9 posts
Behind the Cork™ Reviews
Zaca Mesa Winery & Vineyards was founded in 1973 by John Cushman and five friends, who purchased the property the year prior. As the third winery established in Santa Barbara County, experimentation was an integral part of Zaca Mesa’s early days. S...
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Grape Varieties
Pinot Blanc 🥂  * Photo by The Mighty Quill on Wikimedia Commons * Pinot Blanc (pee-noh blahnk) originated centuries ago in Burgundy, France. It is not a separate grape species, but a natural, white-ski...
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Behind the Cork™ Reviews
 When a local grape harvester showed up at with six tons of Zinfandel grapes that he was willing to give away, Tobin “Toby” James, a young assistant winemaker at the time, asked if he could have ...
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Grape Varieties
Pinot Gris 🥂  * Photo by Andrew Fogg on Wikimedia Commons * Pinot Gris is a natural color mutation of the famous red wine grape, Pinot Noir. They are genetically identical, except Pinot Gris has a pinki...
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Behind the Cork™ Reviews
Viña Carmen was founded by Christian Lanz in 1850 and named in honor of his wife. The winery, located in Chile, now has more than 160 years of history having been the first and now oldest winery. In 1987, Viña Carmen became part of Grupo Claro. In 19...
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Grape Varieties
Pinot Noir 🍷  * Photo by Ursula Brühl, Julius Kühn-Institut (JKI) on Wikimedia Commons * Pinot Noir is one of the world’s oldest cultivated grapes. Historically, it has its beginning with the Romans more ...
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Behind the Cork™ Reviews
This Pinot Noir is part of the “A Tour of Wine Grapes” series. Bezel Wines is a fresh wine adventure from the well-known Cakebread Family of wines. Since 1973, they’ve been making wine in Napa Valley at Cakebread Cellars in Rutherford, California. ...
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Grape Varieties
Pinot Noir 🍷 Last time we looked at the Pinot Noir grape and the various countries where it is grown. Now, let’s look at two specific countries — the U.S. and New Zealand. 🇺🇸 The United States: Coastal Coolers In the U.S., Pinot Noir thrives prima...
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Behind the Cork™ Reviews
Established in 1998, Craggy Range is a family-owned estate that revolutionized New Zealand wine by matching specific grapes to unique terroirs. This 2025 Craggy Range Pinot Noir is made from over ten distinct clones that were hand-harvested. The gr...
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