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July 2007
Reflecting on Winiarski and Stag's Leap Cabernets
Posted: 01:04 PM ET, July 31, 2007
The sale of Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars ends an era—even if founder Warren Winiarski refuses to use the word "sale," calling the winery's changing of hands a "transition" instead.
That manipulation of semantics is classic Winiarski. Read more
Catching Up on a Few Recent Items
Posted: 04:20 PM ET, July 30, 2007
I’ve been on the road for most of the past two weeks, so today I'd like to use this space to follow up on a couple of recent blog posts.
My experiment with freezing wine was successful—not once, but twice—but it came with an unexpected surprise. Read more
Attitude Can Spoil a Dinner, Too
Posted: 04:27 PM ET, July 27, 2007
We were finishing the last of a three-course dinner last night (out of town), and one of my friends decided that we should try the 2004 Goats Do Roam, a South African Syrah that’s gotten good reviews.
It was an inexpensive wine on this particular list, selling for $38 a bottle, not that that mattered. Read more
A Wine Haven in Surf City
Posted: 12:31 PM ET, July 23, 2007
We caught the first albacore, a hefty 30-pounder, just as dawn broke. The mighty tuna, captured 50 miles off the coast of Mexico, was caught on a lure anglers call a "Mexican flag" for its vibrant red, white and green colors. Over the next five hours, we had one hookup after another. Read more
Is Pizza the Perfect Wine Food?
Posted: 12:14 PM ET, July 20, 2007
Is there a perfect food, or ideal meal, that’s versatile enough to work with every wine?
My friend Pizza Larry thinks so. As his nickname suggests, he thinks the pie is the perfect “food,” since just about anything can be put on a pizza. Read more
2004 Cabernets Get a Chilly Reception
Posted: 12:20 PM ET, July 18, 2007
I’m off for a few days, and in the spirit of research, I’m putting a trio of 2004 Napa Valley Cabernets in the freezer.
Nothing wrong with the wines: they’re great and were part of a recent blind tasting. But since I’m not going to drink them tonight while I pack my bags, I'm curious about how well they'll do in the freezer. Read more
A Close Look at a Controversial Closure
Posted: 03:45 PM ET, July 16, 2007
It’s too bad a book on corks can’t solve the billion-dollar TCA problem in cork that ruins so much good wine. But at least it can get you thinking, or rethinking, your position on the controversial stopper.
In the forthcoming To Cork Or Not To Cork: Tradition, Romance, Science and the Battle for the Wine Bottle, George M. Read more
More on Grapes and Wine, With Christian Moueix
Posted: 02:51 PM ET, July 12, 2007
My time yesterday with Christian Moueix, of Dominus, was so informative that I thought I'd share more details from our discussion with you today.
Winemakers everywhere are fighting higher alcohol levels in wine, and Moueix is no exception. Read more
A Day at Dominus
Posted: 01:33 PM ET, July 11, 2007
Yesterday I caught up with Christian Moueix of Dominus, in the now-chic Napa Valley hamlet of Yountville.
It's always fascinating spending time with Moueix. He brings a unique perspective to Napa Valley wine—his roots are in Bordeaux’s Right Bank communes. Read more
Why Winemakers Seek Greener Pastures
Posted: 11:56 AM ET, July 10, 2007
In response to one of my recent blogs, an industry veteran questioned why winemakers in California change jobs. He also asked about my thoughts on the vintner-winemaker “power-relationship.”
Winemakers seek greener pastures for new opportunities, manifested in many ways, not the least of which is money. Read more
A Three Dog Night in Sonoma
Posted: 12:21 PM ET, July 09, 2007
Midway through what amounted to a cellar cleansing, my friend Ms. V sighed, “God, do I have a lot of swill in here or what?”
Ms. V is a hip wine drinker, with a first-class collection and plenty of gems, stored under prefect cellar conditions in her home in Sonoma. Read more
Beware of the Heat
Posted: 12:04 PM ET, July 06, 2007
In the spirit of brevity, with hot weather upon us, now is the most dangerous time of year to ship or receive wine. Heat is wine’s greatest enemy, and even a few minutes of sizzling sunshine can ruin your prized possessions.
I know most of you are aware of this. Read more
How Two-Buck Could Have Won
Posted: 01:54 PM ET, July 05, 2007
People can accept the fact that Two-Buck Chuck Chardonnay is a decent wine at an incredible price.
But the best Chardonnay in California? That’s harder to swallow.
This isn’t a rant against wine competitions. Overall, they serve a purpose, and at the least they provide a system to evaluate thousands of wines that might otherwise not be tasted or evaluated. Read more
July 4 Wines: Patriotic or Independent—or Both?
Posted: 12:05 PM ET, July 02, 2007
Should Independence Day cause us to be patriotic and celebrate with American wines like Zinfandel, an obvious choice? Or should we embrace independent thinking and try something completely new, whether it’s from the good old US of A or beyond our shores?
If you decide to focus on homegrown wines, try uncorking and drinking one that you’ve never tried. Read more
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