Tag Archives: California

Dutton Goldfield Riesling – Marin County

Posted on December 11, 2017 by

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.

Posted on October 14, 2017 by

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

Posted on December 17, 2014 by

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

Posted on December 11, 2014 by

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

Posted on October 21, 2013 by

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

Posted on October 20, 2013 by

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

Posted on March 31, 2012 by

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

Posted on March 19, 2012 by

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

Leap into the extra day

Posted on February 29, 2012 by

John Williams is throwing a once-in-a-quadrennium party this evening. Williams, the owner and winemaker at Frog’s Leap winery in Napa Valley’s Rutherford district, has been celebrating his favorite “free day” every four years since 1984 by inviting “a few hundred … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Organic, Sauvignon Blanc, Washington Post, Wine | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

The wild, the exotic. The Donkey, the Goat.

Posted on January 5, 2012 by

A Donkey and Goat – yes, that’s the winery name, though the “A” sometimes gets lost – is a darling of the natural wine movement, champions of minimalist winemaking. Right in the heart of California, the husband and wife team … Continue reading →

Posted in Biodynamic, California, Organic, Pinot Noir, Sustainable, Wine | Tagged , , | 3 Comments