Category: Ramblings and Rants
Napa’s New Investor of Note
When properties trade monthly for double-digit millions, it takes a lot of money to raise eyebrows in a place like
You Don’t Have to Like Bordeaux, No Matter What Old White Men Say
This past weekend, I celebrated my 25th college reunion and had a ball reconnecting with old friends and exploring the
Three Small Steps Forward
Understanding the byzantine nature of wine laws in the United States involves thinking not in terms of 50 separate states,
Bubbly Off the Beaten Track
Sparkling wine has long been associated with celebration. The ephemeral nature of the jewel-like bubbles seems to suit our ways
Putting Time in a Bottle
One of the more remarkable and romantic aspects of wine will always be its unbreakable connection with time. Most winemakers
California 2020: A Lawyer’s Vintage
The 2020 vintage was, quite simply, a disaster for California wine. But until recently, quantifying just how badly the fires affected
Natural Wine is Now Legal: Hungarian Wine Law Joins the Modern World
Last August, I wrote a story here that didn’t make me very happy, but needed to be written. A friend
Wineries Should Require Proof of Vaccination to Taste Indoors
If New York City restaurants can require their indoor dining guests to provide proof of vaccination, why can’t wineries? Mask
Rethinking the Backyard BBQ Wine
We do a lot of grilling at my house, especially in the summer months. Now that we’ve moved across the
That Heat Dome: How Are Vines Coping?
On 29 June, as the so-called heat dome settled over British Columbia, Washington, and Oregon, the weather station near the Red
I’ll Drink to That: Winemaker Dominik Sona
Episode 487 of I’ll Drink to That! features winemaker Dominik Sona of Koehler-Ruprecht. Koehler-Ruprecht is a winery located in the
Napa Goes Kosher
I’m a particularly bad (read: unobservant and unbelieving) Jew, but I’ve written my share of articles on kosher wines over
The Best Way to Preserve An Open Bottle of Wine
One of the top queries on Google that brings people to this site is one of a number of variations
California Runs Dry
Over the last year or two, the ubiquitous two-word phrase ‘climate change’ has, with increasing frequency, been replaced with the
Vaccinating Wine Country
A palpable sense of relief has descended upon northern California wine country. On Wednesday 7 April the counties of Napa,
I’ll Drink to That: Winemaker George Skouras
Episode 486 of I’ll Drink to That! features George Skouras of Domaine Skouras. Domaine Skouras is a winery located in
During the Pandemic, Corkage is a Crime
I didn’t think I needed to write this article. Esther Mobley of the San Francisco Chronicle wrote a spot-on piece
Wine Tariffs to Be Replaced by Wine Glass Tariffs?!
First they came for our imported wines and sparkling wines. With a herculean effort and a bit of luck we
I’ll Drink To That: Chef Robert Vifian
Episode 485 of I’ll Drink to That! features Chef Robert Vifian. Robert is the chef and co-owner of Tan Dinh,
