Ok, it appears that Spring made only a brief appearance this year, and we’re just gonna go ahead and jump right into Summer. And that’s fine…although if August shows up in June, what does that portend for the Fall? Anyway, a more pressing issue is…what’s the best wine when you’re grilling outside? Unsurprisingly, I have[…]
Wine is many things to many different people. To some, it’s nothing but a lowly intoxicant; others view it as a symbol of the cultural elite. It can be sour or sweet, cheap or expensive, simple or complex. Its remarkably easy to make and incredibly difficult to master. There exists no verifiable standard of measure[…]
Wine is one of the most imprecise and amorphic consumer goods ever produced; its flavor, quality, relative body, and best use are all subject to a myriad of opinions, most of which are profoundly speculative, if not downright disingenuous. Alleged experts can’t agree upon, really, anything. So what’s the value conscious consumer to do? First[…]
One of the buzzwords that wine poseurs (critics, radio hosts, newspaper columnists, fake restaurant sommeliers and your brother-in-law) use to confuse the wine public is ‘complexity’. ‘Complexity’ in wine may or may not be a positive attribute (that is entirely dependent upon your personal likes and dislikes) but it’s nowhere nearly as ubiquitous (or necessary)[…]
I turned sixty last year, and was recently blessed with the birth of my fourth grandchild so I’m officially entitled to ‘old fogey’ status. So, first, I’d like to say…get off my damn lawn! Now, I’d like to reflect on the notion of ‘new’ alcoholic beverages, like sour beers, and specifically, barrel-aged sour beers. And[…]
Are you serious about wine? Do you check vintage charts and compare those opinions with what’s on the wine list before ordering? Do you inquire about the percentage of wine in new oak for what length of time before planning your menu pairings? Does the lack of precise information about varietal make-up of a particular[…]
I’ve got seriously bad news for you, fella. No one is impressed by your ‘I don’t drink white wines’ stance. Actually, it makes you look like an ass. Here’s the thing…it’s really ok to prefer a particular wine or a specific grape over another. One could even claim not to like wines from a particular[…]
Ok, for the record, I really and truly love rosé. I love the freshness, the brisk acidity, the versatility. Furthermore, I was an early adopter. I was drinking (and selling) rosés 20 years ago, back when people were convinced that all pink (blush!) wines were white zinfandel and that serious wine people didn’t drink THAT[…]
I love Italian wines. I’ll argue that the grapes and wines from Italy are among the most diverse and thereby, fascinating in the world. The wines are distinctly local…wines from Tuscany are not at all like those from Piedmont or Calabria or Veneto or Alto Adige. The grapes are seldom the same from one[…]
Throughout history, Riesling has been revered for its pure fruit flavors and vibrant acidity, it’s astonishing diversity of styles, versatility with food, and its ability to age for decades. It is at once both delicate and intense; crisp and juicy; floral and mineral; refreshing and complex; transparent and dense. The best Rieslings are pure fruit,[…]