Wine Appraiser

Viognier is a full-bodied white wine. Primary flavors of tangerine, peach, mango, honeysuckle, and rose. Cooler climate styles have greater citrus and floral traits with more acid and crispness. Thes…

I had never done a ten-year vertical wine-tasting and didn’t know what to expect. A vertical tasting is done with the same wine variety from the same winery and maybe even from the same vineyards, bu…

I have never considered these two wines to be similar. However, they have many similarities. Both are full-body, fruit-forward red wines with medium to medium-high acidity and similar alcohol levels.…

I had never tried a dessert wine till last year. I must admit they can be delicious and a great alternative to coffee.

Vignoles is a high acid and high sugar white grape. Because of its high sugar co…

Petite Pearl is a newer red hybrid grape. The grape was developed in Minnesota and has been available for less than twenty years. Regardless, some sources say it is one of the most planted grapes in …

Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc are both mutations of Pinot Noir.

First, let's look at Pinot Gris, also called Pinot Grigio in Italy. These two wines come from the same grape. Pinot Gris originated from B…

What is a GSM blend and why is it called a Rhone Blend? The G, S and M stand for Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre. The Rhone Valley is the original home of GSM blends and of course the reason why it is…

Fume is a French word meaning a smoke-like vapor or substance. It makes many people think of Pouilly-Fume, the famous Loire Valley wine and region.

Robert Mondovi coined the name Fume Blanc in the 19…

Zinfandel has been in America since the early to mid 1800s and was once the most popular wine grape in California. It is known for its old vine wines.

In fact, in the past it was a victim of its own p…

Tonight I have secretly selected a wine for Denise and she has chosen one for me.

In the show, we will discuss the blind-tasting process. After discovering the true identity of each wine, we will dis…

Tonight we are testing the differences between a French Sancerre and a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.

Sancerre is one of the most famous French white wine regions, and the top region for Sauvignon Blanc…

Tonight we are tasting another hybrid wine. Chambourcin is a French-American hybrid.

According to the website Pinot Days https://www.pinotdays.com/chambourcin-complete-guide/ Chambourcin has zero foxy…

Tonight we are tasting our first Iowa wine on the show. We just tasted this wine for the first time last week and enjoyed it immensely. 

Petite Amie is French for “Little Friend”. I’m told it often r…

Tonight we are tasting our first ever Greek wines.

Yamas is a Greek word that means “to our health” or “cheers”. (accent on the second syllable)

According to retailers in Des Moines, good Greek wine is…

Tonight we have our first challenge show of 2025.

Bordeaux is home to some of the world’s most famous and expensive wines. Bordeaux wines are blends made mostly of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Howev…

Tonight I have secretly selected a wine for Denise, and she has chosen one for me.

In the show, we will discuss the blind-tasting process, and after discovering each wine's true identity, we will dis…

Tonight we are exploring Merlot wines.

Merlot normally has a nose of red plum and cherry in cooler climates to blackberry and baked fruits in warmer climates, with notes of vanilla and spice from oak…

Tonight we explore Champagne.

Champagne can be made from any one or combination of the following three grape varieties; Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, or Pinot Meunier.

Champagne is normally not a vintage wi…

Champagne, Prosecco, Cava, Cremant, Traditional Method (classic method or methode champenoise), Tank Method (Charmat Method), Brut, Extra Dry, and Dry.

Tonight we will delve into the world of sparklin…

In this episode, Dennis and Denise taste various wine cocktails. Join them to see if one is right for you. Each recipe will be listed below.

Tonight we attempt to have a wide range of flavors and a co…