In the late 1990s, New Zealand suddenly burst onto the world’s wine scene with panache, offering up a new, intensely aromatic, fruit-driven style of Sauvignon Blanc that was an immediate hit! These wines were followed by a host of immensely impressive Pinot Noir cuvées that established the country’s reputation as a serious hitter on the international stage. […]
Bubblicious!
January 9, 2013 By
Gently release the caged cork from a bottle of meticulously crafted, elegantly finessed sparkling wine, fill your glass and stare intently into its spectacle of mesmerizing effervescence. As the first sip dances across your palate the latitudinal coordinates you occupy in the world emit a radiance that, for a fleeting moment, put you in control of […]
Et al. – Russian Hill Style!
November 27, 2012 By
Ceri Smith is the owner of the swanky Italian enoteca, Biondivino in San Francisco’s Russian Hill district. She recently unveiled what is poised to become another local favorite with her cozy-chic, cafe-cum-wine bar Et al. I had a chance to chat with her and explore her irrepressible passion for the vine. (This is the second of a two-part feature) SlaveToTheGrape: […]
Beaujolais
November 12, 2012 By
With Beaujolais‘s whimsical fête on the horizon (the third Thursday of November is the official, worldwide release party for Beaujolais Nouveau) not all things Gamay are in party mode. This most recent post translated from the French wine press looks at the challenges of the 2012 harvest and the outlook for Burgundy‘s southern neighbor. For […]
Chile Turns A New Leaf!
October 31, 2012 By
These are exciting times for the Chilean wine industry. A new landscape is emerging. Young, (at times) European-trained wine makers are shaking up convention. Laws are being rebooted to further delineate wine zones, to lend clarity and focus. Chile is poised to redefine its place on the global wine stage. At the recent Wines of […]
Argentina – Que Bueno!
October 25, 2012 By
From high up in the eastern foothills of the Calchaqui Valley of northwestern Argentina comes this lovely effort from the house of Amalaya. This is yet another example of a wine nation on the move making expressive wines of vibrant character with an artisan hand. Like each of the individually reviewed wines found here, you […]
Etaliano
October 4, 2012 By
Ceri Smith is the owner of the swanky Italian enoteca, Biondivino in San Francisco’s Russian Hill district. She is poised to unveil what will certainly be another local favorite when she opens the doors to her cozy-chic, cafe-cum-wine bar Et al. this October. I recently had a chance to chat with her and explore her […]
Bustin’ Out!
September 18, 2012 By
SlaveToTheGrape has a brand new look! The last twelve months have been truly envigorating with newly minted layers of content woven together to create a one-stop, wine portal where once only a relentlessly passionate, vinous voice held sway. Going forward, SlaveToTheGrape will serve up so much more! SlaveToTheGrape Live! goes deep this fall with, The Great […]
Nopa – Decidedly Diviz!
July 27, 2012 By 2 Comments
The Divisadero corridor, a pulsing San Francisco neighborhood north of the Panhandle is for those in-the-know a culinary and entertainment hot spot anchored by the eponymously named Nopa, one of the best-loved and most-consistently creative dining spots in the city. Heading up Nopa’s precision-crafted and highly-expressive wine program is Chris Deegan. I recently spoke with him about […]
