American winemakers have always embraced a definition of terroir that takes into account the physical aspects of a plot of land and the characteristics of the climate where that land exists.  Old World winemakers, while focusing on this notion of the idea, have also embraced another dimension: the culture and history of a wine growing region when defining "terroir". I've found both concepts particularly foggy and not always so useful in helping to characterize a wine. But it's the Old…

The demographics, work habits, publishing habits, and concerns of the American wine media have changed drastically since I first started observing the wine writing fraternity more than 20 years ago. This is all confirmed in the newly released, 2010 American Wine Writer Survey. But among the more interesting findings of this new survey is that wine writers remain unimpressed by the work habits of people like me: publicists and marketers who attempt to gain the attention of writers for the…

Winemakers and grapegrowers across the globe are celebrating what might kindly be called "The International Day of Poo". Today, the Autumnal Equinox, is the the day that biodynamic grape growers are called upon to undertake "Preparation 500". Preparation 500 is the act of taking a steer horn, stuffing it with steer manure, burying it in the vineyard for six months, digging it up on the Spring Equinox six months later, then diluting the "mixture" and spraying the vineyard with it….