Category: Recent Columns

Cava is Spanish sparkling wine made using the traditional method developed in Champagne, right? Continue reading →

The wine industry faces the first headwinds it has faced in half a century. Inevitably things get snippy in the previously collegial competition among makers. Continue reading →

Mother’s Day easily can be promoted as “Buy Mom Some Wine Day.” There is the cliché joke: “buy mom wine because you are the reason she drinks.” But there is a less jejune reason to do the right thing—moms who enjoy alcohol drinks overwhelmingly prefer wine over spirits and beer. Continue reading →

Medium ruby color; bing cherry, blackberry, raspberry, strawberry, nutmeg, black tea, wild mint, mushroom, baking spices, whisper of vanilla, hint of salinity, earth on the nose and palate. Continue reading →

Wine has been a staple of food and culture for 8,000 years. It is not going away. But the wine industry’s exhilarating days of the past 50 years are fading. Let’s explore. Continue reading →

Answers to common wine questions: Continue reading →

Some answers to common questions: Continue reading →

Wine has an image problem that is both its biggest asset and its Achilles heal. Wine is the most complex alcohol drink. Continue reading →

Followers of my wine writing know I do not do negative wine reviews. I consider myself a curator rather than a critic. If you want snark about a particular wine, others are happy to satisfy you. Continue reading →

Spring is here. What wines are especially suited for the warming days and the return of plants from dormancy? There are many happy choices. Continue reading →