Author Archives: Maurice

  1. Wine Interviews with Dead Celebrities: Tupac Shakur

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    wine interviews with tupac shakur

    For sometime now, I have tried to get wine interviews with some of my favorite musician, movie stars and other celebrities about their wine habits.  I have found it very difficult to get past their fan clubs and PR firms to just get a basic questionnaire filled out.  So I have diverted to plan B.  I found it to be so much easier to hone in on my psychic abilities and interview those celebrities that have passed away.  It seems as though they are more willing to sit through the interview.  Most dead celebrities do not want to lose touch with their fans.  They are so desperate that they are willing to answer the questions of a lowly wine blogger in San Diego.

    Since my dad has Mexican Huichol Indian blood, I felt as though I have a natural psychic ability.  So I searched deep inside, called upon my spirit animal, sought out my spirit place and took on my shaman name, Momo.  I finally found my psychic ability.  Ironically, my spirit animal was actually an insect, phylloxera and my place of power was my very own wine room.  Now that I am connected, my acidity balanced, my heart full-bodied and my spirit well-structured I bring to you my wine interviews with dead celebrities. (more…)

  2. A Love Letter to Tempranillo

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    My Beloved Tempranillo,

    I write this love letter as I sit here and reminisce on our previous encounters.  The first day we met,  I was in college and on a budget.  You too were in your youth, young and fruity, just a “Joven” from Rioja.  Our first encounter was love at first sight.  I can still smell your intoxicating strawberry aromas.

    I later came across you again, I had started working at a Nuevo Latino restaurant and my sommelier added you by the glass.  I knew then that you were a one guy kind of grape.  You were still in Rioja, but this time you were a little better dressed and the bottle I served you from said “Reserva”.  This encounter was a little different from our first.  Your aromas were still of strawberry fruits but there was this toasty coconut and vanilla undertone that made my heart leap. (more…)

  3. Best Kept Secret… Amapola Creek

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    Amapola Creek  Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma Valley ‘07

    amapola creek

    The title says it all, this is the best kept secret in California. Are you still in search of the most prized vintage of the decade, 2007?  If so, then Amapola Creek is the wine for you.  If you are a Cabernet lover, then I presume you love wines with lush fruits, a generous mouth-feel and a full body. It would also be safe to say that you are still in search of the most prized vintage of the decade, 2007.  If all of this is true, then Amapola Creek is the wine for you.

    This luscious Cabernet is a product of one of California’s greatest wine makers, Richard Arrowood.  The vineyard sits on the border of the famous Monte Rosso vineyard, along the steep slopes of the Macayamus range reaching a 600 ft elevation. (more…)

  4. Two go hand in hand… Trione Vineyards Chardonnay and Pinot Noir

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    Two go hand in hand…Trione Chardonnay and Pinot Noir

    trione vineyardsTrione Vineyards has always been a staple in Sonoma, just ask any local.  Whether they are making Zinfandel or Syrah, Trione farms from the best Sonoma locations for each varieties.  The Russian River Valley with its well-drained soil provides the perfect place for growing world-class Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.  Both wines go through a strict 3-year barrel program, using the best French oak available.

    The Trione Vineyards Chardonnay is silky with flavors of baked tree fruit and crème brulee.  It has a vibrant acidity that only this Russian River can create.  The oak is used perfectly to add just enough spice to the delicious fruit. (more…)

  5. Altes de Herencia Cheap does not mean Cheap!

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    Altes de Herencia Granatxa Negra Terra de Altaaltes Herencia

    I am a huge fan of Altes de Herencia wines, so much that I included their Grenache Blanc in my top 10 wines of 2012. The Altes de Herencia wines are a product of wine maker Nuria Altes, whose family has a deep ancestry as wine makers.  Tucked away in the south-eastern corner of Catalonia in Spain, the vineyard is full of Grenache bush vines. The old bush vines give the wine intensity and structure, while the younger vines supply the lift.

    It’s all about roots. Like Nuria’s deep ancestral roots, the grapes too have deep roots in this land’s clay and sandy soil.  After years of being exposed to the sun and this terrain, the Grenache has reached perfection.

    Altes Herencia has flavors of red cherries, boysenberries and minerals.  The wine is bright on the palate and has an herbal edge with flavors of raisins and figs. The price may be inexpensive, but this wine delivers and is a perfect example of why the wines of Spain are growing in the US wine market.

    prime cruPrime Cru prices are unpublished and reserved for Prime Cru Members. To buy wines you must live in the San Diego area and JOIN PRIME CRU.  When you join an email will be sent featuring the Prime Cru Newsletter showing the price of the wines.  To place an order you can either fill out the form below or contact the email on your Prime Cru Newsletter.  Once your order has been confirmed, the wines will be available for pick up at Island Prime Restaurant 880 Harbor Island Drive 92101 San Diego.