Inniskillin Cabernet Franc Icewine, VQA Niagra Peninsula 2017

Medium-deep amber; strawberry, blackberry, toffee, cinnamon on the nose; honey, strawberry jam, blackcurrant, plum on the palate. Continue reading “Inniskillin Cabernet Franc Icewine, VQA Niagra Peninsula 2017”

Elements of wine judging

On one level “judging wine” is distasteful. A lodestone of my approach to wine is drink what you enjoy and ignore supercilious pronunciamentos from wine snobs. Continue reading “Elements of wine judging”

Bottles of wine from a vine

How many bottles of wine can be made from a single grapevine? Interesting question. This being wine, no simple answer. Continue reading “Bottles of wine from a vine”

Champagne origin myths

Benedictine monk Dom Pérignon did not “invent” Champagne in the late 1600s. He did not exclaim “come quickly, I am tasting the stars!” Champagne’s story is older, more complicated, more interesting. Continue reading “Champagne origin myths”

E-commerce wine

Wine e-commerce trended upward for several years. Then COVID lit the rocket. When final data is in, led by wine, alcohol e-commerce may have grown by more than 40% worldwide in 2020. Continue reading “E-commerce wine”

Champagne bottles

If you enjoyed Champagne or sparkling wine last week while gleefully celebrating the demise of 2020, you may not have thought about the heavy bottle containing the bubbly. But there is a story there. Continue reading “Champagne bottles”

Wine industry in change

As people shelter in place and give family members holiday Zoom greetings rather than hugging in person, the world in general and members of the wine industry in particular can’t put 2020 in their rearview mirrors fast enough. Continue reading “Wine industry in change”

Ram’s Gate Winery Blanc de Noirs, Carneros 2013

Pale straw color; lemon, apple blossom on the nose; citrus, lemon, lime, minerality, brioche on the palate. Continue reading “Ram’s Gate Winery Blanc de Noirs, Carneros 2013”