Volume XXVI – Issue 4

(A decade ago, Ray Krause of  Westbrook Wine Farm posted an internship opportunity. There were no takers. He hasn’t listed his internship opportunity since.) Westbrook Wine Farm has a really special and rare opportunity for those who wish to reall… Want to read more? If you’re already a subscriber, welcome back – you may login here. If … Continue reading “Job Offer”

Some of the Grocery Outlet stores are carrying an exceptionally fine bottle of red wine for $14.99. It is the 2017 Terlatro & Chapoutier Shiraz, Pyrenees, Lieu Dit Malakoff, which has a national suggested retail price of about $32. The wine sh… Want to read more? If you’re already a subscriber, welcome back – you may … Continue reading “Tips”

 By Dan Berger I believe that many of the red wines California has produced in the last quarter-century have no relationship to what’s potential here, and I’d venture to suggest that a huge percentage of them are extremely ordinary if not ut… Want to read more? If you’re already a subscriber, welcome back – you may … Continue reading “A Red Wine Rebirth”

(This article is an expanded version of a column that appeared a few weeks in the Napa Register) The laws governing the production of Chianti have been in constant flux since they were first codified, in a way, 175 years ago by Bettino Ricasoli. … Want to read more? If you’re already a subscriber, welcome back … Continue reading “The Newest Chianti”

(The following is a brief article explaining a tidbit of California wine history intended to shed some light on topics of interest to wine lovers that previously hasn’t been widely reported. It is the first in a series that will appear randomly in th… Want to read more? If you’re already a subscriber, welcome back – … Continue reading “Hidden History I”

There is no question that Oregon has made a significant mark in the world of fine wine in the last 25 years and just one thing is missing from a great image that now has gone national and international. The only thing missing is an awareness… Want to read more? If you’re already a subscriber, welcome … Continue reading “Ribbon Ridge”

Wine has been described as one of man’s most treasured art forms, the transformation of a simple fruit juice into a sublime elixir. It’s the stuff of poetry and romance, and even the bible even says it’s a reward for leading a spiritual life. … Want to read more? If you’re already a subscriber, welcome back … Continue reading “A Crucial Stat”

The harvest in Northern California this year was one of the strangest on record not only because the fruit began arriving earlier than usual, but in such a strange way that it made for unbelievable logistical problems in many wineries that make both… Want to read more? If you’re already a subscriber, welcome back – you … Continue reading “California’s 2021 Harvest”

(The following essay was written by the owner of Felton Road Winery in Central Otago, New Zealand. Juliann and I have visited the property three times. Each time the wines of winemaker Blair Walter never ceased to amaze us. Not only are the Chardonn… Want to read more? If you’re already a subscriber, welcome back – … Continue reading “Essay from Down Under”

Exceptional 2018 Smith-Madrone Cabernet Sauvignon, Spring Mountain ($62): The aroma of this prototypical 1970s-style example of Cabernet is fascinating! So, it probably will be hated by some reviewers! The aroma is really complex with dark c… Want to read more? If you’re already a subscriber, welcome back – you may login here. If you aren’t a subscriber, … Continue reading “Tasting Notes”