William Pollard Jr | aka: Wild 4 Washington Wine

Category: Delicious Wine and Food Pairings Since last year, I have found myself drinking more sweet white wines. And not with or as dessert. I've become quite fond of pairing sweet and medium sweet white wines with lunch and dinner. Not any sweet wine will do. You need a quality wine with complexity, sugar yes, but the wine also needs balanced acidity to match with the food. And the wine must be tasty too. I'm referring to the sweet white wines of Bordeaux, France. Sweet Bordeaux wines deepen in color with age. Sweet Bordeaux white wines are made with a combination of Sémillon, Sauvignon Blanc, and Muscadelle grapes.These wines are quite sweet, with balanced acidity, so many of these wines can be long lived in the wine cellar, even decades. As these wines age, you will notice that their color deepens to a beautiful deep gold. Even though these are age worthy wines, they can be quite approachable and food friendly when young. Yes they can. Tasting and pairing th...

Welcome the new year in style with French bubbles - à votre santé! Toast the season with bottles of crisp, sparkling Lucien Albrecht Brut Rosé. At my home, we enjoy bubbles year-round. If you only drink Champagne or Prosecco, then it's time to try something different. remuage : the periodic turning or shaking of bottled wine, especially champagne, to move sediment toward the cork. The history of the Albrecht family as winegrower can be traced back to 1425 with Romanu Albrecht, who was settled in the town of Thann. During the fifteenth and sixteenth century in Thann, several generations of Albrecht were elected as Bangard vinegrowers. Lucien Albrecht pioneered Crémant production in 1971 and helped gain an Appellation Contrôlêe for the wine and for Alsace. The wines are vinified in the classic Champagne Method. Tasting Notes Lucien Albrecht Crémant d'Alsace Brut Rosé Method : 100% Pinot Noir free-run juice. Whole cluster hand picked grapes are softly p...

The context of wine is important to understanding wine. My friends at Protocol Wine Studio continue to provide wine education on wine regions around the world. It was my sincere pleasure to participate in the Wine Studio program on wines of Alsace. These wines are now used by me as reference points for describing wines from Alsace. Contact Protocol Wine Studio if you would like to have your wines considered for an upcoming Wine Studio program. Florian Beck-Hartweg wines are imported by George Tita of Tanaro River Wine Imports . Beck-Hartweg in Dambach-la-Ville is one of the historic Domaines of Alsace, France that builds on a tradition of wine growing which goes all the way back to 1590. Today the responsibility for making wine is continued by Florian Beck-Hartweg. Florian has gained a solid reputation among lovers of Alsatian wines as a skilled, progressive and communicative representative of Alsac e. Earlier vintages featured Yvette and Michelle on the label, his par...

French sparkling wine is not always Champagne. Though just as good.  "...à votre santé!" As promised, I have more wines to recommend for your seasonal celebratory gatherings. Today I am recommending two sparkling wines from France. They are not Champagne. They are Crémant d'Alsace made by the Albrecht family in Northeastern France. The history of the Albrecht family as winegrower can be traced back to 1425 with Romanu Albrecht, who was settled in the town of Thann. During the fifteenth and sixteenth century in Thann, several generations of Albrecht were elected as Bangard vinegrowers. Lucien Albrecht pioneered Crémant production in 1971 and helped gain an Appellation Contrôlêe for the wine and for Alsace. The wines are vinified in the classic Champagne Method. Toast the season and share the history of Crémant d'Alsace with bottles of crisp, sparkling Lucien Albrecht. Share your appreciation with friends and welcome the new year in style with French bubble...

I relish writing about wine, especially when it allows me to meet the people who are behind the bottles of wine on store shelves. A bottle of wine means more to me after I know the history of the people making the wine. Matching a face to the label helps me too. This month, I had the opportunity to learn more about Saget La Perriere and their Loire Valley wines at a luncheon with Arnaud Saget. It was a true treat. The Saget family is among a handful of estates enjoying three centuries of vineyard and wine production. The modern Saget approach brings together crus and terroirs, vintages and cuvees from the Loire Valley in France. They have 890 acres to vine, six estates and long-term contracts with family owned vineyards. They create and blend a range of Loire Valley wines. An approach more closely associated with new world wine production. When you drink Saget La Perriere, you are tasting a more complex expression of the Loire Valley. Of note is that Sage...

There is no better time to embrace the color and flavor of Rosé. Spring always seems to remind me of Rosé. Or is it the other way around? I am feeling the excitement as the countryside turns green, the trees are in bloom and flowers are ready to reach for the sky. These five wonderful Rose's each express some of that jubilation of Spring time renewal. Is not wine also like renewal? “What is the scent of water?"  Renewal. The goodness of God coming down like dew.”  ― Elizabeth Goudge, The Scent of Water These are wines to enjoy with food and friends. Their lovely shades of pink, orange and red hint at their food friendliness. Time to clean the grill and start cooking outside. Bring along some of these rose' wines to pair with your BBQ and Spring celebrations. Tremendous value in all five of these wines. 1. Lucien Albrecht Crémant d'Alsace  Brut Rose Color : Pale pink. Nose : Light toast, delicate raspberry. Palate : Soft bubbles, raspberry cream, deli...