Recent Blog Posts
Pere Ventura Cava – A Beautiful Sparkling Wine for $15
Cava is the popular and very well-priced Spanish sparkling wine which is similar to Champagne in production and aging but made with indigenous grapes. The most noble grape, Xarello (say “Cha – reh- lo”) is the bones, or the structure, while Macabeo is the meat or flesh. Parellada comes into the mix, as well as […]
Sicily’s Donnafugata Winery
Giacomo and Gabriella Rallo along with their daughter Jose and son Antonio launched Donnafugata Winery in 1983 both at the family’s historic cellars in Marsala and at their Contessa Entellina vineyards in the heart of western Sicily. “Donnafugata,” or “woman in flight,” refers to Queen Maria Carolina, wife of Ferdinand IV of Bourbon, who sought […]
Mondavi Launches Animo – A New Napa Valley Mountain Cabernet
Named after the Italian word for spirit, or heart, Animo is a new project from Michael Mondavi and his family. The 2010 Animo Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley $85, a sleek, fruit forward and softly tannic wine, has notes of blackberry, blueberry, mocha, coffee bean and smoke. The vineyard is located on a 15-acre […]
Two for Tuesday – Greek White & Lodi Zin
White Wine Tonight, try something new. Check out the 2012 Domaine Porto Carras Malgouzia, Regional Wine of Sithonia, $14.95, a rich, dry, aromatic white wine from Greece. Domaine Porto Carras, one of Greece’s most significant and globally-recognized wineries, saved this unique grape from extinction in the 1980’s and ’90’s. It is round and silky with […]
74th DOCG Granted – Italy Celebrates a Serious Barbera
After a frenzy of new DOCG’s, many of them granted for less than serious wines in less than serious styles (think sweet, red and sparkling), Italy’s 74th DOCG, or Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita, has been announced. Piedmont’s Nizza DOCG is official. The Consorzio Tutela Vini d’Asti del Monferrato agreed to elevate the Nizza subzone […]
Sabering Moet et Chandon Champagne at Sea
Sabering at Sea Cellar Master Sasa Grujicic and Master Sommelier Catherine Fallis Saber Moet et Chandon Rose Champagne in tandem, in the Dining Room, on Holland America’s MS Maasdam while sailing through the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Canada. © Copyright 2014 Master Sommelier Catherine Fallis, Planet Grape LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Malibu Coast Becomes an AVA
Photo Courtesy David Glancy MS, SF Wine School The 46 mile long and 8 mile wide Malibu Coast, with glitzy beachfront mansions and celebrity-filled Starbucks, is now an official American Viticultural Area, or American wine appellation. This is ironic in that the area is home to several low profile celebrity rehab facilities. Nonetheless, Malibu is […]
Umbrian Essence – Strada del Sagrantino
For lovers of Umbrian wines, the Sagrantino Umbrian Essence event, held on June 10th at San Francisco’s The Press Club, was a rare treat. Eight producers were on hand to showcase their wines, with an emphasis on the star of the region, Sagrantino di Montefalco. The indigenous Sagrantino grape produces very tannic wines that are […]
The Cider Brothers from Lodi
Freshly fermented apple juice has characteristics similar to wine – tannins, acids, flavors, aroma and body, according to cider experts Michael and Paul Scotto, also known as the Cider Brothers. The Scottos, 5th generation vintners from Lodi, California, know a thing or two about wine and and wanted to dip their toes into the rapidly […]
Spicy Catalan Reds for Dad’s Day
Cellar Vall Llach, Priorat, Spain Famous Catalan singer Lluis Llach and his friend Enric Costa founded their winery in 1992 in Porrera, part of the prestigious Priorat appellation just south of Barcelona, Spain. Llicorella Soil Slate hillsides here, some with a special “tiger stripe”, or “llicorella” soil, produce gorgeous wines from 60-90 year old vine […]
Tap It
Are you interested in learning more about wine? Check out my new column, Planet Grape, in the new The SOMM Journal, a re-launch of The Sommelier Journal which is complimentary to the trade and to students of wine – subscriptions@sommelierjournal.com. Planet Grape TAP IT DURING MY ALMOST 11-YEAR TENURE AS Adjunct Instructor at the CIA’s […]
I Dare You to Try Sonoma Wines
June 1st is Dare Day. I dare you to try one of these delicious, refreshing, and well-made Sonoma wines: 2013 J Vineyards Pinot Gris Russian River Valley $23 With pear,lemongrass and honeydew melon notes, this medium-bodied, juicy and refreshing white is delicious as a sipper, and great with spicy dishes too. […]
Happy Mother’s Day from Planet Grape!
