Fashion is as fashion does. We crave the new, eschew what was. ’Twas ever so, and wine, you know, is not exempt from fashion’s flow. In Pharoah’s court, they have advised us, the stylin’ sip was from Abydos. Assyrian kings (a fearsome bunch) preferred Caucasian wine with lunch. Around the time they walked the stage,…
All posts in June 2018
Meet the Refusniks What happens when imitation trumps progress
When I became a wine enthusiast, the standards for fine wine were set in just three places: Bordeaux, Burgundy, and Champagne. In Boston, little Italian wine — or even French wine from other regions — was available well into the 1970’s. The situation probably has many analogues, but the one that keeps coming back…
On the Appellation Trail It's a consensus style, not quality, that matters most
Today, most wine education takes the form of a guided tour of what we might call the Appellation Trail. Since appellations constitute the fundamental categories nation states use to organize and police the wine produced within their borders, familiarity with them would seem to be important to developing a comprehensive view of the wine world and…
Don’t Just Chat Up Your Wine
The dinner party differs from the cocktail party in one very important respect. Hemmed in as you are by a place setting, it’s generally not possible to seek new company if you find the people around you a trifle dull or just plain odd. No, you must stay put and make conversation as best you…