Author W. Blake Gray

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W. Blake Gray
Staff Writer
Wine writer W. Blake Gray is Chairman of the Electoral College of the Vintners Hall of Fame. Previously wine writer/editor for the San Francisco Chronicle, he has contributed articles on wine and sake to The Los Angeles Times, Food & Wine, Wine & Spirits, Wine Review Online, and a variety of other publications. He travels frequently to wine regions and enjoys coming home to San Francisco.

Bordeaux Week: Finding Wines that You Can Drink

W. Blake Gray
Features
10 min read
What if I told you there's a region with 6th-generation family-owned wineries, passionate young winemakers, and distinctive red and white wines that are truly reflective of their terroir? What if I told you these wines can be had for under $20? That the reds are ageworthy, but can be drunk

Ten Easy Tips to Make Delicious Cocktails

W. Blake Gray
Features
4 min read
I used to make lousy cocktails. Not anymore. I didn't go to a bartending class. Instead, I just paid attention to what good bartenders do, and took a few simple steps. Now I'm going to share. This is not going to be a cocktail geek piece. These are things anyone

Aging potential? What aging potential?

W. Blake Gray
Features
5 min read
This is a common sentence in wine reviews: "Should continue to develop for 10-12 years." You see it all over the Wine Spectator. In the Wine Advocate, it's characteristically more enthusiastic: "Explosive flavors of dark chocolate, hazelnut parfait drizzled with fresh Tahitian vanilla sauce and crushed, fire-roasted Bing cherries. Will

Wine Competition: For Whom the Medals Toll?

W. Blake Gray
Features
6 min read
Four judges taste a wine. One thinks it's gold-medal worthy. Two say silver. One says bronze. What medal does this wine get? If you guessed "gold," you have probably sat on a wine jury in the United States. This nearly happened on my jury earlier this month -- and I

Oregon Chardonnay: Rare, Weird and Exciting

W. Blake Gray
Features
5 min read
Oregon's relative lack of Chardonnay is downright weird. And in Portland, rare and weird is good. So you know where this is going. Some of the most exciting wines being made in Oregon today are Chardonnays. These are not your grandma's butter bombs; they're taut, lean wines with terrific mouthfeel.