Myriad Cellars: A Winner on Many Levels
I have been buying the wine produced by Mike Smith, winemaker and co-proprietor of Myriad Cellars, since 2008. In most cases, that should be, by itself, a ringing endorsement of his wine.
He honed his craft with one of the finest winemakers in the Napa Valley, Thomas Rivers Brown. Initially, Mike worked with Thomas for free for several crushes (seven to be exact), and ultimately Thomas offered Mike a job. It was in 2006 that Mike was able to purchase grapes and establish his own label with his wife Leah as “copilot.” My first tasting with him was at Carter Cellars where he was established as the winemaker. I was sold on his expertise by then.
Keplinger: A Favorite!
This is exciting news! For years, I have followed and loved the wines made by Helen Keplinger. My first taste of her wine was the 2006 Red Slope, a Grenache based wine that I can still recall. It was lush with mouth watering fruit – so much so that I needed to join the mailing list. It was a great decision!
I’ve written about Helen’s wines several times in the past out (check it here and here). The challenge has always been how to introduce the fine art of her winemaking to my friends. There was no tasting room, and the busy schedule of Helen and her husband/business partner, DJ, made it hard to schedule a tasting. The wait is over. This is the email they sent me! Read on, and…
Wine on the Fly
I travel frequently – flying predominately. (Yes, I have very strong arms!) So, for a wine lover on the road, it is a challenge to find quality wines. Yet as most of you know, airports have caught up with the trends in expanded wine appreciation on the part of their customers. Almost every airport has some semblance of a wine bar. Vino Volo now has 33 locations. I was stunned just last week when I was in the Salt Lake City airport and noticed the very big Vino Volo store/bar/restaurant. It turns out it is the biggest of their chain. I say go figure.