Bonterra The McNab, McNab Ranch Vineyard, Mendocino County 2020

Deep ruby color; blackcurrant, cherry, fig, chocolate on the nose; black cherry, raspberry, blackcurrant, plum, chocolate, mint, toast on the palate. Continue reading “Bonterra The McNab, McNab Ranch Vineyard, Mendocino County 2020”

Berger Grüner Veltliner 2020

Pale straw color; pear, yellow apple, pepper on the nose; lemon-lime, yellow and green apple, grapefruit, citrus, flint, minerality on the palate. Continue reading “Berger Grüner Veltliner 2020”

Glass and its alternatives 2-22-2023

Glass wine bottles have enjoyed a long and storied run since they were adopted after advances in glass making in the 1600s. Now, however, glass has competition. Continue reading “Glass and its alternatives 2-22-2023”

What is wine? 2-15-2023

What is wine? For many, that question was answered thousands of years ago. Wine is grape juice after yeast converts its sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide. Continue reading “What is wine? 2-15-2023”

Champagne’s rise 2-8-2023

The land was sheep country, too far north for grapes. The local wine was mediocre, pawned off to roughhewn wool buyers or consumed by locals as vin de table. Continue reading “Champagne’s rise 2-8-2023”

Wine sales statistics 2-1-2023

Which of these statements about the wine industry is correct? Demand decreases, the industry faces rocky times. The industry is doing fine, even if volume is down, value is steady. The industry has a rosy future as drinkers switch to higher-priced wine. Continue reading “Wine sales statistics 2-1-2023”

Wine is the most interesting drink 1-25-2023

Wine is the world’s most interesting alcoholic beverage. You expect wine columnists to make such an assertion, but we can back up the claim. Continue reading “Wine is the most interesting drink 1-25-2023”

Optimism 1-4-2023

New year. No matter if you look back on 2022 with a sigh of satisfaction or you are grovelingly thankful to survive another solar circumnavigation, time for optimism. Continue reading “Optimism 1-4-2023”