A book review of “Root Cause”15-04-2019

For anyone involved in wine, it’s almost always the case that “pleasure reading” is some kind of dense tome from which a rare beast called, “fact” is derived. Fiction based upon wine is perhaps an... more>

Not Tinto, Blanco. Tempranillo Blanco12-04-2019

1988 was nuts. There was the Iran-Contra Affair, the Eritrean War for Independence, the Nagorno-Karabakh War, a Kuwait Airways hijacking, an Iran Air flight shot down “accidentally” by the US, the Soviet Union launching its... more>

Zayane, a new tribe on the Moroccan wine map03-04-2019

It was 2015. I was slightly younger, living in a different village, and most importantly, thought nothing of going to Morocco, in July, during Ramadan. That was an adventure worthy of the hardest of face-palm... more>

Champagne’s terroir problem01-04-2019

The train to Champagne departs Paris every hour at 36 minutes past from Gare de l’Est. While the carriages might be from an past era, the trip isn’t long with the congestion and sirens of... more>

The Mas Doix – Lede Family partnership28-03-2019

In Priorat, you hear a great deal but often know very little. This was shown no better than hearing changes were afoot last year with Mas Doix in the village Poboleda but not really knowing... more>

Let’s talk about ’16 and Álvaro Palacios25-03-2019

A decade ago, despite living just an hour away in San Francisco, my visits to Napa Valley were readily-dwindling in regularity as tourism was then and is now, out of control. But in a nearly-final... more>

Looking back on Sauvignon Blanc20-03-2019

My flight had arrived on time. This may seem a trivial concern but when flying Iberia’s budget line, Vueling, you prepare for the annoying but expect the worst. Sometimes that just means seats arranged for... more>
Do not get between Allison Janney and a porró.

Six new celebrity wines coming soon!18-03-2019

From press releases about Sarah Jessica Parker’s forays wearing gumboots into the vineyards of New Zealand, to Brangelina’s lucrative Provençal Rosé adventures, to Jon Bon Jovi’s uh, Rosé, to Drew Barrymore’s, uh… other Rosé (wtf?)... more>

Khikhvi: impossible to say, impossible not to love15-03-2019

When in Georgia researching the book, there were a handful of words I learned immediately: “hello” (gamarjoba), “yes” (ki/kho), “no” (ara), and “thank you” (madloba). “Cheers” (gaumarjos) arrived quickly out of necessity but it was... more>