Apr 1, 2008
So it happened again. I won another poker tournament. This time I was not up against a final player who appeared more interested in his vodka than the game. Rather, I was up against a player who had recently made it to the final two tables of the World Series of Poker. This was the second hold’em tournament I’ve won in the last six I’ve entered, including a 7th place finish also. Upon winning a good friend suggested I needed…
Mar 26, 2008
In a recent story in the San Jose Mercury News, Laurie Daniel explored a topic that remains very important to winemakers and wine geeks: The degree to which Pinot Noir currently does or is capable of exhibiting regionality in its character. Interestingly, the extent to which this issue is important to non-geeks seems to me to extend only as far as the occasional comments by casual wine drinkers that they "like California Pinot more than French" or believe "Oregon Pinot…
Mar 17, 2008
I was reminded recently of an amazing resource of which we all ought to be aware. Josh Hermsmeyer, dedicated winemaker and blogger, sent me a note letting me know that on March 28 the Sonoma County Wine Library will be hosting a talk by Steve Heimoff, author of New Classic Winemakers of California. Steve will be discussing winemaking with five of his New Classic Winemakers including Randy Ullom, Eric Cinnamon, Merry Edwards, Greg La Follette and Michael Terrien. The even…
Feb 21, 2008
It is most often the case that single individuals are the cause of change or the inspiration for change in (and the evolution of) the wine industry. This is not unique to the wine business. However, it must also be noted that associations, organizations and, yes, CONSORTIUMS can and have pushed issues forward, and caused significant change in this industry. The California Wine Institute, Family Winemakers of California, Wine America, AWARE (for those of you who remember this group), Specialty…
Feb 7, 2008
I have a confession. I’m not too often convinced that winemakers have very much of interest to say. This comes from a guy who has worked with a LOT of winemakers, at least in the capacity as their publicist (I’ve never dragged a hose through a winery that I didn’t first trip on in my life. And my singe experience hand punching down Noir in small bins convinced me this was the kind of word I am simply not cut…