If you’re like most people, the light-bodied, refreshing Vinho Verde is what comes to mind when you think of wines from Portugal. Few today can name a producer making a “serious” red wine or describe its grapes or style. The fact is, most of these wines are consumed within Portugal
Smoke, espresso, red fruits and herbs show on the nose. On the palate dates, nuts, and espresso give way to sweetness from dried red fruits and toffee. Sweetness lingers, with grainy tannins and a surprising pop of lavender. Chewy, rich, with layers of dessert flavors and a moderate alcohol bite,
In his outstanding volume The Art of Fermentation, Sandor Ellix Katz makes the disturbing proposition that rather than us having domesticated Saccharomyces cerevisiae – the yeast used to ferment wine as well as (most) beer and bread – S. cerevisiae has instead domesticated us. Katz is a fermentation wizard, the
As a state rightfully associated with sunshine and warm, Texas's ability to effectively ripen grapes to their full potential is often misunderstood. Soils stingy in porosity and friability, hail and drought during the vegetative cycle — and of course an excess of heat and sunlight — have contributed to difficulties
There is a new kind of wine region becoming part of the landscape and a “must not miss” element on a wine tourist’s itinerary. Unlike traditional wine country, the landscape of this up-and-coming region is not littered with grape vines; instead its fields are full of skyscrapers. This is urban
Twice in the past three months, the wine world has been rocked by news from Robert Parker, the world's most famous wine critic. In December, Parker announced that he'd sold a "substantial interest" in the Wine Advocate, the influential magazine he founded in 1978, to a trio of Singapore-based investors
Tom Mansell, Ph.D., Palate Press' Science Editor, offers a seven-part lecture in the science of wine. He discusses yeast, esters, flaws, and even how to fix some flaws. Tom is an entertaining and informative speaker. We hope you enjoy Wine Science Part 3, Oxidation. d d d Wine Science, Part
Willamette Valley’s pioneering ¡Salud! program illustrates the power of passion, pinot and people. ¡Salud!’s mission is simple: provide quality health care services to seasonal vineyard workers — the only program of its kind in the nation. ¡Salud! derives its name from the traditional Spanish toast meaning “To Your Health,” and