Critics

IntoWine.com asked our panel of wine experts their recommendation for one Barolo wine worth seeking out (but which won't break the bank): Old Barolos are my favorite dry reds in the world . The Nebbiolo grape--grown in this particular region with its special soils, climate, elevations and exposures, and made in the traditional style, with long aging in large neutral oak vessels--produces a wine that ages into something ethereal, haunting and very, very special. They also require at least 15-20 years of bottle age before the tannins sufficiently soften and the tertiary flavors really begin to develop so that all of the beauty locked up in these big, complex wines can start to be glimpsed. The Rare Wine Co. is the best source of older Barolo in the U.S., at very fair prices, and they use my scores for the Barolos I’ve tasted that they have in inventory at any given time. Expect to pay north of $200, and generally in the $300-450 range, for a sufficiently aged beauty that will give you a real taste of what old Barolo has to offer. If money was no object, I’d personally pick up a few more bottles of one of my two all-time favorites, the 1958 Giacomo Borgogno or 1964 Giacomo Conterno. If you’re a younger collector who has the time to acquire newer vintages on release and store them the requisite 15-20 years until they are worthy of being opened, my recommendations are to go with the great traditional producers that have the strongest track records: Bartolo Mascarello, Bruno Giacosa, Giuseppe Rinaldi, Giacomo Borgogno, Giacomo Conterno or Oddero. - Richard Jennings, IntoWine.com Featured Contributor and the Founder RJonWine.com

In this episode of IntoWineTV, host Lisa Kolenda and wine experts Loren Sonkin, Mulan Chan, and Edward Ruiz convene at one of San Francisco's finest restaurants, Incanto, to taste and discuss great port wines. Subscribe to the IntoWineTV Podcast on iTunes

IntoWine.com asked our panel of wine experts their recommendation for one Châteauneuf du Pape wine worth seeking out (but which won't break the bank): Chateauneuf du Pape is one of my absolute favorite appellations. Rich, warm crushed red fruits, along with subtle hints of roasted herbs, black olive, and savory notes are just several descriptors that I look forward to experiencing when I open a bottle of well aged CNP. Although there is no shortage of excellent producers in this famous appellation, one of my top picks year in and year out is Domaine de Marcoux . Find Domaine de Marcoux Wines Sisters Catherine Armenier and Sophie Estevenin produce both a regular cuvee of Chateauneuf du Pape as well as a cuvee Vieilles Vignes from biodynamically farmed vineyards. The focus here how these Grenache based reds can best reflect the specific place from where they came. Rich, deep, and intense but never at the expense of elegance. Good structure and acidity also ensure that these wines age well too. Just about any vintage of Chateauneuf du Pape from Domaine de Marcoux is worth seeking out. - Mulan Chan , Rhône and French Regional Buyer, K&L Wine Merchants

The middle of November is rivalry time in the world of college football. It is also the time of year when the retailers and restaurant start blaring “Le Beaujolais est Arrivè”. For many, there is no connection between the two, but not for my friend and wine lover Andrew Hall. You see Andrew lives in Columbus, Ohio. There may not be a city in the country more crazed over its college football team, in his case, the Ohio State Buckeyes. And, there may not be a more storied or bitter college rivalry than Ohio State vs. Michigan. So bitter is the rivalry, that the word Michigan is rarely uttered by the denizens of Columbus, euphemistically referring to them, as did former OSU coach Woodrow Hayes, as “that school up north”. The last game of the Big Ten football season always features these two teams.