Comments

President Bush Thinks Wall Street is Taking Too Much Wine to the Face

Really!? Really!? http://caffertyfile.blogs.cnn.com/2008/07/23/pres-bush-wall-street-got-drunk/ Continue

Posted by Gabe Holmes on July 23, 2008 at 6:00pm — 1 Comment

Excuse Me While I Enjoy My South Asian Soup Made From Wine.

I do not know if the wine is necessary, but this recipe is lights out. I hope you like acidity. Continue

Posted by Gabe Holmes on July 21, 2008 at 9:00pm — No Comments

Spring Mountain Struting it's Stuff

It is not a Pride Merlot of a Behrens and Hitchcock killer cab, but it is very crushable. Jumping into the Terra Valentine 2004 Cabernet you will receive tons… Continue

Posted by Gabe Holmes on July 19, 2008 at 2:00pm — No Comments

Tired With Football Facts on ESPN.com? Try These Guys:

ESPN.com is lights out w/ its breadth of knowldge and general news. My favorite feature is it has profiles on every player it mentions. That being said I cannot stress the power of a second opinion on draft and offseason commentary. Walterfootball.com I am not sure who runs it, but they play the "expert" role and clearly follow the game as well as any writer for ESPN. I love the blunt language and endless NFL draft news.… Continue

Posted by Gabe Holmes on July 13, 2008 at 2:57pm — No Comments

Upcoming Wine Tasting Events in the Bay Area

I was intrigued by the German Dinner next weekend. Only caveat is it costs over one hundred bucks. UGH! Jul 13, 2008 (Sun) Italian Wines All the Time San Francisco Jul 15, 2008 (Tue) The Soul of Syrah! A comparative tasting (tickets available) San Francisco Jul 16, 2008 (Wed) Regional Italian Focus: The Wine & Food of Alto Adige (tickets available) San Francisco Jul 19, 2008 (Sat) German Wine Dinner San Francisco Jul 19, 2008 (Sat) Bay Area Singles Party Near San Francisco (East Bay) (ticke… Continue

Posted by Gabe Holmes on July 13, 2008 at 9:28am — No Comments

Experience New Territory with the Petalos 2006.

Two things going on here: 1.) This wine is made with 100% Mencia. A light red wine grape found in western Spain – this guy is light and velvety, but with a serious dark fruit component often found in warm weather wines. I found Mencia in this bottle to be similar to Carignan’s grown ba… Continue

Posted by Gabe Holmes on July 11, 2008 at 7:56pm — No Comments

MUGA MUGA MUGA!!!!

For all of you Petite Sirah lovers who crave what I like to think of as, "wine with balls", I recomend a trip on the Spain Train and into the hills of Rioja (Think Bordeaux of Spain and…

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Posted by Gabe Holmes on July 8, 2008 at 6:29pm — 2 Comments

Take a Face Plant into S. African Asphalt with the Ayama Pinotage 2005

Like a New Yorker w/ no delivery options at four in the morning I needed a red wine that could stand up to a physical red duck curry dish w/ extra coconut and pineapple. In short: I needed a red wine with umph, but not a fruit bomb that makes u think of Austral…

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Posted by Gabe Holmes on July 7, 2008 at 8:06pm — 1 Comment

Buy from Small Producers Online!

So I might be plugging my brother's friend's wine store a little here, but it's deserved. His site is www.clintonwine.com. He stocks mostly small producers that are hard to find. When I went into his store in Clinton, NJ, he hooked me up with several awesome bottles including a mindblowing $30 amarone (unheard of!!!). Anyways, give it a look-see.

And if you don't find what you're looking for there, check out…

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Posted by Cooley on July 4, 2008 at 4:47pm — 1 Comment

I Think You Should Jump Onto the Old-School America Train and Appreciate Beringer Cabernet Sauvignon

Oldest winery in Napa Valley - check

Strong taste of dirt (good thing) - check

Enjoyed by others - check

I hate to waste my alcohol consumption on everyday red wine, but Beringer has allways been very enjoyable. It will not g…

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Posted by Gabe Holmes on July 3, 2008 at 5:28pm — No Comments

Who Needs Corn and Sugar. Wine May be the Answer to the Oil Crises.

If Prince Charles can do it I can do it.

