I'm often asked what some of my favorite wines are. A lot of them are not widely available so I can't include them in my tastings. That is about to change. One of my favorite wineries is Big Table Farm from Carlton (Willamette) Oregon. Their wines have received outstanding ratings from Wine Spectator Magazine and other wine publications. The owners and winery have been featured in the New York Times and a host of other publications. These wines are usually only available at the winery or via their mailing list. If you want to find out more about them here is a link to their web site:  https://www.bigtablefarm.com/ I let them know I wanted to feature their wines for a tasting and if they could set a package deal for us and they agreed! We have put together a three wine package of some of my favorites for the tasting: Wild Bee Chardonnay:  A great example of Oregon Chard it is versatile and works great as a cocktail wine, with chicken, or less pungent seafood. The per bottle pri...

  Everyone knows about Chianti, Barolo, and Super Tuscans but Italy produces a number of other great wines as well. Because of the popularity of the more famous reds, these outstanding wines often get overlooked. On Friday, January 8th, at 5:00 Arizona Time, 4:00 Pacific, and 7:00 Eastern time you will have the opportunity to discover 3 of them. We are going to be tasing Zaccagnini Montepulciano D’Abruzzo ($13.99 Total Wine before discounts), Cusumano Nero D’Avola Sicilia ($13.29), and a Dolia Cannonau Di Sardegna ($13.49). All are great values that taste much better than the price would lead you to believe. The first two are available nationally as well as at Total Wine if; you can't find the Dola Cannonau feel free to substitute any other that you find. As always there is no charge to attend but if you feel like sending a gratuity, I won’t say no. Hope you can make it! Click Here To Register.:

Let's think back to the before-time when we had holiday parties. You invited guests over, you wanted to serve them tasty wines, but you still wanted some money left over to buy some stocking stuffers. For our December tasting, we are going to taste a bubbly and two reds that your guests will love don’t cost a whole heck of a lot. These should be easily available at retail stores nationally or on-line. We will kick things off Gruet Brut Sparkling Wine from New Mexico ($13.49 Total Wine, $13.95 Vivino). For your guests that like a lighter fruiter wine we will taste an Erath Pinot Noir Oregon ($12.97 Total Wine, $16.97 Vivino). And finally, for your guests that like something a little fuller-bodied and complex we will try a Charles Smith Boom Boom Syrah from Washington State ($12.97 Total Wine, $16.95 Vivino). In addition to tasting the wines we will learn about the varietals, the regions they come from, and other wines we may want to serve at holiday gatherings. The tasting will ta...

  Thanksgiving is a day that we all sit down with the ones we love as well as the ones we must. For years many of us have been in a rut relying on tried and true wines for our Thanksgiving meals. Pinot Noir, Reisling, and Gewurztraminer. Our next wine tasting will let you get out of that rut, allowing you to show thanks to the ones you love without overspending on the ones you must. You may also find some wines you did not know you liked and may be willing to drink all year long. Coincidentally the wines are all French and try as I might I cannot come up with a tie in between France and Thanksgiving other than the fact that these wines will really complement your meal and the French did help us win the Revolutionary War but that was way after the first Thanksgiving. First off, we will be tasting a Trimbach Pi not Blanc ($17.99 Total Wine), followed by a Jadot Beaujolais Villages ($10.99 Total Wine) followed by a Cuvee Signee by Romain Parisis Chinon ($18.99 Total Wine). The first t...

  Chardonnay is a wine people either love or hate. The truth is EVERYONE likes chardonnay its just that some folks may have not found the chardonnay they like. Chardonnay is the most manipulated wine in the world. The winemaker has as much to do with the taste of the wine as does the grape or the terroir. On Friday, October 2’nd at 5:00 PM via Zoom, you are going to have a chance to find your chardonnay! In addition to learning about chardonnay in general we will be tasting three different styles. We will be tasting the Stoller Family Estate Oregon ($13.50 Phoenix Wine, $14.99 Costco, $20.99   Wine.com )., Joseph Drouhin Macon –Villages from Burgundy France ($9:49 Total Wine, $10.99 Costco, $15.99   Wine.com ), and Hartford Court, Russian River Valley Sonoma ($21.99 Phoenix Wine, $29.99 Total Wine, $27.99   Wine.com   ). The wines should be easy to find but if you have trouble finding any of them you can substitute any Macon-Villages for the Drouhin, A to Z Char...

