If you hear "Gemischter Satz" You may be tempted to say "God Bless You!"But the appropriate answer is "They're delicious, aren't they?"Gemischter Satz are special wines from the region surrounding Austria's capital city of Vienna. Made from a blend of white grapes that are grown together in the field, then picked and fermented at the same time, the...

This month I've been getting to know the red wines of Calabria--and they've surprised me. When I mentioned Calabrian wine to most people--even Calabrians!--they scoffed at the quality of wine produced in this region of Italy. But I liked the rusty funkiness, the fruitiness, and the great value that I found in the wines I tasted. And though these wi...

I'm learning about Austrian wines, and this week on Serious Grape I have recommen-dations for some affordable bottles (and one splurge-worthy one, too) that are just perfect for this time of year.Austrian wines have an earthiness that makes them a great partner for squash, pumpkin, turkey, sage--so many of the foods and flavors we're all enjoying t...

I'm a little behind in my announcement, but this month I'll be exploring Calabria as the penultimate destination in my two-year trawl through the wine regions of Italy. (photo of Calabria by Mikuzz)Calabria is the toe of Italy's boot--and to me it always looks like Calabria is preparing to kick Sicily straight up into Spain. As a southern Italian r...

It's time for another new variety, grapehounds.Falanghina is ancient white wine grape that is (as near as we can tell) native to Campania. According to Jancis Robinson, there are just under 800 acres of the grape in cultivation which makes it a relative rarity.The 2008 Mustilli Falanghina is a joyful, fresh white that was a welcome change of pace f...

Today marks GWU$20's third anniversary. On October 7, 2006 I pushed "publish" on my first post. Three years, and 5182 subscribers later, I'm still pushing that publish button and I'm still committed to bringing you information on good, affordable wines and promoting everyday wine culture. (photo by CarbonNYC)These past three years have been an amaz...

Do you decant?In this week's Serious Grape column, my weekly contribution to the fabulous food site Serious Eats, I try to demystify the subject of decanting. Basically there are two reasons to decant: to remove the sediment from old wines and to aerate younger wines. In both cases, decanting makes good wine taste better.Last night, a friend was po...

I've been fighting the good fight to bring you Pinot Noirs under $20, but it's not getting any easier. If you like this delicate, silky grape you are not alone. And if you are struggling to find a wine you like for under $20, well, you're not alone there, either.Here are my favorites among the new fall Pinot Noirs I've tasted thus far. And--miracle...

Chardonnay comes in many different styles. Some are light and elegant, other soft and round. There are bold Chardonnays full with striking, ripe flavors and spicy Chardonnays that are just perfect for these early fall days.I've been tasting a lot of Chardonnays lately, and here are some of my favorites from the new releases. No matter which kind of...

I'm sliding in a weekend post--a recommendation for bargain bubbles in case you have something to celebrate. When a wine is this enjoyable and this affordable, I figure finding a reason to celebrate is pretty easy. Did you finish your laundry? Clean out the TiVO? Wash dishes?If so, treat yourself to a bottle of the NV Zonin Prosecco (suggested reta...

When one of your favorite online retailers opens up a bricks-and-mortar outfit in the town where you live, it's cause for celebration.domaine547, which has been my regular source for unusual--and affordable--bottles of wine has opened the doors of domaineLA. On chic Melrose Avenue, in one of LA's ubiquitous strip malls, is a new wine store that off...

I'm finishing up with my whirlwind tour of Ligurian wine as part of my ongoing trawl through Italy's wine regions and grape varieties.Even though I spent more than $20 on this wine ($25.99, to be precise), I'm still pretty pleased with the very good QPR on the 2005 Azienda Agricola Durin Ormeasco di Pornassio. ($25.99, Wine Expo--and I can't seem t...

With most farmers' markets full of local produce, many of us are eating our fill of vegetables these days. Tomatoes, potatoes, zucchini, onions, peppers, onions, mushrooms, and beets are piled high in my local market. (photo by NatalieMaynor)One wine stands out to me as a real friend to all these vegetables: Pinot Grigio. This week on Serious Grape...

Welcome to Wine Blogging Wednesday, the online tasting event dreamed up five (!) years ago by Lenn Thompson of Lenndevours: the New York Cork Report.This month our host is our founder, and Lenn's theme for this month's tasting was "At the Source." Our instructions were to "actually visit a winery and taste a wine there. Bonus points if you can tast...

