Tag Archives: California

What do wine lovers really want?

When preparing yesterday’s rant about the current existential dread in the wine industry over the indifference of younger consumers to our favorite tipple, I came across this piece I wrote just more than 10 years ago. It still rings true … Continue reading

Posted in Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bargain Wines, Books, Bordeaux, Burgundy, California, Champagne, Chile, China, DrinkLocalWine.com, Eastern US, Local Wine, Maryland, Riesling, Sustainable, Weblogs, Wine | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Bedrock and Tablas Creek make gains for boxes and kegs

Two of my favorite California wineries made announcements this past week that should help push the needle further on alternative packaging for wine. On February 1, Morgan Twain-Peterson, co-owner of Bedrock Wine Co., announced on Instagram that Bedrock was releasing … Continue reading

Posted in Climate Change | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Dutton Goldfield Riesling – Marin County

I can’t say I’ve tasted many wines from California’s Marin County over the years. Marin for me is the scenic, Gucci-hippie oceanside territory I drive through on my way from San Francisco to wine country. Marin is not “wine country.” … Continue reading

Posted in Austria, California, Riesling | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

It’s not about the #wine.

This is a slightly revised version of my column published October 12 on washingtonpost.com. As I write this, fires continue to spread across Northern California’s wine country for a sixth day, and it is still impossible to estimate the full … Continue reading

Posted in California, Wine, writers | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

##WW More Holiday Bubbly and Some Celebratory Reds

In the spirit of “Wine Wednesday,” here are recommendations for some fine bubbly and two delicious red wines to help celebrate the holidays. These were published December 10 in The Washington Post, with lists of stores in the DMV that carry … Continue reading

Posted in Cava, Champagne, Holidays, Wine | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

#TBT: Not All Festive Fizz Comes from You-Know-Where

To call other sparkling wines “champagne” is unfair, not only to champagne producers, which try to protect the brand, but also to the wide range of bubblies from around the world that have their own character and identity. Continue reading

Posted in Cava, Champagne, Holidays, Sparkling Wine, Wine | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Wines of the Week: Gundlach Bundschu, Pedroncelli and more

Some readers who do not regularly have a chance to read The Washington Post’s Wednesday Food section have asked me to post my columns and wine recommendations here more regularly. So I will try to do that in some form … Continue reading

Posted in Bargain Wines, California, Italy, Spain, Wine | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

Some pioneering California wineries still thriving 80 years after Repeal

The two curators from the Smithsonian were asking a lot of questions, but Julie Pedroncelli St. John wasn’t taken aback until one of them said, “We’d like some of your stuff.” After more discussion, Pedroncelli Winery, located in Sonoma County’s … Continue reading

Posted in California, Washington Post, Wine | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Worth Reading This Week: Buy your own piece of the Andes

I’ve been too busy this week to post on this blog or read many others, but here are some interesting tidbits from the blahblahsphere: Richard Jennings writes on Huffington Post about the “In Pursuit of Balance” tasting in San Francisco. … Continue reading

Posted in Argentina, California, Weblogs, Wine, writers | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Rooting for Chenin

I always root for the underdog grape varieties. In a simplified consumer culture where red wine means Cabernet Sauvignon and merlot and white wine is synonymous with chardonnay, it is easy to lose sight of the amazing diversity wine has … Continue reading

Posted in California, Food and Drink, France, Washington Post, Wine | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments