Soave: A White Wine for Mad Men

Classic cocktails naturally come to mind when looking for something to drink while watching Mad Men. But what if wine is more your style? Fans of the AMC series can get into the ‘60s mood by sipping Soave, a white wine from northern Italy. Soave was a popular wine in the 1960s, featured in Fellini’s [...]

AG Pick: Hera Vinho Verde Branco 2011

Atlantans, meet your new summer white wine. Introducing Hera Vinho Verde Branco, a refreshing wine from Portugal that is now available in Georgia. Vinho Verde is a type of wine produced in northwest Portugal. The name translates to “green wine,” which refers to the wine’s youth, not color. Vinho Verde wines can be white (branco [...]

Arkenstone: Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet from Howell Mountain

By Robin Alix Austin Just as wine changes over time, your memories of how a wine tastes will change. Last year I wrote that Arkenstone’s Sauvignon Blanc was my favorite white wine at the High Museum Atlanta Wine Auction. One year later I was curious to see how their latest vintage would compare. Underneath the [...]

Big Table Farm: Wines from Oregon’s Willamette Valley

By Robin Alix Austin It is impossible to meet Brian Marcy and Clare Carver and not fall in love with Big Table Farm. The winemaker/artist team produces outstanding wines from their 70 acre farm in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. The name comes from a desire to provide a gracious and welcoming table for enjoying handcrafted wine [...]

AG Pick: Chateau L’Ermitage Costières de Nîmes Blanc 2010

Spring is in bloom — and the perfect pairing is a floral white wine. For crisp, refreshing white wines that have lovely floral flavors look to the south of France. Grapes from the Rhône region (most notably Marsanne, Roussanne and Viognier) produce aromatic wines that can make you feel like you are sticking your nose [...]

AG Pick: Xarmant Txakolina 2010

If you’re looking for a wine to get you ready for warmer weather try the 2010 Xarmant Txakolina. It may be a bit intimidating to spell or pronounce but this white wine is extremely easy to drink. Xarmant Txakolina comes from the Basque region of Spain, in the northeast part of the country. The Basque [...]

Simply Italian: Tasting Notes from the Italian Wine Tour

By Maxine Howard Italian winemakers and their representatives took over the St. Regis Hotel in San Francisco earlier this autumn for the Simply Italian great wine tour. With stops in Chicago and Las Vegas, the tour offered the chance to share the wide variety of magic Italian winemakers weave with their grapes. More than fifty [...]

Why Decant Wine?

The holidays are the time of year when you break out the good wine — and that often leads to questions about if and when you should decant a wine. Decanters, while not essential to enjoying wine, are pretty handy tools to have. They can be used for both old and young wines. So why [...]

AG Pick: Craggy Range Chardonnay 2010

With all the attention paid to New Zealand’s Sauvignon Blanc it may be easy to overlook the country’s Chardonnay. While Craggy Range Vineyards produces lovely Sauvignon Blanc, the Chardonnay should not be missed. Refreshing acidity, pleasing minerality and just the slightest touch of oak make the 2010 Craggy Range Chardonnay reminiscent of its French counterpart. [...]

AG Pick: Filus Torrontes 2010

Taking a sniff of Torrontes can be like sticking your nose in a bouquet of flowers. The grape produces white wine that is fresh, floral and aromatic. Just as Malbec is the red wine grape of Argentina, think of Torrontes as the white wine grape of the South American country. If you need a touch [...]