Gabe Sasso
The Daily Meal
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Past articles by Gabe:
90 Years of Remarkable Wines at Remarkable Prices from Pedroncelli
At the northern end of California’s Sonoma County sits Dry Creek Valley. The myriad of soil types (there are 75 variations) which impact the vines is one of the things that set Dry Creek Valley apart as an American Viticultural Area (AVA). → Read More
Puiatti Delivers Excellent White Wines From Friuli at Sensible Prices
Puiatti, located in Friuli, in Italy's far northeastern corner, has been in existence for 50 years. While the winery has evolved over time, things have really taken steps forward since it was purchased by the 150-year-old Bertani, a leading producer in the neighboring Veneto. → Read More
3 Stunning Sonoma Coast Pinot Noirs From Cobb Wines
If you love genuine site-driven pinot noir, Sonoma Coast is either on your radar or should be. The area has become a go-to for growers, winemakers, and pinot lovers alike. It’s a cool growing region that’s also filled with a wide diversity of sites. → Read More
Chappellet: A Secluded Napa Valley Gem
Located up on Pritchard Hill in a part of Napa Valley that’s far enough from the hustle and bustle that it seems like another world, Chappellet has been producing excellent wine since its founding 50 years ago. → Read More
Domaine Papagiannakos Showcases the Diversity of Savatiano
Over a recent dinner at Loring Place in New York City, I tasted some exciting Greek wines with winemaker Vassilis Papagiannakos of Domaine Papagiannakos. → Read More
Argentina’s Bodegas Graffigna Delivers Balanced Malbec and More
I sat down recently with Ignacio Lopez, winemaker from Argentina’s Bodegas Graffigna, to taste through a couple of his current wines and talk about the direction of he’s taking with malbec and the overall shift that has occurred with Argentina’s better malbec producers. → Read More
Visiting Robert Biale Vineyards: A Napa Valley Classic
No trip to any wine region is complete for me without checking off some boxes on my list. What list you ask? In this instance, I’m talking about the list of producers I haven’t been to before that I probably should have gotten to a long time ago. Thankfully, with each ensuing trip my list of those is getting ever smaller. On my most recent stay in Napa Valley I checked Robert Biale Vineyards off… → Read More
Chateau St. Jean’s Cinq Cépages and the Art of Blending
During a recent week split between Sonoma County and Napa Valley, I had a ton of diverse and interesting wine experiences that are going to resonate with me for a long time. One visit on the press trip I participated in was to Chateau St. Jean.[related] → Read More
A Delicious Trio from Australia’s The Lane Vineyards
Australia’s The Lane Vineyards is an Adelaide Hills producer whose wines are just being reintroduced into the United States after a few years away from our shelves. I sat down recently with viticulturist Marty Edwards over lunch for a chat and a taste through some of his family’s wines. → Read More
Sonoma County’s Dry Creek Valley, Tons More than Zinfandel
Dry Creek Valley has so much good zinfandel that it’s basically their calling card along with sauvignon blanc. I didn't mind this at all. → Read More
5 Wine Glasses You Need For #WineWednesday
We all get through our weeks by counting down the days until Friday. Sure, the weekend is great, but there’s another great part of the week that seems to always to get overlooked, and that’s good old hump day. → Read More
Villa de Varda Impresses with a Wide Range of Grappas
A couple of weeks back at dinner with Michele Dolzan I had the opportunity to taste through some of the different Grappa’s his family produces as well as learn all about their history. Michele is part of the fourth generation and along with his brother’s carries on the family tradition as well as bringing it forward to current times by instituting higher standards, and using modern technology to… → Read More
Australia’s First Families of Wine Deliver a Powerful Message
A few weeks back I attended an Australian wine event in Manhattan. This particular tasting was an interesting one indeed. Some of the country’s leading family-owned and multi-generational producers selected wines from their libraries to showcase to American trade and media. The main portion of the tasting was a sit-down seminar led by Mark Davidson, Australia’s worldwide wine educator. → Read More
Big Reds and Whiskey for Dad
Father’s Day is around the corner, so it’s time to get Dad a gift. I suppose you could get him a tie, but it’ll probably end up at the back of his closet with so many other unnecessary artifacts. Instead, give him something delicious to drink. Here are 11 well-made wines and whiskeys that will quench his thirst and leave him smiling. Who knows — if you’re lucky, he may share. Harney Lane 2012… → Read More
Chile Wines Continue to Offer Quality, Value, and Diversity
Chile is one of the most exciting wine-growing countries in the world. The varied terrain, climates, topography, and other environmental influences ensure that there are a myriad of wide-ranging spots to grow grapes. That allows vintners to plant in just the right spots, as well as experiment with a range of climactic influences. There is quality and value to be found in Chilean wine regardless… → Read More
Somontano: A Distinct Spanish Region to Consider
Every great wine region has qualities that set it apart from the rest. In Spain, many regions are known first and foremost for the predominant grape of the area. Rioja, for example, is largely planted to tempranillo. One of the ways the region of Somontano differs is that its producers don’t focus on a specific varietal. In fact, Somontano is planted to such a wide array of grapes that one could… → Read More
A Visit to Napa Valley’s Shafer Vineyards
The number of wineries in Napa Valley is staggering. With more than 800 brands, many of them with tasting rooms of one type or another, it’s hard to keep up. Every time I’m in the area I make a concerted effort to spend most of my time visiting producers I’ve never seen before. Still, some fall through the cracks. And that’s as close as I can come to explaining why it took me so long to make it… → Read More
Give Mom something delicious for Mother’s Day!
With Mother’s Day just days away, many of us are scrambling for the right gift. If your mom is like most, she likes a glass of wine every now and then. I just tasted through a lot of different offerings and found a diverse group that, depending on your mom’s tastes, will each hit the right spot. Whether she likes aromatic whites, reds (gentle or bold), or delicious bubbles, here are some great… → Read More
Robert Mondavi Winery: An American Icon Approaches 50
In 2016, the Robert Mondavi Winery will celebrate its 50th anniversary. Having just spent a couple of days in Napa Valley as their guest, I’ve been thinking a lot about the impact that the man and his namesake winery have had on U.S. wine history. Back in 1966, when Robert made the bold move of leaving the family business (Charles Krug Winery), he had audacious ideas. He believed that Napa… → Read More
Pinot in the City Showcases Willamette Valley’s Delicious Wares
Vintners from a broad array of Willamette Valley wineries showcased their wines at New York’s City Winery recently. It has been 50 years since the first pinot noir vines were planted there, so the gathering had a festive quality. There’s an extraordinary amount of good pinot noir in Oregon — it’s what the state’s wine producers are known for. However, as the tasting clearly exhibited, it isn’t… → Read More