Category Archives: Wilfred Wong

Entertaining, Staff Picks, Wilfred Wong

Home for the holidays: A six-pack of wines for Thanksgiving

WildridgeblogOnce again,  the holidays are here and what are we going to do for the various celebrations that are coming upon us? The family is primed for the annual requisite visits. How about expanding this base and say that home is where the heart is, and while it naturally includes family, it may also include special friends and cool neighbors as well. For the first of the big occasions, I have put together a six pack of wines that are sure to add to the pleasures of Thanksgiving.

For starters, the Mumm Napa Brut Rosé is a festive and serious sparkler that will turn all tongues into receptors of joy. This wine shows a beautiful pink color, offers plenty of ripe strawberry flavors, and is crisp in the finish. Begin the evening with this bubbly and you may find yourself with empty bottles early in the evening! Adding to the early evening festivities, the 2016 Leo Steen Chenin Blanc would be an enticing pairing with seared scallops or other shellfish. The wine’s purity of fruit and crispness would bring those seafood entrées alive.

With the appetites energized from the early going and waiting for the main event be it a roast turkey or a prime rib roast, a trio of my next choices would be eager to serve the voracious guests. The 2015 Eroica Riesling would be the perfect white to taking on either of the entrées. This beautifully fragrant white wine, with a slight shading of residual sugar, is crisp and lively on the finish. It is equally adept with handing light and dark meat dishes. By now, I can hear the cries, “Aren’t there any red wines?” Well, yes and I have chosen a pair of elegant reds to work their respective magic. The fresh, bright, and crisp 2014 Palmina Dolcetto will allow the juiciness of the turkey to shine through nicely and the rich finely balanced 2013 Wild Ridge Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir will be perfect for those desiring density and elegance.

The wine choice for the meal’s conclusion could be difficult, but the Lustau East India Solera Sherry is prepared to close out the evening on a high note. Pumpkin or pecan pie, ice cream, and evening remaining servings of candied yams will find a lovely home here. This is my six-pack choice for Thanksgiving.

Enjoy!

 

 

Chile, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, What We're Drinking, Wilfred Wong, Wine Regions

Bringing back an old friend: The Wines of Chile have reached a new level

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16_02_01 1500 Master Class Chile@Wine.com_3180_BlogWay back in the dark ages of wine retailing (circa: 1970s), fine wine shops had Bordeaux, Burgundy and Champagne. Chile was nowhere to be found and even California was an afterthought. As the years went by and California gained prominence with the Judgement of Paris, Chile got into the marketplace with its cheap Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlots. Often found in sale bins, these became the drinking wines of budget conscious wine imbibers. I drank so much of these bargain basement wines that I ended up throwing the whole class into the “good value” category. As an active retailer in San Francisco in those days, the wines of Chile gave me something “to stack high and let them fly.”

This is no longer the case. Continue reading Bringing back an old friend: The Wines of Chile have reached a new level →

Central Otago, Marlborough, New Zealand, What We're Drinking, Wilfred Wong

New Zealand: A New Way of Thinking

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Perhaps I was getting too lazy and missed all of the good things going on in New Zealand wine growing regions. Yes, I’ve tasted many of the country’s top wines over the last two decades, but I did not absorb what I do now.  This year is different. I was in New Zealand as a guest international judge in the Marlborough Wine Show; from second I arrived in Auckland and then onto Blenheim, the itinerary would be nonstop.

Continue reading New Zealand: A New Way of Thinking →

Grenache, Spain, Wilfred Wong, Wine Education

Hola Garnacha #GarnachaDay

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When did Grenache/Garnacha become such a big deal? In the youthful days (the early to mid- 1970’s) of my wine career, I remember drinking Ridge wines with then winemaker and now winemaker/CEO Paul Draper at the winery on Monte Bello Road, sipping Grenache in cool mixed red blends. I always found those wines compelling and fun, but what did Grenache contribute to those wines? Was it just a part of the bigger picture? Could this grape stand alone and be successful and also play nicely in a mix with other varietals?

Garnacha Continue reading Hola Garnacha #GarnachaDay →