Hangups? I've got plenty, but don't worry - I'm not about to start using this column as therapy. But when I pick up a bottle of wine and the alcohol content is listed as more than 14%, a whole host of prejudices kick in. Is this going to be an
If you’ve always thought Sylvaner was simply a junk grape used to ensure that bottles of cheap German and Alsatian white blends are never half-empty, take a trip to the little town of Mittelbergheim in the center of Alsace, where there are 25 wineries but only about 600 residents. Then
A few months ago, Australia’s harbor city, Sydney, got to experience what happens when six proud nations meet. It got messy. Was it a rugby tour? Well, while the power teams of the Southern Hemisphere were well represented, no, it was not this much loved code of football. It was
Kiwi winemakers widen horizons with Riesling, sparklers and more It’s a warm spring night in Queenstown and the mood at the Air New Zealand Wine Awards dinner is convivial as winemakers, uncharacteristically gussied up in black tie, giggle at the PG humor of the emcee and polish off steaks of
The trees outside are green and lush with only a hint of yellow or orange in the leaves. With my windows open to get a little breeze going, I can hear lawnmowers buzzing in the background, a reminder that I need to mow my own lawn. Just moments ago, an
Throughout high school and college, winemaker Tony Leonardini worked for his father Tom at Whitehall Lane, the family winery purchased when Tony was just 13 years old. He liked the work but always knew he wouldn’t end up in the family business. After all, Leonardini is as much entrepreneur as
Pinot Paradise If I had to name one grape varietal defining the Santa Cruz Mountains AVA in Northern California, it would be pinot noir. There are as many variables to growing Pinot as there are soil varieties, microclimates and vineyards in this mountainous region. You’ll find elegant, refined Pinots and
Each year, the wine world eagerly awaits Wine Spectator's "Top 100" list. Since 1988, the magazine's editors have looked back over the wines they've reviewed over the previous 12 months to rank the 100 wines that most impress them "based on quality, value, availability, and excitement." This year, the competition