Who needs corn based ethanol and Brazil's Flex cars powered from sugar cane when u have wine. When the UK Telegraph mentions wine as a fuel for Prince Edwards car I wonder why there is no commodity exchange that allows me to buy into the future price of jug wine.

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Posted by Gabe Holmes on June 30, 2008 at 6:33pm — 1 Comment

Bremer Vineyards is Just Another Overated Napa Winery

I have had so much luck with Spring Mountain District in northern Napa that I spent a day checking out Howell Mountain on the other side of St Helena. Out of pure cha…

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Posted by Gabe Holmes on June 27, 2008 at 10:38am — 2 Comments

CMS 2006 Red Blend by Hedges Brings the Thunder

I am becoming more and more intrigued with Washington State wine and decided to venture over to KandL and give the CMS blend a whirl. Very light and tight for the first half hour, but starts to open up over time leading to r… Continue

Posted by Gabe Holmes on June 25, 2008 at 6:06pm — No Comments

The Zohan Takes Israeli Wine to the Face

I am yet to see the movie (as well as literally all but one movie in the theatres in the last 12 months), but Adam Sandler gets down with…

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Posted by Gabe Holmes on June 23, 2008 at 5:59pm — No Comments

Rimon Pomegranate Wine from an Israeli Wine Club

I recently started a wine club for Israeli Wines: http://IsraelWineCompany.com
A lot has been written lately about this new and up and coming region of the world (not just war, but wine too!!)

One of the last shipments for the wine club included Rimon Pomegranate Dessert Wine. If you like Cannonball, this will knock your suit off. It is actually imported by someone in the Cannonball Company...

I have tasting notes on my site, but it reminds me of that first rain in the fal… Continue

Posted by Ari on June 22, 2008 at 10:53pm — 1 Comment

The Lobster Restaurant on Santa Monica Peer is Not a Tourist Trap

Try their gilled lobster flown in daily from Maine or their Salmon sashimi and u will not be disspointed. I even was a fan of both Spatlese German Rieslings that were available for under 50 bucks a bottle. The view is great. The food is great. A little pricey,…

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Posted by Gabe Holmes on June 22, 2008 at 8:37am — 1 Comment

Pinot Days 2008

It's that time of year again. Go here and get your tickets for Pinot Days '08. If you've never been to one of these events, they are off the hook - two football field sized warehouses with tasting tables lining the sides and center with Pinot from all over the west coast. You can go and generally get to know your pinot, find some choice wines you'll…

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Posted by William White on June 18, 2008 at 1:36pm — 1 Comment

Does Vegetarianism Make you a Better Athlete?

I'm torn. On one hand I crave meat after workouts. On the other hand studies show vegie people tend to perform better over time. Considering Prince Fielder (guy in picture) weighs almost 300 pounds and is a vegan, I think it is safe to say Vegetarianism d…

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Posted by Gabe Holmes on June 17, 2008 at 4:31pm — 1 Comment

OMG. Steve Sherman is Doing a Riesling Tasting Tomorrow for 15 Bucks

William Cross Wine Merchants

Wednesday, June 18, 2008
6-9pm
German Wines
In honor of Riesling Week

Any excuse to taste German Wines is all I need, but a national campaign for Riesling Week seemed
too easy. So, get ready for a good dose of Riesling, along with a Silvaner and Pinot Noir. These are
some of the most food friendly wines, along with a high degree of yumminess.
So get your lederhosen and come on by.

2005 Dr. Heyden Pinot Noir… Continue

Posted by Gabe Holmes on June 17, 2008 at 3:14pm — No Comments

Korbel

Champagne would have been appropriate as we bombed towards Jenner beach in the Russian River Valley blasting Chromeo on repeat in our rented white Chrysler Sebring convertible. It's not a super fancy car - but a novelty against the citicarshare scions or Ford Focus which are more reasonable weekend warrior road trippers.

Once in Russian River Valley we stayed in a charming little camp ground - the majority of whi…

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Posted by William White on June 16, 2008 at 2:57pm — 2 Comments

Wellington's Noir De Noir Strikes Again

For the third time this year I was blown away with Wellington Vineyard's Noir de Noir. The grape is…

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Posted by Gabe Holmes on June 14, 2008 at 12:49pm — 2 Comments

Whew. Bonny Doon Winery Survives Santa Cruz Forrest Fire.

