Author Archive

Apr 6, 2005

Wines of Humility

Winefairy.com has produced an outstanding interview with Jonathon Nossiter (you can listen to it at the winefairy website), director of the controversial film Mondovino and chief propagandist for Romance. In the interview, conducted by Wine Fairy Lynn Chamberlain, Nossiter makes a statement that should be understood by anyone who believes wine is best when it reflects the terroir where it was made. Nossiter suggests that the meaning of terroir should be amended to mean the culture and traditions of a…

Apr 5, 2005

A Very Good Review of Mondovino

Here is one of the best reviews of the controversial film, "Mondovino". Composed by Kerry Howley of Reason Magazine, the review is balanced and inquisitive. There is just one part of the review that confuses me. I can’t figure out if the author is offering the view of one side of the debate or if the author truly believes this: "The space between Guibert (portrayed as the anti-globalist) and Mondavi (portrayed as the globalist)i is wine’s battlefield. Terroir, a central…

Apr 5, 2005

Which Wine with a Perfect Day?

For the life of me, I can’t figure out why today isn’t declared a national holiday. Today is opening day of the San Francisco Giants baseball season. This special day only confirms that spring has actually arrived. Forget budbreak, forget the spring equinox. Spring officially begins when the Giants take the field. The only thing really bad about today is I won’t be at the game. I’ll be working. But, i read that one of my favorite restaurants near the…

Apr 5, 2005

This Wine Law has a Short Shelf Life

Earlier this year when the U.S. Supreme Court heard their wine case, the issue concerned states in which local wineries could ship to state residents, but out of state wineries could not ship wine direct to those same state residents. It was a case about economic descrimination. Though the court has not come back with a decision, I have to wonder why Arkansas would allow it’s legislature to consider a new law allowing the very same kind of economic descrimination….

Apr 4, 2005

Sandra Gonzalez IS Vino Con Vida

I don’t recall when I first came across Sandra Gonzalez. I think it was probably around two years ago. I’d  probably seen an article somewhere and tracked down the author. When we spoke and e-mailed Ms. Gonzalez explained she was engaged in a mission to bring wine and the Latino culture together. You don’t hear this sort of thing in the wine business. Once you move out of the vineyards you notice pretty quick that the wine industry is not…