Thanksgiving is around the corner, and we’re trying to decide what wines to pour. Do you know yet? Perhaps you’re looking for a good pairing for your turkey feast, or a special bottle to take to a family dinner or an evening with good friends.
If you love red wine, some good bets are Pinot Noir, Syrah, and Merlot. But if you prefer whites, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay work well. Rosé is also a good option. It depends on the foods you serve. Some wines pair well with turkey or sides, and others are best at parties. Overall, there is no right or wrong!
Here are 20 special wines that we recently tasted or are in our cellar. We are considering some of them for our Thanksgiving festivities. They were crafted in Washington state, Oregon, California, New Zealand and Spain, with prices ranging from $13-$60. Continue reading →
We have been fortunate to taste new releases from Murrieta’s Well for the last three years, thanks to Snooth virtual tastings with the winery’s talented winemaker Robbie Meyer.
Unfortunately we couldn’t make the event this year, but the winery kindly sent us four bottles to sample. And thanks to Snooth, we also viewed the video of Robbie talking about how much fun he has making wine. Indeed, Robbie’s passion as a winemaker shines in each glass of his food-friendly wines.
You can read our thoughts about the four wines below. But first, it’s important to note Murrieta’s Well credentials. It is one of California’s original wineries, propagated in 1883 with vineyard cuttings from Chateau Margaux and Chateau d’Yquem in France. The Livermore valley winery is owned by Philip Wente of Wente Vineyards, the country’s oldest, continuously operated family-owned winery. You can read more of their historyhere.
We enjoyed samples of these two blends, plus a few other wines in the portfolio of this popular Livermore Valley winery, at a recent Snooth virtual tasting with Murrietta’s Well talented winemaker Robbie Meyer.
But before getting to our tasting notes, Murrieta’s Well has credentials worth mentioning – it is one of California’s original wineries, propagated in 1883 with vineyard cuttings from Chateau Margaux and Chateau d’Yquem in France. The winery is owned by Philip Wente of Wente Vineyards, the country’s oldest, continuously operated family-owned winery. And now, the wines …
If you’re looking for good value red wines for the holidays — for your dinner table or for a hostess gift — look no further. Here are four that we recently tasted and recommend: one from Washington state and three from Livermore Valley, located just east of San Francisco.
Murrieta’s Well The Spur, 2011 Livermore Valley ($25) This unique red blend not only drinks well but also has a great label that is a perfect hostess gift. This Livermore Valley wine blends 31% Petite Sirah, 29% Petit Verdot, 27% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Malbec and 5% Cabernet Franc, and pairs well with roasted and grilled meats, dishes with red sauces or rich cheese. Marietta’s Well is one of California’s original wineries, propagated in 1883 with vineyard cuttings from Chateau Margaux and Chateau d’Yquem in France. Need we say more? Oh, one more thing — Murrieta’s Well is owned by Philip Wente of Wente Vineyards, the country’s oldest, continuously operated family-owned winery.
Wente Vineyards Southern Hills 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon, Livermore Valley ($18) This estate-grown Cabernet Sauvignon combines 76% Cabernet Sauvignon with 9% Petit Verdot, 9% Petite Sirah, 3% Malbec, 2% Cabernet Franc and 1% Merlot. This is a great everyday wine that is well balanced, with a depth and intensity that showcases the character of the grape. Just like Murrieta’s Well, vines at Wente Vineyards were planted in 1883. Today the winery draws from approximately 3,000 acres of sustainably farmed Estate vineyards.
TateDog 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon, Livermore Valley ($25) TateDog’s slogan is “Great artisan wines at nice prices,” which perfectly describes the 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon. This flavorful, award-winning wine has a beautiful nose with a long finish. While medium-bodied, it pairs well with a ribeye or stands alone without food.
14 Hands Vineyards The Reserve 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon, Horse Heaven Hills ($30) Launched by Ste. Michelle Wine Estates in 2005 as a restaurant-only brand, 14 Hands introduced “The Reserve” label of wines sourced from the Horse Heaven Hills appellation in Washington state in 2012. This is one gorgeous wine, which received 92 points from Wine Spectator. This beauty would also pair well with a ribeye or a rich mushroom tart. And if you are in Prosser, stop by their new tasting room, which opened earlier this year.
Thank you to these wineries who kindly provided us with samples of their wines. Our sample policy can be found here.
Thanksgiving is around the corner, and we’re trying to decide what wines to pour. Do you know yet? Perhaps you’re looking for a good pairing for your turkey feast, or a special bottle to take to a family dinner or an evening with good friends.
We have been fortunate to taste new releases from 
We have been fans of 