Category: Boutique Wines
The Lodi Zinfandel Revolution Continues
Let me begin with total honesty. I fell out of love with Zinfandel. When I first got into wine, I
Small is Beautiful: The Champagnes of Savart
The famous designers Charles and Ray Eames, in the employ of the then young company named IBM, once created a
Lost Treasures in the Sierra Foothills: The Wines of Renaissance Vineyards
Soon after gold was discovered in California in 1848, and word spread east, more than 80,000 prospectors descended upon the
Tasting Integrity: 25 Years of Corison Napa Cabernet
“This is how integrity tastes,” I found myself concluding as I tasted through 25 years of Cathy Corison’s efforts to
Drink Different: Highlights From the 7% Solution Tasting
One of the “worst” mistakes any wine lover can make involves the wine drinking equivalent of getting stuck in a
Drinking Time Itself: The Champagnes of Anselme Selosse
The world’s greatest winemakers almost always have something in common with their wines. This would be expected, of course, as
A Singular Expression: The Champagnes of Cédric Bouchard
When I first met the improbably youthful Cédric Bouchard six years ago on his first visit to the United States,
A Man, an Island, and a Bottle of Grüner: The Wines of Rudi Pichler
“I am not a modern winemaker,” says Rudi Pichler, as we walk through his compact, and yes, very modern winery
The Superb Grace of Old Vines: Drinking Janasse
In a region where castles crumble to ruins on the hills, and the vines outlive their farmers, one of the
Flirting with the Ecstatic: The Wines of Nikolaihof, Austria
There are certain places in this world that feel as if they exist outside of time. Or perhaps they exist
Setting a New Bar for Oregon Pinot: Brittan Vineyards
Expressed briefly, making a great wine is rather simple. You find the right piece of ground; you put the right
A Life Indomitable: The Wines of Casal Santa Maria, Portugal
“I have been condemned to death four times,” says the man that everyone calls Senhor Baron with a smile that
Plumbing the Depths of Portugal: A Tasting Journey
In the pantheon of global wine regions, Portugal doesn’t rank among the most storied, at least as far as the
The Dark Queen of Châteauneuf-du-Pape: Domaine du Pégau
She may be the Dark Queen of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, but the darkness doesn’t come from her. In fact, Laurence Feraud is
Bay Area Bordeaux: Tasting Santa Cruz Mountain Cabernets
It sounds like the beginnings of a joke: how do you hook a wine writer? The answer, it turns out,
From the Quiet Garden: The Wines of Pichler-Krutzler, Wachau, Austria
Winemaker Erich Krutzler has carried a lot of baggage in his life. At 46 he is still a relatively young
The Taste of Something New: Introducing Solminer Wines
Many things motivate the ambitious wine lover, but the curious joy of discovery often ranks highest among the forces that
Hourglass, Napa Valley: Current and Upcoming Releases
There is no single recipe for greatness when it comes to Napa wine, but starting with a great plot of
MORIC: The Apogee of Blaufränkisch
“I am hardcore,” says Roland Velich, describing his winemaking while lounging in the mid-century modern comfort of his living room,
