These days, you hear more and more about winemakers who participate in projects in places farflung from their home bases. A Napa winemaker might be growing grapes in New Zealand (like Tom Eddy’s TENZ Sauvignon Blanc), or an Australian winemaker teaming up with a Rhone producer (like the Jasper Hill/Chapoutier joint Agly Brothers Cotes du [...]

(Originally published February 2003) Paul Hobb’s established his eponymous winery in 1991 and has been putting out small production, vineyard designated wines that have garnered consistent accolades from the press and wine-buying public alike. Hobbs’ winemaking background includes stints as Head Enologist for Opus One in the early 80s and as Assistant Winemaker for Sonoma’s [...]

(Originally published June 2008) A late night steakhouse meal after a baseball game featured a bottle of Yarra Yering Dry Red Wine No. 1 Yarra Valley. This is a Cabernet Sauvignon blend out of Australia’s Yarra Valley region and one of the country’s most revered and pioneering winemakers, Dr. Bailey Carrodus. (When I visited the [...]

(Originally published August 2008) “Get Barefoot and Have a Great Time” That’s the tagline that appears on each bottle from Barefoot Wine. These are meant to be laid-back, easy-drinking, fun wines – and they are, with pricetags to match. Barefoot Wine is a 2005 addition to the Gallo portfolio, and the brand has benefited not [...]

(Originally published February 2008) We’re broadening the scope of this ongoing features – in addition to keeping up with the goings-on of Les Dames d’Escoffier, we’ll be spotlighting the accomplishments of women in the wine industry. For example, Santa Rita’s Cecilia Torres was recently named the 2007 Chilean Winemaker of the Year by Guia de [...]