Sometimes it is good to have Karma on your side.

According to the San Jose Press, the Bonny Doon tasting room survives the drastic forrest fire north of Santa Cruz. Considernig their grapes are g…

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Posted by Gabe Holmes on June 13, 2008 at 11:54am — 4 Comments

Nothing Helps Take Wine to Face Like Wine in Cocktails

I had Qualimotcho (sp?) when I was in Spain ten years ago. TIME TO GET CREATIVE. Continue

Posted by Gabe Holmes on June 11, 2008 at 8:25pm — No Comments

Mukuzani: Stalin's Favorite Wine

Ex-Soviet dictator, Josef Stalin is said to have favored the wine Mukuzani, which is made with unique grapes from the Khaketi district in Georgia.

Its not too surprising that Stalin's favorite wine is from h…

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Posted by A Holmes on June 10, 2008 at 2:24pm — 2 Comments

Dynamite Merlot Crushes the Competition

After years of seaking out the "everyday red wine", I have found my magic touch. Like the Dutch crushing the Italians in Euro 8 I needed a wine that just flat out beats the competition. Serious tannin. Serious fruit up front. I would never guess this guy…

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Posted by Gabe Holmes on June 9, 2008 at 8:36pm — 2 Comments

Dolphin Seafood has Horrible Seafood

Hanging out in Boston's Harvard Square, (Yes - where Harvard University is, but I have zero ties to the university) I had the luxury of allowing my parents to take me out to Dolphin Seafood. All the food was overcooked and almost everything had a fried accompaniment. The wine… Continue

Posted by Gabe Holmes on June 8, 2008 at 9:10am — 2 Comments

Cellar Defenders - June

Cellar Defender: A term referring to dri…

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Posted by William White on June 6, 2008 at 1:58pm — 3 Comments

Plavac, Dingac Dry Red Wine, Croatia, 2005

I use the word "tight" when describing wine as much as:

"dark fruit"

"serious"

"unbelievable"

"this guy"

In reality this guy is as tight as they come. It is so tight I cannot even drink it. I find a lot of Italian wine to be a bi…

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Posted by Gabe Holmes on June 2, 2008 at 7:50pm — 3 Comments

Like Mendocino Wine? Try out Wines from the Rogue Valley in Southern Oregon.

A good amount of Mendocino wines are organic, farmed in house and very raw. The district as a whole is just north of Sonoma and surrounded by lush redwoods.

Similarly, the Rogue Valley in southern Oregon borders a well known district (W… Continue

Posted by Gabe Holmes on May 31, 2008 at 12:49pm — No Comments

Golden Glass Tasting Event in SF Next Weekend is a Must Attend.

Half of SF's wine store owners have mentioned to me that the Golden Glass tasting event in SF is a must attend. This event used to be exclusive to Italian wines, but now includes all of the exciting new world countries. Where else in San Francisco will u be able to taste the different terroirs of South Africa's Stellenbosch District?

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Posted by Gabe Holmes on May 31, 2008 at 12:33pm — No Comments

You can Make it Little Fella: 60 Pounds of Lobsters go up in Flames as James Hook and Co. Burns to the Ground.

The Landmark James Hook and Company in Boston catches fire and burns to the ground. Ouch!!!!! Continue

Posted by Gabe Holmes on May 31, 2008 at 12:28pm — 1 Comment

Update on Floping Italy Producers - They have Untill June 23rd to Get With the Program

A while back I mentioned Brunello di Montalcino wine producers were caught mislabeling their hot shot italian wine. Now our US government is giving them 25 days to get with the program. Personally, I love Brunello di Montalcino's (even though I usually go Rosso) and I am fine with a little bit of mislabeling if the product…

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Posted by Gabe Holmes on May 29, 2008 at 4:20pm — No Comments

Having Dinner with a Billionaire – And How to Make Sure They Cover the Wine Bill

I had the luxury of having dinner with Liquidnet Founder Seth Merrin two weeks ago. (Think this guy age forty five.) Unfort…

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Posted by Gabe Holmes on May 29, 2008 at 4:06pm — No Comments

Anyone Have Four Grand?

