Author Archives: lcwineguy1997

Getting off to a late start this Advent season – the “In Good Taste” wine advent calendar didn’t arrive here until yesterday so I’m a little behind. That said by tomorrow I’ll detail the wines we’ve tried from Day 1 to Day 4, as well as two “Pre-Advent” that we tried on the First andContinue reading “Late Start this Advent”

Nightfall Country: Spain For the last day of Advent we have a sweet ending. Nightfall is a semi sweet white blend from Spain that is good for pairing with spicy food, or enjoying solo at a festive evening occasion. Juicy flavors of peach, pineapple and honey burst on the nose and palate with wet stone minerality that remindsContinue reading “Wine Advent-ure: Day 24”

Argosy Pirates Country: FranceWith a brash bold name like “Argosy Pirates”, this red blend from the South of France is surprisingly understated. Dark fruit flavors like black cherry and fig abound here, followed by tobacco, with a fruity yet savory nose. The structure of the wine has prominent tannins and a moderately high acidity. But while there isContinue reading “Wine Advent-ure: Day 23”

Velvet Rider Wine: Velvet RiderCountry: ItalyVarietals: Syrah (70%), Cabernet Sauvignon (30%) Made in Italy, Velvet Rider may have a motorcycle on the label, but it brings to me the image of a classic Italian sports car – bold and muscular, yet smooth and agile on the palate. Velvet Rider is a 70/30 blend of Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon,Continue reading “Wine Advent-ure: Day 22”

Brass Rabbit Country: LuxembourgVarietal: Pinot Blanc Brass Rabbit from Luxembourg is the featured wine of Day 21. Made from the underrated Pinot Blanc grape (far too often it dwells in the shadow of its more famous cousins, Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir), this wine is bright and lively, with intense aromas of citrus and stone fruit and highContinue reading “Wine Advent-ure: Day 21”

Zillē Red Blend Region/Country: Emilia Romagna/Italy Our first semi-sweet red! Hailing from the Emilia Romagna region of Italy, Zillē is a red blend with juicy flavors of strawberries, cherries and brambleberries. This medium-bodied wine has moderate acidity (that makes it pair well with food) and a tannin presence that is muted a little bit by the wine’s sweetness. AsContinue reading “Wine Advent-ure: Day 20”

Latitude 40 Country: SpainGrape Varietal: Garnacha Day 19 brings us a familiar wine from last year: Latitude 40, a garnacha wine from central Spain.  Aromas of ripe red cherries and strawberries fill the glass, with hints of spice and wood. It’s a light bodied wine, but don’t be fooled, there is complexity here, a deep fruit palate with anContinue reading “Wine Advent-ure: Day 19”

Once Upon A Time For Day 18 we taste a rosé from the south of France called Once Upon a Time. The South of France is home to many a great region for rosé wine, most notably Provence. Interestingly, Once Upon a Time does not have an AOC label; it is simply a “Vin de France”, theContinue reading “Wine Advent-ure: Day 18”

Secrets Revealed Country: Portugal For Day 17 we try Secrets Revealed, a not-so-clandestine offering from Portugal. According to Costco’s tasting notes (from aroundtheworldinwines.com) Portugal has had a vibrant wine scene that has been “under the radar” for centuries, with its dry wines being a closely guarded secret. As someone who enjoys Ports and various Douro wines fromContinue reading “Wine Advent-ure: Day 17”