Taste Along w/ Adam the Wine Guy # 22 - Indaba

Steen, Steen, Steen...hmmm, what the heck is a Steen, sounds like a guys last name who i went to high school or camp with when i was a kid or something..but really, its another name for Chenin Blanc..that wonderfully ripe and refreshing wine that you usually see from the Loire, but in S. Africa they are making wines that are really world class, i think they are doing their best jobs on Pinotage, and the Steen..its not soo well known, but, they have been making wine in S.Africa for centuries..this country is located about what was once 1/2 around the world before the Panama Canal, so all the sailors had to pass around the tip to S.Africa to continue the journey..it was here the Dutch settled, and while there they planted some of the first grapes in the southern hemisphere..so, the tradition is rich, figure they have a few hundred years of practice..

way south of the border with the Indaba, Steen, 2006

Taste Along w/ Adam the Wine Guy #21 - Incognito

..these guys are making really cool wines in an up and coming wine growing region right here in Cali..Lodi...hmmm, Lodi you ask, where is that?..well its up north just east of the farthest reaches of the san francisco bay..generally i expect the wines from here to be big and fruity and this Incognito is no exception..although i wouldn't give it quite over the top..this one as well is a real crowd pleaser, many palate's will be satiated with a good mouthful of this juice..

The 2006, Incognito, white, from Lodi, really explodes

Taste Along w/ Adam the Wine Guy #20 -Surfrider

...cool wine for a cool cause, hang 11 for the Surfrider, Red, straight outta Malibizzle..

catch the wave of the Surfrider, 2004, Red, from Malibu proceeds benefit the Surfrider foundation

Taste Along w/ Adam the Wine Guy #19 - Corsini II

ladies and gentlemen, guys and gals, people of all ages, particularly the ones over 21..Adam the Wine Guy, is proud to welcome the return of Duccio Corsini..


and also would like to send out a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO LAURENCE!!

Taste Along w/ Adam the Wine Guy #18

Taste Along w/ Adam the Wine Guy #17 - Bottleshock

its amazing how wine in the past handful of years has permeated american culture..really great to see, we are now a wine drinking country, outselling beer here in the u.s..and this tremendous rise in wines popularity can definately be seen in the way wine is now marketed and promoted..there are even now full length feature films about wines, and the people who make them..and the history of the business..had the pleasure of having a chance to speak w/ ross schwartz, the screen writer of the new wine movie "bottleshock"..its on the big screen in many major markets across the country..in a nutshell its about the paris tasting, and how california wines kicked ass..check it out in the theater, or as i am told it will be out on video soon..so grab your glasses, kick back and hit play..

with Ross Schwartz, of "Bottleshock", and the 2006, Gustave Thrace, Chard.

Taste Along w/ Adam the Wine Guy #16 - Chanier, rose

some wines are so delicious they remind me of candy for adults..this one is succulent, takes me back to times of jolly ranchers, bubble gum, and cotton candy..but its not overly sweet like your mama's white zin..and definately has a great drinking velocity..this one comes from the Loire, sorta located in the north central part of France..its the region with the highest concentration of chateau's and castles in the country..and really a relatively short tgv ride from paris..considered to be the valley of the kings the loire is like the bel air of france..but way more bel air, than bel air will ever be..

Loirelicious the 2006, Pierre Chanier, 2006, Rose d'Anjou

Taste Along w/ Adam the Wine Guy - #15 La Vigne

...love the cabernet sauvigon that these guys make, not a ton of paso cabs that knock my socks off and for under 20 bucks this one's a steal..great thing about paso is how close it is to los angeles, you can wake up in the morning and be in wine country by lunch, how great is that..from the city to the vines in like 2 1/2 hours..in paso there are a ton of wineries to visit also, and other great activities like the natural springs, and beautiful hiking and biking...there are also many interesting micro climates right in paso for growing grapes, and each one has an ideal place per varietal..this cab is all estate grown, floor fruit, so its gettin great exposure to the sun making this one really fruit forward, ripe and jammy..the alcohol is a bit up there too so, you'll be feelin something even after the first glass..and, another cool thing, the winemaker Jac Jacobs, is the same guy who coined the term "Meritage".

ripe and juicy the 2004, La Vigne di San Dominico, Cab. Sav.

