Here in the D.C. area, we’re all busy preparing for the impending arrival of Snowpocalypse 2: Electric Boogaloo. Even though I grew up in Colorado and recognize deep down that snow is not the end of the world, I was running low on wine and cheese (you know, the usual staples), so I joined the [...]

First off, sorry for the long silence – I moved across the country and started a new job, and it sort of took over my life for a while. But things have (finally) settled down again, so let’s talk wine!
I’ve been a loyal United Airlines customer for over a decade, and for years – years, [...]

Albariño holds a special place in my heart. It’s a white wine with character. I get all excited when I see it on a restaurant wine list, because even a mediocre Albariño tends to easily outclass much of the competition (Sauvignon Blanc et al) – or at lest gives it a run for its money [...]

Rhone varietals have a sizable foothold in California, thanks in part to the efforts of the Rhone Rangers and wineries such as Twisted Oak, Cline Cellars and Bonny Doon. For some reason I’ve found myself drinking a lot of white Rhone-style California wines lately, so here’s a roundup of the ones that have stood out [...]

Hall Napa Valley makes fantastic Cabernet, as anyone who’s ever tasted it can tell you. They’re hardly the first Napa Valley winery to go organic — it seems like everybody’s jumping on that bandwagon lately. But they are the first winery in California to achieve gold LEED certification. Ed Curry, VP of consumer operations and [...]

When it comes to natural winemaking, I’m pretty much in the dark. I think organic practices are great, don’t get me wrong, but it’s not a make-or-break selling point for me right now — I generally won’t choose a wine just because it’s organic. And the biodynamic movement (which seems to be organic plus a [...]

Sorry I’ve been so quiet lately — work has been getting the better of me. I should have more time to post in the next few weeks. In the meantime, happy Bastille Day! Here are a few of the French wines I’ve tasted recently:
“Les Pierres Fines” Morgon (Appellation Morgon Controlee) Red Table Wine (Louis Verge) [...]

A funny thing happened to me when I started to approach wine tasting seriously and began taking copious notes. I wonder if I’m the only one.
I was in Safeway the other night on a routine grocery run. The produce section is usually my first stop, though I rarely buy produce there — my neighborhood is [...]

There’s an interesting column in the April 30 issue of Wine Spectator in which James Laube explores (subscriber access only, unfortunately) how those low-class wines — or, ugh, wine coolers — many of us take so much pleasure in deriding have actually led many people to far, far better tastes. I have to admit that [...]

SNOB Wine Bar has biweekly tastings centered on a country or region. This week’s was unusual enough that I made sure I had the evening off so I could attend: Austria’s Gruner Veltliner. It’s rare to see this wine on a by-the-glass list, let alone at a tasting. I’m happy to say it surprised me; [...]