Posts by ChrisAndAllison


Au Bon Climat: Lunch with Legends

Au Bon Climat: Lunch with Legends


Posted on Mar 11, 2020

French oak wine barrel

Barrel tasting at Au Bon Climat.

We were very privileged to be invited to lunch at Au Bon Climat, one of the true pioneers of the Santa Barbara County wine scene. We drove up to the winery with high expectations but ended up in an experience that well exceeded what we thought we may encounter.

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Matt Dees: Taking Wine to The Hilt

Matt Dees: Taking Wine to The Hilt


Posted on Mar 4, 2020

Sta. Rita Hills santa barbara county

Winemaker Matt Dees

As the winemaker behind Jonata, The Hilt and The Paring, Matt Dees’ reputation as a terrific winemaker easily precedes him. Meeting him and getting a glimpse behind Matt Dees, the person, quickly turned into a fascinating discussion that covered everything from vineyards and sedimentary rock, to Rock ‘n Roll and cellist Pablo Casals.

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Carménère: A Primer

Carménère: A Primer


Posted on Feb 26, 2020

Colchagua valley chile wine

2017 Carmin de Peumo Carmenere

Carménère is a dark and delicious red wine that has become the poster-child for the wines of Chile. Coming from the right vineyards it makes a wine that has early approachability, lots of body and a spicy, an almost rustic personality. If you have not yet tried Carménère, we think you should. Think Bordeaux, with less tannin, and generally a lot less expensive.

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Woodinville washington wine

Kevin White

Kevin White makes a compelling first impression which is full of interesting dualities. He’s soft-spoken yet his words are deliberate. His intelligence is obvious, but his humility accentuates a quiet confidence rather than arrogance. He leads a double life involved in both technology and wine. He looks more the part of ‘techie’, but his passion as a winemaker is obvious from the start.

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This series of articles will focus on the top wines from a number of Champagne Houses. In Champagne these top wines are referred to as that house’s “Tête de cuvée”. The Tête de Cuvée will be made from a strict selection of the best barrels from the best vineyard parcels. The Tête de Cuvée is very limited in production but it is very important to the Champagne house as it represents the best of the best, the crowning achievement that defines what the house is capable of.

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