Apparently, a French man in the early 1800s became interested in Chilean flora, fauna and geology. Claude Gay became the effective patron saint of local, Chilean plants. Thanks to Claude, anytime you travel to Chile, it is made abundantly clear in all government proclamations that you cannot bring in any plants, fruits or vegetables. A friend inadvertently crossed customs with an apple in his pocket (I believe he was traveling from Taiwan, though he lives in London) about 15 years ago and was firmly reprimanded, despite eating the same apple in the presence of immigration officers.
Read MoreTroon Vineyard 2018 Vermentino Kubli Bench Applegate Valley: Sleek and sexy, this is an enticing Vermentino. It has full-throttle flavor and an intriguing combination of structure and texture that keeps me going back to the glass. The flavors are so subtle as to be elusive. A whiff of flint. A wave of spring flowers. A suspicion of peach pit. It's like a game of catch-what-you-can as the wine evolves in the glass.
Read MoreNortheastern Spain's Cariñena region takes its name from a black grape variety supposedly "born" - or at least originally discovered - there, even if a different black grape variety, Garnacha, is the dominant grape in the region today. While it follows easily enough that a region known for its red wine production may also make rosado, or rosé, it might be surprising that there's white wine crafted there, too. In the end, this all seems very natural. After all, wine - from anywhere - is full of contradictions!
Read MoreTorres 2014 Priorat Salmos: The vibrant mouthfeel and perky acidity were the first things I noticed about this infusion of Carineña, Syrah and Garnacha. Then, I felt the smooth, gilded tannins welling up on the palate along with the rich, concentrated body.
Read MoreGarnacha in Cariñena? Yes, confusingly Cariñena is now more about Grenache than Carignan. But such changes could be expected in a region that – literally – drips with history. In 1415, King Ferdinand I of Aragon declared his love for wines from Cariñena, saying he preferred them “above all others”. (Presumably he was talking about wines made from Cariñena.) In 1773, Voltaire wrote in acknowledgment of a gift of wines from Cariñena, "If this wine is yours, it must be acknowledged that the Promised Land is near."
Read MoreCVNE 2011 Rioja Reserva Viña Real: I tasted one ounce of this wine each day for three days before I wrote a note on that third day. I would decant it at breakfast and leave it until dinner - with zero trepidation.
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