Harvest in the Vineyard There is something almost magical about harvest season in wine country. As the days grow shorter and the morning air carries a welcome chill, the vineyard shifts into its most intense and rewarding rhythm of the

Battuello 2018 Petit Verdot (St. Helena) https://www.winemag.com/buying-guide/battuello-2018-petit-verdot-st-helena/ With a thick entry of red cherry and plum, this darkly colored wine is robustly tannic with grip and pronounced oak—a mark of the variety. Dried herb, cigar and notes of leather round

Gems in MY Glass . . ., Napa, Tasting Notes by Ellen Landis Matteo Battuello and his wife Serafina founded Battuello Vineyards in 1909, after immigrating to the United States from the Piedmont region of Italy. They initially farmed grapes,

Here are the wines and two spirits I have reviewed this month.  December is the busiest month of the year on so many levels: I completed my annual top 100 wines which takes more than what one might expect. Top

The first question to be answered is “What the hell is valdiguié?” Friends, I’m here for you. The origins of the grape, in the past cultivated mainly in France’s Languedoc-Roussillon region, remain obscure. The name derives from any one of

Over the weekend, my ongoing series of discovery of some of the great wines of California brought us a wine from winery new to it – Lula Cellars. While delicately colored, the 2019 Anderson Valley Rosé of Pinot Noir cellared & bottled

In 1906 Italian immigrant Matteo Battuello arrived in America by steamship docking at Ellis Island.  Relatives in Napa Valley encouraged him to come to California, which he did, and in 1909 he purchased property in Saint Helena and founded Battuello Vineyards.

Where can you find a Napa Valley wine region with 12,000 acres of which 6800 are under vine – more than any other AVA in the Valley? If you guessed Appellation St. Helena, you’re correct. This unique area in the world

This week I’m back with another roundup of wines from California, including some new-to-me producers, and some I’ve known and loved for many years. St. Helena’s Battuello comes through with some interesting offerings from their estate vineyards, which dates back

Hello, and welcome to my periodic dig through the samples pile. I’m pleased to bring you the latest installment of Vinography Unboxed, where I highlight some of the better bottles that have crossed my doorstep recently. This week was all