As part of my ongoing wine journey and in preparation for delving into winemaking, I recently joined Cellarmasters of Los Angeles, a home winemaker’s club. Perfect timing! The 40th Annual Home Winemaker’s competition was just around the corner. Judges…
I have been a little late coming to the party with regard to Northern Rhône wines. Back in June at a wine dinner in London at Berry Bros and Rudd, I had my epiphany about the beautiful Syrahs that…
It is only apropos that when a mobile phone retail mogul can’t find the wine he wants to buy, in this case a Roda Cirsion cult Rioja, that he would create his own wine store! This is exactly what Russian…
A few months ago, I had the honor and pleasure of meeting acclaimed winemaker, Bernard Portet, of Clos du Val fame, at a small luncheon at Lucques in Los Angeles, where he showcased his “post-retirement” wines under the Heritance label. More about…
In the next few weeks, I will be highlighting some of my experiences here in the Languedoc-Roussillon region of southern France, as I embark on my one week Master Level immersion course with the French Wine Society, taught by…
Learning about wine is so exciting to me, especially discovering new wineries and talking to passionate winemakers when “on the road” to our local Central Coast wineries. It seems that there is often a surprise that was not on…
Spring is here, and along with it, new life…a new vintage, 2013. Here in California, frost and freeze possibilities look to be behind us. What challenges lie ahead? Heat waves? An unusual storm? Cooler than normal weather? Fires? Pests?…
Like many things in life, sometimes the best experiences happen spontaneously. Such was the case during my recent wine tasting trip to Paso Robles, on California’s beautiful central coast…an area that has been getting much deserved attention in…
Last night I attended Importer Frederick Wildman and Sons Burgundy walk around tasting at Wally’s Wines in Los Angeles. The lineup included 2010 and 2011 whites (Chardonnay in Burgundy) from Chateau Fuisse (Pouilly Fuisse) Olivier Leflaive, whose wines ranged from his inexpensive, drink…
This past week, I attended another Bordeaux wine tasting at Wally’s Wines in Los Angeles. The event featured Count Stephan von Neipperg and wines from five of his properties on both the left and right banks of the Gironde estuary…