We love flowers, we really do, but the typical mail order floral arrangement is disappointing in so many ways. Why not gift mom with something that will delight all of her senses? Here are Planet Grape’s red wine picks for Mother’s Day, specially selected by Master Sommelier Catherine Fallis, aka grape goddess® – 2012 Masut Estate […]
Escape to Argentina with La Posta
Mary Orlin, Laura Catena, and Catherine Fallis MS of Planet Grape The amazing Laura Catena invited us to her home near UCSF, where she also works as an ER Doc, to sample her new La Posta wines from Argentina. Along with a great line up of wines: 2012 La Posta Red Blend $15 2012 La […]
Planet-Friendly Wine for Earth Day
Sustainable, organic, and biodynamic farming are three methods of growing grapes naturally for the California wine industry. Each has a specific set of rules. All three take into consideration not just … Continue reading → http://www.basilmagazine.com/drink/ © Copyright 2014 Master Sommelier Catherine Fallis, Planet Grape LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Frederick Wildman 2012 Burgundy Barrel Tasting
Temperatures rose quickly in the tent at the Hotel Vitale’s Americano Restaurant last month, and not just because of the unseasonably warm San Francisco weather. Women were swooning over the charming, dapper and very flirtatious Monsieur Patrick Leflaive, of Olivier Leflaive in Puligny-Montrachet. Members of the wine trade were invited by importer Frederick Wildman to […]
Valentine’s Day Wines
Here comes Cupid, but in case his arrows don’t hit the target, here are a few selections that should get the job done. Sparkling – Cavicchioli 1928 Sparkling Lo Spumante Sorbara DOC Italy $14 This sweet sparkling white Lambrusco, made with 100% Malvasia, is floral, perfumed, and delicate with notes of peach and apricot. – […]
Republic of Tea Launches Ron Rubin Pinot Noir
Grown in Green Valley’s signature Goldridge soil, which naturally stresses the vines and brings balance, the classy 2012 Ron Rubin Pinot Noir Green Valley of Russian River Valley $35 is clean and delicate with notes of wild strawberry, cherry, yellow apple, orange rind, root beer, dried sage, crushed fall leaves, leather, lavender and white rose. On the […]
SOMMS vs WINEMAKERS Slug it out to Select Best Zin Glass
On a warmer-than-in-summer winter’s day here in the Bay area, a group of sommeliers and winemakers were invited to take a line up of 15 Riedel stems and go through a series of eliminations to select the winning glass shape and size for Zinfandel. This was the kick-off event for this year’s ZAP, the annual […]
Wine and Cheese for New Year’s Eve
Yes, toasting at midnight is a must, but what about all the hours before hand, or wines for football the following day? Here are a few of my picks, along with friendly cheese suggestions from Kerrygold Natural Irish Cheese. Almonds are good to offer as well – ancient Romans nibbled on them to prevent […]
Holiday Reds from California
Winter in California What is it about the holiday season that brings so much joy yet so much stress? There’s just so much pressure to do all the extra things we do, and to do it right. Entertaining, selecting gifts, getting gifts to their destinations, attending all the parties, the list goes on and […]
Luncheon with Marcelo Papa of Concho Y Toro, Chile
Master Sommelier Catherine Fallis and Concha Y Toro Lead Winemaker Marcelo Papa On a spectacular Indian summer day in mid-October I joined fellow wine writers including the legendary Gerald Asher of Gourmet Magazine, whose column I followed from the beginning of my career, to meet with Concha Y Toro’s Lead Winemaker Marcelo Papa for lunch […]
Champagne Fall Release Report
Master Sommelier Catherine Fallis sabers a magnum of Laurent Perrier Brut at the Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco Champagne is going green. The CIVC has approved a new bottle (2 oz total weight) reducing the region’s CO2 output by 8,000 metric tons. Champagne is also staying very commercially minded. Despite a very difficult […]
Spain Fall Release Report
Cava is always a bargain, but the elegant, lemony and slightly yeasty Anna de Cordoniu Cava Brut nv $15 is especially a good deal. Ideal for showcasing delicate seafood and shellfish dishes, it also has the texture to match silky carpaccio. The slightly more esoteric Castell D’Or Flama D’Or Cava Brut nv $16 is creamy and tarry with […]
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