Jura wine blind competition site
In the 2025 World Tasting Championship, held today October 4 at Juraflore Fort des Rousses in the Jura, France, the French have regained the title after a final round with China, Macau, and Australia vying to win with a Hungarian Furmint leading to victory. This makes four championship titles for the French since the contest began in 2013.
2014 Ambyth Estate Grenache Noir, Paso Robles
Winning Wines from the Ventura County Fair with Summer Pairs
Tis the season for county fairs! Famous for showcasing homemade goods — from quilts to jams to flower arrangements and yes, wine too! The Ventura County Fair has had an amateur division for wine for many years, but it was just last year that a commercial wine division was added. In 2024, only 20 wines entered, but in 2025, we had twice as many with the majority made here in Ventura County. Much of the fruit is local too, but grapes from anywhere in California were eligible in 2025.
As one of the four judges in 2025, Continue reading
2022 Cocco Ilaria “Ponderata” Spoleto Trebbiano Spoletino DOC, Umbria, Italy Paired with Carbonara with fried zucchini
Fact: The wine world lacks women in wine. But Ilaria Cocco didn’t let this stop her from replanting her grandfather’s 3.5 hectares (about 7 acres) of vineyards in the Montefalco region of Umbria north of Rome, south of Florence and east of Tuscany. The vineyards had fallen into disrepair, and he died in 1998. With her father’s help in 2000, she replanted and brought the Montefalco vineyards into healthy production using organic practices as much as possible.
Ilaria Cocco in her Montefalco cellar
But soon Ilaria realized she wanted to make wine from her grapes and to carry on her grandfather’s tradition of winemaking Continue reading
Arizona Wine for Summer Time: Page Springs Cellars Rose and Caduceus Anubis Red Blend with Fresh Apricot Salad and Burgers
Weary traveler, calloused and soreTime and gravity followed you hereRest, my sister, and tell meAll about the ocean
Spoils and troubles, they burden you morePay them no mind, they matter no moreLeave them behind and show meAll about the ocean
Radici del Sud rosato winners
After a week at Radici del Sud’s XX event focusing on the wines of southern Italy, IMHO Pulgia should pull out all the stops and promote Rosato, which is Italian for a pink wine made from red grapes. The winning Rosati at Radici del Sud came from Primitivo and Puglia, where rosati comes in many hues, styles, and textures— something for everyone! And much of it is very affordable. Do I have your attention yet? Continue reading
Organic Chateau de Sannes Rosé
While in northern Tuscany at a retreat with new friends, I expected to drink Italian wine — and lots of it! Instead, the cocktail game was on point, and then some, with professional and brilliant mixologists. Then for our final evening together, someone brought organic wine from where he works, Chateau de Sannes, Luberon, in the south of France! Marc-Antoine was also the chef that night— he spent several days marinating in red wine then cooking venison to make a Bourguignon style stew and a potato gratin to pair with the wines he brought. Obviously, the venison stew went with the four red wines, but I also enjoyed how the venison stew went with the four Rosé— and appreciated the quality and affordability of the twelve organic wines we tasted together. With the warm days of summer here, Rose Day upon us Saturday June 14, let’s celebrate the longer days with these organic Rosé from France! Continue reading
wine predator.............. gwendolyn alley 