How to Learn Nothing

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how we learn about wine. And it seems to me that the best way to learn nothing about wine is to continue to drink what you already know… Continue reading

Missouri Rising

Missouri wines made from native American grape varieties and hybrids such as St. Vincent, Vignoles, Norton, Hidalgo, Wetumka, and Albania from a recent office tasting at Karen MacNeil & Co.

Today, Missouri is ground zero for all kinds of unique and fascinating wines made from native American grape varieties, as well as hybrids…… Continue reading

Smell Disorder

I just read a depressing fact in in Smithsonian magazine (“Sniffing Out the Science of Smelling;” October 2022): Over time, our sense of smell declines as cells lose their ability to regenerate and as cumulative… Continue reading

Cool-Climate Pinot Noirs in California

I’ve been writing a lot about Oregon Pinot Noir lately, but the confirmation a few weeks ago of the newest California AVA—West Sonoma Coast—reminded me of just how cool cool-climate Pinot Noir vineyards in California… Continue reading

CAVES SÃO JOÃO

Spain and Portugal continue to make wines that take you back in time. Recently in our office, we tasted two wines from CAVES SÃO JOÃO—a Cabernet and a white wine, both of which were from… Continue reading

Traveling Back In Time

Spain and Portugal continue to make wines that take you back in time. Recently in our office, we tasted two wines from CAVES SĀO JOĀO—a Cabernet and a white wine, both of which were from… Continue reading

Last Great Wines

Although none of us should be surprised about this, the following first sentence from a recent piece in the Drinks Business (Jan 4, 2022) stopped me in my tracks. “Wine collectors are stepping up their efforts to… Continue reading

The Blistering New York Times Exposé

Since it was published last week, I have thought a lot about the blistering New York Times exposé, The Wine World’s Most Elite Circle Has a Sexual Harassment Problem. Julia Moskin’s blow-by-blow reporting was gut… Continue reading

No Spitting Hitting Close to Home

A couple of months ago, in response to the COVID pandemic, Major League Baseball made spitting illegal. Ok, I thought. Who wants to watch men spit saliva, sunflower seeds, and tobacco anyway? But then a… Continue reading