We’ve come a long way
The first record of grape domestication for the purpose of alcoholic consumption dates back about 5,000 years before the common era. Read more
Pour Choices
The Little Things are the Big Things
What makes a great sommelier? Some are excellent storytellers, engaging guests with a combination of charisma and aplomb that will never come naturally to me Read more
Have a Rice Day
I’m finally writing about sake. Why did it take me so long to write about wine made from rice? Although sake is referred to as “rice wine,” its brewing style more closely resembles beer. Read more
Fall in love with Rosé
Not all wines are created equal. This statement is even more apparent when exploring the growing segment of pink wines. Read more
There are levels
This column could’ve alternatively been titled “Understanding German Wine (Part 1 of a Million).” Read more
The kids are alright
Winemaking is difficult. There are many decisions that must be contemplated to make a great wine: What temperature to ferment the grape juice, the size and material of the aging vessel, and the duration of both processes are important. Read more
The more you know
“I hate all Santa Barbara pinot noir.” This is something I overheard recently at an industry tasting — by someone who supposedly knew better than to say something that dogmatic. Read more
Italy’s Oddities
If I gave you a handful of guesses to name the world’s most-grown wine grape, I’d predict it wouldn’t be too long before you mentioned the correct answer: cabernet sauvignon. Read more
Not Just for New Year’s
No matter how much you love your work, if you do anything for long enough it can get repetitive. Read more
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Bringing down the house (wine)
The term “house wine,” like many other phrases in the wine lexicon (I’m looking at you “natural wine”) takes on very different meanings depending on the context. Read more
Sometimes the majority does rule
Jet-lagged, and smelling faintly of old fashioneds and halal carts, I hailed a fluorescent yellow cab to my first trade tasting in New York City. Read more
Champagne’s best-kept secret
I’ve been writing this column for more than two-and-a-half years now and I am stunned that I had not previously highlighted this producer, as I always have a bottle readily available. Read more
The doctor is zin
Off the beaten path in Sebastopol, about a 90-minute drive from the heart of San Francisco, lies a hidden gem. Read more
Give yourself a break
During the weekend of Sept. 15, some of Hawaii’s most recognizable mixologists and wine professionals convened in San Francisco to help raise money to benefit those affected by the Lahaina wildfires. Read more
Island wines on island time
It’s finally here. After nearly half a year of waiting, which included tastings and meetings, finalizing paperwork, and organizing shipping logistics, I finally got to pop some corks on new discoveries I have been waiting to try for a very long time — and it did not disappoint. Read more
Start a rhone revolution
If I had a dollar for each time I was asked what my favorite wine is, I’d be drinking much more expensive wine. Read more
Wine: The universal language
I joined 268 other campers from around the world for winery and vineyard tours, tastings, seminars, decadent meals and way too much wine. Read more
You can’t fake age
The first wine trade show I attended was a trip. The bustling ballroom was packed with the most influential food and beverage professionals in the state. Read more
Back to basics
Look at most highly touted wine lists and you’ll see there is a homogenization that occurs at the top levels. Read more
The bug that almost ended the wine industry
In the mid-1800s, American grapevines made the transatlantic trip to Europe with the most harmful stowaway of all time: phylloxera. Read more
The problem with points
Can a person hate something while simultaneously recognizing its value? Read more
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We’ve come a long way
