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About Elaine Marshall
(Top Expert on this page)

Expertise
I am a specialist in wines from California, the Pacific Northwest, Australia and the Rhone. My specialties are the business and marketing of wine, professional wine evaluation, and wine writing. I have limited experience in winemaking for the home enthusiast but a broader knowledge in viticulture and the wine regions of the world. I prefer not to answer valuation questions but if asked, I will provide answers based in the US market.

Experience
Currently the Wine Director for Sunset Magazine's Wine Club, I founded the First Street Wine Company in Livermore, California. As former restaurant sommelier, I have over 10 years of experience in the wine industry and am an Advanced Certified Wine Professional of the Culinary Institute of America. As a specialist in New World wines, especially Syrah/Shiraz, I have studied extensively the wines of California, Australia, the Rhone Valley, and the Pacific Northwest. Accepted to the Institute of Masters of Wine program in 2006, I taste hundreds of wines annually. I have served as a wine judge for many California wine competitions. A graduate of the University of California at Davis, I have produced and bottled my own private-label wine for four vintages. My wine reviews have been published in Diablo Magazine and in various on-line newsletters, including Sunset Magazine, Better Homes and Gardens, Intowine.com and others.

Publications
Sunset Magazine, Diablo Magazine, Better Homes and Gardens, Intowine.com

Education/Credentials
Certified Wine Professional Advanced, Culinary Institute of America Master of Wine Candidate

   

