The Wine Case

TasteCamp 2012 in Virginia: First Impressions

Remy Charest — Sat, 05 May 2012 11:56:57 +0000

It was almost ironic, for TasteCamp participants who had also visited Virginia for the Wine Bloggers Conference, last year. The weather for the first tasting of this three-day tour of North Virginia wine country was reminiscent of the much-discussed heat of last July, with temperatures reaching into the 90s. 90 degrees is better than 100, however, [...]

TasteCamp Virginia Update: Linden, Fabbioli and Tranquility Added to Agenda

Remy Charest — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 19:28:30 +0000

So, when is TasteCamp 2012, again? What do you mean, two weeks? Wow. Time sure flies by when you’re organizing a visit to a wine region. But the important thing is that the agenda for TasteCamp is essentially complete, except for a couple of knick-knacks and details, and that we’re very happy with the experience that participants [...]

Enjoying older wine the way it is

Remy Charest — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 15:52:20 +0000

Tonight, at a family dinner, with my parents and my sister’s family, we drank a 2000 Dame de Montrose, the second wine from Château Montrose. It was delicious and well-rounded, tannins nicely softened up, still a lovely amount of fruit, and that pleasant dustiness that comes to Bordeaux wines, especially those with a good dose [...]

About that wine and chocolate thing…

Remy Charest — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 03:49:15 +0000

Okay, so, apparently, there’s a thing called Valentine’s Day that’s around the corner? Something to do with chocolate? Actually, according to lots of people (in particular, PR persons), Valentine’s has to do with matching wine and chocolate. More specifically, red wine and chocolate. By which people generally mean dry red wine. I’m not in your mouth, people, [...]

It’s official: TasteCamp is headed to Northern Virginia

Remy Charest — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 19:30:06 +0000

What I love most about wine writing is the opportunity to discover new wine regions. Since 2009, TasteCamp, founded by my friend Lenn Thompson, has provided me with some of the best opportunities to do so, with a three-day intensive session of tasting and visiting that has taken participants to Long Island and the Finger [...]

Wine From Here: exploring the natural wine movement in California

Remy Charest — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 10:35:37 +0000

What is natural wine? What does it mean to make a natural wine? And how is natural wine taking hold in the vineyards and wineries of California? Those are the questions that Wine From Here, a documentary by Martin Carel and his brother Matthieu that is premiering on Thursday night in San Francisco. Wine From [...]

Live Wine Blogging from Charlottesville, Virginia – now, the reds

Remy Charest — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 21:12:09 +0000

Yesterday was the Live Wine Blogging session for white wines at the Wine Bloggers Conference. Today, after a great keynote speech by Eric Asimov, who insisted on tasting wine in context, we’re stepping right into this speed dating format. Ironic but fun. CalNaturale 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon I was not terribly impressed by the white TetraPak wine from [...]

Live wine blogging from WBC11 in Charlottesville, Virginia

Remy Charest — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 20:25:15 +0000

The fourth annual Wine Bloggers Conference started officially at 1 PM today in Charlottesville, Virginia, with a great, down to earth keynote speech from Jancis Robinson, followed by breakout sessions (including the one on local wine, which I was happy to take part in with Lenn Thompson, Frank Morgan and Dave McIntyre). But now, the crazy [...]

Tasting Note (and more): Littorai 2006 Roman Vineyard Pinot Noir, Anderson Valley AVA

Remy Charest — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 06:40:07 +0000

Almost three years after I met him in October 2008 at his winery in Sebastopol, California, I still consider the hour or two I spent with Littorai’s winemaker, Ted Lemon, one of the most enlightening moments I’ve had in my years as a wine writer. Lemon, who makes a number of remarkably diverse chardonnays and pinot [...]

Post-TasteCamp North Interviews: Amanda Maynard, the Wineing Woman

Remy Charest — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 21:33:38 +0000

This is the seventh – and final – installment in a series of interviews following up on discoveries made at TasteCamp North,held on both sides of the Niagara river on May 13-15, with some thirty-some wine bloggers and writers present. Today is Amanda Maynard, a die-hard Boston Bruins fan who writes the Wineing Woman blog between Stanley [...]