Category Archives: Podcasts

I have a difficult time keeping Italian wine regions and their varietals straight. Part of the reason for my confusion is the labyrinth of vineyard designations and the complex regulatory governance that defines and enforces the various levels of quality … Continue reading →

While the summer solstice may mark the official start of summer as June 20th this year, Memorial Day weekend kicks off the psychological beginning of the season. And while I drink white wines just about any time of year – … Continue reading →

One of the things that really sunk in about the past decade in Bordeaux is that for the first time in recent memory, Bordeaux did not experience any “off” vintages. Not a single one.  And of all the good-to-great vintages, … Continue reading →

I am excited about summer because it signals the beginning of the grilling season, and I love to grill. I also love red wine – and there is a red wine out there to pair with every grilling option and … Continue reading →

I know that the old adage about gift giving is, “it’s the thought that counts,” but this Mother’s Day, mom thinks it would be wonderful to receive a “tasteful” gift. After all, if you have a mother who loves to … Continue reading →

Each spring, my wife and I are inundated with wine samples from PR firms, winemakers and vineyards from around the world. They keep showing up every day and multiply in numbers like a pair of rabbits in a Fibonacci sequence. … Continue reading →

Over the last decade or so, there has been a trend by winemakers all over the world to produce wines that have a similar “International” style – that is to say that they seem striped of their sense of place. But not so with … Continue reading →

The Jewish tradition of Passover and the Christian celebration of Easter usually falls within close proximity of each other, but this year, the first night of Passover begins tonight and Easter Sunday is just a couple of days behind it. … Continue reading →

When Captain Cook, on his 1770 voyage to New Zealand dubbed the inlet at the eastern end of the Wairau Valley, “Cloudy Bay,” he definitely got it wrong. Cloudy Bay Vineyards was established in 1985 at the northern end of … Continue reading →