Category: Ramblings and Rants
Another Reason to Live in Italy
We all have our fantasies. These days mine lean a bit more towards getting more sleep than chance encounters with
Confessions of a Wine Counterfeiter
Faked world-class wines are in the news enough these days that I can decisively call them trendy. They’ve already got
Pinotage Old and New: Tasting Notes and Thoughts from South Africa
Depending on your history as a wine lover, your individual tastes, and perhaps your nationalistic pride, a mention of the
Some Thoughts on South African Wine
I’ve now been in South Africa for about three full days, and I’ve tasted, by rough estimation, about 300 or
Why Do Winemakers Hate Journalists?
Perhaps the only thing worse for winemakers than getting a below average review in a wine publication is being mentioned
Facts and Opinions about High Alcohol Wines
Compared to sports fans, wine lovers of different stripes don’t have a lot to have really heated arguments about. Even
Robert Parker Watch Your Back
In the circles of wine lovers I travel in, many folks make a common observation about the evolving landscape of
Who Should I Visit in South Africa?
About two years ago, I headed off to New Zealand for the first time, armed with lots of recommendations from
Are EU Lawmakers Going to Destroy the Italian Wine Industry?
France, you get a free pass today. The European Common Market Organization is my newest punching bag when it comes
Wine Criticism According to W.H. Auden
At the risk of betraying my political leanings and reinforcing recent suggestions that my home city is filled with cocktail
A Real Nigerian Wine Scam
Anyone who has an e-mail account and has checked it at least once in the last 10 years has probably
Still Seats Left for the Sake Dinner at Manresa
Some of the best meals of my life have been from the kitchen of chef David Kinch at Manresa Restaurant
Wine Spectator Restaurant Awards Exposed as a Total Farce
My colleague Jim Gordon who currently edits Wines & Vines magazine just pointed me to an article on their web
When is The Right Time to Establish Wine Appellations?
The birth of a wine region is a fascinating thing to watch, and I’m sure an even more fascinating process
My ISP Owes You an Apology
For the last 18 or so hours, and for some people it may still be so, Vinography has been deader
Wine Competitions are One Big Racket
If I ever wanted to make a lot of money in the wine industry, I know just what I’d do.
Hear That? It’s the Sound of a Billion Wine Corks Pulled in China.
It’s no surprise that with the Olympics going on, all manner of news media have turned their eye on China.
Manresa Restaurant and Vinography Present: The Sake Dinner, September 10th, 2008
Those of you who have been hanging around these parts for some time know that on occasion I get together