This month I'm exploring the wines of Liguria, and first up is a fairly pricey bottling of Pigato that I purchased at the Los Angeles Italian wine mecca, Wine Expo.Ligurian wine--and Pigato in particular--is pretty rare in American wine shops. This is a shame, because Pigato is an intriguing grape, and you once you've tasted it you won't mistake it...

Last week, Palate Press--an online wine magazine--was launched.Hit by the double whammy of houseguests and a new academic term, the launch came and went without me commenting on it, but I wanted to take a minute to recommend the new venture to GWU$20 readers.First, a disclaimer. I became involved in the project in its early stages, and have the rol...

There are many, many styles of sparkling wine out there to bewitch and delight us.Some are light and graceful sparklers that remind me of ballerinas dancing Swan Lake in foamy tutus. Some are fizzy, dry sparklers that remind me of a worldly jazz musician playing the piano. And some are rich, zaftig sparklers that remind me of an opera diva in a vel...

I know it was just Labor Day, but if you still feel like you need a mini-break in the tropics in order to get through the fall, look no further than the Santa Ynez Valley and the 2008 Firestone Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc. (suggested retail $11-13; in a market near you for $10-$18).This was one of the more exciting Sauvignon Blancs I've had this summe...

There's been something of a hiatus in my Italian wine ramblings. The last region I visited was Trentino-Alto Adige--and that was in June. Now that I'm back in the land of many wine shops, I can pick up where I left off. My destination for September is the northwestern curve of Italy: Liguria. Located at the knee of Italy's boot, Liguria doesn't gro...

Wishing everybody a restful and relaxing break from all your labors.(the vineyards below Antica Napa Valley taken from the top of Atlas Peak)

If you're planning on having a hot dog this Labor Day weekend, what wine are you planning to have with it? (photo by TheBusyBrain)This week on Serious Grape, my weeky column on Serious Eats, I suggest a few wines for your consideration. The thing about hot dogs is that they are both sweet and salty--and then a variety of sweet and savory condiments...

In a recent post I highlighted the value represented by wines from Alsace. While most associate Alsatian wines with still Rieslings and Gew?rztraminers, Alsace also makes terrific sparkling wines that can stand up to any rival in terms of taste, elegance, and price.My latest recommendation in sparkling wine from Alsace is the very good QPR N.V. Luc...

I've said before that Syrahs often taste like a color to me. Sometimes, they taste black with inky blackberry fruit and dark spices. Sometimes, they taste red, and are full of a the bright fruit of a summer berry patch. Then there are the blue syrahs, that remind me of cool walks by the ocean and huckleberries.I recently had a "true blue" example o...

Today marks the final edition of the Wine Book Club, the online club for wine lovers who also love to read. Our selection was Ferenc M?t?'s excellent A Vineyard In Tuscany--part fantasy, part House Hunters: Italy, and part viticultural adventure. I picked M?t?'s book for our final book because so many wine lovers dream of becoming vineyard owners a...

According to the index of topics in the left sidebar, I've never reviewed a wine with Bourboulenc grapes in it. I'm sure I've tasted it before, but not since I started this blog.Perhaps that's not too surprising. As best as I can make out, there are only about 2000 acres of the grape in cultivation. And the wine is mostly used in white blends, wher...

It's peach season--or at least that's the evidence from my local farmer's market. Nothing quite says late summer to me like some really ripe peaches, perhaps some vanilla ice cream, perhaps some meringues or madeleines, and a cool glass of dessert wine.In the event this dessert suits you, too, and you don't have a stash of Sauternes begging to be o...

This week on Serious Grape, my regular column on Serious Eats, I've caught the back to school bug. (photo of the Scotland Street School in Glasgow by alexliivet--and is that a dunce cap in the front of the room?!)My idea? Grape School. While your kids and neighbors kids are learning reading, writing, and arithmetic, why not learn about some new gra...

Friday Nights IN is a regular feature at GWU$20 that's intended to trim a few dollars from your entertaining budget by replacing a meal out with a meal in. Some suggestions are dinners for four, six, eight, or even ten. Some are for romantic dinners for two. And some suggestions are perfect for when you need time to yourself!It's been a while since...

I drink more white wine than red. I eat more fish than meat, more Asian cuisine than any other kind, and while I know it's perfectly fine to drink red wine with fish, I don't like the combination. And boy do we eat a lot of chicken. (picture of a wine store in Paris, taken this summer by yours truly)Not surprisingly (given the chicken) I have a fai...