Archive for the ‘Consider This Wine’ Category

Jul 30, 2012

A Public Service Announcement for Wine & Food Lovers

There are a number of good things about summer. The days are longer and warmer. My SF Giants are playing almost every day. Golfing in the early morning is delightful. But the best thing about summer, in my view, is the arrival of sweet, delicious backyard tomatoes along with a profusion of Rose wine from around the world. With these two wonderful summer arrivals, you have the staples for what I consider to be among the greatest summer wine and…

Jul 23, 2012

Mustering the Humility and Confidence to Taste Wine

It takes equally large doses of humility and confidence to successfully participate as a judge in a wine competition. But perhaps more important, it requires an all too often lacking appreciation of the enormous diversity of wines that make up the totality of the wine world to be an adequate judge at a wine competition. I was reminded of all these things as I spent the weekend as a judge at the Long Beach Grand Cru Wine Competition. As with…

May 18, 2012

The Threat and Shame of Natural Wine

On the eve of two simultaneously scheduled wine fairs dedicated to the proposition that everything old is new again, it’s hard not to admire the enthusiasm of those taken by “natural” wine. It’s hard not to notice the excitement its admirers exhibit. It’s hard not to notice that many of the proponents and champions of these wines revel in the idea that they are part of a revolution that defies a stale status quo. The kind of excitement that is…

May 16, 2012

The Pinot Producers Are Coming—PINOT DAYS SF

Who Doesn't love a good list? Who doesn't love a good Pinot Noir? Who doesn't love a great Pinot Noir Event? Here you'll find all three: PINOT DAYS SAN FRANCISCOSaturday, June 16th200 Pinot ProducersBelow is the killer list!Here's how you get ticketsAbiouness Wines Alma Rosa Winery & Vineyards Alta Maria Vineyards Amalie Robert Estate Ancient Oak Cellars Arista Winery August West Bailiwick Wines Baxter Winery Belle Glos Wines Benovia Winery Bien Nacido Vineyards Big Basin Vineyards Big Table Farm Brandborg…

Mar 20, 2012

If It’s Not Natural Wine, It’s Fake Wine

At the risk of beating on a horse that is live and well, I'm compelled to remake a few points about the Natural Wine Movement that very much need to be driven home. The movement, which some will say does not exist, continues to see its most ardent champions display a most insidious form of promotion that is both disingenuous and dangerous. I want to draw your attention to one of two "Natural Wine Fairs" that will be occurring in…