sean brendan

Eyrie Vineyards.
About Eyrie:  In 1975, The Eyrie Vineyards produced the first American Pinot noir to compete successfully with the renowned Pinot noirs of Burgundy. (Paris, 1979; Beaune, 1980). Total annual production is around 10,000 cases. All wines are estate-grown and produced.
About the Pinot 2001: Fermented in small bins from completely de-stemmed and mostly […]

I’ve been waiting for a long time to drink a bottle of this, and tonight seemed like the perfect occasion to open up this Christmas gift.
From Va Piano: This special blend is in honor of Father Bruno Segatta. Father Bruno’s artistry and passion for living has been an inspiration to countless individuals over many […]

Vin du Lac of Chelan "Barrel Select" Cabernet Sauvignon 2004
We had some great wine over the holidays, and I found this one to be one of our favorites, from one of our favorite wineries.   The folks over at Vin du Lac are the best, if you are ever in Chelan take the time to […]

From the Giant Wine Company out in Woodinville, comes this pre Christmas Wine of the Week.  Liz and I are sitting around cranking out Christmas cards, listening to the Rat Pack Christmas and drinking down this fine bottle of wine. 
We first heard  about the Giant Wine Company from the Mark Ryan mailing list […]

Something about those red italian wines get me every time.  Maybe its the purple tooth look that reminds me so much of my time over there, or maybe its the lingering dryness they so often produce on the palette.  This is one of my favorites, and at a more than fair price of $8-$10 you […]

This French Wine, La Vieille Ferme Cotes Du Ventoux 2005 is a great deal, at $6 from the local grocer in Kirkland.
What they say: Production area is the southern slopes of the Mont Ventoux (1912 metres/ 5736 feet), 25 km/40 miles
to the east of Orange. The vineyards lie around the towns of Mazan, Moimoiron, […]

As this is one my wife’s favorite wines, she’s offered to post a guest review.
Kim Crawford 2006 Malborough Sauvignon Blanc
What I deem as the best summertime wine, Ken Crawford’s 2006 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc is by far the most flavorful yet relaxing wine I’ve had in quite some time. Whether you’re sipping a glass […]

Sunny summer evenings in Kirkland usually means crowds, traffic, more traffic, and long searches for parking spots. It’s a busy spot with the beach parks, lots of restaurant options, a marina, and a generally pedestrian friendly feel. The final stop on our tour of the trio of Italian restaurants in Kirkland will encourage Seattlites to […]

When eating at a restaraunt I’m always thrilled to see that they have a section of the wine menu labeled “interesting reds” or “exotic reds” or “oddball whites.” It usually catches my attention just enough to want to try something below that headline, something slightly different than the usual chianti or chardonnay that I’d […]

Wow. I’ve been rather neglegent about updating the blog lately. I hope you like the new picture and slightly different colors.
At any rate - Check out the wine when you get a chance: 2005 Vin Du Lac Cuvee Rouge. It’s a sensual blend of 2/3 merlot, plus a little bit of Petit Sirah, Cab, […]

This wine jumped out of my glass tonight and screamed “dont forget about cabfranc!” At nearly 50% cabernet franc this wine has bordeaux tendencies. According to the good wikipedia:
“Cabernet Franc is lighter than Cabernet Sauvignon (of which it is a parent),[2] contributing finesse and a peppery perfume to blends with more robust grapes. Depending […]

Here’s another recommended wine - Cycles Gladiator Chardonnay 2005. We enjoyed this wine tonight alongside tuscan grilled chicken and fried rice. We’ve had this wine before, at a family gathering last September, and were initially attracted to the wine by the interesting label of course (click on the link above for an explanation). […]

My wife and I have recently been on a spanish wine kick and I wanted to share a recommendation for a Tresantos Roble 2001. We picked this bottle up at the local market and found the Spanish tempranillo to be dry and dirt in the middle of summer with a dark red to brownish […]

Here is a restaurant review that I submitted to the Seattlest last week. Enjoy!
Are you looking for the finest pasta on the Eastside? How about some real, old country eggplant parm or chicken picatta? Kirkland boasts a trio of restaurants that proudly fly the green, white, and red flag. But which is best you may […]

Last spring, at the end of our trip through Napa Valley we made our last stop of the day at Luna Vineyards. Their reputation had preceded our visit and I was prepared to enjoy some really good wines having previously enjoyed their Sangiovese.
After mingling with the friendly staff and being sent up to […]