This post is not me. In fact, i cut and Paste it from a buddies IM. I would not spend 4 grand on a bottle of wine. I would rather buy a 40 dollar bottle of wine form the 100 best wine producing countries in the world.

1997 Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon ($3900.00) 100 points Robert Parker:

"It doesn't get any better than 1997 Cabernet Sauvignon, a perfect wine. Representing the essence of cassis liqueur intermixed with blackberries, minerals, licorice, and to…

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Posted by Gabe Holmes on May 29, 2008 at 12:26pm — 1 Comment

Hong Kong Removes Their 40% Import Tax on Wine.

Hong Kong recently removed their 40% import tax on wine, opening the doors to what could be the largest bump in international wine sales in the last ten years. Recently, wine sales tre… Continue

Posted by Gabe Holmes on May 26, 2008 at 2:09pm — No Comments

UC Davis Business Student Invents New Cork.

A new young mind in central California went ahead and invented a new alternative to wine corks. He even got 15,000 in funding. A different cork for different wines will be a huge benefit to the wine world. Continue

Posted by Gabe Holmes on May 25, 2008 at 7:07am — 1 Comment

1300 in the Fillmore District is the Only Time I Could not Finish my Meal.

San Francisco's new soul food hotspot, 1300, brings the heat,…

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Posted by Gabe Holmes on May 24, 2008 at 1:10pm — 1 Comment

Bearboat, Pinot Noir 2005, Sonoma. Does the Label Turn you Off?

Justin Hughes of Baraka tells me, "the wine is fantastic, but the label is a little off". However, the wine clerk at William Cross is fine with the label. He looked at me very wierd when I mentioned I found the label to be a little two-buck-chuckish as well.…

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Posted by Gabe Holmes on May 21, 2008 at 4:12pm — No Comments

MIcrosoft CEO Takes an Egg to the Face.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUZNw7h96WU&feature=related

Can anyone understand what the guy screams before throwing it?

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Posted by Gabe Holmes on May 21, 2008 at 4:05pm — 3 Comments

Like Northern Italian Wine? Travel Next Store to Slovenia and be just as Happy.

Most wine store owners barely know where Slovenia is. It usually takes them a few seconds to think through other Eastern European wines they c…

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Posted by Gabe Holmes on May 19, 2008 at 6:56pm — No Comments

Presidential Candidates as South American Red Wine. I am here to help u people!

A comparison of the 2008 presidential candidates to South American Red Wine

…

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Posted by Gabe Holmes on May 19, 2008 at 11:07am — 1 Comment

Norman Vineyards No Nonsense Red is a Little Aggressive

Norman Vineyards down in Paso Robles, (you may have heard of their "Monster Zin"), produces a "no nonsense" red blend, which is a bi…

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Posted by Gabe Holmes on May 18, 2008 at 7:40pm — 1 Comment

Puglia's Tormaresca Blend is as Funky as Galactic

Straight from New Orleans, Galactic brings the funk.

…

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Posted by Gabe Holmes on May 17, 2008 at 10:02am — 1 Comment

Cannonball!!!!!! Cannonball Cab Brings the Jam and the Love.

I went to a Wine 2.0 tasting a few weeks ago and the Cannonball stood out against thirty other California red wines. Very big and jammy with some serious red rasberry notes. If u like "California Zins" I would give the cannonball a shot. As two buddies and me…

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Posted by Gabe Holmes on May 17, 2008 at 9:51am — 1 Comment

I drink White Wine Too. Mil Piedras Viognier is a Summer Wine.

Straight from the Mendoza hills come a wine super light in color (think straw) and taste. Serve chilled against any kind of hot weather cuisine and you will be rewarded. I did not get the usual strong notes of peach that usually accompanies Viog… Continue

Posted by Gabe Holmes on May 17, 2008 at 9:46am — No Comments

Robert Mondavi Passes Away

Robert Mondavi passed away today at the ripe age of 94. The venerable Hugh Heffner of the California wine community may have been the singlest most important individual to have gnarled his years away in Napa Valley.

http://w…

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Posted by William White on May 16, 2008 at 5:13pm — No Comments

Tell People You Drink Wine on Facebook or MySpace

To add, click the 'Share' button in the bottom right corner.

