In an already crowded field of certifications for wine knowledge, add one more: the recently announced Parker & Zraly Wine Certification courtesy of Robert Parker and Kevin Zraly. While no doubt well intentioned and likely to be filled with good questions (Kevin Zraly is a renowned wine educator) it's hard not to...
Just Where Is That Winery, Exactly?
I'm in the middle of a book project. I've agreed to write a chapter in a big wine book that will cover all the major wine regions of the world and the top producers in each region. My area of responsibility will be Sonoma and Marin counties, which the book is combining into a...
PinotFest 2009 Tasting: November 21, San Francisco
One of the longest running wine tasting events in San Francisco is also one of its best. While the city often plays host to really huge public tastings like ZAP, Family Winemakers, and PinotDays, some of the better tastings are more intimate and focused. Both words appropriately describe PinotFest, a low key...
Vinography Images: Fresh Fruit
Fresh Fruit
I love the color in this image, and the bright wetness of the fruit and its motion into the destemmer. This fruit is alive and just waiting to be tasted. This is the top end of the destemmer, on the...
The Great Wine Writer Migration of 2008-2009?
Something unusual is happening in the world of wine writing. While not surprising given the disastrous conditions in the market for those who want to make a living writing about wine, this phenomenon prompts some reflection.
In short: I'm beginning to notice...
NV Henri Billiot “Cuvee Laetitia” Grand Cru Brut Champagne, Ambonnay, France
It seems that this week has me on a sparkling wine kick, and I see no reason to stop. As I often say (to myself and others who bother to listen): it took me a while to get here, but now...
Farmer Fizz: Tasting the Terry Theise Champagne Portfolio
Ask most people to name a good Champagne, and most will likely stall after a couple of well known names like "Cristal" or "Dom Perignon." Like many industries, the world of Champagne (and at this point I'm not talking about sparkling...
2002 Ferrari “Perlé” Blanc de Blancs Sparkling Wine, Trentino, Italy
Who knows what it is, exactly, about sparkling wine that entices us so. But go to any wine region around the world, and you're bound to find someone making sparkling wine there (for better or worse). Most, even the best contenders, have...
Vinography Images: The Harvest
The Harvest
This image needs little introduction. It captures the tireless work that is still going on in vineyards all over the Northern Hemisphere, but which will shortly cease. Many of the vintners I've talked to are finished with harvest, or plan to be by...
San Diego Bay Wine & Food Fesival: November 18-22, San Diego
Here in the San Francisco Bay Area, we're spoiled by a proliferation of wine tasting events that afford the opportunity to taste a lot of different wines in one sitting. Elsewhere in the country, such events are more rare, and consequently, slightly...
Tasting the Wines of Lodi
I suppose you might measure my enthusiasm (or insanity) for learning about wine by the glee with which I look forward to the opportunities to taste several hundred wines from a particular region, vintage, or variety. The public tastings that afford any wine lover the chance to taste in this fashion are the single most...
Pinot Days 2009 Tasting: November 13-14, Chicago
While those of us on the West Coast are still lingering in the illusion of Autumn, the chill has descended upon the shores of Lake Michigan, and Chicagoans must be sure they're drinking red wine, both to warm themselves, and to steel themselves psychologically for the...