You are here:  Experts > Food/Drink > Liquors > Wine

Questions Answered By Expert  Elaine Marshall 
In Category  Wine

SubjectDate Asked

Paul Masson Wine Labels9/3/2008
  Q: I found in a book I purchased in a yard sale, a plastic sleeve of 13 different labels in pristine ...
  A: I have not ever seen old wine labels as having a resale value, except to perhaps the bottling winery ...
Opus one Red Wine NAPA9/2/2008
  Q: I have a bottle 2002 vintage of Opus One. I purchased from the winery in NAPA in 2006 I have stored ...
  A: Opus One, one of the flagship blends coming out of Napa Valley, is built to last. While it still ...
questions about Dom Ruminart + Piper - Heidsieck8/25/2008
  Q: Can you help me? I received two bottles of champagne recently. I was wondering what they are ...
  A: 1. The brut in this case just indicates sweetness - it is a Blanc de Blanc. 2. I cannot find an ...
questions about Dom Ruminart + Piper - Heidsieck8/24/2008
  Q: Can you help me? I received two bottles of champagne recently. I was wondering what they are ...
  A: The easiest way I think to sell older wines is through a retailer in your area. There are online ...
how old is too old?8/24/2008
  Q: For how long is a chardonnay good when it has lived on a wine rack (no direct sunlight) and the ...
  A: A wine's ability to age is determined by its acidity, tannin, alcohol, and sweetness. It is highly ...
1981 The Associated Vintners Merlot (WA)8/24/2008
  Q: I have a bottle of Associated Vintners (now Columbia Winery) Merlot from 1981. It is 76% Merlot ...
  A: There is very little data available specifically about WA wines in 1981 since their industry was ...
Reisling wine8/23/2008
  Q: what is the difference between a reisling wine and an angel reisling wine? ANSWER: Hi Lisa- I know ...
  A: Lisa- If an "angel" Riesling indicates a ice wine, it will be considerably sweet, about 150-200 ...
Porto Lidador 19748/20/2008
  Q: wanting to find the value of a Porto Lidador 1974 Reserve Port Churnwood bottled in 1998. Thanks in ...
  A: I could not find a specific value for your bottle, but found 2 reference points that might help. ...
California merlot8/16/2008
  Q: I just received a bottle of Fife Vineyards, Napa, Ca, 2002 merlot.Do you know anything about this ...
  A: Fife Vineyards is owned principally by Dennis Fife, although the brand and winery assets are ...
Storing Cream Sherry8/10/2008
  Q: I have a bottle of Korbel Cream Sherry and would like to know how long and how it should be stored ...
  A: Cream Sherry is pretty indestructible; it will be able to keep open in a cool spot for months ...
wine8/10/2008
  Q: I have a bottle of covery run 3 liter syrah 2003 Columbia valley wine. I was wonder if this wine is ...
  A: Covey Run is considered a very good value brand out of Washington State. But, the wine are not ...
Food and wine8/5/2008
  Q: I will be shortly opening a bottle of Penfolds Grange and a Special Selection Caymus Cab. What food ...
  A: I will assume for the purposes of answering your question that these are newer vintages. Please ask ...
Brut Champagne8/3/2008
  Q: How many years can a bottle of Brut last? Is there a certain age when its the best?
  A: Most NV Brut (not vintage per se) is meant to be drunk upon release as the wine has been blended at ...
wine bottle8/2/2008
  Q: hy, i ran across an empty wine bottle (without a label or identification) that has some interesting ...
  A: Embossing on wine bottles generally tell you the manufacturer and sometimes the bottle size, such as ...
bad wine7/30/2008
  Q: How can you tell if a red wine is bad?
  A: "Bad" wine is subjective, but their are two major categories in which problems with red wine occur - ...
Questions on older Bottle I found7/27/2008
  Q: I have a bottle that I've found hanging around that I was wondering if I could get some info on. ...
  A: Your wine is a signature blend of the Masi wine brand. It is made using a variety of grapes. The ...
Syrah vs. Shiraz7/17/2008
  Q: I understand that syrah and shiraz are the same grape, with shiraz referring to that grown in ...
  A: There has been much debate as to the origins of Shiraz in Australia, some citing its origin as ...
Muscadine wine7/17/2008
  Q: Are there Muscadine wines made in California and if so, could I have a list of Muscadine wines?
  A: Muscadine wines are made from a native American grape species, Vitis rotundifolia, different from ...
Is my expensive bottle going bad?7/16/2008
  Q: I have a bottle of IceWine ,Pinot Noir 1997 is getting cloudy, is it save to drink? I have not ...
  A: Wines cloud because particles that used to carry a charge loose that charge over time, bind with ...
I have a question7/16/2008
  Q: My parents have this bottle of champagne that they got prom my grandfather around 1984. the bottle ...
