Tag Archives: Cabernet Sauvignon
Oh to live on Mt. Veeder with the Fontanella’s and the colored balloons.

Oh to live on Mt. Veeder with the Fontanella’s and the colored balloons.

Posted 26 February 2010 | By ChrisO | Categories: COMMENTARY | Comments

Ok so perhaps a stretch on the Niel Young lyrics but the sentiment sure is there. It would totally rock to live on Mt Veeder like the Fontanella’s. You see Jeff and wife Karen have something of a paradise property where Jeff crafts some exceptional wines for his own label, as well as for custom crush clients.

Puttin’ the dubya back in wine! Texas style y’all…

Puttin’ the dubya back in wine! Texas style y’all…

Posted 11 February 2010 | By ChrisO | Categories: COMMENTARY, EDUCATION | Comments

All sorts of things probably spring to mind when I say Texas – big, oil, Houston we have a problem, wide open spaces, women with big hair, Texas twangs, over the top state pride, cowboys, former presidents who are cowboys – but my guess is that wine probably doesn’t really make it onto most people’s list.

Podcast 20 True value wines under $25

Podcast 20 True value wines under $25

Posted 30 November 2009 | By ChrisO | Categories: Argentina, PODCASTS, USA, WINE REVIEWS | Comments

In podcast 20 JonM and I explore some value wines under $25 from Argentina, California, and Oregon. When we say “value” we by no means mean cheap, but what we do mean is a wine that delivers way above their price point. We think we found some wines that you are going to like. We also discus some of the limitations of wine retailers and the very arcane system of wine distribution in the US.

Podcast 16 </br> A visit to Smith-Madrone Winery

Podcast 16
A visit to Smith-Madrone Winery

Posted 28 September 2009 | By ChrisO | Categories: PODCASTS | Comments

I, “the everyman’s wine snob”, had the very unique opportunity this last Saturday to visit Smith-Madrone Winery, located atop Spring Mountain in Napa Valley, California. It was an amazing experience and an absolute pleasure meeting both Stu and Charles Smith (owners), who share the responsibility for producing some of the most unique and exciting Rieslings and Cabernet Sauvignons that I have tasted, to date, from Napa Valley.

JonM the “wine snob’s everyman” and I hope you enjoy the podcast we put together about my experience at Smith-Madrone Winery.

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