Tamara and I had some unexpected free time to visit wine country in May while we were in California. We visited some great wineries in Sonoma and Napa. I wanted to spend more time in Sonoma this time as I had previously spent more time in Napa. Plus, we have been on a long-standing Pinot […]
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Does Beaujolais age well?
Does Beaujolais Age Well? It depends… One of my favorite wines to drink year round in Hawaii is Cru Beaujolais. Cru Beaujolais is not exactly the same thing as Beaujolais Nouveau or Beaujolais Village. They are all part of the catch all region of Beaujolais and they are mostly made from the grape called Gamay […]
Continue readingDoes Kauai do corkage?
On Kauai it is totally legal to bring your own bottle of wine into a restaurant. Most restaurant corkage fees, the price charged to bring your own bottle, is between $20-$30. I have not had any issues or attitude with bringing my own bottle into any of the places on the North Shore. Some places […]
Continue readingThe blue clay of Petrus
In the aftermath of the recent Bordeaux seminar we helped organize with Vintus I have been wondering what to share about the experience. We tasted some very good wines at a variety of price points. What lingers with me the most, as with most good wine experiences is the notion of terroir. My favorite of […]
Continue readingWhat color is Bordeaux?
What color is Bordeaux? Bordeaux can be white, red, or even rosé! No wonder you may be confused. Bordeaux wines are generally blends, but not always. There are many grapes permitted in Bordeaux, but the most common for red wines is Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The most common white grapes are Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. […]
Continue readingWhat is Burgundy wine?
What is Burgundy wine? Burgundy is a famous wine growing region in France. White burgundy generally refers to the Chardonnay grape from the region in France called Burgundy. There are other white grapes sometimes found in Burgundy such as Aligote and rarely Sauvignon Blanc, however, white Burgundy is almost always Chardonnay. Red Burgundy generally refers […]
Continue readingBuying older wine
What a gamble buying older vintages of wine can be. And, what a reward when it pays off! I have a great customer who always likes to ask me what I have in with age. Being a retailer in Hawaii, I typically only have access to current releases. Sometimes I can get library released wine […]
Continue readingWhat is Prosecco Wine?
Prosecco is a sparkling wine from Italy. Its name is an actual region with protected status so a Prosecco can only be from the place which is called Prosecco. It used to be made from a grape that was also called Prosecco, but that was leading to some confusion in the marketplace so the grape […]
Continue readingWhat is claret wine?
Exactly what is claret wine? Put simply, claret is a term used for red Bordeaux in England. It is not a protected term in the United States so it is sometimes used to describe any red Bordeaux style blend. It is derived from the French word clairet which describes an old style of Bordeaux that […]
Continue readingWhat is Moscato Wine
Firstly, I must point out that Moscato is the Italian way of saying Muscat. There are several selections of the Muscat grape and it is considered the mother of many grape varietals. Although Moscato and Muscat wines are often sweet, they do not have to be sweet. Muscat is a very aromatic grape that often […]
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