Category Archives: Religion

In Vino Veritas

Posted on June 4, 2018 by

In vino veritas, the Roman author Pliny the Elder wrote. In wine is truth. It’s an old Latin phrase making fun of people who speak their minds under the influence of alcohol. The quote is buried in a rather hilarious … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Food and Drink, Rants, Religion, Wine, writers | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Inventing wine through the ages

Posted on December 2, 2012 by

Today marks another first for me – my first appearance in the Book World section of The Washington Post. I review two books: Divine Vintage: Following the Wine Trail from Genesis to the Modern Age, by Joel Butler and Randall … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Religion, Wine | Tagged , , | 7 Comments

An Irish kosher wine from New Zealand?

Posted on April 5, 2012 by

(This column was published in The Washington Post on Wednesday, April 4, 2012.) Wine is increasingly becoming part of our modern dining culture, a drink to be enjoyed regularly and not just on special occasions. That’s to be applauded from … Continue reading →

Posted in Food and Drink, Religion, Sauvignon Blanc, Wine | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

An AmpelWHATapher?

Posted on October 13, 2010 by

Ampelography is one of the funniest sounding words in wine, a field that’s full of potential puns and double entendres. It means simply, the study and identification of grapevines. And Lucie Morton is one of this country’s leading ampelographers. But … Continue reading →

Posted in Bordeaux, Cabernet Franc, Eastern US, France, Local Wine, Maryland, Religion, Science, Terroir, Virginia, Washington Post, Wine | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Schloss Johannisberg

Posted on July 23, 2008 by

“The last Princess von Metternich called this cellar ‘The Cathedral of Riesling,’” my guide said. It was easy to see why. The gravel on the floor, strewn there to capture humidity, crunched underfoot, as though the wines in the ancient … Continue reading →

Posted in Germany, Religion | Tagged | Leave a comment