Do you have questions? Are you a winery looking for someone to review your latest wine? Use can use the form below to contact us directly. We look forward to hearing from you.
The war goes on in its full force and fury, as it has for centuries. Thank goodness that it is not a shooting war, but a war of opinions. The war is to determine who makes the better wines, the historical wine homeland of France or the modern upstart of California....
For centuries, France ruled the roost in the wine department and it was the French Champagnes that were the best known, most costly and sought after. So opulent were the wines that the czars and royalty of pre-revolution Russia ordered that Champagne sent to them...
There are few certainties in life and even fewer in the wine industry. There is however one wine certainty that cannot be denied and that is the name Robert Mondavi will not be found on wine that is not worth more than its price whether it be the affordable Robert...
OK, we are at it again with the Pinot Noirs. This time it is about Pinot Noir wines made in places other than France or the United States. We will try to pick out the different characteristics of the wines that identifies that they are not domestic and have individual...
One of the really great things about wines is that there is always a fresh vintage available to sample. In the Northern Hemisphere, when the grapes are just beginning to flower and the previous year’s wines are quietly resting in casks, the Southern Hemisphere...
There can be no question that wine tastes do change with the seasons. Red wines seem to dominate the winter months while the white wines are more popular during the hot summer months. That however leaves two seasons unaccounted for; Spring and Fall. Red wines do not...
We do not know if we are in-tune or out of tune with today’s wine preferences but for many centuries, it has been the dry (non-sweet) wines that have ruled the world of wines. They were written about, praised, and even sold at incredibly bloated prices. If no one has...
Father’s day is rapidly approaching and the question comes up: what do we get for DOD (Dear Old Dad)? Unfortunately, the penultimate gift would be a box of Cohibas cigars from Cuba, but the trade deals with that country have not yet been finalized so as the old...
There can be no question that wine tastes do change with the seasons. Red wines seem to dominate the winter months while the white wines are more popular during the hot summer months. That however leaves two seasons unaccounted for; Spring and Fall. Red wines do not...
One of the really great things about wines is that there is always a fresh vintage available to sample. In the Northern Hemisphere, when the grapes are just beginning to flower and the previous year’s wines are quietly resting in casks, the Southern Hemisphere...
One wine variety that has taken a terrific beating in the past few years has been the Chardonnay. For centuries, Chardonnay was the darling of the white wines however, in recent years, the variety fell from grace due to the plethora of cheap, undistinguished versions...
For centuries, the Bordeaux region of France has been renowned for its wines. That was true until the 1970’s when the upstart California wines made their international appearance and the French wines were very unceremoniously pushed aside in favor of our domestic...
There can be no question that wine tastes do change with the seasons. Red wines seem to dominate the winter months while the white wines are more popular during the hot summer months. That however leaves two seasons unaccounted for; Spring and Fall. Red wines do not...
We have been writing about wine and spirits for many years and during that time have been privileged to sample the best of the best. One beverage that we enjoy and have been pleased to write about is brandy. Brandy is the final product when wine is distilled. The...
In Europe, where weather conditions have a dramatic and occasionally devastating effect on the quality of their wines, vintage dating is everything. Too wet and there is mold and mildew; too warm, high sugar, low acid and flabby fruit. The question arises, are the...
We have written many times about the dynamics of the wine industry and the effect climate change can have on it. While the gods of weather have frowned upon the California vineyards in recent years, they have been more than generous to those of the State Oregon and...
Do we detect a trend here? Are consumers becoming bored or annoyed with the taste-alike high priced wines? Are Champagne taste buds competing with beer budgets? Cheer up wine lovers, there is a light on the horizon. It appears that affordable, better quality wines are...
Wine has become an integral part of the American dining experience now being enjoyed at many home meals and no longer the sole province of the restaurant experience. The real problem is that it can prove to be rather expensive. Wine prices, like almost everything in...
Please, after you read this and before you sign off go to About Us there has been an update Did you ever do or say something to your significant other that put you in the dog house? If you are like most of us, the answer is a resounding YES. Well, for those of us who...
The Parducci Winery was established in 1933, which corresponded with the end of national Prohibition and which ushered in the resurrection of the California wine industry. Since that time Parducci has been among California’s top producers of premium wines. We recently...
We are currently witnessing the arrival of the latest vintages of affordable wines to dealer’s shelves. Many are of them are adorned with labels bearing weird names or strange pictures to attract the casual buyer. A saving grace among this gaggle of weirdoes is La...
Well, we were wrong again. When we first began writing about wines we were under the misguided impression that if a wine showed up that was made from a bunch of different grape varieties it was merely an attempt by vintners to make use of some grapes that they had...
Do you remember actor Fred MacMurray? He was a popular film and TV star of the 50’s and 60’s. When Fred wasn’t acting he followed his dream and became a dedicated rancher. Fred bought an old ranch in Sonoma County California in 1941 and began to work with cattle. The...
Do you believe in magic elixirs? We do. We are not talking about those magic potions dreamed up by alchemists that appear in books, movies and on TV. What we are referring to is a magic elixir that was reserved for kings and emperors on their death beds or served in...
Within the Napa Valley, near the town of St. Helena, lies a little known wine grape growing district known as Spring Mountain. Spring Mountain has been the site of wine grape growing since Civil War times but the region is not favorable to large vineyards because of...
High Vacuum Engineer: Senior Technical Adviser and Feature Writer for Modern Photography Magazine (1967-1973), co-founder of Together Vineyards, an experimental vineyard in South Florida which was the southern most registered vineyard in the Continental United States. Co-Author of several books on Home Wine Making, Home Beer Making and Distillation of Spirits. Co-owner of Camera & Video Repair Institute in Sunrise Florida.
High Vacuum Engineer: Senior Technical Adviser and Feature Writer for Modern Photography Magazine (1967-1973), co-founder of Together Vineyards, an experimental vineyard in South Florida which was the southern most registered vineyard in the Continental United States. Co-Author of several books on Home Wine Making, Home Beer Making and Distillation of Spirits. Co-owner of Camera & Video Repair Institute in Sunrise Florida.