Taste Along w/ Adam the Wine Guy #14 - Chameleon

out of california, and even more so in napa, you generally see the basic cabernet, merlot, and chardonnay, but there are producers out there really trying different things..these guys at chameleon really make some interesting wines out of traditional italian grape varietals..they also do a pretty cool barbera, but i think that this one's my favorite of their wines..also, i generally stay away, and i mean far away from labels with animals, particularly of the cartoony variety..but, hey, there a some exceptions and this is one of em..and this charbono could be really great w/ foods..i think it would rock with some barbeque..which i found out on one of my recent trips to france is a french word..barb-from the word for beard, and que-from the butt..so if you think about a long skewer and a fire pit and a pig..it would be skewered from the barb to the que...hence barbeque..yeehah!..i think thats french also..

drink up the Chameleon, 2001, Charbono, from Napa

Taste Along w/ Adam the Wine Guy #13 - Caves des Papes, rose

sometimes a rose is just a rose..and other times a rose' is way better..in this case bring me a bottle of this any day, rather than a dozen of the others..this one is a classic style easy drinking summertime rhone rose..personally i love the combination of grapes and balance..and how can you beat the beautiful pink color, practically brings the blue out in any one's eyes..this wine drinks great with seafood, particularly shellfish..i prefer my pink with clams, oysters or mussels even..hope you enjoy as much as i do..with that combination it'll remind you of a great day the south of france..even if you've never gone..

yummy yummy the 2007, Caves des Papes, rose

Taste Along with Adam the Wine Guy #12 - Daphne

...you say mal-vah-see-uh, i say mal-vay-see-a..you say tow-may-tow, i say tow-mah-tow, ahhh, lets just call the whole thing off...no, wait, lets not, lets just say that either pronunciation will work just fine..there are soo many grape varietals, countries and regions out there, that there are bound to be grapes that are exactly the same, but different names or pronunciations are correct depending on where the wine is from and what country you are in..take syrah for example, in Australia, its shiraz, in france its syrah, california syrah..so there is one right off the bat for you..don't get bogged down in the minutia of pronunciation, really, by the time your done with a bottle or two anyhow, the thing that really matters is the experience you come away with..this Malvasia, is a really cool one, definately off the beaten path..with a hint of effervescence, makes an interesting but still Italian alternative to a prosecco (which is a grape)..nice, light, and refreshing..

a summer refresher with the 2003, Medici Ermete, Daphne, Malvasia

Taste Along with Adam the Wine Guy #11- Trocard

...these guys are some of my favorite's in all of bordeaux, i had such a great time visiting them on a recent trip, and had the opportunity to hang out w/ 3 generations of the Trocard family, which is the tip of the iceberg with about 300 years of wine making, grape growing and negociant business under there belts..this 2005, Ch. Franc la Rose, is drinking great now and will certainly get better with age..i had the chance to taste a 66, Trocard Bordeaux Superiour, with the Patriarch and winemaker, it was soo cool hearing his stories of the 66 vintage, personally he hung onto 5000 bottles to drink thru his retirement, musta been a good one.. and it was still showin great..also, if you have a chance to get your butts to St. Emillion, you really should stop by..they are open to the public for tours and tastings, except probably during harvest, they are a little busy, being the largest landowners in the region..and, keep your eyes peeled for the petit village they are constructing with guest accomidations to boot..If you make it there please tell Jean-Lous and Benoit that i sent you..

get yer glasses and taste the bangin' 2005, Ch. Franc la Rose, by Jean-Louis Trocard

