Hangups? I've got plenty, but don't worry - I'm not about to start using this column as therapy. But when I pick up a bottle of wine and the alcohol content is listed as more than 14%, a whole host of prejudices kick in. Is this going to be an
I feel as though I need to whisper this, but I think that yeast might be trendy. The furor (both supportive and critical) over natural wine is bleeding over into an interest in the “wild” yeasts that contribute to their distinction, and whether or not they're really “wild.” Meanwhile, a
There is a maddening chicken-and-egg problem with most restaurant wine lists: Are wine lists stupid because customers don’t know much about wine, or are customers uneducated about wine because restaurant wine lists are stupid? I realize that most wine drinkers don’t spend all that much time looking over restaurant lists,
In a roomful of powerhouse producers, in a region full of icons, it's always nice to find a hidden gem - and a great story more than 40 years in the making. I first met Mario Bazán at Premier Napa Valley last February. The annual event, which takes place at
I visited the International Rose Test Garden in Portland, Oregon, this summer, obsessed with sticking my nose into every multi-layered blossom. I had just finished my Intro Sommelier course and was determined to learn how to distinguish the aroma differences among all the different flower colors. We sometimes describe a wine as
Palate Press has selected our favorite stories from 2013 and will publish Redux articles over the holidays featuring Palate Press Columnists. The editorial board hopes you enjoy these highlights as we look forward to bringing you the best stories for your palate in 2014. ••• You are going to die before you have a
Palate Press has selected our favorite stories from 2013 and will publish Redux articles over the holidays featuring Palate Press Columnists. The editorial board hopes you enjoy these highlights as we look forward to bringing you the best stories for your palate in 2014. ••• Robert was a visitor to the Napa Valley who
Palate Press has selected our favorite stories from 2013 and will publish Redux articles over the holidays featuring Palate Press Columnists. The editorial board hopes you enjoy these highlights as we look forward to bringing you the best stories for your palate in 2014. ••• In Italy, where champagne imports reach more than seven