When the village goes dry07-08-2019

On July 25th the village of Gratallops ran out of water. A village of 226 people, 23 wineries, three hotels, multiple holiday rentals, and seven restaurants/cafés had neither water to drink, nor to shower with,... 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>
L-R: Sumarroca, 7103 Petit Celler, Montse Molla

The 2018 Harvest. So far so… normal-ish?24-09-2018

Just once I’ve love to hear some wine promotion body speak of their current harvest and say something along the lines of, “This year? It’s shit. Seriously, don’t drink it. Actually, you won’t be able... more>
Old vines in the Mas de la Rosa vineyard

A Priorat tasting of Carignan without borders02-05-2018

Fully booked! Sorry for those who couldn’t get in this time around! I have admittedly been a bit crazy about Carignan lately. It’s no wonder as I posted this large, “Grand Tasting of Carignan” from... more>

Lady strangler news, Escanyavella 201518-10-2017

There exists an old grape in DOQ Priorat that sits in something of a legal limbo called, Escanyavella. Essentially it means “old lady choker” or “strangler” depending on how poetic you might want to be... more>

The rebirth of the Escanyavella grape in Priorat20-05-2016

There existed many old grape varieties in Catalonia; many of them in much greater numbers before phylloxera. In the days that followed this catastrophic attack to European winemaking there was something of a viticultural reckoning... more>
Milk chocolate, Vi de Panses, dark chocolate, Arrels del Priorat

Wine & Chocolate, ergh02-02-2016

This originally ran on my column at Barcelona Metropolitan but I present it here in its full length Being originally American, I grew up steeped in the tradition of Valentine’s Day which arrives on the... more>