Blog Archives
Does wine continue to ferment in the bottle?
I’ve been answering wine queries on the question and answer site Quora. I’ll share some of the most interesting questions I’ve been asked and, of course, my answers. I limit myself to spending a couple minutes on each response, not doing any research or “cheating.” I rely on my experience and opinion, which is probably not [More]
A Spanish White Wine Labyrinth
I got very ambitious as a reader, picking up a copy of a (nearly) 800-page book. No regrets! I gladly sacrificed some/much sleep to stay up and finish Labyrinth of the Spirits by Carlos Ruiz Zafón. Let’s take a look at my review on Goodreads, shall we? The Labyrinth of the Spirits by Carlos Ruiz [More]
Here’s $37. Buy a bottle of Prosecco.
Prosecco: cheap fizz. And…scene. It’s mind-boggling to think about the ascent and success of this Italian bubbly in the last decade or so, but one of the final hurdles for the region/category is to realize it’s not just inexpensive, cheerful, and a little cloying. I can think of no better prescription for overcoming these preconceptions [More]
Persephone Wines Pét Nat is the Perfect Afternoon Wine
I met fellow scribe Rachel Signer in 2015 on a trip to Sicily, right before I moved to New York. We’ve been friends since. She lives in Australia (!) now and is producing her own wines. I was tickled to walk into Thirst Wine Merchants and pick up a bottle from her Persephone Wines label, [More]
Delinquente Wine Makes Fizzy Fresh Fun in a Bottle
After a comparative Australian Chardonnay tasting (stay tuned ) I shoveled in as many little sandwiches as I could and contemplated a walk-around tasting put on by Wine Australia. I was hovering near the Wine Dogs Imports table and, since they are a friendly lot, decided to check on a familiar label. I’ve had the rosé [More]
Murgo Brut Rosé is a Scintillating Sicilian Sparkler
It was my birthday and you know I was going to drink something sparkling so I headed to see my Seattle pal (we worked together at Bottlehouse for years) Carson at Scampi. He started me off with a glass of Murgo Brut Rosé (2015). First let me begin by saying the wine list at Scampi [More]
Crémant is Your Sparkling Wine for the Holidays
Ok, sparkling wine is a year-round delight, but let’s not kid ourselves. From Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day, it’s high season for bubbles. So I want to highlight a range of French sparkling wines that, once you know the name, you’re going to get something good and not too expensive. So remember this: Crémant. It’s [More]
Happiness is a Sparkling Rosé Made from Nerello Mascalese
I feel so passionately about drinking sparkling rosé, especially examples made from unusual grapes like Nerello Mascalese, that I’d gladly pedal this pink bicycle around town to try and win new converts. I have had a lifelong (well, since I attained legal drinking age) love of dry rosé and my feeling is adding bubbles just [More]