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California Uncorked: Napa Valley & Beyond (Total Wine class review)
Nothing helps smooth the path to the weekend better than a midweek wine or spirits tasting. And so, I frequently take Thursday evening classes at the Total Wine in West Plano, Texas. It’s like an educational version of a Thirsty Thursday happy hour! Last night’s class was “California Uncorked: Napa Valley & Beyond.” It’s an…
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Review: Halos de Jupiter Côtes du Rhône (2022)
Tonight, we’re peering into the inky depths of distant heavens, the dark womb of planets and stars… Just kidding. The inky depths are of “Les Halos de Jupiter,” a mid-shelf Côtes du Rhône I picked up last week. I tried it at the Total Wine tasting bar and liked it pretty well, but was it…
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Rare European fruits: A wine taster’s guide
Aren’t tasting notes wild? When you write a tasting note, you’re fumbling toward objectivity–or at least toward clearly communicating a subjective experience. Sometimes, wine writers gussy up our impressions with science talk: This wine has high levels of pyrazines, this one has 9 grams of residual sugar, blah blah blah. But still, deep down, lies…
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Review: Ferrari-Carano Dry Sangiovese Rosé (2022)
Despite what designers of T-shirts and insulated tumblers would have you believe, it’s not actually very fun to “rosé all day.” Trust me–I’ve been there. Having a bottle of the blush stuff on Sunday morning is a good way to ensure that you wake up on a lounge chair with a sunburn and a whanging…
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Wine Road Trip: Northern Virginia Wine Country
As part of my quest to visit (and drink wine in) all 50 states, I recently traveled to Virginia for a Valentine’s Day weekend getaway. It turns out that Virginia really is for lovers…wine lovers, that is. My wife and I had a marvelous time, and would recommend this route for a scenic and relaxing…
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Review: Predator Cabernet Sauvignon (2021)
Winemakers don’t usually brag about insects in their vineyards, but Predator Wines is an exception. As natural and sustainable viticulture techniques gain more attention, even bugs are getting in on the action. Predator Wines is one of 10 brands from the Rutherford Wine Company, headquartered in Napa. Predator Wines use “natural predation” via ladybugs as…
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Not a bubbly mood: 4 ways Prosecco lovers can cope with tariffs
It has not been a festive year for the wine industry. Climate-related worries, buzz-killing medical research, and an overall decline in drinking among young consumers are just a few of the worries keeping wine people up at night. Now, the wine business is bracing for the possibility of Trumpian tariffs on European imports. Winemakers of…
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Review: Familia Torres Secret del Priorat (2021)
The bigger the better when it comes to red wine. I’ve always felt that way, and I probably can’t be reformed. Blame Napa, blame coarse American taste–it is what it is. But I have a burning spot in my heart for reds so thick you can stand a spoon up in them, so potent you…
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Review: Ana Beirut Assyrtico (2023)
Today I’m tasting a bottle from the tiny wine-producing country of Lebanon. I was lucky to have a chance to try many of Ana Beirut’s Bekaa Valley wines at a Wine Authority event in December. The Assyrtico was my favorite pour from the lineup. It checks some of my favorite boxes for a white wine:…
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Review: Sea Pearl Sauvignon Blanc (2023)
Ordering wine at a non-wine place can feel like rolling the dice. Is the wine stored in a freezing bar fridge, or by the radiator in the boss’s office? Will they serve it in a beer glass? Will anyone have a corkscrew, or at least know how to use one? Fortunately, I know how to…
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75 do’s and don’ts of wine service
Last month, we published an article about how not to look like a dumbass when ordering wine at a restaurant. Today, we’re looking at the other side of the transaction–the server’s side. Dining room and bar service is a complex art. There are countless ways to mess up the deceptively simple act of selling wine.…
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Review: Wine Journal by Clever Fox
“What is the best feeling in the world that doesn’t come from sex or drugs?” Somebody asked me that at a party recently, as an icebreaker. I didn’t have a good answer at the time, but now I just might: It’s tearing the packaging off a brand new notebook or journal. You get a new…