Loire’s Sauvignon Blancs
Of course, the French drive us a bit insane with how inconsistent their wines remain despite the supposed guarantees of the AOC system, and Loire Sauvignon is no exception. But when a Sancerre or Pouilly-Fume hits its target there is something so clean and penetrating about its flavors that whatever... Read More
Oregon Pinot Gris
It’s not exactly news that Pinot Grigio is and has been the ascending star in the white wine business. What’s interesting is how little of its mass appeal has spilled over into that other rendition of the grape labeled Pinot Gris, which remains somewhat of a secret outside of the... Read More
Whites After Labor Day
To me wine is seasonal primarily to the extent that I’m drawn to certain dishes at different points on the calendar. To complement the lighter, fresher fare that makes up a large part of my diet during the warmer months, I’ll often choose wines that are lower in alcohol, un-oaked,... Read More
South American Wines Just Keep Getting Better
Resistance to the more premium, limited production wines of each country has begun to crack as the market moves upscale. The only problem is that both Chile and Argentina have established their reputations primarily as deep value players in a world where consumers now show increasing willingness to pay up... Read More
Time to Crown California Royalty
Buying wine in the United States used to be a big deal, something almost ceremonial and definitely out of the ordinary. One of the major reasons that consumption’s reached a new height of popularity in the past decade is that we’ve finally overcome the idea of wine as a “special... Read More
Voignier
It has sprinted from total obscurity to underground popularity to mass wine community hysteria to virtually zero visibility anywhere, a complete round trip that’s taken less than a decade. Overzealous producers intent on rushing to market ahead of the curve with wine’s ‘Next Hot Thing’ killed it before many Americans... Read More
Sideways, Down-Under, Or Is It Kiwi-Land?
Conceivably, but there’s hardly enough to go around. This, however, shouldn’t prove a major deterrent to the true Pinot devotee. Anywhere in the world that it grows the finest examples of this now ultra-trendy wine are produced in limited quantities. Longtime fans have come to accept the concept of rarity... Read More