Category Archives: EMPTIED BOTTLES

Here reside my bottle breakdowns. These reviews provide information about each wine’s context: history, geography, value, etc., and composition: from appearance and aromas, to sweetness, acidity, tannin, body, length, flavors and quality within its type. Each review features a chart where I rank the wine’s qualities (e.g. light, medium, or full bodied) according to the Wine and Spirit Education Trust’s tasting guide. These are snapshots of a wine and reviewer. Don’t be surprised if the wine and your perception of it change. Use this data to buy and taste wine with purpose.

Stop worrying if a wine is bad or good. Judgment only describes the judge. Instead, treat each wine, each bottle, even each sip as a meeting unique unto itself. Find new wines here to stretch your mind and palate.

Open bottle. Open mind.

‘MERICA: Domaine Saint-Vincent Brut, Albuquerque, New Mexico USA, NV

Posted on July 4, 2013 by waywardwine

With the sun setting and the staccato of fireworks and screams building in the neighborhood, it’s time for my palate to get patriotic. Tonight we pop fizz with Domaine Saint-Vincent’s Brut from the highland, cool nights near Albuquerque, New Mexico: … Continue reading →

Posted in Chardonnay, EMPTIED BOTTLES, Sparkling | Tagged Albuquerque, Albuquerque New Mexico, Bombshell, Brut, Champagne, Fourth of July, Independance Day, Jingoism, New Mexico, Patriotism, Pin-up, Saint-Vincent, Sandia Mountains, Sandia Peak Tramway, Sparkling wine, United States | 3 Comments

Petite Sirah, Concannon “Conservancy”, Livermore Valley, California 2009

Posted on July 4, 2013 by waywardwine

In honor of America’s incoming day of independence, we decide to drink one of the biggies: Concannon‘s Petite Sirah (that and our bubbly isn’t cold yet). The sale price of $10.99 seemed fine. Typical of black, thick-skinned petite sirah, the … Continue reading →

Posted in EMPTIED BOTTLES, Petite Sirah, Red | Tagged Aroma of wine, Cancannon, Concannon, Concannon Vineyard, Conservancy, Durif, fruit, Livermore Valley, Oak (wine), petite Sirah, United States | 2 Comments

Negrette, Peyres de Loubert, Fronton, France 2009: EU Austerity Drinking Tour #27

Posted on June 30, 2013 by waywardwine

I stare hard at the grocery wine aisle in Dublin’s Marks & Spencer. What looks weird, new, cheap but decent? I spot a French bottle. Good. Peyres de Loubert makes it. Good. The funny guy hefting a barrel on the … Continue reading →

Posted in EMPTIED BOTTLES, Négrette, Red | Tagged bacon, Blackrock, brett, California, Cyprus, Dublin, France, Fronton, Grey rot, Loire Valley, Madame Piaf, Marks & Spencer, Marks and Spencer, Mavro, Négrette, oidium, Peyres de Loubert, South West France, wine | 2 Comments

BUSHMILLS: Distillery Visit and Review, 10 Year 12 Year Whiskeys: EU Austerity Drinking Tour #26

Posted on June 24, 2013 by waywardwine

Our trip brings us to the Giant’s Causeway: a collection of basalt columns cutting into the sea. Volcanic activity forced them up 50 million years ago. Then rapid cooling cracked them like dry mud into over 40,000 hexagonal pillars. But … Continue reading →

Posted in Scotland, Whisk(e)y, WINERIES WANDERED | Tagged Bushmills, Diageo, Food, Giant Causeway, Giant's Causeway, Ireland, Irish whiskey, North Channel, Northern Ireland, Old Bushmills Distillery, Recreation, River Bush, Scotland, Whisky | 5 Comments

Torre Oria, TORREORIA, Brut, 100% Macabeo, Cava (Requena), Spain NV

Posted on June 21, 2013 by waywardwine

100% Macabeo, aka Macabeu, aka Viura (a player in the classic Cava triumvirate, alongside xarel-lo, perellada). Never tried it as a single varietal Brut. Rare for Spain. Tasted non-blind without food. Let’s see: It looks clear, with a medium minus … Continue reading →