Featured Articles

The dramatic increase in the popularity of Pinot Gris over the past few years has vaulted it into second place among the white grapes that Americans choose most frequently, right behind Chardonnay. The vast majority of the bottles, however, are labeled Pinot Grigio and imported from Italy or produced in... Read More

Candor, humor and persistence mark Dellie Rex’s style over her distinguished career in Boston’s wine world. Ms. Rex’s wide-ranging experience includes wholesale (Classic), sales rep (Racke USA, Dreyfus Ashby), entrepreneur (her own Wine Experiences and Rex Associates), consulting (Wines of Spain, Trade Commission of Portugal, Geerlings & Wade, United Liquors),... Read More

One of the reasons Riesling appeals to us so much more immediately than many other varieties is that it’s not an acquired taste: you don’t have to search for flavor undertones and subtleties. At the same time they are often present, so the grape also has the potential to excite... Read More

While it’s true that the predominant low-end domestic segment, that represents over 7O% of gin’s 11 million-case annual total volume sales in the US, continues to be static and largely disappointing, the upwardly mobile performances and brand expansions in the high-end import tier is cause for genuine celebration in this... Read More

Pro-Stelvin testimonials, trickling in from wineries worldwide, are raising voices against all corks, natural and plastic. We report the findings and learned commentaries of three respected wineries, Bonny Doon from Santa Rosa, California, Mitchell from Clare Valley, Australia, and Kim Crawford from Marlborough, New Zealand. But first, let’s begin with... Read More

One of the most difficult and time-consuming situations for a sommelier, manager or waiter is when a client refuses a bottle of wine. This is mainly because it is such a subjective situation. If a customer sends a dish back because it is over or underdone there really isn’t any... Read More

Sophie Larmandier (Champagne Larmandier-Bernier), of Vertus in the southern end of the Cote des Blancs, and her husband, Pierre, have taken a biodynamic course as a way to nurse their land back to health. Pointing down at the ground in her vineyard, she exclaimed, “This soil is alive again. Pierre’s... Read More

CONJUNCTION, CONJUNCTION, WHAT’S YOUR FUNCTION . . . Thought I’d share that classic School House Rock tune with you, because it’s been going around and around in my head ever since I decided to write about Wine Education. Education, education, what’s your libation? Whether you’re new to the wine world... Read More

Alcopops, malternatives, “FMBs’, hard drinks: whatever you call them – and what you do call them probably identifies your slot in the alcohol beverage business – these sweet, beer-strength drinks have had an amazing and fast-moving career. From odd and abortive beginnings in the ‘6Os and ‘7Os – StingRay, Hop’n’Gator,... Read More