Essays

Perhaps a #dryjuly for the future?

by  |  28-08-2019 ~ 4 Comments

When living in Spain, July and August mark the time of year that I patently hate as everything grinds to a halt--doubly so when there are the now annual strikes at the airport. While August... more »

That chilling the red wine thing

by  |  25-07-2019

If this latest heatwave has shown us anything, it’s that there are a few more bends to go before we see the “shade” at the end of the tunnel which signals that another summer has... more »
Cartoon by Mike Lester: mikelester.com

A guide to what’s good, bad, & questionable in wine titles

by  |  16-07-2019 ~ 7 Comments

Long gone are the days of a bellied, middle-aged white man proclaiming himself a wine expert because well, he likes wine and wants to tell you about what he likes. No, we've reached an age... more »

In Cain I Trust

by  |  17-06-2019

When writing about wine, everything digital is your best friend–right after a spittoon. A lightweight laptop, or in a pinch, the mobile, armed with either Google Keep for quick notes or Excel for longer tastings... more »

A more balanced amendment to OIV judging guidelines?

by  |  09-05-2019 ~ 1 Comment

Given the amount of wine competitions and people touting themselves as "professional wine judges" these days, it may seem to the general public that setting up such an endeavor takes little more than coming up... more »

Et tu, Eto? Redefining single-serving wine, again.

by  |  08-04-2019

The core issue with First World problems is that there are simply so many and they’re all so equally “serious”. The grocery store has run out of your preferred bottled water. Your personal trainer only... more »

Zayane, a new tribe on the Moroccan wine map

by  |  05-04-2019

It was 2015. I was slightly younger, living in a different village, and most importantly, thought nothing of going to Morocco, in July, during Ramadan. That was an adventure worthy of the hardest of face-palm... more »
Do not get between Allison Janney and a porró.

Guzzling with the stars; six new celebrity wines

by  |  18-03-2019

From press releases about Sarah Jessica Parker's forays wearing gumboots into the vineyards of New Zealand, to Brangelina's lucrative Provençal Rosé adventures, to Jon Bon Jovi's uh, Rosé, to Drew Barrymore's, uh... other Rosé (wtf?)... more »

Family wineries and the issue of Climate Change

by  |  04-03-2019

Last week I was invited to a friendly, relaxed lunch in Barcelona, albeit one that was focused on the serious topic of Climate Change and how it relates to winemaking. The unfortunate joke behind the... more »

Wine Predictions for 2019

by  |  01-01-2019

In these illustrious times of silly-haired men holding sway over the misdirection of the world, predictions of any kind are slightly less useful than horse sweat. But, as little value as general predictions may have,... more »