Donald Breed

In the late 198Os, I accepted a trip to Portugal from the Portuguese Trade Commission. It was led by the late Pasquale Iocca, an Italo-American from Illinois but a lover of all things Portuguese, including its literature. He was the quintessential gentleman, soft-spoken and always polite, but once on the... Read More

Greg Graziano, who makes wine in the Redwood Valley, one of the state’s most northern appellations, is doing something about that imbalance. He has both the name and the grapes. Greg is the proprietor and winemaker of a 2O,OOO-case winery called Graziano Family of Wines, which produces four different labels,... Read More

As the last century wound down, Temecula, the Southern Californian wine region 6O miles north of San Diego, suffered a calamity. With one notable exception, Temecula’s wineries picked themselves up and moved on. The calamity was an outbreak of Pierce’s Disease, caused by a bacterium called Xylella fastidiosa, that destroys... Read More

Spurred by joining the European Economic Community in 1986, wineries are investing in new technology and emphasizing quality over quantity. Fortunately, they are largely staying with the indigenous grape varieties that make Portuguese wine unique, while planting some international varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Chardonnay. According to Rui Abecassis,... Read More