Tag Archives: Syrah

Central California’s First Woman of Wine: Lane Tanner

Posted on February 27, 2017 by waywardwine

Today, we highlight another founding woman in wine (read about Italy last week: here).

Once upon a time, California was fun. Before Napa got too glitzy, land got outrageously expenses, and celebrities and investors bought wineries, there was the Central Coast: an experimental backroad full of talent looking to untapped grape varieties like Syrah, Grenache, and Pinot Noir. Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged California, Central Coast, drink, lane Tanner, lumen, pinot noir, sex, Syrah, travel, wine | 1 Comment

Gaja For The Rest of Us: Ca’Marcanda Promis 2013 Bolgheri Tuscany Italy

Posted on November 28, 2016 by waywardwine

Winter closes in. For sad psychological reasons, I now don jackets or sweaters to enjoy chilled whites. I suppose a red will not hurt. Also, we have guests and pizza for dinner. So, a modern Italian seems apt. I rummage around in my crawl space. Why not open an $100 Chianti? Erm….no.

I have lost all grip on reality. My job allows me to try and collect fancy, expensive things. The cost to retail has become my reference point. A wine that costs a shop $25 ends up $33 to $40 on the shelf for the unwashed masses. So all I remember is that I spent $25. Or worse, I was given it. Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged drinks, Food, Gaja, italy, merlot, Oak, pizza, Sangiovese, super tuscan, Syrah, travel, Tuscany, wine, Winery | 3 Comments

Wine Review Thacher Mourvedre Paso Robles 2012

Posted on July 14, 2016 by waywardwine

Our Monday recap tour of Paso Robles wineries continues with Thacher Winery. By chance, my beer brewing wife has a soulmate here. Sherman Thacher brewed at Los Gatos for sixteen years. But a switch to wine in 1993, marriage, and kids led to opening his namesake winery in 2004. They bought 54 acres of barley field tucked between hills on Paso’s west end in Adelaida. Aside from barley, pumpkins, and corn they also grow zinfandel and petite sirah (they source the rest). Once done, 3,400 cases make Thacher’s wines a limited commodity. Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged barn, California, drinks, Mourvèdre, Paso Robles, Rhone Rangers, Syrah, thacher Winery, wine, Zinfandel | 1 Comment

Wine Review: M. Chapoutier, Monier de la Sizeranne, Hermitage, Syrah France 2007

Posted on June 23, 2016 by waywardwine

M. Chapoutier, Monier de la Sizeranne, Hermitage, Syrah France 2007 Just around when I started to get serious about wine, some crazy Frenchman named Michel was plying biodynamics in the Rhône Valley. This 2007 comes from just one 300 acre hill, Hermitage, … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged chapoutier, drinks, France, hermitage, Syrah, travel, wine | Leave a comment

Paso Robles 7: Lone Madrone

Posted on February 29, 2016 by waywardwine

Last Monday’s post visited Firestone Walker Brewery. Also found twenty years ago in 1996, our stop today is Lone Madrone Winery. The nineties clearly provided busy times for Paso.

Our pickup heads west from Paso Robles on Adelaida Road. The world turns a sandy sable and olive shrub. Hills mount each other, as we climb and wheel round them. Soon, orderly vines draped in mesh add militant structure to this wild place. Continue reading →