A wine with no name
I’ve come here to tell you about a wine with no name. It wasn’t a Barbaresco, but it might have tasted the same …
The 30 Second Wine Advisor
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A standout Spanish cava
Spanish Cava and Italian Prosecco don't carry Champagne's prestige, mostly because they're cheap. But what if we bought a Cava for a little more?
“Fire burn and cauldron bubble”
Wildfires ravage France and Spain and rage along the Pacific Coast. Record heat bakes California and beyond. It feels as if the world is on fire.
Who’s afraid of a tasting note?
If you’re feeling shy about taking a wine-tasting note, much less sharing it, remember, it can be this simple: “It was fruity and red.
How much will you pay for rosé?
If you're looking for a fancy red wine or a high-end white, you'll expect to pay real money. But nobody expects a pricey rosé. What's up with that?
It’s Greek to me
I don’t often see Greek wine in local shops, but when I do (with the possible exception of retsina), I’ll grab a bottle with happy anticipation.
Wine and pickles? Don’t try this at home!
You might or might not want to know this, but I recently read that Sauvignon Blanc with iced pickles is now a thing. I tried it so you won't have to.
Natural wine? Prove it!
Natural wine? Prove it! I like the idea of natural wine. Clean, pure, additive-free, treads lightly on the Earth? Gimme! But natural is controversial, and I understand that.
Wine and chips because why not?
"Red wine with red meat," says the conventional, oversimplified wisdom. But this week's enlightenment came not with meat but a simple tortilla chip.
Tradition!
Tradition! Does tradition matter? Should every region stick with the grapes it does best, or try new ideas? For instance, would you like to try a Mosel Shiraz?
Dry or sweet?
Dry or sweet? Remember when you first discovered wine? Were you surprised that it wasn’t as sweet as grapes? And then, before long, you started liking it that way.
Sulfites: Why or why not?
How is a good bottle of wine like a classy wool suit or a prized painting?
Is wine good for us or not?
Is wine good for us or not? Is wine (and alcohol in general) good for us, bad for us, or is it just complicated? When headlines warn of potential risks, should we pay attention?
Australia, but not Shiraz!?
Quick!
How to cope with rising wine prices
As wine prices rise, how much are you willing to pay for a satisfying bottle?
Fifty shades of rosé
Spring has fully sprung, and our attention gently turns to thoughts of rosé. The return of mild weather makes a crisp pink wine seem just right.
Blended or straight: What’s your pleasure?
What's your pleasure? Single-varietal classics like Burgundy's Pinot Noir, or traditional varietal blends like Bordeaux? Or are you happy either way? easure?
Can we taste minerals in wine?
My spell-check flags "minerality" as a misspelling, but I still love to taste it in my wine. Even if its definition and its source remain unclear.
When grapes don’t travel
Name a wine grape, think of the land that made it famous: Pinot Noir in Burgundy, Cabernet in Bordeaux. Can these grapes do as well in other places?
Sicilian wine vs climate change
Wildfires, floods, storms, and heat: Earth’s climate is changing.