September 24, 2007

My interest in writing an article about the Oregon wine industry came to life when some friends asked me to locate some older bottles of Oregon Pinot Noir for a dinner we would enjoy together. I soon learned that bottles from the 197Os simply did not exist here in the... Read More

First we must disentangle the state in the upper left corner of the country from the often unreal city on the bank of the Potomac. (There are 47 different Washingtons listed in the index to my atlas.) Next we must understand that, climatically, there are two Washington States. The more... Read More

In recent years, we’ve been seeing some encouraging vital signs stirring in the long-struggling vodka-dominated gin market. But no one was quite ready to expect the pulsing upswing of beverage business interest or the extent of new upscale brand investment, successful new brands, growing customer recognition, and downright swellegance that’s... Read More

For the first time in recent years, imported beers have been forced to take a back seat to craft beers in terms of production and sales gains. While craft beers receive much coverage in this column, in a counter-cultural spirit, it seems the right time to focus on four notable... Read More

Those words mean something to people. Whether it’s because of L.L. Bean’s solid reputation for good craftsmanship and standing behind their products, the quirky natural toothpastes from Tom’s of Maine, or just the love of lobsters, Maine has a great reputation in New England and beyond. “The further away you... Read More

What happened? Hard to say. Promotions remained big, there were no blows to consumer loyalty. The beer market in the US overall was weak, but that never slowed the overseas brigade before. There is a possibility that things just reached a natural ceiling, but that doesn’t seem likely. A likely... Read More

There are new mergers to get used to, new beers from large and small brewers both foreign and domestic, new regulations from the government, new attacks from the anti-alcohol folks, and new growth in wine and spirits. But it looks like the only new growth you might see is in... Read More

Vermentino is Italy’s best shot for an indigenous variety that could go international. Years ago, some journalists wagged their fingers at producers warning them that the name “Vermentino” could be confused for a diminutive term for “vermin”. But the trade and the public has, either mercifully or by chance, chosen... Read More

Less chic, less compact, it sprawls over a much larger area of bewilderingly diverse terroirs, which, when properly fit with grape variety and growing methods, yield wines as fine as anywhere. Sonoma County, now with more than a dozen appellations, can offer cool sites suitable for sparkling wines and delicate... Read More