Our trip to Alsace could be done over a long layover, although it’s practically impossible since the nearest major airport is three hours away. Spent (mostly) eating and drinking, we also learned a ton about the people, their wines and the region. Here’s a glimpse into the 24 hours we were there. We had […]
A Google news search for El Nino’s effect on vineyards generates tens of pages of opinion articles speculating on if and how the big winter will contribute to the quality of the 2016 harvest. As always, the media is stirring up concern regarding the impact of heavy rainfall on grapevines in articles such as Eater’s, […]
Many wineries have already or are just about to make the biodynamic Preparation 500, where cow manure is packed into cow horns and buried in the soil through the winter. This Spring, the horn will be uncovered, its contents stirred into water to make a “tea” and then sprayed on the vineyards’ soil in the […]
Over 8,000 out of the 615,000 acres of wine grape vineyards are now farmed certified organic in California. All that fruit from those vineyards then produce organic wine, right? Wrong. This is one of the biggest disconnects in wine understanding, especially when it comes to marketing. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has very strict stipulations regarding […]
One of the more recent Guild of Sommeliers podcasts out takes a look into the practice of sustainability in wineries, what it requires from the growers and winemakers, and the outcomes of practicing it. One of the featured guests on the show said something to the effect of (and don’t quote me) if you’re shopping […]
Not enough oak for you last time? Here’s some more on the topic of oak aging. Click here to read our first post on oak. In wine production, there are three main categories suitable for aging wine: French, American and Hungarian/Eastern European. French Oak The main reason for aging wine in French oak is the […]
You always wondered what exactly people are talking about when they say this wine is oaky…until you taste a wine that’s way. too. oaky. Too much oak influence in a wine will suck all the moisture out of your mouth and leave you with a dry, woody, vanilla-y like flavoring that leave you wondering if […]
Believe it or not, all of Napa Valley was dry farmed until the 1960s, when overhead irrigation systems were introduced. Just a few years later came the early stages of drip irrigation. Still, the benchmark classics of Napa Valley – BV, Inglenook, Martini and others, were farmed without irrigation for many years before then. How […]
Johannes and I found ourselves in the middle of Napa on my birthday last weekend bickering over whether the mustard had always been there (me, the idealist) or rather planted (Johannes, the realist, but also the one with much more experience working in vineyards). Well, after some research, we determined we were both right.
At 12:01 AM, French time yesterday, Beaujolais Nouveau wines from this year’s vintage are released, just weeks after fermentation is complete. Obviously, there’s a huge party. The most well known event started Wednesday evening and will continue through Sunday in the town of Beaujeu.
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Fall vineyard colors. Something about them makes you want to grab a bottle of red, put another log on the fire, grab a blanket and someone to get under it with…. No? Maybe just us. Yellows, oranges and browns are the tell-tale signal of fall. Each year, the bright, green reminiscent of spring and summer […]
Opus One. The legendary combination of one of the wealthiest in France – Baron Phillipe de Rothschild and pioneer American winemaker Robert Mondavi, who joined together to form the first ‘ultra-premium’ winery in the Napa Valley. In a crowd, the mention of the name may bring any reaction from eye rolls among those who believe […]
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