  A: If a bottle of Champagne has no date on it, it's what's called a non-vintage wine. This is quite ...
Vintages7/15/2008
  Q: Can you tell me what are the best vintages for california cabs in the last 5 years?
  A: Cal Cab vintages break down as follows for 2000-2006 (most high end producers are still in 05.) ...
value of 2 bottles7/12/2008
  Q: I have 2 bottles of Grand Cordon Champagne Brut by G.H Mumm 1st bottle is a 1,5L #NM 257-001 in ...
  A: Both of your wines are Non-Vintage so their age is hard to determine. But, non-vintage wines are ...
FRANK SINATRA6/30/2008
  Q: I HAVE A BOTTLE OF FRANK SINATRA COLLECTORS EDITION 1995 CALIFORNIA SAUVIGNON. ONLY 1000 CASES. CAN ...
  A: Your bottle is currently listed in an Ebay store for $159, but while this is the offered price, I ...
vintage wine or not?6/11/2008
  Q: I found a bottle of wine in my garage and the front label reads Riverside Farm, California Red-dry ...
  A: Labelling law requires the vintage to appear on the front of a bottle, either on a necker label or ...
How Much is my Bottle of wine worth?6/11/2008
  Q: My mother past away in 2001 and she had this wine in a sack in a dark cool place. It says CROSBY ...
  A: Celebrity Cellars, the producer of the wine you have, was sold by the Delicato group in the late ...
1979 wine6/10/2008
  Q: My boyfriend loves wine and for his birthday I was hoping to get him some wine from his birthday ...
  A: The best idea I have for a wine that old is to buy him a port. It was a "declared" vintage so there ...
1966 and 1969 Bottle of Dom Perignon5/27/2008
  Q: I was recently helping an uncle move and we stumbled upon two bottles of dom in his basement...they ...
  A: Rick- Selling individual bottles is pretty difficult these days and no, Ebay has restricted who can ...
Question on a very old Greek wine5/24/2008
  Q: when I was married my father in-law (a Greek priest) gave me a bottle of Seven Star Metaxa. The ...
  A: Metaxa Seven Star is the longest aged version of this brandy-like liquer from Greece. It is a blend ...
Value & Selling5/19/2008
  Q: They were gifts to her from her ex husband, and she is cleaning out her closets so to say... I ...
  A: Lauren- I would start by calling the winery in St. Helena to ask what they think. They might be ...
Sherry5/19/2008
  Q: I have a heart shaped bottle of Paul Masson rare cream sherry with a cuvee no 001 was wondering if ...
  A: Paul Masson sherry's in heart shaped bottles were produced until 1994. There is no way to tell how ...
Wine Worth5/17/2008
  Q: I have a bottle of Brutt Taylor Wine from 1959. What is it worth?
  A: Gary- I hate to say it but I am unfamiliar with this producer - are you referring to the sparkling ...
wine sommelier5/15/2008
  Q: I have a few questions about becoming a wine sommelier. What personality traits match this career? ...
  A: An interesting question, to be sure. I think as far as a personality goes, it is like any service ...
wines bottled in 19485/14/2008
  Q: I am looking for the name of a good wine (not too too expensive) that was bottled in 1948 for a ...
  A: 1948 was a good year for Port, athough good luck with the not too expensive part (they will run you ...
Is this wine still good5/10/2008
  Q: We have a 2002 Connon Park Bendico Shiraz of Australia. Is that still good? Thanks
  A: Your bottle should be on the tail end of good drinking. Bendigo-Victoria is cooler so Connon Park's ...
wine business5/8/2008
  Q: Did you happen to taste a Moldovan wine? I am seriously thinking about importing wines to the US ...
  A: No, I haven't tasted any Moldovian wine, per se, but, large quantities of this countries wine are ...
1982 Mouton Rothshild5/6/2008
  Q: I inherited a bottle of 1982 Chateau Mouton Rothschild, Pauillac, in decent but not perfect ...
  A: Your bottle in general is very valuable. But as you pointed out, the label condition is a big ...
Whats it worth?4/30/2008
  Q: I have a non-open bottle of Leacock's Madeira Verdelho 1934 its from Portugal. Took it to a local ...
  A: I'd estimate the bottles value at $400-450, depending on condition. And yes, since it is an ...
1985 Cuvee Dom Perignon4/28/2008
  Q: I live in Charlotte, NC and I have a bottle of 1985 Cuvee Dom Perignon, and I am wondering if you ...
  A: Selling an individual bottle is not so easy, just because of the effort involved in using one of the ...
Wines4/22/2008
  Q: I have a big date coming up this weekend and I'm kind of nervous about it and want everything to go ...
  A: Light white wines like Gruener Veltliner, Sauvignon Blanc, and unoaked Chardonnay are safe bets for ...
Discovering New Wines4/22/2008
  Q: I've been doing a little research on red and white wines and am curious to know if you might have ...
