The Wine Idea

Wine has been an integral if not always necessary element of many of the world’s cuisines for a very long time now. Those intrepid proto-vintners of the Caucasus, the Georgians, assert … A Place at the TableRead more

I’ve’ve written before about what we like to call the Fog of Wine; the feeling that finding your way in the world of wine is like wandering in a misty landscape … Of Herrings Red, White & RoséRead more

I remember reading the late Marcella Hazan’s first cookbook in the 1980’s and being taken struck by her confiding that the secret of all savvy cooks is  . . .  water. … This is Your Wine on IceRead more

Winemaking is simple, but isn’t always easy. From the beginning, crafting sound, durable wine has been a challenging undertaking. The medieval Church was exceptionally good at it because it had (i) … The Future is YesterdayRead more

The wine world isn’t unique in prizing expertise; Let’s just say that it does so to an exaggerated degree. Ask someone, just offhand, to associate a subject domain with the word connoisseur, … Must You Be a Know-it-All?Read more

When helping our clientèle choose wine, I typically suggest several options that seem appropriate — at different price points. What typically follows is a conversation about what qualities attend a more … The Price is RightRead more

From time to time, winemakers will drop by our cellar to present and talk up their wines  We love having an in-person opportunity to ask all kinds of questions about how … The Style IssueRead more

Millions of wine drinkers rely on tasting notes provided by celebrity critics to direct their wine-buying. I’m not going to argue the advisability of such practice except to note that one … Moving PicturesRead more

Is this seat taken? No? How lucky for me! Mind if I plop down? Chances are that we’ve met before, but I wouldn’t be at all surprised or offended if my … Call Me CounoiseRead more

A vigorous world trade in wine had existed for perhaps a thousand years when the western Roman Empire collapsed and cities, key hubs of both mercantile organization and of customers keen … Prayer into WineRead more

We’re not talking about Ball, Teale, Davis or Inman squares here (as you Cambervillians may be thinking). No, this is about conceptual squares and how what we’re calling Next Square Thinking … A Visit to the Next SquareRead more

The people who work hard everyday to present a positive image of wine and wine culture like to emphasize wine’s ancient lineage and unbroken continuity. The simple process of harvesting grapes … Topsy, Meet TurvyRead more