Author: Stephen Meuse

Wine may well be the original International Man of Mystery. Since wine isn’t (and can’t be) made everywhere, it must travel from often remote locales and through many hands to arrive … What Price is Right?Read more

To judge from the conversations I have with friends, colleagues and Formaggio Kitchen clientèle, something called balance is considered a desirable trait to discover in a wine.  It seems reasonable enough, … A Question of BalanceRead more

As we prepare to close out a year like no other with a holiday season like no other, it’s a good time to think about the meaning of gifts and what’s … Bundles of JoyRead more

Dear Santa, It’s the night before Christmas! We can’t believe it’s been a whole year since your last visit. So much has happened. We’ve gone vegan. And you, we hear, married … Like No Other Night Before ChristmasRead more

The national authorities responsible for such things have strict rules about what can be said on a wine label. But there’s always room for creativity, and it can be hard to … Twisted, Gnarled, Thick of TrunkRead more

Why is a set of wines arranged in a particular order for tasting purposes referred to as a flight? Even the venerable Oxford English Dictionary doesn’t seem to know. Its editors … The Order of PourRead more

In my mind, he wine experience is readily categorized into three distinct areas of operations. And, while two of these, the making of wine and its imbibing, draw the bulk of … This Way or That?Read more

If you love the world of wine, there’s no corner of its territory that’s without interest – not a single one you wouldn’t care to explore if you had the time … Still in Love with the LoireRead more

Most of us turn to wine, if not as a vehicle of relaxation, at least as a gateway to it. If you’ve gone so far as to acquire the apéritif habit, … Should Wine Challenge – Or Just Cajole?Read more

Shall we call them microflora or microfauna?  That depends on whether you categorize them among the plants or the animals. And since the biologists don’t seem to be able to give … Wrongful ConvictionRead more

They come from the mountains or the desert, most often – wild, uncultivated places where the hand of man has yet to make much of an imprint. They are themselves of … The Priest and the ProphetRead more