  A: This is a very long question! I'll tackle each section as much as I have time. Question 1 - You've ...
Paul Masson Port4/15/2008
  Q: I tried this port while on vacation in San Francisco. It had a dark brown label with gold lettering ...
  A: I only know of the Rich Ruby Port from Paul Masson, it is a dark reddish brown label with gold ...
value of my wine4/13/2008
  Q: I am looking to find the value of a bottle of 1983 Mount Veeder cabernet sauvignon Napa Valley... ...
  A: Unfortunately, 1983 was not a very good year for California Cabernet Sauvignon. And, your bottle is ...
Graf Istvan Question 3-17-084/13/2008
  Q: My partner has also enjoyed a bottle of Graf Istvan Merlot & Cabernet Sauvignon purchased through ...
  A: I did a little research and it seems that Pieroth's Graf Istvan wines are only available through ...
Wine temperature4/4/2008
  Q: I have read and heard about the temperature that the wine has to be kept for optimum experience, but ...
  A: Temperature makes a difference, to be sure, but it is primarily changes in temperature that stress a ...
wine export to Europe4/1/2008
  Q: I am thinking about importing wines from the United States to Europe.I am originally from Charlotte, ...
  A: Good luck with your studies, they will serve you very well! As for your question, it is pretty ...
vinitaly 20083/31/2008
  Q: my husband and i plan to attend vinitaly 2008; however, we are only consumers at this point. we ...
  A: I'm assuming you've already got your airline tickets since Vinitaly starts in 4 days! But, ...
Value of old bottle of port3/30/2008
  Q: I have just found a bottle of Wirra Wirra vineyards 1977 Vintage Port. Can you tell me if it is of ...
  A: I know of no collectability factor for this wine, that is, it is not a famous producer that is ...
About Red Wine, filtering out the yeast3/28/2008
  Q: I am interested in Yeast free wines but hear that they basically don't exist, however there is a ...
  A: Yes, since wine is made from the conversion of grape sugars by yeast to alcohol and other ...
Don Perignon 19753/27/2008
  Q: A friend at work has this vintage bottle and he asked me to look up on the web how much it was ...
  A: Ulrike- I found an auction price through a retailer of $260 for this bottle. AS with any wine, ...
Value of a bottle of wine3/16/2008
  Q: Elaine, I have a bottle of Frascati Pizzetti white wine bottled in 1948 in Italy. This bottle is in ...
  A: Kim- The only info I can find on your wine is that it was shown at the 1939 World's Fair and that ...
wine making3/11/2008
  Q: Now that I'm out of prison,I have a question about homemade wines. In prison "pruno" is made of a ...
  A: Joseph- Congrats on your release! And what an interesting question. I have to preface my answer ...
Paul Masson Rare Tawny Port3/10/2008
  Q: I have a small 2 ounce almost heart shaped bottle of Paul Masson Rare Tawny Port and the date on the ...
  A: Paul Masson manufactured dessert wines, which your Rare Tawny Port is one, for many decades. I ...
champagne3/5/2008
  Q: What is the value of a 1990 vintage Cuvee Dom Perignon, Moet et Chandon?
  A: As with any valuation, the provenance of the wine is extremely important. Not knowing how your wine ...
Value of wine or bottle2/23/2008
  Q: I found a bottle of wine in the basement of a 100+ year house. It has no label, but in glass it ...
  A: Sorry to say, all I can tell you is that you have a bottle marked as Chateauneuf-du-Pape by the ...
wine valuation to sell2/22/2008
  Q: I have a bottle of penfolds grange hermitage bin95 1990 it has never been cellared but I was ...
  A: Please contact an auction house such as Acker Merrill about interested parties and your Grange. It ...
Grand Vin de Chateua latour 19672/16/2008
  Q: While cleaning out my parents house I found in a wooden box two bottle of wine one was a Grand Vin ...
  A: 1967 as a vintage in France was terrible overall. But, Chateau Latour being a First Growth, it ...
Old wine bottle2/15/2008
  Q: I have an old wine bottle that i have had for 26 years. It was given to me by my grandmother. It ...
  A: I am unaware of this wine and its history, so no, I don't have much insight into its vintage date. ...
red wine for health2/13/2008
  Q: Is there a red wine that is easy to drink and still offers health benefits? I normally do not like ...
  A: Wine provides health benefits because it contains antioxidants in the form of flavonoids. ...
recommendation for wine tour in Santa Barbara area2/9/2008
  Q: I am a member of your wine club and i need some information or advice . I want to tour some Santa ...
  A: I'll start with the lodging - I can recommend a handful of places. Fess Parker Inn in Los Olivos is ...

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