Cabernet Sauvignon - deborahparkerwong

Conquer wine headaches

January 16, 2026 deborahparkerwong Wine Tasting, Cabernet Sauvignon, sensory science, Wine, wine faults

Thanks to new research about quercetin, the list of culprits in wine falls into three primary categories: tannins, biogenic amines (BAs), and alcohol.

Decoding the Origins of Wine Aromas

October 2, 2023 deborahparkerwong SOMM Journal, Cabernet Sauvignon, merlot, sensory, sensory science

Researchers have identified compounds responsible for coconut and dried fruit aromas in red grape must and new wine.

Five Decades for California’s Class of ’72

October 18, 2022 deborahparkerwong Wine, Cabernet Sauvignon, California, Chardonnay, Napa Valley, Sauvignon Blanc, SOMM Journal, Sonoma

Of the California wineries celebrating their 50th birth year in 2022, six gathered to mark the occasion with a retrospective tasting at The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in St. Helena. Each dazzled us with three wines while reflecting on five decades of harvests and providing a snapshot of their current vintages.

Retrospective tasting with Penfolds’ Peter Gago

April 14, 2020 deborahparkerwong Australia, Cabernet Sauvignon, Older vintages, Shiraz, SOMM Journal, Wine

In keeping with Gago’s practice of tasting verticals of older Penfolds vintages alongside panels of expert tasters, I’ve amended my tasting notes to include the historical perspective documented in Penfolds: The Rewards of Patience. This consummate guide to all things Penfolds provides invaluable hindsight through the lens of the world’s most highly-regarded palates.

Falling hard for Petrichor

October 10, 2019 deborahparkerwong SOMM Journal, Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, Scent, sensory, sensory science, wine faults

The term petrichor was derived from the Greek words petra (stone) and ichor (the blood of the gods) by researchers Isabel Joy Bear and Richard Thomas in their 1964 paper “Nature of Argillaceous Odour” to describe the scent of rain.

Beyond the Bar: Wine country visits that take you beyond the tasting room

April 3, 2019 deborahparkerwong Cabernet Sauvignon, California, Carneros, Enotourism, Napa Valley, Pinot Noir, Sonoma, Wine, Wine & Food Pairing

Gone are the days when wine tasting was synonymous with standing at a bar. Wineries are now offering tasting experiences that include such activities as hiking with your dog, appreciating a world-class sculpture garden and breathing through a yoga class. If you think a standard wine tasting at a bar sounds more like drudgery than a dream day, these four non-traditional wine tasting experiences are for you.

Cabernet with a twist

September 21, 2018 deborahparkerwong Bourbon, Cabernet Sauvignon, California, The Tasting Panel

The practice of finishing whiskey in wine barrels has been around since the 1860s, when scotch producers first utilized Sherry[…]

Micro-lot Cabernet from Napa’s rockiest site

August 15, 2018 deborahparkerwong Cabernet Sauvignon, California, Napa Valley, SOMM Journal, Vineyard, Wine

Cobbles reminiscent of the kind you find in the Southern Rhône aren’t the first thing you typically encounter in a Napa Valley vineyard. At Game Farm vineyard, owned and managed by Alex Vyborny and son Ben, it’s what differentiates their site from many others in Oakville. That cobbled terroir drew Goosecross Cellars winemaker Bill Nancarrow who sources fruit for the independent C. Elizabeth brand to the site like a bee to honey.

Imagery repeats as CA State Fair California Winery of the Year

August 10, 2018 deborahparkerwong CA State Fair, Cabernet Sauvignon, California, Chardonnay, Enotourism, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Sonoma, Wine Competitions

In a repeat performance, Imagery Estate Winery founded by Joe Benziger in 1985 has been honored for the second year running by the California State Fair as the 2018 Golden State Winery of the Year. Benziger, who was at the helm for the 2017 award, has now retired but serves as guide and mentor for his second daughter Jamie Benziger, 31, who stepped up as winemaker in 2018.

Incredible bulk: The changing nature of the international bulk wine market is creating opportunities

December 4, 2017 deborahparkerwong Bulk wine, Cabernet Sauvignon, California, France, Italy, Spain, Spirited, Spirits, Wine

It’s estimated that roughly 25 percent of the world’s wine production is sold as bulk wine, a segment that’s described[…]

Q & A with CEO Sid Patel, The International Bulk Wine and Spirits Show

June 26, 2017 deborahparkerwong Bulk wine, Cabernet Sauvignon, California, Carneros, Central Valley, Chardonnay, Languedoc, Lodi, Partnerships, Portugal, Provence, Restaurants, Rosé, San Francisco, Sauvignon Blanc, Sommeliers, Sonoma, Spain, Sparkling wine, Spirits, Trends, Veneto, Wine

San Francisco continues to be one of the world’s most important destinations for leading players in the wine industry, so it’s no surprise that a major conference dedicated to the private label and bulk trade is making its way to the city on July 26-27.