EXPLORE THE WINE BLOG

Wine is a fascinating subject that often draws attention. Some love it; some don't care about it; I live it as a centerpiece of my life. Wine and spirits it have been an essential part of my life for 50 years. So follow my journey, and we will share our vinous exploration.

My love affair with Geyserville

My love affair with Geyserville

In the summer of 1975, I wandered into the Union Street Wine & Cheese Center and stumbled onto a flight of 1972 Ridge Vineyards wines. My friend Elaine McIntosh was pouring behind the counter, and that was behind the tasting bar, and that is how I discovered the Ridge Geyserville Zinfandels—later to be reclassified as a red table wine giving the winery more flexibility with its percentage of Zin in the blend. A year later, I contacted the winery and sold the 1973s at our family store, Ashbury Market, and my nearly five-decade love affair continues to grow.

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A Luncheon with Beni di Batasiolo
Wine Stories Wilfred Wong Wine Stories Wilfred Wong

A Luncheon with Beni di Batasiolo

In November 2022 with the San Francisco International Wine Competition in full swing, I took a day off to attend a luncheon with Fiorenzo Dogliani, his associates, and members of the wine trade. The respite from judging was well worth it. With a backdrop of the cuisine from Perbacco, Mr. Dogliani featured five single vineyard Barolos from 2013, a reserve from 2012, and an old soldier from 1996. This opportunity allowed all of the guests in attendance to take a slower and more deliberate look at the wines as opposed to the usual “cattle call” crowded events. Here are my impressions and scores of the eight wines that were presented.

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Pauillac 2020, Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux San Francisco
Wine Tasting Wilfred Wong Wine Tasting Wilfred Wong

Pauillac 2020, Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux San Francisco

Ever since my first travel to Bordeaux, the region, the history, the wines, and the people have stayed in a special place in my wine journeys. As a young professional, I always dreamed of visiting Bordeaux, and in 1996 it came to pass. When I first experienced Bordeaux wines in the early 1970s, I knew that my education would be incomplete without tasting the wines and talking with the vintners on their own turf.

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American Sparklers let’s celebrate them!
Wine Reviews Wilfred Wong Wine Reviews Wilfred Wong

American Sparklers let’s celebrate them!

One of my favorite movie lines in the Sound of Music (1965) was when Liesl von Trapp (Anne Farmon aka Charmain Carr) asked Captain Georg von Trapp, “I like to stay and taste my first Champagne, yes? He is smiling and responds, no!” While my mom loved that movie, and we watched it every Christmas, she gave us our first taste of Champagne. She was also present for my next memorable sparkling wine experience.

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Rosés, rosés, and rosés
Wine Reviews Wilfred Wong Wine Reviews Wilfred Wong

Rosés, rosés, and rosés

In the 1970s, pink wines were mostly “soda pop offerings” that included White Zinfandels, Cold Duck, and other wines with sugary finishes. While these wines are and will always have a following, rosé wines have graduated into the category of distinctive, high-quality food wines.

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Isn’t It Time for More Rieslings in Your Life?
Wine Reviews Wilfred Wong Wine Reviews Wilfred Wong

Isn’t It Time for More Rieslings in Your Life?

Each year as I plan my wine-tasting schedule, I grapple with fixed events—ZAP Experience, Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux, Premiere Napa, numerous wine competitions, etc. These popular events exist because their categories are active in the marketplace with consumers and professionals. Rieslings are another story, and I should have tasted more of them.

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To Gamay or Not to Gamay
Wine Reviews Wilfred Wong Wine Reviews Wilfred Wong

To Gamay or Not to Gamay

I have often followed the easy way out, but when I drank my glass of Gamay over the Thanksgiving holiday, I thought this Gamay, “This wine is so delicious that I have another glass.” Additionally, Gamays at the “crème de la crème” class is more affordable than the best Cabs or Pinots. This is my list of top Gamays I have tasted in 2022.

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My Ten Most Memorable Wine Moments in 2022
Wine Reviews Wilfred Wong Wine Reviews Wilfred Wong

My Ten Most Memorable Wine Moments in 2022

2022 is another year in transition as we crawl out of the pandemic and enter the endemic. I have tasted close to 3,000 wines (I may have passed that number, but some of my notes were still scribbled from crowded events when I used pen and paper and squeezed my way to get to the wines. Nevertheless, I should hit my annual goal of wines I needed to taste.

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Discovering and re-discovering the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA
Wine Tasting Wilfred Wong Wine Tasting Wilfred Wong

Discovering and re-discovering the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA

The Wines of the Santa Cruz Mountains website states, “More than 70 wineries and 200 growers produce wines shaped by the elevation and the ocean’s cooling influence. The region yields elegant wines from small producers specializing in pinot noir, chardonnay, and cabernet sauvignon.” I attended Mountain Wine: Rare trade-tasting with Santa Cruz Mountains Winegrowers on October 19th and enjoyed an excellent and up-close look at what this AVA is bringing to market.

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