Taste Along with Adam the Wine Guy #10 - Rock n Roll Wine

...BIG BIG BIG SHOW TODAY!!..thats right the big 1-0..its our 10th webisode and we are celebrating rock n roll style with some really cool wine..by some guys outta vegas from "Rock n Roll Wine"..not only do they do some of the most fun wine events on the planet, by the way there is one coming up on Sept. 27th, so check it out, or even make a trip to Vegas out of it..if you ever, need a reason to go to Vegas this is a good one..they have big name bands playing and mixed with tons wine and hot chicks you cant go wrong ..gets good and crazy towards the end of the evening..check out their website for more event details.. www.rocknrollwine.com ..and i should be there so, come and say hello if you make it out..and tell em when you get there that Adam the Wine Guy sent ya..

rockin it with Rock n Roll wines 2006 Reggae Rhapsody

Taste Along with Adam the wine Guy #9 - Oppidum

..this is a goofy little wine, totally different than i expected it to be..even i'm surprised sometimes..see, that's what im talkin about, wines a fantastic adventure..i also am asked all the time, what should i drink?..and one of my most frequent responses is something you've never had before..enjoy the adventure of the the exploration..each one of those new tastes will force you to expand your creative thinking..and with each taste and experience comes a new memory..buckle up enjoy the ride..tasted anything new and exciting recently??

we're down with O.P.P.,yeah you know me..gettin into the Oppidum, 2004,Moscato

Taste Along with Adam the Wine Guy #8 - Gassier, rose

"..summer's here and the time is right for drinking some rose'" ( sounds great when you've had a little and you sing it to the tune of "dancing in the streets") if someone writes a rose' wine song, i'll post it ..
and the time couldn't be better for a refreshing wine from the south of France, and the Gassier is a classic example..there is nothing better than being on the Mediterranean, and enjoying some rose' with some fresh mussels..yummm..don't let the pink fool you into thinking that this is your grandmother's white zinfandel..is wonderfully crisp and clean, with hints of minerality...such a good fun food wine, and really one that everyone can enjoy on a "hot august night"...hmmm, maybe there is an album title in that?...

gettin' down with the Gassier, Sables d'Azur, Rose, 2007

Taste Along with Adam the Wine Guy #7 - Kopke

Port, port, port...and we're not talking about the left side of a boat here, were talking that mysterious beverage from Portugal..Port, a fortified wine with a long history has many styles and variation within those..there are tawny's which have lighter and more caramel tones, ruby ports which are rich and unctuous with deep grape and brooding fruit notes and vintage ports which are only produced in the best years, usually no more than 5 vintages are declared in a decacde..so this juice is pretty precious..Kopke is the oldest producer of port on the planet goin all the way back to the mid-late 1600's..and recently i had a chance to taste their '57 which was absolutely amazing, almost etherial..this 2000 is excellent, showing signs of a bit of bottle age, and this juice will develop wonderfully in the bottle over the next 20+ years..

gettin down with the Kopke 2000 vintage port..

Taste Along with Adam the Wine Guy #6 - K'orus Cab.

This wines got a really neat story..its brand new to the marketplace and you can pick it up at most chain grocery stores..this wine is produced by Kedar Massenburg who was the Pres. of Motown Records, he discovered Erika Badu and D'Angelo..this is the guy who actually started the whole neo-soul sound..and to top it off Kedar is the first African -American to produce a wine in France and bring it back to the US market..im sure with Kedar's celebrity friends and their endorsements, as well as the approachability of the wine you will be seeing this grow into a huge brand..

