The cellar hands had little interest in tasting wine with us. Maybe they didn't like the taste, or maybe working at a winery was as much a job to them as picking apples or working in a factory. Read More
Winemaking is a physically demanding job. Read More
The unique terroir of the Côtes des Bar expresses itself well in this vintage. Read More
As the year draws to a close, and the base wines have finished their alcoholic fermentation the people of Champagne...
With all the buzz around California’s 2013 harvest, it’s easy to forget that 2012 was pretty spectacular as well –and...
A cool, persistent spring was the beginning of the weather problems that would plague the 2011 California harvest, pushing back bud break to make the grapes almost three weeks behind schedule. May and June had heavy rains, and the summer heat never really spiked. Pinot noir and chardonnay seemed happy with this weather, and many producers were able to pick elegant, low sugar grapes before the main vineyard event of 2011: October rain. Read More
En route to the first Chardonnay Symposium the city of Santa Maria appeared in all its incarnations. Hosted at Bien Nacido Vineyards’ historic Adobe, the morning began, like most in this winemaking region, wrapped in tangible veils of fog. Read More
The many storied wine regions of Northern California experienced a harvest this year that was in one way, ideal and in another quite anxiety-inducing. Fruit growth was delayed this year by a cooler spring and summer, but the overall temperatures were predominantly even across the board, allowing for long hang-time and good even ripening in the vineyard. Read More