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Posted by A Holmes on May 16, 2008 at 1:37pm — 1 Comment

Don't Knock the Hustle. Girl Scout sells 200,000 cookies.

http://news.aol.com/story/_a/girl-scout-sells-17328-boxes-of-cookies/20080515113709990001

OK, so 17,238 boxes may not add up to exactly 200K cookies, but it is still significant.

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Posted by Gabe Holmes on May 15, 2008 at 12:39pm — 2 Comments

Feel Free to Use the Following Slang on winetotheface.com

Only the NY Post would keep me this hip.

* textual relations: text-message dirty talk

* OMFG: oh my bleeping God

* a - - hat: a stupid person

* gnar gnar: even better than gnarly

* cowboy up: be a man

* wizard: cool

* toolbox: a bigger tool than a regular tool

* trunk full of crunk: a car trunk with alcohol

* dormcest: sex betwee…

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Posted by Gabe Holmes on May 14, 2008 at 2:55pm — 5 Comments

Down with Oregon Wine? Come to the Tasting Event at 1 Fort Mason Center Tomorrow.

The tasting evnet is supposed to only be for industry insiders, but I am sure non -industry people could get creative to get a pass.

Here is the link for more info:

http://explorer.oregonwine.org/events_industry.php?id=27&action=info

There will be literally 50 killer producers. The wines will mostly be mom and pop shops.

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Posted by Gabe Holmes on May 12, 2008 at 11:39am — No Comments

Here Frenchy Frenchy

This was a good grab at K&L San Francisco after seeing the Giants tear apart Philly this past Saturday. I don't usually spend money on older wine - this one is a '96 - let alone the inflated French stuff, but the bottle was in the 20 to 30 dollar range and…

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Posted by William White on May 11, 2008 at 8:17pm — 1 Comment

Like Justin Wines? Try Carmody McKnight and Denner.

Justin Wines are big and crowd pleasing, but there grapes are mostly outsourced from other Paso Robles vineyards.

Carmody McKnight was one of the first Paso wineries and sold part of the vineyard to Justin about twenty years ago. The…

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Posted by Gabe Holmes on May 11, 2008 at 2:13pm — No Comments

Hungry Fella? Come Grab Some Grub at Essencia in the Hayes Valley

Yelpers are 50/50. I am 50/50. I thought the food was much better than, Limon. Yes - I think Limon in the Mission is way overated. Essencia is too small and there is n…

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Posted by Gabe Holmes on May 10, 2008 at 12:15pm — 2 Comments

Red Diamond's 2004 Shiraz is really, REALLY boring

Yes, I'm drinking wine at 12:30 PM on a Thursday

No, I'm not at work right now

Yes, I'd do it again given the opportunity

No, I would not drink this wine again

Big fruity flavors up front, and....not much after that. I think the… Continue

Posted by A Holmes on May 8, 2008 at 12:44pm — 5 Comments

Lil Jon's new wine label.

Now where can I buy this fella?

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Posted by Gabe Holmes on May 7, 2008 at 8:41am — 3 Comments

Should you serve red wine chilled?

Try serving your red wine 55 degrees as opposed to the usual 65 degree room temperture and u will not be dissapointed. I allways thought the rule of thumb was colder tempertures will only bring out the acidity and subtle flavors in red wine. A cooler serving temperture will make even the big warm weather red wines taste that much better.

Michael Bauer agrees with me.

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Posted by Gabe Holmes on May 5, 2008 at 7:20pm — 1 Comment

Tandem, Peloton 2005: Blend with a Capital B.

There are over eight grape varieties in this red wine blend, including Gewürztraminer. Why…

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Posted by Gabe Holmes on May 4, 2008 at 12:19pm — 2 Comments

Live in SF and like Chianti?

Biondovino, which is on Green and Polk, is pouring four top notch Chianti Classico's on Wed. William Cross, whch is four doors down, is also doing their usual Wednesday tasting. Anyone down for a Polk street wine crawl?

…

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Posted by Gabe Holmes on May 3, 2008 at 10:53am — No Comments

Screaming Eagle is Too Cool for the Party

Alder, the man behind Vinography.com, says Screaming Eagle has skipped the latest Napa tasting event for industry and press. Are these guys too cult for their own g…

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Posted by Gabe Holmes on May 3, 2008 at 10:42am — 1 Comment

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