Category: Recent Columns

What the heck do wine writers mean when they describe wine with adjectives like “chewy” or “crunchy” or “meaty”? Aren’t those words descriptive of chocolate brownies, raw carrots, and T-bone steaks, not an alcoholic liquid? Continue reading →

Winemakers have a choice of fermentation vessels—wood, stainless steel, and concrete. What is the difference between them? Continue reading →

Winemakers are among the most conscientious stewards of the environment. When vineyards pass down for generations and some of your creations will not be consumed for decades, thinking long term and big picture becomes part of your DNA. Continue reading →

Winemakers have a mandatory character trait: resiliency. They certainly have needed that trait in recent years while facing flattening wine sales, dramatic weather worries, global warming, Covid, rising production costs, and supply chain woes. Continue reading →

Many great wines are blends. Red Bordeaux is a blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot and a smattering of other reds. Southern Rhône GSM wines are grenache, syrah, mourvèdre blends. In whites, sauvignon blanc and semillon enjoy a classic marriage. Continue reading →

Buying wine can be intimidating. How do you know if the wine is any good without buying a bottle and tasting it? Wine critics may help, but not all wines have a current score and you may find descriptors are just gobbledygook. Continue reading →

The proper Champagne or sparkling wine vessel is a pain in the glass. Wine professionals largely agree on what glass best presents the wine for tasting, but that is not the whole story. Continue reading →

Napa is universally recognized as one of the world’s premier wine regions, and you pay to enjoy its exalted pours. How much and which wines get the most attention? Continue reading →

Sauvignon blanc is versatile all year, but it particularly shines in the scorching summer we endure this year. Continue reading →

What’s with the foil or plastic capsule at the top of a wine bottle covering the cork? More pointedly, what is the point of it in the 21st century? Continue reading →