Side Projects-CrossBarn Winery by Paul Hobbs

Photo used with permission from CrossBarn Winery

{These wines were provided as media samples, no other compensation. Thoughts are my own.} This is a second installment in a series about side projects by established winemakers. I hadn’t been home for quite a while, not in winter in nearly a decade. It was late January and darkness had fallen long before I arrived, […]

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What’s Coming in #TXwine?-Part 2-Texas Tuesday

I previously shared about our first stop on the “en primeur” media tasting of barrel tastings in the Texas Hill Country at Wedding Oak Winery. This week, we continue with Texas Tuesday in Tow, Texas. For our next stop on the Roll Out the Barrel Tour, we went back to the root of the Hill […]

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Discovering Michigan Wine-#Winestudio

During the month of February, #Winestudio’s guests were members of the Michigan Wine Collaborative. The member-run organization includes growers, producers, suppliers, educators and more. Together, they provided an insider’s view of the industry and samples for participants. The non-profit’s mission is clear: To enhance the sustainability and profitability of the Michigan wine industry by supporting […]

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Hills and Valleys-Part 3-ROCO Winery

This series covers highlights from my visit to the Willamette Valley last summer. See the previous posts for travel tips and tastings. My first educational introduction to Willamette Valley wines came when Rollin Soles held a tasting at the Red Room in Austin. He poured a few Pinot Noir to compare and share about the […]

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Hills and Valleys-Part 2-Willamette Valley

{This is part two in a series documenting our trip to the Willamette Valley last year. The previous post highlights the coast and McMinnville, Elizabeth Chambers.} The house we rented was located in Sherwood, an immaculate equestrian property fully stocked for a large group and entertaining. When we arrived in early August of 2017, the […]

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Sparkling Monday Wines-Domaine Bousquet

{These wines were received as media samples, no other compensation. Thoughts, opinions are my own.} While Argentina’s Mendoza region may not be synonymous with sparkling wine,  their bubbles should be on your list of wines to explore. I recently sampled two sparklers which far outshine their price point. Produced in the Charmat method, priced around […]

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An Artistic Perspective-Clos Pegase

A well made wine captures an essence. Wine, as with art, leaves an impression. One painting may capture your attention, but a study of a series, of a period paints a more complete picture. So it is with a winemaker, a brand. Bottle by bottle, stroke by stroke, the wines leave an impression.  One bottle hints, but […]

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One Day-New Zealand Wines

There are destinations in this world that I have longed to see for decades. “One day,” I have always said. One day I will have the time. One day I will have the money. One day. And nothing shows me more clearly how one day morphs into years, into decades than our children. My children […]

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Down (and Up) in Kokomo

If I were to say, Kokomo, you might have a Pavlovian reaction. Visions of Tom Cruise flipping a shaker, pouring a blue concoction while the steel drums chime in the background. But the Kokomo I’m referring to takes their beverages much more seriously. Well, kind of. Erik Miller of Kokomo Wines recently made his way […]

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