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August 2006
Dinner With A Wine Geek
Posted: 02:35 PM ET, August 31, 2006
The first time I used the expression “wine geek” to describe a persnickety wine scribe at a winery-hosted luncheon, in 1983, my colleagues laughed.
The words just came out of my mouth (and fit this guy’s personality perfectly). Read more
Raising The Ante On Prices
Posted: 04:17 PM ET, August 30, 2006
Prices for a few elite California wines are heating up--although given the small size of these wineries, the rise is more like an outdoor patio heating lamp than a roaring bonfire on campus before a big football game.
Harlan Estate is selling its 2004 Cabernet for $350 a bottle, effectively as a wine future, since you need to pay now and wait for the wine. Read more
Different Styles, Similar Results
Posted: 05:18 PM ET, August 28, 2006
The other day, I tried the new Chasseur Pinot Noirs--which are among the most exciting 2004 Pinots I’ve tasted from California--and the blind tasting reminded me how different these wines are in style from the Sonoma winery's Chardonnays.
The two sets of wines are excellent and routinely earn outstanding marks. Read more
A Critic's Job That Smells
Posted: 01:20 PM ET, August 24, 2006
I’ve never wanted to be a restaurant critic.
Having to eat, think, take notes and dine out night after night, or lunch after lunch, has never had any appeal.
Too many rich, buttery, artery-clogging, pound-inducing, uber calories and late nights for me. Read more
Music On Mount Veeder
Posted: 01:19 PM ET, August 22, 2006
I still visit dozens of wineries each year, but usually only for work-related reasons.
Come weekends or holidays, or even when guests arrive in town, I try to keep my distance from the cellars and tasting rooms.
I always like seeing vineyards, though, and on Saturday I’m headed up Mount Veeder for an event that bridges sightseeing, vineyards, wine tasting and an outdoor music concert. Read more
Cork Will Star In New Book
Posted: 04:08 PM ET, August 21, 2006
George Taber stopped by my office in Napa on Friday.
The Block Island, R.I., author is researching a new book, Battle For The Bottle, which is about wine closures.
Specifically it’s about cork--its past, present and future (?)--and its challengers: synthetics, twist offs, glass tops, crown caps and whatever alternatives might emerge in coming years. Read more
A Night On The Town
Posted: 11:32 AM ET, August 17, 2006
When good friends come to town, there’s usually lots of wine and, as goes wine, always surprises.
Earlier this week, on a school night, I hooked up with two old friends -- Andy Katz and Greg Gorman -- both of whom are extraordinary photographers and wine lovers. Read more
In Search Of Some Pinot Noirs
Posted: 10:53 AM ET, August 15, 2006
I need help.
I’m working on a story about California Pinot Noir, and I’m looking for a few wines that are no longer for sale to fill in a few gaps in my research.
The wineries are Kistler, Littorai and Rochioli, for the Reserve Pinots, and the vintages are 2001 to 2003 or 2004. Read more
As the Wine World Turns
Posted: 02:23 PM ET, August 14, 2006
When winemakers ask me what’s new I often reply, well, lots. New brands are popping up like mushrooms on an over-watered lawn.
Then I cite this figure (which we checked in our database): In the past year--August 2005 to August 2006--we recorded 261 new brands just in California. Read more
More Than 15 Seconds Of Fame
Posted: 12:46 PM ET, August 11, 2006
A reporter from the New York Times called the other day to talk about ratings and reviews and the 100-point scale. (He said his story would run this Sunday.)
How, he asked, does one determine the difference between a 92-point wine and a 91-point wine?
Me: I liked one wine a little better than the other…
Another thing he wanted to know, apparently courtesy of a comment from a producer, was how much time I spend analyzing a wine. Read more
Traveling With Wine Just Got Harder
Posted: 02:01 PM ET, August 10, 2006
It looks like airline travel just got a little more complicated after British authorities in London today thwarted a sophisticated plot to blow up several airplanes.
As of now, it’s unclear what will happen to security measures in the future, though many airlines today were limiting what you can carry on, or perhaps more succinctly, eliminating any liquids or gels. Read more
Are Prices Set For A Correction?
Posted: 12:42 PM ET, August 08, 2006
Is this the beginning of the end? Or just a market correction blip?
One of my major concerns about the 2003 vintage of California Cabernet has been pricing.
I’ve tasted more than 250 of the wines now, and I think many of them would be a lot more appealing at discounted prices. Read more
A Fishy Wine Angle
Posted: 02:34 PM ET, August 07, 2006
Sometimes stories cross my desk that don't fall into my typical coverage, but are just too interesting to pass up.
Take this one, for instance.
What does it take to make a fine California wine? Grapes, water, sunshine, the skilled hand of a master vintner – and, now for the punch line – a few thousand dead fish. Read more
Putting Flinty Sauvignons To Work
Posted: 03:04 PM ET, August 04, 2006
A couple of weeks ago, during one of those July heat blasts, I went to a poolside potluck and opted to shuck a few dozen Kumamoto oysters as my contribution to the day’s spread.
I made a couple of simple vinaigrettes, with lemon, vinegar, horseradish and the like, and decided not to grill the oysters due to the heat. Read more
Get It Write From The Start
Posted: 04:51 PM ET, August 03, 2006
When you taste wines, seriously or for fun, do yourself a favor.
Take notes. Written ones.
This was an important lesson I learned early on in my career.
Before I wrote about wine, when I simply drank it, one way my friends and I kept track of what we liked was to place the empty bottles on the hearth above the fireplace. Read more
Finding Double Pleasure out of Napa
Posted: 02:11 PM ET, August 02, 2006
Without a doubt, one of the greatest pleasures of being a wine critic is being able to direct readers to great wines that are also great values.
One of our recent office favorites is a tiny wine company called Olabisi (Nigerian for “joy multiplied”), which is based in Napa Valley. Read more
Rise of the Machines
Posted: 11:29 AM ET, August 01, 2006
When I read stories like Tim Fish’s on the possibility of labor shortages in U.S. vineyards, I wonder how long it will be before mechanical harvesting is the norm here in California.
Many people thought machines would be doing much of this work by now. Read more
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