Essays
SOMM a decade on, the aftermath of a documentary
by Miquel Hudin | 26-05-2022 ~ 4 Comments
There are few if any films that have had such a profound impact on the wine world than the original SOMM film from 2012. I'm reminded of this constantly such as when I was leading... more »
Transparency, in wine certification
by Miquel Hudin | 20-11-2020 ~ 2 Comments
I moved to Berkeley, California to complete a degree in English Literature at the University of California. Coming from a podunk town in the interior of California where most academic challenges top out at giving... more »
What’s a Sommelier?
by Miquel Hudin | 27-07-2020 ~ 16 Comments
The sommelier. What was once just the guy in the room with a corkscrew has become one of the sexier titles to hold these days. But what does it mean? The most basic definition of... more »
A review of “Uncorked” (2020)
by Miquel Hudin | 28-03-2020
When a friend of mine opened “The Barrel Room” in San Francisco I asked her, “What’s the background on the name? Big barrel fan?” She just shrugged, sighed, and said, “There’s really no point trying... more »
Woe be the soul who must memorize declared years of Vintage Ports
by Miquel Hudin | 13-03-2020
A less glamorous aspect of advanced wine studies–especially when it comes to the of the Court of Master Sommeliers–is the requirement to have at the ready, all the years where Vintage Ports were declared. “Oh... more »
Judging the “Best Cava Sommelier” of 2019
by Miquel Hudin | 14-11-2019
One can’t claim that the DO Cava hasn’t been active over the last few months. An important reason for the new boost is having a new president. Another is having changed up their communications department,... more »
A guide to what’s good, bad, & questionable in wine titles
by Miquel Hudin | 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 »
Blind tasting and finding typicity in DOQ Priorat
by Miquel Hudin | 07-03-2019
What do you call a group of blind wine tasters? A “fool”, a group of blind wine tasters is called a fool. I am an itinerant member of one such fool in Barcelona and the... more »
A review of “SOMM 3”
by Miquel Hudin | 15-02-2019
The gang behind the original SOMM documentary that was a sleeper hit back in 2012 (yeah, seven years ago…) have come back with yet another installment for our viewing pleasure. What’s curious about all things... more »
Dealing with Diam, a healthy appetite for Ah-So?
by Miquel Hudin | 16-05-2018
I’m not sure as to the total number of wine bottles I personally open each year but it’s to the tune of several thousand. When you’re dealing with anything on that scale, whether it be... more »