we're gettin down with the K'orus Cabernet

Drinking K'orus on the set of the new "Joe" music video, pictured: ATWG, Joe

Taste Along with Adam the Wine Guy #5 - Bota Box

Decent wine in a box..who woulda thunk?..well, i think it started back with the Franzia's and their tremendous marketing of box wine to the general public. and what a job they did. i think i see it in every grocery store i walk into..so one day i get this package and its a big, and heavy, i may add, box, with a bunch of boxes of boxed wine inside..figured we should give it a whirl on the "Taste Along"..I think overall these packages are really great for an everyday type wine, haven't tasted anything high end in a box yet (with out the breathe-ability it would be an interesting experiment) but the package is certainly green. you can recycle the whole thing, and the box itself is even biodegradable..Some bonus' to wine in a box..once opened you can keep it for weeks, maybe even longer, because of the airtight and vacuum sealed bladder this juice doesn't see any air till it comes out of the handy spout. also, as you kids have found out, glass breaks! worst thing that could happen here is you could get a paper cut from the box..and if you live in a small space, this is a great way to jam a ton of wine into a small package..so thats my take for now, what do you think?

rockin the Bota Box, 2005, California, Pinot Grigio

Taste Along with Adam the Wine Guy #4 - Principe Corsini

Buckle up and come on location and taste with special guest Don Duccio Corsini, who is next up to be the 10th prince of Sismano. The history of his family's wines is amazing going back to the 1400's. At one time the Corsini family were the largest land owners in all Italy, and even had a pope in the family. We had a chance to catch up with Duccio on his whirl-wind tour of L.A. And I'd like to give a special thank you to the live audience for their enthusiastic applause.

here we taste Principe Corsini, Chianti Classio,Le Corti, 2005

Taste Along with Adam the Wine Guy #3 - Ch. Dudon

I visited this place a few times this year and their wines and hospitality always impress.. they are located right in the heart of Sauternes nearby the small, and extremely interesting city of Cadillac, and the village of Barsac, all about 40 minutes south of Bordeaux city. The guest house is an amazing place to stay, the accommodations are homey, and comfortable. The gitte's origins go back to the 17th century. Thomas Jefferson even stayed at this joint. The owners, Evelyn and Michel are fantastic hosts. Sharing a meal, a tasting or a tour with them is great, especially with Evelyn's passion for history, you are bound to get more than your average wine tour. There are also many other Chateau's nearby to visit while at Dudon. I totally recommend a visit there and look forward to planning an ADAM THE WINE GUY'S WINE TOURS with Dudon as the destination in the near future..Heres some shots of the view of Chateau Dudon, and the video a tasting of their 2005..

This is the same place that Thomas Jefferson stayed


this is the view i saw from my window each morning



most of the time people think of Sauternes and sweet wines strictly for dessert, this wine makes a wonderful apertif when paired with the right cheeses and accouterments.


lets get down and taste with this unbelievable value in a sauternes from Chateau Dudon, 2005. Stay tuned we will definately revisit Dudon..

Taste Along with Adam the Wine Guy #2 - Santa Ema

..so a question i get all the time from people is something like "..whats a good cheap wine? or "if i dont want to spend a lot of money what wine should i buy?..". well, i think there is a ton of competition in the marketplace and this makes for really great pricing for the consumer..the choices are wide ranging, from grape varietal to region, where is a good place to get started?..i always say trust your service professional, the guy at the store, or your waitress is there to steer you in the right direction..and they can even help to keep you on budget as well...lately i think that some great values are coming out of spain, argentina and chile..when your at the bottle shop, check out one of these regions, grab a bottle, usually you can find something really good for around 15 bucks or so, so you dont have much to lose..buckle up, enjoy the adventure..


grab your glass and taste the Santa Ema, Reserve Cab. 2005

Taste Along with Adam the Wine Guy #1- Sylvester

im going to be doing a ton of "taste alongs" some with friends, some with food..the set and overall quality will definately develop and i look forward to seeing it take shape..hope you enjoy, maybe learn something, and get a laugh or two out of the deal..i think you look best with a smile on your face anyhow..and if you have any ideas i am always open to content suggestions..lemme know your thoughts..cheers!!


grab a bottle and taste along with me as we see what sylvester winery has up their sleeve with the 2005 syrah..