Blending is essential to making some of the world’s most iconic wines. We explored the several ways to blend last week. This week, specific wines created by blending. Continue reading “Types of blends 1-22-2025”
Category: Recent Columns
Varietals and blends 1-15-2025
In general, wines can be divided into varietals and blends. This being wine, it is not so black-and-white simple. Let’s explore. Continue reading “Varietals and blends 1-15-2025”
Wine scores 1-8-2025
Wine scores. Oh, my. On one level, ridiculous. On another level, essential to wine’s success over the past half century. Some observations. Continue reading “Wine scores 1-8-2025”
Winter wine survival 1-1-2025
Happy New Year. We survived another sun circumnavigation. Sunlight grows slowly longer. Spring rebirth looms over the sere, cold-swept horizon. Endure these last temperature-challenging months, and we emerge into warm, bright shining mornings. Two wine types provide solace during this frost-dusted interlude: Porto and sherry. Continue reading “Winter wine survival 1-1-2025”
Christmas 12-25-2024
This column runs on Wednesdays in most markets—Christmas Day in 2024. If you have not secured your wine before now, no chance today. We can, however, look forward to New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. Continue reading “Christmas 12-25-2024”
Holiday wine pairing insight 12-18-2024
With Christmas/holiday feasts coming soon, what is the ideal alcohol percentage for wine paired with food? The answer is 10-14%. Why? Continue reading “Holiday wine pairing insight 12-18-2024”
Gifts for wine drinker 12-11-2024
If you have a wine lover on your Christmas/holiday gift list, some recommendations. Continue reading “Gifts for wine drinker 12-11-2024”
White wine ascendant 11-27-2024
Wine is in turmoil. People are turning to alcohol alternatives. Red wine sales are down, white and rosé are up. French and Italians and Spanish are drinking less wine. There is a glut of wine. What?! Continue reading “White wine ascendant 11-27-2024”
Thanksgiving pinot noir 11-20-2024
Thanksgiving is the great American gastronomic holiday. Halloween is for foolishness, costumes, and candy. Christmas is for worship, family, and unseemly lust for gaudily wrapped material goods (somewhat antithetical to the Christian origin of the holiday). Continue reading “Thanksgiving pinot noir 11-20-2024”
Wine barrels 11-13-2024
It takes two to four centuries to grow the oak tree for a wine barrel. Then, after tree harvest, four, usually more, years to season the wood and the staves. Finally, it is time to turn the staves into a wine barrel. Continue reading “Wine barrels 11-13-2024”