Articles

Napa’s newest wine bar, Compline, opens

by  |  02-10-2017

It’s something like 15 years now since I was working full time for a Napa Valley winery and back then, I was lucky enough to based in San Francisco for most my work. I say... more »

In The Glass: Shavnabada Monastery – Saperavi 2007

by  |  27-09-2017

The Shavnabada Monastery is like many monasteries in Georgia: very, very old and with a killer view. They also happen to be the second monastery in Georgia to start releasing wines. The first of course... more »

Neither “whole” nor “food”, Don Simón in a healthy place?

by  |  23-09-2017

Whole Foods Market has been in the news a great deal recently as it was purchased by Amazon. More market-driven minds than mine have picked apart this deal to no end, so there’s little reason... more »

In The Glass: Haden Fig – Eola Amity Hills Pinot Noir 2013

by  |  20-09-2017

If there’s one thing that’s exactly the same for me living in Spain as it was living in California, it’s the amount of wine from the Willamette Valley in Oregon that I drink which is... more »

Online quizzes to help pass CMS Sommelier Levels 1 & 2

by  |  16-09-2017

For those studying up for the Court of Master Sommeliers exams, it can be frustrating to have a sense of what point your knowledge may be at. Sure, you can answer all your flash cards... more »
Judean Hills gents: Golan Flam, Doron Rav Hon, Eli-Gilbert Ben-Zaken, Eran Pick MW

An update on Israeli wines

by  |  30-08-2017

It’s something of an interesting time for the wines of Israeli as a number of the very quality-conscious producers are digging into that third dimension of wine, “terroir”. They’re working to further flesh out and... more »

In The Glass: Marimar Estate – Don Miguel Vineyard 2012

by  | 

Marimar Estate is a Torres family venture that’s run my namesake, Marimar Torres in the gilded wine lands of California. Started in 1986, she’s built a solid winery business in the Sonoma Valley with wines... more »

Tastings & Talks happening

by  |  25-08-2017

If there’s one thing I’m not the best at, it’s shameless self promotion, which in some ways I feel is a positive as opposed to a negative. Still, the old adage of a tree falling... more »

Descendientes de J. Palacios – Pétalos 2015

by  |  21-08-2017

Living where I do, I know the wines of Álvaro Palacios very well as his winery is one of the most dominant in the region. Something like 15% of all the grapes grown in DOQ... more »

And the Paratges of Cava arrive

by  |  17-08-2017

It is not unjust to say that Spain’s sparkling wine, Cava, is the antithesis of “terroir”. While 90% of this Iberian bubbly comes from within the limits of the Penedès counties in Catalunya, there are... more »