  If there one wine associated with the U.S.A. it is Zinfandel. There is some debate as to where it originated but there is no doubt it is delicious. Fruit Forward, luscious, and with a touch more alcohol it is the perfect wine for BBQ or to sip on its own. On Friday, September 11 at 5:00 PM Pacific, 8:00 PM Eastern we will be exploring this outstanding wine in a Zoom virtual tasting. In addition to learning more about its history, where it is grown, and the various styles we will be tasting 3 examples. All three wines are widely distributed and should be available and most larger wine shops and online. Conventional wisdom says that Zinfandel is related to the Italian grape Primitivo. To help us make up our minds on the subjects we will be tasting Layer Cake Primitive (Total Wine: $11.99,   Wine.com  $13.99).  Lodi is a great source for easy drinking lush Zins so we will be tasting a Klinker Brick Old Vines Zinfandel (Total Wine $14.97,  Wine.com  $16....

On Friday August 28 at 5:00 Pacific, 8:00 Eastern we will be taking an in-depth look at the wines from the Rhone Valley in France both North and South. Among other things will learn about what makes the North and the South, the major wine regions, in both, and what makes them different. We will be tasting three wines produce by E. Guigal. These wines should be available nationally and from on-line wine retailers. The wines are their Cotes de Rhone Blanc ($17.99, $12.99 Costco), Gigondas ($28.97 Total Wine, $30+ other retailers), and Crozes-Hermitage ($26.99 Total Wine and  Wine.com ). As I said these wines are distributed nationally but if you can’t find them feel free to substitute any Cotes de Rhone Blanc, Crozes-Hermitage, or Gigondas. You can participate even if you only try two, one, or none of the wines. If you want to pair some food while attending the tasting and you want something simple like a hamburger or sausages. If you want to try some cheese camembert would work with...

Are you confused by the overwhelming selection when you go to buy a bottle of wine at a store or at a restaurant? Do you look at a wine label and are still confused about what is inside? Do you wonder if that more expensive wine is worth it? Do you just want a refresher on some of the basics? If so you want to attend my “Wine Buying Basics” zoom event where I will answer all these questions and more. Among the topics we will cover: The differences in red wines. The differences in white wines Best wines at different price points Navigating restaurant wine lists for value Understanding common wine terms If there is any other topic you would like covered or question you would like answered let me know about it in advance and I will include it in the presentation. There is no wine to buy for the event although you are highly encouraged to enjoy a glass of one of your favorites while attending. The event is free to attend although voluntary donations via PayPal (gasperthewineguy@gmail.com) ...

Overlooked Siblings of Italian Wine Superstars  Virtual (Zoom) Tasting Friday, July 10, 9:00PM Eastern 6:00PM Pacific  As the younger sibling of an extremally successful brother, I have always had a special place in my heart for talented actors and sports stars that were overshadowed by their more successful siblings. Think Frank Stallone, Joey Travolta, Billy Ripken, Dom DiMaggio, and Jerry Van Dyke. The same is true in the world of Italian wine. Piedmont superstar Barolo overshadows its sibling Nebbiolo D’Alba. In Tuscany, the much-acclaimed Brunello di Montalcino is in the spotlight while it’s little brother Rosso di Montalcino operates in the shadows. And finally, Amarone Della Valpolicella rarely lets it younger sister, Valpolicella Rapasso get the attention she deserves. Another similarity between the overshadowed wines and their entertainment/sports counterparts is that they work cheap. While the more famous wines command prices of $40-$50 and beyond, d...