Recent articles

Napa Valley: Best Wineries for Cool Architecture

There are some Napa wineries that stand out for their grand, beautiful, or unique architecture style. IntoWine.com has scoured Napa to find the wineries that are worth checking out if only for the architecture. The list below is in no particular order. Domaine Carneros (French) Napa - If you think you might not make it to a true French chateau before you die, the grand estate at Domaine Carneros is the next best thing. From their sparkling wines to their landscaped gardens, sweeping views, and French parent company, this estate exudes French charm from a quiet corner of the Napa Valley. And they know how to work it. As you park your car, you can only look up and admire the flights of stairs that you have to ascend to reach their main terrace. Read more...

New Jersey Wine's Rise to Quality: Alba Vineyards

It might seem surprising to know that New Jersey, the self proclaimed Garden State, is actually fairly prolific in producing wine. Whereas the majority of wines coming from New Jersey are sweet, native grapes like catawba, vidal blanc and concord, a few wineries are upping the ante for the lucrative wine game on the East Coast. Alba Vineyards are currently on an aggressive growth streak with a wide portfolio of wines that are winning medals at diverse competitions like the Finger Lakes Wine Competition the, Dallas Morning News Wine Competition and the Los Angeles Wine Competition. Find Alba Vineyard Wines

Le Marche's Le Terrazze: Bob Dylan, Chaos & Some Great Italian Wines

Le Marche (pronounced lay Mar-kay) is a region in central Italy that borders the Adriatic Sea to the east and the Apennines to the west. Le Marche borders Emilia-Romagna to the north, Tuscany, Umbria and Lazio to the west, and Abruzzi to the south. The terrain is mostly hills and mountains once you get away from the coast. The area has a long history matching most of the historic conquests of Italy: it was occupied by the Gaul’s, colonized by the Romans, later it was invaded by the Goths and Lombard’s, then by Charlemagne. It was then mostly a papal state before finally being annexed in the mid-1800’s by the kingdom of Italy.

Bierzo: Wine on Spain’s Pilgrim Trail

Wines and mines have been part of Bierzo’s history since Roman times. After the remains of Saint James were discovered in the ninth century, pilgrims, too, became part of Bierzo’s heritage. In fact, some locals will tell you that the Mencía grapes grown in Bierzo were first brought to the region by pilgrims headed toward the famous cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, where Saint James is buried. Monks who came to Bierzo from France to serve the pilgrims expanded the area’s vineyards. The history of Bierzo is tied to its vineyards, mineral resources and monastic tradition.

Dessert Wine: Recommendations to Serve with Fruit Cobblers & Crumbles

It's hard to find someone who dislikes a good crumble at the end of a meal (or for a sinister midnight snack). IntoWine.com asked our panel of wine experts to recommend a dessert wine to serve with fruit cobblers and crumbles: To more accurately answer this question, it really does depend on the type of cobbler or crumble. If the fruit base is red berry, then a red based dessert wine is called for. My favorite, crumbles and cobblers are, however, apple and peach. For those, a white grape based dessert wine makes sense. I would look to those from the Loire valley in France. For my money, the very best of these is from the Baumard winery and the Quart de Chaumes appellation. Right now the 2005 and 2006 Baumard Quarts de Chaumes are available in the market. 2005 was a fantastic vintage in the Loire. 2006, while classic, is not far behind. Both have great acidity that makes for a grand food match. Buy the 2005 Baumard Quarts de Chaumes As a bonus, these wines are available in half bottle formats (375 ml). A little dessert wine goes a long way. A half bottle can serve 6 (maybe 8) people for dessert. These wines are not inexpensive though. A half bottle can cost $35. Yet, this is one of the greatest bottles of wine in the world. The wine has wonderful apple and peach notes with hints of vanilla. It is slightly sweet but will not overpower a sweet dessert. The acidity brings everything together wonderfully. It is certain to be the hit of any dinner party. - Loren Sonkin , IntoWine.com Featured Contributor and the Founder/Winemaker at Sonkin Cellars.

2008 Hospice du Rhone Events: Highs & Lows of American Rhone-style Wines Tasted

The Rhone Report: About Rhone and Rhone-Style Wines and Winemakers is part of an ongoing series. The 16th annual Hospice du Rhone events in Paso Robles, California from May 1 to 3, 2008 was an opportunity to consider Rhone-style wines from a fresh perspective. Unlike most tasting opportunities, these events included Rhone-style wines from the Rhone Valley itself (51 wineries), elsewhere in France (4 wineries) as well as from Spain (4 wineries), Australia (17 wineries), South Africa (6 wineries), Chile (2 wineries), Argentina (1 winery) and the United States. The American wines were mostly from California (144 wineries), but a few examples from Arizona (2 wineries) and Washington State (5 wineries) were also included. While this is a California-dominated event, and while many of the Rhone Valley’s best producers aren’t represented, there is still sufficient European and other entries to make for interesting comparisons and contrasts. The events included two general tastings and a series of focused seminars.

Left-Bank Bordeaux Wines: Saint-Julien AC

Located in the middle of the Haut-Médoc district of the Left Bank in Bordeaux, Saint-Julien is the smallest of the fantastic four appellations which include Saint-Estèphe and Paulliac to the north as well as Margaux to the south. So what sets Saint-Julien apart from the rest of the Haut-Médoc ACs?

Pages